Rating: 
Summary: Disappointed
Review: This is a very bad quality tape
Rating: 
Summary: My Favorite Workout Video
Review: This is my favorite workout. Every time I am deciding which DVD to work out to, I always default to this one because it is so much fun. Jennifer Kries has a unique talent for teaching and it transfers well through the video camera. She has a strong, deep voice and an elegant way of moving. The four people who demonstrate with her are from different dance backgrounds -- jazz, modern, and ballet. As a viewer, you can sense this difference in background because they are not uniform, but to me it expresses individuality and uniqueness. This isn't cheerleading! The first part of the video is dance, and it is this section that makes this my favorite video. It provides a great stretch, but it also works you aerobically (you will be short of breath by the end). It uses some of the fundamental movements of ballet, jazz, and modern dance. This is a workout where each movement flows into the next, so it truly feels like dancing. Unlike the New York City Ballet Workout where ballet is used to create exercises in isolation, this is a more free-form combination of different styles of movement that is very freeing, though still effective. The workout lengthens the body. It lengthens the arms through reaching out and pulling in, much in the style of jazz. It lengthens the legs through plies and battlements from traditional ballet bar exercises. It lengthens your abs, sides and back through contractions, similar to what you experience in modern dance. And, at the center of it all is your core, what keeps you balanced through all of the movement -- so your abs get a great workout, too. By the end of the first section, the second section is always a letdown. I am always breathing hard and energized after the dance portion, definitely ready for anything. For such an advanced dance section, you would think the yoga section would have a similar pace. Instead, it is a slower workout intended to condition the abs, thighs, and buttocks. There is a very slow progression through a breathing exercise and the salutation sun series which is great for beginners because it breaks some very important basic yoga concepts into manageable parts. In my opinion, this second section could be beefed up to include more challenging conditioning exercises. This is a unique workout and one I genuinely look forward to. If it was the dance section alone, I would give it 5 stars as an advanced workout.
Rating: 
Summary: Absolutely fun and challenging
Review: This method with Jennifer Kries is absolutely the best workout I have ever done. Yes, it does take some getting use too, but with patience and persistance you can really see the difference and you flexibility improves greatly. After two weeks my posture and flexibility have improved greatly. I am still challenged and I plan on continuing. A must have for anyone wanting overall health and body wellness.
Rating: 
Summary: A blend of Pilates, ballet, and yoga
Review: This video consists of two separate workouts. The first, which is described as "Pilates based," was not Pilates at all: rather, it was a light, non-weight toning routine which blended ballet and yoga moves. It began with an 8-minute warm-up followed by 10 minutes of standing ballet-type work. Next was a 10-minute yoga segment which consisted of sun salutations and other standing yoga poses. Finally, the workout ended with 2 minutes of yoga-type stretches. The second workout, "Core Conditioning," consisted of traditional Pilates mat work. It began with several minutes of breathing practice and then moved on to Pilates exercises such as the Hundred, the Roll-Up, etc; many of these exercises were modified from their original form. It also included the Pilates side kick series, but only two exercises were performed on each side. Although this workout was labeled as being 20 minutes, the actual time was about 17 minutes; when you subtract the time spent on breathing instruction, you are left with a disappointing Pilates workout of less than 15 minutes. I did not particularly like Jennifer Kries as an instructor. First of all, her cuing was inadequate, as she often failed to explain upcoming movements and frequently failed to cue right and left. Furthermore, I found her to be a bit showoff-y at times with her flexibility levels. Finally, although there was some merit to this routine, I definitely feel that there are better choices available (eg, Kari Anderson's "Angles, Lines, and Curves" instead of the first section and various other videos for Pilates mat work).
Rating:
Summary: A blend of Pilates, ballet, and yoga
Review: This video consists of two separate workouts. The first, which is described as "Pilates based," was not Pilates at all: rather, it was a light, non-weight toning routine which blended ballet and yoga moves. It began with an 8-minute warm-up followed by 10 minutes of standing ballet-type work. Next was a 10-minute yoga segment which consisted of sun salutations and other standing yoga poses. Finally, the workout ended with 2 minutes of yoga-type stretches. The second workout, "Core Conditioning," consisted of traditional Pilates mat work. It began with several minutes of breathing practice and then moved on to Pilates exercises such as the Hundred, the Roll-Up, etc; many of these exercises were modified from their original form. It also included the Pilates side kick series, but only two exercises were performed on each side. Although this workout was labeled as being 20 minutes, the actual time was about 17 minutes; when you subtract the time spent on breathing instruction, you are left with a disappointing Pilates workout of less than 15 minutes. I did not particularly like Jennifer Kries as an instructor. First of all, her cuing was inadequate, as she often failed to explain upcoming movements and frequently failed to cue right and left. Furthermore, I found her to be a bit showoff-y at times with her flexibility levels. Finally, although there was some merit to this routine, I definitely feel that there are better choices available (eg, Kari Anderson's "Angles, Lines, and Curves" instead of the first section and various other videos for Pilates mat work).
Rating:
Summary: A blend of Pilates, ballet, and yoga
Review: This video consists of two separate workouts. The first, which is described as "Pilates based," was not Pilates at all: rather, it was a light, non-weight toning routine which blended ballet and yoga moves. It began with an 8-minute warm-up followed by 10 minutes of standing ballet-type work. Next was a 10-minute yoga segment which consisted of sun salutations and other standing yoga poses. Finally, the workout ended with 2 minutes of yoga-type stretches. The second workout, "Core Conditioning," consisted of traditional Pilates mat work. It began with several minutes of breathing practice and then moved on to Pilates exercises such as the Hundred, the Roll-Up, etc; many of these exercises were modified from their original form. It also included the Pilates side kick series, but only two exercises were performed on each side. Although this workout was labeled as being 20 minutes, the actual time was about 17 minutes; when you subtract the time spent on breathing instruction, you are left with a disappointing Pilates workout of less than 15 minutes. I did not particularly like Jennifer Kries as an instructor. First of all, her cuing was inadequate, as she often failed to explain upcoming movements and frequently failed to cue right and left. Furthermore, I found her to be a bit showoff-y at times with her flexibility levels. Finally, although there was some merit to this routine, I definitely feel that there are better choices available (eg, Kari Anderson's "Angles, Lines, and Curves" instead of the first section and various other videos for Pilates mat work).
Rating:
Summary: Disappointed
Review: This was my first pilates workout, and I was dissapointed. I didn't realize how much ballet was involved. Also, the quality of the DVD was extremely poor compared to that of others I have recently purchased. Not special enough to own,... in my opinion.
|
