Customer Reviews

Gabrielle Reece - Fit and Healthy Prenatal Workouts

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

 

 

This is by far the BEST prenatal workout video available. This is my second pregnancy and I wish this were available during my first. I spent lots of money on other videos that were not challenging enough. This video focuses on toning the areas that can get flabby during pregnancy: arms, glutes, thighs and abs with weight and strength training. These areas needn't be out-of-shape due to pregnancy. Because of this video I have been able to maintain (and build) my muscle tone and prevent the flabbiness, most noticeably in my arms during this pregnancy. The workouts are short (20 minutes) so I can fit them in while my son is taking a nap.
I found this video six months into my second pregnancy and even though the workouts are labeled for the first and second trimesters I am still completely comfortable with the exercises. I am currently rotating the 4th, 5th and 6th month workouts.
I am thrilled that there is finally a workout challenging enough for people at a medium to high fitness level. You do need a fitness ball, fitness band, and dumb bells to experience the full effects of this workout video but the investment is worth it. My arms look great and I am confident wearing sleeveless shirts during the hot Florida weather because of Gabriel Reece's workouts. Arm jiggling is sure to be banished for users of this video.
Being in shape for my first pregnancy really made my labor and delivery fast and smooth, not to mention my recovery. I am sure the time spent during these workout sessions will only enhance my second time and provide an even faster return to pre-pregnancy form. I just hope her post-natal video comes out by the time I deliver in May!

The description of this video is deceptive. The workouts are tailored month-by-month. The first workout is for women in the first month of pregnancy, the second for the second month, and on through month six. So if you're already in your sixth month, like I am, this video isn't very useful.

A lot of equipment is required: light weights, bands, and a workout ball. Since I only have weights, I had to improvise for the exercises with the bands and workout ball.

Gabrielle awkwardly follows the directions of her trainer. It doesn't seem like the two planned the workouts very well. Gabrielle appears to not to know what's coming next.

While Gabrielle looks gorgeous, she doesn't smile and she seems nervous and uncomfortable in front of the camera.

The workouts are very short, and I didn't feel like I accomplished much in the 20 minutes. It was awkward to follow, not very fun, challenging, or satisfying. I guess if you're looking for a quick workout, it'll do. But I'm pretty disappointed.

I bought this DVD when it first came out and I was nearing the end of my first trimester. I was looking for something that would be fun, work all the "zones", and be challenging enough to give me a good, but safe workout. Not to mention a workout that wouldn't take hours to do. This turned out to be exactly the workout I wanted.

I love that there is both a warm-up and cool-down for both the first and second trimester workouts. Also, I like that they have a ~15-minute workout per month, so you can do just that or more, depending on how you feel.

I personally like the casual nature of the DVD -- like the trainer telling Gabby to keep that belly button in and she responds that it is in. :) I also really like the changes throughout the workouts from using a ball to bands to weights or combinations. That keeps me more mentally engaged.

Now in my second trimester, I do in fact feel like the title of the DVD -- fit and healthy. I would recommend this to anyone who is already active and wants to stay strong as their baby belly continues to grow.

I saw this featured in Fit Pregnancy and thought this would be a great workout dvd, but I ended up hating it.

First of all, you will need a chair, hand weights, an exercise band, a towel, a yoga ball... quite a bit of props, I think, for a 15 minute workout session! What was worse was that it was not mentioned ANYWHERE on the dvd packaging or even in the introduction to the workouts that you would be needing any of these. So on the first day I was ready to workout, I got all geared up, only to realize I didn't own half of the props I needed, so I wasn't able to do the workout, and instead had to wait until I went out and bought the necessary equipment.

Once I got the equipment, I realized, this workout is ridiculous! I think I burn more calories jumping up to get my ball, then my strap, then my weights, then my chair, then my ball and my chair... than actually doing the exercises. What makes it worse is that Gabrielle has her personal trainer with her who hands her each of the props, so she is able to start the next set of exercises right away. Since I don't have a personal trainer on hand, I have to get up and get the props by myself. By the time I get situated, Gabrielle is already well into her exercises.

And on the subject of the trainer: he is really really annoying. Everytime Gabrielle tries to get a word in, even if it's just a sarcastic joke, he talks right over her. He interrupts her constantly, and this is really annoying to me.

I also didn't get the impression that Gabrielle and her trainer ever rehearsed this workout before filming. As the trainer is trying to explain to Gabrielle how to prepare for an exercise, she's completely confused and seems to have no idea what he is talking about.

I thought I'd like this workout, but I was very disappointed. I even gave it about three tries before deciding to sell it back.

I wouldn't recommend this dvd to anyone.

~Nicole

"Fit & Healthy Prenatal Workout" contains six workouts (1-6 months of pregnancy). Gabby's other pregnancy DVD, "The Complete Fit & Healthy Pregnancy," contains these identical 6 workouts, plus 6 more (of which 3 are postnatal to help get your body back in shape), for only $2.00 more. Do not spend your money on this one when you can get the 12-workout one instead. Nothing in the packaging or description alerted me that I was duplicate buying, so I wasted the money on this one. Also, make sure you read the "tips" section, which is poorly placed at the end rather than the beginning, because it provides very important information about safe-techniques to do everything from the exercises themselves to getting up and down from floor exercises. Finally, I did find it irritating that several of the exercises require a second person to help you. Although her trainer says you can "hold onto a door" or "secure your band to something," I don't have a door that I can pull against the way she was pulling against him, or anything I can attach a band to and pull my entire body weight against without moving it (she used her trainer for these). Overall, even if these workouts were effective for her, with the assistance of her trainer, they were not well thought out for how efficient and effective they would be for a single woman at home trying to do all of this alone. That being said, the actual exercises are appropriate, challenging, and physically effective, if you can make them work with all the extras that you need.

This workout was exactly what I was looking for in a prenatal workout - not too much cardio, no yoga but a lot of great toning and stretching exercises. I'm in decent shape and found the exercises challenging without being impossible. All the equipment needed (Ball, band, free weights and yoga mat) are inexpensive and easy to store.
Gabby does look somewhat awkward and it is not the most visually stimulating video around but the exercises work. My arms look better now than they did before I got pregnant. There is not much time to get new equipment out between exercises so make sure you have everything near at hand. The trainer explains what you're going to be doing for a few seconds and I use that time to get a drink of water or get the ball out and put the weights up.
I also liked the fact that the workouts were short at around 25 to 30 minutes for the warmup, workout and cooldown. This made it easy to fit into my day and hard to come up with excuses as to why I wasn't going to workout.
My main problem with this video is that it's a waste of money. For about the same price you can buy The Complete Fit and Healthy Prenatal Workout which includes not only workouts for the first and second trimesters but also six additional workouts for the third trimester and postnatal workouts

i wish i would have known that you would have to have a partner to help you with all the changes of equipment. if i had known that i would'nt have bought the dvd

What I like: 1. she looks great, which is inspiring, and she is a real person when doing these exercises (not flawlessly rehearsed). 2. The 15 minute sessions are perfect for my work schedule. I do them in the morning before hitting the shower for work. I never get to do the cool down for lack of time. Hard to talk yourself out of a 15 minute workout. 3. The exercises are very effective...and just challenging enough to bring your heart rate up and work your muscles. 4. The exercises feel safe and well planned.

What I don't like:
1. I used to like Gabby Reese, and maybe it's b/c I'm pregnant but she sort of got on my nerves in this video. She and her trainer do not have good chemistry, and you get tired of hearing the commentary between the 2 of them. I have to remember that she's an athlete and not a TV personality.
2. You need a partner for a few exercises/stretches. He suggests replacing a partner with a door knob or bed post at times...neither of which I have. My doors are modern with a lever rather than a knob, which doesn't give me a secure piece to hold onto. In one exercise, he suggests jamming a stretch band in the door for chest pulls. The band snapped loose from the door jam and whipped me PAINFULLY in the face. I was furious!!
3. He transitions from one exercise to the next too quickly sometimes, forgetting that while he is there to assist Gabby with changing out her gear, most ladies at home will not have a personal trainer to fetch these things for her. By the time you have your chair, ball, etc... they are nearly finished with the set! I.e. they are not mindful of the real audience they have.
4. The video should start with a quick address on what to expect: gear, partner, what to keep nearby throughout the program, what substitutions are acceptable, etc... I found myself scrambling around for things in the middle of the workout.

You need: large bath towel (to make a situp splint), weights, stretch band, partner (or secure door knob or 4-poster bed post!...assuming you are working out in the bedroom!!), stretch ball, and a grippy yoga mat to keep your ball from sliding all over the floor (even on rugs/carpet).

The trainer in this video helps Gabrielle with everything. While you are at home with no one to help. He also tells you after you get on the ground you might need to stabilize the ball? He holds the chair for Gabrielle and hands her everything, holds the ball stable for her. This is not a do it yourself at home video. Also why not just put a warm up and cool down at the beginning and end of every month? It was a waste of time and money!

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 a 150 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. The workouts are 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 abdominal work explained for the second trimester, such as splinting your abs. However I have to add for the same price you can get her Complete Fit and Healthy Pregnancy Workout video which has third trimester workouts and postnatal workouts Gabrielle Reece: The Complete Fit and Healthy Pregnancy