Herman Ellie - Pilates for Dummies

Pilates For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com

Copyright 2023 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2022945298

ISBN 978-1-119-90738-1 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-90739-8 (epdf); ISBN 978-1-119-90740-4 (epub)

1. Chapter 2
2. Chapter 3
3. Chapter 4
4. Chapter 5
5. Chapter 6
6. Chapter 7
7. Chapter 8
8. Chapter 9
9. Chapter 10
10. Chapter 11
11. Chapter 12
12. Chapter 13
13. Chapter 14
14. Chapter 15
15. Chapter 16
16. Chapter 17
17. Chapter 18
18. Chapter 20

Pilates has become one of the most popular fitness methods in the United States. Every other Hollywood star seems to be doing it, and Pilates mat classes are offered at almost every gym in every small town around the country.

This book is primarily meant to give you a comprehensive overview of the Pilates mat workout. In addition, I include information about the background, history, and philosophy underlying the Pilates method.

If you want to go beyond the mat, you also can find information about Pilates equipment and accessories and special programs for the pregnant, the elderly, and the injured.

You can read every For Dummies book straight through, from the first to the last chapter. Or, you can browse through it, flipping to chapters that you find especially interesting. But given that Pilates is a discipline in which you really get better gradually, you probably dont want to jump straight into the complicated exercises.

To make the content more accessible, I divided it as follows:

• Part: Pilates Basics. If youre new to Pilates, I recommend that you read . The alphabet is a learning tool Ive invented to make explaining basic Pilates movements easier. You can jump straight to the exercises without reading about the alphabet, but in the long run, youll save yourself some time if you read about the alphabet first.
• Part: Mat Exercises. is organized very simply: You start with the fundamental Pilates mat series, and then you move on systematically to the beginning series, then the intermediate series, and then the advanced series. I highly recommend not straying from this order because this is the order developed by the man himself, Joseph Pilates. There is a definite logic to the order, and if you start at the beginning, your body will be preparing to advance in a gradual and healthy way. Dont just jump to the advanced exercises at worst, you may hurt yourself, and at best, you wont be doing the exercises with proper form.
• Part: Beyond the Mat: Exercises Using Equipment and Accessories. goes beyond the mat exercises to show you more about Pilates equipment and accessories.
• Part: Special Situations. may be the most important part of the book for you if youre pregnant, or have been pregnant recently, or if you are older, have a bad back, or stiff shoulders (like from sitting at a computer all day!).
• Part: The Part of Tens. The Part of Tens is in every For Dummies book. The chapters in this part each list ten Pilates-related factoids for your quick review.

You can use this book:

• If youre a novice, you probably want to start right here in the Introduction and then read , which contain exercises using Pilates accessories that you can add to your routine. If youre new to Pilates, I recommend that you stay away from the more advanced exercises until you have some experience with the basic movements and have given yourself a chance to build your strength and increase your flexibility.
• If you already know a lot about Pilates and are just looking for a few more exercises to add to your routine, flip through first. You also can find some Pilates tidbits that may be new to you in all of the other chapters.

Throughout this book, icons in the margins highlight certain types of valuable information that call out for your attention. Here are the icons youll encounter and a brief description of each: