“Patience and persistence are vital qualities in the ultimate successful accomplishment of any worthwhile endeavor.”

Here are selected articles and studies about the benefits of Pilates and a shopping list of affordable props to get started with the Mat work.

Pilates Mat Shopping List

All items listed below can be purchased from Amazon, except for the mini circle available from Balanced Body and the resistance band from the Pink Ribbon Program.

• Mat – available in multiple colors. This mat is the right thickness to protect the spine during rolling exercises
• Magic Circle
• Mini Circle
• Pilates Ball
• Resistance Bands for Hips and Glutes – These fabric bands are awesome because they won’t bunch up or snap and break
• Resistance Band (Long)– These bands are of high quality and are the perfect length and level of tension
• Foam Roller – This OPTP is the right density for comfort during Pilates

Reading List

Books

• Return to Life through Contrology – Joseph Pilates
• Caged Lion: Joseph Pilates and His Legacy – John Howard Steel

Pub Med

• The Effect of 12-week Pilates Exercises on Wellness in the Elderly
• Benefits of Pilates in the Elderly Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
• Pilates for Low Back Pain
• Pilates for Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
• The Effect of Pilates Exercise on the Happiness and Depression of Elderly Women: a Clinical Trial Study

 Popular Articles  

• Bustle: How Did Pilates Become So Popular?
• New York Times: Is Pilates as Good as Everyone Says?
• Cleveland Clinic: Everything You Want to Know About Pilates
• Time: Here Are the Health Benefits of Pilates