Customer Reviews

Gabrielle Reece: The Complete Fit and Healthy Pregnancy

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

i've done the 3 second trimester workouts....because that is where i am in my pregnancy. at first i thought i'd do all three at once for a 45 minute workout. i learned quickly that that was unnecessary. each one is a challenging full body workout. most other pregnancy videos i've done have not been challenging enough or did not work the whole body. this one surely does, safely....quads, hamstrings, butt, abs, back, shoulders, triceps, biceps, heart.
the equipment needed are light free weights, a stability ball, a resistance band, a chair and a towel. i did not rate this video with 5 stars because in my opinion, a resistance band is not easy to use anywhere. i am unable to anchor a band in the area i workout. so instead of the band, i use free weights when i'm able or no resistance.

If you want a very brief workout, this video is for you. I thought I'd string together 2 or 3 of the 15-minute workouts to make one longer workout, but found that each segment is too choppy to do that and have an effective workout.

Each exercise is only done for 4 or 5 reps, so I felt like I spent most of the time switching exercises rather than doing one.

Gabby is sweet, though, and adds real-mom commentary as she's doing the exercises. I would love this video if each exercise was just repeated 10-15 times, but then it would no longer be a 15-min workout.

I was disappointed there was no cardio. I felt that there were too many props which interrupted the flow of the work out, because of this I lost interest quickly.

I worked out regularly for a year before my second pregnancy and really challenged myself with interval training and serious weight workouts. Still, when I began the Gabrielle Reece Complete Fit and Healthy Pregnancy, I felt the moves challenged my muscles safely. That has been great. I began with month 1 and have used it through my entire pregnancy into month 9, where I am currently. I really like Gabby's attitude throughout the workouts and the moves are designed by her trainer whom I believe has a degree in exercise physiology and really knows his stuff. THAT SAID, different workouts at various stages in this process have been very frustrating for a few reasons. You have to have A LOT of props: a chair that is very sturdy that you can also move by yourself very quickly, an exercise band, dumb bells at around 2 pounds, dumb bells at around 5 lbs, an exercise ball, an extra large bath towel or bath sheet, and different solid objects to wrap the band around at different heights that can support a fair amount of weight (I had a treadmill and a rowing machine that fit the bill here). While Gabby has her trainer helping her transition between and set up for different moves, most exercisers will not have an assistant and that can be very annoying. At times, they wanted you to have your head and neck on the exercise ball, a foot on the chair, and "now grab your dumb bells" - yeah right! I'm pregnant! I found ways to make it work and the workouts ARE effective, but there were times when I was learning a new workout for the month that I wanted to kick Mike the trainer. I had to keep the remote close because I usually had to pause while I set up for the next move. Gabby and Mike transitioned very quickly and were a few reps into it before I was ready to go. Also, the person who filmed it might need a kick for zooming in on Gabby's face way too much. I had to do lots of rewinding to get a glimpse of her entire body performing a move so I could figure out what I was supposed to be doing. Overall, if you are a committed exerciser who wants a challenging and safe program and you're willing to put up with some inconvenience to make it work - this DVD is worth it. I gave it 4 stars for effectiveness and because I really like Gabby Reece. The missing star is for the sometimes ridiculous amount of work to transition between and set up for the various moves.

I bought her shorter prenatal video first, and bought this one to replace it because it is the same but with some additional workouts, third trimester workout, and postnatal workout...So It is pretty much the same so I am placing a similar review here... (Hey, it can't be bad I am paying for almost the same video twice!)

First I must say I read a lot of reviews addressing how great Gabby is, how they didn't like her trainer, or the background, or the quality, or buying the ball, weights and band. On the equipment, Ball $2 at Tjmax, the band and light weights $4.50 at Play It Again Sports. This is 258 minutes of video for $9.99, still a great deal with the added $6.50 in equipment. The rest who cares, it's just cosmetic. On the actual video, the warm ups and cool downs are great, I use them to augment some of my other videos that don't have good warm ups or cool downs. Also if I am really short on time in the morning, I just do the warm up and go, or in the evening I will just do the cool down, it is better then nothing. The workouts are simple, quick, and fast pace, which is why I bought them, for days when I don't have a lot of time. If one of the workouts isn't enough for you just repeat it as a circuit, or pause the video and do extra reps of each exercise. I do not recommend ever doing a workout that isn't for your trimester and month of pregnancy. I really liked that the workouts are completely different for each month of your trimester for the first two trimesters, you can really get board of the same workout. The exercises are good, safe, and challenging, most of them are different from all the other videos I have reviewed. I am also very happy to finally have safe abdominal work explained for the second trimester, such as splinting your abs.

Also a lot of workout videos don't have a specific third trimester workout and I am glad to find one that does, with my last pregnancy I ended up quitting all workouts except walking at that point, because your body really slows you down and everything I did before that point was just to much.

If you like this video you might also like to try Summer Sanders' Prenatal Workout it has a little more cardio but has a similar workout style.

I bought this DVD exactly one year ago as I was just entering my 2nd trimester of pregnancy. After the "I'm pregnant, I can eat whatever I want!" mindset helped me pack on unnecessary extra weight, I decided to take things a little more seriously. One comment said that there was no cardio - that is true. However, I would pop this DVD in AFTER a good walk around town. Also, I would try to do 2 if not 3 of the workouts at a time.
Great workout, I was usually sweating beads when I was finished. Yes, there are several needed props (3-5 & 8-10lb weights, fitness ball, towel, resistance band), but they tell you things you can use to substitute. I actually felt that they made the workout more interesting and fun to follow.
Anyway, I strongly recommend this - just don't use it as your ONLY form of exercise. The workouts only go up to 6 months, but I was using this DVD right up until 40 weeks!

Good luck :)

I really enjoyed this video. I liked that it focused on toning and core strengthening. I read some of the other reviews before buying and I agree that it is a little low budget in production. It's just Gabrielle and her trainer and a very boring set. I also thought that it could have be put together a little better. For example, the warm up and cool down are all separate segments. It would have been better to make those segments apart of each month's workout for a better flow.

You will need several pieces of workout equipment. If you are a home gymer like me you probably already have most of the necessary equipment. I do like the Gabrielle is pregnant and although she is in good shape she has trouble with some of the moves too. So, it makes it more believable that anyone can do it.

Even though it is only 15 min segments you get a pretty good workout. If you are feeling really energized you can do 2 segments together. I did month 1 and 2 yesterday and I felt great after the workout. Overall, I would recommend this video for people that like core training workouts and something that is a little challenging.

I couldn't do this workout because I didn't have any of the equipment. I don't have a yoga ball, I don't have elastic bands, and I didn't have arm weights at the time. I am sure this is a great DVD if you have everything needed to participate.

This exercise dvd was a disappointment because it didn't tell me in the overview that you need a fitness ball to complete most of the exercises, at least in month 4 exercises. I tried to improvise but it just didn't work very well and was extremely frustrating.

Created by Gabrielle Reece during and after her pregnancy with the help of certified personal trainer Mike Monroe, and approved by OBGYN Vivian Dickerson, The Complete Fit & Healthy Pregnancy Workout is a DVD of twelve fifteen-minute workouts, three for each trimester of pregnancy and three to help trim down after giving birth. A few pieces of inexpensive exercise equipment are recommended to tap the full potential of The Complete Fit & Healthy Pregnancy Workout: no more than an exercise ball, fitness band, and small hand weights. The primary focus is on strengthening and stretching moves, ideal keeping one's muscles strong and ready to reclaim one's figure. With the caveat that any expectant mother should consult her doctor before undertaking an exercise regimen, The Complete Fit & Healthy Pregnancy Workout is an excellent choice for expectant or aspiring mothers, and also highly recommended as a baby shower gift! 258 minutes, color.