Yoga Pilates: May 2006 
Yoga Pilates: May 2006

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Core Awareness Enhances Yoga, Pilates, Exercise and Dance

A 174 page perfect bound soft covered book explores somatic awareness as an active and essential element of movement education... Shifting the standard mechanical paradigm within the movement arts and fitness training to a wholistic perspective, Core Awareness: Enhancing Yoga, Pilates, Exercise and Dance focuses on cultivating awareness as the vital key for preventing injury while developing flexibility, increasing strength and cultivating resiliency... Includes self-help explorations for developing inner somatic awareness.

Customer Review: Great information, poor presentation

Liz Koch knows what she is writing about, having worked with her own 'core awarenss' for many years... For myself, as someone professionally involved with yoga, Pilates, exercise and dance for years, the book was an instant fit... There is much valuable information in this book, and the general approach to movement that it advocates is something that desperately needs to become more widespread.

On the down side, I wish Ms. Koch had paid attention to the amazon reviews of the previous book (The Psoas Book,), which suffers from the same production problems as this newer one does... I hope her next book gets professionally published (or even republish this one professionally)... There are many typos, grammatical problems, and other errors that a good editor/proofreader could help with.

Also, the incredibly simplistic line drawings that illustrate her sophisticated "movement explorations" don't begin to do justice to the material... Even I, an experienced movement professional, could not understand the proper body positioning on many of them... Please, please, some good photos!!

In conclusion, this book is definitely worth reading for the information, but it is sad that the production of the book was so amateurish... But don't let that hold you back from getting the book, there aren't many books out there with this in-depth approach to core awareness... Most of what passes for 'core training' out there is nowhere near this level of somatic understanding.
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Core Awareness Enhances Yoga, Pilates, Exercise and Dance by Anonymous |0 Comments |

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Pilates Yoga Fuses Eastern and Western Traditions in One Exercise

Pilates + Yoga fuses eastern and western traditions in one exercise approach... The author's method uses the best of both disciplines to give a workout that produces strength, suppleness and weight loss while promoting emotional balance and a sense of well-being.

Movements achieved with Pilates machines are replicated with resistance bands and mat work and, as in yoga, individual movements and poses are linked in a seires to unlock energy flows and promote relaxation... Pilates + Yoga will improve posture, balance, flexibility and strength, while calming the spirit, reducing stress and alleviating many serious ailments such as back and neck pain.

Customer Review: Learning Pilates and Yoga is Fun ,Easy and Rewarding

An informative, fun approach to pilates and yoga with exceptionally easy step by step picture instructions... Also along with each exercise,there is an AIM that describes what the exercise will accomplish, a chiropractor's comments, so you know it's safe and beneficial and a REMINDER noting the common mistakes people tend to make doing the exercise... A great book! It works for me!
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Pilates Yoga Fuses Eastern and Western Traditions in One Exercise by Anonymous |0 Comments |

Saturday, May 20, 2006

The Complete Guide to Pilates, Yoga, and Meditation

Complete Guide to Pilates, Yoga, Meditation and Stress Relief... Enhance your physical and mental well-being with this selection of powerful exercises and practices... You will discover how to clear your mind of everyday clutter, energize your body, and strike out on a new path that will bring harmony and clam to your life.

Customer Review: Great resources...

This small wonderful book cover all important aspects of the four disciplines appeared on its cover (Pilates, Yoga, Meditation and Stress Relief)... I have had some Yoga classes before so I found this book a very good refreshment for my previous experience... However, its clear explanation and illustration will be equally helpful for the beginner... I also found that the stress management and meditation parts are very helpful.

If you are perfectly happy with your life and feel that everything is under your control, you may not need this book... But if you feel that everyday is filled with stressed, you are always tired (like me!), and your works are somewhat overwhelming, this small book might be a good thing to look at!

Customer Review: Invaluable resource

Beautifully illustrated, easy to understand guide to these practices; full of information about relaxation techniques, spirituality, world issues, massage, aroma therapy, time management, improving self-worth, relationships, "the power of sound" (photo of orchestra, page 179)... Extremely valuable resource. More Information

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The Complete Guide to Pilates, Yoga, and Meditation by Anonymous |0 Comments |

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Ultimate Yoga, Pilates, and Ballet Workout for Sculpting Your Best Body

It's the ultimate yoga, pilates, and ballet workout for sculpting the sexiest body... A total-body workout that is both challenging and invigorating, Hot Bod Fusion will give you the svelte, toned body you long for, and all the energy needed to maintain an ultra busy lifestyle.

Customer Review: Highly recommended!

Let's face it, there's so many different approaches to getting in shape that it's easy to get frustrated with what route to take... One person suggests yoga, another says Pilates, another says something else... That's why this book is so great... It integrates several different styles, giving you the best aspects of yoga, Pilates and ballet... It just makes sense, so if you're concerned with getting and staying in shape, I highly recommend this book!

Customer Review: Newly Flexible Runner

I come from a runner background and have been looking for a workout to improve my flexibility... I saw Hot Bod Fusion and bought it since it includes pretty much every discipline known for flexibility... What's great about this book is that each chapter only takes me about 10 minutes, cool... Exercises also include 'tips' from the author that help keep me on track and focused... I've done the routine 8 times now, do I feel more flexible? Yes definitely, and my `core' is stronger to boot! More Information

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Ultimate Yoga, Pilates, and Ballet Workout for Sculpting Your Best Body by Anonymous |0 Comments |

Monday, May 15, 2006

Pilates and Yoga for Complete Fitness, Strength, and Flexibility

Every day more and more people who are burned out from their exercise programs turn to yoga and Pilates.

Traditional yoga focuses on breathing, flexibility, and quieting the mind, while Pilates matwork concentrates on strength and power from the center... But what if one program offered the best of both? Pilates and yoga instructor, dancer, and personal trainer Jonathan Urla has done just that by creating Yogilates™.

Fully illustrated with black-and-white photgraphs, Yogilates™ is perfect for those looking to improve their health and well-being with the latest, most effective mind/body exercise program... Emphasizing safety along with fitness, Yogilates™ shows you how to assess your posture and flexibility and gives guidelines for progressing in a sensible manner... Yogilates™ delivers an accessible and efficient fitness regimen you can do for the rest of your life to achieve the best of your life, regardless of age or fitness level.

In a straight-forward and intelligent manner, Jonathan presents the Yogilates™ philosophy and shows the Essential Awareness Exercises that will introduce you to his unique blend of Pilates and yoga techniques... Let Jonathan be your guide as you discover your physical potential, whether you are working with the Beginner Series or advancing your Yogilates™ practice... See and feel your body get stronger and longer, gain a better sense of balance and greater flexibility... Feel the difference in how you perform all kinds of physical activities from athletics and dancing to walking and even sitting.

Learn how to correct poor posture, breathe more effectively, relieve stress, and tone the entire body with Yogilates™... No special equipment is needed... No costly gyms to join, and no previous experience in yoga or Pilates is necessary... All you need is some floor space and Jonathan to take you through the Yogilates™ prgram and on to a new level of health, fitness, and well-being.

Customer Review: Great combo book

As an instructor of both pilates and yoga, I found this a great and simple way to apply both practices to my classes... The author really explains it nicely.

Customer Review: Great book, prefer the video

This is a great book, but I have a lot of trouble following books and so I bought the video, which allowed me to learn better... Both the book and the video are great... Yogilates™ is a calming yet invigorating workout... Not too easy, not too hard, and one of the few exercises I've actually been able to stick with consistently... Enjoyable and well-taught. More Information

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Pilates and Yoga for Complete Fitness, Strength, and Flexibility by Anonymous |0 Comments |

Saturday, May 13, 2006

Yoga, Dance, and Pilates Plus Combination Review Part 2

Pilates Plus' is a revolutionary new workout, a fresh new combination of Eastern yoga principles, Pilates, dance techniques, and strength training... This unique program starts from and focuses on the abdominals-creating core strength-and in one hour gives you a total body workout from head to toe.

Customer Review: Best Pilates Book on the Market

When Pilates became the craze a few years ago, I immediately elected to apportion it a critical segment of my allotted exercise time... Using Amazon.com as an information springboard, I chanced upon Jennifer Kries and her set of Method sessions on VHS and DVD, purchased "The Method Precision Toning" and have been strengthening my abdominal powerhouse ever since... "Precision Toning" moves fast for a duration of what seems like an hour, despite the 20 minutes cited on the jacket.

As any Pilates advocate knows, each position follows a rigorous sequence where doing the exercise correctly matters much more than doing it with infinite repetition... Ms. Kries' instructions, although impeccable, however can become a little overwhelming on both an envisioned and executional level, especially when attempting to pull the navel to the floor, raise the shoulders so they crest off the floor, squeeze the inner thighs, relax the shoulders, breath properly and then actually facilitate the physical movement of each position.

The perfect solution to understanding and performing each exercise to the best of your ability comes in the form of Ms. Kries' 280+ page paperback book, "Pilates Method Plus: the Unique Combination of Yoga, Dance, and Pilates," complete with enough photos, illustrations, step-by-step instruction, motivational quotations and helpful imaginative `insight' sidebars to provide just the right mind-body connection to ensure positional perfection.

As stated in the title of the book, the Method, however, is not just about Pilates... Ms, Kries, as a trained ballet dancer, knows the importance of stamina, endurance and determination to achieve that ultimate purely athletic moment in space... As a seeker of that unique mind and body integration where the mind and body become one, Ms Kries extols the value of detachment, anatomical awareness and balance taught by the discipline of yoga.

Her comments with regard to the various types of yogic breathing allow this ancient art to aid you into moving into territories of your body that you have never before explored... 'Pilates Method Plus' provides the insight necessary to utilize a triangle of activity that will enhance your range of motion while developing strength/injury protection that will allow a free flow of energy to flood into your everyday life.

Book follows a simple format... First four chapters are dedicated to explaining the interface between the three disciplines, the nine essentials elements needed to attain heightened physical and emotional power (complete with instructions and exercises to help understand each of them) and a series of all important pre exercises that will provide a base for the more complicated series that follow.

The bulk of the book, Chapter 5, contains the actual exercises which Kries divides into three progressive stand-alone routines, lasting from 30 to 45 minutes each... With the help of a full-page chart where each position is labeled either 1, 2 or 3 Kries stresses that eventually the entire sequence of positions will be performed once all the exercises have been mastered... Two pages which include step-by-step analysis and photographs of Ms Kries in time-sequenced action are dedicated to each position.

Take my word for it, this extensive explanation utilized as an adjunct with one of Ms Kries many exercise DVDs will provide more than adequate fodder to integrate brain with muscles to achieve exercise nirvana.

The book's last chapter, what Kries' calls "On the Fly" Sports Specifics and Time-savers' presents a platform for individual sports cross-training in the areas of golf, tennis, skiing, skating, cycling, running, walking, basketball, swimming, and climbing... Each contains a full listing of those exercises necessary to help prevent injury while broadening range of motion with added strength, energy and confidence.

Compare this comprehensive list of activities with those found in Brooke Siler's 'Ultimate Pilates Body Challenge', there is no comparison; Siler's book covers only a bare minimum... To finish up, two 'on the fly' workouts provide a Beginners or Intermediate and Advanced routine sequence for those who are short on time.

Bottom line: This is my favorite exercise how-to book... Kries' exuberant personality and love of what she does prevails throughout the text and are epitomized in the bright smile she wears in all her photos... While I don't recommend using the book as a stand alone unless you have been trained in Pilates or in any of the other disciplines beforehand, I do recommend it as an accessory to any Pilates-based DVD, Method or otherwise... Brava Ms, Kries on a well-spent $17.95 permanent addition to my exercise library. More Information

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Yoga, Dance, and Pilates Plus Combination Review Part 2 by Anonymous |0 Comments |

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Pilates Plus is a Unique Combination of Yoga, Dance, and Pilates

A revolutionary new workout... Pilates Plus' Method is a fresh new combination of Eastern yoga principles, Pilates, dance techniques, and strength training.

This unique program starts from and focuses on the abdominals-creating core strength-and in one hour gives you a total body workout from head to toe.

Kries' years of teaching and dancing, as well as her wildly popular video series, have helped her develop a cohesive program that is unlike any workout on the market.

Both accessible and rigorous, Jennifer Kries' Pilates Plus Method will give you the body you want in the easiest way possible, including: Flat, firm abs with no strenuous sit-ups or crunches... Defined buns with no lunges, squats, or machines... Lean, sculpted legs and thighs with no high impact aerobics... Toned and trimmed arms without heavy weights or boring repetitions... And more!

Yes the secret to the world's most beautiful bodies is out, and it's Jennifer Kries' Pilates Plus Method... In just one hour a week, Kries brings her readers hard bodies, calm minds, and complete fitness.

Customer Review: The Definitive Pilates Guide by America's Pilates Expert

"The Method relies on your brain as much as your body; it is a thoughtful and introspective approach to working out." ~Jennifer Kries... After discovering Jennifer Kries' workouts you might want to delve into her new book focusing on fitness for the goddess that you are... Not only will you finally meet Jennifer Kries through reading about her fascinating life, you start to gain a deeper understanding of the Pilates principles... Jennifer also explores the world of Eastern yoga and dance techniques.

What is especially exciting about "Pilates Plus Method" is the abundance of inspirational quotes... There are William James quotes you will want to remember and post in your workout room... These are quotes worth collecting, although Jennifer's writing style is the highlight of her book... She is precise and disciplined, all while showing care and giving you the support and encouragement you need during each exercise... I am truly impressed with her writing! Up until now she has been a mysterious goddess to me and to read about her life has made me realize what an amazing instructor she truly is.

This book is very useful while working out... You might want a more detailed explanation for "Single-Bent-Leg Teaser" and you can quickly look up any of the poses/exercises in the index... Of course, Jennifer is featured throughout the book and her well-toned beautiful body is a true inspiration to me... I see her picture and have to get to my workout, pronto... You will find pictures of all the exercises and enjoy detailed instructions, the "Insight" sections lead you deeper into an understanding of the pose/exercise and I enjoyed reading about the inspiration for the "seal" exercise.

Jennifer is excited about her fitness discoveries and Pilates truly is an exciting workout because you start to see results in record time... She also explains the basics of dance and includes the most healing yoga poses... There are pictures with the names of muscles clearly marked, this is extremely helpful when using the videos so you can focus your efforts on specific muscle groups... Through reading this book, you will in fact be gaining an understanding of how exercise heals your entire body.

Her book is divided into 7 main areas: The Birth of Jennifer Kries' Method Workout... The Magic Triangle: Pilates, Yoga, and Dance... The Nine Essential Elements... Dipping Your Food in the Pool: Pre-exercises... The Method Workout... "On The Fly": Sports Specifics and Time-Savers - lists of specific exercises to improve sports performance. (Skiing, Skating, Cycling, Running, Walking, etc)... Taking It With You: The Method For Life.

If you are looking for great results you simply must try three workouts: Jennifer Kries' Pilates Method - Perfect Mix, Precision Pilates and 3 Dimensional Toning... One of the main benefits of these Pilates-based workouts is that you suddenly have improved posture, you walk differently, you feel sexier and basically you watch your body take on a new shape... No matter where you are today, you can improve your body with Jennifer Kries' insight and instruction.

If you are interested in a personal consultation, you send a completed form on page 271 to Jennifer... In a few months, I might send in a form myself! In order to fill out this form you might want to start keeping track of all your exercise habits.

Jennifer Kries is a native New Yorker, dancer, Master Instructor, orator and choreographer... She also studied with three of Joseph Pilates original disciples, Eve Gentry, Romana Kryzanowska, and Ron Fletcher... She is the artistic director and founder of Contemporary Dance Theatre New York and the Founder of the Balanced Body Center at New York's World Gym... She has a talent for creating challenging and interesting workouts and her personality makes her book so enjoyable to read... This book is quite essential when writing about any Pilates subject and I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who writes about fitness.

I see this book as a compliment to all of Jennifer Kries' workout DVDs/Videos... However, for teachers and anyone who wants to develop a customized routine, I can't think of a more definitive Pilates guide... If you are new to Pilates, this book is essential reading. More Information

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Pilates Plus is a Unique Combination of Yoga, Dance, and Pilates by Anonymous |0 Comments |

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

Integrating Pilates, Hatha Yoga, and Ballet in an Exercise Routine for All Fitness Levels

BalleCore® is unique in that it combines three tried-and-true disciplines into one optimal workout... Pilates strengthens and stretches the major muscles, activates your core (the band of muscles below your chest), and energizes your body.

Hatha yoga helps quiet the mind through breath, fortifies the nervous system, builds stamina, and produces mental equilibrium... Ballet increases blood flow, develops poise, promotes good posture, and improves balance.

Fitness dynamo and faculty member of the Boston Ballet for the past seven years, Molly Weeks is the woman behind BalleCore®... She has chosen an array of effective exercises from each of these three disciplines to create a fulfilling workout that can easily be done in your own home and in under an hour.

The results? Reduce backaches and stress... Develop stature, support the spine, and feel steady on your feet... Sculpt your arms, legs, hips, and core, plus look trimmer than ever... Loosen those tight spots in the shoulders, neck, and joints... Gain an incredible sense of ease throughout your body... Experience inner calm, self-confidence, and renewed optimism.

With step-by-step instructions and profusely illustrated with helpful photographs, The BalleCore Workout® is the ultimate path to good health, longevity, and mind/body wellness... Remember that only 50 minutes a day can change your life!
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Integrating Pilates, Hatha Yoga, and Ballet in an Exercise Routine for All Fitness Levels by Anonymous |0 Comments |

Sunday, May 07, 2006

No-Impact Aerobic and Strength Training Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, and More

Take your workout to the water! Possibly the world's perfect exercise, water workouts provide a highly-effective, low-impact way to burn calories, build muscle, improve flexibility, and have fun.

International Swimming Hall of Fame board member and world masters champion Jane Katz uses a holistic approach to lead you to total body fitness, offering soothing and strengthening programs of exercises drawn from yoga, Pilates, tai chi, and popular land sports like skiing and golf... There are also high-intensity challenges and instructions for deep-water running and cross-training for athletes.

Each exercise is accompanied by a simple drawing and step-by-step instructions for doing the move correctly... Programs for twenty-, thirty- and forty-five-minute workouts, including breathing exercises, warm ups and cool downs, are laid out to make it easy to dive right in... Individual exercises can also be combined to make a complete workout that is right for you.

Dr. Katz uses toys and accessories, from old-fashioned kickboards to flashy fins, to make every workout seem like play... Full of suggestions to keep your program exciting and fresh, Aqua Fit is a complete guide to working out in the water for lifelong fitness... AQUAFIT is a registered trademark of Luye Lui and used under License.

Customer Review: Fantastic!

As a (almost) 16 year old swimmer who has been swimming before I could walk, I am always looking for ways to improve my swimmimg (which is the core of my fitness program)... This is an excellent book and I recommend it to anyone who LOVES the water! More Information

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No-Impact Aerobic and Strength Training Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, and More by Anonymous |0 Comments |

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Sculpt Your Ideal Body with Pilates Yoga and More

A full-color photographic book with 101 different moves you can do with an exercise ball... Exercise balls are cropping up in gyms all over the world, are sold in places like Kmart and Target, and are becoming the latest fitness craze... The thing is, what the heck do you do with the ball once you've bought it?

Pilates, yoga, and more! Liz Gillies, respected fitness trainer and star of several best-selling exercise videos, shows you 101 things you can do with a ball to tone, trim, and firm up.

Customer Review: Very Good!

I love this book... It covers all my needs for exercising on the ball so far and is great for beginners or advanced people... Just wish it were spiral-bound! It would be more durable and easier to use while I'm learning all the exercises.

Customer Review: the best, with pictures for every workout!

I really enjoy reading this book because it gives a description of how to do the workout, how to position your body, what muscles your working, and even shows a picture of Ms. Elizabeth Gilles posing on the ball for every 101 workouts! I have tried most of these workouts on my ball at work, I work at Curves, and I really enjoy them, I even show my customers a few workouts on the ball and they enjoy them too! More Information

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Sculpt Your Ideal Body with Pilates Yoga and More by Anonymous |0 Comments |

Monday, May 01, 2006

Yoga and Pilates Based Program to End Low Back Pain

Yoga and pilates... From a noted pioneer in sports medicine comes a breakthrough regimen for stopping back pain once and for all, without surgery... Eighty-percent of Americans suffer some form of low-back pain, usually due to a herniated disk, but long-term relief is rarely achieved... As a physician specializing in treating athletes, Dr. Vijay Vad has spent years researching how to cure back pain using yoga Pilates.

Profiled in The Wall Street Journal, his program requires just fifteen minutes a day for eight weeks to restore flexibility and prevent future injuries... Offering a proven alternative to invasive surgery, Dr. Vad's Back Rx provides the best of mind/body medicine by giving readers three step-by-step exercise series, demonstrated in 130 precise photographs, for implementing his popular program at home... Even readers with severely limited mobility will rejoice in Dr. Vad's gentle introductory workout.

Progressing through his self-paced program, they will discover a new range of exercises, breathing techniques, and tips for self-massage... For those who want to go even further and use this program for more than the treatment of a single injury, an advanced workout is included that puts readers on the road to peak performance... The perfect combination of modern medicine, Pilates innovations, and ancient yoga postures, Back Rx builds important new fundamentals for lifelong freedom from pain.

Customer Review: A Good Whipping...

This is an excellent book for dealing with this common problem afflicting so many people but it doesn't explain why Pilate ordered Jesus to be whipped... That is definitely not the way to relieve back pain!

Customer Review: Thoughtfulm, safe process, but does it work????

I felt that Dr. Vad's approach was safe and logical... He has you perform easy basic exercises for some time, and then graduate to more strenuous exercises... I must say, though, as someone is in pretty fair physical condition to begin with, I felt the exercises were too basic, and not at all challenging.

There didn't seem to be an abundance of info on treatments or back pain causes either... I guess though, the real proof is, "Did it work? Did following the program letter for letter improve my back pain?" And, in my case, which of course is very individual, after following the program to the "T" for 8 weeks, it really did nothing me... Decent book, but I'm still looking for the magic bullet.
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Yoga and Pilates Based Program to End Low Back Pain by Anonymous |0 Comments |