Stott Pilates Explained

Stott Pilates
Type:Brand
Foundation:Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Location City:Toronto, Ontario
Location Country:Canada
Area Served:Worldwide
Key People:Lindsay G. Merrithew, Co-Founder, President, and CEO, Moira Merrithew, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Education
Parent:Merrithew

Stott Pilates is a branded version of the Pilates method of physical exercise that was developed by Lindsay and Moira Merrithew. The most significant difference between Stott Pilates and Joseph Pilates's original method of the early 1900s is that Stott Pilates focused on having a neutral spine posture and generated a different sequence of exercises.

History

Moira had been a dancer with the Bermuda Ballet,[1] and principal dancer with the City Ballet of Toronto and the Atlantic Ballet Company, but had to retire when she was 24 due to chronic foot injuries stemming from her having broken her foot as a child.[2] She was advised to explore Pilates by people at the Dancer Transition Resource Centre in Toronto, and she went to New York City to study with Romana Kryzanowska, a disciple of Joseph Pilates.[2] By that time she had met Lindsay Merrithew, who was working in New York at the time.[2] Lindsay received his business degree from Dalhousie University and then went on train as an actor at The Juilliard School in the drama department, Group 14.[2] [3]

In her own Pilates training and work, Moira found that there was not emphasis on establishing and strengthening a neutral spine posture, and also found that traditional Pilates didn't follow the sequence of exercises that had evolved in the field of dance, and she developed a version of Pilates that came to carry her maiden name as its brand.[2] [4] [5]

The two of them moved back to Toronto in 1987, and in 1988 they opened a Pilates studio in their apartment and worked other jobs to make ends meet.[2] Their business received a celebrity boost when Karen Kain, a principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada started to take classes in their apartment; they managed to get the press to cover this, with Kain's help, and the business began to grow, allowing them to move to a studio.[2] Lindsay had secured a small research grant from the National Research Council which allowed for their first patented aluminum Reformer to be built and tested for commercial use.[6] As the company developed, in general Moira handled the training and program development, and Lindsay developed their proprietary line of equipment and also handled the business matters along with the sales and marketing.[2] [6]

Training became an important element of the business model from the beginning, as they eventually had to train more instructors for the studio, and they eventually created a training and certification program.[2] For an instructor or instructor trainer to maintain Stott Pilates certification, he or she must attend a minimum number of courses and workshops each year; thereby keeping current with the method.[7] [8] Many Stott Pilates courses and workshops are part of the Continuing Education Credit (CEC) programme, and many of them are also recognized by outside organizations, including the American Council on Exercise (ACE).[9]

In the mid-1990s, the company started to publish videos[10] and DVDs of most of its programs,[11] and in several languages. Publishing DVDs increased the awareness of the Stott Pilates method.[12]

Merrithew International Inc.

Originally its own brand, Stott Pilates is now found within the Merrithew (now Merrithew International Inc.) line of brands that includes training and education programs such as Stott Pilates Rehab, Zenga, Core, as well as a line of exercise equipment.[13] [14] Merrithew International Inc. is led by Lindsay and Moira Merrithew, the original founders of Stott Pilates.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: History . Bermuda Civic Ballet . 8 July 2013.
  2. News: O’Connor. Anne Marie. A Complementary Couple. Pilates Style. July–August 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130916093238/https://www.pilatesstyle.com/2013/articles/a-complementary-couple. 16 September 2013.
  3. News: Monroe. Mary. Moira and Lindsay G. Merrithew. Ideafit. February 1, 2008. en.
  4. Web site: Mercer. Lisa. Stott Pilates and the Spine. LiveStrong.com. 10 July 2013.
  5. Web site: Mercer. Lisa. What is the difference between Pilates and Stott Pilates. LiveStrong.com. 10 July 2013.
  6. News: Watson. Thomas. Power couple: Moira Merrithew and Lindsay Merrithew are striking it rich with the hot exercise trend called Pilates, but managing their company's explosive growth might be a stretch. https://web.archive.org/web/20140730025936/http://business.highbeam.com/5274/article-1G1-84600658/power-couple-moira-and-lindsay-merrithew. dead. July 30, 2014. Canadian Business. April 1, 2002.
  7. Web site: Binnendyk. Christine. Stott Pilates Certification. LiveStrong.com. 10 July 2013.
  8. Web site: Arnett. Alison. As millions throng to Pilates classes, questions emerge over certification for teachers. Stretched to the max. The Boston Globe. 10 July 2013.
  9. Web site: ACE-Approved Providers. Advanced Course Search Results. American Council on Exercise. 10 July 2013.
  10. Book: Beale, Lucy. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Healthy Weight Loss. 2005. Alpha Books, Penguin Group. New York City. 1-4362-9402-9. 354. registration. Moira Stott..
  11. Web site: Buying a Home Exercise Video or DVD. Does the instructor have a good reputation?. Windsor-Essex County Health Unit. 10 July 2013.
  12. Web site: Bergen. Teresa. IDEA World Fitness Convention Includes MindBody Crowd. Yogi Times. 13 July 2012 . 10 July 2013.
  13. Web site: Hernandez. Noe. New Pilates studio gets people Into Motion. Livingston Daily. 5 April 2016 . 3 July 2024.
  14. Web site: Pilates Plus opens in Azuela Cove Davao. SunStar. 21 November 2021 . 3 July 2024.