Pilates-method
Joseph Pilates developed a huge number of different exercises, many of them on equipment he designed. You create both strength and serenity by doing the exercises in a controlled and conscious way.
The method can be modified to whatever your body needs. The fact that we have so many different exercises on as many types of equipment means that your workout can range from super easy to mega challenging. From small, simple movements to big and more complex ones. Whatever your level, you won’t get bored quickly.
The method is suitable for everyone. Young and old. For everyone who wants to work out, get to know their body better, gain better control over their body, become stronger or get rid of injuries.
Many people think Pilates equals exercises on a mat, but that is only 10% of the Pilates method. Joseph Pilates developed equipment to relieve himself by helping with rehabilitation and spring-based resistance equipment to help his clients strengthen. From that idea, he developed the Reformer, the Wunda Chair, the Guillotine, the Foot corrector, and so on. Enough equipment to keep you challenged and balance your body. Moreover, most of the equipment may look simple, but you can do more than 100 different exercises on some of them.
Joseph Pilates
Joseph Hubertus Pilates was born in 1883 in Mönchengladbach, Germany. He grew up to be a brewer and enjoyed sports. He was born when people became aware of their bodies and started caring for them. Through various sources, from German gymnastics to Eastern methods, he taught himself a lot and developed his unique approach.
Javier Velazquez
Javier Velazquez (Las Palmas, 1967) started Pilates Rotterdam in 2004, settling at our current location a year later. Since his professional career as a dancer, he has studied Joseph’s rich philosophy. Javier wanted to understand how Joseph originally intended the exercises and why exercises were modified by others or even disappeared after his death. Finally, in 2021, he brought his passion and discoveries together in a course at Pilates Rotterdam to pass on the Pilates method in its most original form and continue studying and learning about the changes and adaptations.
Nowadays, he lives and works in Gran Canaria again and returns to Rotterdam regularly to give classes and workshops. He continues to inspire us with his personal and distinctive approach to the method.
