Pilates is one of the healthiest activities you can do for your body with improvements in flexibility, posture, and strength, and decreases in back, neck, and joint pain. And, while more advanced Pilates requires the use of expensive machines (reformers) in a studio, a considerable amount of Pilates can be performed at home using only a mat, and a few simple props such as bands and balls.
Idiot's Guides: Pilates is a beginner's guide to Pilates at home. It teaches beginners the benefits of performing Pilates at home, and the right and wrong ways of performing Pilates routines. This beautiful, highly-visual guide uses color photos to teach readers loads of exercises, and gives them multiple routines that will help improve sports performance, or help eliminate chronic pain in the body.
Author(s): Paden, Linda
Year: 2014
Language: English
Pages: 291
Tags: Pilates Easy Lessons for Stretching, Lengthening, and Toning Your Body
Contents iii
Part 1 Pilates Essentials 3
1 What is Pilates 5
who was joseph pilates? 6
philosophy of pilates work 7
pilates principles 8
pilates exercises 9
2 Alignment 11
foot triangles 12
lower body (knees and hips) 14
pelvis 16
spine and ribs 18
upper body (shoulders and arms) 20
head and neck 22
3 Pilates Essential Practice 25
pilates scoop 26
breathing 27
half rolldown 28
head, neck, and shoulder lift 29
pelvic curl 30
single-leg lift on your back 31
single-leg lift on your stomach 32
child’s pose stretch 33
Part 2 Pilates Mat Exercises 35
4 On Your Back 37
hundred 38
roll-up 40
leg circles 42
single-leg stretch 44
double-leg stretch 46
straight-leg pull 48
crisscross 50
double-leg lifts 52
corkscrew 54
coordination 56
rollover 58
jackknife 60
neck pull 62
teaser prep 64
teaser 1 66
teaser 2 68
double-leg bridge 70
single-leg bridge kicks 72
rolling like a ball 74
open-leg rocker 76
seal 78
single-side leg lower and lift 80
double-side leg lower and lift 82
5 On Your Side 85
leg lift and lower 86
front and back sweeps 88
side-lying leg circles 90
side-lying bicycles 92
side-lying leg develope 94
inner thigh lifts 96
kneeling side kicks 98
6 Seated 101
spine stretch 102
spine twist 104
saw 106
mermaid 108
can-can 110
modified hip circles 112
seated fourth glute work 114
circles in the sand 116
7 On Your Stomach 119
single-leg kick 120
double-leg kick 122
swimming 124
swan 126
swan with neck rolls 128
rocker position 130
heel beats 132
8 Plank and All Fours 135
all fours to plank 136
cat 138
leg pull front 140
push-up 142
leg pullback 144
side bend 146
twist 148
plank to v-stretch 150
9 Standing 153
standing rolldown 154
shoulder shrugs 156
foot rolls and toe lifts 158
single-knee bends 160
Part 3 Pilates Equipment Exercises 163
finding equipment 164
10 The Ring 167
press and pull 168
bicep press and side-arm press 170
spine stretch 172
inner thigh presses and glute pulls 174
side-lying leg work 176
butt blasters 178
ab work with ring in hands 180
11 Arm Weights 183
hug a tree 184
rowing 1 186
rowing 2 188
arm circles 190
serve a tray 192
shaving 194
pullbacks and tricep extension 196
12 Band or Pole 199
front arm lifts 200
overhead arm press 202
front arm press 204
behind-the-back arm bends 206
side stretch 208
torso twist 210
13 Large Ball 213
bridge with arm circles 214
bridges with feet on ball 216
round back and round back with twist 218
shoulder slides and plank push-ups 220
side lifts 222
14 Foam Roller 225
mermaid 226
swan with neck turns 228
leg scissors 230
bicycles 232
crisscross 234
helicopters 236
Part 4 Pilates Routines 239
15 Total-Body Programs 241
preparatory program 242
beginner program 244
intermediate program 246
advanced program 250
16 Sports Programs 255
running program 256
swimming program 258
biking program 260
golf program 262
tennis program 264
17 To the Point: Short Routines 267
abdominals 268
lower body 270
upper body 272
flexibility 274
Index 276
