When I was in my mid-20s, I couldn't sit in a movie theater without feeling shooting pains down one leg. Because of scoliosis and intense dance training, my back muscles were unbalanced and misaligned. A friend suggested I try pilates, and after a few months of diligent practice, everything changed--my muscles were realigned and my pain diminished. Today, pilates is a moving meditation that allows me to take a mental break from life and do something great for my body. It's invigorating, not exhausting.

Joseph Pilates, the technique's founder, was born a sickly child in 1880 in Germany. He developed Body Contrology, a system based in deep breathing that stretches and strengthens muscles without stressing the joints and ligaments. He believed strengthening the "powerhouse"--the muscles of the lower abdomen, lower back, buttocks, and pelvic floor--improved posture, streamlined the body, and built muscle while increasing flexibility. His idea quickly caught on with dancers when he moved to New York City in 1926. He taught his method, which later took on his name, until his death in 1967. But it didn't gain mainstream appeal until the 1990s. Today, about 5 million people practice pilates.

Do the exercises in this short, comprehensive routine in order, and practice each until you're accustomed to it. Soon, I think you'll begin to love pilates as I do.

Jillian Hessel, a pilates instructor for 22 years, has worked with such celebrities as Cher and Holly Hunter. She has been featured in pilates videos and dvds, and is the author of Pilates Basics (Rodale Press, 2003). In 1988, she founded the Well-Tempered Workout pilates studio (www.jillianhessel.com) in West Hollywood, California.