reading

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

A foreword

NOSE BREATHING

Training in special conditions

Weak or sensitive neck

Shoulders, elbows, wrists

Back

Hips

Knees

Ankles

Pregnancy

To Bear in Mind

HYPER-EXTENSION OF THE JOINTS

POSITIONS OF THE FEET

QUALITY/QUANTITY

POSITIVE ATTITUDE / PERSEVERANCE

The Six Basic Principles

CENTRE

CONCENTRATION

CONTROL

PRECISION

BREATHING

FLOW OF MOVEMENT

Key Concepts

“V” FEET POSITION

CENTRAL LINE AND “BOX”

NAVEL TO SPINE: “INWARDS AND UPWARDS”

CHIN TO CHEST

SPINE ARTICULATION VERTEBRA BY VERTEBRA

“C”-CURVE

PRE-PILATESEXERCISES

I- EXPLORING YOUR “POWERHOUSE”

II – NAVEL TO THE SPINE

III – SPINE TO THE MAT

IV – BACK OF THE NECK STRETCH / CHIN TO THE CHEST

V – ACTIVATE / PULL IN / PRESS BUTTOCKS

VI - 5-10-15

VII – ROLL DOWN

SITTINGPRE-PILATES EXERCISES

I – RISING OVER THE HIPS

II – LIFT A KNEE

III – SHOULDER EXERCISES

SHOULDERS UP/DOWN

SHOULDER CIRCLES

IV – EXERCISES FOR THE NECK AND THE BACK OF THE NECK

SIDE TO SIDE. LOOK AROUND OVER THE SHOULDERS

LOOK TO THE NAVEL

EAR TO THE SHOULDER

SEMICIRCLE

EXERCISESON THE WALL

THE WALL

I – ARM CIRCLES

II – ROLL DOWN

III – SITTING

IV – “2 x 4” FACING THE WALL

EXERCISES WITHTHE WEIGHTS

THE WEIGHTS SERIES

EXERCISE LEVELS FOR THE WEIGHTS

TABLE OF SYSTEMS, REPS AND ORDER OF THE EXERCISES

BASIC SYSTEM

INTERMEDIATE SYSTEM

ADVANCED SYSTEM

THE WEIGHTS SERIESBASIC SYSTEM

I – 90 DEGREES ARMS FORWARD

II – 90 DEGREES ARMS AT SIDES

III – STANDING CURLS

THE WEIGHTSINTERMEDIATE SYSTEM

I - BOXING

II - SIDES

III – THE BUG

IV – ZIP UP

V – SHAVING

THE WEIGHTSADVANCED SYSTEM

I – LOW CURLS

II – CHEST EXPANSION

III – ARM CIRCLES

IV - LUNGES

About the Authors

A foreword

Our purpose for this book is to provide you with a directory of exercises, a specific order, and detailed recommendations and tips that allow you to enjoy Contrology as a tool of body development at home, in case you cannot attend a studio or wish to complement your private sessions. It is always highly advisable to have a teacher following your individual program.

The key to Contrology lies in developing and strengthening the “powerhouse”. You should start on this adventure with a predisposition for improvement, a positive attitude and an unwavering will.

The importance of the instructions and details given for each exercise could be summarized in this sentence by Pilates himself: “the development of the small muscles has an effect on the development of the bigger ones. As small bricks are used to build great buildings, thus each muscle has a role in the development of the muscle system as a whole”.

Find time to be alone, exercise is more pleasant and beneficial when mind and body are connected. Concentrating for some moments on centre, control, precision, flow and breathing is much more effective to reach a feeling of well-being and an increase in our self-esteem through practice than trying to achieve a specific result.

Take each movement to the limit of your ability, but not beyond, use your common sense and remember you must be in control at all times.

Introduce new exercises gradually, without rushing, don’t forget that Contrology, as presented in these books, is the result of a lifetime of research and for it to have sense and to reach optimal results, the book’s guidelines must be followed. Perform each exercise slowly but diligently, learning each one thoroughly before proceeding to the next one, until you can do the whole Basic System series of exercises to the smallest detail, and without having to look at the book. Doing an exercise without understanding the required conditions is ineffectual. At the beginning, it is normal to forget some small details. Even when you believe you know how to perform an exercise, there is still room for improvement if you review the instructions.

It will then be the moment to settle on doing all the Basic System series three times a week, day in, day out. When you can do this with a certain ease and flow, it will be the time to start introducing new exercises, one by one and in the proper order, no more than two new exercises per day and never doing more repetitions than indicated.

If you are a beginner, you should start on the mat, at home, for no more than fifteen minutes a day; and then gradually introduce longer mat exercises, never exercising for more than 45 or, at the most, 60 minutes.

You can check on your progress in two ways: doing a longer session on the mat with added exercises, or improving your rhythm and pace without losing control and knowledge by doing a system in less time.

PRECAUTIONS BEFORE GETTING STARTED - WARNINGS TO THE READER

• Do the exercises on a mat to protect your spine.
• If you need it, because when you lie on your back your head hangs too much and it feels uncomfortable, you can use a small pillow or a rolled towel under your nape.
• It is advisable to wear comfortable clothes for training. Remember you also breathe through your skin. Go barefoot or use socks.
• Avoid rich meals for at least an hour before the session.
• Patience, perseverance and constancy will be the best companions for your progress.
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• Work in silence so you can listen to your needs, difficulties and progress.

NOSE BREATHING

The nose filters, hydrates and directs the air towards the lungs, it warms the air, gives us the sense of smell, brings oxygen, creates mucus, drains the sinuses and affects the nervous system. Breathing and mind are interrelated; if you hold your breath, your mind will be alerted, if breathing is irregular, your mind loses focus. Being in command of our breathing makes our minds stronger and enhances concentration.

Joe Pilates used to say that “to breathe correctly, one must inhale deeply and then exhale all the air from the lungs as if wringing a soaked towel”.