Funky Knits Review

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(More customer reviews)I can't speak for the knitting instruction chapters, as I know how to knit and skipped those parts, but the patterns in this book are FUGLY.
I bought this thinking it would have some great patterns for my teen nieces - WRONG! The patterns are just plain awful. Knit a fake cactus? Yeah, that's on every young hipster's list. How about an egg cozy? Or a cozy for individual apples or bananas?
There is a pattern for a safety pin sweater, knit with intentional holes and uses safety pins across the holes, all in a horrendous yellow/brown striped combo. Ugh. This is NOT cutting edge shabby fashion, it's just plain bad.
Or maybe you might like to knit up the mini-dress with lace edging...modeled on a young girl wearing pink and black striped tights. Yeah, if you want your daughter to go out looking like a hooker, go for it.
Knitted KNEE PADS? For BOYS? With a brown center and powder blue/brown stripes radiating from the center? Seriously. What "hip young" teen boy is going to wear this? One who wants to get beat up at the skate park.
There are a couple of patterns that are okay. For example, fingerless gloves. Of which there are plenty of free patterns available on the internet, minus the unfortunate green/white striping. There is a cute slipper pattern, that my nieces might wear around the house. Um, yeah, that's about it for the "okay" category.
Skip this book. I really try to be supportive of the people who put out knitting books, but dang, this one is bad. "Hip Young Things" will not want to either own or knit the overwhelming majority of these patterns. I feel a responsibility to warn other people not to waste their money on this book. I'm sending my copy back.

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Knitting comes out of the parlor in this edgy collection of modern designs for knitters who want their personalities to come through in their projects. More than 30 patterns, including a cozy hoodie, a key chain, and an easy-care cactus stretch a knitter's repertoire beyond simple scarves and hats. The themed sections take intrepid handcrafters from an "Urban Playground" to "Home Comforts" while an introductory chapter covers knitting terms and techniques so novice knitters can skip the fuss and get right down to the knitty-gritty. A variety of yarns are used, fueling mix-and-match creativity, and there is even a market tote to knit from old plastic grocery bags. Always unpredictable and never square, the new projects in this book will spark creativity in hip knitters everywhere.

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Sheng Zhen Wuji Yuan Gong: Qigong of Unconditional Love Review

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(More customer reviews)The book is written by the originator of this particular style of qigong, Master Li Jun Feng, and is the authoritative guide for any practitioner of Sheng Zhen Wuji Yuan Gong. It contains some background material, but is basically a 'how-to' book.
Every posture, or exercise, is described technically and is illustrated by photos of Master Li performing it. Additionally the postures has a set of contemplations that the practitioner can use to enhance the effect of the exercises. Sheng Zhen Wuji Yuan Gong is constructed as series of postures that each can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours to perform depending on the speed and number of repetitions of each exercise the practitioner wishes to do. There are four standing and three sitting series of postures as well as two different types of meditations that are all covered by this book.
Like any book of this kind it best serves the purpose of being a helpful additional tool and cannot fully replace the hands-on guidance of a good teacher. But as such it is excellent, with hundreds of good photos and easy-to-follow descriptions of each exercise. Any motivated qigong practitioner should be able to learn the forms from the book. Even more so if done in combination with the available videos.
The author is well known in China, as he used to be the head coach of the Beijing Wushu (martial art / kung fu) Team as well as the National Wushu Team for many years, He also starred in some Chinese martial arts movies before giving it all up to dedicate his time to develop and teach this beautiful and inspiring form of qigong.
I can personally vouch for the effectiveness of the Sheng Zhen Wuji Yuan Gong style of qigong when it comes to fulfilling the promises of Chinese energy cultivation. The exercises are easy to learn (but can be hard to master) and feel good to do. Unlike some other schools of qigong there are no stringent demands of what time of the day you should train, the cardinal directions and such. But it is no less 'serious' for that. Practicing Sheng Zhen Wuji Yuan Gong is effective for your health and well-being, and might do some very nice things for your mind and spirit as well.

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Sheng Zhen Wuji Yuan Gong: Qigong of Unconditional Love, A Return to Oneness Starting the practice of Sheng Zhen Wuji Yuan Gong is the first step of a journey to our origin. Our origin, our true homeland, is the state in which we experience the feeling of complete well-being. Returning there means discovering the true self - achieving insight into a wholeness that has never been lost, just forgotten. Always be at home, no matter where we are - always find wholeness no matter what the life circumstances may be - attaining this means merging with everything and knowing that there is only oneness.

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The Arthritis Exercise Book: Gentle, Joint-By-Joint Exercises to Keep You Flexible and Independent Review

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(More customer reviews)In addition to the good descriptions of arthritis, I found this book to be a great collection of exercises. A complete list of gentle exercises to increase range of motion, flexibility and strength are all described and illustrated in this little book. Shortly after being diagnosed with rhumatoid arthritis I checked out an armload of arthritis books from my public library. The one that I liked the best was this common sense little volume. It is small enough to tuck into your suitcase and take on a trip or to leave on your chairside table as a reminder to do some of the exercises during the evening TV commercials. It has helped me and I highly recommend it for anyone who has been diagnosed with either osteoarthritis or rhumatoid arthritis.

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Men's Health Total Body Workout Poster Book Review

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(More customer reviews)The pictures and descriptions of the exercises are great, as are the exercise plans provided. The only negative I could find is that the posters seem to have random exercises on them. I was expecting a poster for triceps, a page for quads, a page for shoulders, etc... The book seems to be aimed more at short, effective, total-body workouts. This is cool, but if you are looking for posters to lead you through intensely precise exercises for particular body parts, there are a limited number of posters to that effect.

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Adams & Adams Fit for Scuba Review

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(More customer reviews)For new and experienced divers, for young and old divers, this book provides a comprehensive fitness program for diving safely and enjoying it. The authors explain the variety of demands diving places on the body, from carrying heavy equipment to swimming up-current and climbing boat ladders in choppy seas. For each of these activities, they index specific exercises to build fitness. The exercises themselves are presented step-by-step, with terrific illustrations. Practical and goal-oriented, this book belongs on every diver's book shelf.

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Scuba diving is a sport that has unique physical demands. In Fit for SCUBA, you will find the recipe for your very own strength and conditioning program. You can choose from a variety of exercises which were selected with you, the scuba diver, in mind. Workouts that can be completed at home as well as in a fitness facility have been provided so you can create a program that is right for you. It doesn't matter where you work out, as long as you exercise regularly. As you progress through your program, you will feel more prepared to handle the physical demands of scuba diving.

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Dynamic Yoga Review

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(More customer reviews)I would highly recommend this great book for any level of yoga study.
This is the best book on the subject I have ever seen.
It is easy to follow.
It also has diagrams not only for the different poses,
but a guide that easily shows the proper breathing techiques.
Go for it. It's the best value around.

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A basic grounding in the principles and practice of the most intensive workout for body, mind, and spirit. Dynamic Yoga is a powerful exercise system designed to give the body the ultimate workout for increased energy, fitness, and flexibility. Boost your energy levels. Kia Meaux has devised an imaginative and invigorating program based on the sun Salutes of Ashtanga yoga. It encourages you to get your body moving in a series of flowing, controlled postures specifically designed to work every part of the body. Starting with gently warm-ups, you move to an active and energizing phase to get your heart pumping and your body jumping, followed by a series of soothing cool-downs -- so be prepared to sweat and then relax! Benefit from expert guidance. Kia's extensive teaching experience means that she is able to explain how to get maximum benefit from the athletic postures and graceful Sun Salutes, how to substitute less challenging alternatives where necessary, and how to avoid common errors. it you are aiming for all-round fitness, this is the ideal workout.

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Raise the Barre: Introducing Cardio Barre--The Revolutionary 8-Week Program for Total Mind/Body Transformation Review

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(More customer reviews)Very good workout - combines some ballet moves with "ballet inspired" strength moves and adds in upper body strength training for a well rounded workout. Using light weights with the 32 reps really does work those arms/shoulders. Doesn't take much room in the house to do and you can do it to any music using anything for balance.

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This is a comprehensive guide to the hottest new fitness program -Cardio Barre-a dance-based workout that combines cardio, strength training and stretching, in one fast-paced, fat-burning, body-lengthening session. With a full nutrition program as well, you'll see life-changing results in only eight weeks. While yoga, pilates, aerobics and weightlifting are all successful, popular fitness routines, each one of them is missing something that the others offer. And with our hectic lives that leave little time for sleep, let alone hours of daily exercise, the Cardio Barre workout is the perfect combination of cardio, strength training and stretching-achieving multiple desired results from one fast-paced workout. Richard Giorla is a classically trained dancer who has learned from his decades of training that the key to strength and endurance is developing core muscle-the center of the body must be strong in order to support the other areas of the body. In Cardio Barre, you work from your core-maintaining your balance using a barre, a countertop, a chair, or even your own strength-then repeat low-resistance motions such as plies, arm extensions, and leg flexes.With no kicking, jumping, or punching, this effective and complete workout leaves participants with long, lean muscles, flexibility, and endurance. With the success of the Cardio Barre workout in the States, where it has gained celebrity adherents and a long waiting list of others, it is poised to become the new "it" workout in the UK. And unlike past fitness fads, Cardio Barre sets realistic goals, including following a healthy eating program, and offers the desired results of both cardio health and strength in only eight weeks.

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