Maui Pilates: Abs Made Easy

This is a very slow, very easy series of moves. You start off with leisurely shoulder rolls, breathing, neck stretches and some light forward bending. Then Bondar takes you through some basic, very easy core work, mainly using modified Pilates moves. You finish off with some back conditioning, including Cobra and Downward Facing Dog from Yoga. This routine was perfect for me when I was recovering from a painful muscle sprain. When I had healed enough to start exercising again, it gave me a good assessment of what was working okay, and which areas still needed help. I was able to move through these exercises without worrying about jerking around and reinjuring myself, and the moves felt very healing to my still-tender muscles. This DVD would be great for anyone who needs a gentle approach to exercise — beginners, older people, and anyone who just wants gentle stretching. My injury is better now and I’m back to my usual intermediate-level exercises, so this DVD is now a little too gentle for me. But it was just the right thing to help me get back up to speed.