Product Description

Lyon's book is designed specifically with men in mind, at a time when the number of male Pilates practitioners has rocketed to about three million and will likely continue to grow at an exponential rate. "The Complete Book of Pilates for Men" offers an inspiring self-guided program that adapts to all experience levels and requires nothing more than floor space, an exercise mat, and the desire to look and feel your best. Lyon walks you through forty "traditional mat" and sixty-plus "reformer on the mat" exercises, each one brilliantly illustrated and accompanied by inspiring, easy-to-follow instructions. While the Pilates philosophy applies to both men and women, Lyon has tailored his program to target trouble spots for men and help them achieve a strong, lean, masculine aesthetic. Men tend to have more body strength, but less integrated strength or flexibility than women; they tend to be tighter in the shoulders, back, legs, and throughout the hips. Following the six principles of Pilates - control, center, concentration, precision, flow, and breath - Lyon offers a straightforward, time-efficient program that has proven to make men fitter, healthier, sexier, and altogether more confident. "The Complete Book of Pilates for Men" will appeal to any man who believes in self-empowerment and seeks a competitive edge in all aspects of his life.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15333 in Books
• Published on: 2006-02-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

About the Author
Daniel Lyon's first Pilates class inspired him to leave his desk job as a day trader. He trained with Joseph Pilates' oldest living protege, Romana Kryzanowska, and has been a private Pilates instructor in New York City ever since.

Customer Reviews

Excellent!
Daniel Lyons' book is clearly written and includes all Pilates mat work from beginner to advanced. As such, if you are interested in doing Pilates at home (no equipment needed), then this book is all you need!

Lyons explains that Jospeh Pilates was a boxer, and that his early clients were boxers and wrestlers. Pilates was created for men, but through the fact that dancers have found it to be so good has become a women-dominated exercise system.

The boxer/wrestler connection is actually easy to see with excercises including wrestlers neck bridges, push ups, etc.

This book is also beautifully illustrated with line drawings of the author performing each movement. Clear, detailed and succint.

If you want to strengthen your core and change your entire body in a few weeks, get this book!

A Classic book
There are some books which just stand out from the crowd and this is one of them.

If you are tired of spending money on gym memberships and fitness equipment you never use then this is the book for you.

Like anything, getting into a routine is the most difficult part, but once you do, you will feel different within a week to two weeks and look different within a month. Routines are well structured and very well illustrated with sketch type drawings which I feel are far more clear than the usual photographs. Every aspect of practice is covered with advice/sections on how to work around injuries, to being a bit overweight, to just being plain stiff :)

If you have problems with some of beginers exercises please don't be put off, as the author says "do what you can" you don't have to do every single move in each section. I had trouble with some of the moves (stiff back) but did what I could and once I had gained a bit more flexibility went back to them. Just take it easy to start with and you will be surprised how quickly you loosen up.

Well worth five stars.

Great book
This is a well written and extremely well-illustrated manual for the beginner and intermediate Pilates aficionado. It would be great if it were spiral bound, but that is a minor qualm. Lyon does warn people with various back, knee and hip problems about certain exercises and very sensibly states that if an exercise causes pain to stop immediately, but if you are a true beginner please use this to accompany your work in a class. Personal instruction will help you get the breathing technique correct and ensure that you do not overdo it. After that, this book will be a great reference and source of encouragement.