The Pilates Pregnancy: Maintaining Strength, Flexibility, and Your Figure
- ISBN13: 9780738205014
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
By the author of the best-selling Pilates Powerhouse, the first guide to Pilates during and after pregnancy.
A wonderful conditioning exercise for women of all shapes and sizes, Pilates is now recognized as one of the best overall exercises for the pregnant body as well. A low-impact and relaxing exercise regimen, Pilates doesn’t divert blood flow from the growing fetus. As important, Pilates strengthens the abdominal muscles known as the “powerhouse,” making it easier for new mothers to recover from childbirth and regain their pre-pregnancy waistline.
Working with Dr. Uzzi Reiss, a prominent Los Angeles-based gynecologist and obstetrician, Mari Winsor has developed the first mat-based Pilates routine for pregnant women, bringing this time-efficient and highly effective means to get and stay in shape into the home. Illustrated with 100 black-and-white photographs, the exercises in The Pilates Pregnancy are gentle on the body and easy to do at any stage of pregnancy.Amazon.com Review
Pilates is an exceptional exercise technique for core strengthening, flexibility, and developing a lean, strong physique. But is it right for pregnancy? Yes, says Pilates trainer-to-the-stars Mari Winsor. Pilates is a safe way to reduce stress and increase comfort and balance during pregnancy. Additionally, Pilates will make your pregnancy and delivery easier, your recovery quicker, and it will benefit your baby by keeping blood circulating to the abdominal area, says obstetrician Uzzi Reiss, M.D., in the foreword.
Winsor explains Pilates concepts and techniques, with a focus on the pregnant body. Then she presents 22 to 39 exercises in each of three workouts, one for each trimester, that are most suitable for pregnant women. The exercises are described clearly and carefully in three stages–”prep” (getting in the correct position to begin), “ready” (techniques and cautions for doing the exercise correctly), and “action” (step-by-step instructions)–and are well illustrated with photos.
The Pilates Pregnancy is aimed at both novices and experienced exercisers, but since it’s difficult to learn Pilates from scratch from a book, it will be most useful for the experienced Pilates exerciser who wants a safe home workout throughout her pregnancy. –Joan Price
The Pilates Pregnancy: Maintaining Strength, Flexibility, and Your Figure
5 comments
Permalink1
Okay, here is what I think that you should know. This program works. I have had four children within the last 6 1/2 years. For three of the pregnancies, I did this workout and lost all of my pregnancy weight. In fact, with my last two pregnancies I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight within a few days to two weeks. During my second pregnancy, for multiple reasons that aren’t relevant to this review, I did not do this Pilates workout. The result? After I gave birth I was fifty pounds heavier than I was before and I still have not lost that weight gain.
I cannot comment on how traditional this Pilates workout is or whether or not “purists” will like it. What I do know is that it works. My weight stayed under control with those three pregnancies and my body was SO MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE. There were times when I would be aching, aching, aching. I would then do the workout and feel so much better – night and day difference. Don’t worry if you have never done Pilates before, I hadn’t either. The author recommends that if you have never done Pilates before, start with the second trimester workout, even if you are in your first trimester. I did that with my three pregnancies and it worked great.
My only complaint about the book is that it can be hard to figure out the written directions. At least it was for me, a person who learns by seeing and doing. I was determined to understand the exercises, though, and with my husband’s help I was able to do it. I am still giving this book five stars, however, because the workout is just that good.
Rating: 5 / 5
Permalink2
I really enjoyed the foreword of this book; great information I didn’t know. I’ve done the 2nd trimester exercises and got a good workout. I wish this were available on DVD, as turning the pages while doing a workout isn’t so convenient.
Rating: 4 / 5
Permalink3
I just bought this book a couple of weeks ago and have really been enjoying it. I feel like my posture is great after a single workout and feel very strong in my core. I always look forward to my Pilates workout.
I felt it was a little repetitive in the intro. and the beginning chapters, when the principles of Pilates, etc. are explained, but they do get their points across effectively.
I also felt they do a disservice to pregnant women by insinuating that Pilates is the only good or effective help for preventing low back pain. (p. 11) For example, they write, ‘what chiropractor will work on a pregnant woman?’ Any chiropractor I know has had a lot of training to work on pregnant women and their newborns later on. There are also other helpful resources a pregnant woman has, such as massage therapy. I realize they are trying to promote Pilates primarily, as that’s what the book is teaching, yet I think it’d be great if they would have been more open to giving a little more info. on things that would work well hand-in-hand with the Pilates exercises.
Rating: 4 / 5
Permalink4
As a Pilates instructor, I do not think this is the best book for pregnancy. There is no discussion about what is safe in each trimester, and I do not think there are enough modifications of the exercises to accommodate pregnancy (in fact, the only modified exercise is the hundreds for third trimester). Essentially, she gives the exact same exercises for each trimester and gives no information on how to modify them for an expanding belly, for safety, etc. A much better book is the Pilates Workbook for Pregnancy by King. If you already know Pilates then you dont need Winsor’s book (very basic exercises that you will already know), and if you are not familiar with Pilates you should find a more detailed, safety-oriented book for your pregnancy.
Rating: 2 / 5
Permalink5
this book is an ok book but it takes an hour or more to do all the excrecizes. also it is seperated in to each trimester that’s a good feature. but in both the second and third trimester it still has you doing excrcizes while lieing on your back. no way through each of my pregnancys my doctor has said don’t lay on your back after the 1st trimester. other than that the book is good it get’s you in shape and it dose help alot postpartum
Rating: 2 / 5