Pilates on the ball

Produced by: Anne-Marie Burford Reviewed by: Keith Tippey Price: £14.99	Available from
A new DVD for pilates core strengthening using the exercise ball gives practical advice, demonstrations and workouts to follow on screen. The DVD has been produced by BackCare professional member Anne-Marie Burford of the Yorkshire Exercise Company. The introduction by Dr Martin Speight, Musculoskeletal and Sports Physician is followed by a lengthy, but important, visual introduction to explain how and why this form of pilates works. Being in DVD format means that you can miss this part after the first viewing and go straight into the warm ups and active exercise workouts.
I found the DVD very easy to follow and, as an ardent tai chi practitioner, I found many of the exercises very similar to those we practice in our active back care sequences. I was interested to note that some of the exercises were considerably more powerful when performed on the pilates ball but I found that one or two were still better for my personal needs when I practiced them the age old tai chi way. This is an excellent educational and practical course for use at home with minimal equipment. As with any form of exercise you haven’t practiced before though, you need to check with your doctor/therapist to be sure it is OK for you. You will need an exercise ball of the right size for your height but these can be bought quite cheaply locally or on-line (don’t forget the pump). The DVD costs £14.99 + £3.20 p&p and is available from www.care4backs.com or by post with address details and cheque, payable to BackCare North Yorkshire, to BackCare North Yorkshire Regional Office, Community House, 46/50 East Parade, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG1 5RR.