The Pilates Edge: An Athlete's Guide to Strength and Performance

Adamany and Loigerot have found a niche in the crowded Pilates book market by offering a volume specifically designed to address the needs of different types of athletes, such as cyclists, golfers, runners, skiers, swimmers and tennis players. The authors, co-founders of the Pilates Edge Studio in New York City, provide detailed sequences of exercises intended to help each kind of sports enthusiast stay fit and recover from injuries. The book begins by laying out some Pilates basics, then breaks into separate sections for the specific sports. Each section includes a variety of movements for both beginners and advanced practitioners, along with detailed photos. In addition to the actual exercises, Adamany and Loigerot explain some anatomy and go over which athletic movements (e.g., a forehand stroke in tennis; a golf swing) use which muscles. Though the sections are not uniformly comprehensive, Adamany and Loigerot make a convincing argument for Pilates' effectiveness as a life-long workout regimen.