But the meat of this book is Ungaro's presentation of the Pilates mat exercises. She explains what each exercise is for and how to best approach it, as well as how it works with the other exercises in a given workout. Plus, instead of simply offering the mat exercises, Ungaro offers sequences at varying levels ranging from 15 minutes to 45 minutes.
Seriously, I am a tough sell when it comes to Pilates and fitness books. Most of them fall far short of the mark in terms of what they offer. The Pilates Practice Companion delivers in spades. Whatever level of Pilates you are at, from rank beginner to decades of experience, there is something in this book that will interest, surprise, and challenge you. Here is one of my favorite quotes from this book, as the issue of Pilates not being hard exercise comes up a lot:
Q: What if it’s not hard enough?
A: No such thing. You may not be working hard enough. Or possibly you are speeding through the hard parts of each exercise. Focus on the moves that are difficult for you. Slow down and work harder.
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