In a genre boasting more Pilates fanatics than Joseph P. could ever have imagined, Rael Pilates is one of the best programs I've seen. Instructor Rael Isacowitz, celebrated dancer, quarter-century-long Pilates master, and renowned “teacher of teachers,” here blends old-school Pilates form with modern postures to create a beginner's workout that focuses on proper breathing and correct alignment for the seven fundamental Pilates positions essential in mastering more progressively challenging poses. Articulate and passionate, Isacowitz illustrates each pose either himself or with model Kristi Cooper-White (positioned on a massage table), including the pelvis curl, chest lift, spine stretch, roll up, side leg lifts, and the basic swan, creating a workout that combines exact form with increasing muscle flexibility, balance, and endurance. Isacowitz's example of the pelvis curl--slowly integrating each vertebra of the spine from the neck down to the pelvis in an undulating roll--is an incredible display of graceful physicality and learned discipline between the body and mind. Shot in high definition, with excellent camera angles and nicely matched music, this program feels like an intimate one-on-one class with a master. The other titles in the series are Rael Pilates System 17 and Rael Pilates System 27. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: P. (N. Plympton)
Rael Pilates System 7
(2003) 28 min. DVD: $9.99. Razor Digital Entertainment (avail. from most distributors). Color cover. ISBN: 1-59552-093-7. Volume 20, Issue 2
Rael Pilates System 7
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