The Pilates Promise

I use this every other day. It has helped with proper alignment and strength.

Love the book! My copy is missing pages.

If you like pilates, but want to custom -design a pilates workout for your needs, such as weak upper body, more flexability, etc. this book is great, but its better for someone whos already been doing pilates for a while. wouldn't recommend it for a fresh beginner.

I am so impressed with this book with its color photos, and the wonderful descriptions of the exercises. It includes adaptations of the exercises to the Magic Circle. The book has a 10 week workout schedule that allows you to progress through the exercises. It's definitely better than some videos I've purchased.

"In 10 sessions you will feel the difference, in 20 see the difference, and in 30 you'll have a whole new body." ~Joseph PilatesPilates will do wonders for your body. That is undisputed. But trust me when I say that none of the participants in this program were "majorly" overweight. If you are 30 or more lbs overweight, you might want to give yourself more than 30 sessions. In fact, I myself have been doing Pilates "seriously" for over 30 weeks now and I can say that I do Pilates about 3 or more times a week. Most of the participants in this book had relatively flat stomachs, minor posture problems, lacked muscle definition and look like they are basically at their target weight or close to it.Measurements of one participant:Waist before, 30 inches, after 28 inches.Hips before 42 inches, after 39 ½ inchesUpper thighs before 26 inches, after 23 ½ inchesAnother participant saw an increase of 1 inch in her bustline while another saw an increase of ½ inches in her biceps and deltoids.The participants all give their "view" of Pilates and are given an assessment. There are a few before/after shots that do not show dramatic changes in weight loss, but show other features like improved posture and thinner thighs.If you are close to your target weight and want to firm up your entire body, then I'd highly recommend this book. If you are just starting Pilates, I'd also recommend this book, but take the challenge less seriously if you are moderately overweight. As you do walking, you do start to see the results of Pilates showing through. Honestly, Pilates helps you walk more efficiently because it improves your posture. You also gain an added level of confidence and your stomach will start to disappear and your butt will lift. Basically, everything firms up from the inside out.If you are just starting to do Pilates, you might also want to look for a variety of video/DVD workouts to compliment this workout book. Karen Voight, Jennifer Kries, and Winsor Pilates are names to look for here at Amazon. Alycea Ungaro also has a book/CD set called Portable Pilates.There are over 350 Photographs and clear instructions for each exercise. Alycea Ungaro is a Pilates instructor who has created matwork exercises that produce real results. She has trained dozens of celebrities including Uma Thurman and Christy Turlington.The Contents of this book are too complex to list. There is an Introduction, Basic Program, Upper Body Program, Lower Body Program, Flexibility and Posture Program.You will be doing exercises called, The Hundred, Spine Stretch Forward, Push Ups, Double Leg Kick, Arm Series, Magic Circle Series, One-Legged Teaser, Can-Can, The Seal, The Saw, Neck Pull, Swimming, Mermaid, Rowing.If you have experienced these while watching a DVD then you will be familiar with the types of exercises. Many are done standing or laying flat on your back. There are no complicated bouncy exercises that hurt your knees, there are no fancy steps to memorize.This is exercise at its finest. I recommend this book to anyone who is willing to make Pilates more than a challenge and who want to seriously consider this form of exercise for long-term results.Things to buy with this book: An inflatable 16-inch ball or a "magic circle." Karen Voight sells one that works very well and it is padded. A yoga mat or padded exercise mat. 2-3lb weights, pole, ankle weights and exercise bands. There are some sources for supplies in the back of the book.It sounds like a lot, but all these items can be used with lots of exercise videos. You might even get excited enough to start collecting exercise videos. Imagine, something that you can collect that is going to change your entire body!Also look for: Jennifer Kries' Pilates Plus Method: The Unique Combination of Yoga, Dance, and Pilates ~The Rebecca Review

I already knew this book as I had purchased it when it was first published. My only regret is that it does not come in an ePub format...

ok

lecture plaisante et instructive, belles photos, ça donne envie de s'y mettre!! on voit la progression des élèves, c'est super!