An illustrated guide to the anatomy of the abdominal muscles and how to tone them successfully without injury
- Presents the 16 most effective and safest abdominal exercises for great abs
- Reveals how common ab exercises, such as crunches, can damage the spine, pelvic floor, diaphragm, and internal organs
- Offers tips to get rid of belly fat--both superficial fat and deeper visceral fat
Presenting a new type of abdominal exercise program designed with the body's anatomical relationships in mind, Blandine Calais-Germain reveals the 6 underlying principles for working the abs efficiently, 7 exercises to get you ready, and the 16 most effective and safest abdominal exercises for a flat belly. Pointing out that ab exercises are not without risk, she reviews the most common abdominal exercises, such as crunches and leg lifts, and explains how to avoid injury to the neck, lower back, pelvic floor, diaphragm, prostate, and internal organs as well as how to protect these vital structures with appropriate abdominal work.
Exploring this often misunderstood region of the body in her trademark anatomical style, Calais-Germain details the muscular structures that make up the abs, revealing that strength alone is not the sole factor in a flat stomach. Including tips to get rid of belly fat--both superficial fat and deeper visceral fat--this book reveals how to get great abs, lose weight, gain strength, and build your core all without hurting yourself.

Anatomy of Movement presents a dynamic, integrated approach to the study of the physical structures of the musculoskeletal system and their functional relationship to the movements of the human body. In clear and concise text illustrated with more than a thousand graphic drawings, the author guides the reader on a lively tour of the muscles, bones, ligaments and joints of the arms, legs and trunk. The focus throughout the book is on anatomy not for its own sake, but in its functional relationship to the actual movements of the body in dance, exercise, and other physical disciplines. In this newly-revised edition, a majority of the thousand-plus illustrations are new or have been modified by the author from the original edition. The text has also been updated, and the sequencing of the presentation of the musculoskeletal anatomy has been revised in part.

My hope is that this book] will contribute to a more enlightened practice of breathing. I also hope that you, the reader, will have a better understanding of how breathing changes spontaneously from moment to moment. My other wish is that you will discover how to consciously choose a specific breathing technique for certain purposes or circumstances." -- Author's Preface Everyone breathes, yet few of us understand how to consciously control breathing to improve our well-being and the quality of many daily activities. Anatomy of Breathing is a clear and helpful guide to both the theory and practice of breathing in its many variations. Hundreds of expert drawings along with easy-to-understand text help you explore just how breathing works. Once you're acquainted with the principal organs, structures, and forces that affect breathing, you will learn how to control them to enhance the quality and variety of breathing in your own life. Along the way, you will also correct many common misconceptions about breathing. Anatomy of Breathing is filled with helpful practice pages. Here you will learn simple exercises to prepare your body for the benefits of different types of breathing. You will then be shown, step by step, how to practice some of the most common and useful breathing techniques on your own. Anatomy of Breathing is a unique and wonderful resource for anyone who wishes to understand the science and art of breathing, and how to make their own breathing better and more life-enhancing.

An illustrated hands-on guide to the dynamics of the female pelvis for expectant mothers, midwives, and birth professionals
- Provides fully illustrated exercises to help the expectant mother prepare her pelvis for birth and gain confidence in her body's innate ability to birth her child
- Details the anatomical intricacies of the female pelvis and its capabilities for expansion and return to its original form
- Presents movements and positions to ease discomfort, enhance the productivity of contractions, aid the internal expansion of the pelvis, and prevent and treat issues that may arise such as "failure to progress"
The dynamic power of the female pelvis is the key to a gentle birth. Throughout pregnancy, hormones soften the ligaments and joints of the pelvis in preparation for labor, a time when the four bones of the pelvis--the two ilia (hip bones), the coccyx (tailbone), and the sacrum--do their intimate dance of release, rotation, and counter-rotation around the soon-to-be newborn.
In this hands-on guide based on 15 years of research and workshops in maternity wards, movement teachers and health professionals Blandine Calais-Germain and Nuria Vives Pares detail the anatomical intricacies of the female pelvis and its capabilities for expansion and return to its original form. Providing fully illustrated exercises to help the expectant mother prepare for this pelvic transformation and gain confidence in her body's innate ability to birth her child, they also present a variety of movements and positions for use during the different stages of labor to ease discomfort, enhance the productivity of contractions, aid the internal expansion of the pelvis, and prevent and treat issues that may arise such as "failure to progress." Ideal for the expectant mother and her birthing partner, this book will be a welcome addition to the library of every midwife, obstetrician, doula, and movement professional who teaches pregnant women.