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.

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.

This was recommended for our class. I have one and ordered a second copy recently for a friend. It is thorough, easy to understand, and I'm addition to showing and describing the moves, it shows progressive levels of moves.

So far I like the book but noticed creased corners on some pages and some pages have a smeared text so I’m assuming this was pre-owned? Whatever, still gonna use it. I used to practice pilates for years in my 20’s through my 30’s and truly believe it is the main reason I didn’t have as many issues with my back as almost everyone in my family had surgeries and rods placed in their spine. Degenerative disc disease runs rampant in my family so I started this journey to avoid what was happening to everyone around me. At an early age I was told that I’d have a 50/50 chance of being able to walk due to how jacked my lower lumbar spine was even if I had surgery. They didn’t even know how I was walking currently and said it was a miracle. Years of adulting took a toll on me even though my core had become pretty bulletproof in a muscular way. At 50 I quit my office job that required 50+ hours of sitting under constant stress with little time to even eat a decent lunch after I was diagnosed with lupus and RA. I had to start rebuilding and self healing all over again. I became a personal trainer within a year after leaving my job and got stronger than ever. I’m a fighter. Pilates had impacted my life so much so in a positive way that I decided to refresh and refocus on this amazing way of strengthening my body even more, and incorporating it into my clients training routines. I still have a pretty strong core but lifting heavy is wearing on my spine so time to get back to the core. You will not be regret learning this method of self care. It’s amazing! The book appears well written and easy to follow. It is true “if you believe it with your mind and visualize it, it will happen”. I’m living proof with lupus and RA in remission I went from bed ridden to kicking butts. You got this!

Great book. A step by step break down for each move. I recommend buying for beginners to advance. I’m a beginner and this book has helped me to do moves better while doing my beginner Pilates workouts.