Movement is recognized as a positive contributor to lengthening health span and supporting vitality. However, optimal movement practices for the individual needs of different health conditions have not yet been thoroughly explored.
The first volume of this pioneering book examines multi-system health conditions, including Ehlers-Danlos, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's, Lyme Disease and Long COVID, illustrating in detail how movement sequences improve gait, balance, efficiency, and quality of life. Each chapter is an exemplar of how to tailor movement practices to specific situations, while providing actionable information to movement and health practitioners in clinical practice, movement centers, home practice and online sessions.
A comprehensive reference designed for Pilates teachers, movement educators, manual therapists, continuing education providers and teachers-in-training advances professional efficacy. Expert contributors integrate the movement vocabulary of J.H. Pilates with influences from current interdisciplinary methodologies and research. For a buoyant experience that increases somatic engagement intersperse reading with movement practices.
Madeline Black's life pursuit is the discovery of how the human body moves. This encompasses the creation of movement techniques based on Pilates, Yoga and Gyrotonic; the integration of manual work into the movement experience; and through her training of other teachers, helping others to sustain movement capacity throughout their lives.
Her extensive study and widely respected accomplishments in the field of movement and fitness have fueled her rise as an international leader in training and certification of Pilates instructors. Worldwide, her name is synonymous with the highest level of professional pursuit in the teaching and practice of Pilates. She has authored certification training manuals and many articles for industry magazines and online.
Madeline Black's first extensive book covering the range of her work will focus on biomechanics combined with personal stories and solutions through movement. Her book will be a source for all movement teachers and non-teachers, who will find its use invaluable in understanding their own body and for improving personal practice.
Elizabeth Larkam, National Certified Pilates Teacher, and Handspring author wrote
Fascia in Motion: Fascia-focused movement for Pilates (2017) and the Pilates chapter for
Fascia in Sport and Movement (2015, 2e 2020). She co-edited the forthcoming book
Pilates Applications for Health Conditions (2024) and is co-author of the book in preparation,
Movement practices for hypermobility and connective tissue spectrum disorders. Elizabeth was awarded the Medal of the Danish Society of Military Medicine in recognition of her efforts to improve the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers. As a Dancemedicine Pilates Specialist at Saint Francis Memorial Hospital in San Francisco Elizabeth created Pilates programs for orthopedic, spine and chronic pain diagnoses. As Director of Pilates & Beyond for Western Athletic Clubs, she developed the internationally acclaimed Mind & Body Center. Elizabeth served as a Pilates Specialist with the San Francisco Ballet and Cirque de Soleil, a lecturer at the University of San Francisco in Exercise and Sports Science, and a lecturer at San Francisco State University in Dance. She is a Feldenkrais® practitioner and a Gyrotonic® and Gyrokinesis ® teacher. Elizabeth has studied in dissection labs directed by Carla Stecco, Gil Hedley, Todd Garcia and Tom Myers. She participated in the Fascial Net Plastination Project sponsored by the Fascia Research Society at the Guben Plastinarium. Elizabeth hosts 'Moved to Learn!' the Handspring Publishing webinar. She is co-founder and former co-owner of Polestar Education as well as a Balanced Body Master Instructor and Mentor. Her on-line classes are on pilatesanytime.com, pilatesfusion.edu, and bewellstaywell.net. Now in her fourth decade as an international educator Elizabeth presents for The Fascia Hub, The British Fascia Symposium, Pilates on Tour, The Body Concept Movement Academy in Shanghai, Bonum Pilates in Seoul, and VOLL Pilates Brazil. Elizabeth is in private practice in Marin County, California and Georgetown, Texas.
