Michael Miller Pilates

Brands

Dear Michael,

I have been an avid enthusiast of yours since we first met at Beth Downey's Body Precision studio in Bryn Mawn PA. That was probably in 2000. I respect your views and your reverence to the body of work and Idea's of Joseph Pilates.

     I read the email from you and I am curious why you feel the need to qualify yourself by pitting your "brand" of Pilates against the aristocracy.

   Translation of the ideas of Joseph Pilates into human movement is what it's about for all of us.  The study and exploration of the body mechanical and movement potential is exhaustive and every instructor I have worked with, from You to Irene Dowd,  Amy Alpers to Cara Reeser, Ellie Herman and Bob Liekens , have their own take on the work. But I content that as long as I am learning how to teach my client's how to move with ease and eventually develop more quality in their life from feeling better , what difference does it make who's brand I am using. Because of all of you, my knowledge and creativity are expanding and with it my abilities as a teacher.

      I know that you are all competing for the same buck, especially now, as there seems to be a new training program everyday. But don't decry the authentic educators (you know who they are) who really know and understand Joe's idea's.  I am sad to see that you feel the need to promote yourself and your training program by resorting to the "brand" game. You don't need to do that.

Sincerely

Pilates Instructor

Dear PI,
Thank you for writing and asking for clarification of my views.
I feel the need to distinguish between claiming authority based upon who you know and what you know. The aristocracy's authority is based upon who they know, who they trained with, and not on what they know about Joe's original work. Joe never claimed his method was an idea. I did that. I claim that the original work of Joseph Pilates makes a statement, and points to the idea I'm referring to.
Yes, we all have our own take on the work. My take is based upon three things directly from Joe: his sequence, his definition, and his promise. My take is that those three things point to a specific meaning in the method, a specific target of energy in the body in the moment of the doing. This is much different than a "Translation of the ideas of Joseph Pilates". There is no difference in brand unless it is discernable, in the mind, in the sensation of the body, in the awareness of the spirit. I do decry the "authentic educators" because their authenticity is based upon tradition, hearsay, folklore, and self serving interpretation. We all have our own "take" on the method. And I beg to differ with you that just because you are an authentic educator means that your take on pilates is as good as anyone else's. I know my work has a very specific meaning. I believe that Joseph Pilates felt the same way about his work. Brands of pilates is no game. Brands represent different views, based upon different claims of authority. I do not feel that the pilates method is open to the arbitrary interpretation of educators, just like math equations are not arbitrarily interpreted by educators. It's not "Joe's idea's" as in plural; it is Joe's idea as in singular. This is what makes my brand unique. My brand is deeply rooted in the original work of Joe and is seen as a revelation to anyone willing to consider it with an open mind.
I am sad that you are sad. Sad that you think I am resorting to a game instead of being dead serious about my profession.
Sad that you don't see what I'm saying, sad that you don't see the difference of my brand compared to all the others. My hope is that someday we will not be sad, but instead happy from new insight and deeper appreciation of the work of Joseph Pilates.
In geist,
Michael

HI Michael,

Thank you for responding. I see now that my translation of what you are stating as your credo needed clarification. I appreciate your time and consideration in helping me to understand. I have subscribed to your website for years now and look to your words and knowledge to guide me in my practice and teachings. I have recommended your site to many other instructors and will continue to do so.

Thanks again

Fondly

Pilates Instructor

P.S. I am not sad.

That Squirrel don't hunt.

"You do not have the authority
to arbitrarily redefine an exercise
as traditional as Squirrel
into somcthing less."
Michael Miller

learn why here

Yesterday's dust

I've often said that gyro is fancy frosting to the cake of pilates. Gyro juramentados would have you believe pilates is passe, that gyro is better, bigger, replaces, and surpasses pilates. Nothing could be further from the truth IF you really understand pilates.There is no way you can appreciate pilates, and how significant it is compared to the frosting of gyro, unless you can understand the essence of pilates, which unfortunately, most people (especially pilates teachers) don't.

Gyro is a brand, of what already exists in pilates as an idea.

Gyro has to be an extension of pilates. The big difference is one of money, naturally. Gyro is heavily controlled and charges a lot of money to participate--as a client, or as a teacher. So it's attractive to teachers because they can make more money teaching it than pilates. But to say that gyro eclipses pilates is wrong.

If you really want a handle on gyro, you need an understanding and appreciation of pilates.

To paraphrase from Top Gun: Gyro's ego is writing checks its substance can't cash.

I don't know what the heck gyro is, but my regard for pilates forces me to take exception to the way gyro is falling all over themselves on the way to the bank to sweep pilates under the carpet as yesterday's dust.

How do you resolve conflict in the pilates world?

Here is the video that question comes from.

When there's two ways of doing something how do you evaluate them?

You use the idea to give them relative significance. And the idea is straight from Joe.

The target is control.  Which way is easier to control? I'm usually up for reaching for control in the easier way first, then control the harder way.

Why limit yourself to only eating fancy frosting?

I got a post card from a local studio featuring equipment on the front that is definitely not pilates equipment with the underlying headline: Why limit yourself to linear movement?

There's a big difference between frosting and fundamental.

...if I did show up

if I did show up I'd be compelled to challenge the limitations of arbitrarily interpreting pilates based on second and third hand tradition rather than looking for and finding an ideal essence in the original work of Joe. If and when you are ready to study that meaning I welcome you to come work with me.

can't or won't

"With the growing competition in the Pilates field, the best solution is to offer quality, above all else,” Bender says. “It’s more important than ever to do what competitors can’t or won’t, such as full postural assessments or body type analysis.”

Or, for example, understanding pilates as an idea. Someday that will all be the craze, to spout the idea of pilates just as michael miller presented it. After that, pilates as an idea, will be the presumed framework upon which to build any distinction. (actually, it already is)

Give the man his due

when E=mc2 becomes obvious you have to give the man his due.

when the idea in pilates becomes obvious you have to give the man his due.

The mat sequence of Joseph Pilates is no less of an equation.

The truth is what it is

"there are many approaches to Pilates and its about embracing them all."

There are many approaches to Pilates, but there is one that rises above the others because it makes better sense than the others.

Joseph Pilates expressed a clear and concise truth, embodied in his definition, his promise, and his documentation.

If you don't understand the idea in the original work of Joseph Pilates, all the other approaches loose their significance.

It's not about embracing all approaches to pilates equally, it is about evaluating approaches to pilates that make the most sense, that bring you to a deeper sense of ownership of what the essence of pilates is and how you can best share that with others.

Pilates is unique. I have been pointing to that for years. Approaches are one thing; what it is, is another.

The truth is out there, world wide, people are now hip to the notion that pilates is an idea, that it makes sense, and that understanding the idea is the critical point of comprehension.

No matter how you choose...

Whether you expand pilates or you clarify pilates, it will always be what it is, regardless of who you are.

That's why pilates transcends aristocracy.