Enjoy the mental and physical benefits of exercise using pilates and dance from the comfort of your home, with this straightforward and engaging guide

Have you always dreamed of strong, lean muscles? Fantastic posture?

What about a calm, relaxed and mindful attitude?

These are all possible with the magic of pilates. Let Dame Darcy Bussell guide you right from the start as you enjoy the benefits of pilates from your own home.

And who better to introduce you to this fabulous form of exercise than a woman who has practised Pilates as part of her professional training ever since the beginning of her incredible ballet career?

With Darcy''s essential guide, you will learn:
- Basics of pilates
- Warm ups and warm downs
- Abdominal strengthening and stretching
- Sitting, kneeling and standing postures and sequences
- Balancing and lifting exercises
- Main programme and mini programme options

Darcey is passionate about Pilates and her introduction to the core programme is the easiest, clearest and most encouraging available. Beautifully designed throughout and immensely practical, it is the perfect combination of aspirational and achievable. Ballet dancer and Strictly Come Dancing judge Darcey Bussell quite simply loves Pilates, and anyone who reads Pilates for Life will too.

As Darcy herself says, ''It''s really important not to associate fitness as a chore. It''s got to be entertaining'' (BBC Radio 2 with Chris Evans).

''In ten sessions you will feel the difference, in twenty you will see the difference, and in thirty you will have a whole new body'' Joseph H. Pilates