Functional Anatomy of the Pilates Core: An Illustrated Guide to a Safe and Effective Core Training Program 1/e 2015

Evan Osar and Marylee Bussard

Pilates is a widely accepted and utilized method for promoting health and proper movement patterns through the development of balanced muscles, joint alignment, and core control. However, when the principles of functional anatomy – anatomy based on how humans are designed to stabilize and move – are not considered during exercise application, the result can be muscle imbalances, chronic tightness, and even pain. Functional Anatomy of the Pilates Core reveals the missing connection between functional anatomy of the core and its application during fundamental core exercises in Pilates.

By integrating the six fundamental principles of the Pilates method with a descriptive application of functional core anatomy, the authors illustrate clearly how to:

· achieve the alignment, breathing, and control required for developing optimal posture and movement;
· suppress non-optimal habits that relate to common postural dysfunction, muscle imbalances, and chronic tightness;
· incorporate optimal alignment, breathing, and control into the fundamental Pilates principles in order to develop a more stable core and eliminate the risks of common injuries while accomplishing one’s health and fitness goals.

Dr. Evan Osar is an internationally recognized lecturer, author, and expert on assessment, corrective exercise, and movement. He is the developer of the Integrative Movement Specialist™ certification, the industry’s first assessment, corrective, and progressive exercise strategy designed to specifically help the health and fitness professional address postural and movement dysfunction in their general population clientele.

He is the author of the highly acclaimed book Corrective Exercise Solutions to Common Hip and Shoulder Dysfunction and has created several DVDs covering functional core training, including Corrective Exercise Strategies for Developing Core Stability and Spinal Health and Corrective Exercise Strategies for Developing Athletic Performance and Spinal Health.

Dr. Osar established Fitness Education Seminars™, an on-line education resource covering assessment, corrective exercise, and functional exercise progressions.

Marylee Bussard has been teaching Pilates since 2003. She is a graduate of the Soma Institute for Clinical Massage Therapy in Chicago, a certified Integrative Movement Specialist (IMS), and a certified KMI Structural Integration Practitioner.

She offers private and group Pilates instruction at Chaturanga Holistic Fitness—a Pilates, yoga, and dance center she founded in 2010 to help people overcome chronic pain, improve structural balance, and enjoy sustained health. Working closely with physical therapists, chiropractors, physicians, and yoga therapists, she coordinates exercise and manual therapy regimens for clients, and oversees the Chaturanga Institute, which offers innovative yoga and Pilates teacher training programs.