Illustrated with photographs of a practicing Pilates expert and diagrams that show the muscle groups that get a workout during each featured Pilates exercise, this instructional guide has everything a reader interested in Pilates needs to begin crafting their own personalized regimen. Beginning with an explanation of what Pilates is and the history of how it was developed and going on to discuss modern principles and equipment, this guide emphasizes correct body placement, proper breathing techniques, and injury prevention. Includes a range of basic, intermediate, and advanced Pilates exercises and numerous step-by-step workouts to try.