Pilates is a kind of exercise. You work through slow, careful moves that make you push, pull, and stretch, often on a mat or on special frames with springs (a reformer). The aim is a stronger middle of the body, better balance, and easier movement, with the breath kept steady.

Pilates is a kind of exercisepilates是一種運動。You work through slow, careful moves你會做一連串緩慢、細膩的動作 that make you push, pull, and stretch讓身體推、拉、伸展，often on a mat通常是在墊子上 or on special frames with springs (a reformer)或是在有彈簧的特殊器材（reformer）上。The aim is a stronger middle of the body, better balance, and easier movement目標是讓身體核心更有力、平衡感更好、動作更輕鬆，with the breath kept steady同時保持呼吸穩定。

It borrows ideas from yoga and from dance training, but it is its own method. It is named after Joseph Pilates, the German trainer who built it. You say it pi-LAH-teez.

It borrows ideas from yoga and from dance training它借用了瑜珈和舞蹈訓練的一些概念，but it is its own method但它是自成一格的方法。It is named after Joseph Pilates它是以Joseph Pilates（喬瑟夫．皮拉提斯）命名的，the German trainer who built it也就是創立這套方法的德國教練。You say it pi-LAH-teez唸法是pi-LAH-teez。

Though actually, studio classes vary a lot: some are almost yoga on a mat, some are machine work, and “Pilates” on a timetable does not always mean the original method. It is a modern, slightly upmarket gym word.

Though actually不過其實，studio classes vary a lot教室裡開的課差異很大：some are almost yoga on a mat有些幾乎就是墊上瑜珈，some are machine work有些是器材訓練，and “Pilates” on a timetable does not always mean the original method課表上寫的「Pilates」不一定就是原本的那套方法。It is a modern, slightly upmarket gym word這是個現代、有點高級感的健身房用詞。

It has nothing to do with Pontius Pilate, even though the names look close on the page.

It has nothing to do with Pontius Pilate它跟Pontius Pilate（彼拉多）一點關係都沒有，even though the names look close on the page儘管兩個名字寫出來看起來很像。