The publication in 1934 of Yang Chengfu's book, Essence and Applications of Taijiquan (Taijiquan Tiyong Quanshu) marked a milestone in the modern evolution of the art of taijiquan. Using what is best-termed demonstration narrative, the author presents form postures and suggested applications from his own perspective, as he performed them. This methodology renders Yang Chengfu's direct, hands-on teaching of the art with such immediacy and liveliness that the reader experiences the master's teaching much as his students did.
This English translation finally makes Yang Chengfu's classic work available to taijiquan enthusiasts in the West. It includes notes and commentary that clarify the author's frequent classical and literary turns of phrase and elucidate the philosophical and political underpinnings that shape the text. The translator investigates and compares several early taijiquan books in order to help explain the roles played by two of Yang Chengfu's students, Dong Yingjie and Zheng Manqing, in bringing Yang Chengfu's words and teachings into print.
Serious students of taijiquan, and those wishing to deepen their knowledge of taijiquan history and theory, will find this seminal work indispensable to their study and practice.

Discover the natural strength of the female body, awaken your inner power and enjoy a happy, healthy, confident pre and postnatal experience with this inspiring, stereotype-shattering book. In The StrongLikeMum Method, pre and postnatal fitness expert and mum of four Shakira Akabusi accompanies you on your pregnancy journey and throughout the first year of motherhood to help you tap into the full power of your body and mind with accessible exercise and wellness advice. The benefits of leading an active lifestyle are so much greater than the aesthetic goals we're bombarded with almost everywhere we turn. This book will unlock secrets that have been hidden in history and show how the female body has adapted and changed to become the powerful force it is today. As well as easy-to-follow exercises, Shakira's empowering StrongLikeMum Method provides advice on nutrition, the power of sleep, language and ways to adopt a positive mindset. Whether you are a first-time mum or a mother to two or more and whether you are hoping to enjoy an active pregnancy or wish to recover effectively postpartum, this book has been written to give you a full understanding of what your body and mind are capable of during and after pregnancy. It will give you the tools to understand your own body and instill the confidence to sustain a fit, healthy and happy lifestyle inside and out.

Allison Westfahl's Core Envy will tone and sculpt your abs, back, stomach, and sides-and build a strong, sexy core you'll love showing off. Her Core Envy program solves the problems other abs programs ignore with a three-part approach to slim down and tone up. You'll clean up your diet, fire up your metabolism, and tighten up all the muscles of your core without a gym or equipment. In just three weeks, you'll start seeing results. Westfahl is an acclaimed personal trainer who developed her effective core sculpting program for women at several of the nation's most prestigious health clubs. Her clients came to her because they were frustrated by traditional abs programs that involved impossible diets, endless cardio and crunches, sketchy supplements, and tedious calorie counting. Allison's 8-week Core Envy program is a better way to tone and sculpt. Core Envy lays out a triple threat of cardio workouts, sculpting routines, and a diet makeover. It's a balanced approach that promotes both fitness and weight loss, and you won't need a gym to make it happen. Allison's cardio and sculpting workouts average just 30 minutes and don't require special equipment. Her high-intensity cardio workouts coupled with full core functional exercises will make sure you slim down while you sculpt all the muscle groups you need for a sleek, toned core. Three levels let you amp it up or tone it down to match your current fitness level. Allison streamlines dieting with healthy, flavorful foods and snacks that will keep you energized as you rev up your metabolism. Her tasty recipes and complete meal plans simplify calorie counting and make weight loss painless. Core Envy will help you get the sleek, sculpted core you want. After Westfahl's 8-week program, you'll look great and feel confident rocking a fit and feminine look. Allison Westfahl is an exercise physiologist, certified personal trainer, and fitness nutrition specialist. After earning an undergraduate degree from Yale, Westfahl moved to Denver to pursue a career in helping people live a healthy, active lifestyle. She quickly made her mark on the industry, becoming the youngest-ever Director of Personal Training at a nationally top-rated health club. She has managed and directed personal training teams at high-end health clubs in Boulder and Denver since 2003. Westfahl is known for for creating innovative, effective core strength and sculpting routines. She has trained elite professional athletes, helped choreograph workout videos for Gaiam, and been featured in publications ranging from Shape to Bicycling to the Denver Post. She holds an MS in exercise science and a coaching certification from USA Triathlon, and has earned a CPT, PES, and FNS from the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

The Pilates Bible is the most authoritative and comprehensive book on Pilates matwork ever written and demonstrates why this hugely popular exercise has gone from cult status to an essential part of our modern lifestyle. Drawing on the latest medical research, the authors have updated old favourites as well as introduced many new. All can be performed with little or no equipment and The Pilates Bible allows you to progress safely at your own pace through Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced. There are also special sections on Pilates for new mothers and children, people with problems such as osteoarthritis, back pain and knee injuries, as well as Pilates at the gym and the workplace, and for the performing arts and sport. This is truly the one-stop guide for Pilates novices as well as those hoping to consolidate what they already know.

A groundbreaking and fascinating investigation into the transformative effects of exercise on the brain, from the bestselling author and renowned psychiatrist John J. Ratey, MD. Did you know you can beat stress, lift your mood, fight memory loss, sharpen your intellect, and function better than ever simply by elevating your heart rate and breaking a sweat? The evidence is incontrovertible: Aerobic exercise physically remodels our brains for peak performance. In Spark, John J. Ratey, M.D., embarks upon a fascinating and entertaining journey through the mind-body connection, presenting startling research to prove that exercise is truly our best defense against everything from depression to ADD to addiction to aggression to menopause to Alzheimer's. Filled with amazing case studies (such as the revolutionary fitness program in Naperville, Illinois, which has put this school district of 19,000 kids first in the world of science test scores), Spark is the first book to explore comprehensively the connection between exercise and the brain. It will change forever the way you think about your morning run -- -or, for that matter, simply the way you think.

A uniquely feminist approach to how women can break free from what society thinks and get active in their forties, fifties, and beyond.

What if you could be fitter now than you were in your twenties? And what if you could achieve it while feeling more comfortable and confident in your body than ever before?

In this empowering, accessible book, bloggers and professors Samantha Brennan and Tracy Isaacs offer a new approach to fitness―one that champions strength, health, and personal accomplishment over weight loss and aesthetics. They share their own experiences of getting active later in life and explore the many challenges, questions, and issues women face when seeking fitness in their forties, fifties, and beyond. Drawing from the latest research and their popular blog Fit Is a Feminist Issue, they deliver a wealth of concrete advice on everything from how to keep bones strong to what types of fitness activities give the biggest returns.

Taking a feminist perspective, the authors also challenge society’s default whats, whys, and hows of every aspect of getting fit to show how women can best take charge of their health―no matter what their shape, size, age, or ability.

Cutting-edge advice on how to achieve your personal best, for everyone from casual runners to ultramarathoners.

In 80/20 Running, respected running and fitness expert Matt Fitzgerald introduced his revolutionary training program and explained why doing 80 percent of runs at a lower intensity and just 20 percent at a higher intensity is the best way for runners at all levels--as well as cyclists, triathletes, and even weight-loss seekers--to improve their performance.

Now, in this eye-opening follow-up, Fitzgerald teams with Olympic coach Ben Rosario to expand and update the 80/20 program to include ultramarathon training and such popular developments as the use of power meters.

New research has bolstered the case that the 80/20 method is in fact that most effective way to train for distance running and other endurance sports. Run Like a Pro (Even If You’re Slow) shows readers how to take the best practices in elite running and adopt them within the limits of their own ability, lifestyle, and budget.

First published in 1945, Pilates Return to Life Through Contrology contains the authorised, legal, edited, and original Library of Congress version of Joseph H. Pilates and William J. Millers first complete fitness writings. It details the exercises, poses, and instructions fundamental to the matwork developed by Joseph and Clara Pilates. Based on his concepts of a balanced body and mind, and drawn from the approach espoused by the early Greeks, these are the exercises that continue to sustain a world-wide revolution in fitness strategies and exercise techniques. Joseph Pilates has been nothing short of revolutionary in his impact on the world of fitness and exercise. Readers will learn and view the original 34 exercises that Pilates taught to his students, many of whom have become exercise gurus in their own right. These carefully designed exercises constitute the results of decades of scientific study and research into the variety of physical ills that upset the balance of body and mind. Practitioners of Pilates forms and exercises in the 21st century continue to expand upon this earlier work by presenting a variety of creative new approaches involving circular movements, standing postures, and core strengthening exercises using props such as tubes, weights, poles, bands, magic circles, mini-balls, stability balls, foam rollers, and more. Now included in this Revised Edition are 18 additional pages of explanations of what has transpired since the original 1945 work, along with several photo/text sequences of the latest 21st-century enhancements in the Pilates world. There are new descriptive pages of text that first describe the fitness principles evolved from Pilates original Contrology work. This is followed by detailed text describing 21st-century evolutionary developments that present the key dancers, choreographers, and leaders in the Pilates Studio and certifying organisations through the present. This section ends with a discussion of evolutionary props and apparatus developments, plus 21st-century sample exercises drawn from the larger book, "Pilates Evolution for the 21st Century". Following this section are three complete prop-based demonstration exercises that include both photographic sequences (four per exercise) and step-by-step instructions for 21st-century Pilates exercises using the magic circle, elastic resistance, and the small fitness mini-ball.

Orthopaedic surgeon Ray Long blends modern science and the ancient art of hatha yoga to create an indispensable resource for every yoga practitioner -- from beginners to experts. A scientific approach to understanding the practice of hatha yoga: through full-colour, three-dimensional illustrations of major muscles, tendons, and ligaments, Ray Long describes the correct positioning of hatha yoga poses (asanas) and their benefits. Specific anatomical descriptions highlight which muscles to activate in each pose, bringing the experience of the pose to new sensory heights. A novel approach to learning yoga poses: each of the four mat companions focuses on one type of yoga pose: standing poses, forward bends and hip openers, back bends and twists, and arm balances and inversions. The illustrations and descriptions describe the major movements that enable the poses, how to deepen the posture, and sequences of muscle activation. The concealed wire-bound pages make the books perfect mat resources during practice.

Fully illustrated with depictions of proper exercise technique, this book contains exciting strength training programs based on sport (e.g., triathlon, running, cycling, swimming) and levels from beginner to advanced. For the marathon runner, triathlete, duathlete, distance swimmer, or cyclist, these programs will complement "any other" training regimen an athlete follows. Written without confusing jargon, "IronFit(R) Stregth Training.".. provides concise and easy-to-follow information.Don and Melanie Fink of IronFit(R) have coached hundreds of athletes over several decades at all levels, from weekend warriors to world champions. Their innovative approaches to strength training and nutrition not only complement an athlete's sport-specific training, but they do so in the most time-efficient and enjoyable way possible. Multi-sport and multi-leveled, this book provides 27 specific program schedules - 9 sports and 3 levels each to give readers: 1) A progressive strength and core training program for their specific sport and level. 2) A mind and body preparation program to maximize benefits. 3) A traveling strength and core program for travel with little or no equipment. 4) A fueling and hydration routine to maximize performance before, during, and after competition. 5) A healthy eating and lifestyle plan.

Whether you are trying to conceive naturally or with the help of assisted reproductive technology (ART), yoga can help enhance your fertility and smooth the path to parenthood. This specialized Yoga for Fertility practice improves circulation and energy flow, balances hormone levels, and tones your reproductive organs. Jill Petigara and Lynn Jensen, who have lead fertility workshops for years, have seen many women successfully begin families and they know how to harness the power of yoga for your benefit. With plenty of photos and clear descriptions, they demonstrate optimal poses for fertility enhancement in every stage of your cycle. Routines are simple but effective for yoginis of all levels of experience.

"Yoga for Fertility" will help you:

Redirect blocked energy to improve blood flow to the reproductive center Reduce stress with breathing practices, visualization, and affirmation Modify yoga classes when you're trying to conceive Incorporate fertility-enhancing lifestyle approaches and natural fertility treatments Use yoga to improve the success of either natural cycles or assisted reproductive technology cycles, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), /p>

"Yoga Sequencing: Designing Transformative Yoga Classes" presents the essential principles and methods for planning and sequencing yoga classes. Addressing one of the most popular topics in the yoga profession, this book offers sixty-seven model sequences of yoga poses ("asanas") that cover the broad range of yoga student experience, including multiple sequences for beginning, intermediate, and advanced students; yoga for kids, teens, women across the life cycle, and seniors; classes to relieve depression and anxiety; and sequences for each of the major chakras and ayurvedic constitutions. Each sequence provides guidance for teaching the different breathing ("pranayama") and meditation techniques that give yoga its transformative power.
Enhanced with over 2,000 instructional photos and an elaborate guide to the constituent elements of over 150 yoga asanas, the book draws equally from ancient yoga philosophy and contemporary insights into functional anatomy, biomechanics, and kinesiology. The nuanced interrelationships among asanas within and between the seven asana families are explored and the anatomy of opening and stabilizing each pose is explained for sequences designed around specific needs and intentions. A comprehensive appendix includes a glossary of yoga-related terms, an alphabetical asana index with thumbnail photographs of each asana, a class planning worksheet, representative sequences from several popular styles of hatha yoga, and a list of resources for further exploring sequencing and the larger practice of teaching yoga.

Why do you feel so much better after a yoga class? What is it that takes yoga beyond being merely a way to physically exercise the body, and instead renders it a tool for effectuating deep and lasting emotional change? In Yoga Saved My Life psychotherapist and yoga teacher Sasha Bates demystifies both yoga and psychotherapy, exploring the links between them and showing how each can be transformational. This sits alongside personal stories from members of the Fierce Calm yoga community - people who have experienced all manner of difficulties, whether due to neglect, addiction, abuse, anxiety, depression, stress or any of the other myriad ways in which we all struggle with modern life. Here they tell their stories of finding yoga, and thereby discovering a path through the beliefs and behaviours that had been holding them back and keeping them miserable. If you've ever wondered why you feel so much better after a yoga class, then the explanations of how any why yoga works will enlighten you. Written using down to earth language and in a warm conversational tone, you will come to see how yoga is doing what psychotherapy does: providing a safe, containing, reflective space in which you can access your unconscious, develop self-awareness and find ways to relate to yourself better. This new relationship with your self offers new ways to work with the automatic habits you do without thinking, but which hold you back, practically and emotionally. 'Yoga Saved My Life shows us gently and persuasively that healing the mind is as important as healing the body, and yoga is a great way of doing this' - Vex King, author of Good Vibes, Good Life and Healing is the New High

This is a straight-talking, woman-to-woman postnatal recovery guide with a difference. These tailored Pilates exercises are safe and effective to build strong foundations, whatever your exercise goals.

Clear step-by-step exercises are suitable for the fourth trimester, caesarean recovery and year one and beyond. Take control of your postnatal recovery and feel empowered with this toolkit of resources.

Health, fitness and wellbeing advice will help replenish and renew your energy in mind, body and spirit.

Learn how to check for abdominal separation and recognise the signs of pelvic floor weakness - what it means and what you can do about it.

Posture tips, easily incorporated into your day-to-day life - while breastfeeding, pushing your buggy, at your desk, picking up your toddler.

Routines are realistic and manageable as they are broken down into bite-sized 10/20/30-minute blocks.