The Pilates Powerhouse: The Perfect Method of Body Conditioning for Strength, Flexibility, and the Shape You Have Always Wanted in Less Than a

Even though I'd read some discouraging reviews about "Pilates Powerhouse," I went ahead and bought it anyway. I am not disappointed. If you have a rudimentary knowledge of the basics of breathing while exercising and have a working knowledge of proper form, you will be just fine using the book. Yes, it is a bit difficult to follow along with a book while performing mildly complicated moves, so I suggest you hold the book in one hand and practice the move as though you were practicing a simple dance step. You will have to go through the routine a few times to get the "feel" for what you're doing, and concentrate on the breathing, but if you're embarking on any new and uncharted territory, it won't be easy from the get-go. If it is, you're probably doing it wrong. I liked the way I felt while performing the moves. The cool thing is is that when I first bought the book, I haughtily thought that what she was doing in those pictures looked pretty easy. I was pleasantly deceived. It's hard to keep your lower back flat on the floor while your shoulders and limbs are off the floor! Made me pretty sore! I look forward to continuing my home-schooling in Pilates, and am happy I bought this book.

I take Pilates lessons, I have this book & I have a video. These lessons, the layouts, the organization is FANTASTIC. They are NOT randomly put together, but work one group to another. They incorporate BASIC, INTERMEDIATE then ADVANCED moves where they belong in the Pilates ROUTINE.Like a gestalt -another Germanic concept!- Pilates is about learning MANY THINGS, which are easy in themselves but more complex taken together. You can perform a fabulous routine with this book. You can improve: posture, muscle density & flexibility, joint support, breathing, AND subsequently improve your sex life.BUT! Eventually, you will want to pair this book with lessons to advance your technique. It isn't BANG!BANG!BANG! lifting weights: posture, slowness, control & precision are required to reap the BEST results. Every Pilates exercise is about: encouraging muscle-health by learning proper breathing & stretching; stablizing the trunk of the body by retraining abdominal muscles; supporting joints & large muscles by activating small muscles into daily use; and, maximizing the use of large muscles by retraining the PATTERN of muscle use in daily activities.READ the book introduction, and the exercises will make more sense.Good luck! its WORTH THE TIME & EFFORT. It is an EXCELLENT band-aid if you DON'T have a Pilates trainer on hand.THIS BOOK IS FANTASTIC! WARNING: Pilates is HABIT-FORMING! Eventually, you will want a LIVE training class!

If you are interested in learning about the pilates method, this is a great book for you. Mari gives very precise and easy to follow instructions along with pictures of each movement. The book outlines the entire pilates mat workout with each exercise marked to indicate it's level of difficulty... beginners, intermediate and advanced. As with learning anything new, learning pilates takes time, practice and persistence. It is not easy to master pilates, but this book gives good and clear instructions to get you started.

Pilates was hard for me to 'get'. I think that Pilates exercises should really be taught (in person) by a certified experienced instructor. The exercises would be impossible for me to properly learn via book, owing to their very precise nature. I could easily do them incorrectly without my trainer's assistance. I've been looking for a book to use at home, as a guide for a mat workout. This book is the best I've found for using in conjunction with classes. It outlines a whole mat workout, and differentiates exercises by beginner, intermediate, and advanced. The photographs of Mari are clear. The exercises sometimes are explained on two pages so you have to turn the page while you're working, which interrupts the flow a bit.Pilates works, but it must be done properly. Mari Winsor knows her stuff and provides an enthusiastic and warm guide for home use.