Rating: 
Summary: Denise delivers on her promise
Review: Other reviewers have brought up many vaild points- cheesy music, whispered encouragements and an intensity level not high enough for hard core pilates/yoga buffs. I agree. But Ms. Austen offers this DVD as an introduction to Pilates/Yoga and claims that with focus and dedication, results will be visible in about 3 weeks. I am very athletic, and found that after three weeks of daily practice (I use the second workout), my body tone had improved, my abs were flatter (as opposed to the "bunched" effect I get from my daily sit-ups) and my flexibility was greatly enhanced. I use the DVD as a daily stress release and stretch, then follow with a 3-5 mile run. The combinaton is great, and I am very happy with the improved body control. Is Ms. Austen perfect? No. Is this a DVD for advanced students? No. But does it provide a challenging, effective and enjoyable workout? Yes.
Rating: 
Summary: What a faker
Review: I was lent this tape by someone new to Pilates. I have been doing Pilates for 6 years and was amazed to find that D. Austin (who is an Aerobics diva) has a Pilates tape. Her technique is horrible and she does not come close to hitting on the "core" needed to complete the excerises correctly. The sequence in which Pilates movements are completed is extremely important and Ms. Austin jumps all over the place. Not knowing much about Yoga I do know that one does not rush through the movements and that proper positioning of the body is crucial. I do not beleive this is accomplished. There is a great web site out there where one can purchase tapes and small Pilates equipment from the leading manuafacturer of Pilates equipment. Do your body a favor and find a great Pilates tape on a Pilates web site! P.S. My sister is a ballet dance, did the tape with me once and Ms. Austin drove her crazy with her voice tone and "ballarina" lingo! I must concur!
Rating:
Summary: Skip this video
Review: I tried this video as a supplement to my weekly pilates class and was very dissapointed. Denise whips through the exercises without giving much direction on form and modifications - this is especially true for the second workout which is more yoga based. I think my pilates and yoga instructors would have trouble recommending this video. I also did not feel like the video provided a total body workout. Pilates stresses "core strength" but also involves all of the muscles in the body. However, this video focuses mainly on the abdominals. For anyone new to pilates and/or yoga this tape would be too difficult and possibly unsafe. Also, I found Denise to be very annoying and condescending.
Rating:
Summary: do your body a favor...buy this video !
Review: Once I got past the ad for Denise's zillion and one tapes, and became accustomed to her slightly saccharine voice, I had nothing but admiration for this woman who has tremendous knowledge in how a body works, and knows how to articulate it.This is the best exercise video I've ever tried. The others have been confusing, boring, hard to follow, or don't live up to their promises. This one has none of these bad traits, and the the key to these workouts is balance: The sequence of the movements provides your body with enough change so that a particular muscle or area won't receive undue stress. It's divided into 2 twenty minute workouts, that are simple yet for me personally, enough of a challenge to keep me interested for months to come, and will be a perfect substitute for my walking routine when the weather won't coöperate. The first one, the Pilates style mat exercises, gave me from the start, a better posture, and a feeling of inner strength. Standing taller and feeling more relaxed in the shoulder/neck area than before. The second one is my favorite. A yoga based combination that is superbly blended for flexibility and strength...and yes, I love that she wobbles more on some poses than I do...it makes this "woman of steel" human, and you've got to love her for this video, and what it will do for your body. Tolstoy said: "The only misfortunes in life are remorse and illness". This video will help keep you healthy, and you won't regret buying it.
Rating:
Summary: UGH! Gag me. Gag me.
Review: She WHISPERS throughout the whole video. I guess she is trying to set the mood but it is very irritating. She also says things like "You're doing sooo good." I don't know if I can stand to listen to her again. The exercises aren't anything new either. We used to do these exercises during the floorwork section of an aerobics class before AFAA and IDEA took over and started restricting allowable exercises. I felt better afterwards so I will try it again, enough to learn the routine so I can do it on my own without listening to Denise Austin.
Rating: 
Summary: can't wait
Review: I started this video three weeks ago. I am an ex-aerobics instructor and have exercised the old fashioned way for too many years to count. When I say old fashioned I mean exercise equals jumping around vigorously in some form of aerobics and/or lifting weights. I am thrilled with this video. I started off doing the video every other day. My body is starting to feel tighter particularly the tummy and the stretching, breathing, and the general feeling is wonderful. I am so excited that it does not feel like exercise and I have started to do it daily. Such a great tradeoff for only 20 minutes a day.
Rating:
Summary: Not too bad
Review: I really like the technique in this video and could really feel the work on my abs. Although, I found D. Austin to be incredibly patronizing and her cheesy talk makes it almost unbearable to get through 20 minutes without getting ill.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent for lower abs!
Review: There are two workouts on this video, but I prefer the first one, because it really concentrates on ab work, especially the lower abs. She really makes you work them! The second part is supposed to be yoga, but she doesn't explain the exercises and I couldn't figure out what I was supposed to be doing and why. I'll probably by a beginner's Yoga tape later, but for now I HIGHLY recommend this tape for anyone who wants strong, tone, six-pack type abs.
Rating:
Summary: decent video
Review: It's funny how no one admits to being a fan of Ms. Austin (myself included) but she is a wildly popular fitness instructor. That said she is very tolerable in this video. Overall its a good intro to pilates but the second section is definately not for beginners (people who have never tried yoga). Some of the positions are way to challenging. I like that it is broken into 2 segments and would recommend it for someone looking for something new. For general stress relief and a farily easy beginner yoga tape I would recommend Living Arts Stress Relief Yoga for Beginners (props do help).
Rating:
Summary: Pretty good
Review: I had been looking for another Pilates tape because Precision Toning was somewhat confusing (no "flow" of exercises as in it's beginning sequence) and seemed to have 'way too much leg work to be a balanced workout. This tape has a good first section, and a second section (with Yoga) that would also be good if it weren't so rushed. Warning: Ms. Austin is not one to watch for technique--she really wobbles on the Yoga positions, and her Pilates skills are not much better. However, that may endear her to the vast majority of us who also are not perfect. I would recommend Precision Toning for a better explanation of technique. That said, I do want to complain about all of the advertising junk at the front end of the video, which you have to fast forward through all the time. Put it at the BACK, or on an insert. The explanations of technique could also go after the workout. See if you can rent/borrow this tape (not everyone can take Ms. Austin) before buying or go in with a friend on it.
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