The Bottom Line
The Complete Book of Pilates for Men by Daniel Lyon is an impressive collection of Pilates mat exercise instructions. It is set up to appeal to men, but being well laid out, and clear in its instruction, it should appeal to anyone interested in strong, traditional Pilates training.
The Complete Book of Pilate for Men covers all of the traditional Pilates mat exercises, including very advanced material. I think it will appeal to a wide range of Pilates practitioners.
Pros
- A very complete representation of traditional Pilates mat exercises
- Well written with good cues
- Clear, easy to follow illustrations
- Includes exercise lists for beginner through advanced levels
- Includes the rarely taught Pilates reformer exercises on the mat
Cons
- Claims to be for all levels but is not suitable for true beginners
Description
- A comprehensive manual of traditional Pilates mat exercises
- By Daniel Lyon
- Paperback
- list price: 19.95
Guide Review - Book Review: The Complete Book of Pilates for Men
Pilates for men. Well, why not? Pilates is great for men, and men have been involved in Pilates since the beginning -- starting with Joe Pilates, of course. But let's be clear: The Pilates Method doesn't change for men. We're talking about the same exercises, and the same traditional sequence, for men or for women.
What Daniel Lyon does here is present the Pilate mat exercises in a book that has a decidedly more male tone than most Pilates books. The illustrations are of a man, the exercise cues appear under a label that reads, "the beast within" (does that appeal to men?), and overall there is a no-nonsense tone to the book. But I suspect it's the full-on way this book basically says: Here is the entire mat repertoire, here's how you work your way through it from beginner to advanced, and expect to get strong, that makes it most appealing to men.The thing is, I like it too. Exercise instructions that are both precise and concise are right up my alley. Add careful illustrations, and exacting lists in their traditional order for each level, and I think you have a Pilates book anyone, man or woman, can appreciate.
I came to this book through a unique feature it offers. It contains a section of Pilates reformer exercises adapted for the mat. This work is not taught very often. Word is that the reformer to mat work was passed on to some people through Joseph Pilates close student, Romana Kryzanowska. It is said to be very advanced, requiring much strength, and intended more for men than for women. Of course I had to try it! I attended a reformer on the mat workshop and found myself interested enough in the exercises to seek out The Complete Book of Pilate for Men. If you are interested in the reformer to mat exercise, this book will be a good reference for you.
