I have been practicing yoga for many years so I didn't feel like I got a lot out of this book. It seemed like just more yoga exercises and not really anything new.

I love the way this is broken down with different workouts with different needs. It’s easy to read and understand with attention paid to breathing, trigger points and other things needed for success. ( )

I must've been curious or interested in this, since I requested it, but I'm not sure why: while I've engaged in yoga and Pilates at intervals, I don't tend to find books about physical activity either interesting or helpful. This particular book didn't change my opinion. Each exercise/activity includes an illustration or two, and the written descriptions are straightforward. The proposed 28-day plans look reasonable enough, if nothing fancy. So, this isn't a terrible option, if you are interested in trying out this sort of activity and would like suggestions to get started.

On the other hand, the rest of the book is superfluous and perhaps questionable: there's a potted history of Pilates (both the person and his exercise scheme), some claims about efficacy, and a vague "chronic pain story" of the presumably pseudonymous author. Footnotes appear at random intervals, along with Amazon affiliate links to suggested resources. The source of the illustrations is not credited, and the cover image comes from freepik (though at least it's cited). The author does not claim to be a certified instructor or provide any educational or professional background. While these aren't serious problems, they don't increase my confidence in this book.

I was given a free copy of this workout book by Luna Light via LibraryThing. This is a great book for beginners. The book has pictures and descriptions. It is also divvied into different subjects depending on out what you are interested in such as toning, flexibility and strength. I like that Luna is always encouraging by saying do what you can. There are some simple moves and some much harder ones. I am excited to start the workout. ( )

The 28-day challenge has info on what set of exercises to choose and info on the audience it's targeted for. The primer is a good foundation for beginners and those who have limited space or have physical challenges that prevent them from tackling a more robust pilates or other exercise programs. The set of selected routines are a good beginner list that goes with the goal and illustrations that are informative. ( )