Rating: 
Summary: Covers all aspects of a pilates workout
Review: Get 'The Pilates Body' by Brooke Siler not this book.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: I agree with the other reviewers that you can get a very well rounded program put together and you can feel marvelous afterwards. What you can't get from this book is the exact positioning, the feedback from someone watching you to make sure your shoulders don't slump and you have your knees bent correctly. You can only get that from one on one instruction and with Pilates that's the only way to truly get the real benefits. Just as everyone saids its costly. You may be able to supplement one on one with videos and the books. You might want to get a couple of lessons to get started so you understand body positioning and its importance, then get videos (someone mentioned Jennifer Kries and she is excellent I have most of her tapes) and then you might want to get a couple of books, this being one of them. I would periodically go and get Pilates instruction to make sure I am not developing any bad habits, etc. Another reviewer mentioned a pet peeve of mine and that is the fact that our government allowed an individual to copy right the name Pilates. It's ridiculous and they weren't allowed to do that in Europe. There are some excellent tapes in Britain which can't be sold here because of the copy right issue and it's a shame. It's expensive because they have the market cornered and I don't like that at all, it's not fair competition. I have attended instruction with groups and one on one where they emphasize they are based on the teachings of Pilates which is how they get around the copy right issue. Look for those in your area and you'll find they are cheaper and doing the very same exercises but they have to call them something else. Try this book you will definitely find it useful.
Rating: 
Summary: Most thorough book on the market
Review: I believe that I have every pilates book published to date, including Mari Winsor's book. I have been following the pilates mat routine for a few years and have found this book to be the most complete. Mat exercises are explained in a clear concise manner and equipment exercises are also shown. The Pilates method of exercise is incomplete without providing information beyond the mat. No other book (that I have found) explains the equipment and the exercises that can be performed by using the various pilate tools. In addition, the authors provide alternatives for some of the equipment, for example- one may use a ball for the Magic Circle or pillows for the barrels. I do not believe that this book is merely a way to sell expensive exercise equipment as mentioned in another review.
Rating:
Summary: Great Pilates Reference Book
Review: I have been taking 2 hr. private Pilates classes weekly since August working toward becoming a Pilates Guild (TM) Certified Instructor. I guess I'm a "purist" and am convinced the original method and standard of training is the best way to go. Like it or not, there is no substitute for instruction by a properly certified instructor. Working on your own is certainly better than nothing, but there's no way you can achieve precision without hands on help. That's not a sales pitch for expensive equipment or classes. It's a statement of fact. One of the main principles of Pilates is precision to get the most benefit. I have 8 Pilates books written in the US and in England, but the one I continually refer to is The Pilates Method of Body Conditioning. I like the fact that it is to the point and doesn't add needless verbage. It's clear and concise and is the only book I've seen that includes how to use equipment as well as mat work. Exercises on the equipment aren't essential, but I feel I gain a lot by working on it. The book also lists certified instructors, where to buy equipment, and certifying centers, as well as specialized routines for special needs. By the way, recent litigation overturned the trademark and has declared Pilates to be a generic term, which means that anybody doing anything even remotely like Pilates can legally call it that and charge the same as someone properly certified. Also, some "certifications" consist of a seminar or 2 days of testing as opposed to 3 5-day seminars, 3 levels of testing, and a 600 hour apprenticeship. Which instructor would you rather have train you? BUYER (i. e. student) BEWARE! Ask 1) Is the instructor certified and 2) What did the certification process involve? Good Luck!
Rating:
Summary: Great Pilates Reference Book
Review: I have been taking 2 hr. private Pilates classes weekly since August working toward becoming a Pilates Guild (TM) Certified Instructor. I guess I'm a "purist" and am convinced the original method and standard of training is the best way to go. Like it or not, there is no substitute for instruction by a properly certified instructor. Working on your own is certainly better than nothing, but there's no way you can achieve precision without hands on help. That's not a sales pitch for expensive equipment or classes. It's a statement of fact. One of the main principles of Pilates is precision to get the most benefit. I have 8 Pilates books written in the US and in England, but the one I continually refer to is The Pilates Method of Body Conditioning. I like the fact that it is to the point and doesn't add needless verbage. It's clear and concise and is the only book I've seen that includes how to use equipment as well as mat work. Exercises on the equipment aren't essential, but I feel I gain a lot by working on it. The book also lists certified instructors, where to buy equipment, and certifying centers, as well as specialized routines for special needs. By the way, recent litigation overturned the trademark and has declared Pilates to be a generic term, which means that anybody doing anything even remotely like Pilates can legally call it that and charge the same as someone properly certified. Also, some "certifications" consist of a seminar or 2 days of testing as opposed to 3 5-day seminars, 3 levels of testing, and a 600 hour apprenticeship. Which instructor would you rather have train you? BUYER (i. e. student) BEWARE! Ask 1) Is the instructor certified and 2) What did the certification process involve? Good Luck!
Rating: 
Summary: Very disappointed
Review: I have wanted to learn pilates for a long time, and I was very disappointed in Gallagher's book. The book is somewhat "cold" and does not present the mental/visual aspect of Pilates' system at all. Also, the "program" in the back progresses too quickly for the movements to be learned correctly, and nessecitates the purchase of thousands of dollars in equipment. There was too much information to concentrate on for each exercise because I didn't have the background necessary to understand what was being said. I followed the book for a few days before I got so completely frustrated that I gave up, deciding that Pilates will always remain an elitest discipline because of the prohibitive cost of the equipment and personal lessons. Then Brooke Siler's book "The Pilates Body" came along. She may make "acknowledgements" to Gallagher in the beginning, but their approaches could not be more different. She provides the background information, mental aspect and encouragement necessary to begin on your own. Her book also uses NO equipment, totally suitable for home users teaching themselves. If you are looking for a reference book on Pilates, Gallagher's is fine, but if you actually want to learn Pilates, push back on your browser and find Siler's book, you'll save yourself money and frustration, (and get AWESOME ABS! -- yeah, I know why you're here...)
Rating:
Summary: Very disappointed
Review: I have wanted to learn pilates for a long time, and I was very disappointed in Gallagher's book. The book is somewhat "cold" and does not present the mental/visual aspect of Pilates' system at all. Also, the "program" in the back progresses too quickly for the movements to be learned correctly, and nessecitates the purchase of thousands of dollars in equipment. There was too much information to concentrate on for each exercise because I didn't have the background necessary to understand what was being said. I followed the book for a few days before I got so completely frustrated that I gave up, deciding that Pilates will always remain an elitest discipline because of the prohibitive cost of the equipment and personal lessons. Then Brooke Siler's book "The Pilates Body" came along. She may make "acknowledgements" to Gallagher in the beginning, but their approaches could not be more different. She provides the background information, mental aspect and encouragement necessary to begin on your own. Her book also uses NO equipment, totally suitable for home users teaching themselves. If you are looking for a reference book on Pilates, Gallagher's is fine, but if you actually want to learn Pilates, push back on your browser and find Siler's book, you'll save yourself money and frustration, (and get AWESOME ABS! -- yeah, I know why you're here...)
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointed
Review: I love Pilates and have several books on the subject. I would have thought the person initiating the law suit would have had a much better book on his subject. I feel I wasted my money on the item. There are far to many good Pilates books around then to waste money on this book. Not enough of the excerises are presented - there are far more beginner excerises which should have been included. This book is incomplete at best.
Rating:
Summary: Covers all aspects of a pilates workout
Review: I really like this book. I have several other books on pilates, and this one is my favorite. It covers matwork, reformer, barrels, wall, cadillac, chair, and circle work. Most other books only focus on one aspect, such as matwork. People have complained that this book talks too much about pilates equipment, but the truth is, pilates is based on using many types of equipment, and this book discusses exercises for each apparatus. Frankly, the book would be incomplete if it didn't discuss the equipment. This book contains excellent pictures and descriptions for each exercise, along with telling you which part of the body you are working and the benefits. If you want to have a full pilates experience (not just matwork), this book is the ticket!
Rating: 
Summary: Good overview, but not ideal for building a home practice
Review: This book provides a good overview of the Pilates method for those interested in learning about performing a wide range of Pilates movements using various types of Pilates equipment. However, because the average Pilates practitioner is unlikely to purchase most of the equipment featured, this book is less effective for those looking to build a home-based Pilates practice consisting mainly of matwork. The information provided is clear and datailed, and as always, the photographs of Joseph Pilates at various ages are inspiring. Still, most casual Pilates enthusiasts are likely to derive more practical information from a book such as Brooke Siler's The Pilates Body.
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