Search - Basics 2.0: Pilates on DVD

Ah, the beginner girl

B. Gray | 03/13/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I used this video as a pilates beginner, and it has worked really well for me. The results are awesome. However, I have to agree with C. - the girl in the video who is demonstrating the beginner moves is hilarious to watch. I think they may have honestly gone and picked someone off the street who had never done pilates. But, since the video is a little dry, she keeps me grinning.
The only real problem I have with this video is that the instructor does not always specify correct form, or what body parts certain exercises are supposed to work. Consequently, there are exercises that I tend to skip because I genuinely don't feel them, and am not sure what they are supposed to benefit, and I'm pretty sure my form is incorrect. I'm looking forward to upgrading to an intermediate video and finding out. I'll probably go with Stott."

Effective, but kind of annoying

C. Foronda | Bay Area, CA | 04/22/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"the workout is pretty challenging for a beginner like me, but i felt it was kinda annoying the way the main fitness instructor explains everything. she sounds so fake, i don't know if she's reading cue cards or what, or if she's nervous in front of a camera, but she talks like a person who's bad at acting. She had people in back of her who were supposed to show what the beginner and intermediate level alternatives for certain moves were, if we weren't able to do the advanced level. I thought this was good, but the girl who was supposed to show beginner moves seemed to not be paying attention and seemed lost during the whole entire workout. The fitness instructor reminded us to have a straight spine throughout the whole workout, but the beginner level girl had the worst posture i've ever seen. She looked sickly. The video is missing something, I'm not quite sure what it is, but whatever it is, the lack of it makes this video pretty boring. Very effective though, i felt the burn."

Easy to follow and learn

M. Hodges | 12/22/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Lariesa Bernick leads the viewer through slow, precise exercises in a way that is easy to follow. I liked that I could follow the basic routine or more advanced routine at the same time. The classic Pilates mat exercises are challenging, and yet she keeps it basic enough for a beginner. This is a great abdominal workout!"