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

by Joseph Pilates, Judd Robbins, Lin Van Heuit-Robbins

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.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Fitness

139 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 6, 2012

Reviews

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to see how Pilates has changed since it was created and practiced by its founder.

[Ana Lucia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cortito, pero lleno de sabiduría sobre el cuerpo y un estilo de vida saludable y preventivo. Mi parte favorita son las metáforas y asociaciones de Pilates para explicar la importancia de cada parte de los ejercicios, todo partiendo del control de cosas tan esenciales, pero que pasan desapercibidas como la respiración, el posicionamiento del cuerpo, etc.

Como alumna de pilates, esta lectura me ayudó a enamorarme más del método y de ser más consciente en la práctica. Recordaré los principios tan hermosos de esta disciplina en mis momentos más desafiantes.

La segunda parte del libro es una guía ilustrada de los ejercicios en tapete. Muy útil para consultar.

4/5 porque la edición es descuidada. 🙈 Literalmente un docu de Word impreso y armado como libro. Hubiera sido más lindo invertir más en el diseño de editorial, pero ne mede.

[Lydia Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in preparation for my practical apprenticeship in mindful movement. Fascinating, succinct, enlightening. Very to the point, without unnecessary superfluity. Just the core essence and belief systems of mind-body-soul synergy, underscoring this remarkable movement protocol. It is greatly important for practitioners to learn the origins of the practice, in order to appreciate its initial simplicity and efficacy, and truly understand just how much the Pilates method has developed since its inception, in Joseph Pilates’ sacred NYC gymnasium.

[Kimberly Catalano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice!

Quite adequately describes all 34 original pilates movements. I gave it 4 ⭐ because it was basic, and I was wanting more depth of Joseph Pilates research.

[Britt Finch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Outlines the original movements but I was looking for something a little more in depth.

[Chianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than the last...

...still not the best which is odd as he is founder.

Oh well...perhaps I’ll return to it with targeted questions...

[Megan Heywood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could definitely use more updates to remove sexist and racist terms. Overall helpful and useful, but would be nice if also updated to add contraindications.

[Deborah Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in preparation for my pilates training. It’s interesting to see how pilates has changed over the years

[Fernanda Diaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesante ver como empezó todo el mundo de pilates