Customer Reviews

The Tracy Anderson Method Presents Post-Pregnancy Workout DVD

5 star:		(147)
4 star:		(38)
3 star:		(22)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I know this DVD is aimed at post-natal women, but the way it targets common trouble areas like the abs, hips and outer-thighs makes it a wonderful workout for any woman. I did have a baby 16 months ago, and have had a terrible time getting back in shape and losing the baby weight. I keep buying new workout videos, looking for that magically inspirational workout that is going to help me get my body back, with no luck, until now. I am completely hooked on Tracy Anderson! Her DVDs are beautifully produced, the setting is elegant, the music on this DVD is classical and complements the tone of the workout very well. Tracy's demeanor is encouraging and kind, she explains the mechanisms of each move quite well, but she does not talk too much.

The workout itself is about 45 minutes long, and is composed of a brief warm-up, a lot of ab work, some side lying ab work, some leg and glute lifts and squeezes, and then two series of arm exercises, one without weights and one with light weights, and then it finishes with a cool down and stretch. The workout is definitely challenging, even for a more experienced student, but not overwhelmingly hard.

The greatest thing about both this post-natal workout and Tracy's Mat Workout is that they are fun - the time flies by - and they leave you feeling strong, a bit sore, but totally refreshed. I am actually disappointed if I can't find the time to workout - definitely no "dread-factor" here! Highly recommended - Thank You Tracy!

I just got this video after seeing Tracy on Oprah. I had my 2nd baby 5 months ago and am trying to get back to my pre-1st baby weight.

Pluses:
- Great encouraging tone and instruction
- New ab, leg and arm exercised that I was not familiar with
- Seems like it is going to be effective (since I could feel my muscles while doing it)
- Classical music in the background rather than obnoxious techno or pop


What you need to know before purchasing:
- You need 3 lb weights. (I did it without them, but Tracy uses them on and off in the video)
- No cardio
- The actual workout (including warm-up and cool-down) is around 50 minutes.

I purchased this out of curiosity and am so glad I did. I really like Tracy Anderson, and this is my favorite right now of her DVD's. I haven't had a baby yet, but have always battled my belly. This DVD really focuses in on the abs and is great for anyone. I also see room for growth by perfecting form. There are a variety of ab exercises that hit every angle including crunches, pikes, and planks. The leg and arm series are shorter than her mat workout but just as tough. There are many things I love about this DVD:
-tough workout in 47 minutes
-classical background music adds a lovely vibe
-fun, I look forward to doing it
- minimal talking
The only thing I would add is chaptering so you could just do a specific section in a time crunch. I'll buy anything Tracy puts out. I'd love her to make a shorter DVD focusing on butt, hips, and legs. That being said, if you like ballet/barre type workouts this is unique and challenging. I'm an exercise DVD junkie and can't control myself from reaching for this one the most.

It's a great workout, beautifully produced like the other Tracy Anderson Method workouts, shot in Gwyneth Paltrow's workout studio in the Hamptons. The classical music is a nice change from the usual workout muzac, and the exercises are tough, especially on the abs. Definitely don't try this for your first workout after getting doctor's clearance unless you had ripped abs before pregnancy -- you'll be sore for awhile. The arm and butt work is a little on the light side, a nice balance to Tracy's Mat Workout.

Unlike other reviews that complain there is no cardio, has anyone ever just done a muscle shaping workout? The whole point is to add your own cardio, whether you're doing Tracy's Dance Cardio workouts, walking on a treadmill, or walking around the neighborhood with your baby (for those who are post pregnancy). Taking off a star or two because this is not a one stop shop like Denise Austin misses the point of the entire enterprise.

But I will take off some stars for getting a DVD-R and not a pressed DVD. I'd give this workout 5 stars, but apparently after selling out of the Post Pregnancy Workout, the seller has decided to rush DVD-R copies to market. It was extremely disheartening to open my package and find a purple backed DVD-R that had wavy lines across the top of my TV screen, even though it played fine on my PC. But I don't want to work out with my laptop in front of me. My other Tracy Anderson discs were pressed DVDs, and at $30 a pop, a pressed DVD is expected. I hope they get another round of factory stuff soon.

After having my baby I saw what Tracy Anderson did for Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow after their babies. She has 3 DVDs, the first two left me wondering if I ready for an intense workout yet. Then I found the post pregnancy video, exactly what I needed! I had my doubts but tried it and was whipped! I watched in amazement through most of it. I was so weak in my abs now and trying to support a bigger chest and tried to think of excuses to let myself not feel guilty for spending money on a DVD and not do it. "would it affect my milk supply if its to strenuous, it takes forever to do because I'm pausing every few mins to put my baby back to sleep, I'm too weak, ill never look like that!" on and on were the excuses. But I am so glad I stuck with it. Everyday I feel my body getting stronger, my will power to not stress eat getting better, my baby learning to sleep, and me taking the time to do something good for myself. There were so many positives that it became essential to my daily routine.
The workout is about 45 mins long. I was worried about the length but now it fits well into the morning nap. It's divided into chapters so you can go straight to the routine and not have to wait through commercials or other stuff. There is soothing classical music in the background not too loud as you cant hear her, but calms you. She is real and sincere, not loud and irritatingly perky like some workout tapes. She had a baby and was once like me, and now looks fab so it is inspiring hope that your body can be a normal shape again. Its tough, but sticking to it has brought new strength each day. I feel good, a lil soreness that makes you feel great not debilitating that you can't function with your newborn. The only downers about it is that she is so calm sometimes she doesn't say "other leg or side, or always count out loud so you have to watch which makes it difficult depending on your angle, but adds to the calmness of it. You need 1-3lb weights for some parts, and a mat helps. If you don't have weights a 16oz can equals 1lb. She shows you modifications so you dont get discouraged because you cant do everything in the beginning. Each day i do a lil more and it is my small triumph for the day! I love the ballet moves, they help me feel graceful for one part of my day and the yoga breathing helps me channel stress also through the day. I would like more stretching because it feels so good, but I love how at the end of the tape I'm not falling asleep but ready to be a mom!
if your ready to make a change and put the effort in, its a great workout, i recommend it to those who havent just had a baby because its just great ab. leg. and arm work.

I have to say, this is the best workout ever! I had a c-section last year and although I lost all the weight rather quickly, I was plagued by loose hanging tummy skin. I never ever ever thought that it was possible to pull skin back to muscle, and thought that this was the best it would be. Then I found Tracy Anderson and learned the error of my ways ;) I've been doing this video for exactly 6 weeks now and my body has never looked so good! I can't beleive it, almost all of that hanging skin has smoothed back out (just a small bit left around my belly button)and my muscles are more defined than ever, not to mention my newly aquired rump :) There's no doubt that you have to be consistent with it, but when you see results within the first 7 to 10 workout sessions, who wouldn't want to be consistant? Let's face it, you're not going to get an awesome body by doing 10 minute workouts twice a week. A lot of people have complained that she doesn't give much instruction, I personally like that aspect, and seriously, if you actually do the video, it really only takes a couple of times to get the timing right. All in all this is a great routine and I am so glad to have found it, really I never thought my stomach could ever look this good again.

I have to first point out that this work out is really difficult. I am in pretty good shape and had a hard time finishing it during the first week, so if you are looking for a no brainer anyone can do it exercise program this one is probably not for you. That being said, I have been doing this workout for 2 weeks and I have already gone down a whole dress size. My stomach is starting to look flat again (something I thought was going to take a tummy tuck to happen). My favorite part is the arms. I am not a fan of bulky manlike arms and usually skip arm workouts. But Tracy has great unbulky feminine arms and I have given her arm workout a go and I love the results so far. Honestly this is the hardest workout I have ever done, but the results keep me motivated. Hopefully, I can stick with it:)

I had my boy 16 months ago, and 5 months ago I still was NOT loosing the baby weight or squishy skin below the belly button. I work out 3-4 times a week for an hour to 1/2 hour and eat right. I got this DVD and found it hard initially but results come from hard work! 5 months later I am 20 pound lighter and firming every day. Squishy skin is going away thanks to Tracy's awesome ab routines. Being a weight lifter my arms were just a little bit too big. I am now using Tracy's arm routines and they are tone, tight and lean! Her methods are unique but they work. Stick with this and bring her moves to the gym. You WILL see results. I did!

Definitely purchase the video,but DO NOT use it as your first post natal work out!!!!! It is a great work out and will definitely get you back into shape, but you need to recondition your traumatized body more gently at first. Being the athletic sort, I was too pig-headed to admit to myself that I needed a "wimp" work out to recover. I started with Tracy anderson and ended up hurting myself in the long run. By not reconditioning properly from the start, I made my diastasis recti worse and lost all control of my abdominal strength as a result. I recommend starting with Helene Byrne's Bounce Back Fast Post natal Core Conditioning dvd and/or book (on amazon or [...]), then most definitley moving on to Tracy Anderson. With in a few weeks Bounce Back Fast will help you to regain control of your muscles, mend diastasis recti (if you are cursed with it), and strengthen everything that pregnancy weakened without you realizing it. After you are done with Helen, Tracy will help you get your hot-mom body.

*I have never given birth. I bought this DVD to recover from an abdominal surgery that was similar to a C-section. I thought this workout would help me wake up and rehabilitate my abs and it has.

Tracy does say that she gained 60 pounds during her pregnancy, and is also convinced that her method helps magically flatten that flap of skin that hangs in the belly after giving birth.

She begins with a warmup, goes into a great abdominal workout, transitions into the hips and thighs, gives you 5 [signature Tracy Anderson] hip/thigh exercises, then goes into the arm workout, and ends with a ballet influenced cool down.

I find that I look forward to doing the workout, my body craves the exercises, and it feels satisfying to do them. I work up a sweat and my heart-rate increases.

In my opinion, the abs workout is the strongest part of the DVD and the arm workout is the least developed. She doesn't take you through many repetitions of the arm exercises, and as a result, that section seems rushed and ends abruptly. She also doesn't share any information about the number of reps you should be working towards or give any tips to help you get the best results from her workout. All she says is to work your abs everyday and try to do this workout 4-6 times a week. I also would have liked her to share more detailed instructions for proper alignment while performing all of the exercises.

I've been doing this routine 4-5 times a week for 3 weeks and am encouraged by the results. So far the noticeable results are: improvements in strength and stamina, an increase in muscle definition in my thighs, a lift in the butt, and new muscle tone in abs. My most encouraging results are that the flesh of my hips, thighs, butts and abs doesn't seem to hang off my body the way that it used to. It has more tone. These noticeable changes in my body keep me inspired to find time to do the workout. I also like that I'm not sore the next day, which can be a serious deterrent for me to establish consistency with my workouts.

Other great things are that you only need a couple of light weights and that the workout can be memorized. I have worked out while on vacation and own my own - without the DVD. This is exactly what I wanted - a workout that I like, enjoy doing, get results from and can practice on my own almost anywhere.