Leslie Sansone - You Can Do Pilates

Rating:
Summary: Easy pilates
Review: i am a big fan of leslie's "walk away the pounds" series like the other reviewers. i also have the jennifer kries "method" pilates video. i think that is a good video but i haven't done it consistently because the moves are too hard. leslie's dvd is something i believe i can do often. i can't do all of the moves yet but it feels more accessible somehow. when i get stronger i'll tackle jennifer kries again. somehow leslie just makes stuff accessible.

Rating:
Summary: A Reviewer from Michigan
Review: I excercise five times a week with one of Leslie's videos plus once a week weight training class. I'm in my late forties and have dropped cholesterol and blood pressure with this program. This workout is quite easy if you can do Leslie's other tapes. I like the fact that she is alone and doesn't talk to people excercising with her. She demonstrates the moves well. The Challenge with the stretchie band is also easy to follow and does not prove difficult. I'm not sore the day or two after either. One segment explains the moves. The two excercise segments takes about 20 min. each. Frankly, I'd like to see more Walk Away the Pounds with more weights and stretchie-band routines and let others lead the Pilates. Leslie has found her niche with the walking videos and should stay with that.

Rating:
Summary: Great for beginners!
Review: I have been using the "You Can Do Pilates" video for two weeks now. I have tried mat pilates before and was not strong enough to do many of the movements, so I gave up. This video is very accessible and reasonably paced, but the moves definitely build strength. Leslie filmed three workouts; the first one short and instructional, and the next two increasing in difficulty and length. You start with the instructional, and move up to the others when you are strong enough. I already feel much stronger after doing Level 2 a few times, and would recommend the video to anyone who is curious about Pilates, unless they are already extremely fit (gymnast, etc).
If you are very strong and fit, including your abdominal and lower back muscles, you may prefer a more advanced video with another teacher, but if you are discouraged by its difficulty, try Sansone's You Can Do Pilates. I hope this DVD is available for years, because it's a great workout that works.


Rating:
Summary: ATTENTION: out of shape people
Review: If you cannot do sit ups, if you do not have a strong core, or abdomen, if you have back problems, if you have not exercised recently or if you do not exercise weekly, please do not waste your money on this dvd. I recently bought this dvd and I could not do it. It was torturous, painful, impossible. All the exercises involve your core, your abdomen. It is like doing difficult sit ups for a half hour. I think that if you are out of shape, you should try to do the You Can Do Yoga Dvd and then, after you gain flexibility and strength, you can get the pilates dvd and try again. Maybe one day I will be able to do the pilates, but for now I will stick to the yoga dvd. I hope this helps. Otherwise, Leslie Sansone is great in this dvd, like she always is and I do recommend this dvd to people who have a strong core.

Rating:
Summary: A Calming Professional Approach
Review: In this 60 Minute DVD, you will find a complete workout with additional instruction. The first section can be viewed without working out or you can follow along and try out the new exercises.

I was impressed with Leslie Sansone's professional approach to Pilates. I had just finished her 3-mile walk and was thinking about finishing my workout routine with a Pilates DVD. Fortunately, Leslie spends time explaining each exercise so I had a bit of time to cool down. However, once I started the actual workout, it was definitely filled with calorie burning exercises.

While she focuses on "just the basics" you really do get a great workout. You start with "the hundred" and progress to the roll-up, leg circles and simple leg stretch. The last exercise is the "plank" which could have flowed into some push-ups, but trying to hold your body in the plank position for even 10 seconds can be a good challenge depending on your fitness level.

If you are new to Pilates, this might be one of the best ways to get started besides the Winsor Pilates workouts. If you have been doing Pilates for a few years, this might work as a quick refresher course and the swimming exercise in this DVD is pretty powerful.

I actually think Leslie should make more workouts like this one because she really excels at the professional approach. A lot of her walk videos are on the extremely joyful side and to actually watch her teaching in such a serene style made me more aware of all the beauty she has to offer the world. I've lost 11 ¾ inches since starting her Walk Workouts and I can say that I had struggled to lose inches before starting her walking program. So, I'm very pleased she is branching out to new areas and hope she continues to make highly professional workouts and I hope she does a few more walk workouts because I need MORE!

To make this workout super efficient, try one of Leslie's walking workouts and you will find that you really do need that couch after all. ;) I love it when I can complete two workout videos/DVDs and I can feel that I accomplished a great deal in under two hours. Thank you LESLIE!

~TheRebeccaReview.com

P.S. Two of my favorite Pilates books: Ultimate Pilates by Dreas Reyneke and Jennifer Kries Pilates Plus Method.