Rating: 
Summary: Blast From The Past
Review: This DVD looks and feels like you have traveled back in time to Joseph Pilates' original New York City studio. The video set has a curtain just like a curtain in the old photos of Joseph Pilates' studio. I wonder if the producers intended this. Anyway, I like the straight forward, bare bones, and no-frills approach of this DVD. The instructor who talks during the demonstrators exercise routines is intense, precise, and focused upon helping you get an excellent workout. There is a beautiful quietness because there is no music during the workouts. There is only the excellent voiceover instruction by Bob Liekens. I don't know who Bob Liekens is, but I think he is phenomenal. I would love to take a lesson from him someday. This DVD is a blast from the past. The only eye candy you see are the out-of-this-world workouts performed superlatively by the demonstrators. This DVD shows the Pilates method's true colors: hard work, beautiful movement, and wonderful rhythms. What more could you want? There are no short cuts, and no fancy sets, and no bathing suit models to distract you from a good old fashioned workout.
Rating: 
Summary: Not exactly what I wanted.
Review: I found this DVD to lack motivation. The lack of any background music, combined with the bland voice of the narrarator, affected my perception of this DVD. If a person is wanting a pilates DVD that is fast-paced, and offers multi-leveled workouts, then this is for you. That was what I was seeking when purchasing this, yet I couldn't get past following one student, with no music.
Rating:
Summary: Keeping It Real - An Instructor's Point of View
Review: Although we all can benefit from various forms of safe physical exercise, Mr. Pilates created his method---with specific principles, exercises, and workout orders---to enhance our health and well-being. Unfortunately, because Mr. Pilates is no longer with us, there are now many types of Pilates 'methods.' Many individuals have even created their own 'improved' Pilates exercises and principles. The fact is that Mr. Pilates only created a single method, and this DVD remains true to it. Thank you. This DVD helps me stay fit and helps my Pilates clients practice the real thing. One example of changing Mr. Pilates' original vision includes so-called 'Pilates-evolved' exercises, which often isolate specific parts of the body. This approach is too analytical, and neglects the importance of rhythm and flowing movement for the whole body. And it's totally opposite to Joseph Pilates' original approach. He called his method Contrology, or the art of control, which is the complete integration of your body, your mind, and your spirit, as you exercise with dynamics & harmony. Classical Pilates keeps the method pure by keeping the workouts up tempo so you actually sweat, and actually work your muscles with sincere mental focus.
Rating:
Summary: Authentic Pilates
Review: This Classical Pilates workout DVD can be the only workout you do or it can supplement and enhance your existing program. The distinction between Classical Pilates and other forms of Pilates is its purity in preserving Joseph Pilates' original method of body conditioning. I personally feel this DVD offers the best educational value because master instructor Bob Liekens guides you through each workout, articulating the wisdom and technique of traditional Pilates like no other person in the industry.
When practiced properly, Pilates really energizes you! Pilates improves your posture and makes your everyday activities easier. Pilates also makes your sports and fitness routines better and helps your body become more flexible and strong. Whether you're looking for a simple body sculpting program, increased flexibility and posture or just looking to improve your golf game, so Classical Pilates is the perfect choice. It is very important to NOT get bored when you workout! And you will NOT get bored with this DVD. It really gets the furnace going and the juices flowing! The key is to keep you excited and keeping you exercising in a way that's fun and challenging. This DVD keeps you interested in moving, and keeping a regular workout routine.
Rating: 
Summary: no instruction at all
Review: this is not a good dvd at all unless you are a professional pilates person, and then why would you need a dvd? it gives absolutely not instruction and goes so quickly, it's unbelievable.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding!
Review: I was a beginner in Pilates about six months ago, and wanted to workout on my own in addition to taking classes at my gym. I don't see many guys doing Pilates, so it was good to find an instructional DVD that had a guy on the cover. This DVD's cover seemed more serious. It seemed like you would get a vigorous workout with this DVD, which was better for me. My hunch was right. This DVD is outstanding. There is a man who demonstrates Pilates on this DVD, and this dude is seriously focused. I didn't want a workout that was to easy; I wanted a good solid sweat-inducing exercise routine. This DVD is great for that. The good thing, too, is that there is a pre-basic workout to learn the movements. And there is a regular basic workout that prepares you for blasting off into the Pilates method intermediate and advanced levels. Another reason I really like this DVD is that you can grow with it. As you learn and make progress, you don't get bored because the higher level workouts are so challenging. There are even super advanced exercises. You can't go wrong with this DVD if you want real challenging workouts.
Rating:
Summary: Ahead of the Pack
Review: If you want the authentic Pilates method, and if you want real Pilates, this is the best DVD to have. I have seen many Pilates DVDs, and there is only one other mat video that has this much historical accuracy: Classical Pilates "Complete Magic Circle Mat Series & Reformer Mat Workout." For those of you who have studied Pilates from the master instructors in New York City, I don't have to say that Classical Pilates is true blue in preserving Joseph Pilates' time-honored New York school. For those of you who have learned in a different Pilates tradition, you might enjoy the timing and flow. I love this DVD and share it with my friends and Pilates students.
Rating:
Summary: Main stay in my daily work-outs
Review: I've spent hundreds of dollars on execise dvd's, equipment, and books over the past year. Out of all the dvd's I've bought this is definately the best. I love the pace compared to the other pilates tapes I've used, it's nice actually working up a sweat instead of listening to the instructor babble on for 5 minutes before every exericse like in the other dvd's I've used. As I much as I enjoy that aspect of the dvd, I guess a begginer could find it equally frustrating, so if you're new to pilates it might be a good idea to either read a book on pilates or watch one of the other dvd's specifically for new comers. The exercises mainly work the abdominals, the back, and the thighs. They do a very nice job of working these regions, also. I like to use the tape everyday before I do my weight training and cardio, partly because it serves as a nice stretching and warm-up, but mainly because I don't think I'd have enough energy left to complete the program after weight training and a hour of cardio. This dvd is worth every penny of the twenty dollars it cost me, I simply have not been this pleased with any other exercise dvd I've purchased pilates or otherwise.
Rating:
Summary: Simply Excellent!
Review: I have been studying and practicing the Pilates method now for over six months. I've really enjoyed the instruction I've received from other videos, but wanted something to aspire to--and this is it. In reading some of the other reviews, yes, this DVD does have a fast pace; however, the goal of the Pilates method is for the entire matwork routine to be performed smoothly and with a great sense of flow and rhythm--not as a collection of separate, start-and-stop exercises. I appreciate that the atmosphere of the workout is not hyped-up, with pounding dance-mix music or a super-perky instructor. The emphasis is only on what's at hand--the workout. I also enjoy the voiced-over instruction as opposed to receiving it from the person who is also demonstrating the movements. The speaker addresses you as though he were in the room with you, checking your form. In this way, it feels very personalized to me. If you are an absolute beginner, I would suggest that you watch the various levels of the matwork first. Watch it a couple of times, even, maybe trying a couple of the exercises as practice on your own. Once you have the general idea of what the different movements are, then proceed to work with the DVD on your pace and fluidity. If you already have a foundation in the principles of this exercise method, then this is the DVD to buy to further your ability. It's not watered down, slowed down, or commercialized; it's just Pilates the way Joseph Pilates created it. I myself can't wait to continue working with this DVD to improve my technique and my strength--it's really given me something to shoot for.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent But Not For Beginners
Review: Like the reviewer before me wrote, this workouts are really fast paced and hard to follow if your not familiar with pilates. Im a Pilates Instructor myself and recommend to take some classes before Or start with a book or easier workouts, "Pilates for dummies" is good and also the Winsor series, But its still excellent and worth work up to it.
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