Pilates' Return to Life Through Contrology Revised Edition for the 21st Century

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Presentation Dynamics, Jun 1, 2012 - Electronic books - 112 pages
First published in 1945, Pilates Return to Life Through Contrology contains the authorized, legal, edited, and original Library of Congress version of Joseph H. Pilates and William J. Miller s first complete fitness writings. It details the exercises, poses, and instructions fundamental to the matwork developed by Joseph and Clara Pilates. Based on his concepts of a balanced body and mind, and drawn from the approach espoused by the early Greeks, these are the exercises that continue to sustain a worldwide revolution in fitness strategies and exercise techniques. Joseph Pilates has been nothing short of revolutionary in his impact on the world of fitness and exercise. Readers will learn and view the original 34 exercises that Pilates taught to his students, many of whom have become exercise gurus in their own right. These carefully designed exercises constitute the results of decades of scientific study and research into the variety of physical ills that upset the balance of body and mind. Practitioners of Pilates forms and exercises in the 21st century continue to expand upon this earlier work by presenting a variety of creative new approaches involving circular movements, standing postures, and core strengthening exercises using props such as tubes, weights, poles, bands, magic circles, mini-balls, stability balls, foam rollers, and more. Now included in this Revised Edition are 18 additional pages of explanations of what has transpired since the original 1945 work, along with several photo/text sequences of the latest 21st-century enhancements in the Pilates world. There are new descriptive pages of text that first describe the fitness principles evolved from Pilates original Contrology work. This is followed by detailed text describing 21st-century evolutionary developments that present the key dancers, choreographers, and leaders in the Pilates Studio and certifying organizations through the present. This section ends with a discussion of evolutionary props and apparatus developments, plus 21st-century sample exercises drawn from our larger new book, Pilates Evolution for the 21st Century. Following this section are three complete prop-based demonstration exercises that include both photographic sequences (four per exercise) and step-by-step instructions for 21st-century Pilates exercises using the magic circle, elastic resistance, and the small fitness mini-ball.

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About the author (2012)

Joseph Pilates based his concepts of a balanced body and mind on the approach espoused by the early Greeks. His books discuss fitness, health, and include his original exercises that currently sustain a worldwide revolution in fitness strategies and exercise techniques. Joseph Pilates has been nothing short of revolutionary in his impact on the world of fitness and exercise. You will learn in his books the original exercises that he taught to his students, many of whom have become exercise gurus in their own right. His carefully designed exercises constitute the results of decades of scientific study, experimentation and research into the variety of physical ills that upset the balance of body and mind. Pilates makes extraordinary claims about the benefits of his defined science of Contrology. The exercises shown in his original books constitute the breadth of his ground-breaking definition of Contrology, and are basic to the growing army of worldwide trainers whose teachings rely on the instructions contained his books. In his books, you will learn the exercises that Joseph Pilates recommended to accompany his basic advice regarding posture, body mechanics, correct breathing, spinal flexibility, and physical education. It is fascinating to study these exercises and to discover the origins of what is being taught by fitness enthusiasts, health educators, and exercise trainers around the world.

Judd Robbins has spent more than thirty years teaching physical fitness to students across the United States. During more than half of that time, he has specialized in teaching and enhancing the fundamental guidance and instruction of Joseph Pilates. Judd has multiple certifications in Pilates, yoga, and martial arts from various organizations such as the Pilates Institute, YogaFit, Jujitsu America, and the American Council on Exercise. He brings to his Pilates and other physical fitness teachings, and his own expansion of Joseph Pilates original work, the unique background of a college degree in physics to add to his multi-decade studies of health, exercise, and fitness. Judd resonates strongly with the approach of a balanced body and mind espoused by the early Greeks. His authorized republication of Joe Pilates original books are in synch with and recognize the latest evolutionary developments that underlie the worldwide growth of interest and influence of Joseph Pilates fitness strategies and exercise techniques.

Lin Van Heuit-Robbins brings a Masters degree in exercise physiology from the University of California, Berkeley, to her regular teachings in Pilates and Personal Training. Certified by the Physical Mind Institute in Pilates, she is also certified by the American Council on Exercise as both a group instructor and a personal trainer. She has developed scores of courses in Pilates, yoga, kickboxing, core circuit, step, stretch, strength and contour, and step aerobics. She brings decades of study and training experience to her writings, her classes, and her personal training.

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