Walk in Dry Places or Abs on the Ball

Walk in Dry Places

Author: Mel B

For many people involved in Twelve Step recovery, there is always a need for the basics. Walk in Dry Places provides this solid insight and support. Written in the classic style of early meditation books, Walk in Dry Places refocuses on the basics of Twelve Step recovery. The meditations are written in a clear and graceful voice and convey the gentle, no-nonsense attitude of an old timer.

Each page contains a daily recovery topic along with an insightful exploration of the day's topic and a one sentence "Goal for the Day." Full of basic AA meeting philosophy, Walk in Dry Places offers daily support to anyone seeking help in staying sober one day at a time.

Book review: The Creating Brain or Food Fuel Fitness

Abs on the Ball: A Pilates Approach to Building Superb Abdominals

Author: Colleen Craig

In Abs on the Ball Colleen Craig, author of the bestselling Pilates on the Ball, reveals why the exercise ball is unmatched as a tool for building superb abdominal strength. Abs on the Ball uses a Pilates approach: a unique exercise method famous for building long, sculpted muscles and a strong back and abdominal core. In this groundbreaking book Craig shows how traditional sit-ups and “ab” machines actually limit the degree to which abdominal muscles can be trained and can even aggravate lower back pain and neck tension. In contrast, the very mobility of the exercise ball targets underutilized muscles, recruiting both deep and superficial abdominal muscle fibers to give rapid results.

Abs on the Ball presents a selection of over 100 innovative exercises, including many of the key powerhouse-builders from the Pilates Method adapted specifically to large and small exercise balls, to enhance the Pilates matwork for the beginner or the seasoned athlete. Step-by-step instructions are detailed in more than 250 photographs. The author also offers 15- and 30-minute workouts for all ability levels. These workouts not only build the abdominal core but also strengthen and train deep muscles in order to soothe low-back pain and increase overall body strength, balance, and coordination.

Whether you are looking to tighten your abdominals, improve your sports performance, support your lower back, or simply feel strong and toned in your body, the innovative and complete system presented in Abs on the Ball will guide you in reaching your goals--in less time than you imagined.

COLLEEN CRAIG is a Certified StottPilates Trainer and a writer who developed a unique body conditioning technique by adapting the Pilates Method to the exercise ball. She lives in Toronto and teaches workshops throughout the world.

Publishers Weekly

Craig preempts reader doubts about the need for her latest fitness-on-the-ball book with a first chapter called "Why Another Book on Abdominal Conditioning?" Here, she explains the drawbacks of some traditional abdominal conditioning methods, the implications of recent research, the benefits of the Joseph H. Pilates method of core strengthening and the ways that an exercise ball enhances an abdominal workout. Then Craig takes the reader from the fundamentals of Pilates-based abdominal work on a ball (from breathing to body parts) and on to basic, intermediate and advanced exercises. The book concludes with a series of 15 and 30-minute workouts incorporating moves described in previous chapters. Black-and-white photos clearly illustrate how each exercise should be done, making this book appropriate even for those with a limited fitness vocabulary. 150 b&w illustrations. (June) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

The Pilates Method of exercise considers the abdominal area to be the body's powerhouse and claims that its proper conditioning can result in optimum movement and enhanced stability. Noted Pilates instructor Craig (Pilates on the Ball) presents a unique approach to abdominal conditioning by adapting Pilates techniques to exercise balls. The result is a fun but challenging workout that can be incorporated into any fitness regimen. Craig covers more than 80 illustrated exercises, which require concentration and balance to perform with a ball. She explains that traditional exercises, like sit-ups or those using machines, may limit development to only the larger abdominal muscles. However, the exertion required to maintain these postures on the mobile surface of an exercise ball should recruit both deep and superficial abdominal muscles for a superior workout. Craig offers good advice on form and breathing and explains the purpose of each exercise in a reader-friendly format that encompasses easy, intermediate, and advanced levels. Full of sound guidance, her book brings a fresh element to fitness training that will complement basic exercise collections in both public and academic libraries.-Deborah Anne Broocker, Georgia Perimeter Coll., Dunwoody Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Table of Contents:

Abs On the Ball
A Pilates Approach to Building Superb Abdominals

1. Why Another Book on Abdominal Conditioning?

The Problem with Traditional "Ab Conditioning"
Learning from the Latest Research
The Pilates Powerhouse
The Ball As Perfect Partner

2. Abs on the Ball Fundamentals

The Breath: A Crucial Starting Point
The Key Player: Transversus Abdominis
Connecting Navel to Spine9
The Pelvic Floor: The "Elevator" at the Bottom of the Powerhouse
Neutral Pelvis
Inside Out
Everyday Abs
Quality, Not Quantity

3. Final Points

The Right Ball for You
Helpful Hints and Precautions
One Final Word

4. Basic Abs on the Ball

Practicing the Fundamentals
Back Breathing • Neutral Pelvis Lying on the Mat • Lifting the Head off the Mat • Connecting Navel to Spine • Pelvic Floor Exercise

The Basic Abs on the Ball Exercises
Ab Curls with Small Ball • Half Roll-up with Arm Stretch and Tabletop Legs • Small Extensions on Small Ball • Half Roll Down • Rolling Like a Ball • Single Leg Stretch • Oblique Twists • Sidework with Small Ball • Hip Rolls with Small Ball • Hip Rolls with Leg Extensions • Ab Curls on Small Ball • The Waterfall • Hips Rolls on Large Ball • Hip Rolls with Balance • Ab Curls on Large Ball • Walk Up and Down • Rolling from Side to Side • Ball Balance

5. Intermediate Abs on the Ball

Practicing the Fundamentals
Neutral Spine Sitting • Find the Core Sitting • Knee Lift Stabilizing Exercise on Small Ball

The Intermediate Abs on the Ball Exercises
Full Roll-up • Double Leg Stretch • Teaser Prep • Lower and Lift • Leg Pull-up and Bicycle • Spine Twist • Leg Circles, Bicycle, and Scissors in Air • On Elbows • Thigh and Ankle Squeeze and Supported Swan • Bend and Stretch • Backward Crunch • Hip Lift • Back Extensions on Knees • Side Raises • Side Crunches • Planks • Side Shell with Kick • Arabesque • Tabletop Balance • Body Openers

6. Advanced Abs on the Ball

Practicing the Fundamentals
One Leg Standing • Opposite Hand and Foot

The Advanced Abs on the Ball Exercises
The Hundred • Roll Over • Corkscrew • Side Bridge on Small Ball • Boomerang • Rocking Horse Extension • Scissors • Teaser • Sidebend and Twist • Side-twist Plank • The Pike • Single Leg Shell • Kneeling Side Lifts • The Star • Ports de Bras • Plank with Hands on the Ball • Kneel on the Ball

7. The Short Workouts
Fifteen-minute Basic Abs Workout
Thirty-minute Basic Abs Workout
Fifteen-minute Intermediate Abs Workout
Thirty-minute Intermediate Abs Workout
Fifteen-minute Advanced Abs Workout
Thirty-minute Advanced Abs Workout

Resources

Ball and Video Ordering Information

Acknowledgments