Rating: 
Summary: Classical Pilates is the best!
Review: This video is wonderful in its display, and description of, the complete Pilates mat workout series. Without reservation, this video is for everyone, from people who are starting the Pilates method for the first time to certified instructors. The performers' technique is clear, strong, and without a doubt, aesthetically beautiful. It seems that all Classical Pilates technique films exhibit the most rigorous standards of excelllence in the manner that Joseph H. Pilates originally intended. The presence of master instructor Bob Liekens and commentator Alycea Ungaro place this video above all other Pilates videos; they articulate meaningful aspectes of the Pilates method with incisiveness, authority, and fierce perceptiveness, all with warmth and friendliness that is very enjoyable. I recommend this Classical Pilates video to everyone because the production quality is of the highest caliber, and because you can be confident that you are enjoying the heart and soul of the Pilates method while having a fun workout!
Rating:
Summary: The Best Technical Pilates Tape Out There
Review: Aside from the many different levels available to you -- from modified basic to super advanced -- the pace of the video is specifically designed for repeated use. The first few times may seem rushed, but this is so that later on, when you have gotten the hang of the moves, you don't feel like your life is wasting away as you wait for the next move to begin. The only complaint I have is that the tape has no soul. There isn't somebody you can really relate to on the tape. The people performing the moves do them very mechanically -- perfectly too. The voice-over sounds like a robot. Realize that this is a very technical tape, which works for some people. If you have a strong objection to following automatons, do not buy this tape. If following the precise directions for each move is most important to you, this tape is for you.
Rating:
Summary: Super workout
Review: As it is my first and only pilates DVD, I have to say it is a great program. My abs were completely gone after I had my daughter 6 months ago. I gradually moved up from basic to intermediate workout in 1 month. Although I still can't do some movements as good as before having the baby, the fast result courages me a lot. If you can only spare 10 to 15 minutes everyday, try this one--effective and time saving.
Rating: 
Summary: Hurts so Good
Review: This DVD is a little dry, nothing fancy here, but it is a great - no, excellent - Pilates workout. The buildup from Beginner to Advanced is appropriate (I did the Ana Caban (Giaim) beginning and intermediate Pilates DVDs to compare) -- but,WARNING you should probably have taken a beginners Pilates class or done at least one other Beginner Pilates DVD several times before diving into this one. The other reviews are correct, this is a technical DVD with little review of the basics of Pilates, so to start with this one would have been confusing and probably very frustrating. The "Super Advanced" section provides a worthwhile goal, when I am feeling uninspired I look at/attempt those excercises. If you can do the Advanced workout all the way through with correct pace, breathing, and form I would say you would be in very (very) admirable shape.
Rating:
Summary: No sugar coat - just pilates
Review: One of my best buys. No doubt. I wanted to get myself into a cardio + stretch program and I chose Classical Pilates Technique for stretching. For Cardio, I go to the gym or do Leslie Sansone at home.
I am a newbie to Pilates. I noticed that different trainers have different versions of Pilates. With so many versions in the market, I am so glad I found the original Joseph Pilates classical pilates.
What I like about this DVD
- The instructors focus on the method and not on how they can sell the DVD.
- Instructions are very clear, slow and not sugar coated.
- Instructors dont teach you weight loss. They teach you the art form and the weight or inch loss comes with it. This was something I really liked about this DVD.
- There are 4 levels in this one.
- Before you get to the Basic level, they have a warm up session called Modified Basic just to help you get adjusted to the system, before you actually plunge into it. I thought this was nice, I really felt my spine stretch the first time I did it.
- simple decors and clothing that help you focus on the person more, and not on what he/she is wearing or on the decor.
I am at the Intermediate level now!! And if "I" (Bold, Capslock) have gotten this far, then the tape must have something in it. :) My friend has a flatter stomach now and I will be getting there!!
I love this program and I am glad I have it.
Rating:
Summary: Good Guide to Correct Practice but very Fast
Review: I found this DVD to go much too fast for me to excercise along with it. I have been doing Pilates for a year now and still found it too fast. This is not a DVD for people who are thinking of starting out in Pilates. I would definitely reccomend that you get a Pilates instructor and have the basics nailed before attempting this.
That said, it does offer a lot of good advice on correct execution and the models in it are amazing. I enjoyed this as an accompeniment to regular instruction but I did feel that I had to compromise prescision for speed.
Rating:
Summary: Just the facts
Review: I find this, in combination with Brooke Siler's The Pilates Body, to be exactly what I needed to master the Pilates mat. I originally taught myself the matwork entirely from Siler's book, but needed a DVD to understand the pace and details of each move. This DVD just shows you the routine at each level. No music, no gimics, no scenery, no pizzazz whatsoever. Just the mat series at your level.
I found that once I learned the series, I could do it without any instructional material. So my goal is not to watch this DVD every day, but to use it as I master a new level, then work without it. For this end, the simplicity of the video is perfect. If you like more flash and sizzle, and find yourself motivated by it, this is not what you're looking for.
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Summary: Forget the much-hyped Winsor Pilates
Review: Now I know I haven't taken any classes in Pilates and I've only tried one other 'method' on DVD, but it was during my third week on Winsor Pilates that I realized I wasn't satisfied. In checking reviews from the more experienced consumers, I learned that the breathing technique Mari instructs us to follow (in through the nose and out through the nose) was wrong. That may seem like nothing to most people, but breathing is a key aspect in Pilates. And also in exercise in general. After searching through many many reviews (because I prefer to know what I'm buying before I waste my money), it seemed like this DVD was my best bet for a good workout with Pilates in its most original, unadulterated form.
Keep in mind that by the time the DVD had arrived, I had been using Winsor Pilates for four weeks (Sunday is my only day of rest) and the results were still disappointing to me. Well, I popped in this DVD and watched all the way up to the advanced workout (to try to figure out where I would fit in) and watched a good portion of the discussion (which was informative though slightly boring at times). I was able to start with the intermediate workout. For the most part it was easy, but there were exercises which were new to me (which I was glad to see). I'm still struggling a little two weeks later to perfect these exercises, but it has been worth it to me. Not only are these routines brisk, but they don't take much time at all. The intermediate is about 15 minutes long and it leaves me feeling relaxed and pain free (including relief from headaches and back aches which I tend to get a lot). In fact, my back was very weak for most of my life. I had a hard time keeping my posture straight, bending was very painful, and sometimes, like much older people, I wouldn't be able to stand up straight after bending over for a short time. Now my back is very strong and sturdy and my posture is improving all on its own.
One thing that impressed me was that I felt sore the day after switching from Winsor to Classical Pilates. Not too sore to move, but sore enough that I could tell I was getting a better workout.
Now I do have one problem with the DVD. The voice overs are done by someone with a foreign accent and it might take a while to get used to it. It all depends on the person. For me, it took a few days of exercise. This is not a big problem and it's not something you can't get past so I won't remove any stars for that.
The setting is very bland, but I think that's a very good thing. It keeps distractions to a minimum. You're watching one person doing the exercises and receiving instructions to help you follow along. Each exercise smoothly flows into the next. Pilates has gone from just exercise to beautiful art for me and I couldn't stop now even if I wanted to. Best of all, I can see the improvements in my body and I feel better about myself.
If you're looking for a Pilates DVD, I would definitely recommend this one.
Rating:
Summary: Great compliment to a regular class
Review: I bought this because my pilates instructor recommend it. I take a mat class each week in addition to using this DVD. This DVD serves as a great compliment because it helps reinforce what I learn in an actual session. It's certainly possible to learn on your own, but it definitely helps to take a few mat classes so that a certified instructor can help correct your positioning. You'll get more out of the DVD once you nail the positioning in class.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible Workout
Review: I am typically very impatient with workout videos, yet don't like to leave my home every single day in order to keep in shape; this DVD pretty much solved my problem. After just 20 minutes I feel like I've completed an entire gym workout. The instruction is very clear and easy to follow. The most valuable aspect of this DVD is the attention given to posture, process and breath. This way the workout is truly maximized because you know you're doing it right. Also, there is no obnoxious music interfering with the voice-over instruction, and all the exercises are expertly and clearly demonstrated. I was especially shocked by the way it has helped my posture. I used to work in a coffee shop, standing for 8 hour shifts. My back would ache relentlessly by the end of my day, and one 20 minute Pilates session really helped undo the muscle aches I had developed.
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