Pilates Essentials

PILATES INSTITUTE OF AMERICA
Pilates Essentials
History, Principles & More
Frankie Puglisi
Copyright 2001
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TABLE of CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1
The Man and the Exercises: A Brief History of Joseph H. Pilates
3
CHAPTER 2
Pilates in his own words: Introduction to Contrology
6
CHAPTER 3
What is Pilates?
8
CHAPTER 4
Pilates Principles
11
CHAPTER 5
Pilates – Thoughts and Philosophies
14
CHAPTER 6
Ex-Squeeze Me
16
CHAPTER 7
Pilates Posture
17
CHAPTER 8
Readdressing the Posture
22
CHAPTER 9
Anatomy of the Mid-Section: Pilates Muscles
23
CHAPTER 10
Pilates Breathing
30
CHAPTER 11
The Pilates Scoop
33
CHAPTER 12
Neutral vs. Imprinted
36
CHAPTER 13
The Secret to PIA Pilates
39
CHAPTER 14
Lift, Scoop & Grow Tall
42
CHAPTER 15
How to Structure a Group Pilates Class
43
CHAPTER 16
The Order of Exercises
45
CHAPTER 17
A Basic Mat Routine
46
CHAPTER 18
Pilates Applications for Wellness Professionals
57
CHAPTER 19
Glossary of Terms
59
CHAPTER 20
Bibliography & Videography
61
CHAPTER 21
The Author
62
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CHAPTER 1
THE MAN AND THE EXERCISES:
A BRIEF HISTORY OF JOSEPH PILATES
Joseph Hubertus Pilates was born in a small town called Munchengladbach, near Dusseldorf, Germany in 1880. He is said
to have suffered with rickets and asthma. A frail and sickly child, Joseph began at a very early age to study human
biology and nature to try to heal himself. He was an avid learner, and studied such things as yoga, meditation, karate
and some fitness practices of the ancient Greeks, and soon began to discover that physical fitness was keeping him
healthy. By the age of 14 he was healthy and fit enough to have become proficient at skin diving, gymnastics and skiing.
He studied how animals move in nature, how infants progress physically the first years of life and discovered that with a
combination of East and West, yogic and gymnastic, mental and physical exercises he could strengthen the body and
free the mind. He was about to create the conditioning system that we today call Pilates.
After several years Joseph developed such a sound program that word eventually got out to the German military and the
Kaiser demanded Pilates train his troops. Joseph declined on pacifist grounds and moved to Great Britain where he took
a job in the circus. Joseph used his beautiful physique and physical fitness to wow the crowds in the circus. Just as he
was reaching his performing peak, war broke out and Joe was interned in a camp in England along with other German
nationals for the duration of World War 1.
During his time in the prisoner of war camp Joseph faithfully kept up his daily exercise regimen and to the amazement of
all around him stayed healthy and strong in the face of adversity. He used what was on hand to help develop his body
and meditated daily to keep his mind strong. It was in these meager surrounding that some of the early Plates exercise
equipment was fashioned. If you look at a modern day Pilates studio you will immediately notice the resemblance to a
bed with bedsprings for resistance and a chair with (bed) springs attached. But what really helped keep him strong was
his “core” of mat work.
It was not long before Pilates' fellow prisoners were joining him in the daily ritual and sure enough they all stayed
healthy and strong. By teaching his regimen of breathing, body conditioning, and control to the prison guards the whole
camp soon began to pursue the method in order to feel good. This had a two-fold effect. Firstly, feeling good mentally
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and physically meant a better general rapport with prisoners and guards. Secondly, it meant less illness, such as the
massive epidemic of influenza that spread throughout the world during the years of the war and killed over 50 million
people. Even though this devastating disease killed as much as 70% of some towns and villages’ population, and
certainly many people in prison camps, not one person became ill in Pilates’ camp. Joseph attributes this to the immune
strength brought about by his body-conditioning program.
At the end of the war, Joseph was employed by the British military and trained their troops in his method. Many modern
day military exercises stem from Pilates’ program. Not long after this employ, Joseph worked as an orderly in a hospital
on the Isle of Man, just off the British mainland. It was here that he was able to really test his program. He developed
some more crude machines using surgical tubing, bedsprings and traction beds (see the resemblance of the modern day
Cadillac) and helped rehabilitate patients. It is said that with Pilates exercises patients would recover faster and leave
hospital sooner than with medical intervention alone. Pilates was actually very much like the creator of physical therapy.
A few years down the road, Pilates is introduced to Max Schmelling, a big name boxing phenom, who hired Joseph to
train him. The two men became inseparable friends and so when it came time for Max to immigrate to the States,
Joseph had a tough time explaining that he did not want to go. In fact, it is reported that Max Schmelling offered to set
up a studio for Joe in NYC if he would go with him. That convinced Joe to pack his bags for a new land. During the
journey, Joseph met the woman who would later become his wife and working partner in his NYC studio, Clara.
The studio opened on Broadway in NYC in the late 1920’s and Joseph Pilates quickly became a household name in the
entertainment business. Dancers, singers, and New York’s elite gathered at Joe’s Studio for Contrology lessons like a
flock of birds. Many of the dancers became absolutely hooked on the regimen of breathing and movement because it
rehabilitated their injuries. One of those people was Romana Kryzanowska who later took over the New York studio
after Joe and Clara had passed away. However, other big names such as George Balanchine and Martha Graham
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frequented the studio and they incorporated many Pilates moves into their dance programs. Today Romana and a
handful of Pilates elders remain, but Romana prides herself on continuing the tradition as closely to the original as
possible and therefore, as Pilates is the “father” of Contrology, Romana could be considered the “mother” of it.
For many years Body Contrology, as it was called, was only available in New York but slowly, as more and more qualified
instructors emerged, more and more people have been able to practice doing Pilates exercises. Many different forms of
Pilates exist today but they all stem from the same principles and the underlying theory is the same even if the name of
the exercise method has evolved over the years. At PIA Pilates, we try to stay true to the original form but with the
added bonus of more research on the human body, biomechanics and anatomy. We have added some moves and
variations that Joe would have added if he had only had the backing of science that we have today. This allows for
progressions and regressions of the original Pilates exercises to allow all walks of life to participate in these wonderful
exercises and movements. In fact, if you look at his original work with the appreciation that this was thought up by a
young man with no formal education in medicine or exercise physiology, he was truly ahead of his time, a genius by any
standards. At PIA Pilates, we seek to uphold Joe’s original principles and beliefs with new knowledge and experience in
the field of exercise and mind-body disciplines and so we have created the PIA Mat 1 & 2 Courses which offering over 85
beginner through advanced Mat exercises expanding upon the original 34 from Joe.
Go to: www.PIAworkshops.com to sign up for the Mat 1 and Mat 2 courses either online or at a workshop location near
you.
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CHAPTER 2
PILATES IN HIS OWN WORDS:
INTRODUCTION TO CONTROLOGY
Excerpt taken from Return to Life Through Contrology by Joseph H. Pilates 1934
“Contrology is complete coordination of body, mind and spirit. Through Contrology you first
purposefully acquire complete control of your own body and then through proper repetition of these
exercises you gradually and progressively acquire that natural rhythm and coordination associated
with all your subconscious activities. This true rhythm and control is observed both in domestic pets
and wild animals – without known exceptions.
Contrology develops the body uniformly, corrects wrong posture, restores physical vitality,
invigorates the mind and elevates the spirit. In childhood with rare exception, we all enjoy the
benefits of natural and normal physical development. However, as we mature we find ourselves
living in bodies not complimentary to our ego. Our bodies are slumped, our shoulders are stooped,
our eyes are hollow, our muscles are flabby and our vitality extremely lowered, if not vanished. This
is but the natural result of not having uniformly developed all the muscles of our spine, trunk, arms
and legs in the course of pursuing our daily labors and office activities.
If you faithfully perform your Contrology exercises regularly only four times per week for just 3
months as outlined in this book, you will find your new body development approaching ideal,
accompanied by renewed mental vigor and spiritual enhancement. Contrology is designed to give
you suppleness, natural grace, and skill that will be unmistakably reflected in the way you walk, in
the way you play and in the way you work. You will develop muscular power with corresponding
endurance, ability to perform arduous duties, to play strenuous games, to walk, run or travel for long
distances without undue body fatigue or mental strain. And this is by no means the end.
One of the major results of Contrology is gaining the mastery of your mind over the complete control
of your body. How many beginners are amazed and chagrined to discover how few (if any)
Contrology exercises they are able to execute properly! Their previous failure to exercise regularly
and properly, or their method of training, has not helped them. There is unmistakable evidence, too,
that the functioning of the brain has correspondingly deteriorated. The brain itself is actually a sort
of natural telephone switchboard exchange incorporated in our bodies as a means of communication
through the sympathetic nervous system to all our muscles. Unfortunately, pure reason plays only a
minor role in the lives of most of us. In practically every instance, the daily acts we perform are
governed by what we THINK we see, hear or touch without stopping first to analyze or think of the
possible result of our action, good or bad. As a result of habit or reflux action, we wink, dodge and
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operate machines more or less automatically. IDEALLY OUR MUSCLES SHOULD OBEY OUR WILL.
REASONABLY, OUR WILL SHOULD NOT BE DOMINATED BY THE REFLEX ACTIONS OF OUR MUSCLES.
When brain cells are developed, the mind too is developed. Teachers start with sense organs.
Contrology begins with mind over muscles.
By reawakening thousands and thousands of otherwise ordinarily dormant muscles cells, Contrology
correspondingly reawakens thousands and thousands of dormant brain cells, thus activating new
areas and stimulating further the functioning of the mind. No wonder then that so many persons
express such great surprise following their initial experience with Contrology exercises caused by
their realization of the resulting sensation of ‘uplift”. For the first time in many years their minds
have been truly awakened. Continued use of Contrology steadily increases the normal and natural
supply of pure rich blood to flow to and circulate throughout the brain with corresponding
stimulation to new brain areas previously dormant. More significantly, it actually develops new
brain cells. G. Stanley Hall. The great American psychologist, observed “The culture of muscles is
brain – building”.”
Joseph Pilates’ form of exercising should be called Contrology today, since it better describes the exercises to
the layperson that knows nothing of the history of the man himself. The art of control, Contrology, is more apt
to conjure up images of controlling movement, controlling breathing, controlling bodily functions etc, than is
Pilates. We will use the terms interchangeably but remember that Joseph believed his exercises were able to
control body with the mind and in turn develop a better mind and a stronger body. I believe that as well and
hope that all PIA instructors believe that as well.
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CHAPTER 3
WHAT IS PILATES?
Stretch and Strengthen
J. H. Pilates was the name behind the exercise method he called Body Contrology and at some point after his death in
1967, this fabulous discipline became a tribute to him by name. Whether you call it Contrology or Pilates one thing is
true: it was and still is totally ahead of its time. It is the most unique form of exercise ever invented since it serves
multiple purposes all at once. It has to be one of the very few, yoga being one of them, exercises that stretches and
strengthens all at the same time. Since the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that we stretch
for as long as we work out, Pilates seems the perfect solution for the busy exerciser. That means instead of running for
an hour and lifting weights for 30 minutes then having to stretch (according to ACSM) for 90 minutes, you could do an
hour of Pilates and kill all three birds with one stone. Of course much of the aerobic benefit of Pilates comes once the
basics have been mastered and advanced exercises are performed back to back at a quick pace, but at least stretching
and weight training can be covered, plus you get a great abdominal workout (which let’s face it we all need).
At first Pilates is very challenging because there is so much to learn but after a while it becomes second nature and the
learning curve is less sharp. The class or lesson then becomes more enjoyable. Not to worry, pretty soon you will learn
more challenging exercises or your instructor will break down an exercise that you may have been doing for months and
dissect every move until the whole exercise feels like you’ve never done any Pilates in your life! That’s how Pilates can
be a strengthening exercise and this is why we remind students that Pilates should actually become more challenging as
they become more proficient (quite contrary to most exercise programs).
Many people, men particularly, falsely believe that Pilates is for “sissy’s” and will not build muscle – “au contraire, mon
frère” - it will make you very strong – strong from the inside out. Deep muscles are hard at work in Pilates to aid in the
stabilization of many weak joints and body parts. The intrinsic and often smaller/weaker muscles are being recruited in
Pilates since movement must only take place once a perfect posture allows for the correct muscles to work for a change.
Once the body finds a better posture from which to work, muscle development can begin in a balanced way. Many
people find those stubborn body parts (calves, glutes, triceps, deltoids, adductors and mid-back muscles) finally succumb
to change with consistent Pilates exercises most obviously the midsection. Interestingly, after becoming proficient at
Pilates (this could take several months or even years, by the way) it is easy to step away from it for weeks or months at a
time and yet come back to it as if it was only yesterday. This cannot be said for most forms of exercise. Since Pilates
works deep muscles rather than superficial, due to the fact that it strengthens muscles that are functional muscles
(therefore we use them every day) and also because most of the muscle contractions in Pilates are isometric and
eccentric which are better able to generate deep down strength rather than superficial bulk, it can be a wonderful
exercise method for all walks of life and fitness levels.
Pilates Compared to Yoga
The Pilates repertoire, both on the Mat and on the Apparatus, is made up of a series of exercises that grow and build
upon each other flowing, seemingly effortlessly, from one to another. It takes time and practice to make Pilates look
easy but this should be a goal for most people. Movements in Pilates could be compared to those in a flowing (Vinyasa)
yoga class but with a few important differences. Pilates focuses on moving and stretching the spinal column, aiming to
make it undulate like a snake or caterpillar or cat (Joseph Pilates was a big student of nature and in particular, animals
such as the cat and dog.) when necessary, as well as stabilize the spine during exercises and movements that require
strength all around the mid-section. Meanwhile, yoga focuses on stretching muscles and joints (read:
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ligaments/tendons) all over the body but with particular emphasis on the muscles around the hips and shoulders. Often
times in a yoga program the spine performs most movements in an extended position thereby holding tension in the
lumbar spine and surrounding tissues, and pays little worth to the strength building focus of the abdominal contractions
we prize so highly in Pilates. Actually the muscles around the lumbar spine can get tighter in yoga and many lower back
issues can be worsened with the practice Of course yoga has a wonderful calming and de-stressing effect due to its
meditative quality but Pilates can claim more balanced muscle development.
Although both Pilates and Yoga seek to cleanse and refresh the body through the breath, the actual breathing is very
different and can easily confuse the novice Pilates practitioner if they have been taught some basic yoga breath
techniques. In a nutshell, yoga breathing seeks to grow and expand on the inhale while stretching and/or relaxing on the
exhale. Pilates breathing on the other hand seeks to maintain spinal stability while improving axial elongation during
inhalation, and increase spinal mobility and/or generate core power during exhalation. Yoga seeks to lift and lighten the
body on the inhale and to relax, sink and lengthen on the exhale. Pilates requires an inhale as preparation often for an
exertion requiring a strong exhalation. Relaxing is not part of a Pilates workout, but should most definitely be part of any
good yoga practice. Although apparently diametrically opposed, the breathing of Yoga and Pilates can actually blend
very well once each has been learned separately and good body awareness and control has been developed. Please bear
in mind that this could take several years of practice. And in the meantime in order to build a strong core, PIA suggests
that only Pilates breathing is practiced.
Pilates is not about stretching and relaxing and falling asleep and meditating; it is about contracting muscles to support
the body in a new balanced alignment, strengthening the body from the inside out even when simply sitting or lying
down, improving abdominal strength, relieving back pain though core stabilization and working hard to do all these
things (and more) whilst making it look effortless. Whew!!!
Mind-Body Exercise
Even more so than some eastern disciplines, Pilates is about the mind controlling the body. This is why Joe called his
exercise method Body Contrology – the art of body control. There are simply too many things to think about during
Pilates for you to let your mind wander and to be thinking of your lunch or your spouse’s birthday present or who will
pick the kids up from daycare? If you are doing Pilates correctly there should not even be one brain cell available to think
of things other than Pilates things (this is where a good teacher makes a difference). If the mind is allowed to wander,
then the body ends up merely doing another abdominal exercise and not doing Body Contrology/Pilates!
Joseph Pilates studied eastern philosophies such as yoga and meditation and truly believed that for an exercise form to
be effective it is “not mind or body, but mind and body.” Focus, concentration and precision stem from mindfulness and
will lead to an effective mind-body exercise, plus they are philosophies incorporated into every Pilates class or lesson.
What can Pilates do for me?
What is Pilates?: a tough question to answer. Describing Pilates can be exhausting. Sometimes it makes life simpler if we
describe the results of a program rather than what you have to do to get those results. So here is what Pilates can do for
you in a few simple words:
Flatten your Stomach
Tighten your Buttocks and Thighs
Improve Posture
Make you Taller
Help you Sleep Better;
Improve Bone Density, Cholesterol Levels and Blood Pressure
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Tone and tighten every muscle in the body from the inside out so you can get really strong without adding too
much bulk.
Improves flexibility
Improves sex life…….Hmmm!
Sounds like an infomercial, but it’s TRUE!
Pilates in One Sentence, from Joseph Pilates himself:
“IN 10 SESSIONS YOU WILL FEEL THE DIFFERENCE;
IN 20 SESSIONS YOU WILL SEE THE DIFFERENCE, AND
IN 30 SESSIONS, YOU WILL HAVE A WHOLE NEW BODY”
Joseph H. Pilates
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CHAPTER 4
PILATES PRINCIPLES
Pilates is more than simply an exercise but rather a philosophy based upon sound exercise and mind-body
principles. The original Pilates principles are outlined below:
1. CONCENTRATION
This is key when it comes to connecting mind and body. For your body to work optimally you must be present in the
mind. Be mindful and pay attention to what you’re doing and you’ll do it better. When you focus on an area of the
body you will notice how much more you can feel it working. For example, when your muscles are sore from an over
zealous workout and you feel those muscles work during every move you make during your Pilates workout; this
draws your attention to that particular area of the body. This kind of focus, be it not pain focus, should be constant
during your Pilates exercise program.
Concentration is also about conscious control, that is staying focused or conscious of what you are doing. This
consciousness and awareness will yield much better results than simply doing repetitions mindlessly. Concentration
is simply about fixing the mind on what you are doing. That is the power of the mind over the body.
2. CONTROL
As mentioned earlier, Pilates called his work “Body Contrology” – the art of body control. This is why one of the main
Pilates principles is control. What good is doing something if you do not have control of it? How can you get better
or stronger at something if you are out of control?
In Pilates we are looking for smooth, controlled movements and not sloppy, jerky, haphazard movements because
we are looking for results. If a movement is out of control, fast and jerky it invariably has been performed using a
measure of momentum. Momentum is an external force that naturally kicks in with a little help from gravity to push
us over when we try to stand on one leg or helps us to throw our legs and arms around with little care for direction.
Since momentum is external, it follows that when momentum is moving us that our own internal forces, namely
muscles, are not moving us and therefore our body is not really working very hard.
This leads to some of the verbiage used in a Pilates class. Words like reach, lengthen, extend, squeeze are all used to
encourage internal forces to do the work rather than letting old “MO”mentum do it! The idea of control also stems
from injury prevention, since jerky, sloppy movements are much more likely to cause injury than smooth, controlled
ones. Perfect control will also lead to more positive results with Pilates. Pilates exercises are never done just to
simply do them, they each serve a purpose and build from each other. Control is at the core of every move.
3. CENTER
As we go about life everyday we may occasionally notice that we use our arms and legs to do certain tasks. But what
about the muscles in our center? What about the torso? The Core? There are lots of muscles in our center that we
obviously need but we very often think of them as useless on an everyday basis. However, in Pilates exercises these
central muscles form the core of our routine. Joseph Pilates called it the “Powerhouse”, which he said comprised the
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abdomen, lower back, hips and buttocks. Others refer to it as the “girdle of strength” which involves those muscles
around our imaginary girdle. Modern fitness gurus call it the “core” which encompasses the abdominal and back
musculature. Whatever you call it, the center serves a critically important function in our bodies – that of spinal
stabilization and mobilization.
The muscles of the center are somewhat weakened by lack of exercise, poor exercise techniques, poor breathing
habits, weight gain or simply lack of focus and thus many of the Pilates exercises are designed to build the strength
in our midsections.
Joseph Pilates believed that physical energy exerted from our center is used to coordinate our movements and he
was right. Recent studies have shown through electromyography that the transversus abdominus (the deepest layer
of abdominal tissue running horizontally around the midsection much like a girdle) fires BEFORE any extremity
movement such as arm leg or head movement. In other words, even though electromyography had not even been
invented in Pilates day, Joe knew that when you move an arm or a leg the deep abdominal muscles contract a split
second before so that spinal stabilization may be preserved and that power can be added to the arm or leg
movement. Joe believed that we rely on this strong foundation/center in daily living. He truly was a man ahead of
his time.
4. FLUIDITY
Just look at dancers and gymnasts or performers such as those in Cirque du Soleil: they have beautiful bodies that
are strong and powerful, but also have the grace of a gazelle hopping across the African Plains. It is possible to be
strong and graceful at the same time and, in fact, the simple act of flowing beautifully through the Pilates exercises
actually makes you stronger.
In fluid movements, muscles never switch off since one muscle needs to stay “turned on” until the next muscle has
taken over the move and then it flows to the next body part and so on – just like passing the baton in a relay race.
There are no static, stiff or clumsy movements or exercises in Pilates and this adds to its uniqueness. All Pilates
movements flow and one exercise should flow into the next. Dynamic energy is the force used in Pilates and there is
a focus on grace and fluidity rather than speed.
5. PRECISION
Attention to detail is the name of the game here. Precision comes from the focus and centering of Pilates. As a good
instructor will tell you, the good student is the one who pays attention to every little detail and performs the moves
correctly. The old adage “If you are going to do something….do it right” holds true in Pilates more than any other
exercise form. If you are leaving out any part of the exercise, whether it be breathing, position of the hands, angle of
the legs, etc., you are missing the whole point of the exercise and now it simply becomes another gym exercise. To
leave out any detail could be viewed as forsaking the intrinsic value of the exercise.
Pilates focuses on performing a few (usually 5-10 reps) of very precise movements rather than on endless sloppy
repetitions. Every part of the body should play a role in the exercise and everything from the tip of the nose to the
tip of the toes should be working. Precision is what makes Pilates Pilates rather than just another gym exercise!!
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6. BREATH
Very few of us breathe properly. In fact, very few of us realize the importance of breathing properly and so have no
desire to change. It is important to learn to breathe properly for many reasons. Breathing oxygenates the body. It is
our only way to keep every cell in our bodies bathed in oxygen (our life force). Breathing also releases toxins from
our body. A build up of stale air in the bottom of our lungs creates a toxic environment that is totally unnecessary.
All you have to do is breathe deeply, so that no stale air gets stuck at the bottom of your lungs. Each breath you take
should present an even exchange of air such that “air in = air out”.
Many people breathe poorly, ineffectively or simply incorrectly. Joseph Pilates’ yoga background brought a sense of
cleansing through the breath work to the exercises he devised. This is why we focus on a forced exhalation – in
order to cleanse the lungs of any stale air (of course this is also the perfect way to contract the abdominals too).
Although Pilates breathing is different from yoga breathing it does have the same effect of clearing the mind and
cleansing the body. Also, anatomically the breath can aid in the execution of many exercises and so great emphasis
is placed on the breath.
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CHAPTER 5
PILATES - THOUGHTS AND PHILOSOPHIES
Awareness
Listening to our bodies is something we rarely do. Paying attention is something we did in school (on a good day!).
We tend to take the power of our natural intuition and body awareness for granted. Most of us push our bodies
through pain, sickness and exhaustion, often resulting in discomfort and injury. Or worse we don’t slow down
enough to even pay attention to our bodies on any level. The Pilates method is based upon the ideal of well-being
and is not another mind-numbing quick fix solution for fitting into a bikini by summer!! Do not force what is natural.
If something hurts, stop. Body awareness develops over time. Constantly search inward for signs of pushing too
hard, not enough or moving in the wrong direction. Our minds are capable of controlling our bodies but first we
must be aware that our bodies actually control our minds by giving us feedback on sensations deep within. Once the
sensations can be felt a new thought can then instinctually create a new movement pattern and in turn a new
sensual awareness is developed.
Integration
This is the ability to see the body as a whole and use it as an integrated unit. In Pilates every muscle is involved from
your fingers to your toes and although muscles are never isolated, no muscle is ever over looked. With isolation, the
body very often breeds imbalance and the whole concept of isolation impedes flexibility, coordination and balance.
Integrated movements in Pilates lead to balanced and uniformly developed muscles, which are the key to good
posture, suppleness and natural grace. Integration could also be viewed as the complex association of body parts
and the inter-relationship of various movements related to those body parts. Pilates can come from simple
movements, such as single joint actions, but the student is encouraged to develop and internal “eye” on the body as
a whole during such moves and is led to feel and appreciate the complex integration of upper and lower body, front
and back of the body, left and right sides, and, of course, inside and outside.
Inside Out/Outside In
In Pilates you will be working from the inside out but at the same time working from the outside in. Although the
large outside muscles will be working hard at all times very often it is the weaker inside smaller muscles that need
the attention and focus. As proficiency and strength increase the balance and teamwork between the inside and
outside musculature becomes evident in the beautiful fluid, coordination of Pilates exercises. Pilates apparatus and
the sequences of exercises performed therein, serve as tools to develop areas of the body lacking in strength and/or
mobility so that inside and outside muscles can work in harmony to create a body that is strong and beautiful.
Disassociation
When we think of Pilates we often think of core training, spinal stabilization or perhaps rehabilitation for injured
dancers. All of these are appropriate thoughts related to Pilates however, in order to achieve any of these (core
strength, spinal stability and rehab injuries) Pilates has to be more than simply a bunch of abdominal exercises.
In order to work efficiently and effectively in Pilates we must disassociate certain body parts and at times
disassociate certain preconceived thoughts on body mechanics and exercise programs. In order to develop the
body in a Pilates way we must move limbs independently of each other and (more often) of the trunk, thereby
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stabilizing the spine. This takes practice, but over time muscular re-education allows for disassociation and true
balance and harmony in the body.
Stretch and Strengthen
Pilates is a wonderful form of body conditioning because of its ability to strengthen and lengthen the muscles at
the same time. Many exercise forms simply contract muscles concentrically and have a tendency to create
shortened, bulky muscles and, all too often, injured joints. Pilates strengthens muscles eccentrically and
isometrically which has been shown scientifically to increase strength along the length of a muscle without
increasing its size. With this in mind Pilates has developed a following of female enthusiasts because most
women want to be strong but yet retain their feminine curves. However, Pilates is most definitely a workout
and, as any weight lifter will tell you, a workout using eccentric contractions (often called negative reps) will
leave you very sore the next day, will allow you to blow through a strength plateau and is also a great way to
tone up stubborn muscles. In Pilates, each movement is designed to oxygenate, stretch, strengthen and then restretch a particular muscle group/s using this concept of eccentric and isometric muscle contractions. The idea
of stretch and strengthen is to achieve your potential more quickly, and without injury which is more than can
be said for many other forms of exercise. Of course many of the male Pilates devotees are drawn to it initially
because of the flexibility component, but end up sticking with it because they realize they can get a great well
balanced body too!
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CHAPTER 6
EX-SQUEEZE ME
In Pilates we are contracting and relaxing muscles during every exercise, right? Well not exactly. It is more along the
lines of contracting and then contracting some more in a different place and not until the exercise is complete or even
better, the entire class is finished, that we actually get to relax muscles. This is why we try to eliminate three words from
our cueing vocabulary when teaching Pilates: rest, relax, release. The “three R’s”.
Remember Pilates is not yoga. It is not fall asleep and relax. We have to work hard to stretch and strengthen our lazy
minds and bodies. So think about Pilates as work, work and more work. The “three W’s”.
There are two types of muscles in the body: skeletal and involuntary. Involuntary muscles include the heart, the
intestines and the uterus. The skeletal muscles are all those muscles under direct control from the central nervous
system i.e. the brain. Skeletal muscles include all the muscles you see in the mirror - in other words the muscles that
cover our skeleton. But don’t forget the muscles you cannot see.
It should never be a question of “out of sight out of mind” in Pilates but it usually is in everyday life and it obviously was
when gym equipment manufacturers designed selectorzied machines. There are no machines in the gym designed to
work the rotator cuff muscles. There are no exercises that specifically work the transverse abdominis. There are plenty
of machines that claim to work the latissimus dorsi, but do they really work?
Within the skeletal muscles there are three types of muscle contraction that can occur: concentric, eccentric and
isometric.
Concentric: when a muscle contracts and shortens along its length
Eccentric: when a muscle contracts and lengthens along its length
Isometric: when a muscle contracts and does not shorten or lengthen but merely stays the same.
Most muscles contractions in Pilates are either isometric or eccentric. Certainly the ones we should tune our brains in to.
It is second nature to feel the concentric contraction when a force is applied to a joint the muscle respond concentrically
and our brains acknowledges that something has happened.
You must constantly squeeze muscles whether that body part is moving or not and so many times the muscles are
maintaining an isometric contraction during an entire exercise. It is possible to contract a muscle without moving any
joint and this will result in an isometric contraction. Try to contract your biceps muscles without flexing the elbow joint.
Or how about your hamstrings without bending at the knee? It is challenging but possible. This is what we must learn to
do in Pilates. This is what gives us a solid core without bulky muscles on the outside. We can create a very firm core and
yet have a soft exterior.
This is what also helps with the flow of exercises in Pilates. It is like turning on lights using dimmer switches instead of
flipping an on-off switch. Picture the muscles being constantly turned on and simply turn them brighter or darker
depending upon the particular movement. This is why Pilates is so effective and why it can generate the incredible
strengthening and toning results that the whole world is talking about, right now!!!!
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CHAPTER 7
PILATES POSTURE
Normal does not exist. Perfection is elusive. Ideal is something to strive for. Everyone has something that is
abnormal, out of whack, out of alignment or simply stiff when it comes to posture. Nobody is perfect.
However, what we can do is aim to get closer to an ideal posture through the realignment and body
awareness that Pilates creates. The journey does take time. Don’t expect to improve posture overnight. Tight
muscles have to be stretched to new lengths and stay there, weak muscles have to be strengthened and
taught to contract when needed and the mind has to be trained to maintain the new posture rather than
succumbing to a lazier version of perfect.
The pictures below show ideal posture as compared to typical abnormal postures seen in the health clubs and
studios where Pilates is being taught.
A
B
C
X
X
Y
Y
Z
Z
FRONT VIEW
PERFECT POSTURE 1
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IDEAL POSTURE
Head and Shoulders
Chest and ribcage
Pelvis, lower back and buttocks
Legs:
X—thighs
Y—calves
Z—feet
A
B
C
X
Y
Z
SIDE VIEW
PERFECT POSTURE 2
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A
B
C
Head and Shoulders
- usually head is forward due to
forward curve of neck and shoulders usually round forward
Chest and ribcage — usually chest is
sunken and closed in due to excessive
backwards curve of thoracic spine
Pelvis, lower back and buttocks —
pelvis is often neutral, but sometimes
tilted backward creating a flat back
X
Y
A
B
C
X
KYPHOSIS
Z
Y
Head and Shoulders
- often slightly forward due to
tightness inn mid back
Chest and ribcage — usually chest is
high and front ribs protrude meaning
back ribcage area is tight
Pelvis, lower back and buttocks —
pelvis is tilted forward so hamstrings are
long, hip flexors short, abdomen protrudes and lower back curves in
LORDOSIS
Z
SIDE VIEW
SIDE VIEW
When assessing posture, a side view is useful for looking at spinal alignment. There are four curves in the
spine and there is a degree of curvature of each that is acceptable i.e. ideal posture. When one or more of
these curves becomes extreme, then a postural deviation may be seen in the side view. Kyphosis and lordosis
and a combination of the two are the most typical postures you will come across. In most cases, the postural
deviation is partly due to genetics, partly due to bad sitting and standing habits, and partly due to muscle
imbalances. The genetic part we cannot change but we do have a huge impact on the other two: bad habits
and muscle imbalance.
Kyphosis
An overly posterior curve in the thoracic spine often associated with an increased anterior curve in the cervical
spine resulting in forward head posture. This posture could stem from osteoporosis (Dowagers hump), poor
sitting posture (hunched over a desk hours at a time), weak mid-back muscles, tight chest and anterior
shoulder muscles or a combination of all of these. Working on creating awareness when sitting to lift the
chest, sliding the shoulder blades down and back and breathing into the chest should help with the bad habits
part as well as developing the muscle balance necessary to permanently improve this posture. When lying
down props such as head pillows (when supine) and raised mats (when prone) will help create a comfortable
working environment but focus must still be on attaining the ideal posture.
VARIOUS KYPHOTIC POSTURES
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Lordosis
An overly anterior curve of the lumbar spine associated with an anterior tilt of the pelvis. This posture could
stem from tight hip flexors pulling pelvis forward and hence the lumbar spine gets pulled forward too; from
weak abdominal muscles that cannot give the lumbar spine the support it needs so it lilts forward; from tight
back extensors i.e. the erector spinae muscles and quadratus lumborum thereby pulling the lower back into an
exaggerated curve; or from a combination of all of these things. Through observation, a teacher will learn the
student’s strengths and weaknesses and then be able to decipher where the tight muscles are and address
them with specific exercises.
LORDOTIC POSTURE
Lordosis-Kyphosis
Lordosis can sometimes be combined with kyphosis. Depending upon the exercise and body position, the
student will have to be treated as either kyphotic or lordotic.
LORDO-KYPHOTIC POSTURE
From the front/back view we are able to check relative height of shoulders/shoulder blades, skewing of the
ribcage right or left and arm/leg length discrepancies. Some students may have scoliosis of the spine which
can create S shaped sideways curves and variation of rotation in the spine. Differing degrees of curvature and
rotation will mean different visual effects and also different physical limitations. Find out from your student
what his/her limitations are and discuss with the attending physician if necessary. In mild cases, scoliosis
symptoms have been shown to improve with Pilates and in more severe cases it is probably best to work oneon-one with the person in close discussion with their doctor. Usually pain associated with the malformed spine
can be diminished with Pilates moves.
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The Building Blocks of Good Posture
Imagine that the body is made up of a series of building blocks, similar to the old fashioned wooden blocks you
might find in a child’s toy chest. Build a tower with the blocks where it looks like the picture below:
A
B
C
X
X
Y
Y
Z
Z
Head and Shoulders
Chest and ribcage
Pelvis, lower back and buttocks
Legs:
X—thighs
Y—calves
Z—feet
Next, take the ABC blocks and move each of them away from the center and see what happens to your tower:
A
B
C
X
X
Y
Y
Z
Z
FRONT VIEW
Head and Shoulders
Chest and ribcage
Pelvis, lower back and buttocks
Legs:
X—thighs
Y—calves
Z—feet
A
B
C
X
Y
Head and Shoulders
Chest and ribcage
Pelvis, lower back and buttocks
Legs:
X—thighs
Y—calves
Z—feet
Z
SIDE VIEW
Your tower may teeter and fall or it may stay put. If your tower doesn’t fall over it does not mean all is well
with this structure. Anyone could see that even though the foundation (legs) is pretty solid the midsection is
all out of whack and the first strong wind (force/weight) that comes along will blow our structure down. In the
meantime, there is a lot of pressure on the lower portion of the tower in order to stop the top from falling
down. This is exactly what our body is like when our posture is out of whack. The excess pressure on the
“lower portion of the tower” manifests itself as lower back pain, tightness in the hamstrings, hips and calves,
and sooner or later the body will “cave in” causing untold problems.
So take your own personal tower (your body) and straighten up. Take each of the building blocks and square it
off as if there was an invisible central core that has to run directly through the middle of each block. Very
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much like threading square beads on a wire to make a bracelet – turn them all the same way and square them
off as you place them end to end. There! Now you have a “close to” ideal posture. Another way to look at
Pilates ideal posture is to practice it sitting rather than standing. Pinch, lift and grow tall! Lift the pelvic floor
muscles by feeling sit bones pinching/coming together, lift abdomen up and in, and feel your spine growing
taller. Lying supine or prone the same alignment should be attainable but with different efforts depending
upon spinal posture.
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CHAPTER 8
READDRESSING THE POSTURE
Standing up straight takes on a whole new meaning when you know a little about Contrology and
biomechanics. The aim in Pilates is to lengthen and strengthen the spine so that all the other body parts can
then lie and function better. Not to mention so we can breathe easier, digest better and look taller, thinner
and younger all at once!!! Wow!
So stand up straight and let’s look at ourselves with the Pilates eye. What do we see? The body has lumps and
bumps all over but a well-conditioned and balanced body has a streamlined look that cannot be achieved by
body builders or weight lifters.
Most, if not all, sports develop an uneven body with predominantly over developed muscles and underdeveloped flexibility. Pilates creates a balance between strength and flexibility that is unheard of in most
sports except gymnastics. But also in Pilates, joints are not stressed, there is no impact and people of all ages
can attempt most of the exercises.
Stability and Mobility are two important factors when looking at the human spine and when addressing
posture. The articulation that naturally occurs in the human spine is there for a reason – shock absorption. If
our spines were simply one hollow rod of bone with the spinal cord running down the center then we would
probably not walk the way we do, if at tall and forget about doing crunches – we could only do leg lifts. The
natural kyphoses and lordoses of the spine help cushion the steps we take, they allow us the freedom to run,
skip, bend down, roll around and do the hula. And yet we take for granted this magnificent part of our
anatomy. This is one reason Pilates is so profound in its results – the spine is literally awakened and can thus
bring new life to people who have become stagnant or blocked. The chakras can become aligned when
posture is improved and this allows for energy to flow freely without obstruction. So straighten up and feel
the flow of energy. The spine should be not only strong and lengthened but also have uniform mobility and
stability. These two words are very important “buzz words” in Pilates because every joint should have an
equal amount of each but usually doesn’t. There are some people who have the ability to bend their spine any
which way they choose but ask them to keep it still and they are useless, just as some people hold tension
throughout the supine and therefore have a tough time moving any part of it. Both types of people and
everyone in between need Pilates to limber up a tight spine and to learn how to stabilize loose parts so that
every body part that stems from the spine moves and works effectively and independently of the spine.
In Pilates we talk about learning to feel each vertebra move independently of the two on either side of it.
Now, physically, my chiropractor friends tell me this is not humanly possible however, it is a great visualization
to assist in the loosening of tight spots in the back. For those with hyper mobility in the spine, especially the
lumbar spine, there needs to be attention drawn to stability of that region. This now goes back to the scoop
and the contraction of the transverse abdominal muscles, and visualizing them creating a vice-like grip on the
bones of the spine having the same effect as a plaster cast on a broken limb – limited mobility i.e. stability.
Think about a few Pilates exercises that you know and analyze the mobility and stability aspects of that
exercise.
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CHAPTER 9
ANATOMY OF THE MID-SECTION:
PILATES MUSCLES
Pilates muscles tend to be the deep, functional, core muscles that are not easily seen and felt. They are also
not muscles that can be worked at the gym necessarily. The anatomy of Pilates is important for instructors
since you must be able to educate your student or patient rather than simply telling them what to do and is
equally important for the Plates practitioner to understand how the body works in order to develop a deeper
understanding of what you are doing.
Deep muscles are just that – deep. Therefore it is hard to tell when they are working because you cannot see a
contraction and often times cannot “feel” it either. However, when the contraction is deep enough to create
some type of stabilizing or supporting effect on the body so that the body position is correct in a particular
exercise and can be maintained throughout that exercise, then the muscle in question is probably working
pretty hard.
The muscles we learn about in our primary anatomy classes cover all the major skeletal muscles. The ones we
can see, feel and have exercises in our repertoire to work on. In Pilates, those same muscles will be put to
work but also muscles you may never have heard of will be powering along inside your body without so much
as ripple of flesh. Following is a condensed list of important muscles used in Pilates plus simple useable
descriptions of their joint movement and function.
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Transverse Abdominus
Transverse Abdominus
Location: Runs horizontally around the midsection from the center of the abdomen to the lumbo-sacral fascia
on the lower spine. It wraps around the middle like a corset hence the reference “girdle of strength”.
When it contracts: Upon contraction of this muscle the body does not move, instead the entire abdominal
wall pulls inwards and upwards towards the spine thus supporting it from the tail bone up to the bottom of
the ribcage or lower thoracic spine.
Why do we need this?: This muscle is so important, not only because it can help in flattening the tummy but it
is the center of our strength. It is where every movement originates. Studies have shown that the Transverse
abdominus (TVA) contracts a split second before any arm, leg or head movement in the body. This adds power
to the punch of a boxer, stability to the jumps of a figure skater, speed to the throw of a pitcher and for you
and I, it means less back pain because when we do things using the TVA the strength will come from the abs
instead of the back muscles.
Internal and External Obliques
Internal Oblique
External Oblique
Location: Run diagonally from ribcage to pelvis through both sides of the torso and partially wrap around the
back. Technically two separate muscles but they always work synergistically and one cannot work without the
other, so we shall consider them as one.
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When they contract: Upon contraction the obliques can do several things including pulling the front ribcage
downwards and inwards, rotating the spine on it’s axis, flexing the spine sideways and helping the spine curl
into a ball (spinal flexion).
Why do we need these muscles?: The obliques serve the purpose in Pilates of stabilizer much of the time and
so their role is a vital one. Lateral flexion (side bending) and spinal rotation (twisting) would be impossible
without these muscles. They can also play a role in improving posture if the ribcage tends to protrude
forwards. The obliques will pull the front ribs in towards the back ribs therefore stretching the mid-back region
whilst strengthening the mid-front region (upper portion of the abdominal area) – notoriously, a very weak
area. Obliques are also part of the breathing muscles and can be conditioned during correct Pilates breathing
techniques. They tend to be overly stretched in Yoga practitioners and will need much coaxing before they
develop the necessary strength in Pilates.
Serratus Anterior
Serratus Anterior
Location: Hugging the ribcage around the back and sides, this muscle runs under the armpit from the scapula
to the ribs where it attaches in a serrated knife appearance.
When it contracts: Contracting the serratus anterior will stabilize the shoulder blade on the trunk and pull the
rib cage inwards and downwards. When shoulder blades are seen “winging” in a plank position for example
this muscle is under-developed.
Why do we need this muscle?: Without serratus anterior our shoulder girdle and thoracic spine stabilization
would be only partially complete, our ribs would be vulnerable to compressive and contractile forces, and
posture would be awful.
Pelvic Floor Muscles
Levator Ani (wide hatch) & Coccygeus Muscle (thin fibers)
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Location: These muscles are so deep in the pelvic nether regions you will never see them, but you will see and
feel the effect of them contracting. Attached like a sling across the pelvic opening (the hole where a babies
head will pass through during childbirth), the pelvic floor muscles connect to the anus, perineum, vagina (in
women) and urethra as well as the pelvic bones.
When they contract: Contracting the pelvic floor muscles is not easy unless you practice along with a few
visualizations, so here goes. Picture three openings in your nether regions corresponding to urethra at the
front, vagina (women) or perineum (men) in the middle and anus in the back. Now visualize that the three
openings pull closer together towards the center point as if elevator doors were closing (step in the elevator
before the doors close, please). Now push the button and take the elevator to the first floor and hesitate, then
go to the second floor and wait, then the third and so on until you reach floor 4 or 5. Then push the button to
come back down again one floor at a time hesitating at each. Finally, when back on the ground floor, open the
elevator doors and relax the muscles. Some people prefer the “imagine you are stopping the urine flow” visual
– but that is really only one small part of the pelvic floor (just the front part). Some people imagine it’s similar
to the effort it takes to hold in the desire to pass gas – but this is only the rear end of the pelvic floor.
Whatever visual helps you to find these muscles, remember that no external muscles will contract – no one
will know when you are contracting them.
Why do we need these muscles?: First of all without pelvic floor muscles our insides would fall out, literally.
In fact, people with weak pelvic floor muscles are prone to prolapsed (dropped) bladders and uteruses, not
mention the erectile dysfunction in males. This is why, as mentioned earlier; Pilates truly can improve your sex
life!! In addition, a deep contraction of these muscles will facilitate a deeper contraction of the TVA and hence
create better stabilization and support for the spine and pelvis.
Latissimus Dorsi and Lower Trapezius
Latissimus Dorsi
Trapezius (lower fibers)
Location: These large flat muscles run from the humerus (Lats) and scapula (lower traps) across to the mid (T
6-12 for trapezius) and lower thoracic spine and down the spine to the lumbo-sacral fascia (for the lats),
forming a triangle-like shape which takes up about ½ of the back.
When they contract: The latissimus dorsi (lats) are huge muscles yet underdeveloped in most people. When
they contract, the lats should depress the shoulders and scapulae, externally rotated the humerus and
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stabilize the spine from mid-thoracic down to lumbo-sacral. However, most people cannot engage their lats
even when using a “lat pull-down” machine at the gym until they work with Pilates exercises which teach the
lats to work as shoulder stabilizers in addition to the rotator cuff muscles (see below). Lower trapezius is an
important assisting muscle in this shoulder stabilization and some would have you believe that it is more
important than the lats. It is also an extremely under-utilized muscle and therefore presents some problems
when trying to recruit it. If you visualize sliding your scapulae into you back pockets then you would be pulling
on this muscle. People with weak lats and lower traps tend to have poor posture and round the shoulders and
upper body forward.
Why do we need this muscles?: Without lats/lower traps we would all have the “no neck” look that certain
weight lifters get when they over develop the upper trapezius muscle that runs from the neck to the shoulder.
The upper trapezius lifts the shoulders (think: “shrugs”) and the latissimus dorsi and lower trapezius lower the
shoulders (think: “reverse shrugs”/heavy weight in the hands pulling arms towards feet). This antagonistic
relationship works well when muscles are balanced but otherwise its useless. Lots of people have neck and
back problems due to poor posture and tight over developed upper trapezius and posterior neck muscles. If
they were to focus on improving posture and building strength in the lats/lower traps their discomfort would
diminish significantly.
Rotator Cuff Muscles
(Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres Minor and Subscapularis – the group is referred to as SITS)
Supraspinatus
Infraspinatus
Teres Minor
Subscapularis
Location: Under and around the scapulae (shoulder blades) and attaching to the humerus.
When they contract: These muscles are the epitome of stabilizers in the human body. In general their function
is to contract when the shoulder blade and/or shoulder joint start to move in a way that they shouldn’t so that
everything moves smoothly. In other words, they are kind of like the glue that keeps the shoulders from
dislocating. They help the arm perform precise movements during dance and gymnastics and in general
protect the shoulders from harm.
Why do we need these muscles?: Other than holding the shoulder in place the rotator cuff muscles are also
powerful rotators of the shoulder joints and so are helpful in movements such as throwing a ball, swinging a
racquet or doing the crawl. We would have tough time brushing our teeth and combing our hair with out
them. Anyone who has damaged or torn a rotator cuff muscle will tell you that picking up a phone is
impossible. So they are pretty important muscles but again under worked by most people.
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Gluteals (Gluteus Maximus, Medius and Minimus)
Gluteus Maximus
Gluteus Medius
Gluteus Minimus
Location: A group of muscles most commonly called the glutes, buttocks, tushie, buns or whatever your fancy
might be. There are three different muscles here and yet in general they are all connected from the outer side
of the femur (thigh bone) and then to the rear of the pelvis/sacral spine region and lumped together to form
the gluteals.
When these muscles contract: The three muscles have fibers that run in three slightly different directions and
so each muscle performs a slightly different movement and yet very often they work together as a group.
Gluteus Minimus and Medius help with hip abduction (lifting the leg out to the side), Gluteus Maximus and
Medius extend the hip (take the leg back behind the line of the body) and also Gluteus Maximus and Medius
perform hip external rotation. The Gluteus Minimus helps with hip internal rotation.
Why do we need these muscles?: Apart from looking sexy in a pair of Levi’s, the glutes serve vital functions
with regard to movements of the leg. We could not walk without these muscles and sitting down would be
quite “boney” (ouch!) without these, and try standing up without contracting your glutes! It just would be silly
to have a body without buttocks but so many people don’t use theirs effectively and it is as if they might as
well not have any! The Glute maximus is one of the largest muscles in the human body but probably one of
the weakest. (Something that only Pilates instructors seem to be privy to!) Pilates is a great way to strengthen
these beautiful buns!!
Multifidus
Multifidus
Location: A series of pairs of muscles lumped under one title that run up and down the entire spine each
spanning either 2 or 3 vertebrae.
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When this muscle contracts: When the lumbar multifidus contracts uniformly left and right along the spine it
acts like a brace to stop the lumbar spine and hence the pelvic region from rotating along its axis. (If only one
side of the muscles contract they can help with spinal rotation and flexion.) Therefore, the multifidus is a great
stabilizer of the
lumbar spine and pelvis, particularly when the body is unsupported as in a plank or quadruped position.
Why we need this muscle?: Recent research has shown that the lumbar multifidus is almost completely
atrophied (has died) in people with the worst osteoporosis of the spine, compared with a normal spine which
has a healthy amount of multifidus tissue. This would lead us to conclude that working the multifidus would
be a great way to keep the bones of the lumbar spine strong. Also, anything that can help in the stabilization
of the spine is going to help improve back pain, so this little known muscle is actually very important in the
human body.
Adductors
Adductor Mangus
Location: Several muscles can be considered adductors but in general you may consider that they run up and
down the inside of the thigh from groin (pubic bone) to just above and just below the knee.
When these muscles contract: The adductors contract and pull the legs back to the centerline of the body.
They will work in opposition to the abductors (glutes) that take the legs away from the centerline of the body.
Why do we need these muscles?: Adductors are important for one reason: they stop our legs flying out to the
sides when we walk or run. That’s it! No need to work them on the adductor machine in the gym since it does
not generate a functional movement for the muscle and therefore does nothing to build the strength of the
adductor muscle; instead your inner thighs will become large and useless. Do Pilates and work on
strengthening the adductors in an isometric way, keeping the knees together during the entire exercise and
then you will be creating functional strength. Adductors are yet another muscle in the body that are not as
strong as they should be.
You may have noticed that the list of muscles above has muscles that either do not have a machine at the
gym that works it, that are naturally weak, that you have never even heard of, OR that you didn’t know you
needed to work! Well, they are all incredibly important muscles to our everyday lives and our overall health
but even more important when it comes to teaching Pilates.
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CHAPTER 10
PILATES BREATHING
Breathing is the life force of our bodies. It is also something we take for granted. It is something we do
subconsciously. It is also something we need to practice because many of us do it incorrectly!!
Most people breathe ineffectively and inefficiently, at best. The problem is so pervasive that some physicians
even theorize that poor breathing habits can create extensive physical problems such as heart disease, stroke,
peripheral vascular disease and even cancer. This could be why such diseases are so problematic in our society
today. Breathing is the key to cleansing the body and oxygenating every cell in order to keep the body healthy
and young.
So how do we breathe?
When we inhale, the air comes in through the nose/mouth, down the larynx and into the lungs. The air then
circulates through the lungs, oxygen is exchanged for the body’s waste product, carbon dioxide, and then this
air is expelled up through the larynx and out through the nose/mouth. As this inhalation and exhalation occurs
the thorax lifts and lowers to accommodate the volume changes in the lungs which lie directly underneath.
The thorax could be considered to consist of the ribcage, thoracic spine and all underlying organs. Therefore
as we inhale, the thorax lifts up and out to allow the lungs to expand with the influx of air (oxygen) and as we
exhale, the freshly exchanged air (mostly carbon dioxide) leaves the body so the thorax falls down and in. This
is how we should breathe in Pilates and in everyday life. Also during the inhale the spine tends to extend
somewhat (back bend) and during the exhale the spine tends to flex (bend forward) – these natural
movements are used to aid in the performance of many Pilates exercises.
The challenge with Pilates breathing is to coordinate the natural rhythm of the breath with the deeper layers
of abdominal tissues. In other words, it is imperative that abdominal fortitude is maintained throughout the
complete breath, in and out.
Exercise 1:
SUPINE BREATHING
Lying supine with legs bent and feet flat on the floor, place hands on upper and lower portions of the
abdomen and breathe.
Feel the natural tendency of the upper abdominal area (between the front ribs) to expand upon
inhalation and the tendency of the same area to fall down to the spine on the exhalation taking with it
the entire abdominal area. On your next inhalation see if you can keep the entire abdominal area from
moving or expanding and visualize sending the breath into the back and side of the ribs (even sending
it into the armpits!).The lungs are housed under the back and side of the ribs and so simply keep the
breath in the lungs rather than allowing it to flow down into the diaphragm which then pushes into
weak abdominal wall (TVA) muscles and hence distends the abdomen.
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Keeping the breath in the lungs may sound simple but in practice can be quite a challenge since the
intercostals (the muscles between the ribs) get very short and tight through the years of ineffective
breathing habits. This in turn restricts the amount of room the lungs have available to expand during
an inhalation. So the breath tends to find the path of least resistance and head down into the
diaphragm and into the abdominal area.
The reason this is not such a great way to breathe is twofold. Firstly, by not breathing into the lungs
and expanding them fully, we are collecting pockets of toxic waste air deep in the lungs, which sets the
stage for future disease. Secondly, by allowing the abdomen to expand with each inhalation we are, in
essence, stretching the abs every single time we breathe. Now last time I checked, it seemed unlikely
that the abs would be contracting if they were busy expanding! So how can we expect to get that sixpack!!!
Exercise 2:
SITTING BREATHING
Sit with legs bent and feet flat on the floor with arms lightly grasping legs. Curl body into c-curve using
abdominals.
Inhale; fill the back and sides of the lungs with air allowing the back and sides of the rib cage to
expand, being careful NOT to inflate the abdomen. Keep pelvic floor and TVA contracted at all
times i.e. maintain the scoop while breathing in.
Exhale; release air from lungs allowing back and sides of rib cage to fall down and in again.
Maintain abdominal control by staying scooped and using a squeezing action in the abdomen to
press the air out of the body.
Repeat for several breaths
The WRONG way…..
This picture shows the incorrect Pilates breathing where air has gone into the abdomen and caused it
to distend towards the thighs. This happens when the pelvic floor and TVA have not been activated
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and/or are not able to stay contracted during the inhale due to de-conditioning and poor body
mechanics. With practice everyone can maintain their breath in the lungs rather than allowing the
breath to go anywhere in the body.
Notes:
Release tension in neck and shoulders.
Do not pull on legs.
Make sure to breathe deeply.
Teachers can place hands on back of students ribcage and encourage them to “fill my hands” with air.
A silk scarf or latex band (e.g. dyna-band) wrapped behind the ribcage can also provide the same sensation
when a teacher is not there to help
When first learning Pilates, the breathing is one of the toughest challenges for most people,
but with focus and perseverance, it will pay off very well.
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CHAPTER 11
THE PILATES SCOOP
The “scoop”; the “powerhouse”; the “girdle of strength”; the “core”. Whatever you call it, the goal is the
same: to contract the transversus abdominus (TVA) muscle (and, at times, others) in order to give stability and
mobility to the pelvis and spine.
The area of the body from the sternum down to the pelvis and around the back up to the armpits is
considered our core/powerhouse/girdle of strength. It also includes the adductors and could be considered a
box, as shown below.
The area in the box encompasses the following muscles: rectus abdomnus, internal and external obliques,
transverse abdominus, gluteals, adductors, latissimus dorsi and shoulder stabilizers. (see ANATOMY OF THE
MID-SECTION)
DURING THE “SCOOP” WE FOCUS ON THE PELVIC FLOOR AND ABDOMINAL MUSCLES ONLY.
TO SCOOP:
1. Draw the pelvic floor muscles up and in, like an elevator going up an ever narrowing shaft
2. Pull the navel in towards the spine and up under the ribcage, engaging the transverses
abdominus muscle
3. Funnel the front ribs in and down towards the front of the pelvis, connecting energetically
the obliques from the upper body to the lower body
ALL THREE MUSCULAR PARTS OF THE SCOOP NEED TO BE ACTIVATED AT ALL TIMES
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During movements of the extremities, the TVA contraction precedes the movement. Although the TVA is a
skeletal muscle, and is therefore under our conscious control, it is beyond our awareness. It is our goal in
Pilates to bring the contraction of the TVA into our awareness.
Let’s begin by looking at the anatomy of the midsection. There are four abdominal muscles that we should be
aware of: (in order, from surface to deep) Rectus Abdominus, Obliqus Externus, Obliquus Internus,
Transversus Abdominus. These muscles could be pictured as four separate layers although they tend to work
together during most movements. During spinal flexion, the primary mover is the rectus abdominis (a.k.a.
rectus “poofus”) which essentially pulls the sternum towards the pubic bone, its two attachment points, and
gives no support to the spine. This is important since we are seeking pelvic and spinal stabilization and
mobilization in Pilates. The rectus abdominus will not help us do either. And it can actually make your belly get
bigger if you do movements that primarily work this muscle i.e. crunches.
To contract the TVA is like no other muscle contraction. It is almost the antithesis of a muscle contraction. In
fact, many people don’t realize they are contracting it because it makes the surface of the body feel soft,
whereas most muscle contractions result in the superficial muscle getting firm to the touch. That is because
when the TVA contracts the rectus abdominus shuts off and hence the superficial part of the belly may feel
squishy. However, let it be known that, deep below there is a powerful contraction whose full effect will be
seen during execution of all the Pilates mat exercises.
To learn the scoop : Pregnant Cat
Starting Position
Kneeling on all fours with hands beneath shoulders and knees beneath hips, spine straight and
lengthened from tail to head.
Inhale; allow abdomen to fill with air and relax the muscles
Exhale; contract abdominal muscles as air is expelled
Repeat numerous times, then…
Keep abdominals contracted
And practice maintaining the scoop while continuing to breathe
Repeat several times
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Notes:
Keep spine straight and long throughout, there must be NO MOVEMENT of the spine
Feel the support of the abs during the scooping phase
Watch lats and ribs –keep shoulder girdle stabilized throughout
In Summary
The scoop is the abdominal part of the complete stabilization of the spine. To create the full effect, lats need
to engage to pull shoulders down away from the ears and obliques must engage in order to close the front ribs
on top of the pelvic floor and TVA scoop. Scooping is possible in ANY and ALL positions; sitting, standing, lying
down, sidebending etc. Sit or stand and try scooping and then breathe on top of it without losing any part of
it. Then you will begin to feel the power of the girdle of strength and the power of the scoop.
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CHAPTER 12
NEUTRAL VS. IMPRINTED
In Pilates original work, a “flat back”, like that of an infant, was viewed as ideal. However, new research has
shown that the natural curves we have in our spine are there for a reason – shock absorption and
support/strength. At birth we all have a perfectly straight spine which is why newborns cannot sit up. As the
newborn grows stronger in her muscles, the spine takes on some curves so that sitting is possible. In order for
an infant to crawl and subsequently walk, the four natural curves that we see in the adult spine must develop.
These curves (cervical lordosis, thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis and sacro-coccygeal kyphosis) create a
shock absorbing system that allows us to live an upright lifestyle free of pain. However, the force of gravity
and the effects of poor posture (most of which is a result of modern day conveniences and which was not
evident in our hunter-gatherer ancestors) have led many of us to present with an exaggerated set of curves in
our spine that are very often associated with pain/discomfort and are certainly associated with bad posture
(see PILATES POSTURE). It is these exaggerated kyphoses and lordoses we are trying to straighten out with our
Pilates posture. Maybe Joe Pilates didn’t want a completely straight spine from everyone but simply wanted to
straighten out the exaggerated curves in most people. It is true that a completely straight spine is not healthy
or safe. However, in PIA Pilates we have experienced best results with teaching people to aim for a lenghtened
and essentuially straight spine when sitting or lying supine when first learning Pilates.
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What is Neutral?
Neutral refers to neutral pelvis/neutral spine. Some people call neutral the place the spine falls into naturally.
Some say it is the mid point of a pelvic tilt –in other words it is not the point you can get to when you tilt back
or the point you can get to when you tilt the pelvis forward but the point midway between these two. Others
have a specific definition of it. All of these are pretty uncomfortable for people with excessive spinal curves
when lying supine. They are also inappropriate when first learning Pilates.
A) If the spine is allowed to stay in its most comfortable or natural position then what kind of exercise
are you doing for the spine. Usually exercise involves moving our body through a challenging sequence
of exercises that force our body to move as anatomically correctly as possible. If we do Pilates where
our spine falls naturally and we have excessive kyphosis-lordosis then where is the postural
improvement going to come from? And how can we propagate any body awareness if we simply stick
with our everyday position?
B) If we tilt the pelvis back and forth and stop at the mid-point then this point is going to be different
for everyone and is dependent upon lumbo-sacral flexibility. It may mean someone rests in an anterior
tilt and the person next to them, rests in a posterior tilt. It may also mean that this position could be
different for the same person on different days, depending on tightness.
C) The official definition of neutral pelvis (and hence neutral spine, since the two are attached) is when
the pubic symphisis and the ASIS (anterior supra-iliac spine) lie in the same plane. This can be seen
when lying supine and the hands are placed on the pelvis such that the fingers rest on the pubic
symphisis (pubic bone) and the heels of the hands rest on the ASIS (hip bones) and the thumbs touch
each other forming a diamond shape. If the thumbs, finger tips and heel of the hands all form a plane
that is horizontal and parallel to the floor then the pelvis is in neutral. It is also important to make sure
that the bottom back ribs are down on the floor and the shoulders and neck are in their respective
positions when the pelvis is horizontal. For many people a small space under the waistband is evident
(for people with tightness in the lumbar region this can be painful); for others the waistband will rest
on the floor. Standing up, the same assessment can be made but now the hands should lie in a plane
that is vertical and parallel to a wall (or perpendicular to the floor).
Whether lying or standing (or any other position for that matter) every body will have a slightly different
posture because the rest of the spine has to learn to fall correctly, however the pelvis should be in the same
place for everyone. Eventually with Pilates practice, a near perfect posture can be attained and all Pilates
moves will then come from a neutral pelvis. A neutral pelvis/spine is very challenging to attain and maintain
when first learning Pilates but is something that advanced level practitioners will learn to perfect (see PIA Mat
2 Pilates Teacher Training).
So What is Imprinted?
Imprinting the spine comes from learning to scoop effectively and allowing the posterior spine to lengthen by
lifting and supporting the anterior spine from the inside of the body. So the pelvic floor contraction and the
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transverse abdominus contraction help to pull the tail bone down and away from the head (lengthening the
spine) and this contraction puts a strong, firm hold on the spine to support it’s newly lengthened position (like
the foundation of a house), thereby taking the pressure off the vertebral discs and reducing much of the pain
associated with excessive lordosis and hence dics compression in the lumbar region.
It is important to remember also that an imprinted spine is not just the lower regions of the vertebral column
but also the thoracic and cervical regions. One should try to lengthen the entire spine and gently allow the
vertebrae to sink to the floor (when lying supine) and create a long line from head to tail. Imprinting does not
involve pressing or jamming any part of the spine into the floor (when lying supine) but instead a sense of
supported strengthening from the inside out is the goal. When scooping, feel the hips pull up towards the ribs,
slightly tilting the pelvis back and flattening the lumbar spine to the mat, but also pull the shoulders back and
down and lengthen the neck so the entire spine is effectively imprinted. The word “imprinting” comes from
the visualization of lying on a piece of blotting paper and imagining each vertebra/disc containing an ink well.
After lying imprinted, a line of ink spots should be visible on the blotting paper. No smudge mark from
pressing down or a gap in the spots because a part of the spine does not touch the paper should be evident.
(The only part of the spine that may not touch for a lot of people is the back of the neck.)
At Mat 1 Pilates level, PIA advocates maintaining an imprinted pelvis/spine for the following reasons:
1. Many people suffer with lower back pain brought on by tightness in the low back (and very typically
tight hip flexors) representing itself as excessive lumbar lordosis. By reducing the excessive low back
curve we can reduce the pain associated with this postural deviation. In other words, if we IMPRINT
the spine using the SCOOP we can, over time, reduce the excessive lumbar lordosis.
2. Many people present with tight/sore neck and shoulder regions often associated by poor posture and
muscle imbalances such as excessive thoracic kyphosis. A forward curve in the thoracic region can pull
the shoulders forward and bend the upper body so that the face points down to the ground. To
compensate, the head lifts up bending the neck into an excessive lordosis. So we have two problems to
fix here. It is important to help this student learn to flatten the upper back and neck into the floor
when lying supine, which will help the muscles through the front of the chest and shoulders relax
(these are typically over developed). This student needs to learn to lengthen the neck and do the chin
tucks effectively, thereby reducing the excessive neck lordosis and reducing neck pain.
The end result of imprinting is to reduce (not eliminate) the excessive curves of the spine and reduce pain. We
cannot do these things if we strive for the elusive neutral spine (but we will work on finding neutral pelvis at
advanced levels). When first learning Pilates there are very many confusing things to remember to do with the
body and the last thing anyone needs to worry about is trying to maintain a difficult position that might
actually inflict pain upon them if they do it wrong.
Imprinting in a word is safer than neutral.
Click here to: Check out Frankies PIA Pilates Blog 2011 post on "Imprint to reduce lower back pain"
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CHAPTER 13
THE SECRET TO PIA PILATES
1. SCOOP
2. RIBS PULLED IN
3. SHOULDERS DOWN
4. NECK LENGTHENED
5. BREATHE
(and maintain all the other things)
PLEASE REMEMBER TO TEACH AND REMIND YOUR STUDENTS OF THESE
THINGS EVERY CLASS OR SESSION
1. SCOOP
Pull the navel to the spine and upwards towards the back of the ribcage. Feel like you are hollowing the
abdominal area as if scooping it out. Imagine lying down to squeeze yourself into a tight pair of jeans or
imagine walking past a beautiful person while walking on the beach (I think most people would try to suck in
the gut a little, don’t you!!). As the belly sucks in the spine is given support and the body naturally lengthens.
Don’t forget the pelvic floor contraction to help facilitate the Transverse Abdominus contraction and, hey
presto, you have a scoop!!!
2. RIBS PULLED IN
Imagine pulling the ribs from the outer edges of the torso towards the center of the body and then down
through the navel to the pelvis – this is called funneling. This is something we should do in conjunction with
scooping. We also often talk about “connecting” the ribcage. This could be interpreted as funneling with the
addition of imagining joining the bottom ribs (both front and back) to the pelvis (both front and back). It is as if
there were some invisible cords connecting ribs and hips that could be pulled upon and tightened like guy
ropes on a tent that will add stability to the torso. In addition to funneling and connecting the ribs, it is of
utmost importance to also pull the ribs in towards the body. Lying supine view the body from the side and
witness how the bottom front ribs protrude (an advanced Pilates practitioner will not display this look since
they have learned to pull the ribs in). This is indicative of poor abdominal strength in the obliques and should
be
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addressed by learning to funnel and connect the ribs to hips by contracting the obliques. During involuntary
movements such as coughing, vomiting and laughing these muscles contract (think how sore your sides can
become after a bout of bronchitis) and pull the
ribcage in and down. We must simply learn to contract these muscles at will and hold the ribs in place during
our Pilates classes.
3. SHOULDERS DOWN
It is important in Pilates to keep the shoulders pulled down away from the ears because letting the shoulders
rise up to our ears can create a compression in the neck/shoulder muscles that after time leads to chronic
neck pain, headache and possibly shoulder impingement syndrome. Simply thinking about relaxing the
shoulders is not enough however to bring the shoulders away from the ears, since it is usually overly
tight/developed trapezius muscles that are to blame for this postural problem. We must look at our anatomy
and understand that the latissimus dorsi (lats) muscles work antagonistically (against) with the trapezius
(traps) muscles, and therefore if we need to release the traps and lower the shoulders down we need to pull
with and strengthen the lats and at the same time teach the traps to do less work. Do not confuse the
movement brought on by the lats with shoulder retraction – the shoulders do not move backwards. Lat
contraction will result in shoulders pulling down to the floor, armpits coming to hips or simply shoulders
coming down away from the ears (shoulder depression) ONLY!! Lats need to stay engaged for the entire class,
in conjunction with the scoop and keeping the ribcage connected.
4. NECK LENGTHENED
One of the great things about Pilates is the wonderful improvement in posture and how much better that can
make a person look and feel. Part of the postural improvement comes from the lengthened spine brought
about by the scoop but the rest of the spine needs to lengthen also including the area all the way up to the
neck. So imagining a string pulling from the top of the head and the tip of the tail bone can help with this
elongation concept, especially if you couple it with a slight chin tuck. To practice this concept try standing
against a wall. Place heels about a foot away from the baseboard and place the entire spine in contact with
the wall. Try to get as much of the back of the neck against the wall as possible and notice that your head/chin
must tuck slightly to assist in this. You have just performed a chin tuck. (note: Very much like the opposite of
the chin lift/head tilt we are taught to use in CPR). This chin tucking movement in turn helps to lengthen the
back of the neck including all the muscles there that very often cause pain and stiffness. In all Pilates moves,
whether sitting, standing or lying down, we should engage this neck lengthening protocol at all times.
Remember, when trying to do this lying supine that the rest of the spine needs to stay flat, including the
maintenance of the ribs pulled in and the scoop.
5. BREATHE
Above all else we must breathe during a Pilates class/workout and it is imperative to encourage your students
to do so. All exercises should be described by first cueing the breathing (i.e. inhale or exhale) and then telling
the body movement (e.g. inhale, raise arms to the sky). Breathing should be deep and complete. It should also
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be audible. Encourage your students to use a forced exhalation such as the “shhhhhsh” breath. This will not
only help them facilitate the scoop and help keep the ribs connected but will also help you, the teacher, to
keep track of their breathing and correct it if necessary. Breathing also encourages a more complete workout
since the class can become not only stretch and strengthen but also aerobic once the moves have been
learned effectively and the pace is picked up. (see HOW TO STRUCTURE A GROUP PILATES CLASS). Breathing
also offers a built in safety technique in as much as it helps to maintain a more even blood pressure (the
Valsalver Maneuver occurs during breath holding upon exertion and creates a dangerously sharp rise in blood
pressure and can be avoided simply by breathing).
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CHAPTER 14
LIFT, SCOOP AND GROW TALL
You must always make every effort to stay scooped in Pilates but you should also strive towards generating a
lengthened spine as well, no matter what position you are in. Use the pelvic floor muscles, transverse
abdominus and “string pulling head and tail in two different directions” concept to lift (pelvic elevator), scoop
(transverse abs) and grow tall (string pulling spine from one end to another). Many exercises call for a
preparation breath. Use this to lift, scoop and grow tall, even if growing tall means reaching out along the floor
from head to toe.
Just like learning to drive a car practice breathe, scoop, and maneuver – in this order. Perfecting these things
will make very single exercise more challenging but more importantly more effective which is why Joe Pilates
would insist you do things right or go home and practice until you could.
Practice getting taller to improve your posture by learning to scoop lift and grow tall. Notice how poor
posture makes the models look fat and short!! Also notice how perfect posture looks a little different in
different people.
Of course, there really is no such thing as “perfect”, just close to it!!!
Perfect
Pelvis Neutral
Spine Erect
Head up
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Kyphosis Perfect
Pelvis Posterior
Thoracic Spine over-flexed
Head forward
Lordotic/Kyphotic
Pelvis Neutral
Spine Erect
Head up
Pelvis Anterior
Spine S-Curved
Heads Slightly Forward
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CHAPTER 15
HOW TO STRUCTURE
A GROUP PILATES CLASS
Just like any fitness class a Pilates class should have a beginning, middle and an end. In other words, lead into
the class with some kind of warm up/breathing focus/limbering session or in general the footwork once the
class has been established. The “meat” of the workout comes next – please remember to follow the order of
exercises because they are designed to build upon each other and the body is happier when the exercises are
performed in this order. At the end of class, finish with something stretch oriented and/or offer homework
assignments – things that people can do outside of the classroom that are Pilates principles that will help them
perform better next time they come to class.
Group classes can be various lengths:
30 minutes -
Beginner Class (just teach the principles and a few exercises to learn them)
Power Class (take the beginner moves but pick up the pace for those who already know
the exercises)
45 minutes -
Regular Class (perfect amount of time for a beginner class)
Intermediate Power Class (take beginner and intermediate moves and pick up the pace)
60 minutes -
Beginner Class (teach principles and beginner exercises at a slower pace, adding more
theory than actual exercise)
Advanced Class (all beginner and intermediate moves performed at a faster pace)
When teaching Pilates group classes it is important to keep up the pace during all classes. This is not a yoga
class. This is not a relaxation class. Constantly narrate the secrets of PIA Pilates throughout the class – there is
always something to say, because nobody does things perfectly. Whenever possible PIA Pilates teachers
should walk around and offer “hands-on” help to people.
Every class think:
1. SAFETY
2. EFFECTIVESNESS
3. FUN (in this order!!)
PIA Pilates teachers ALWAYS follow the guidelines of S.A.F.E.
Safe And Fun Exercises
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PIA Pilates prides itself in producing highly qualified
and extremely competent teachers, not trainers, of
Pilates…….
REMEMBER that:
A trainer is someone who works with animals
(think: dog trainer)
An instructor is someone who tells you “what” to do (think: indoor
cycle instructor)
A teacher is someone who explains ‘how’ and
‘why’ to do something
THINK: PIA Pilates Teacher i.e. YOU!!!
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CHAPTER 16
THE ORDER OF EXERCISES
Pilates mat exercises MUST be performed in a specific order just like a symphony or a play for the method to
work effectively, efficiently and safely. The order allows the body to warm up and prepare for future moves and
it allows for a flow from one exercise to another without loss of form or focus. This is what often makes Pilates
sometimes look easy or effortless and yet it is really a technique for making the moves more challenging,
effective (since there is no rest) and safer (since there is a preparation for each move). There MUST also be a
balance of exercises in any Pilates program whether it be on the mat or the apparatus so that the body is worked
uniformly and safely. PIA Pilates requires each and every Pilates class or lesson or session to include SOME
spinal flexion, SOME spinal extension and AT LEAST one exercise for lateral flexion OR rotation of the spine.
The following exercises follow all of these guidelines and present a basic Pilates mat workout that can be
adapted for more or less challenge. This sequence could also be used as a warm up or cool down for any other
program.
Remember for a complete training on “how” to teach these moves and many more you should attend a PIA live
workshop teacher training course or take the follow up course to this the PIA Pilates Mat 1 Online.
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CHAPTER 17
A BASIC MAT ROUTINE
Pre-Pilates/Preps/Warmups
Breathing
Starting Position
Sit with legs bent and feet flat on the floor with arms lightly grasping legs. Curl body into c-curve using
abdominal.
Exercise
Inhale; fill the back of the lungs with air allowing back of rib cage to expand, being careful not to
inflate abdomen. Keep abdominals contracted.
Exhale; release air from lungs allowing back of rib cage to fall down again. Maintain abdominal control.
Repeat 5 to 10 times
Teaching Tips and Notes:
Release tension in neck and shoulders.
Do not pull on legs.
Make sure to breathe deeply.
Place hands on back of students ribcage and encourage them to “fill your hands” with air.
Variations
You should also teach breathing in other postural positions such as supine, prone, side lying and standing.
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Chin Tuck/Head Nod
Starting Position
Lying supine with legs bent and feet flat on the floor arms by side
Exercise
Inhale; extend back of neck by dropping chin slightly
Exhale; release to neutral
Repeat 3 times
Teaching Tips and Notes:
Make sure students do not jam their chin to chest.
As neck lengthens encourage students to depress shoulder blades even more and connect the lats.
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Imprint Release
Starting position
Lying supine with legs bent and feet on the floor, feet hip width apart, arms resting beside the body or on the
front of the pelvis.
Exercise
Inhale; prepare
Exhale; contract abdominal and gently press lower back towards and into the floor/mat
Inhale; release.
Repeat 8 to 10 times
Teaching Tips and Notes:
Make sure imprinting comes from tightening abs and not buttocks/legs.
Maintain relaxed neck and shoulders.
As abdominals contract think of bringing the pelvis and ribcage closer together rather than just jamming the
back into the floor.
Instruct students to place hands on hips/pubic bone and watch the pelvis tilting.
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Alternating Leg Raises
Starting Position
Lying supine with back imprinted, arms by sides. Legs hip width apart, bent with feet flat on the floor.
Exercise
Inhale; prepare
Exhale; lift right leg until thigh is perpendicular to floor
Inhale; stay
Exhale; lift left leg in the same manner, be sure not to lose imprint or scoop
Inhale; stay
Exhale; lower the right leg to start position
Inhale; stay
Exhale; lower the left leg to the start position
Repeat beginning with the left leg, for 3 times each leg
Teaching Tips and Notes:
Make sure not to lose the imprint or scoop at any time during the exercise. Placing hands on the abdomen
and/or lower back can help in determining any spinal stabilization loss.
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Supine Spinal Rotation
Starting Position
Side lying supine with legs bent and arms extended perpendicular to body
Exercise
Inhale; lift top arm to ceiling and
Exhale as it comes towards floor behind body, staying perpendicular to body at all times, allowing
upper torso to rotate
Inhale; stay in position and expand chest and ribs.
Exhale; stay repeat breathing cycle for 3 breaths and then
Inhale; bring arm back up to ceiling and
Exhale; as it returns to start position.
Repeat on other side.
Teaching Tips and Notes:
Remember to keep shoulders depressed and neck relaxed.
Try to think about just rotating from the waist up.
Make sure rotation come from spine and not pelvis – check to keep knees and feet stacked (see below)
Variation
Do not stay in rotation for 3 breaths – instead repeat the rotate/return for three repetitions
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Hip Rolls
Starting Position
Lying Supine with legs bent and feet on the floor.
Exercise
Inhale; prepare
Exhale; contract abdominals and lift pelvis off the floor rolling up one vertebra at a time until hips are
high forming a diagonal from knees down to shoulders but without arching the lower back.
Inhale; stay at the top
Exhale; roll down through the spine one vertebra at a time
Inhale; release
Repeat 3 times
Teaching Tips and Notes:
Watch that the knees stay parallel throughout.
Keeps shoulders relaxed away from the ears particularly at the top of the motion.
Make sure not to over extend spine (see below)
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Pregnant Cat
Starting Position
Kneeling on all fours with hands beneath shoulders and knees beneath hips, spine straight and lengthened from
tail to head.
Exercise
Inhale; allow abdomen to fill with air and relax the muscles
Exhale; contract abdominal muscles as air is expelled
Repeat 5 to 10 times, then…
Inhale; keep abdominals contracted
Exhale; scoop them in even more
Repeat 5 to 10 times
Teaching Tips and Notes:
Keep spine straight and long throughout
Encourage students to feel the support of the abs during the scooping phase
Watch lats and ribs
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Cat Stretch
Starting Position
Kneeling on all fours with hands beneath shoulders and knees beneath hips, spine straight and lengthened from
tail to head.
Exercise
Inhale; prepare
Exhale; flex spine from tailbone to head
Inhale; lengthen spine back to neutral from head to tail
Repeat 3 to 5 times
Teaching Tips and Notes:
Remember to keep shoulders stabilized
Use scooping of abs to initiate flexion
Don’t over extend lumbar spine
Try for more thoracic extension and lumbar flexion
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Shoulder Series – Protract/Retract
Starting position
Lying supine with legs bent and feet flat on the floor and arms extended to ceiling shoulder width apart palms
facing each other.
Exercise
Inhale; raise arms to ceiling
Exhale; lower shoulder blades to floor
Repeat 3 times
Variation 1: sitting
Variation 2: kneeling
Teaching Tips and Notes:
Keep neck relaxed and shoulders depressed throughout.
Only protract and retract shoulder blades, do not bend arms.
Keep abdominals contracted.
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Shoulder Series – Elevate/Depress
Starting Position
Lying supine with legs bent and feet flat on the floor, arms at sides
Exercise
Inhale; raise shoulders to ears
Exhale; press shoulders away from ears
Repeat 3 times
Variation 1: kneeling
Variation 2: standing
Teaching Tips and Notes:
Remember to keep shoulders down on the mat as you do this exercise.
Encourage students to focus on the downward movement and to engage the lats.
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Shoulder Series - Arm Scissors/Circles
Starting Position
Lying supine with legs bent and feet on the floor arms raised to ceiling scapulae retracted ad depressed. palms
facing each other.
Exercise
Exhale; reach one arm above head towards floor, and other arm towards floor by hip, keeping
abdominal contraction and ribs connected
Inhale; raise arms to ceiling and switch directions.
Repeat exercise 6-10 times
Teaching Tips and Notes:
Keep ribcage down, i.e. connected to pelvis using obliques at all times.
Keep scapulae depressed and retracted at all times.
Variations
Arm Circles
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CHAPTER 18
PILATES APPLICATION FOR THE
WELLNESS PROFESSIONAL
Contrology and physical therapy go hand in hand as far as their abilities to help patients/clients recover from
musculoskeletal injuries, myo-facsial complaints and muscular imbalances. The same could also be said of
Massage Therapy and many Body work techniques available today, since it can be a complimentary modality to
Pilates exercises. Joseph Pilates is often considered to be the first Physical Therapist and indeed many
rehabilitation centers across the United States have used Pilates’ techniques as a therapy modality for many
years. As the practice of Physical Therapy and Massage Therapy changes to become more cash based and less
insurance funded, Therapists are seeking alternative holistic therapies and modalities they can safely employ:
enter Pilates.
Pilates exercises are proven to be safe and effective in relieving pain in the lumbar and cervical regions and, of
course, teach patients a new pattern of movement. This neuro-muscular re-education can prove to be a lifesaver
for many patients/clients with limited strength and mobility. Seniors and juveniles alike can benefit from Pilates
exercises and exercise methodology. If nothing else a therapist can enjoy better patient results using
conventional therapy techniques and equipment if only by employing the concepts and philosophies of Joseph
Pilates such as “scoop, lift and grow tall”. Patients/clients doing regular Pilates exercises improve posture to
such a degree that overall wellbeing is improved because of better breathing and digestive processes allowed by
the increased abdominal and thorax volume. This in turn results in higher patient/client satisfaction ratings,
increased number of return visits for traditional therapy and faster plus longer lasting results.
Many Physical Therapists and Massage Therapists are choosing to learn Pilates in depth and are discovering the
wealth of exercises that are possible on the Reformer, Cadillac, Chair and Barrels and choose to go through the
PIA Pilates equipment training programs. Setting up a full Pilates studio in a Physical Therapy or Rehab Center
can be extremely rewarding and profitable.
See www.PIAworkshops.com for more details or to enroll in a Pilates Teacher Training program.
As a last thought, Pilates can be a great way for Physical Therapists and Body workers who employ a good deal
of manual therapy to save their own health. By learning Pilates techniques and using them to improve their own
posture and body mechanics all day long, it is possible for a therapist to improve work output and increase job
satisfaction. If everyone scooped all day and used their core during every movement of the extremities and also
when moving patients/clients around in the rehab center, we might be able to reduce the number of lost work
days due to the number one issue, lower back strain – and that’s just the therapists!!
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PILATES & Physical Therapy BIBLIOGRAPHY LIST
Smith, Rose L. "Pilates for Rehab: A Guidebook to Integrating Pilates in Patient Care." The Free Library. 01 Oct. 2006.
Stanton AF, Hiatt-Coblentz R. “Pilates for Fragile Backs” New Harbinger Publications, Inc, 2006, paperback, 155 pp, illus,
ISBN: 978- 1-57224-466-5
English T., Howe K. “The Effect of Pilates Exercise on Trunk and Postural Stability and Throwing Velocity in College Baseball Pitchers:
Single Subject Design.” NAJSPT. 2007;2(1):8-19.
Keays, Kim S., Harris, Susan R., Lucyshyn, Joseph M., and MacIntyre, Donna L. “Effects of Pilates Exercises on Shoulder Range of
Motion, Pain, Mood, and Upper-Extremity Function in Women Living With Breast Cancer: A Pilot Study.” Physical Therapy. Apr.
2008;88(4):494-510. Epub 24 Jan. 2008.
La Touche, Roy, Escalante, Karla, and Linares, María Teresa. “Treating Non-Specific Chronic Low Back Pain Through the Pilates
Method.” Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies.
Oct. 2008. Vol. 12, Issue 4, Pages 364-370.
Yakut, E., Yagli , Vardar, Kiraz, S., Akdogan, A., Çalgüneri, M., Yakut, Y., and Ertenli, I. “The Effects of Pilates Exercises on Patients with
Anklyosing Spondylitis.” Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. 2006;65(Suppl 2):675
Kloubec, June; Banks, Aaron “Pilates and Physical Education: A Natural Fit.” Journal of Physical Education Recreation and
Dance JOPERD, v75 n4 p34 Apr 2004
Kuo, Yi-Liang PhD; Tully, Elizabeth A. PhD; Galea, Mary P. PhD “Sagittal Spinal Posture After Pilates-Based Exercise in
Healthy Older Adults”. Spine: 1 May 2009 - Volume 34 - Issue 10 - pp 1046-1051
Kim S. Keays, Susan R. Harris, Joseph M. Lucyshyn, Donna L. MacIntyre “Effects of Pilates exercises on shoulder range of
motion, pain, mood, and upper-extremity function in women living with breast cancer: a pilot study”. Physical Therapy,
April, 2008
Davis, Carol M. DPT, EdD, MS, FAPTA “Complementary Therapies in Rehabilitation: Evidence for Efficacy in Therapy, Prevention, and
Wellness” Third Edition 432 pp Hard Cover Pub. Date: 2009 ISBN 13 978-1-55642-866-1
Shedden, Mariana and Kravitz, Len “Pilates exercise: a research-based review” Journal of Dance Medicine & Science,
July-Oct, 2006
Altan L, Korkmaz N, Bingol U, Gunay B. “Effect of pilates training on people with fibromyalgia syndrome” Arch Phys Med
Rehabil. 2009 - PubMed result 04 Dec 2010
Altan L, Korkmaz N, Bingol U, Gunay B. “Effect of pilates training on people with fibromyalgia syndrome: a pilot study”. Arch Phys
Med Rehabil. 2009;90(12):1983-1988.
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CHAPTER 19
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
The following is brief glossary of terms which are used throughout this manual and should be used frequently in
the language of Pilates.
FLEXION (flex)
To bend a joint in response to a muscle contraction e.g. the spine flexes in response to the abdominals
contracting i.e. the spine bends forward
EXTENSION (extend)
To open a joint in response to a muscle contraction e.g. the hip extends in response to the gluteals contracting
i.e. the front of the hip opens
ADDUCTION
To return (ADD) a limb to its starting position or to the midline of the body.
ABDUCTION
To take away (ABDUCT) a limb from its starting position or from the mid-line of the body.
ROTATION
To rotate about an axis where muscles coordinate the movement by contracting and relaxing when appropriate
e.g. the spine will rotate by contracting the obliques and stretching the spinal rotators
LATERAL FLEXION
To bend sideways without any other movement occurring e.g. bend the spine to the side without rotating or
flexing
HYPEREXTENSION
The ability to over extend a joint, which renders the muscles on either side to totally switch their roles e.g.
hyperextension in the elbow will mean the biceps will now extend the elbow and the triceps will now flex the
elbow
HYPERMOBILITY
The ability to move a joint or joints through an increased range of motion, often associated with instability e.g. a
person who can easily fall into the splits and then reach behind, take the back leg, bend it and pull it up to the
back of the head as the body bends back – impressive but not necessarily very strong and stable
KYPHOSIS
An exaggerated backwards curve of the thoracic spine often associated with a forward head and possibly
rounded shoulders. Can be genetic and/orhabitual.
LORDOSIS
An exaggerated inwards curve of the lumbar spine often brought about by tight hip flexors as well tight lower
back muscles, which often leads to weak abdominals, which in turn only exacerbates the problem
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SCOLIOSIS
A congenital problem resulting in a sideways curvature of the spine which sometimes worsens with age. Can
occur anywhere in the spine and depending upon the severity can be anything from completely debilitating to
asymptomatic.
ISOMETRIC
This term refers to a muscle contraction that occurs even though the muscle length remains the same e.g. the
scoop – hold the deep abdominal contraction for the length of the exercise or even the entire class
CONCENTRIC
This refers to a muscle contraction that occurs when a muscle is shortening along its length e.g. the upwards
phase of a biceps curl, where the biceps muscle contracts to lift the weight and it gets shorter
ECCENTRIC
This refers to a muscle contraction that occurs when a muscle is lengthening e.g. the downwards phase of a
biceps curl, where the muscle is still contracting because the weight is still in the hand but now the muscles
contract to control the lowering of it and is therefore lengthening as it does so
ELEVATION
A lift upwards of a particular body part – usually refers to the scapulae lifting up
DEPRESSION
A downward movement of a particular body part – usually refers to the pulling down of the scapulae
PROTRACTION
Refers to the separation of the scapulae i.e. the shoulder blades pulling apart
RETRACTION
Refers to the closure of the scapulae i.e. the shoulder blades pulling back and together
ANTERIOR
Refers to anything to do with the front of the body e.g. an anterior tilt of the pelvis is where the ASIS tip
forward
POSTERIOR
Refers to anything to do with the back of the body e.g. a posterior tilt of the pelvis is where the ASIS tip
backward
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CHAPTER 20
BIBLIOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY
**The Pilates Body
Brooke Siler, 2000 Broadway Books, NY
**The Pilates Powerhouse Mari Winsor, 1999 Perseus Books, NY
***The Complete Idiot’s Guide to The Pilates Method Karon Karter, 2001 Alpha Books, IN
***Secrets of Pilates
Sally Searle & Cathy, DK publishers, inc. 2001
***A Pilates’ Primer: the Millennium Edition Joseph H. Pilates & William J. Miller
*Pilates – a flowmotion book Suzanne Scott, Sterling Publishing Co. inc.2002
**Pilates Body in Motion Alycea Ungaro, DK publishers, inc. 2002
*The Joseph H. Pilates Method at Home Eleanor McKenzie , Ulysses Press, UK 2000
***Pilates for Dummies Ellie Herman, Hungry Minds, Inc.2002
*Pilates Workout Lynne Robinson & Gerry Convy, Michael Friedman Publishing Group, Inc.2002
**Body Control Lynne Robinson & Gordon Thomson, Bainbridge Books 2001
**Pilates Body Conditioning Anna Selby & Alan Herdman, Barron’s Educational Services 2000
*Pilates Back Book Tia Stanmore, Fair Winds Press 2002
**Pilates for Beginners Roger Brignell, Sterling Publishing 2001
***Complete Guide to Joseph H. Pilates - Techniques of Physical Conditioning Allen Menezes, Hunter House Inc. 2000
Mat DVD’s
**** PIA
Mat 1 Workout DVD
****PIA Mat 2 Workout DVD availabe in the PIA Store
*** Stott Matwork Series –Essential, Intermediate, Advanced and Power Matwork
** Karen Voight’s Pilates Total Body Training
** Karen Voight’s Body ReForm: Abs and Back
** Karen Voight’s Core Essentials
*** Pilates for Dummies
* Kathy Smith’s Pilates for Abs
* Pilates for Weight Loss with Suzanne Deason
* Breakthrough Core Conditioning Pilates with Michelle Dozois and Tracy York
* Denise Austin’s J. H Pilates Matwork
** Jennifer Kries New Method Series (3 videos)
** The Method Pilates with Jennifer Kries (Precision Sculpting and Target Specifics)
* Methodology with June Kahn
* Living Arts Pilates Matwork series with Ana Caban (Beginner and Intermediate)
* Pilates on the Go with Maria Leone
** Body Power Pilates! with Suzi Lonergan
* Winsor Pilates with Mari Winsor
And more every day!
LEGEND:
NOTE:
*** excellent quality video/book - HIGHLY recommended by PIA
** good quality video/book –recommended by PIA
* poor quality video/book – NOT recommended by PIA
This is obviously not a complete list since new books and DVD’s are on the market every day, but this is
definitely a good resource for beginners.
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CHAPTER 21
THE AUTHOR
Frankie Puglisi
PIA Educational Director
Certifications:
ACE, AFAA, NSCA, ACSM, AAHFP, Johnny G, AAAI, Low Fat Yoga, STOTT® Pilates, Pilates for Golf™, GYROTONIC®, GYROKINESIS®
Frankie was born and raised in Yorkshire, England and graduated from Sheffield University with a Bachelor of
Science degree in Psychology and Physiology. She has been in the United States for over 22 years and has
worked in the health and fitness field for the last 20 years. For over 10 years she lived and worked in New York
City training the rich and famous, and taught classes at the top NYC health clubs and spas. For 7 years Frankie
ran her own, extremely successful, Personal Training, Yoga and Pilates business in New York. She provided
fitness services to corporations such as Pfizer, The Princeton University Club, New York Stock Exchange, The
Harvard University Club and Morgan Stanley, plus offered weekend Yoga and Pilates teacher training
workshops for aerobics instructors, until she got married and moved to Wellington, FL where she now
operates a successful one-on-one Pilates business known as Wellington Pilates. Frankie also maintains a
teaching schedule of fitness classes at local health clubs. At Wellington Pilates Studio Frankie works with many
Olympic and Professional athletes including show jumpers, dressage riders, polo players, golf professionals
and tennis professionals. She prides herself on attention to detail and precision so that her clients and
students can get an effective, efficient, safe and fun workout. Frankie started The Pilates Institute of America
(PIA) in 1996 to specialize in offering the best in Pilates teacher training, when she saw a need for quality
instructors in the fitness field. PIA offers Pilates Mat and Equipment teacher training programs around the
country and in India. PIA also offers continuing education programs for fitness and medical professionals
through online and live training workshops. Frankie and her husband run PIA, which is the largest Pilates
certification and continuing education company in the world.
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Thank You
“KEEP SCOOPING”
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CHEAT SHEET
PILATES ESSENTIALS
Warm Ups/Preps/Pre-Pilates
Breathing
Chin Tuck/Head Nod
Imprint Release
Alternating Leg Raises
Supine Spinal Rotation
Pregnant Cat
Cat Ctretch
Hip Rolls
Shoulder Series –Protract/Retract
Shoulder Series – Elevate/Depress
Shoulder Series – Arm Scissors/Circles
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Congratulations
You have just completed the PIA Pilates Essentials Course.
IN ORDER TO RECEIVE YOUR CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION TO PROVE YOU TOOK
THIS COURSE YOU MUST TAKE AND SUCCESSFULLY PASS THE ONLINE TEST.
By clicking the link below you will be redirected to our secure online testing software. From
there you will register for FREE and complete the EssentialsCEC Exam. If the link does not work
please copy and paste it into your browser. For questions please email [email protected].
Click here for: Essentials CEC Online TEST
Upon completion of the test you will find out your score and if you passed with a satisfactory
grade you will receive your Certificate of Completion that you may print out for your records.
If you do not pass the test on your first attempt, you will have two more attempts FREE of charge.
NOTE: Those of you requiring Continuing Education Credits for certification or license renewal
for Fitness, Pilates or Medical Professions please be sure to let us know which
state/organization you require your credits for when you login to take your test. Your CE
Credits will be emailed to you upon completion of all testing requirements.
Thank You for choosing PIA
for your Pilates Training and Continuing Education needs.
Visit www.PIAworkshops.com
for new programs added regularly
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