STUDENT MATERIAL www.bspelling.com Pilates
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# SECTION A LET S TALK 3
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# SECTION B GRAMMAR 6
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# SECTION C - VOCABULARY a) VOCABULARY 8
b) PHRASAL VERB c) DAILY WORD 9
d) EXPRESS YOURSELF 10
# SECTION D EXCERCISES EXERCISE 1 Create a headline and a subheading for the text 11
# SECTION E TEXT Paragraph 1 Pilates is a system of exercises developed by a German man named Joseph Pilates in the early 1900s. Originally designed as a rehabilitative practice on an exercise mat and specialized equipment, Pilates exercises (as they are now known) target the deep muscles of the abdomen and spine to strengthen the body from the inside out in proper alignment. The goal is to achieve a balance of strength and flexibility, a balance of opposing muscle groups and better balance in the body when moving through all of life s activities. But the answer to the question what is Pilates would not be complete without discussing gravity, or the lack thereof, really! Joseph Pilates, years ahead of his time, knew that gravity pulls our bodies out of alignment, distorting joint relationships and causing some muscles to bear greater loads and others to under perform. By working without gravity, alignment can be improved and faulty movement habits corrected so that the body learns the right way to perform movement and the right muscle to use. 12
Paragraph 2 So how are Pilates and Yoga different? Well, both systems have been categorized as mind-body fitness programs and both systems focus on the breath more specifically than other exercise methods. Beyond that, Pilates and Yoga are very different! The two systems were designed with different goals, and while practitioners will see increased strength and flexibility with both, each person needs to decide which is best for him/herself. Paragraph 3 The Pilates workout as an effective form of exercise gained popularity in the 90 s, and the Pilates DVD boom in the early 2000 s solidified Pilates place in mainstream fitness. But many still don t know that the specialized equipment like the Pilates reformer provides both support for the body and assistance for proper execution. For many, performing a Pilates workout on a Pilates reformer can help correct muscle imbalances and improve alignment more quickly than the mat exercises alone. So even if you love doing your Pilates workout at home with your favorite Pilates DVD, consider supplementing your mat work with a Pilates reformer workout at a fully equipped studio. Paragraph 4 Joseph Pilates invented the Pilates Reformer and other Pilates equipment to aid in injury rehabilitation, as the equipment allows for exercises to be performed without gravity. Performing mat exercises delivers an excellent Pilates workout; however, the Pilates mat repertoire is arguably the most challenging of all Pilates repertoire on all equipment! The Pilates reformer, for example, provides support that the Pilates mat work cannot. This allows someone who is starting Pilates to perform exercises properly and safely and thus reap more benefits. Because Pilates mat work alone is very challenging, many Pilates beginners who start their practice with a Pilates DVD find the DVD ineffective because they lack either understanding of the technique or the strength required to 13
perform the exercise properly. With the exception of a few, almost every Pilates DVD on the market is well instructed and well designed, but because the Pilates mat work itself is challenging, many fail to see results. QUESTIONS ABOUT READING 1. Where was Pilates created? By whom? 2. How are Pilates and Yoga different? 3. When did Pilates gain popularity? 4. Why many Pilates beginners fail? 14
# SECTION F LISTENING Pilates was taken from the classical Greek ideal of a man who is balanced equally in body, mind, and spirit. Joseph Pilates' experiences taught him to believe that the modern lifestyle, bad posture, and inefficient breathing were the roots of poor health. His answer to these problems was to design a unique series of life-enhancing physical exercises that help to correct muscular imbalances and improve posture, coordination, balance, strength, and flexibility, as well as to increase breathing capacity and organ function. Pilates is a mind/body conditioning exercise program focusing on the core postural muscles, which helps keep the body, balanced and are essential to providing support for the spine. In particular, Pilate s exercises teach awareness of breath and alignment of the spine, and aim to strengthen and tighten the deep torso muscles. Anybody can benefit from Pilates and it is also ideal for anyone suffering from back pain, poor posture, sports injuries, arthritis or stress. QUESTIONS ABOUT LISTENING Where was Pilates taken from? What was Joseph Pilates answer to the problems of modern lifestyle? Where does Pilates focuse on? Who can benefit from it? 15
# SECTION G SOLUTIONS SOLUTIONS ABOUT READING 1. Where was Pilates created? By who? Pilates is a system of exercises developed by a German man named Joseph Pilates in the early 1900s. 2. How are Pilates and Yoga different? The two systems were designed with different goals, and while practitioners will see increased strength and flexibility with both, each person needs to decide which is best for him/herself 16
3. When did Pilates gain popularity? The Pilates workout as an effective form of exercise gained popularity in the 90 s, and the Pilates DVD boom in the early 2000 s solidified Pilates place in mainstream fitness. 4. Why many Pilates beginners fail? Pilates beginners who start their practice with a Pilates DVD find the DVD ineffective because they lack either understanding of the technique or the strength required to perform the exercise properly. With the exception of a few, almost every Pilates DVD on the market is well instructed and well designed, but because the Pilates mat work itself is challenging, many fail to see results. SOLUTIONS ABOUT LISTENING Where was Pilates taken from? Pilates was taken from the classical Greek ideal of a man who is balanced equally in body, mind, and spirit. What was Joseph Pilates answer to the problems of modern lifestyle? His answer to these problems was to design a unique series of lifeenhancing physical exercises that help to correct muscular imbalances and improve posture, coordination, balance, strength, and flexibility, as well as to increase breathing capacity and organ function. 17
Where does Pilates focuse on? It focuses on the core postural muscles, which helps keep the body, balanced and are essential to providing support for the spine. In particular, Pilate s exercises teach awareness of breath and alignment of the spine, and aim to strengthen and tighten the deep torso muscles. Who can benefit from it? Anybody can benefit from Pilates and it is also ideal for anyone suffering from back pain, poor posture, sports injuries, arthritis or stress. 18