Pilates: getting to the core of the matter [news]
Let the group fitness gadflies flit from belly dancing to body sculpting to circus stunts. Pilates people opt to take long, steady aim at the core.
And they say the payoff is sweet: strength without bulk, slender thighs, flat-as-a-board abdomen.
"With Pilates, the focus is core strength," said Jessica Matthews of the American Council on Exercise. "It concentrates on centering and encouraging improved posture and strength throughout the core."