Denise Austin - Mat Workout Based on the Work of J.H. Pilates

Rating:
Summary: Save your money
Review: Denise is not a certified Pilates instructor and it shows. She sometimes does not have proper form, and she performs some moves more than necessary. In the yoga video, she is quite wobbly. If you're interested in Pilates or yoga, you will get value for money from videos by Ana Caban, Moira Stott, Hilary Burnett, Jennifer Kries (who combines Pilates, yoga & dance), and the Living Arts yoga videos, among others.

Rating:
Summary: Good
Review: A good starter tape for pilates. Denise Austin is an excellent instructor.

Rating:
Summary: Mixed feelings
Review: As a couple of others have said, I liked part one of this tape which is fairly slow paced and relaxing, but did not like part two, which goes too fast for the exercises involved, and which has an odd pseudo-soothing tone. I bought this tape and another related one because I had bought the related book and liked it. I do think she has toned down some of her usual chirpiness (sp) for these tapes, which is good, because it would not fit these types of exercises.

Rating:
Summary: Good for beginners, bad for experienced pilate or yoga
Review: If you are a beginner or trying a new fitness program it is a good start! When I first started the tapes I did lose some inches off my hip area which is a very bad place for me and I do recommend it to people who want to strengthen their stomaches it does work for those situations. She does have a nasally voice and repeats you can do it too many times so you may need to work on getting past that. For a person who has already experienced pilates or yoga you may want to get another tape. You will know more about pilates and yoga then Denise. I'm a yoga freak so when I seen Denise do warrior pose wrong and plank pose with her rear-end so high in the air and not getting the true ab work-out it made me wonder what else is she doing wrong. I still do the tape to break up my work-outs.

Rating:
Summary: Over-rated!!
Review: Sound quality is awful - you can hardly hear it - very disappointing. The only part of the DVD I'll really use is in the Bonus Section for hips, thighs and buttocks.

Rating:
Summary: This is a excellent video.
Review: I feel like I get a good workout that uses a lot of muscles, but it does not leave me exhausted. It is a good one to use on a busy day because it only takes 20 minutes. You get quick results too.

Rating:
Summary: Very, very good workout, even for a beginner!
Review: I wanted to try Pilates for a while now, and am glad that I went with Denise's tape. I used to follow her show on ESPN years ago, and I can truly say doing her workouts 5 days a week will get and keep you in shape! As a beginner with Pilates and Yoga, I felt clumsy and unsteady trying some of the moves in the second workout, but how quickly things improved - within a few sessions I could accomplish the moves that were difficult only a few days before. I feel better after this workout than after many others and would recommend this to anyone. Unlike many cardio workouts that leave you feeling like you could eat everything in your pantry the next day, this workout leaves you feeling more balance, more strong, and not ravenously hungry!

Rating:
Summary: Challenging enough for a workout fiend!
Review: I work out anywhere from 4-6 times a week including kickboxing, running, hiking, weight lifting, and rollerblading but get bored with stretching exercises. I have found that despite my athletic abilities, I need to increase my flexibility. Not only am I much more flexible and balanced, I have increased my muscle tone and really feel like I have elongated my body. I like this so much that I already have the video but want to buy the DVD.

Rating:
Summary: Not a trained Pilates instructor!
Review: There are some aspects of this video that are okay, but I was shocked at some of the instruction she gives. Doing the teaser, she uses momentum to "pop" into the position, which is not only bad technique but is dangerous and will not use the muscles the exercise is designed for. The 2nd workout includes a lot more yoga than Pilates, and some of the poses are very challenging. With Pilates, it is important to do the exercises correctly, and I don't think Denise Austin really understands Pilates technique. I recommend the Living Arts Pilates videos or Jennifer Kries's Method workout videos.

Rating:
Summary: Good intro to Pilates
Review: This was my first time trying Pilates, and I felt like it was a good video to start with. The first time I did it I felt the burn in my lower abs for a few days after. Since then I have not been sore, but I still feel it working when I'm doing it. I really like the first section. My abs are flatter now, which makes me very happy! I have only done the second workout a few times because I don't really like it. (Because of it I would actually rate this a 3 or 3 1/2 stars, but I mainly based my rating on the part I actually do.) I think Denise does the yoga postures far too quickly to get the benefit of the stretch. If the moves were slower I would like it better. Also her cuing in the section is terrible. Overall, however, I would recommend this video to anyone who would like to get started in Pilates. I have tried one other Pilates video--the Method Precision Toning--and really enjoyed it and felt it more, but I think it is more advanced than this video. I'm glad I started with Denise's.