Customer Reviews

Cardio Pilates

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Overall, I'm very happy with this DVD.
The pilates workout is great for both beginners and regular pilates enthusiasts. Advanced users may find it too easy.. I don't know.
Regardless, this gives you a great workout and DOES get your heart rate up towards the end(keeps it up, too).
The cardio does leave a little to be desired, though.
The moves are WAY easy/standard. These are things you already know how to do. The plus side is you won't really need the instruction for this portion of the program.
However, if all you're looking for is a long, great(but fairly easy) pilates home workout with a short, standard, easy to do cardio ending; you've found your ideal DVD.
The instructor is very clear with instructions and great with reminders to breathe, keeping your stomach "scooped", etc.

Again, this would make an EXCELLENT beginner's pilates/cardio DVD,and an average(to above average) workout for anyone above that level.
Advanced users may want to pass on this one.
Also.. if you want a LOT of cardio, pass. There is only about 15 minutes worth on this 42 minute DVD. What's there IS effective, however.

*EDITED 04/20/2005(initial date of review was Sept 23, 2004)* to add that this is still my FAVOURITE pilates workout tape. I've had to stop using it temporarily, because I'm pregnant(not supposed to do exercise on your back when pregnant)... but I can't WAIT to use this to get rid of the post-pregnancy weight. I will say I saw a HUGE difference in my body after even 2 weeks of not using this tape. So, the DVD was *definitely* doing its job. Still VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

i am new to the whole workout video thing, and i know that ana caban is a good pilates instructor, so i gave this one a shot. the warm up is your typical pilates.... the 100, leg circles, criss-cross, etc, and not very many reps. it just gets you warmed up for about 15-20 minutes. then the cardio segment is low-impact, low-intensity, and VERY repetitive. that segment is 20 minutes. i mean seriously, it's four basic low-impact moves, with two short bursts of high impact. unless you're sleeping, you'll get bored.

so i thought i had wasted a whole 17 bucks on this one, but i'm finding that i end up using it more than my others. i modify the cardio with weights, repeat segments to make it longer, and listen to my own music instead of the ridiculous soundtrack they have in the video. i modify the warm up by doing more stretches. so each time i do it it's a little different, according to what i need on a particular day. who can just follow along with a video all the time, anyway?

i have serious back issues, and this one i feel is a good choice because it's anatomically sound and won't injure you. you just have to kick it up a little when you are feeling up to it, and do the workout as is when you are not. if you're ok with taking that initiative, you will like this video. if you want to just put it in the player and follow along to the end, you may want to pick something else.

I had this video and then we moved and guess what? It's gone. so...I'm buying it again because I like it that much. I don't like to work out or move for that matter but I don't want to be huge so I do but I'm not going to be mistaken for an Olympic Althlete either. I'm very flexible but not particularly coordinated. The cardio part got my heart rate up without making me feel like I couldn't keep up with the odd workouts that some videos put you through. I read some of the other reviews and if you are in great shape and very coordinated, you probably need something more advanced but if you are excercising because you have to and need to but dreading the insanity that comes with some videos, give it a try! It worked, I noticed differences and I didn't fall over or knock anything down and was able to keep up with the entire video which is rare for a clutz like me!

I had previously bought Ana Caban's pilates beginning mat workout so I thought that this DVD would have the same style movements, just with a more cardio-intensive focus. What I got was not what I expected, though. The DVD is about 45 minutes altogether and it's divided into two main sections: The first section is ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THE PILATES BEGINNING MAT WORKOUT. Therefore, anyone out there who already owns the beginning mat workout (like me) would do better to try a different DVD, because you're really only getting 20 minutes of unique material (the second section). If you don't already own the beginning mat workout, let me briefly describe it: it's basic pilates mat movements that focus on the core muscles, or "powerhouse" and incorporate flexibility and balance. The second section is where the "cardio" kicks in. These exercises are performed standing up and do increase your heart rate, but there's literally only a handful of different movements. I find these exercises to be rather boring--not just because they're repeated over and over, but also because they're more like basic aerobics exercises than like pilates-inspired moves. For example, the first movement involves bringing both arms from a 90-degree angle in front of you to your sides while transferring weight to one leg slightly and bending the knee of the unweighted leg to a 90-degree angle behind you, then repeating by alternating bent legs. Which pilates movement this was based on, I have no idea. All in all, it's not a bad video though--Ana is a decent instructor, making fewer goofy comments than she did in the beginning mat workout-for example, in this DVD she omitted the "arf-arf" seal noise that she made while introducing The Seal in the beginning mat workout. The scenery is also a plus for those exercisers who care about ambience - the workout is performed in a pavilion with a lot of foliage in the background - and the music is up-beat but not overpowering. Each exercise is its own chapter in the DVD, so you can skip or go back to exercises easily. I just wasn't impressed overall because the "cardio" part turned out to be only 20 minutes worth of the same 4-5 movements that were painfully repetitive and lacking pilates influence. If you like pilates and are looking for an effective pilates-inspired workout with variety, I highly recommend Liz Gillies' Progressive Pilates series- I own and love the 4 10-minute target-tone workouts DVD, and the For Weight Loss DVD, although I haven't tried it yet, looks equally good.

This DVD offers an inviting backdrop, excellent timing and transitions between exercises. It gives a great 40-minute Pilates routine that differs slightly from others that I have used, with many of the traditional exercises and some less common ones that adds a little variety. The title says Cardio Pilates, but I feel that is dependant upon your over-all fitness level and experience with Pilates. I jog regularly and perform Pilates frequently and didn't find my heart elevated for some of the DVD, but still feel like I got a great workout. If you're looking for a feel good work out and some Pilates variety, I strongly suggest giving this one a go!

viewing the DVD.

I've read prior reviews on other DVDs of Ms. Caban's, and many people complain about the lack of "personality".

Well, if you're looking for personality, Ana doesn't give you that. Not pertaining to this DVD in particular, but Ana is all about BUSINESS!

If you want "personality" with minimal results, get Denise Austin.

But if you're looking for REAL RESULTS, get ANA CABAN! Okay, she might not display any real "personality" in her videos, but dammit, she gets the job done! FLAT ABS!

Forget "personality". Watch reruns of Good Times on TVLand if you want "personality"! I want FLAT ABS!

Ana is the best I've seen thus far! I will admit I was not enthused with the redundancy of the Cardio video, but once I tried it and got into the swing, I actually enjoyed it. It got my heart rate up, toned my arms and it was 100% MINDLESS! LOL! :)

Who can ask for more? Heehee! Get her Total Abs Workout, too. It's not for beginners, however. I still sweat from it and I've been doing Pilates for almost a year.

Great instructor... minus the "personality" *snore*

I love doing pilates at home and this new DVD is a great addition to my DVD collection. You do a traditional 40 minute pilates workout with great instruction and reminders on how/when to breathe. After the pilates Ana leads you through a walking sequence that really ups your heart rate (the cardio portion of the workout). It lasts 15 minutes and she leads you through different movements, lunges, etc. I really enjoy this workout and appreciate a little cardio after doing my pilates. I also have the "Bands" Gaiam Pilates video and the Mari Windsor Pilates DVDs.

I really enjoy the mat segment of this video. It is moderately difficult. The atmospheric setting adds to the relaxation I get from the movements. What makes this a cardio workout as well is the segment performed off the mat in traditional aerobic style, with constant reminders to "use your powerhouse". This segment gets rather repetative and is not nearly as challenging as the mat workout. But it adds a nice balance to the pilates workout and gets you up and moving, even if your heart rate may not elevate that much. A good buy!

I bought this DVD prior to reading reviews, which I never do (I usually buy exercise DVDs online from another retailers after reading all the comments and watching clips). I got home, read the reviews, and was sort of disappointed. However, Gaiam never makes very hard "cardio" workouts, though they like to tack that word onto all of their products, and I wasn't expecting this to be a hard-core, Cathe F. style program. First, I like Ana Cabon a lot. She's warm, friendly, and makes the moves seem very doable. I should caution that she does not show modifiers for any poses, nor does she explain a lot about form. If you're brand-new to pilates, review some other DVDs first to get a strong understanding of how it works. The pilates segment, which comes first, is excellent. They're pretty standard poses, with a couple new ones that I haven't done before. The cardio segment is shorter (including the cool-down, I'd say around 15 minutes? I didn't time it) and includes some squats at the end.

Here, I differ from other reviewers. In my opinion, you only get out of a workout what you put into it. If you're going to put in a half-hearted effort, then this (or any DVD workouts, really) isn't going to be very challenging. I'm not new to exercise, so to increase the challenge, I simply modify moves. Rather than march in place, I jog in place. Rather than arms straight out during hamstring curls, I lift my arms over my head. I do lunges and punches for the side-to-side arm movements. I squat deeper during those cardio moves, and lunge deeper, to get my heart-rate where I want it. I simply make the moves bigger, deeper, bouncier, etc. When I do that, I break a nice sweat. This isn't going to be your major cardio workout for the week, but it's a nice one for giving sore muscles a rest, or if you'd like some extra cardio time on your pilates day.

I understand why some people give this video negative reviews, but I think those are due to expectations of the video that aren't possible. The vidoe can't be everything to everbody.
I tend to do my cardio workouts on a bicycle, monitoring my heart rate, etc, and I do separate weight/resistance training and some pilates. But sometimes, I get very bored of biking or I wish to be a bit more active while doing pilates.
This workout moves more quickly than other pilates routines and finishes with a very simple cardio-only routine that keeps me moving continuously.
I LOVE the cardio portion because I am highly uncoordinated and have difficulty keeping up with or correctly doing the aerobics exercises. And the ease of this cardio portion means that I focus just on movement, body, breath, and not on what limbs to move in what direction for whatever sequence I'm on.
I think someone who loves aerobic vidoes woudl hate this. But since I generally want to throw things through the tv screen at the "typical" aeroics instructor (due to the annoying way they shout out "encouragement" and because I feel ridiculous being unable to do the sequences), I find this vidoe refreshing.
Ana is calm and mostly only talks to give clear instruction and reminders, rather than to shout out continuous phrases about how "fun" everything is, etc.
In short, Ana is a great instructor, if you want no-frills instruction (I have never hurt myself or been confused doing one of her videos); the pilates routine is challenging for anyone who understands the movements but isn't a pilates master; and the cardio is simple but efficient for increasing and maintaining a high heart rate. It doesn't replace aerobics vidoes or intense cardio biking, but I don't want it do either of those things, so I really appreciate having this available to me.