Rating: 
Summary: Wow, this Pilates stuff is really hard!
Review: Living up to her reputation as a fitness instructor, Kathy Smith explains the fundamentals of each exercise she subjects, er, introduces you to. She describes each movement and technique in easy-to-understand terms ("stop the flow..."). Compared to the Denise Austin Pilates video, the exercises in this one are more beginner-level, as the Teaser is done at the most advanced with only one leg in the air. Kathy uses a few different exercises than Denise Austin does, and she also doesn't do the percussion breathing thing. But don't underestimate the difficulty of either tape: the exercises look very easy, but they're really difficult if you do them right.
I think that in the spirit of unity, this would be a good tape to do as you master the techniques of Pilates (which know-it-all me has not yet done), then use Denise Austin's Pilates + Yoga after you get "good" at doing the one-legged teaser on Kathy's tape.
Rating: 
Summary: Negative Reveiws are true
Review: Of all the Pilates tapes available on this, the planet Earth, Kathy Smith has produced the very best. I have tried others, but nothing matches the graceful (almost soothing)intensity of this 22 minute Pilates workout. Smith guides the viewer through each exercise and explains when to breathe and how to position yourself. Kathy Smith has been around for a while, and to be honest, the proof is in the appearance. She looks terrific. There is a reliability about Kathy that is hard-earned and well-deserved. I have used this tape for two years now. Other Pilates tapes have come and gone for me, but Kathy is the one I pull off the shelf every evening.
Rating: 
Summary: Graceful but intense ... and works!
Review: Of all the Pilates tapes available on this, the planet Earth, Kathy Smith has produced the very best. I have tried others, but nothing matches the graceful (almost soothing)intensity of this 22 minute Pilates workout. Smith guides the viewer through each exercise and explains when to breathe and how to position yourself. Kathy Smith has been around for a while, and to be honest, the proof is in the appearance. She looks terrific. There is a reliability about Kathy that is hard-earned and well-deserved. I have used this tape for two years now. Other Pilates tapes have come and gone for me, but Kathy is the one I pull off the shelf every evening.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Intro to Pilates
Review: Pilates is all new to me. I was psyched to see that Kathy Smith was doing a video, and was even more excited to see that it was geared towards someone at my fitness level. (Beginner/Intermediate) I'd have to agree that if you were already familiar with pilates, you may not get much from this video, however if you're looking for a sequence of pilates moves geared at working the abs, I can't see how you couldn't benefit from this tape. She gives great instruction in the beginning on form. It was easy for me to feel like I was doing the moves right, and she does so well on stressing the breathing. (Breathe out - breathe in...great cues!) I viewed the entire video, but wasn't able to complete it in entirety yet, but it's giving me something to work up to. I'm hoping Kathy decides to market a total body pilates video! You won't be disappointed with this tape!!!
Rating:
Summary: WHO'S BETTER THAN KATHY?
Review: Rather than jump on the bandwagon right away, Kathy Smith always takes her time and produces a quality workout. She packs alot in under 30 minutes. As the title suggest this targets the abs or the "core". You get some benefits for the legs but you core will feel it! Smith is a careful, detailed and motivating teacher. I have several Pilates tapes and it finally clicked with this one. I finally managed to scoop" my abdomen and "engage" my powerhouse. And, while you are sitting or reclined the whole time you will sweat. Here's hoping Smith releases an extended full-body Pilates tape in the near future.
Rating:
Summary: WHO'S BETTER THAN KATHY?
Review: Rather than jump on the bandwagon right away, Kathy Smith always takes her time and produces a quality workout. She packs alot in under 30 minutes. As the title suggest this targets the abs or the "core". You get some benefits for the legs but you core will feel it! Smith is a careful, detailed and motivating teacher. I have several Pilates tapes and it finally clicked with this one. I finally managed to scoop" my abdomen and "engage" my powerhouse. And, while you are sitting or reclined the whole time you will sweat. Here's hoping Smith releases an extended full-body Pilates tape in the near future.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable
Review: Th instruction is fantastic and Kathy explains things very well and gives you harder options to do. She also reminds you often to engage your powerhouse.
Because Pilates is quite different from the good old crunchies you feel you are not working as hard, but believe me you are! The reps she uses is very low, but that is because if you do the movement exactly right and use your mind focus as well you will see a difference.
Rating: 
Summary: There's Better Out There
Review: The best part of this video was the beginning on how Pilates was started and the key elements. I did learn from it, but after hearing it once there wasn't anything else for me. I'm new to Pilates. I have a Crunch: Pick Your Spot Pilates DVD which I love. I was looking for something else to alternate with it. Abs is an area I want to focus on so when I saw this video I thought it would be perfect. What a disappointment!!!! I'm glad I didn't start it first or I might of passed on Pilates altogether. I didn't enjoy it at all. In fact I couldn't stand going all the way through it. I shut it off before it was finished. If you want something laid back you might like it. For those who like something more upbeat like myself...pass on it. Go for the "Crunch" instead.
Rating: 
Summary: Pass...
Review: There are definitively better pilates videos out there. Pass on this one. Kathy Smith obviously is complementing her vast array of excercises techniques with pilates, here specifically focused on abs -- without really understanding or conveying what they are all about. Smith spends 10 minutes discussing key terms of pilates (powerhouse, spine alignment etc.) -- a bore for people who know something about it and confusing for those who don't --in all a waste of tape for those who plan to use the video more than once. Then she goes into some pilates excercices, indeed focused on abs -- but she organizes them in whatsoever way, some seem like fluff; others, more tough, are rushed. She does not guide you through the breathing techniques of pilates properly, so that you are either struggling for breath or feel like a balloon about to burst (in one set she just keeps on telling you to inhale without ever letting you know when to exhale!). Worst of all, this exercise guru offers no stretches at the end to strech out your tight abs!! Finally, particularly annoying is that Smith cheers you on like a cheerleader through the whole video -- so that by the end you are quite irritated, certainly not focused and relaxed, as one should be with pilates. Smith is definitively better at boppy cardio aereobics and should stick to that.
Rating:
Summary: Good Abs Workout
Review: This DVD is a great introduction to Pilates and a pretty good abs workout. The 8-minute warmup gives a brief explanation of Pilates terms in easy-to-understand words that help you visualize what you should be doing. For example, to teach pelvic tilts, she asks you to imagine a marble in your bellybutton sliding to your chest and then back again as you tilt. This really helps to keep the stomach engaged and the shoulders down and isolate the movement of the pelvis. The 22-minute workout is excellent. The only thing I wish is that there were more reps of each exercise. Another demonstrator behind her shows some more advanced postures for increased difficulty. The tone of the video is very peaceful. Kathy Smith and her assistant present the material in a non-threatening manner. Having good form and using the correct muscles is an essential part of this video. In fact, the exercises become more difficult as your form improves. It is very easy to cheat and still do the exercises without doing them correctly. If used properly, I believe this is an excellent addition to a regular workout.
|
