Pilates For Beginners - How to Get Started

Pilates was invented by a man named Joseph Pilates in the early 1900's. This sickly man knew deep down that if he could strengthen his core, he could strengthen his whole body. With this in mind he took upon himself the venture of creating exercises that target the core of the body: the low back, abdominal, oblique, and butt muscles.

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These sculpting exercises are done mainly on the mat with little or no equipment required. The numerous variations allow the practitioner to adapt for his/her own personal fitness level. This is the key to any successful exercise program.

With all of the information available it can become more than a little overwhelming to someone who is just getting started. There are videos, classes, books, and even YouTube spots all for the eager Pilates investigator. The question then arises, where do I start?

The best answer, start with the basics. There are more than 30 basic Pilates moves. These can easily be accessed on the Internet for a quick instructional glimpse.

The basic moves of Pilates consist of the following:
The Hundred
Roll-Up
Roll Over
Single Leg Circles
Rolling Like a Ball
Single Leg Stretch
Double Leg Stretch
Single Straight Leg Stretch
Double Straight Leg Stretch
Criss-Cross
Spine Stretch Forward
Open Leg Rocker
Double Leg Rocker
Double Leg Circles (aka Cork Screw)
Saw
Swan Dive
Single Leg Kick
Double Leg Kick
Neck Pull
Scissors
Bicycle
Shoulder Bridge
Spine Twist
Jack Knife
Side Kick Lift
Side-Lying Leg Circles
Torpedo
Teaser
Hip Circles
Swimming
Leg Pull Front
Leg Pull Back
Side Kick Kneeling
The Twist
Boomerang
Seal
Rocking
Control and Balance
Push-Up
Mermaid
Spine Curls.

These exercises range from beginners to intermediate to advanced. The best part about the exercises is that any one of them could be adjusted or adapted for an easier exercise or something a little more challenging.

For the best result, it is important to mix and match what exercises you are doing to target all of your muscles. The same routine done over and over again will only service in making your muscles accustomed to what you are doing that your progress will plateau.

The key to progress is change. When you change up your routine, you are shocking your system by moving in news ways. This presents the challenge that your muscles need to continue to grow and flourish in healthy directions.