Fit exercise into your busy life with short but effective programmes for the back.

Does the daily grind take a toll on your back? Do you struggle to find time for exercise? Stress no more: these four 15-minute programmes for beginners offer the flexibility and ease of use that busy lifestyles demand. At home, with just a mat, you can strengthen your core and back muscles and banish aches and pains by regularly practising these 15-minute routines.

Clear step-by-step photographs paired with easy-to-follow instructions explain exactly what to do in each exercise, and how to move safely and protect your back. At the end of each 15-minute programme there's an at-a-glance summary of the routine.

15-Minute Better Back will inspire you to make these simple exercises part of your weekly routine, so you can soon remedy any back issues once and for all.

Suzanne Martin, MA, PT, DPT, CPI, is a doctor of physical therapy and gold-certified Pilates expert. A former dancer, she is a Master trainer certified by the American Council on Exercise. She is published by Dance Magazine, DK, and the Journal of Dance, Medicine and Science, among others. She is also well-known as an educational presenter within the world of Pilates, dance and physical therapy. Suzanne is the lead physical therapist for the Smuin Ballet in San Francisco and maintains a private practice, Total Body Development, in Alameda, California.