Standing Pilates
Chapter One
My Personal
Pilates Story
Today there are thousands of certified Pilates instructors in private
studios, health clubs, physical therapy offices, hospitals, YMCAs, universities,
dance studios, and spas-everywhere that people gather to
gain better bodies. But when I began in the mid-sixties, there were only three
Pilates studios in the world, all within a few blocks of one another in Manhattan.
They were practically identical: the exercises, the equipment, the
technique, and even the fees.
Despite its limited availability, Pilates had good press. There were major
articles about Joseph Pilates in national magazines and New York newspapers.
Joe's opinions in such quotes such as "Physical fitness is the first requisite for
happiness," and "There is no hope for world peace if the members of the
United Nations cannot do my first five mat exercises," were controversial,
which attracted me. I decided to try Pilates, even though "working out" wasn't
even a term back then. During the subsequent decades, I sampled the poplar
fitness trends: running, Jazzercise, Nautilus, and even killer aerobics classes.
Altho ... read full excerpt from Standing Pilates: Strengthen and Tone Your Body Wherever You Are ebook
