Many different terms meaning the same thing engaging transverse abdominis the innermost layer of your abdominal muscles and engaging your pelvic floor. By doing the Zip and Hollow your back is properly supported and you have a firm base from which to practice your Pilates.

Carol Bartram (Pilates Instructor) has kindly produced a video and written instructions which show you exactly how to correctly perform this important exercise.

You can find this Pilates For Beginners exercise by following the link or if you prefer you can view it below.

Beginners Pilates – The Zip and Hollow is a post from: Pilates Exercises

DVD 1: Endless Fitness For Beginners (30 Mins).

The Winsor Pilates Endless Fitness Series is for women and men who are: just beginning exercising for the first time, returning to exercising after a long break, have a substantial weight loss goal or are a bit older. It’s important that you feel good and have energy for the important things in your life. Our goal is to get you in your best shape so you live your life to the fullest, at any age or fitness level! To achieve faster results, we recommend exercising 3 times per week and combining your workouts with a healthy eating plan. Have more than 20 minutes sometimes?

No problem! Buy the Winsor Pilates Endless Fitness for Strengthening and Body Slimming workout. It takes the principles of Endless Fitness for Beginners, but adds new exercises to pump up calorie burn to help you achieve your fitness goals even faster. It’s the perfect addition to the Winsor Pilates Endless Fitness For Beginners. Having both workouts allows you to switch back and forth depending upon the time you have available; DVD 2: ENDLESS FITNESS STRENGTH & BODY SLIMMING.

Mari Winsor designed the Endless Fitness Series for Strengthening And Body Slimming so you can: (1) Move at your own pace at first and then when comfortable, step it up to get even quicker results. (2) Slim down by increasing your activity level in the privacy of your home. (3) Increase muscle strength and flexibility so that you feel balanced and fit. (4) Have more energy. (5) Tone your body and feel good.

Don’t have 45 minutes three times a week? No problem! Buy the All-New Winsor Pilates Endless Fitness for Beginners Series. It’s the perfect addition to the Winsor Pilates Endless Fitness Strengthening And Body Slimming Series. Having both workouts will allow you to switch back and forth depending upon the time you have available.

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Winsor Pilates 2 DVD Set Endless Fitness For Beginners is a post from: Pilates Exercises

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Pretty good
This book has colored pictures that are large and easy to follow. The instructions are clear and easy to understand. The exercises are labeled as beginner, all levels, advanced, etc. There are variations to many exercises, which is great. Overall I am happy with my purchase.

4 Stars Very Good!
I love this book…it covers all my needs for exercising on the ball so far. Great for beginners or advanced people. Just wish it were spiral-bound! It would be more durable and easier to use while I’m learning all the exercises.

5 Stars Play, not work!
Liz Gillies goes into a bit of background on the theoretical stuff. Although most of the exercises are not new, what stands out is the sense of fun she has when working out with the exercise ball, making it less work & more play. This makes me want to do more of them, & more often. This, coupled with exercises’ effectiveness, has already made a difference in my posture & the way I carry myself, after only 3 weeks of 3x a week exercise. Thanks Liz. About that cat stance on the ball… I did it! Only for less than a second though, but in time…

5 Stars Great reference for stability ball exercises
Elizabeth Gillies, known previously for her work on instructional videos/DVDs for Pilates and the balance ball, has an extensive background in movement, including ballet, modern dance, Pilates and even performing with a circus. She’s taken all of that and translated many familiar exercises to the stability ball (as well as invented a few of her own).

Gillies’ training in anatomy and years of instruction really show here. She uses clear, descriptive language as well as many tips and cues that immediately help the reader figure out what muscles they should (and shouldn’t) be activating.

While there are a lot of books out there for the stability ball (both Pilates-based and “gym-style”), this book does manage to break some new ground. The sections that use handweights and her dance-based exercises are very different from anything else out there- Gillies’ deserves credit for her innovativeness and originality.

The book itself is very attractive, with glossy photography and clear sherbet tones. It’s a joy to read through and follow along with. She’s also created ten different easy to follow exercise menus to choose from if you need a quick reference (I certainly do).

The only drawback is that this is low on yoga-based exercises- not a big deal, but it is mentioned in the title. However, I think someone using this book will find more than enough to make up for that.

5 Stars the best, with pictures for every workout!
I really enjoy reading this book because it gives a description of how to do the workout, how to position your body, what muscles your working, and even shows a picture of Ms. Elizabeth Gilles posing on the ball for every 101 workouts! I have tried most of these workouts on my ball at work, I work at Curves, and I really enjoy them, I even show my customers a few workouts on the ball and they enjoy them too! I makes me look smart!

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101 Ways to Work Out on the Ball Sculpt Your Ideal Body with Pilates Yoga and More is a post from: Pilates Exercises

Safe Techniques to Reduce Pain, Build Strength, and Speed Recovery

Studies suggest that proactive strengthening and flexibility-recovery exercises can speed healing after spine surgery. Whether you’re preparing for or recovering from spinal surgery, recuperating from a back injury, or just dealing with a back that has “issues,” this book offers an effective program to help you manage pain and regain strength and mobility.

These exercises modify traditional Pilates routines to accommodate partially immobilized spines, making this routine safe and effective therapy for your fragile back. The exercises are designed to not compromise a spinal fusion. Instead, they will do what Pilates exercises do best—stretch, strengthen, and tone the trunk with precise positioning and movement, while avoiding potentially dangerous repetition and overexertion. 

“Pilates for Fragile Backs is an excellent program for people who have had spinal fusion. The simple but effective Pilates-based exercises will help tremendously in reducing pain and restoring mobility.” —Vijay Vad, MD, assistant professor of rehabilitation medicine at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University and author of Back Rx and Arthritis Rx.

“…Adhering to a program of Pilates, as described in Pilates for Fragile Backs, under the guidance of a certified instructor can be a most useful means to improve back function and relieve pain. Clearly, this is a valuable therapeutic modality that is underutilized in today’s current pain management programs associated with spinal disorders.” —Charles Birbara, MD, chief of rheumatology at Worcester City Hospital in Worcester, MA

“In my practice, I constantly emphasize the importance of proper spinal alignment, good posture and a strong mid-section. Pilates for Fragile Backs highlights these points in an easy-to-follow exercise program for patients suffering with chronic back pain. I have recommended this program to many of my patients, and they are thrilled with the results.” —Anthony S. Rainka, DC, South County Chiropractic, Sutton, MA

“As a physical therapist, I have been able to utilize the exercises in Pilates for Fragile Backs with my clients. They have shown a reduction in pain, an improvement in posture and balance, increased strength, and healthier muscle tone. Best of all, the program does wonders for their self-esteem.” —Pam Craig-Stewart, PT, director of rehabilitation at Christopher House in Worcester, MA

“This book is a much needed labor of love that offers clear and helpful advice for anyone who has ever lived with chronic back pain. The spine problems addressed in this book are very challenging ones for doctors and therapists alike, and the authors use their first hand experience with spinal trauma to break new ground for exercise therapy. A specifically modified Pilates program indeed offers the possibility of comfort and relief for a largely under-served group in our society.” —Ellen Kiley, RYT, therapeutic yoga practitioner specializing in scoliosis and spinal fusion

“I underwent an anterior/posterior fusion (L4-S1) over a year ago due to degenerative disk disease with annular tears. Since then, Pilates has done wonders for me. I started pursuing basic lumbar stabilization mat work a couple of months following surgery. I had urged my neurosurgeon to allow me to begin sooner than usual because I’d had a big increase in pain. My physical therapist felt it had to do with the stiffness that begins to set in as the weeks go by without stretching and exercising. I had every confidence that Pilates would improve my situation and I swear by it! I’ve been back to work full-time. I am also walking about four miles, three days a week! I’m sure Pilates for Fragile Backs will be a major help to many others.” —Diana Stahl, Cincinnati, OH

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars SAVED ME FROM SURGERY!
I can’t thank you enough for writing this book. As a 58 year old woman with chronic back issues from scoliosis, degenerative spine disease and three herniated disks, I was going crazy from the pain and 3 seconds away from calling a surgeon when I found your book. The book encouraged me to take it slow and gave me great ideas for not hurting myself. After awhile I decided to get a trainer. When I showed it to her she was grateful to have such a wonderful resource to recommend to her clients. I highly recommend this book if you are at all afraid of hurting yourself. I am pain free for the first time in 20 years! Pamela D. Blair, Author The Next Fifty Years: A Guide for Women at Mid-Life And Beyond

1 Star Keep looking
I bought this book after sugery on my back and was disappointed. Yes, it did have some exercises for the lower back but a good portion of the books was devoted to exercises that you can do IF you own or are willing to go out and buy many more pilates equipment or go to classes.

This book may help some people but I had hopes to find a book for people looking to stregthen and exercise their back after surgery. I hope that someday there will be a book of safe and simple exercises targeted to low back that people can do at home without having to spend even more money to do them.

Take a look at this book before you buy it to make sure that it has the information that will help so that you don’t end up with another book gathering dust.

3 Stars Look carefully….
I guess I wasn’t careful enough in selecting this book. It emphasizes that you need to meet with an instructor to do the exercises. I bought the book because that is what I didn’t want to do. I don’t have the time or money to meet with an instructor. I can’t comment on anything else.

5 Stars Encouraging and comforting!!
I had spinal fusion surgery in July 2005. Although it was highly successful, there are always issues to deal with, that most people dont understand. Some are actually unexplainable, until I read this book.For the first time, someone was actually explaining all the feelings and emotions that I have gone thru. They also offered great alternatives and tips for everyday living to improve your situation!!Another plus for me, was that it was co-written by a top surgeon in the country.For anyone that has had spinal surgery, I would HIGHLY recommend this book from start to finish!!

5 Stars An indispensable resource for anyone with back problems
This remarkable book has already generated major “buzz” in the “bad-back” community. Better yet, it is being used by some of us with truly terrible backs — complex disk problems, severe scoliosis, major iatrogenic deformities resulting from previous scoliosis corrections. If you are in any of these categories, please check out this singular new approach to physical conditioning and emotional well-being. Unlike any of the previous “bad-back” books I have surveyed — in the process of moderating a large online group for people with flatback syndrome and trying to find some kind of exercise I could do after eight fusions and revisions — the program outlined here is safe and reasonable. For that reason, it has garnered endorsements from leading spinal surgeons who would never recommend most generic bad-back programs to their fragile-backed patients. (The “fragile backs” descriptor is inspired — those of us with complex spinal problems know in the bone just how fragile we are, and just how cautious and patient we must be in initiating any exercise program.)

One reviewer criticized the book for spelling out special Pilates equipment which is necessary to do the core-strengthening exercises in the book. This is a legitimate concern for those of us on fixed disability incomes or in other limiting circumstances, but I doubt that it could stop any of the motivated people I know through my own 560-member website for people with flatback syndrome. I regard it as just another challenge, along with the many others we face every day — to name just two, locating a qualified surgeon and getting our insurance carriers to pay for the surgery s/he prescribes to make our lives livable! Having had some personal email correspondence with author Andrea Stanton — a personable and empathic human being, a psychiatric social worker by profession, and a woman whose own back-saga has some major similarities with my own — I have learned that there are all kinds of ways to minimize the expense for someone who is motivated and determined.

Moreover, the book offers more than just the equipment-requiring program. Among other things, it includes one of the clearest “lay” explanations of spinal anatomy and back mechanics I have ever read — anywhere.

Members of my own support group have been posting ever more frequently about this book, approximately one year after its publication. They report that they are sharing its thoughtfully adapated Pilates exercises–a program initially worked out by Andrea’s Pilates instructor, whose own hair-raising spinal saga is detailed in the book, along with Andrea’s — with their own exercise instructors, taking the book along with them to their “workouts,” and otherwise using it in practical ways which have brought them to new levels of personal mastery and pain relief.

A couple aspects of the book could use some work or expansion, through no fault of the authors. It is my understanding that someone at the publishing company decided at the last minute to require these “extras,” such as a list of outside resources. Given the publication schedule, there was simply not adequate time to produce any kind of comprehensive or thoroughly annotated list. The book does not suffer at all from this problem, which is hardly central to its main content: logically laid out, well-written, impeccably edited text, supplemented by equally clear photographs. The book provides a wonderful explanation of where Pilates came from and what it is all about, then goes on to explain how people with the most extreme and debilitating back problems can actually use and adapt the most crucial Pilates exercises to their own situations.

In my estimation, no other exercise, yoga, or related book on the market comes close to accomplishing what this volume accomplishes, and most contain prominent disclaimers warning scoliosis-surgery patients, for instance, to see their doctors and try something else! — either that, or they indicate clearly that they are aimed at people with mild, unoperated scoliosis, or perhaps an occasional reader who has undergone a laminectomy for some isolated disk problem, while failing to address the rest of us at all.

In short, *Pilates for Fragile Backs* is a uniquely encouraging and helpful resource for anyone with severe and complex spinal problems seeking some attainable level of physical conditioning and strengthening. There is simply nothing else like it on the market. Even if you are not prepared to embark on the prescribed program, you may well find it worthwhile to read the book simply for its excellent medical explanations and the authors’ inspiring personal stories. If you are like me, it will give you — at the very least — something that is often in short supply for people with terrible spines and incredible chronic pain: a whopping dose of hope.

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Pilates for Fragile Backs Recovering Strength and Flexibility After Surgery Injury or Other Back Problems is a post from: Pilates Exercises

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Stott Pilates Mini Flex Ball Power Pack is a post from: Pilates Exercises

These soft, hand-held weights are perfectly portable and can be incorporated into a variety of exercises.

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Stott Pilates Toning Ball Purple 1 Pound balls is a post from: Pilates Exercises

User Ratings and Reviews

3 Stars rather average Pilates book.
This book is pretty basic. I got much more out of The Pilates Body by Brooke Siler than this one. This book is short and does not get into too much of the exercises or techniques.

5 Stars This one has an excellent exercise program.
I’ve been doing a lot of researching on valuable books on the Pilates method to keep in my library and this one fits the bill. It has 12 exercise levels you can follow and looking at the Pilates “family tree” on page 12 you’ll know that you are getting authentic Pilates program. This book, books authored by Alan Menezes,Lynn Robinson, and Alycea Ungaro(Pilates body in motion) are well written books you should keep in your library…

5 Stars Great Workbook for Clients and Instructors
A welcome addition to the Pilates library. Easy to follow and clear instructions for everyone.A no nonence approach to this potentially confusing subject. Well Done.

5 Stars Got this for my wife — she raves about it!!
Scored major points with my wife with this book… She is taking Pilates instruction and enjoys this book very much, it is getting dog-eared.

1 Star Do not buy this book!
Buy The Pilates Body by Brooke Siler instead!! I bought both books and found the Pilates Workbook useless! The Pilates Body by Brooke Siler is so much better – Brooke was trained by a prot?g? of Joseph Pilates, explains the philosophy of Pilates that doesn’t put you to sleep, the exercise descriptions are the best I’ve seen, has a chart of the original 35 Pilates exercises which is great reference when doing Pilates, and explains very advanced extras which were originally developed from the apparatus. This workbook by King is not authentic Pilates and has poor descriptions of the exercises. Definitely not worth the money!!!

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Pilates Workbook Illustrated Step by Step Guide to Matwork Techniques is a post from: Pilates Exercises

The club-quality Deluxe Pilates Mat provides soft, resiliant cushioning for comfort, and protection against injury. Great option for multi-use facilities or at home use. Also available in blue.

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Stott Pilates Deluxe Pilates Mat Green is a post from: Pilates Exercises

The Jumpboard provides a firm, padded jumping surface for plyometric exercises on the STOTT PILATES* Group SPX* Reformer. Attachment posts slip in easily and fasten securely with metal-threaded knobs.

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Stott Pilates Jumpboard SPX Regular is a post from: Pilates Exercises

Brand new, authentic, Winsor Pilates 6 foot long resistance band. Can be used for yoga or pilates workouts.

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Winsor Pilates Resistance Band is a post from: Pilates Exercises