Are You a Contrology Freak™?

A Contrology Freak™ is anyone obsessed with Pilates and battling uncontrollable urges to drop and do The Hundred. You’ll find Contrology Freaks sweating in torture chambers around the world on apparatus with names like the Reformer, Electric Chair, Spine Corrector, and Guillotine. We practice Joseph Pilates’ Method of exercise with as much integrity as possible in order to develop Jedi mind control over all of our movements. Our ultimate goal is to “Return to Life”. Call us crazy, but our mission is to either maintain or reclaim the vitality and mobility of our youth and to experience “complete coordination of body, mind, and spirit.” We train with the intention to “develop muscular power with corresponding endurance, ability to perform arduous duties, to play strenuous games, to walk, run, or travel for long distances without undue body fatigue or mental strain.”

A Contrology Freak™ is always striving for a deeper understanding of Mr. Pilates’ work; both theoretically and kinesthetically. We consistently practice and observe how the breadth of his exercises and equipment integrate to form a complete Method that systematically teaches, challenges, and reinforces healthy postural and movement patterns. It’s neuro-muscular re-education packaged into a vigorous workout that prioritizes function and longevity over mere aesthetics. And because each exercise requires a heightened sense of body awareness and control, our posture improves and our movement becomes more efficient. We experience increased strength, stability, flexibility and stamina. Chronic pain is minimized or disappears. We prevent injuries easier and recover from them faster. And we have more energy. This phenomenon of defying our weaknesses and imbalances by “gaining the mastery of your mind over the complete control of your body” is so incredibly empowering!

Contrology Starts with ABC

A Contrology Freak™ is constantly experiencing the depth of Joe’s wisdom in our own personal practice. Every single workout is like a sweaty geek-out session over his advanced understanding of how to maximize physical function. But no matter how complex Contrology is, it’s not complicated. It’s highly accessible because of the systematic way in which it’s taught. Learning Pilates is actually quite similar to learning a foreign language. You start by practicing the alphabet, simple vocabulary words, and important key phrases. Those become the building blocks for full sentences that, through repetition, flow from our mouths with ease. Eventually our vocabulary, sentence structure, and conversational skills become far more complex as we progressively work toward fluency; that ability to express ourselves easily, accurately, and articulately.

Contrology is the Language of the Body

Through Contrology you first purposefully acquire complete control of your own body and then through proper repetition of it’s exercises you gradually and progressively acquire that natural rhythm and coordination associated with all your subconscious activities. – Joseph Pilates

A Contrology Freak™ knows that Pilates is learned similarly. We begin with basic movement patterns like the Footwork Series on the Reformer where the goal is to move your legs against resistance while stabilizing your powerhouse. In the Basic System, you get to practice this as a closed-chain movement pattern while supine (Footwork Series, Reformer), seated (Pumping, Electric Chair), and standing (Squats, Wall). After repeating these exercises to a level of proficiency, you progress deeper into the system by removing some of the stability and sensory feedback (Footwork Series, Wunda Chair).  And eventually you can make this same movement pattern even more complex by integrating arm springs like in(Knee Bends, Pedi Pole or (Squats, Cadillac);both of which require more balance, coordination, and the simultaneous stabilization of the pelvis and shoulder girdle. And we can’t forget that the Footwork Series is also about foot mobility and rediscovering the connection between our feet and our seat (glutes)! Joe understood just how important our feet are for posture, gait, and full-body function so he created the Foot Corrector!

Contrology is Patience and Persistence

“Remember, too, that “Rome was not built in a day,” and that PATIENCE and PERSISTENCE are vital qualities in the ultimate successful accomplishment of any worthwhile endeavor.” – Joseph Pilates

A Contrology Freak™ thrives on progressive and systematic training versus powering through exercises our body is unable to execute with proper alignment and control. We honor and nurture our body as much as we safely challenge it, knowing that challenge is the prerequisite to change. So we’re not afraid of a little sweat, discomfort, or muscle soreness. Nor are we afraid of recognizing our weaknesses and imbalances and working through them. Instead, we enjoy the process of building controlled strength and flexibility with mindfulness. And we trust that, through patience and persistence, we can transform the way we move and feel in our body.

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