Customer Reviews

Amira's Belly Dance & Yoga For Pregnancy Prenatal Exercise

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a good workout. I think Amira does a great job of creating a calm and soothing workout for mom's to be. I did all three sections and didn't break a sweat. I think if you want a good stretch type of video this is for you but this video lacks intensity and is not really a work out.

I did like her insight on how the western world is the only place where women lay down to give birth and due to all the sitting and driving we do most of out muscles needed for childbirth are stiff. This video aims at giving you more flexibility and preparing you for child birth which was great.

Would definitely recommend you buy as an add on video to a more rigorous work-out.

This is exactly what I need right now - I'm 4 months pregnant, completely stiff/sore from eliminating most exercise since I'm so tired. The stretching exercises alone are helping me loosen up some.

I'm not the world's best fitness person, but this video has been great. I purchased a belly dancing video in the past with different instructors, which I enjoyed, but I enjoyed this one much more.
I really appreciated Amira explaining why learning the particular moves were great for a woman's body in general and to help the woman's body deal with pregnancy as well as childbirth.
The moves are simple enough and explained well enough that even someone who has never exercised could still do them.
After doing this video, I felt worked out, but not drenched in sweat. This is an awesome video!

This is a great DVD. Amira's instructions are easy to follow and the performances are great. She is a very soulful dancer and instructor. It is obvious she researched pregnancy and bellydance extensively to give correct information.

This video is really several programs in one: the first, which most people will probably buy it for, is a gentle conditioning program for pregnant women with a strong dance component. The second is a reflection on childbirth from several different perspectives: Amira's as dancer, pregnant woman, and researcher, those of a midwife and a chiropractic doctor, and testimonials from six dancers who had children. These programs are also intertwined to some extent. I'll deal with the second program first.

_Amira's Belly Dance & Yoga For Pregnancy Prenatal Exercise for Childbirth Information_

The thrust of Amira's work is very much about recovering non-Western modes of bodily movement and preparation for childbirth. This can be seen in her introduction, and in little segments between the exercise sections of the workout. But what spoke to me most from this part of the video were the testimonials of dancers, who spoke about their own birth experiences. What came out of this was that pregnancy and birth are complicated, messy, and deeply individual. Some wound up having C-sections, some had tough pregnancies but were able to give birth vaginally, and every woman seemed to have a mix of joys and regrets. All thought they had benefited from their dance practice, but in different and nuanced ways -- a feeling of femininity, a strengthened bond with the baby, or better body awareness. I loved that this section of the video showed that becoming a mother is not one-size-fits-all deal, even if many of us have ideas about what the "perfect" childbirth might look like.

_Amira's Belly Dance & Yoga For Pregnancy Prenatal Exercise as Prenatal Workout_

The exercise section of the video contains five sections:

Yoga Warmup & Stretch
Strengthening
Belly Dance
Exercises During Labor
Cool Down and Stretch

This is quite a bit of material, and you will probably prefer just to do the warmup, cool down, and one of the sections in the middle on a normal day. I've tried it all except for the labor exercises, though these are mostly also bellydance movements, with the interesting addition of breathing practice that even women confined to bedrest can do.

The program is extremely careful, and very gentle. While you will stretch and strengthen your muscles, there are no jarring movements or even footwork. Everything is cued slowly and precisely. It means you should do this video on a day when you're not in a rush (you might be frustrated with the pace), but also that you're unlikely to injure or unduly strain yourself. Subtitles and inset videos will sometimes show modifications. And the program as a whole is a complete package -- every part of your body will be gently stretched or worked, though it won't feel like an intense workout. The best result was one I didn't even notice right away. After doing this video, I had almost three days without sciatica pain.

The "Belly Dance" section consists of basic movement instruction, but no choreographies. For women who are new to bellydance, Amira's instructions will be approachable. More experienced dancers will not find challenging moves or routines, but I think this section would be a great long warmup for a pregnant woman continuing her dance practice. (It doesn't have lots of lunges or extended shimmies that other warmups I know use, but which might be difficult or dangerous during pregnancy.) What I think is really valuable about this section, even for women who know how to do a chest circle and a maya, is that Amira's slow and careful repetition of the movements forces you to pay attention to your basics. I found myself really focusing on the fundamentals, striving to extend my range of motion, and working on doing basic movements in a beautiful way. It made me think that there could be a plus side to dancing when pregnant!

The summary? You will love this DVD if you want a full but gentle prenatal workout, if you want to luxuriate in movement that will support your pregnancy, and if you want to hear about other women's thoughts on and experiences of childbirth. You will not love it if you want a fast or sweaty workout, or if you do not want to hear about childbirth practices around the world (there are informational bits between the workout segments).

I've completed the entire workout (barring the Exercises During Labor section) several times now and still really enjoy this DVD--it's the first of my pregnancy DVDs I go to! Amira is a soothing instructor and the exercises are slow and gentle. I enjoy how Amira explains how particular moves are beneficial for your baby or your body during pregnancy.

Yoga warmup: Good meditation exercise and controlled breathing help you to relax and loosen up. I imagine this would be handy during early labor as well.
Strengthening Exercises: A short but challenging exercise that strengthens your thighs and glutes, especially if you haven't done many squats for a while. Ends with a great stretching pose that helps to open up the groin.
Pre-Natal Bellydance: Amira takes you through various moves, first focusing on hips, then the chest, then the arms. Amira explains and breaks down the moves well, and the pace is quite slow, so beginners shouldn't have trouble keeping up. Note though that she doesn't mirror her moves, so when she says to move to the right, she appears to move to the left onscreen.
Exercises During Labor: To be safe, I haven't tried these exercises myself, but they look handy.
Cool Down: This is a lovely and relaxing segment, and may help increase flexibility. Some gentle yoga poses are used at the end.
Extras: I personally didn't find these very useful, though some may be interested in various dancers' pregnancy stories.

Overall, the exercises gently increase the heart rate, while leaving you calm and relaxed. I wouldn't recommend this DVD for those interested in being extremely fit throughout pregnancy as it seems too mild, but for strengthening and increasing flexibility in a calming environment, this is a very good buy.

Having done belly dance for some years, I was looking for moves that would not endanger my unborn baby. Amira's Belly Dance & Yoga For Pregnancy Prenatal Exercise is a wonderful CD consisting of easy and soft exercises, that I imagine are good to follow and learn for beginners too. I liked the overview of the origins and benefits of belly dance in general and for pregancy in particular; I enjoyed the stretches and various belly dance moves for hips, arms and chest; and benefitted greatly from the specific exercises for labour, when the big moment finally arrived.

Even though the number of moves were limited (which was initially disappointing to me, who has some experience), I would rather be safe - which was after all what I had been looking for. The exercises are easy to follow, in speed as well as in explanation and example, from different angles where necessary. The background music is relaxing too.

I definitely recommend this DVD. The only reason for not giving 5 stars is the limited number of moves, which may be justified for safety reasons, but a little disappointing for an advanced belly dancer.

I'm an experienced bellydancer and found the exercises to be a bit on the bland side. However, I really enjoyed the explanations of types of bellydance moves to do and those to stay away from. Also, the personal narratives of mother's birthing experiences were refreshing and nice to watch. The camera and sound were far better than most bellydance DVDs and you could clearly see the moves and understand what was being portrayed. I would recommend this DVD and would find it most beneficial for someone who has never danced but would like to start during pregnancy. For experienced dancers, these moves could be added to your current routine/practice.

This video is pretty good. It was very relaxing and had a lot of good visuals and information about birth. The stretches and moves for labor were great, as well. There was not a whole lot of actual bellydance-just a few basic moves, and limited yoga as well. This certainly is not a video to watch if you expect it to challenge you beyond stretching, but it is still great to have.

They've done a great job breaking down and explaining complex moves. For a first timer, this DVD is a must. Was hoping there would be a section for faster moves, once you've gotten the basics down but no luck. You could follow the two performances included, but those aren't quite made for following along. Overall, great beginner program.