pilates

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The Pilates Body: The Ultimate At-Home Guide to Strengthening, Lengthening, and Toning Your Body--Without Machines

by Brooke Siler from Broadway

Thin-but-fit supermodels like Amber Valletta and Shalom Harlow and actresses like Ally McBeal's Courtney Thorne-Smith and Liv Tyler swear by Pilates workouts to keep their figures toned and flexible. The Pilates Body is the latest in a string of books dedicated to this fitness program, which is now soaring in popularity nearly 100 years after it was first developed by Joseph Pilates in Germany in the early 1900s. While today's Pilates studios take advantage of patented and intimidating-looking equipment that costs thousands of dollars (and therefore charge accordingly for private sessions), each exercise in The Pilates Body can be performed with just an exercise mat. While all parts of the body are used in the exercises, the focus is on the abdominals, or "powerhouse," which support the back; this makes Pilates an ideal exercise for those with back problems--or those hoping to prevent them.

Author Brooke Siler, who trained with Romana Kryzanowska, the oldest living protégé of Joseph Pilates, organizes her book impeccably. After discussing proper alignment and ways to modify the exercises for those with neck, knee, or lower back pain, she jumps right into the 60-plus exercises, which are divided into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. What differentiates Siler's book from the other Pilates titles is that she includes a disclaimer about the models: "The models in this book have been training in the Pilates method for years. Although their bodies may seem to represent an unrealistic ideal for many, they have worked hard to achieve their fitness goals. I hope in earnest that they do not intimidate but inspire." Also, each exercise is given a two-page spread of its own, and is accompanied by clear photographs and helpful graphics. For example, for the "inner-thigh lifts," there's an illustration suggesting that you imagine a stack of books on the lifting leg to help you increase resistance. Each exercise also includes what Siler calls "The Inside Scoop," or tips she's learned from training hundreds of clients. These include the main goal of the exercise; simple modifications for beginners; important keys to remember while doing the move; and no-nos to prevent injury. While it's important to concentrate and get the technique of each exercise down, Siler's book is perfect for anyone looking for a simple exercise program that promises results, requires a minimum of time, and can be done at home or while traveling. --Erica Jorgensen

The Pilates® method may be today's hottest exercise, but it has been endorsed by physicians for almost a century. Originally developed by Joseph H. Pilates to help strengthen and condition muscles, Pilates is the ultimate mind-body exercise for anyone who wants to tone, streamline, and realign their body without the bulked-up results of more conventional workout methods.

Now, in The Pilates® Body, author Brooke Siler--one of the most sought-after personal trainers in the country and owner of New York's top studio for Pilates training, re:AB--provides a complete, easy-to follow program of Pilates exercises that can be done anywhere, anytime, and without machines.

With step-by-step instructions, Siler guides the reader through the complete circuit of mat exercises, each of which is clearly illustrated by photographs, line drawings, and unique visualization exercises. With Pilates you will not only streamline your figure--you will dramatically improve your posture, flexibility, and balance, and enhance your physical and emotional well-being. The Pilates Body shows you how.

Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff

by Jim Johnson from Dog Ear Publishing, LLC

Based entirely on research from peer-reviewed journals and randomized controlled trials, Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff is a complete program to prevent and rehabilitate rotator cuff injuries for athletes and non-athletes alike. In less than 100 pages, readers will learn precisely how the rotator cuff works, what can go wrong with it, and then are guided step-by-step through an evidence-based program that takes just minutes a week to complete. Drawing from the latest rotator cuff research, Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff will be especially useful for those who have been diagnosed with either a partial or full-thickness rotator cuff tear, experience shoulder pain, do upper body weight lifting, play a sport or have a job that involves repeated arm motions above shoulder level, have been diagnosed with "impingement syndrome," or for anyone simply wanting a healthy and properly functioning rotator cuff.

Pilates

by Rael Isacowitz from Human Kinetics

Strengthen, lengthen, and sculpt your muscles with the full range of Pilates exercises. In Pilates, world-renowned Pilates expert Rael Isacowitz shows you the same repertoire that he has used to train 10 Olympians, including U.S. figure skater Sasha Cohen and diver Wendy Williams, as well as an elite group of professional instructors who work with celebrities and athletes around the world.

Starting with the foundation for all the exercises, Pilates presents an in-depth treatment of mat work, including photo illustrations and detailed breathing instruction to help you perform the movements correctly. A unique set of challenging exercise sequences allows the movements to flow in one continuous motion.

Following mat work, where most books stop entirely, Pilates just gets going. The same depth of instruction and photo illustrations are applied to the full range of Pilates apparatus:

• Reformer
• Cadillac
• Step and ladder barrels
• Magic circle
• Wunda chair
• Ped-a-pul
• Arm chair

The complete repertoire includes a customized grouping of exercises in blocks that progress from the fundamental level through the intermediate and advanced levels to challenge you at all stages of Pilates development.

With 210 exercises in all, Pilates is the most comprehensive guide available on the Pilates method. A contemporary approach to the work of Joseph Pilates, this is the one book you need in order to improve posture, muscle tone, core strength, and flexibility.

The Anatomy of Pilates

by Paul Massey from North Atlantic Books

Created by Joseph Pilates during the early 20th century, Pilates is used by millions today to improve their physical and mental well-being. Much of its appeal lies in its simple, low-impact approach, which is ideal for injury prevention, rehabilitation, and general physical health. Based on a series of precise movements and the employment of equipment such as rubber balls and exercise bands, Pilates emphasizes concentration, control, alignment, core stability, and proper breathing.

The Anatomy of Pilates shows what actually happens to the body’s muscles and joints during Pilates exercises. Each two-page spread features detailed anatomical illustrations of an exercise (with muscle actions highlighted in red), a detailed description of the exercise and its objectives, the particular breathing pattern to be used, a list of the specific muscles being worked, visualization techniques, complementary exercises, and more. The Anatomy of Pilates is an accessible, authoritative guide for current and prospective teachers of Pilates, practitioners at all skill levels, physical therapists, and other health professionals.

The Complete Book of Pilates for Men: The Lifetime Plan for Strength, Power & Peak Performance

by Daniel Lyon from Regan Books

A comprehensive, take-anywhere exercise program designed to improve men's strength, flexibility, balance, and posture

Have years of office work wreaked havoc on your posture? Could your tennis or golf game use a boost? Do you appear or feel older than your age? Or do you carry yourself in a manner that expresses strength, power, and peak performance to everyone around you?

In recent years, Pilates has become a popular exercise program, especially among women. Many books on the subject show lithe female bodies stretched across their covers. Top Pilates instructor Daniel Lyon Jr. aims to break the preconception that Pilates only benefits and appeals to women. "This couldn't be further from the truth," he asserts. "Joseph Pilates was a cigar-smoking boxer, acrobat, and gymnast, and he developed his exercise program from that background for men first." Likewise, Lyon designed this book specifically with men in mind, as the number of male Pilates practitioners -- among them professional athletes, actors, businessmen, and other high-profile personalities -- has rocketed to about three million and continues to grow.

For athletes, working stiffs, and men recovering from injuries, Lyon offers the first comprehensive exercise program of its kind. He walks you through forty "traditional mat" exercises and more than sixty "reformer on the mat" exercises -- each one brilliantly illustrated -- in an inspiring self-guided program that adapts to all experience levels and requires nothing more than floor space, an exercise mat, and the desire to look and feel your best. Using the Pilates method of engaging the strongest parts of the body, or the "powerhouse" (Joseph Pilates's term for the abdominals, hips, lower back muscles, and buttocks), and integrating all other body parts from this core, Lyon's program targets trouble spots for men and helps them achieve strong, lean, masculine physiques.

The Complete Book of Pilates for Men will deliver quick and long-term results to any man who seeks optimal fitness and a competitive edge in all aspects of his life.

A Pilates' Primer : The Millennium Edition

by Joseph Pilates from Presentation Dynamics

This Millenium Edition includes the only two published works of Joseph Pilates. Newly copyrighted, edited and revised, this book makes available in one volume all of his early Twentieth Century philosophies, principles, and theories about health and fitness, as well as the exercises, poses, and instructions fundamental to his exciting fitness program. He bases his work on the concept of a balanced Body and Mind and on the approach espoused by the early Greeks.

Back RX: A 15-Minute-a-Day Yoga- and Pilates-Based Program to End Low Back Pain

by Vijay Vad from Gotham

From a noted pioneer in sports medicine comes a breakthrough regimen for stopping back pain once and for all—without surgery.

Eighty-percent of Americans suffer some form of low-back pain—usually due to a herniated disk—but long-term relief is rarely achieved.

As a physician specializing in treating athletes, Dr. Vijay Vad has spent years researching how to cure back pain using medical yoga and Pilates. Profiled in The Wall Street Journal, his program requires just fifteen minutes a day for eight weeks to restore flexibility and prevent future injuries.

Offering a proven alternative to invasive surgery, Dr. VadÂ’s Back Rx provides the best of mind/body medicine by giving readers three step-by-step exercise series, demonstrated in 130 precise photographs, for implementing his popular program at home. Even readers with severely limited mobility will rejoice in Dr. VadÂ’s gentle introductory workout. Progressing through his self-paced program, they will discover a new range of exercises, breathing techniques, and tips for self-massage. For those who want to go even further and use this program for more than the treatment of a single injury, an advanced workout is included that puts readers on the road to peak performance.

The perfect combination of modern medicine, Pilates innovations, and ancient yoga postures, Back Rx builds important new fundamentals for lifelong freedom from pain.

Pilates: Body in Motion

by Alycea Ungaro from DK ADULT

The most authoritative, step-by-step guide to Pilates available on the market. Popular for decades with dancers, athletes, and celebrities, the Pilates Method is the perfect equipment-free workout for a stronger, leaner, fitter body. With great emphasis on precision and awareness, not only is Pilates great for the body, but for the mind as well. Using step-by-step mat-work exercises and a wide range of programs, from beginner to advanced, Pilate's Mind and Body is the only practical guide that shows you all of the proper steps to follow and how to avoid common mistakes in your conditioning.

Pilates' Return to Life Through Contrology

by Joseph H. Pilates from Presentation Dynamics

This book represents the first major publication in 1945 by Joseph H. Pilates and William J. Miller detailing the exercises, poses, and instructions fundamental to the matwork developed by Joseph and Clara Pilates. Based on his concepts of a balanced Body and Mind, drawn from the approach espoused by the early Greeks, these are the exercises that currently sustain a worldwide revolution in fitness strategies and exercise techniques.

Ellie Herman's Pilates Props Workbook: Illustrated Step-by-Step Guide

by Ellie Herman from Ulysses Press

Pilates is one of the fastest growing exercise trends. Now Ellie Herman, a renowned Pilates instructor and author, shows how to make Pilates more interesting and enjoyable. In this book, she introduces the reader to popular workout accessories that expand and amplify Pilates matwork exercises. This book details each prop's unique characteristics and explains how it can enhance Pilates in its own way: the magic circles tone arms, the small ball held between the legs shapes thighs, the foam roller stretches the chest and shoulders, and the large exercise ball builds core stability. The author guides the reader step by step through photo sequences of specially designed exercises as well as variations on traditional Pilates movements. Each series takes full advantage of the different props' abilities to produce results in less time and with less strain. A bonus chapter describes the author's Pilates Springboard, an inexpensive and space-saving variation of the classic Pilates Cadillac. This make-it-yourself piece of equipment provides the same full-body workout as large studio equipment but at a fraction of the cost.