I don’t know about you, but I care about how many aches, pains and pulls I feel on a daily basis. I also realize that thigh gap does not guarantee I can safely move around my living room and a six pack is not going to help me pick up my kids on a daily basis. Even if you are interested in the fitness fads and the appearance of a strong body, you still need Pilates to help prevent the injuries you may incur from over training yourself.

Pilates is a mind-body exercise method based on the belief that our wellbeing and health originate from a strong core and balanced musculature. This balance is achieved through mindful movement, limited repetitions and integration of breath with movement. By focusing and engaging the mind and the body together, Pilates gives you the the flexible strength to live daily life to its fullest. Here’s how Joe himself described physical fitness in his book Return to Life through Contrology:

Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness. Our interpretation of physical fitness is the attainment and maintenance of a uniformly developed body with a sound mind and fully capable of naturally, easily and satisfactorily performing our many and varied tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure.