Pilates For Latin

In Hit The Spot Pilates, the new Denise Austin Pilates DVD, consumers have the benefit of a customizable Pilates workout that targets specific areas such as hips, thighs, buttocks, abs and waistline –all with a Pilates twist! This DVD includes two segments –Abs and Waist Line and Lower Body: Hips, Thighs and Buttocks. The Abs and Waist Line consist of three 10-minute workouts, each more difficult than the other. All three segments concentrates on the techniques that will help (more…)

Review

It’s the next best thing to having a teacher there to show you. — Dance Spirit, March 1, 2003

Review

“Wright provides a thorough, step-by-step approach in instructing prospective Freds and Gingers in body alignment and carriage, music recognition, brief dance histories, and basic and variant footwork. . . . Appropriate for school or public libraries with a demand for recreational dance methods.”Library Journal”Social Dance: Steps to Success is a real (more…)

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Dance Lessons 101 is the best starting point for Ballroom, Country, Swing, and Latin Dancing. This DVD is proof you can learn to dance without live lessons! You will be dancing the Slow Dance, Waltz, Swing, Salsa, Two-Step, Cha-Cha, Hustle, and West Coast Swing in a matter of minutes. Also referred to as the Ultimate Couples Dancing Instruction Video for Beginners, Dance Lessons 101 was designed and developed with the end-user in mind. Customer feedback received from Shawn Traut (more…)

Amazon.com

“Remember what Joseph Pilates said,” instructor Ana Caban says. “‘You will feel better in 10 sessions, look better in 20 sessions, and have a completely new body in 30 sessions.’” Pilates has become very popular and for good reason. By working the core muscles (the abdominal and back muscles in the center of your body) you improve strength and posture and develop a lean, long line. Certified Pilates instructor Ana Caban is a splendid teacher. First she demonstrates (more…)

Amazon.com

So here’s a portrait of yoga in the 21st Century: this ancient discipline, created thousands of years ago to enhance the meditative experience (the asanas or poses commonly used in hatha yoga were in fact designed to enable meditators to sit quietly, calmly and comfortably for hours on end), is now “a total body blast,” with users urged to “get hard core” and “feel the groove,” all so “your torso will look buff.” At least that’s how Ellen Barrett, the relentlessly sunn (more…)

Amazon.com

Capezio’s Julia will certainly keep attention on the dance floor. The leather shoe boasts a strappy, sexy look and has an adjustable ankle strap for a custom fit. The cushioned footbed will keep you comfortable as the suede sole helps you glide easier.

Suede/leather split sole construction. 2.5″ fully wrapped Latina heel.

See all
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Zumba workout videos are the new dance fitness craze that is taking America by storm. Originating in Latin America as part of their regular lifestyle, dancing is a natural way of fun that allows many to stay in shape and have fun while doing it. If you are one of the ones that have a hard time staying on task and motivated when it comes to working out. Not because you don’t want to workout but only because you get bored easy. Then you need to get your hands on some awesome Zumba clothing that will fit your personal style and help you to work out at a faster pace. Zumba clothing is made to give you freedom to move around in while at the same time giving you a sense of flair and originality. Zumba is the dance fitness craze that is helping a ton of people to lose weight fast without even requiring you to use any fitness equipment. Zumba dance is great for anyone that is not afraid of having fun and bringing the skinny back into their life with out having to self sacrifice their own life to get that way.  Zumba dance is taught now in many fitness gyms and local small fitness centers. But if you are like most people that just can not get out and make it to the gym. Then you really need to get your hands on some comfortable Zumba fitness dance clothes to add with your personal library of Zumba workout videos products. Zumba clothing does not require a certain size to get started but is pretty much hands free! So a grab a water bottle and lets get dancing!

Winsor Pilates just can not be complete without the right equipments. These might range from the simple mats to the complicated trapezes.
These equipments are more or less an integral part of the Pilates fitness regime. Pilates equipments produce a certain level of resistance to help our muscles overcome all sorts of the problems arising during the work outs. Actually this resistance is what adds to your core strength.
Here is a brief glimpse of some of the basic equipments from the Winsor Pilates: Equipment
1. Reformer
a. One of the most popular Pilates Equipment, this one is recommended for use by almost all the Pilates practitioners.
b. No doubts then that this one can be found in almost all the Pilates Studio across the globe.
c. It is actually a sliding carriage with foot bars, leg & arm pulleys and the jump boards.
d. This machine helps the exercisers to work out different parts of their body using the same machine.
e. Reformers primarily are of two types:
i. Spring Reformers
ii. Gravity Reformers
f. The spring Pilates reformer uses springs to add resistance.
g. To use it one must lie on their back & pull using their arms and along side push with their legs.
h. Gravity reformers work almost with a similar concept that is push & pull, but in place of the springs it manages with the person’s own body weight.
i. In this case the person takes a diagonal position so that the gravity can be used to pull down the person, thereby a certain level of resistance that one needs to perfor the exercises.
2. Cadillac
a. This is also known as a trapeze table.
b. This equipment offered by the Pilates looks almost like a cage that has no bars though.
c. It has the frames.
d. Its bars are attached along with the springs & straps.
e. The extra bars are used to perform several kinds of exercises.
f. For instance, to do the legs-exercises, one must lie down facing towards an opposite direction from the strap (the strap that one is supposed to use). Next, put the strap around one’s legs. Now just pull it down. This way the resistance is felt in the thighs & calves.
g. One can also use the Cadillac or the trapeze table while sitting. Here, first select the strap you would use, face towards that strap, hold it in the hands tightly as you pull on it. Along side, you must lie down. Next just sit back up. This pattern of the work out is good for the abdomen.
3. Wunda Chair
a. It looks just a bench that is slightly higher.
b. It consists of two bars on the either sides.
c. A spring is attached to it.
d. You can use it either way – that is sitting or standing on the floor, and / or sitting or standing on the bench as well.
e. The exercise is to push on its bars.
4. Mats
a. There are ‘n’ number of exercises that the Pilates series comprise when it comes to the mat exercises.
b. Indeed, the Pilates Mats are a must have among all other Pilates equipments.
c. The mat exercises are generally done in groups.
d. Their focal points are trunk & hip areas.
e. These exercises strengthen thee areas.
f. For the spine and hips area, it adds to the flexibility of the body.
g. It is one of the least expensive equipments offered by the Pilates.
h. Its stocks are often limited at the Pilates centers as they sell the most.
i. It is a must buy as it is used for the back protection.
j. Remember, it does not offer any thing in terms of the resistance for its user, yet for those focusing on a limited budget, it is a great buy.
While these are only a handful of the commonly used exercising equipments offered by the Winsor Pilates, the Pilates Studios are the best place to look for several more great options in the field.
Many of these can easily be used at home as well such as:
a. Barrels
b. Pilates Balls
c. Pilates Rings
These though, are not one among the original equipments designed by Joseph Pilates. To be precise these have been derived for certain applications using the basic Pilates techniques.

Copyright (c) 2007 Jess Harley

If the only time you dance is at weddings, you have no idea what you are missing out on. First of all not only is dancing fun, it is also exercise! Think about your moving your feet, your arms, your twisting away and giving yourself a full body workout. Ever noticed how sometimes the day after a wedding, your body is a little sore, especially if you do not workout before hand? Celebrities, who take part in Dancing with The Stars, have reported an increase in weight loss. The most traditional way of getting a good dancing workout is to turn on some music and let yourself go and boogie down. It is also an excellent way to incorporate some bonding time with your kids too if you included them. There are days when Ill turn on the radio and me and my daughter will just dance our feet off.

There might be some of you, who are looking for something a little more structured and instruction. Not to worry there is something for you also. Gyms all around the world are starting to offer dancing classes. Starting off there is Cardio Salsa. This class if offered at The Crunch gyms nationwide or you can look for it on DVD. It is a low impact high intensity workout that combines the hottest Latin dances such as the cha-cha, mambo, samba and more with traditional dance steps such as the grapevine, lunges and arm raises. What women are loving about this workout is that they can take what they learn on the videos or classes and take it to a night club if they want to!

Cardio Capoeira is also becoming another popular dance workout. It was featured briefly on the cool down segments of the hit exercise video Turbo Jam, but has come out on its own as a great workout. In fact for fans of the hit Movie Oceans 12 might remember it being featured as the Night Fox dodges the lasers to get to the goods, or you might remember Catherine Zeta-Jones using a similar dance in the movie Entrapment. Cardio Capoeira is a basically a form of martial arts that is disguised as dancing. It was used to train Brazilian slaves martial arts without letting their captors know. It requires a lot of kicking, spinning and even cartwheels. What makes this workout so powerful especially on your buttocks and quads is the move the ginga which links one movement to the next so you will find yourself doing this often.

Cardio Striptease is another dance workout that is sweeping the nation. There are a number of DVDs out that offer a cardio striptease workout. This routine is part burlesque, part yoga, and part gymnastics. There are no concise steps and the whole point of the routine is to allow you to move freely and beautifully and learn to express yourself. You never have to worry about holding any sort of poses but move from one move to another by using slow moving hip and butt circles. The aim of this workout is to tone the hips, buttocks, thighs calves and abs.

Of course you can always go the more traditional route and sign up for ballroom dancing classes which will still give you a great workout. Which ever one of these you choose, you will burning fat and calories while having a great time. You wont even know you are exercising, thats how much fun you will have.

Review

“While other Pilates books cover limited apparatus, this is the first truly complete guide to Pilates technique, exercises and equipment. A thorough, well-written, and useable guide to proper Pilates practice.”Kirkus Reports – Health & Fitness

Strengthen, lengthen, and sculpt your muscles with the full range of Pilates exercises. In Pilates, world-renowned Pilates expert Rael Isacowitz shows you the same repertoire that he has used to train 10 Olympia (more…)