15 Minute Everyday Pilates (Book and DVD) [Paperback]

Alycea Ungaro (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 3, 2007

No time to exercise? No problem! DK's new 15-Minute Fitness series gives you all the tools you need to squeeze regular exercise into your life. This fantastic new format offers: four detailed gatefolds for easy, step-by-step instruction; a DVD to walk you through each routine; and a fully-illustrated, fully-annotated book to help you perfect your technique. Choose one of four complete mini-workouts each day to target a specific part of the body, and to strengthen, stretch, and build your way to a more toned, more healthy you.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Alycea Ungaro is a licensed physical therapist and runs the Real Pilates Studio in New York City. Her mantra, "Making Pilates available for Everyone", has led her to create products for cell phones and iPods, and even to collaborate with Puma to create a special Pilates shoe. Alycea is the author of DK's Pilates: Body in Motion (2002) and The Pilates Promise (2004). She lives in the USA. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: DK ADULT; Pap/DVD edition (December 3, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0756633575
• ISBN-13: 978-0756633578
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #367,880 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #81 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Exercise & Fitness > Pilates
  • #89 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Exercise & Fitness > Quick Workouts

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

85 of 115 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More user-friendly Pilates from Alycea Ungaro, February 23, 2008

By 

dnk "dnkboston" (Boston, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: 15 Minute Everyday Pilates (Book and DVD) (Paperback)

Alycea Ungaro has once again set a new standard for accessible yet authentic Pilates instruction for the home exerciser. As in her last release, The Pilates Promise, she uses smaller workouts to help introduce Pilates to the new (or time-crunched) exerciser). Here, however, she extends the at-a-glance guides into what she calls a "gatefold"- two consecutive pages that open out into a four page spread with the workout. While I had no complaints about the guides she used in her previous books, this is much easier to see and use.

The workouts themselves have a slightly different twist from her previous works: definitely in the Classical Pilates tradition, but with some preparatory additions (though I can be as much of a purist snob as anyone else, I think I've even heard of Romana doing this). However, while the sequencing is traditional, it is definitely slanted toward the beginner or low intermediate exerciser- many movements, such as the Teaser, are modified down, but few are modified up.

From the more advanced exerciser's point of view, Ungaro compensates for that somewhat by including some very rarely seen exercises, either from the Mat, Standing or Reformer-on-Mat sequences. The majority of those show up in the weights series (e.g., the Lunges) or the "functional fitness" workout, (e.g., the Splits). At the very least, they're a great way to incorporate variety into your Pilates routine.

While Ungaro previously used a Magic Circle in her other books and even an optional Pilates bar, here the only pieces of equipment required are a well-cushioned mat and hand weights; in other words, even more accessible for the average home exerciser.

The workouts themselves are: Day by Day, which is a modified version of the classical syllabus most Pilates practioners are familiar with (the Hundred through the Stomach Series, plus some other classics, although, again, movements like the Hundred and the Roll Up are modified); From the Top Down, which uses handweights and has a more immediate upper body emphasis, but also works the lower body if done properly; From the Bottom Up, which includes much of the well-known Side Kicks series as well as the modified Teaser and a few weightless upperbody movements); and Up, Up and Away, the functional fitness workout which includes a differently modified Hundred, some Rowing exercises, some spinal twists, some modified Reformer movements and the rarely seen Footwork and Splits series).

Because I have been doing Pilates for years, I would probably turn to the last workout the most because of the different movements. However, Ungaro also provides sample schedules for people who would like to incorporate all of the workouts into their weeks, with different time constraints- another very useful guide.

As for the DVD, each workout takes the promised fifteen minutes, although experienced practitioners could probably perform them more quickly. Ungaro has a pleasant onscreen delivery in voice over- patient, warm, but to the chase. I think many people who want to get started with Pilates and need an AV guide would find her suitable.

This a great addition to the library of beginning and intermediate Pilates home-practitioners, but advanced students may want to look at Ungaro's older books.

39 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything you would expect and more., February 12, 2008

By 

Stephanie J. Trillo (Winston Salem, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: 15 Minute Everyday Pilates (Book and DVD) (Paperback)

I have been a big fan of Alycea Ungaro, for years I have purchased her books and the Classical Pilates DVD's that she collaborates on. This book/DVD combo is great. Thank you for finally giving us a book that can really open out and show everything step by step.

This is interactive Pilates, between the book and the DVD it is near impossible to not know your exact form and the page references are nice. Even though I have practiced Pilates for years I still found myself pausing and checking the book to make sure I knew what I was suppose to be doing. (Especially with the arm series which had many new exercises for me.)

The first workout is really a Pilates prep or reset. Where you get back to the basics and even into pre-basics.

The second workout is more about upper body w/ light weights.

The third workout focuses on the leg series and lower body.

The forth workout is more of a full body workout that is more intense than the first workout.

Since these are all 15 minute workouts, its easy to fit them into your day. I have been doing 15 mins in the morning after my cardio with a PM session to get the full 30 mins into my daily work week. Then on Saturdays I'll do 30-60 mins depending on how much time I have.

I liked this Book/DVD combo so much I have come back to purchase a copy for my mother.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book - more than enough information to get you started., July 6, 2009

By 

S. Viaene (Tigard, Or USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: 15 Minute Everyday Pilates (Book and DVD) (Paperback)

I have done a lot of different styles of workouts, but not Pilates. Recently my doctor recommended I get some Pilates training and workouts, so this book does a great job of going into the details, so the CD workouts can be followed with correct posture and breathing. The 15 min workouts can be linked together to make a longer session, or taken on one at a time. Great explanations and photos to get you going.