It's National Yoga Month - So, What About Pilates???

Once again it's National Yoga Month and I'm wondering what's up with National Pilates Month? I mean really, with thousands and thousands of people nationwide (not to mention around the world which would be millions) enjoying the benefits of Pilates every year I think we need a national Pilates awareness month. So, I decided to find out what it takes to get one.

The first step is to have your awareness day, week or month be recognized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I was fully ready to take on the project of getting a Pilates month declared, but it turns out that an awareness month has to be sponsored by a professional association, research center, or a non-profit or government agency.

There are a number of Pilates associations but I'm thinking the Pilates Method Alliance is probably the one with the wherewithal to sponsor a Pilates month for us. They have Pilates Day every May but that is their trademarked celebration which isn't the same as a national observance. Anyway, if yoga has a month I want Pilates to have one too. Pilates and yoga have some similar benefits but they are not the same at all. I hope those of us belonging to Pilates organizations will start talking about a Pilates month. It doesn't look all that hard to get done.

In the meantime, I certainly don't begrudge yoga its National Month. I love yoga  and I think its many benefits deserve national awareness. Of course yoga and Pilates have much in common. Let me offer a few reminders:

The Pilates - Yoga Connection

Yoga Exercises for Pilates Routines

Pilates vs Yoga Exercises

And, of course, there's fashion: Pilates and Yoga Clothes

_{photo (c)2010, Marguerite Ogle}