Portable Pilates

I purchased this book and CD set because I wanted something I could use when travelling. I like it a lot. The CD contains a 38-minute "slow intermediate" pilates mat class. The book contains cute illustrations of the moves as well as a checklist of form pointers. Alycea recommends that you have taken five mat classes before doing her workout. She also recommends that you follow the book as you listen to the CD before doing the workout.

The workout begins with the Hundreds, and includes moves such as the Stomach Series, the Side Series, the Teaser, Rolling Like a Ball, the Neck Pull, the Saw, Criss-Cross, Corkscrew, Swimming and the Seal. Alycea's instruction is very easy to follow for the most part, although you might want to keep the book close by the first few times until you learn the names of the moves. She has a pleasant voice, and she seems to know where you are in the move and cues accordingly. The music is a sort of New Agey-techno -- it's soothing and rhythmic, but not intrusive. There are also "audio cues" -- like soft chimes, to help cue you through the move -- almost like a sound effect, but not annoying. The only other caveat I would add is Alycea doesn't always tell you when to inhale and exhale, so it's a good idea to learn that first from a book or a more instructional video like Pilates for Dummies. In fact, I think this CD complements the beginner workout from PfD really well.

The workout ends with a non-Pilates move, the releve, which always leaves me with a floaty, calm feeling afterwards.