101 Ways to Work Out on the Ball: Sculpt Your Ideal Body with Pilates, Yoga and More

This book has colored pictures that are large and easy to follow. The instructions are clear and easy to understand. The exercises are labeled as beginner, all levels, advanced, etc. There are variations to many exercises, which is great. Overall I am happy with my purchase.

Liz Gillies goes into a bit of background on the theoretical stuff. Although most of the exercises are not new, what stands out is the sense of fun she has when working out with the exercise ball, making it less work & more play. This makes me want to do more of them, & more often. This, coupled with exercises' effectiveness, has already made a difference in my posture & the way I carry myself, after only 3 weeks of 3x a week exercise. Thanks Liz. About that cat stance on the ball... I did it! Only for less than a second though, but in time...

I love this book...it covers all my needs for exercising on the ball so far. 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.

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! I makes me look smart!

Elizabeth Gillies, known previously for her work on instructional videos/DVDs for Pilates and the balance ball, has an extensive background in movement, including ballet, modern dance, Pilates and even performing with a circus. She's taken all of that and translated many familiar exercises to the stability ball (as well as invented a few of her own). Gillies' training in anatomy and years of instruction really show here. She uses clear, descriptive language as well as many tips and cues that immediately help the reader figure out what muscles they should (and shouldn't) be activating. While there are a lot of books out there for the stability ball (both Pilates-based and "gym-style"), this book does manage to break some new ground. The sections that use handweights and her dance-based exercises are very different from anything else out there- Gillies' deserves credit for her innovativeness and originality. The book itself is very attractive, with glossy photography and clear sherbet tones. It's a joy to read through and follow along with. She's also created ten different easy to follow exercise menus to choose from if you need a quick reference (I certainly do). The only drawback is that this is low on yoga-based exercises- not a big deal, but it is mentioned in the title. However, I think someone using this book will find more than enough to make up for that.