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Pilates: Body in Motion (平装)
by Alycea Ungaro
| Category:
Health & fitness |
| Market price: ¥ 168.00
MSL price:
¥ 148.00
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| Stock:
Pre-order item, lead time 3-7 weeks upon payment [ COD term does not apply to pre-order items ] |
MSL rating:
 Good for Gifts |
| MSL Pointer Review:
Alycea Ungaro has done an amazing job getting to the heart of each exercise without any fluff or distractions. Well deserve 5 stars. |
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AllReviews |
1 Total 1 pages 10 items |
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An American reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-04 00:00>
After doing extensive research in the web, reading reviews and leafing through the different Pilates books in bookstore, I chose this one. As described before, it's simple, clear instructions & pictures, easy to follow and also instructions for correct movements.
At the same time I started an introductory course of Pilates, and found the teacher doing the same exercises which are in the book. As I did simultaneously the exercises with the book at home, I realized that while the book is really great, without the teacher I would be still doing things wrong, meaning she corrects the movements for each individual, which you don't see for yourself.
Previously I have been working out with books and videos, and this one is one of the best. However, I would strongly advice to go at least in the beginning to a class and use the book at home in between classes. That way you will get maximum effect out of it and you make progress very fast. Since the whole point of Pilates is to make precise, focused movements correctly in a flow, the best combination is with book & class, as you get the instructions and corrections done in the class and then you remember those from the book when you do the Pilates at home. But if you don't have the possibility to go to the class, don't be discouraged, just get the book & get going.
Just within 3 weeks of daily 20-30 min practice & 2xweek classes I have seen my posture & body improve significantly, got so much more energy & strength in my body and generally feel just fantastic! |
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An American reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-04 00:00>
Pilates is a gift to the body and this book wraps it all up without any unnecessary elements. Author Ungaro has done a brilliant job deciding what features are key to learning the complicated system of Pilates. I have done no more than follow along with this book several times a week and I feel better than I have in 15 years. My body awareness has been heightened. My posture was immediately improved and just this morning in the shower I was able to touch my toes. Something I could never do, even as a child. If you are looking for a book to guide, encourage and inspire you, I strongly recommend this book. The instructions are short and clear, the photos are exact and precise and the charts really help to visualize the system as a whole. Pilates: Body in Motion has become my Pilates Bible. If you have a friend or family member that you care about, get them this book. I bought several of these as holiday gifts this season and everyone loved them!! |
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Bert Ruiz (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-04 00:00>
Joseph H. Pilates, the German inventor of the Pilates exercise method must be smiling in the heavens. The lifelong pacifist who was born in Dusseldorf, Germany in 1880...devoted his life to the study of physical education. He moved to the United States in 1926 and afterwards became active with the New York City Ballet. Pilates: Body in Motion, by Alycea Ungaro of Tribeca Bodyworks is a treasure chest of Pilate exercises for a hard body.
Mr. Pilates passed away in 1967 but not without leaving behind his philosophy of form. He established six basic principles...breath, concentration, control, centering, precision and flow in order for men and women to attain, "the inherited birthright of physical perfection." This book is comprehensive. It includes an introduction and four exercise programs. The introduction and beginner's program are short...but the intermediate and advanced programs provide a wealth of drills.
Please be warned...this is difficult stuff (especially for the over 50 crowd)...even for those who frequent the gym on a regular basis. The key to success is to follow the instructions carefully and gradually work your body into shape. If you rush the program your body will be talking to you (with pain or soreness) the following morning. At the risk of being redundant...do not fast-forward the exercise unless you are in outstanding condition...the Pilates school of thought looks easy but is a challenge to master correctly. The photos in this slim book are excellent. Moreover, the narrative is clear and succinct. Highly recommended.
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An American reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-04 00:00>
I have just received and read through Pilates: The Body in Motion and I am absolutely thrilled to have it. DK publishers are known for their beautiful layouts and incredible assortment of how-to books. This book is no exception.
I have been doing Pilates for about a year, following along with several other books as well as Ana Caban's tape series. Not one of the other materials has the information that this book has. The introduction is incredibly detailed and the author even provides charts to follow along with for whatever level you are working out. The first section of the book has an introductory exercise with a checklist to see if you remembered to "think" your way through the movement. Very useful. I found this to be key to getting in the right frame of mind to do my Pilates workout. But I think my favorite thing about this book is the "Head-to-toe Checklist" - which illustrates all the mistakes that I could possibly make. Sometimes they are quite funny to look at, but mostly I think they provide a good visual reminder of what NOT to do.
All in all, this is a great value for the money and by far the most comprehensive Pilates book out there. Bravo to DK and Alycea Ungaro.
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Beth Cholette (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-04 00:00>
Although I am not new to Pilates, I picked up this book hoping to increase my knowledge of technique and form, and I was not disappointed. This book provides an excellent introduction to the Pilates method for both new and more experienced Pilates practitioners. It begins with an excellent review of Pilates terms and concepts using clear and concise language. Next, the book offers four different levels of matwork programs, from introductory (which contains modified versions of the exercises for those just starting out and who have less flexibility), beginner (a short starter program for once you have mastered the introductory series), intermediate, and advanced.
The main highlight of this book is the full-color, 2-page (or 4-page for more complicated moves) photographic layouts for EACH exercise. Every layout provides information on repetitions, cautions, and visualizations to facilitate your performance. The wonderfully descriptive photos and accompanying narrative instructions offer a step-by-step guide on exactly how to perform each movement, while the "at a glance" section provides both a visual summary and breathing guidelines. The layouts also include a "head-to-toe checklist" which emphasizes salient points, and a final photograph offers pointers on what NOT to do during the movements. At the end of the book, there are additional exercises on using the Pilates magic circle to provide further upper body work.
If you are looking for a comprehensive guide to the Pilates method, this book (along with Brooke Siler's The Pilates Body) should be one of your top choices. Highly recommended!
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Stephanie Lechleiter (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-04 00:00>
This book far out weighs the book by Brooke Siler, Pilates Body. I found that the pictures, the descriptions, the layout, everything is FAR superior. This book has taken me to a higher level. I have gotten a lot out of Brooke's book as well, but the layout and the pictures make it the winner hands down.
I have also purchased the Classical Mat Pilates DVD that Alycea Ungaro was involved in as well as the Portable Pilates, and they are both great. The only thing I was even slightly disturbed with was the Magic Circle and the lack of information on which ones are more superior, etc.
You can buy one for either twenty-five or sixty. I have already spent more money that I had planned, but I am hooked on Pilates. They have a few web address and a small mention as to where they got their's, but even her own website doesn't sell them. The ones they had were pricey and from what I can tell the less expensive one will be fine. Hate paying for a video though that comes with it as I don't own a VCR.
The Magic Circle has me dying to get to try it out, and I believe I will have to wait for it to be ordered and shipped. For now though I am sticking to Brooke's supping series using light weights. In all fairness I also liked Brooke's listing of studios, etc. so you can find places nearby that can help as well.
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Roberta Kellum (MSL quote), Israel
<2007-01-04 00:00>
Does this book need yet another rave review?! I have purchased several books on the Pilates method, some were not the 'real' original Pilates exercises (I felt deceived), some were beautiful but lacked in-depth guidance, some had a difficult-to-use exercise section, but this book is everything you could want in a Pilates book. For learning how to do Pilates correctly in every aspect, this book provides copious tips, pointers, explanations, as well as cautions - so that you are reminded of absolutely everything you need to remember when performing these exercises. You will find step by step pictures for each exercise, plus the routine sequences themselves well laid out with the page number referenced underneath every exercise pictured in the sequence. Highly recommended. It probably deserves 6 stars. |
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Thomas Gabriel (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-04 00:00>
This book is probably the clearest explanation and illustration of how to do Pilates matwork, probably the fastest-growing form of exercise around today. Alycea Ungaro has studied and taught Pilates, and her stated purpose is to do everything short of having a teacher standing by to show the student exactly what is necessary. Pilates is a precisely-executed form of exercise, and if one doesn't do the moves properly, the exercises lose their effectiveness, and injury is possible. Ungaro uses both advice and photographs to show how the exercises are done properly, and also how not to do them. I have been doing Pilates matwork for several months, both in classes and by myself, and this book is about as accurate, clear, and authoritative as one could ask for. The results are terrific, and the book is worth several times its price. Highly recommended! |
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Beth (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-04 00:00>
"With only 10 minutes a day, you will begin to feel the effects of this method" (p.23).
Having owned this book for nearly four months, I can affirm the above statement. I started out with these Pilates exercises about 5 months after my son was born in the hopes of getting back in shape. I needed a workout that would tighten my soft postpartum abdominal muscles without a lot of daily time investment. What I found was that, in addition to a time-efficient abs workout, I actually enjoyed getting back in shape, and that my workouts really did "fly by", as Ungaro writes (p.11). I look forward to my now 15 minutes of Pilates every day and certainly feel a lot stiffer and less energetic when I do not do the exercises.
Though I was fairly fit when I started using this book, I found the exercises challenging and, in some cases, nearly impossible to complete correctly. With the illustrative photos accompanied by Ungaro's textual instruction I was advancing to the "Intermediate" section of the book after a month. I now seem to be adding a new exercise every week as I gain strength and skill in the Pilates method. Ungaro facilitates this advancement in her book by grounding the reader in "The Language of Pilates" which undergirds every exercise. Beginning in the Introductory Program, the reader learns how to perform the exercises with great control, thereby gaining strength to move on to the Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Program sections of the book. Perhaps most importantly, all of this is satisfying and even fun as I see my body becoming stronger, trimmer, and more capable.
I highly recommend this book as a postpartum fitness aid. I'm also sure that its results would be appreciated by anyone with 10 minutes a day to spare for their health. |
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Belen Alcat (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-04 00:00>
I am relatively new to Pilates. Thankfully, I had beginner's luck, due to the fact that Ungaro's Pilates: Body in Motion was one of the first two books I bought regarding Pilates. The other was not too good, but this one more than makes up for it.
In my opinion, Alycea Ungaro should be praised for writing such an useful and clear book. In the introduction, Ungaro says that "Life wreaks havoc on our bodies", due to the fact that "Our routines and habits cause us to consistently overuse specific muscles", but that Pilates can be an antidote to that. She points out that Pilates is "not a mystical cure-all", and that it is not supposed to replace other forms of exercise but rather complement them, in order to help you to "look better, perform better, and, above all, feel better".
Pilates: Body in Motion has not only good explanations besides each exercise, but also many photographs that allow the reader to understand how to perform each one correctly, and what to do to avoid the more common mistakes.
I think it is also worthwhile to highlight that this book is neatly divided into chapters, one for each program (introductory, beginner's, intermediate, advanced), and one as introduction. That helps the reader to save time, due to the fact that he can find the exercises that correspond to his level quite quickly. What is more, it also gives each person the opportunity to advance at his own pace, something we are not always able to do in a class.
On in all, I think that this is an excellent book, and I strongly recommend it to anybody who practices Pilates, or would like to practice it. You won't be disappointed. |
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1 Total 1 pages 10 items |
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