Ellie Herman's Pilates Mat: A Manual for Pilates Instructors & Serious Pilates Students Paperback – July 1, 2007

Bought the whole series. Terrific resource for all things Pilates.

A reference for the serious student and coach alike. Nice job Ellie!

All the authentic Pilates exercises are shown, explained and given with modifications. Always interesting to read and learn someones view on the exercises. Ellie is very thorough and as an authentic Pilatestrainer myself I find this book adding to my knowledge.

It is a great resource. Helps with planning a class to add variety.

As with all Ellie Herman's books, informative, clear and easy to read. I am a level IV instructor and have no problems recommending this book to even an absolute beginner.

Ellie Herman, judging from the photos, is a physical specimen who can do the full run of Pilates exercises and make it look effortless. For the most part the photos of the exercises are very helpful, as are the descriptions. This is one of the clearest books as far as describing each exercise and showing it. I'm giving it three stars not four because it's quite expensive, and because Herman has adulterated Pilates's teaching with a lot of her own concepts. This is not to say that her own concepts are not useful. But when I buy a book on Pilates I want and assume I'm getting a book on Pilates as taught by Joe Pilates. Herman has added exercises, and terms, and ideas that are her own, such as favoring the neutral spine whereas Pilates favors keeping the spine as flat to the floor as possible. Also, she has altered the sequencing in many cases and doesn't distinguish between her additions and the movements/sequences as originally taught. Like Winsor Pilates or Stott Pilates this should be called "Herman Pilates." You can save about thirty bucks and get much of the same info from her very clear (yet still unorthodox) "Pilates for Dummies."

This is hands down the best pilates mat book I have found on the market (and I have searched). It includes about 30 pages of incredibly informative tips and explanations on key pilates points that we think we understand but we don't. Ellie has a way of explaining the complicated in a simple but profound way. The remainder of the book is similar to her other books with detailed explanations of exercises, from beginning to super advanced, both classical and her own inventions (which are most often far more fun to learn and execute). It is the only matbook I have ever used where you can actually learn a new exercise from a book. And at the end she has picture-based mat programs broken down by level. I gave this book as a gift to a new teacher in my studio and she said, "This is exactly what have needed all along." Highly highly recommended. Donna Pourteymour, Studio Owner, Surrey, England.

I have ordered many of Ellie's books and this one is to the same high standard. Lots of great teaching points and pointers. Great buy.