Customer Reviews

Element: Ballet Conditioning

5 star:		(224)
4 star:		(63)
3 star:		(25)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I have to start out by saying that I'm not normally a ballet fan or have done ballet since I was 4 or 5, but I wanted to try this to mix up my current routine and use different muscles for some cross training. I am really happy with how great this workout is.
It's an intense lower body workout with ballet inspired moves. Because you work deep into muscles, it's designed to help you get that long lean body look that ballet dancers have. Elise is a good instructor with great cuing so you know what to do next at all times. I love the outdoor setting (instead of the inside of a studio for a change); it's great to do a workout that has been done outside to make you feel like it's Summer all year round and motivate you that little bit more.
I never thought this would be a workout that would be for me, but it's very enjoyable and fun and you feel the next day all those muscles you've used and I can't wait to see the results from this. I love it.

For someone that has tried just about every home workout genre out there. This DVD finally offers something that is refreshingly new to my living room! This workout is ideal for those who have danced for years and people that have never even tried on a pair of ballet slippers. The DVD is simple to pick up, and challanging to get through. The filming is elegant and the instruction is far from the cheesy power workout "motivation" that irritate me so much. After you've completed this workout, you feel like you've, not only toned up, but also learned a few things! For someone that has grown tired of the home workout video, this couldn't have come at a better time!

I didn't really know what to expect when I tried this dvd. I am an intermediate/advanced level, but I knew that it would be challenging, as I have never tried ballet before. Even so, this was a very pleasant, yet rigorous workout. I definitly feel like I worked out and I also broke a sweat. I know that this workout will contribute to toning and slimming my legs, which is an area I personally would like to improve, as well as the rest of my body. The ab section incorporates many pilates type exercises to tone and tighten the midsection. Even though I regularily do pilates, I really felt my abs more than I expected. The setting was beautiful and the instruction was very pleasant and relaxing without causing you to lose focus to exert yourself. I enjoyed this workout, thought it was effective and enjoyable. Anyone who is involved in dance or who wants to maintain or obtain a long lean physique will enjoy this workout.

After going through this video, it is exactly what I have been looking for (and the price was so good! At $8 it is a bargain, the video and sound quality is much, much more than a $8 workout dvd to me). I wanted something challenging that would be a good filler for days when I can't get to the gym. It's going to become much more than that because it is that good.

Likes:
>The scenery is wonderful as other reviewers have said.

>The use of a chair and not a barre - when she switches to the other side to work the other leg, she physically moves the chair to the other side. In other ballet videos where they've used a barre, usually I have to pause the tape because I can't quite get my chair moved around fast enough to start working the other side (they just turn around and start doing the exercises; if I turn around I'm no longer facing the TV :-)).


>The fact that the voice cueing is done as a voice over, instead of by the person doing the exercises, this makes it VERY easy to follow

>Recognition all along the way that not everyone is as flexible - and continuous encouragement that with time flexibility will come

Overall, it is an excellent dvd and I'm glad I bought it.

My legs were SHAKING after completing this workout and I've been doing the NYC Ballet workouts 1 and 2 for over a year plus 2 ballet classes once a week and an hour of cardio on the treadmill 5 days a week. This is a great workout and she makes you feel like a beautiful ballet dancer no matter your skill level. I can't wait to keep doing this workout-- I want to see what I look like in a month!!
Tip--- the only chair I had on hand wasn't tall enough or sturdy enough for this workout. I recommend a tall chair that doesn't fold!

I'm 6 months post delivery of our 2nd baby and starting excersize to get back in shape. This video is perfect to get started again! As some other reviewers have mentioned, it may look like you're just gracefully dancing or messing around, yet much more than that is going on. I noticed another reviewer wrote that if you don't have much flexibility this video is very bad for you. I can't disagree more. She mentions in the video, several times, that do what feels challenging to you! You are not going to be able to move as advanced as she does for a while. That's the beauty of this video. You can see how everytime you do the workout, you'll get that much more out of it. Just do the workout so that you can feel the muscles work. The flexibility will come with time. I'm sure before I know it, I'll be able to lift my leg much higher than 1/3 of the way up (although sometimes is just 1/4 of the way)! My 3 1/2 yr old daughter starts off working out with me, and gets tired after about 10 min, so she just encourages me while I work. Its great!

Elise did a wonderful voice over cuing in this workout. This is a wonderful ballet barre workout that truly utilizes a barre. Its about time that an affordable true ballet barre workout came out that actually uses a barre to its fullest potential. I have a ballet barre and was pleasantly surprised that throughout the workout it was used. I can't say that about all ballet workouts. Anyway this is an invigorating ballet workout which will have you sweating by the end. Elise works one side first then works the other side. All exercises start slowly then progress to a faster speed. Very thorough workout at the end you will focus on abs which is pilates inspired. Elise is a pleasant instructor with beautiful form. The scenery is breathtaking which is an added plus. The music was good although true ballet purist will insist on classical music which this workout had not. The price was such a deal. I say this because most ballet and callanetic type workouts start at $30. This was an affordable, well produced, with added gorgeous scenery workout that is a true keeper. If you love ballet barre workouts don't skip this workout.

This was a fun and challenging workout which really got me sweaty and feeling spent in a good way. I would caution people with injuries (especially in the knees as she really likes to have you do a lot of plies---including grand-plie which is a pretty big bend in the knees) to steer away from the this video. It is probably not best for a total beginner unless you feel comfortable modifying your exercises to your own abilities and if you do not mind that you might not yet be able to perform the exercises to the level of the woman on the screen. The exercises are actually reasonably easy to modify (do demi plies instead of grand-plies, put the hands on the hips is you get tired from keeping them in second position forever, only lift the leg to 30 or 45 degrees instead of 90 in grand battements etc). If you have never had any dance training (I have only had 6 months of a beginning adult classes) then I would probably think that the New York City Ballet Workout 1 is better for introducing some of the basic ballet steps while still getting a workout. Incorporate this into your workout routine and I do not know how you would not get results. And one more thing---you do not need to be flexible to do the workout as other reviewers have suggested---I had to work for ages to even touch my toes and I found this workout to be possible, with modification of course.

I absolutely love this video! I've never practiced ballet, so I was a little intimidated at first. Rather than being a how-to on ballet, it was a more ballet inspired workout. I am terribly out of shape, and this video left me with sore muscles for three days. In a good way. I can already see more definition, after one workout. I certainly found that to be worthwhile.

Wow i originally bought this video because i saw it in SHAPE Magazine. And it's amazing. I started seeing results after the very first week. The workout hits hard the first 2-3 times, and if you don't have a good conditioning you probably wont be able to finish it completely at first, don't worry, if you keep at it after a few days it becomes more easy and better. The body becomes more tight, slender and strong.

I recommend do the video every other day, 3 times a week. And if combined with a balanced diet (less fat more veggies and fruits) the results will show faster.