A distinctive new style of exercise combining the benefits of yoga and Pilates<BR><BR>Rediscover the strength and flexibility of your own body, and improve your stamina and balance to achieve an optimum level of fitness<BR><BR>Transform the shape of your body by strengethening your core muscles to create your own "body beautiful"<BR><BR>Dynamic sequences are graded to suit your energy levels at different times of the day<BR><BR>The postures show both easy and more advanced variations to suit your level of flexibility<BR><BR>In this exciting book Jonathan Monks fuses the essential core ideas from two disciplines - the stretching and balancing of yoga and the muscle control demanded by the Pilates technique. This new style of practice begins with the core strength of the body-the center that holds everything else together. The only essential tools are yourself, and a willingness to listen to your body and re-learn what it can do.<BR><BR>The author clearly advocates the importance of good posture and using the core strength of our bodies in our everyday lives, and describes the simple steps you can take to acquire them. The main part of the book is devoted to the individual yoga-Pilates postures, ordered in sequence, so that each pose flows to the next. For each, clear advice is given on how to extend or moderate the pose to suit all ages and levels of fitness, and special aspects or common mistakes are highlighted. The postures are then brought together in a series of sequences devised by the author for warming-up, to aid relaxation, to help energize, and to increase strength and body awareness.<BR><BR>Illustrated with over 300 beautiful photographs, Yoga-Pilates is an expert guide to an exciting fusion of two influential health disciplines, and is for anyone interested in increasing their fitness levels, and enhancing an overall sense of wellbeing.<BR><BR>Use the book on its own or alongside instruction from a certified practitioner, and enjoy a new and energized body.