28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Effective Lower Body Toning and Strengthening, October 11, 2002
By A Customer
I've just received this video and tryed it out right away. It's a great work out for toning and strengthening the lower body! It effectively targets the inner and outer thigh area, hips and buttocks. I have other video tapes that work those areas but adding this one to the list of choices added a new dimension to my lower body workouts. These exercises work the muscles in a different way than my other programs. You feel the muscle being worked deep within as you focus on it and keeping your form. Kathy is so easy to follow that you don't spend your time trying to keep up with her so you can focus your attention on doing the exercise correctly. After the workout I felt relaxed and loosened up but I also felt some burn in the muscles during and immediately after the workout. I like to use Kathy's Pilates programs after one of her cardio workouts for a total workout. I highly recommend this one to anybody looking to tone those trouble spots!
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19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good Pilates workout for targeting the lower body, May 17, 2004
In this video, Kathy Smith offers a very good Pilates workout which specifically targets the lower body. She begins with a 6-minute instructional section which addresses fundamentals of Pilates. In this section, Kathy provides excellent descriptions of basic Pilates concepts such as breathing techniques; the c-curve, pelvic scoop, and neutral spine alignments; engaging the hamstrings; and the Pilates powerhouse. This is a great introduction if you have never done Pilates before, but once you are familiar with Pilates principles, you can skip over this section.
The actual workout consists of 25 minutes of Pilates mat work. Kathy begins with classic Pilates exercises such as the hundred, leg circles, and shoulder bridge; her assistant, Lija, shows modifications for each exercise. After doing several moves lying on her back, Kathy flips over to lie on her stomach for some work more targeted on the hamstrings and glutes (for the exercises done while on the stomach, Kathy's instructors are dubbed in via voiceover, which is a little odd given that she uses live instruction for most of the workout). The final section of this workout is performed while lying on your side for the Pilates side kick series. Kathy leads a particularly tough sequence of moves in this series, and you will really feel the work in your outer thigh and hip areas especially. The workout ends with a seated mermaid exercise to provide a nice stretch. If you enjoy Pilates and would like to specifically focus on your legs, hips, and behind, this video would be an excellent choice.
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19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Youll feel you leg muscles getting leaner and longer!, October 11, 2002
This review is from: Kathy Smith - Pilates for the Lower Body (DVD)
Of course, Kathy looks amazing!!! Kathy provides an excellent breathing guidance though out the workout. Also the name of each pose is written out so you'll get familiar with common terminology. Initially, Kathy shows the beginners variations and then does the more advanced version herself. On the other hand, her assistant shows the advanced variation the entire time. This is great because the workout could be adapted for any level of flexibility.
In terms of intensity of the workout, one really feels how the leg muscles get involved. I was happy to see some new Pilates exercises that have not been provided in other Pilates workouts (I've seen Denis Austin's and Jennifer Kries'). It's about 30 min and your legs muscles would feel really stretched. One has to be aware of the core muscles as well, so one gets to work the abs at the same time.
One has to be aware of hers/his posture while doing the exercises otherwise one might not get the real benefits. Kathy says in the DVD that "if it feels easy, then you are doing something wrong". If you do them carefully, you'll feel your muscles working.
It is a great workout for lower body and I could see how it helps elongate the muscles. In the future I would probably combine it with another lower body segment and do the Pilates one at the end to stretched the muscles and relax them as well.
I really liked the workout and I am happy I got it. One definitely needs something that focuses on working, relaxing and lengthening the muscles at the same time. That will prevent you from bulking up.
You'll feel you leg muscles getting leaner and longer! Great Pilates workout! Excellent guidance by Kathy Smith!
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