Customer Reviews

Kathy Smith - Ultimate Pilates (Abs / Lower Body)

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This DVD set is a combination of the Pilates for Abs and Pilates for Lower Body workouts. The two workouts are packaged together in this set.

Kathy Smith's Pilates for Abs workout is a challenging workout for the abdominals. This DVD is great for both beginning and more advanced work outs.
The Pilates philosophy is all about perfect repetitions every time, so you're not going to be doing sit-ups for the entire workout. The movements are isometric and difficult if you maintain correct postures. This workout focuses on the shoulders, ribs, abs, and engaging your hamstrings.

Kathy has Leah working out with her, and Leah demonstrates more advanced versions of the movements when you are ready to move up to that level. This feature will keep you using this DVD over time.

While the workout only runs 20 minutes, I find it a great complement to an existing routine of cardio and light weights. I combine this workout with a 30-minute cardio segment for a well-rounded day.

The Pilates for Lower Body workout runs a little longer. It has a 6-minute warmup and a 25 minute workout. It is just as challenging as the Pilates for Abs workout.

This is a great combination of workouts! A must-have for Pilates enthusiasts!

I was a little leary of buying Kathy Smith's pilates due to the fact that most of her videos contain a lot of aerobics, jumping and bouncing. I was pleasantly surprised though with her knowledge of pilates. I feel that the combination of these two DVDs will help you to re-shape your body. If done properly, you will absolutely feel your muscles working.

This DVD is a compilation of two previous Kathy Smith releases, Pilates for Abs and Pilates for the Lower Body. Both programs are solid Pilates workouts that would be well-suited to those with little experience in the Pilates technique. I have broken down both practices in detail below.

At the start of Pilates for Abs, Kathy Smith takes a full 7 minutes to discuss proper form and alignment. She covers important Pilates terms such as the powerhouse, and she also offers detailed form pointers including how to pull your navel toward your spine, how to tilt your pelvis, and how to contract your pelvic floor (similar to Kegel exercises). Although I was already familiar with Pilates, I found this section to be a very helpful refresher, and I appreciated Kathy's unique instruction. Kathy then moves on to the workout. Although she doesn't do the moves in the classic Pilates sequence--she notes that she altered the sequence to focus even more specifically on the abs--she does start with the typical Pilates first exercise, the Hundred. She performs this and other moves at a modified level while her assistant, Lija, demonstrates more challenging positions. The exercises include lesser-known Pilates moves such as the Can-Can and the Mermaid as well as a yoga pose, Bridge. Kathy offers form reminders throughout the workout, and I found this to be particularly helpful in making sure that the work was concentrated in my abs. The entire workout is over in a quick 20 minutes, but by the end, my abs definitely felt the work.

Pilates for the Lower Body also begins with a 6-minute instructional section which addresses fundamentals of Pilates; here Kathy provides descriptions of basic Pilates concepts such as breathing, the c-curve, pelvic scoop, neutral spine, engaging the hamstrings, and the Pilates powerhouse. The actual workout consists of 25 minutes of Pilates mat work. Kathy begins with classic Pilates moves including the Hundred, leg circles, and shoulder bridge; this time, 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.

Although these workouts are appropriate for those at a beginning level, I wouldn't necessarily recommend this DVD to someone totally brand new to Pilates, as the programs move a bit quickly. Instead, a complete Pilates novice could use either Ana Caban's Beginning Mat Workout or Hilary Burnett's Pilates for Beginners to obtain more detailed instruction on performing the movements. Once the basic technique is learned, however, this DVD would be very appropriate for someone who wants to further hone their beginning Pilates skills via focusing on specific areas of the body.

When my VHS machine broke and was difficult to replace, I decided to purchase DVDs of just my favorite workouts....all of Kathy Smith's were at the top of the list because I like her thorough method of explanation during each exercise. Owning so many of her workouts I then had to choose the ones that were the most beneficial...and it was easy to pick the Pilates for Abs and Lower Body.

It has been said of this workout that it is too slow and most pilates advocates would hate it. This is probably accurate of true devotees who know all the breathing techniques and basic core fundamentals. For beginners this is the perfect tape to start with, but it can also be a mainstay with regular exercisers. Kathy explains carefully, as she is doing the exercise, how to breath through the positions and hold them properly. With too many new workouts it is impossible to watch the instructor on the screen and perform the position, but Kathy's dialog keeps you on track.

In pilates there are many positions to learn; this workout provides a good basic set that will use core muscles in the abs and lower body. Regardless of how often I use the DVD I feel that I have gotten a good workout -- there is a "shadow" instructor in the background doing more advanced techniques of the same positions for when you are able to move on.

It is easy enough to skip over the section about proper breathing once you have accomplished that and go right on to the exercises. The entire workout takes about 30 minutes (each DVD) which is perfect for a busy schedule. I can choose if I want to do abs or lower body; for a longer workout both can be done.

Kathy Smith will always be my favorite instructor because she not only encompasses a wide variety of exercises but because she explains how to do them throughout the workout and doesn't leave you standing in the room confused and frustrated. This workout will continue to be one I use to keep the core muscles in shape.

I was a professional dancer and have had 3 children. This dvd is basic and she uses great key words. I have other pilates dvd's but this one is the best. Thank you Kathy!

This is a great DVD for beginners but definitely not for anyone else. Neither Kathy nor her assistant Lea(sp??) seem to have a dance background, something that is usually necessary when instructing Pilates. Their own lack of flexibility hinders the moves they try to demonstrate. Plus, the set is awful and distracting.

One great thing- the music. The music is not distracting, is timed to the movements of the exercise and helps set the mood.

Excellent pilates workout! Kathy is a great teacher and you will guarantee get a good workout!