veryday life wreaks havoc on our bodies. Sitting at a computer for hours, carrying a child on one hip and a heavy bag on the other shoulder, playing tennis--these demands are often repetitive and one-sided, causing us to favor one group of muscles over others. This creates imbalances in our movement and body structure.

Pilates is a series of exercises designed to ease and correct these imbalances.

The focal point of Pilates is the "Core." The primary muscles of the core--the transversus abdominus, multifidus, pelvic floor and diaphragm--encompass and support the torso like a corset. Every exercise is initiated in the core and flows outward to the extremities. Learning to use these muscles to stabilize the pelvis and lumbar spine is essential to counter the increased incidence of chronic back pain and postural alignment stressors.

It is this integration of movement from the core to the periphery that makes every Pilates exercise a whole-body exercise. Awareness of each body part in relationship to space, apparatus and skeletal structure brings physical harmony to movement, and balance to musculature. As your awareness and understanding grow, your strength and flexibility increase, the choreography becomes more complex, and the layering and nuance of the work deepens.

oseph Pilates was a pioneer in the field of complete body fitness. His method combines the Eastern philosophical emphasis on breathing and mental focus with the physicality of sports and exercise in Western traditions to create a new and unique model of body conditioning. His method includes over 500 exercises on specialized spring-loaded apparatus, creating a whole body workout that is engaging, challenging and fun. Pilates is taught in individual sessions to insure personal attention and proper technique. Now, more than 75 years after its introduction, Joseph Pilates' innovative method of exercise is one of the most popular and effective forms of body conditioning available.

At Finetune, we incorporate modern knowledge of biomechanics and functional anatomy with the original methods of Joseph Pilates. Exercises are designed to rebalance muscles around the joints and restore the natural curves of the spine. The spring-loaded equipment directs and supports your movement during each exercise. As you explore your body in motion, what once appeared to be a simple movement becomes quite complex. You become aware of the enormous impact that a slight adjustment to the movement has on the whole. Through this awareness, you re-educate the musculature to bring physical harmony and balance to the body. This in turn releases tension, diminishes pain, and improves the way the body functions, looks and feels.