Insider information: It doesn't have to be named Pilates to be Pilates. Because of trademark issues, many instructors have chosen to rename their workouts even though the basic elements remain the same. Two Pilates-inspired workouts we love: Jennifer Kries's the Method and IM=X.

Hot tip: Can't find a class near you? Check out The Method video series starring Jennifer Kries. It's the next best thing to having an instructor standing beside you.

Sample Move: This curl and lift move is a foundational exercise in any Pilates-inspired workout.

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent, legs pressed together and feet flat on the floor, hip width apart.
2. Pull your abs into your spine and hold your arms out straight at your sides and slightly off the floor.
3. Moving slowly, curl upward until your chest touches your knees: first lift your head off the floor, then your shoulder blades, then one vertebra at a time. If necessary, assist yourself by holding onto the back of your thighs.
4. Sit up tall at the top of the movement then round your back and lower with control.

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