YogalatesTM was founded by Louise Solomon, who formulated the method after discovering the benefits gained from Pilates in rehabilitating an injury she sustained from a strong Yoga adjustment. Louise then trained and taught Pilates (incl. machinery) for 2 ½ years but very much missed the ambience of the Yoga room so she returned to her Yoga practice. Louise then began integrating Pilates into the Yoga room focusing on core stability, something she felt was lacking in her personal Yoga practice/training.

Louise became the first person to blend Yoga & Pilates and today is a recognised leader in holistic mind and body health/fitness. Since taking her method around the globe she discovered a gap in the exercise /preventative health care market and over the past 12 years her work has culminated in developing a government accredited course to train others to teach the YogalatesTM method to the general public. Additionally, a comprehensive YogalatesTM training manual has been formulated to accompany the course.
Louise has also worked as a personal trainer and lectures on core stability at Southern Cross University. She is currently training the Australian cricket team’s Strength & Conditioning coach Jock Campbell to teach her method.

In 2002 the first of her popular YogalatesTM Video’s/DVD’s (released in Australia & abroad) won the British Video Award and her third video in the series made #1 on the 2004 UK Health & Fitness charts.
In 2003 Louise also released her first book, “Yogalates™ - The best elements of Yoga & Pilates” and produced an additional two DVD’s, to make a total of five in the series.

WHERE EAST MEETS WEST- ORIGINS
'Yoga is a practical method for making one's life purposeful, useful and noble' Patanjali

Solomon Yogalates^TM is an internationally acclaimed exercise system fusing the best of ancient yogic spiritual practice with the core stabilizing, functional, and regenerative dynamics of Pilates. Yoga dates back to around 3000BC and aims to create union between the body and mind, improving overall wellbeing. It enhances strength, stamina, aerobic capacity, flexibility, balance and mental clarity. Yoga has a deep profound history of bestowing emotional well-being, focusing the mind on the movement in a very meditative way. For this reason it can be a strong spiritual practice for some.

Pilates, founded by Joseph Pilates in the 1920’s, is a system of muscular skeletal exercises and is the culmination of years of human endeavour to perfect body development & physical training. These exercises demonstrate how the body works in functional movement through isolating specific muscle groups, in particular the postural muscles. Both Pilates and Yoga share similar postures, Pilates however, emphasizes the importance of utilizing the stabilizing muscles of the body while in movement to create a very safe and strong foundation to exert movement.

Solomon Yogalates^TM is a complete and comprehensive fusion of Yoga and Pilates. It is an ever evolving method at the cutting edge of the latest medical and scientific research into how the human body functions during movement, combining theoretical knowledge and practice. Key to the Yogalates^TM method is the wholistic integration of the very best of two historically and widely acclaimed exercise systems. It is a movement system that stretches and strengthens all the major muscle groups developing a streamlined slenderness rather than bulk. At the same time it has excellent therapeutic value for calming the mind and spirit.

During a session particular attention is paid to building strength and endurance in the body’s core postural muscles (the stabilizers). This promotes “core stability” which enhances spinal/pelvic awareness protecting the spine against injury whilst supporting the internal organs and promoting good posture. Resistance bands are also used in Yogalates to replicate the resistance training of the Pilates machines, excellent for strengthening, lengthening and balancing the musculature of the body, helping to bring about balance in the whole being.

Much more than a movement system, Yogalates places emphasis on the breath throughout a session. The Pilates thoracic (chest) breathing is incorporated to help increase lung capacity and enhance stamina and endurance. This breath activates the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles helping to protect and strengthen the lower back, tone the belly, trim the waist and assist with core stability. Different Pranayama, Yogic breathing techniques are also used, some to energize and invigorate others to calm and soothe the nervous system aiding relaxation and the release of stress and tension.

Yogalates is a safe practice which promotes unity of the body and mind, freeing up energy to flow unhindered through your entire being. It is ideal for those needing to strengthen their backs, those suffering from arthritis or osteoporosis, and post natal women. It is excellent for developing general tone and fitness in the body while creating a sense of inner calm, relaxation and overall wellbeing.