"Contrology is complete coordination of body, mind, and spirit. Through Contrology you first purposefully acquire complete control of your own body and then through proper repetition of its exercises you gradually and progressively acquire that natural rhythm and coordination associated with all your subconscious activities. " – Joseph Pilates

Joseph Pilates developed the Pilates method of exercise in the early part of the 20th century. Originally called “Contrology” it was formulated upon the following six principles, each emphasizing the mind-body connection.

B R E A T H.......................................................................................................................................
Everything begins with breath. Connect your breath to movement. Inhale as you prepare for the movement and exhale as you execute the movement. Deep (diaphragmatic) breathing into the back of the rib cage creates a free flow of cleansing oxygen—improving circulation, releasing tension and helping to organize postural alignment of the skeleton.

C O N C E N T R A T I O N .............................................................................................................
Be present. Your body and mind are a team. Focus your mind on what your body is doing and give every exercise your full attention. Honing your kinesthetic awareness will help you to reeducate your muscles and reduce injury and imbalances stemming from bad posture and repetitive motion. 

C E N T E R I N G ............................................................................................................................
Stabilize and initiate movement from the supportive muscles near the skeletal frame and the deep abdominal muscles. Joseph Pilates referred to this as working from a strong core or "girdle of strength." And whether it’s called the core, the powerhouse or simply the gut— the center is the safest and most effective starting place for movement, and focusing on it will transform how you move.

C O N T R O L ..................................................................................................................................
The most challenging and most important principle, control keeps movements from being careless or hazardous. Do not use momentum to move the body—concentrate, breath and use your core to initiate and complete each movement with precision. Mastering control will help you get the most out of this method of training as well as prevent injury.

P R E C I S I O N ...........................................................................................................................
Pilates emphasizes quality over quantity. Precision is what makes Pilates so efficient—a single perfect and precise Pilates move is more beneficial than 50 crunches powered out.

F L O W ...........................................................................................................................................
Strive to make your movements slow and fluid. Once you’ve mastered the exercises, you’ll find that one movement will flow smoothly into the next. Your movement and breath flow through your body releasing tension—the rhythm establishes grace, increases flexibility and has meditative benefits.