Pilates is one of the fastest growing exercise trends. Now Ellie Herman, a renowned Pilates instructor and author, shows how to make Pilates more interesting and enjoyable. In this book, she introduces the reader to popular workout accessories that expand and amplify Pilates matwork exercises. This book details each prop's unique characteristics and explains how it can enhance Pilates in its own way; the magic circles tone arms, the small ball held between the legs shapes thighs, the foam roller...
Elite athletes have long relied on personalised stretching programmes to improve flexibility and prevent injury. What you might not know is that many of those targeted stretches have a much broader application, one that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine. "Prescriptive Stretching" features full-colour anatomical illustrations and step-by-step instructions for 40 of the most effective stretches to eliminate pain, alleviate muscle soreness, improve balance and flexibility and preve...
Improve your balance, strength, focus, and martial skills with this elegant and effective Chinese weapon, from America's most respected author and teacher of Shaolin Gong Fu. Mastering the Art of the Northern Shaolin Sword requires extensive physical training, which will result in a strong, finely-tuned body and mind. And as self-defense, Shaolin Sword is indispensable, improving your perception, timing, and reactions, allowing for the quickest and most appropriate response to any given situatio...
Honorable Mention - 2014 Eric Hoffer Award This book offers beginner a smart way to learn qigong (chi kung), the ancient Chinese system of gentle breathing, stretching, and strengthening movements. You will use the Eight Pieces of Brocade, one of the most popular qigong healing exercise sets, to improve your overall health and well-being. Commonly known in China as the Ba Duan Jin, these exercises have been practiced for over 1,000 years. Choose the sitting set, the standing set, or both. Lear...
Over the course of several centuries the Ancient Masters practiced and pondered the mystery and purpose of Tai Chi Chuan, preserving their profound insights in songs and poems. Shrouded in secrecy, these songs and poems were closely guarded jewels and have only been revealed to the public this century. Now, you can reap the benefits of centuries of wisdom and practical experience to deepen and refine your Tai Chi Chuan. Discover ways to reach the essence of your Form and take your Push Hands (a...
Improve physical performance and overall health with these simple 15-minute stretches. Do you need quick yet effective stretches for a leaner, more flexible, stronger you? Then you’ll love these four 15-minute workout plans for beginners. This exercise book is filled with easy workouts to improve posture, strengthen muscles and help with injury recovery — and it includes sciatic stretches! Here’s what you’ll find inside: • Four illustrated step-by-step sequences: morning stretches, postu...
Push Hands is the "other" part of tai chi that makes your practice a true living art Tai chi push hands practice is a necessary next step for tai chi practitioners who wish to make their art come alive. Push hands practice requires two people to engage in a variety of "light touch" moving and walking routines. By practicing these movements, practitioners begin to develop tai chi's sensing, listening, and yielding skills. Combined, these skills are the first step for developing your tai chi as a...
In the hierarchy of life, breath always wins. It persists 22,000 times daily, but you get to decide whether the way you breathe is to your benefit or detriment. Breath becomes compromised by stress, disease, and the environmental trappings of progress; you can still breathe under this pressure, but it leads to poor breathing habits that slowly whittle away at your health. In Body by Breath, bestselling author Jill Miller takes you on a journey through your breathing body and presents more than...
#1 Bestseller! From Canadian fitness pioneer, bestselling author and PBS star Miranda Esmonde-White, the definitive Essentrics stretching and strengthening book, designed to keep your body strong, mobile and pain-free whatever your age. Miranda Esmonde-White's fitness revolution began with a simple insight: many exercise programs, including the ones she used to teach at her own studio, actually cause injury and prematurely age the body, bulking muscles and restricting joints. Throwing out the i...
Deepen your practice and discover the myths, gods, sacred animals and imagery that lie hidden in your favourite yoga postures Meet the monks and maharajas, gods and gymnasts who shaped yoga as we know it. Have you ever wondered why yoga postures look the way they do, or how they got their names? From Lotus to Warrior, Cobra to Happy Baby, this book takes a fresh look at the stories behind 30 familiar poses. By drawing in on Hindu scripture, mythology and the animals, birds and flowers the or...