Official Body Control Pilates Manual Paperback – 11 Jan. 2002

I bought this book after doing 1-to-1 classes for over 3 months with a very good and inspiring instructor in the Body Control Method. I have benefited considerably especially with regard to general quotidian painlessness, greater flexibility and a fully mobile neck, which has all but eliminated headaches for me.The book now serves as a good aide-memoire for specific exercises, as I am wont to forgetting the names and remembering only the exercises, which makes it difficult for me to write my exercise diary. More importantly, the book is very helpful in building a work-out plan for the 4 weekdays when I do not have my 1-to-1 lesson.Using the book is easier with an understanding of the concepts and many of the starting movements. If you are beginner, I would not recommend you use the book as a short-cut. It is less a text book, more a reference book. And for that role, it gets 5 stars from me.

The Pilates Program originated in the first part of the 20th. Century by Joseph Pilates. It has developed into the Classic and Modern paths, and it is the latter that this beautifully illustrated book describes. My couch-potato wife (sorry dear, we are talking "then"), took up the "classic" with a specially designed and marketed machine AFTER reading this book. She started 3+ years ago, now does 45 minutes a day 5 days a week, Pilates Exercise...at the age of 66years. YOU'RE impressed? I'M astonished. Me ? Because of body-damage, I confine my exercise to the pool, but even so, after reading the book, I use some of the core exercises from Pilates in the Pool, and now, after three years, I am doing one mile a day, six days a week, at the age of 67. Read the book, join a class, and find out how exhilarating it can be!

Easy to understand book very good for beginners.

I reckon this is an excellent book to begin learning Pilates with. It starts you at the very basics and emphasises how important it is to build up core strength gradually before plunging into the more glamorous exercises. And it takes the trouble to explain exactly what is going on when you do them. Not only that, it provides solutions for all sorts of physical conditions and problems you are likely to encounter at work and play. It's brilliant, if you want to build up your core strength and posture, buy it.

I have been going to Pilates classes for over five years and have found it very beneficial for all my aches and pains. Bought this book so I could exercise at home. I bought a used hardback copy which arrived in excellent condition. The content is very well explained and the colour photos are brilliant. Would highly recommend for beginner or as a refresher for advanced workout

I bought this book as I was suffering from a large disc prolapse along with consequential spinal stenosis. Already doing exercises from chiropractor but wanted something more 'whole body'. Found to be very useful.

Excellent book. Provided you can get past the lipgloss and those obscene leotards which NOBODY wears, you won't be disappointed with this comprehensive resource. A revised edition wouldn't go amiss if only to update the graphics!

Good manual, very cleraly written but somehow haven't used it as much as I would have liked. The CDs get more use.