SARAH'S FAVORITE JOSEPH PILATES QUOTES

“As much as necessary, as little as possible.”

Pilates on Age:

“A man is as young as his spinal column.”

“If your spine is inflexibly stiff at 30, you are old. If it is completely flexible at 60, you are young.”

“We retire too early and we die too young, our prime of life should be in the 70’s and old age should not come until we are almost 100.”

Pilates on Breathing:

“Above all, learn how to breathe correctly.”

“Breathing is the first act of life and the last. Our very life depends on it. Since we cannot live without breathing it is tragically deplorable to contemplate the millions and millions who have never mastered the art of correct breathing.”

”You must squeeze every atom of impure air from lungs until they are almost as free of air as a vacuum”. ”You must squeeze every atom of impure air from lungs until they are almost as free of air as a vacuum”.

"Lazy breathing converts the lungs, literally and figuratively speaking, into a cemetery for the deposition of diseased, dying and dead germs as well as supplying an ideal haven for the multiplication of other harmful germs." 

"The lungs cannot be completely deflated at first without considerable effort.  With perseverance, however, the desired results can be accomplished and with increasing power, gradually and progressively develop the lungs to their maximum capacity." (note: lungs do not entirely deflate with conscious effort)

Pilates on Integration of Mind and Body:

“[Pilates] is gaining the mastery of your mind over the complete control over your body.”

“[Pilates] is complete coordination of body, mind and spirit.”

“[Pilates] develops the body uniformly, corrects posture, restores vitality, invigorates the mind and elevates the spirit.”

“Concentrate on the correct movement each time you exercise, lest you do them improperly and thus lose all the vital benefits.  Correctly executed and mastered to the point of subconscious reaction, these exercises will reflect grace and balance in your routine activities.”

Pilates On Physical Fitness:

“Civilization impairs physical fitness.”


“A few well-designed movements, properly performed in a balanced sequence, are worth hours of doing sloppy calisthenics or forced contortion.” 

“Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness.”

“Physical fitness is: “the attainment and maintenance of a uniformly developed body with a sound mind fully capable of naturally, easily and satisfactorily performing out many and varied daily tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure”

“[Pilates] is not a fatiguing system of dull, boring, abhorred exercises repeated daily ‘ad-nausem’.”

“I must be right.  Never an aspirin.  Never injured a day in my life. The whole country, the whole world, should be doing my exercises.  They’d be happier.” (Pilates said this one year before he died at the age of 87 due to health complications from a fire)