Prerequisites

To get the most out of your Pro Pilates studies, it's essential to have a foundational understanding of exercise science, as well as skeletal and muscle anatomy. If you're not already familiar with these topics, you can easily learn them through apps and/or literature.

Apps

  • Complete Anatomy

  • Muscle and Motion

  • Visual Anatomy Lite

Literature

  • Anatomy for Sport / Robert S. Behnke / 2023 / SBN: 978-91-7727-107-9

  • Pilates Anatomy / Rael Isacowitz, Karen Clippinger / 2019, English, ISBN 9781492567707

  • Muscles: Anatomy and Function / Spiral, 2012, Swedish, ISBN 9789186323431

  • The Physiology of Strength Training / Tommy Lundberg / Per Tesch, ISBN 9789178190775

Advanced Prerequisites

Knowledge in the areas described below will allow you to better absorb the education within Pro Pilates.

Skeleton and Joints

  • The structure and function of the skeleton

  • Naming of the major skeletal parts in Latin

  • The structure and function of joints

  • The names of the six most common joint types, where they are located in the body, and the movements that can occur in each joint (flexion, extension, lateral flexion, abduction, adduction, rotation)

  • Brief overview of the structure of menisci (meniscus articularis) and discs (discus articularis), where they are located, and their function

The Three Planes of Motion and Movements that Can Occur in the Planes

  • Sagittal plane (flexion, extension)

  • Frontal plane (lateral flexion, abduction, adduction)

  • Horizontal plane/transverse plane (rotation)

Muscle Physiology Related to Striated Skeletal Muscle

  • Structure of striated skeletal muscle

  • Function of connective tissue/fascia in and around the muscle belly

  • Different appearances of muscles

  • Muscle work and different types of contractions

  • Nerve supply to muscles

  • Definition of motor unit and how they function during activity

  • Different muscle fiber types and the function of each fiber type

  • Muscle force development and how it can be affected both at the muscle cell level and for an entire muscle belly

  • Muscle protective reflexes; muscle and tendon spindles

Muscle Anatomy
The attachment, origin, and primary function of the following muscles:

  • m. pectoralis major

  • m. pectoralis minor

  • m. serratus anterior

  • m. rectus abdominis

  • m. obliquus externus abdominis

  • m. obliquus internus abdominis

  • m. transversus abdominis

  • m. erector spinae

  • m. levator scapulae

  • m. deltoideus

  • Rotator cuff

  • m. biceps brachii

  • m. brachialis

  • m. triceps brachii

  • Flexors of the forearm

  • Extensors of the forearm

  • m. brachioradialis

  • m. rhomboideus major and minor

  • m. trapezius

  • m. latissimus dorsi

  • m. gluteus maximus

  • m. gluteus medius and minimus

  • The five external rotators of the hip (piriformis, superior gemellus, obturator internus, inferior gemellus, quadratus femoris)

  • Hamstrings

  • mm. adductores

  • m. iliacus

  • m. psoas major

  • m. psoas minor

  • m. quadriceps femoris

  • m. tensor fascia latae

  • m. sartorius

  • m. tibialis anterior

  • m. gastrocnemius

  • m. soleus

Physiology / Breathing

  • Structure, placement, and function of the airways

  • Overview of how inhalation and exhalation occur

  • Factors that control the breathing rate

Exercise Science / Strength Training

  • Definition and purpose of strength training

  • Effects of gender and age

  • Effects of regular training

Exercise Science / Flexibility Training

  • Definition and purpose of flexibility training

  • Effects of age

  • Effects of regular training

  • Static and dynamic flexibility

  • Factors affecting joint flexibility