The Pilates Body: The Ultimate At-Home Guide to Strengthening, Lengthening and Toning Your Body- Without Machines

I’m new to Pilates and this Pilates book is easy to understand while providing this beginner with plans for workouts that are attainable and challenging, with visuals and instructions for beginners, working towards more advanced routines. I’ve purchased other Pilates books that are difficult to understand, but this book is clear and concise. Each exercise is clearly explained with images of the movements as you progress through each step. The exercises are clearly labeled as beginner to very advanced so you can build upon your routine as you become stronger. There is a flow chart you can follow once you are familiar with the movements. If you are a beginner like me, you can easily turn the pages, following the instructions and images while progressing through the whole body workout. As I’ve been practicing, I’m building strength in my core and this is what I’ve been looking for in an at home routine. This book is well written, illustrated and progresses through the routine with clear instructions.

As someone who had always weight-trained using large, expensive gym equipment, I was skeptical about Pilates. After trying it out using YouTube videos as guides, I was hooked. This exercise program does not require you to buy any equipment or spend excessive amounts of time forcing your body through painful and monotonous repetitions. It keeps your mind and body engaged simultaneously, and despite the deceptively simple exercises you will find yourself sweating and pleasantly sore by the end. Also, it's really fun! The moves are graceful and fluid and the emphasis on breathing adds a meditative aspect. After doing some research online I found that this book kept turning up. I read through some of the hundreds of positive reviews here on Amazon and decided to buy it. When I first opened it, I was a little disappointed at the thinness of the book. Once I started reading though, I discovered that each page is dense with valuable content. Siler's introduction is educational and genuinely warm and each exercise gets two pages dedicated to it with helpful visualizations, beginner and advanced modifications, and useful tips. Some reviewers complained about a lack of exercise routines in the book but you only need one: the original matwork routine laid out by Joseph Pilates, which Siler has reproduced faithfully and in great (but not excessive) detail. Just the one routine, with 34 distinct exercises ranging from Beginner to Advanced level. You start at Beginner and add on exercises as you become more proficient, leaving out anything that causes you pain or doesn't feel comfortable for your body. How simple is that?

I am learning pilates and this book has been so helpful in my learning I highly recommend to all who are curious of learning in depth on certain movements and form.

When I was trying to decide which ONE book to buy for learning the Pilates matwork, it was quite overwhelming. There are scads of books out there on the subject - I think I read the Amazon reviews on over 100 books with 'Pilates' in the title. Some were explanations of how to do the original matwork, like this book, and some were spin-offs on Pilates - same name, different program. It seemed that the top two contenders in popularity were this book and the one by Alycea Ungaro, called 'Pilates: Body in Motion'. I bought that one first, and then decided to buy this one to compare. This is my take on it: Ungaro's book 'Pilates: Body in Motion' has much more detailed photographs of the exercises, complete explanations to go with each step-by-step photo, a very full explanation of how-to, what to watch out for, tips, pointers, etc. In contrast, The Pilates Body by Brooke Siler has fewer pictures to guide you through the exercises. There is a full written explanation of how to do each exercise, with basically the same information as the other book, although sometimes she gives instructions that are not found in Ungaro's book (also, Ungaro sometimes gives tips that are not in Siler's book). The advantage in this book, and the reason I recommend buying it ALSO, is that it has more thorough coverage of advanced exercises - many are included here that are not in Ungaro's book. I would recommend that Ungaro's book be used for initial learning, and this book should be added for more explanation on how to do the exercises, plus for additional exercises in the advanced levels. Another thing I like about this book is that all the exercises are in the sequence of the advanced program, so you can just flip through the book in order, and leave out the exercises that are too advanced for you, where-as in the other book, the beginner exercises go together, then a useful sequential beginner routine is shown. After that, the intermediate exercises are shown grouped together, and then the sequential intermeidate routine is shown, but if you want to refere to any of the the detailed teaching pages of the beginner exercises that are also part of the intermediate routine (which builds on and incorporates the beginner routine), you have to flip back to the beginner section, and the same is true when you get to the advanced exercises. In other words, in Ungaro's book, the exercises are grouped by level, whereas in Siler's book, the exercises for the complete advanced routine are sequential, but labeled as beginner, intermediate or advanced, because this is a program that builds on the previous levels. This book can be obtained for a good price 'used' in Amazon, which is how I purchased it. I would recommend both of these excellent books for a more complete understanding of how to do with exercises.

Quick, easy.This book company are bookstore is fabulous.This book is in excellent condition. The prices are amazing

When I decided to lose some weight last year after the birth of my second son, I also decided I wanted to vary my work out and seek outside my usual cardio/weight training routine. I am not one for the class environment, but I had heard so much about Pilates that I thought I would order a book and see what I could get out of it. Lucky for me, I bought Brooke Siler's The Pilates Body just from searching Amazon; it has changed my life. I dedicated myself to working from the book daily to perfect the exercises and sequences and within just two months my body was clearly transformed. Now, ten months later, I am in the best shape of my life and I have found that I could give up weight training almost totally. My core is rock solid and my balance is better than it has been in my entire life. I am 38 years old and have never looked or felt better. Using Weight Watchers in addition to using this book (and doing regular cardio) I went from a size 12 to a size 4 and have maintained it. This book worked miracles for me. I am toned from head to toe, have terrific balance, and have a solid core. All of this WITHOUT machines!! It is extremely user friendly and offers great sequences that you can (once you are comfortable) tailor to your own preferences. As far as I am concerned, you need look no further than Brooke Siler to accomplish an awesome body. I would also recommend Hatha Yoga Illustrated (available through Amazon as well). Once I mastered The Pilates Body, I started adding a Yoga component, through this very user-friendly book, which has helped me with focus, breathing and (even further improved) balance. If you think you can't better your body and your current workout without expensive trainers, classes and DVDs, guess again. If you work well on your own and are motivated to change your body (and your overall outlook), these books are inexpensive miracle workers. For real.

Ok

I just lay this on the floor and follow some of the routines. I especially appreciate the little cartoon diagrams in the corner of each page giving you an idea of what should be happening with your body. For instance, the Double Straight Leg Stretch on page 68-69, imagine yourself on the ground on your back, hands behind your head, extend your legs straight to the ceiling, squeeze your inner thighs till no light passes through, anchor your center firmly to the mat and lift your head onto your chest, squeeze your buttocks, for stability in your lower back, and lower your straight legs down toward the mat as you inhale, do not touch your feet to the floor. Squeeze your buttocks tighter and exhale as you raise your straight legs toward the ceiling. The drawing of this shows a person attached to the floor and their legs are pulling a spring I am happy to send you a picture of this. This book is loaded with photos making sure you understand how you should look and be moving. This book is loaded with information on the parts of the body you are working and where you should be feeling it on your body when doing each move. I use the Winsor Pilates Basic 3 DVD Workout Set (Basics Step-By-Step/20 Minute Workout/Accelerated Body Sculpting) and this book shows all of those exercises. So, for those days you don't want to put the dvd on, it's fun to have this book. Besides being a terrific price on Amazon, I rec'd this quickly on Amazon and in excellent, like new condition.

Certainement un des meilleurs livres sur le PILATES: exercices originels, progression, erreurs à éviter absolument. Ce livre offre la garantie de s'exercer à la vraie méthode Pilates, ce qui n'est pas le acs de la majorité des ouvrages. L'auteur a travaillé aux sources... Vraiment à recommander pour maitriser une méthode absolument unqiue pour la forme, la tonification du corps, la souplesse, le rééquilibrage de la posture. un remarquable complément à toute activité physique, pour récupérer, équilibrer le corps, se relaxer.

I'm a complete noob in pilates, but not to the fitness in general. Only after 5 days after I receives the books and start doing the basic excersices I found that really helpful to increase my global mobility, strengt and flexibility. I lift heavy wight 3 times per week and run, doing some agressive workout, but I like the peace and calm way to build the powerhouse. I feel that a great form to complete my other form of exercise. The instruction are blear and well writien. It'S straight to the point. The only weakness I see is for people that aren't use to the patern of the human body or are good visualizer, an instructional dvd in the books and you got a great Pilates for dummies parkage. And men don't be affraid to give it a try because you may be surprise on how your powerhause ( core) is drasticly important in your life in general and even in bed and you take control of your body, Man'S up!

Bel libro ma troppo essenziale forse adatto a chi già conosce la materia

Good

Really great book for teachers and practitioners alike. I particularly like the use of imagery.