Excerpt from About Movement Pilates Website

PILATES

Pilates is a form of exercise developed by Joseph H. Pilates (1880-1968), who studied Eastern and Western exercise techniques and blended them into a conditioning system. Pilates focuses on deep abdominal, back, and pelvic floor muscles, helping improve posture, balance, and coordination. It emphasizes control, concentration, centering, precision, flowing movement, and breathing. All populations can reap benefits from Pilates. For example, it is a wonderful way to get back in shape after pregnancy or injury, while others find it a great supplement to sports or other exercise programs.

To benefit fully and see results quickly, you should practice Pilates two to three times a week, and you can practice at home or in a studio. In a studio, you experience personalized, professional feedback and instruction, the camaraderie and encouragement of fellow students, and the incentive to stay on a regular exercise schedule. At home, you can practice at your own time, pace, and duration and without the expense of a class.

We recommend starting at a studio or with a DVD that explains the basic principles of Pilates: breathing, abdominal control, shoulder and head placement, and pelvic stability. You will learn more quickly when you see the exercises performed by a trained professional. We have listed some of our favorite DVD's, books and websites below.