Pilates Personal Trainer Getting Started with Stretching Workout: Illustrated Step-by-Step Matwork

100 Pages·2003·10.85 MB·English

by  Michael King, Yolande Green

Pilates Personal Trainer
Getting
Started with
Stretching
WORKOUT
Michael King
Yolande Green
Illustrated step-by-step matwork routine
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Pilates Personal Trainer
Getting
Started with
Stretching
WORKOUT
Illustrated step-by-step matwork routine
Michael King
Yolande Green
Wlysses Press
Copyright © 2003 Ulysses Press. All rights reserved. No part of
this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written
permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any
form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published
and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent
purchaser.
Published in the United States by
Ulysses Press
P.O. Box 3440
Berkeley, CA 94703
www.ulyssespress.com
Published in the United Kingdom as Pilates: The Complete Body
System (2002) and Pure Pilates (2000) by Mitchell Beazley, an
imprint of Octopus Publishing Group Ltd
Library of Congress Card Number 2003104403
ISBN 1-56975-354-7
Printed in Canada by Transcontinental Printing
10 987654321
Interior Design Kenny Grant
Cover Design Sarah Levin
Photography Ruth Jenkinson
Models Beth Caterer
Nancy Markwick
Malcolm Muirhead
Simon Spalding
Distributed in the United States by Publishers Group West
and in Canada by Raincoast Books
Please Note
This book has been written and published strictly for informational
purposes, and in no way should be used as a substitute for
consultation with health care professionals. You should not
consider educational material herein to be the practice of medicine
or to replace consultation with a physician or other medical
practitioner. The author and publisher are providing you with
information in this work so that you can have the knowledge and
can choose, at your own risk, to act on that knowledge. The
author and publisher also urge all readers to be aware of their
health status and to consult health care professionals before
beginning any health program.
contents
INTRODUCTION
9 Why Pilates?
12 Holistic program
14 The workout
16 Preventing pain
VITAL ELEMENTS
20 Concentration
23 Breathing
26 Centering
31 Control
34 Posture
37 Neutral spine
40 Precision
42 Isolation
THE WORKOUT
46 Warm-up stretching
68 Strength & stretching
90 Glossary
92 Index
96 About the authors/
Acknowledgments
Pilates is not a fitness fad; it is a holistic
concept that will not only make you feel
fitter and more flexible, but will enrich
your whole way of life. The series of
movements will not only change how
your body looks, but it will also give
you a new physical poise and greater
mental strength.
During my years as an exercise Pilates and writing this book is
instructor, I have witnessed part of my effort to give others an
many trend shifts in the fitness insight into the power of the Pilates
industry—from high impact to low way. I would like to pass on all the
impact aerobics, from slide to step, information and knowledge that I
and from spinning to core and have developed over my years in
functional training. Some of these the fitness industry, training people
changes have been introduced in the physical skills to enrich the
because of safety concerns over quality of their lives.
certain movements or ways of It is very exciting to witness the
exercising. The advantage of a current popularity of Pilates. From
Pilates system, in contrast, is that the perspective of someone with a
the movements can be gentle on back injury who has worked with
your body. The technique can also many different types of exercise,
be effectively used to complement I have seen the value of the Pilates
other exercise regimes. technique and the way that it
I am one of a third generation of changes people. You may believe
Pilates instructors following Joseph that a hunched posture is part of
getting older, but this is not the or short-term injuries. Even
case. If you pay regular attention moderate regular daily activities
to your body and invest in it by may result in recurring aches or
incorporating stretching and physical problems. Sitting at a desk
challenging exercises into your all day, for example, unbalances
routines, then you will benefit by your body, causing the hip flexors
feeling fitter and more attractive. (the front muscles of your thighs)
You can also maintain these and the upper back to form
benefits as you grow older. themselves into a rounded
position. Pilates helps to release
Balancing your body such tensions and ease your body
Pilates is a system of exercise that, back into a more natural balance. It
when regularly practiced, will also helps you to achieve a leaner
improve your flexibility and body, feel more poised, less
strength. The movements will have anxious, and stronger mentally.
a noticeable impact on your body The moves shown here are
in terms of general well-being, structured with this in mind and
youthfulness, and flexibility, and are based on the movements that
they will also help to heal any long- Joseph Pilates taught.
I