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"    Photo: Courtesy of Marc Royce   Pilates instructor Brooke Siler has been sculpting some of the most coveted celebrity physiques\u2014from Madonna to Kirsten Dunst\u2014for over 20 years. Amid the intense, near fanaticism of boutique group cycling and heated yoga, Pilates is a quieter conditioning class, focused on core strength and alignment. Practiced on a spring resistance machine called a &amp;quot;reformer,&amp;quot; or using just an exercise mat, Pilates employs controlled, subtle movements to elongate the body and build strength (and it&amp;#039;s the secret weapon of many dancers, athletes, and models). ELLE.com caught up with Siler, owner of re:AB Pilates studio, to learn how to rethink working out and get that coveted Pilates core.   How is Pilates unique from other forms of exercise, like yoga? Pilates is fueled on the philosophy of Joseph H. Pilates, who believed we should know how to strengthen and better ourselves through physical fitness. There are large and small pieces of apparatus that help support all body types and add up to 100 lbs of resistance through springs. Also, Pilates is non-impact and fantastically well-designed to get you to your fitness goals safely and efficiently. How does Pilates transform the body? Pilates balances your musculature so that you are less prone to repetitive strains and chronic pains. The aesthetic of Pilates is long and lean with an incredibly high degree of abdominal strength. Pilates is a methodology of moving well in your body. Once you learn the principles at work in the method you can apply them to anything else you do, in or out of the studio. Is Pilates all you need to get in (or stay in) shape or is it important to maintain your cardio routine too? Pilates is meant to make everything you do that much better so don&amp;#039;t stop what you love doing, just add Pilates and...do it better. If taught and performed properly, Pilates is a highly athletic and cardio workout. There would be no need to combine it with anything else unless extreme weight-loss is a goal (e.g. 80+ lbs) in which case supplemental work on cardio equipment would be recommended. It was not designed as a weight-loss technique, however I&amp;#039;ve witnessed wonderful weight transformations that included a lot of Pilates. Pilates makes you stronger and builds muscle\u2014which burns calories\u2014it also gives you energy so that you become more active and confident, and therefore you move and do more. What are there main exercises you would prescribe for someone who wants to integrate Pilates into their fitness regime? I would make sure that the person works the core from all angles and directions of movement (flexion, extension, rotation, side flexion). What we consider the core in Pilates (we call the &amp;quot;powerhouse&amp;quot;) involves glutes and inner thighs [too]. What&amp;#039;s your favorite move for building core strength? Planks! What can people do to avoid injuries? Work with control and common sense. And LISTEN to your body. Do not push through pain or overwork yourself. The name of the injury-avoidance game is balance. The more balanced your musculature, the less chance of injury there will be. Is it necessary to start out with an instructor or is it something that can be done independently at home? It&amp;#039;s really more efficient to start off with a qualified authentic teacher so that they can help you put an initial plan of action together based on what they see from your body. Without a teacher, it can sometimes be harder to assess your own form, but it&amp;#039;s definitely not impossible by any means. I have met and heard from many, many people who have learned Pilates from reading my book (The Pilates Body) and/or training with my DVD (Element Pilates for Weight Loss). Can Pilates help people who are overcoming physical injuries? Yes! While we are not doctors or physical therapists, Pilates is very well designed to be adaptable to almost any injury rehabilitation program. My mother has multiple sclerosis and couldn&amp;#039;t walk, and we still did Pilates together every week. She got stronger and loved the feeling of movement in her body. What are people surprised to learn about Pilates? It was developed by a man for men! Women have hijacked this method because we know a good thing when we find it! "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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