Pilates Eases Fibromyalgia Symptoms

49 year old Isla Upton is a Scottish mother of two who has suffered with the pain of fibromyalgia for over 20 years (she was only diagnosed in 2001). "Isla, a former respiratory nurse specialist from Carluke, Lanarkshire, said: 'Before I was diagnosed I was so fed up with the constant pain and the inability to sleep, I used to finish my work and sleep until the next day. I have constant pain in my upper back, neck and shoulder. It is relentless and it has been since I was 31. I was so drained and I struggled to work for eight months. I couldn't go on any more. I loved my job, but I had to retire on medical grounds.'"

This is consistent with the reports of every client I have seen with fibromyalgia--sleep disturbance and constant neck, shoulder, and back pain and tension. Now Upton sees an osteopath and takes medication for the nerve pain and help sleeping soundly. And she also started taking and now teaching Pilates, without which she believes she would be bed bound.

"Without pilates, Isla believes she would be unable to walk.... 'My posture was so poor because of the bad muscle spasms and the general stiffening up of my body but between the pilates correcting my posture, the medication, and supplements, it has made a difference. I have improved, but I have got a long way to go. I am hoping people who have only recently began to suffer symptoms can have a better quality of life through early diagnosis.'"

Tags: pilates, fibromyalgia, lynda lippin

Pilates Helps Boxer Win Olympic Gold

Boxer Andre Ward won the Olympic Gold Medal for the United States in the 2004 Athens Games. Before these games Ward added Pilates to his training regimen. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Ward's trainer Virgil Hunter added Pilates and stability ball exercises to the "old standbys such as running stadium steps, jumping rope and sparring". Says Ward, "I use Pilates to strengthen my core, which creates balance and leads to velocity."

Tags: Pilates, Sports, boxing, olympics, gold medal, andre ward, lynda lippin

Pilates Is Hard For Men

Meet Mike Kamunas, staff writer for the Tampa Bay Times and male Pilates explorer.

"I walked into Breathe Pilates and Movement of Wesley Chapel, noticed I was on the only male in the room, and doubted myself as I was going to attempt Pilates — the hyped workout which seems to done only by socialites and Hollywood movie stars — for the first time."

While many men do Pilates and swear by it, including professional athletes, Pilates still has the stigma of being for women only. In fact, if you look at Middle East pilates studios, such as Pilates and More in Kuwait, they are only open for women. No men's Pilates there!

"That's good, I guess, considering I felt like I struggled. Pilates works deep core muscles, particularly in the chest and abs. I had an extremely hard time doing those "extreme crunches.""

Pilates when done correctly is difficult! But are the rewards worth it?

"Saying I was sore was an understatement, but strangely enough, I felt Pilates worked.

My body, a few days later, felt tighter and more fit than it had in a while, and when I stretched for my very next workout, it felt smooth, as though they were being warmed by a massaging hand.

And, then my muscles responded more. My aerobic workout was faster and extensive. I could actually feel my muscle endurance had improved.

I ran better, I biked longer and my back, which has been strained holding up my excess weight, didn't bother me at all. That's right — I'm just 25 and I have aches and pains I shouldn't be having.

My point is that this is what I get for being stereotypical, for writing something off and judging it because of something People or Cosmopolitan wrote.

Pilates can be for anyone, especially if I can do it, survive no less, and then praise it to the point where I'm trying to get more people to try it."

Improved athletic and sports ability, better muscle response, more flexibility, and that's after only one class! Men, go try Pilates.

Tags: Pilates, News, Sports, Exercises, men and pilates, lynda lippin

I Am Published at Pilates Digest

I received an email a while ago from Kelley Ranaudo of Pilates Digest asking if I wanted to write a couple of articles, one on back pain and one on what it's like to work at a luxury remote resort. I said yes, wrote an article, and now you can read it!

Pilates In Paradise? is about what it is like and what one should consider when contemplating taking a Pilates teaching position at a remotely located luxury resort. Everything from having to smile and be happy every single moment you are out of your room to living with a few hundred people from all over the world in a small place. For me the benefits completely outweigh any problems, but it would not have been fun to fly all the way over and then discover that I could not deal.

Tags: Pilates, Parrot Cay, Pilates Digest, lynda lippin

Pilates Exercises for Shoulder Mobility

Jennifer Giani is, like me, a Pilates teacher with over 20 years of experience. Luckily for the world she also shares her knowledge as a writer at HealthNews.com, where she has a great article on Pilates exercises for shoulder mobility.

She shares 3 basics--an overhead stretch, a wall stretch, and a scalpular glide that can done using a broomstick.

"Exercise - Theraband Shoulder Stretch
This exercise works the rotation of the shoulder joint, creating synovial fluid to help the ball glide better in the socket.

* You can do this sitting up tall on a chair or standing up.
* If standing, make sure you're not hyper-extending the legs.
* Hold one end of a Theraband in each hand.
* The arms should remain straight throughout.
* This exercise will be easier the farther away the hands are on the Theraband (causing less tension in the band.)
* The closer the hands are to each other, the more flexibility will be required in the shoulder socket.
* On an inhale, slowly circle your straight arms up over the head and behind you.
* Exhale and slowly circle the arms back to the starting position.
* Repeat four to six times.

If you experience any sharp pain, grinding or popping in the joint, stop right away.

Exercise - Wall Shoulder Stretch

* Stand facing the wall with the right arm extended on the wall so that the shoulder is in line with the wrist and the palm is pressing into the wall.
* Gently rotate the feet, hips and torso, and face away from the right arm.
* Hold this position and slowly climb the fingers up the wall. As the hand goes up the shoulder and scapula should glide down and away from the ear.
* Hold and cycle the breath.
* After ten to twenty seconds, slowly bring the hand down, turn back to the wall and release both arms to your side.
* Switch sides and repeat.

Exercise - Scapula Glide
The scapula must be able to glide smoothly on the back of the rib cage, like a slippery bar of soap in order for the shoulder socket to function well. When the shoulder is internally rotated, the scapula glides up toward the shoulder. When the shoulder is externally rotated, the scapula glides toward the back pocket. The scapula must be able to glide up, down, together and apart in order to keep the shoulder structure healthy and fully functioning.

* Sit up tall on a chair.
* Hold a dowel (or broomstick) with both hands. The dowel should be horizontal.
* Keep your arms long reaching in front of you so that the shoulder is in line with the wrist.
* During the following exercises, the spine should remain still and neutral and the arms should remain straight.
* Inhale and glide the shoulder blades up to the ears.
* Exhale and glide the shoulder blades into your back pockets.
* Repeat four to six times with the same breath pattern.
* Repeat four to six times with the opposite breath pattern.
* Inhale and bring the shoulder blades together (toward the spine).
* Exhale and glide the shoulder blades down and apart, (imagine the bottom tip of the shoulder blade could wrap to the front of the body.)
* Repeat four to six times with the same breath pattern.
* Repeat four to six times with the opposite breath pattern."

Tags: Pilates, Exercises, shoulder mobility, lynda lippin

Pilates for Parkinson's

There I was opening my Google alerts for Pilates and there was a great headline, "Center trying to help Parkinson's patients with Pilates". It is even better since the studio involved is back in my old area of the Philadelphia suburbs.

This program was started by 72 year old former dancer and current pilates instructor Moss Cohen, who has Parkinson's. Cohen credits this system, developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates, for keeping him limber and balanced, with good range of motion and a straight spine, since his diagnosis in 2001.

"'Pilates is defined as stretching and strengthening with control," said Cohen. "It strengthens core muscles in the abdomen, which are important for balance and to support the spine.' And pilates' emphasis on the mind-body connection is also helpful for people whose muscles no longer function on automatic pilot."

I have worked with many Parkinson's patients over the years and every single one was benefited in their daily lives from doing Pilates.

For more information, contact Sheila Hatzell at Pilates for Movement, 34 Summit Grove Avenue, Bryn Mawr. Phone: (610) 581-0288. Email: Sheila@pilatesformovement.com

Tags: Pilates, Pilates Studios, News, parkinson's disease, lynda lippin

Spastic Pelvic Floor Syndrome

Hello Ma'am,

I was just wondering if you could give me some information on Pelvic Floor Dysfunction. I'm a 27 year old male, I have an appointment with a Physical Therapist next week to find out what is wrong with me. I have been to several doctors and urologists with no resolution. I think my pelvic muscles are tight and not relaxing during a bowel movement and urination because I am constipated all of the time and Involuntary squeeze a lot during defication and weak urinary stream during urination. I have done a lot of research and found something called a spastic pelvic floor syndrome which matches pretty much all of my symptoms that I am currently having. I have been checked from anywhere to my bladder and my prostate with no diagnosis. Any information would be of value
Thank you,
William

Dear William,

Thanks for your question. As you have learned, the pelvic floor muscles (PFM) are quite important, but most people don't even think about them until they act up. Your treatment will most likely have several facets:

1. You will need to make dietary changes so that you are not having to strain to go to the bathroom. These will likely include more fiber in the form of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables as well as psyllium husk supplements to help bulk up your stool for easier passage and much more water throughout your day you keep things flowing easier everywhere.

2. You will need to learn to relax more, including relaxing your PFMs using biofeedback, meditation, and other techniques.

3. Gentle exercise such as Pilates or Yoga may also help in getting all of your muscles stronger and more flexible, and will also help your breathing and relaxation.

Good luck!

Regards,

Lynda

Tags: Pilates, Meditation, Exercises, pelvic floor, spastic pelvic floor, constipation, fiber, lynda lippin

Staying In Shape For Le Cirque

Think circus, or Cirque Du Soleil in particular. You see beautiful performers, lighting, and costumes. You see human beings bent into interesting shapes and uber-human positions. You see grace, beauty, strength, and flexibility.

What do these performers do to stay in shape? How do they perform like this week after week (10 shows a week) without overuse and repetitive strain injuries? They do Pilates!

According to an Edmontun Sun interview with circus performer Aloysia Gavre who did six years with Cirque Du Soleil, Pilates is a mandatory form of injury prevention for Cirque's performers. That's right, they MUST do Pilates!

"'I completely understood it and felt like it was a life saver because a lot of us aerialists and females have a lot of flexibility and we depend on that for us to achieve our mobility and tricks in the air,' she explains. 'However, if you don't have the core strength to support those back muscles, then you're going to end up in some sort of rehab program....It really helped keep me out of the surgery room for sure,' she says. 'I'm one of three artists that didn't have surgery, which is pretty amazing.'"

If Pilates can help these performers, imagine what it could do for you!

Tags: Pilates, News, cirque du soleil, circus, lynda lippin

Olympic Runners Using Pilates

Just read some great news about an old friend, Wendy LeBlanc-Arbuckle of The Pilates Center of Austin in Austin, TX. Her husband Michael Arbuckle used to make Pilates equipment, and his company, Progressive Dynamics, expanded into Peak Pilates.

Anyway, Wendy trains Olympic track star Sanya Richards, dubbed "the fastest 400- meter woman in U.S. history" at the young age of 23. Richards does Pilates twice a week in the Austin studio, and credits her work with Wendy for teaching her how to distribute her weight evenly through her body and feet for a more fluid stride AND for teaching her to breathe while moving so she doesn't hold her breath while running anymore!

According to Pilates Style Richards is taking LeBlanc-Arbuckle with her to Beijing. Go Wendy!

Tags: Pilates, Pilates Studios, Sports, News, Pilates Style Magazine, olympics, beijing, pilates center of austin, sanya richards, wendy leblanc-arbuckle, lynda lippin

Osteoporosis Pilates

Loyal readers of this blog know that I have written extensively about exercise and osteoporosis. Low bone density is a reason to do weight bearing exercise, but is crucial that you exercise correctly so as to reduce your risk of vertebral compression fractures and other injuries. NY1 recently posted a great article about Pilates for Osteoporosis, mentioning the importance of doing modified Pilates.

"'[W]hat is not understood is that three-fourths of classical Pilates mat exercises that you would encounter at the typical Pilates mat class, say at the gym, involve these dangerous movements of forward bending.'

Experts say exercises where you bend forward or twist your waist like doing sit-ups actually compress the bones in your spine and can lead to fractures when bones are weak. High-impact exercise like jumping, running, or jogging can also put you at greater risk."

Through modified Pilates, you can stabilize or even reverse low bone density. Just make sure your teacher knows what s/he is doing.

Tags: Pilates, Osteoporosis, lynda lippin

Posture Perfect

Here's a question that I get very very often that addresses a common problem--Posture.

Ever since I was a child I've had very poor posture: rounded upper spine and forward shoulders. From about the age of 13 I made an effort to try and straighten my posture but this caused me back, neck and leg stiffness.

[How many of you experience this? Neck and back pain either way you go, and no sense of balance in the middle.]

I'm now 19 and practically all my muscles are tight (neck, back, triceps, biceps hamstrings, shins, pelvis, calves, etc.!!) and my posture still remains poor and the only way I can stand or sit tall is to force myself to stand upright which is uncomfortable. A sports coach told me I have very poor core stability which is the cause of my problems.

[At least the coach recognized the problem; most do not. Tightness and pain are not normal. Our bodies are not meant to be constricted all the time. And it is really not that difficult to rediscover how to move.]

Lynda, what is the best way to deal with my problems? Physiotherapy, massage, pilates?? Your help would be much appreciated, I'm only 19 and feel like an old man!!!

G.

And here's my words of wisdom...

I am sorry to hear that you are in discomfort and I commend you for writing in to see what you can do about your stiffness, core strength, and posture. Many people try to address posture by simply tightening their muscles as you did, but that just makes you tighter and less comfortable (as you found out).

Posture is a matter of finding balance between your muscles so that they are able to keep an even resting tone to support your skeleton. This requires that the muscles be both strong and flexible to allow for both stability and for movement in any possible direction.

Your core muscles are the major stabilizers of your torso-your abdominals (which at the deepest layers actually wrap around your body from your lumbar spine to the front of your body and attach your ribs to your pelvis (like a big belt), your back muscles, your pelvic floor muscles, your hip flexors (iliopsoas), your gluteals (butt), inner thighs, and your respiratory diaphragm.

Yoga & Pilates are your best exercise options, especially working with the breath. Try Pilates at About.com and Pilates Digest for information on Pilates. About.com also has a yoga section.

Massage is a great adjunct to this process. See if you have any massage schools or training centers in your area where they offer discounts for training sessions (the same applies to Pilates studios).

Tags: pilates, fitness, back pain, posture, lynda lippin

Reasons To Do Pilates

1. Your Aching Back
Most back pain is made worse by either not doing anything or doing too much of the wrong thing. Pilates is great core strengthening, back stabilizing exercise that will help you feel better.

2. Those Tight Muscles
Breathing, stretching, and slow controlled movements are exactly what you need to lengthen your muscles and feel less stiff and tight.

3. Your Pain In the Neck
Neck pain typically comes from weak neck muscles and tight shoulders. Pilates will help stretch your shoulders and move your neck as it strengthens your neck muscles. You'll feel better.

4. Your Weak Abs
So many people tell me they're not ready for Pilates because their abs are too weak. That's exactly why you should do Pilates! Even the ACSM says that Pilates exercises are better than crunches and sit ups for building abdominal strength, and they should know.

Tags: Pilates, lynda lippin

Core Strength

In Friday's Globe and Mail I found an article by Alex Hutchinson, "Will building my 'core strength' prevent injuries?" Now, I think you all know my answer to that question. Of course it will! But I take the CORE to include abdominal, back, hip, pelvic, and thigh muscles.

Most of the Pilates instructors I know do as well. And in fact, most of the Pilates equipment exercises, but certainly plenty of the mat exercises when taught well and with focus, include all of these areas. Yet somehow, participants in Pilates and yoga who took part in a recent study did not have strong enough hip and pelvic muscles to do a single leg squat without falling over!

"In particular, he says, there is a tendency to focus too much on the abdominal and lower back muscles and neglect the pelvic and hip muscles, which also play a crucial role in stabilizing the body during activity.

Dr. Ferber, who directs the university's [University of Calgary] running injury clinic, cites the example of a 40-year-old patient who came to him with knee pain. "She had a fantastic six-pack and did Pilates or yoga six days a week," he says.

But the woman was unable to complete a simple one-legged squat - bending at the knee while standing on one leg - because her hip muscles weren't strong enough to provide balance. This instability was the root cause of her knee injury.

The same pattern was borne out last year by a seven-month study of patients at Dr. Ferber's clinic, 92 per cent of whom turned out to have abnormally weak hip muscles. Eighty-nine per cent of the patients improved with four to six weeks of hip strengthening."

Then the article redeems itself to me and at least says that Pilates exercise build the deep abdominal muscles better than traditional crunches, which only build the most superficial layers.

"Even among the abdominal muscles, not all exercises are created equal. A study presented at this year's American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting found that traditional crunches, which involve curling the torso up, mainly activate superficial "six-pack" muscles rather than the deep abdominal muscles that are more crucial for stability.

The study, by Auburn University researcher Michele Olson, used EMG electrodes to compare muscle activation produced by various core exercises. Pilates exercises such as the "hundred" and the "double leg stretch," in which the torso does not flex, were more effective than crunches at strengthening the deep abs."

I think that in the end the issue is one of finding a good trainer who will assess you strengths and weaknesses and tailor a program to your needs. Any of my clients and guests will tell you that I focus a LOT on hip abductor and adductor strengthening, glute strength, and abs/back/pelvic floor. They end up more stable as I focus on the strength we need to stand up and move in our lives, and I do it all through Pilates.

Tags: Pilates, Exercises, News, Core Strength, Core muscles, lynda lippin

New Parrot Cay Review at Frequent Traveler Blog

While I sing the praises of Parrot Cay often and loudly, I am sure that many of you write me praise off because I work here. Well, for you doubters and naysayers out there I offer a brand new Parrot Cay Como Shambhala Retreat Review from the Frequent Traveler Blog.

Regarding the other guests,
"The guests also were fairly diverse—mostly couples but also a few families—and I counted the following nationalities represented: American, Argentine, Brazilian, Belgian, British, Costa Rican, Italian, Canadian, Spanish, and Pakistani. Non-human guests included a miniature schnauzer, a shi-tzu, and a weiner dog, so yes, the place is quite dog friendly. At least half of the people we talked to were return visitors. This in a resort with less than fifty rooms."

The island,
"Blessed with unspoiled beauty. The only other beaches I have been to that might rival this one were in the Maldives. TCI is much closer. The sand is bright white, The water is jewel-toned clear. The weather is sunny windy and in the 80s. The ocean water temperature is perfect. The beach is never crowded thanks to difficulty of accessing it (a 30 minute, 500-HP speedboat ride from the international airport on the island of Providenciales. Can’t say much more—this place is naturally, absolutely beautiful.
The grounds and common areas are attractive, well maintained, and lacking pretense."

The service,
"Service was generally top notch. The room itself is serviced three times a day. A generous plate of fresh fruit awaited every afternoon in the room, and on the first night, it was accompanied by an entirely decent bottle of Piper Heidsieck Brut. For the pain and suffering incurred in seven years of marriage to me, my also wife received a nice hand-embroidered and lavishly wrapped beach sarong. Nice touch. Bottles of Fiji water accompany the evening service. Complimentary flip flops and other nice freebies abound in the room."

The food,
"Outside of a couple of missteps, I give it an A. Not only did it taste good, but the program achieves significant variety out of just two kitchens. The wine program is good, and there are decent bottles to be had from $50-$500. I was surprised by its variety, again given the logistical challenge of getting and keeping wine safely at this far-off location. But perhaps the most impressive thing is that this is the first time I felt like I ate healthy for five straight days without ever feeling deprived—that is a monumental accomplishment for someone who quite literally has dreams about steak, bacon, butter, pasta and other less than stellar nutrition chart components."

The spa,
"The spa buildings (there’s like 6 of them) offer all kinds of services, are newer and offer more of a Balinese feel to them (COMO is an Indonesian company). The spa is rumored to be one of the very best. It looked great."

All in all,
"Yes, there were a few glitches, but after five days, its easy to understand why so many fellow guests were repeat visitors. I would absolutely go back,...."

Great beaches, great service, great food, great spa, lots of repeat guests. Come once and you will want to return! Sorry, the Pilates job is already taken!

Tags: Parrot Cay, Pilates, Turks and Caicos, lynda lippin

Washington Kastles Comment On Pilates

Washington DC now boasts a world class tennis team and newest members of the World Team Tennis league, the Washington Kastles. This team includes such luminaries as Serena Williams, Anna Kournikova, John McEnroe, and the infamous big mouth Justin Gimelstob.

In an interview in the Washington Post Express, Gimelstob comments on his love of Pilates.

"EXPRESS: What are your workouts like?
GIMELSTOB: I have a bad back injury. So, I have to keep it healthy. I've been doing Pilates and yoga as cross -training to protect my back. I really enjoy Pilates, and I wish there had been that focus on core training earlier. I do machines and mat classes, so I can take it on the road.

EXPRESS: What sort of moves do you do?
GIMELSTOB: I have a routine I go through of stabilization exercises — stuff like lifting opposite arm and leg, and downward dog. That works the core. I do normal stretches for the shoulders, groin."

Tags: Pilates, News, Sports, tennis, washington kastles, justin gimelstob, lynda lippin

Pilates Privates - Not Just Equipment

In the Random Thoughts Blog I found a post entitled Pilates Private Lesson which found interesting because the author hadn't realized that a private could be mat Pilates and not only equipment. Now, since you can of course do mat at home or in a group class why would you need a private?

Says Monado, "I worked on better breathing, better shoulder movements, and rolling up and down no-hands." In a private lesson you can work on form, technique, and small adjustments that can make all the difference in your workout. Pilates is very subtle and I have found that small adjustments can lead to profound results.

And if you do want to try the Pilates equipment you should definitely do it in a private!

Tags: Pilates, Blog, lynda lippin

Terrance Taylor and His Crazy Pilates

(AMIR GAMZU/U-M photo)
University of Michigan football defensive tackle Terrance Taylor may not strike you as a Pilates fan. Or as someone who thinks Pilates is hard!

His new coach Rich Rodriguez has instituted some new and interesting training challenges, one of which is compulsory Pilates classes! Of this Taylor says, "'We were doing Pilates, ....Man, that stuff is hard. Some of the things we do are crazy. We've never done that before, but it makes us more flexible.'"

So, was Taylor able to get his legendary tree-trunk legs over each other during the Pilates?

'Not yet, but hopefully soon.'"

Go Coach!

Tags: Pilates, Sports, News, football, lynda lippin

Joseph Pilates, Collier's Weekly, 1934

For those of you who are interested in historical Pilates articles, here's another internet resource of a Reader's Digest article originally published in Collier's Weekly, 18 August, 1934. The article, "Cutting A Fine Figure" was written by Marie Beynon Ray, who is quoted frequently as saying, "No one grows old by living — only by losing interest in living" and "Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand — and melting like a snowflake."

Ray visits Pilates' studio because of the remarkable changes she sees in some of her friends bodies and lives after practicing Contrology. But before she goes she decides to have a posture discussion with an early PT, Dr. Kristian Hansson, Director of Physical Therapy at the Hospital for the Ruptured and Crippled in New York. "Speaking of the deformities such as swayback, round shoulders, flat chest, protruding abdomen, which creep up on us in middle age, he said: 'in youth the body is wide at the chest and narrow at the abdomen, but with advancing age it becomes narrow at the chest and wide at the bottom. If we manage to prevent this, and we can by exercise, our bodies retain their youthful lines into old age. The abdomen has mighty muscles, four layers of them, running horizontally, perpendicularly, and obliquely. What a core set! Women who keep this one strong and supple as in youth need no other. But when these muscles become flabby the whole body sags. At almost any age we can correct these abnormalities.'"

Yes, a PT in 1934 discussing the importance of core strength, of keeping the core Four layers of abdominal muscle (transversus abdominus, internal oblique, external oblique, and rectus abdominus) strong throughout our lives. In total agreement, Jospeh Pilates says,

"'Sports are wonderful for the constitution generally,...but they are of little value for correcting what's wrong with you -- and there is something wrong with almost everyone.' Corrective exercise is the only way to build a beautiful, strong, youthful body. The doctors back us up in this.

For our common deformities, according to the doctors, there is usually one cause and one cure. Our bodies usually become misshapen through bad posture. And to obtain correct posture only one order (we have the authority of Pilates for this) is necessary: 'pull the abdomen in.'

Here is a portrait of the average man or woman: head forward — 2 or 3 inches out of alignment with the spine; shoulders rounded, chest hollowed, spine curved noticeably forward at the waistline, abdomen protruding. Practically every fault of the figure comes down in the last analysis to the matter of a straight spine such as normal children have. And to straighten the spine what we chiefly have to do is to 'pull in the abdomen.'"

Once again you see that people's bodies haven't changed and that the prescription is still the same. Pilates was pushing core strength in the early 20th century and now the fitness world acts as though they just newly discovered this. Sorry, it's been a part of Pilates all along!

Tags: Pilates, Abdominals, News, pilates history, joseph pilates, readers digest, collier's, Marie Beynon Ray, lynda lippin