Customer Reviews

The Lotte Berk Method, 4 Disc Set: Basic Essentials, Hip Hugger Abs, Muscle Eats Fat, High Round Assets

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a really great set, and you should give it a try! Lotte Berk Method is mainly isometric exercises mixed with orthopedic back exercises, all followed by stretch. It's not too hard. I have a funny knee and my sister in law has scoliosis, but we both have had no trouble doing it. She actually says it makes her back feel better. If you are not flexible or experienced in exercise, that's OK, because the person on the right will show modifications to make it easier. What's also cool is the person on the right will show you ways to make it harder. So if you need an extra challenge, that's great!

All 4 DVD's are 30 minutes, and have lots of bonus features, including trailers for the other Lotte Berk DVD's, and even a special short bonus workout. The quality of the picture and sound is excellent, and the workouts are chaptered so you can go where you want. They all start out the same way, with about 7 minutes of the same warmup. It consists of vigorous knee lifts, pushups (the kind you do on your knees), and backwards pushups for the triceps. Then, there is the workout.

The Basic Essentials goes to the barre at this point. You can use a chair or table, and they even have one person demonstrating how to do it on the wall. There are some ballet type workouts with deep plies and other standing leg work. It works your buns and thighs. This goes on for 15 minutes or so, and then there is the Shape by Stretch, which is sort of like yoga stretches. They explain that it will make the muscles you just toned look more lean. I really like this workout. It was a good introduction to the series, and it works total body (abs, arms, butt, and thighs). They teach you about the Lotte Berk tuck really well in this one, which is a way to protect your back and firm your abdomen.

Muscle Eats Fat starts with the same warm-up as the others, then uses light hand weights. It's nothing too difficult, but you can feel it working. It then goes to Knee Dancing, a sort of toning thing where you are kneeling but you are not all the way up or down and you can really feel it in your thighs. Then Shape By Stretch.

Hip Hugger Abs starts with the warm-up, then a little barre work, then mat work. It is mostly isometric work, not repetitions. But do you ever feel it! The main exercise is sitting up with your knees into your chest, and then leaning back and holding yourself halfway. You'll do different modifications of that. Then some sit-up type things, but they are very different and they feel more effective without really wearing out your back and neck. Then some side work for your obliques. Then, Shape By Stretch.

I didn't get to do all of High Round Assets. It starts the same way as the others and then goes to the barre, where you sort of kick behind you with your knee straight. What I did felt really effective.

Bottom line - this works! I have really seen results in by body after three weeks of doing these DVD's. My legs are slimmer and I have built strength in my arms from all those pushups! They're pretty pricey, but if you've got some money to burn, give these a try. You won't be disappointed!

I bought this set about 2 months ago and I do one of the workouts every other day (each dvd is 30 minutes long). I really love the Lotte Berk Method- it is very different from anything I've done before. It focuses on toning the muscle and then stretching right after to result in long lean legs and arms.

The instructors are great- not annoying at all. The workouts fly by so fast but you will feel the effects right away and the next day of course.

These workouts do not have any cardio in them but they do make you sweat if you do the excercises right - which is easy. I have noticed that my arms are definately more defined- especially my triceps. I am short but I notice a huge difference in how my legs are looking- slimmer and lean. There is no doubt that these workouts produce results but the trick is to stick with it. Consistency is key.

The Lotte Berke Method (LBM) is a non-traditional type of toning workout developed by a Russain dancer of the same name and brought to America by Lydia Bach. Drawing from dance and other similar disciplines, many of the exercises require the use of a ballet barre, and the focus is on making small, precise movements to facilitate the development of long, lean muscles. The hallmarks of LBM include an emphasis on stretching throughout the workout and use of the "Lotte Berk tuck," which is a pelvic tilt used to emphasize the movements. Each workout begins with a warm-up of marching in place, lifting your knees high, and each ends with a "Shape by Stretch" streching segment.

Basic Essentials contains the greatest variety of movements and provides an overview to the method. It is a full-body toning workout which includes push-ups, barre work for legs and glutes, floor work for abdominals, and "knee dancing," a kneeling exercise targeting the lower body. Muscle Eats Fat is also a full-body workout and the only one to incorporate weights; you use light dumbells for shoulder, biceps, and triceps work. This workout also includes planks to work the core, thigh work at the barre, and knee dancing for the lower body. The remaining two workouts target more specific areas, although both include push-ups in their warm-ups. In High Round Assets, the barre work includes only a couple of different exercises, but you will perform a very high number of repetitions and then do the same on the floor for pelvic tilts; this was probably my favorite workout of the series and the one that felt the most effective. In Hip Hugger Abs, the entire workout is performed on the floor, first in a seated position for isometric work, then lying for Pilates-inspired movements and finishing with side and regular plank work.

Overall, these videos are well-suited to beginners and intermediates looking for something different than traditional weight work for toning. However, it should be noted that the personalities of the instructors are sometimes a bit hard to take, as they vary from cheesy to condescending to almost drill sergeant-like. Also, the workouts can be a bit boring at times, especially since it takes the instructors so long to set up each exercise. Despite these issues, I would still recommend this set as short, effective toning workouts, with Muscle Eats Fat and High Round Assets being particularly worthwhile.

Due to the other rave reviews of this DVD set, I couldn't wait to get a set of my own. Now I got it, and I love it. I've only been doing it for a few weeks and already feel the difference. Quite honestly, after I completed it the first day I was so sore for the next FOUR days that I didn't even attempt to do it again until I was better. I've been exercising and strength training six days a week for the last seven months and while I am not the most advanced exerciser, I'm no fluff either. This workout is totally unique to everything else I've tried. The whole system is centered on small, controlled movements. Sometimes, you're hardly even moving. It's laid out very well. Four instructors take turns on each DVD, and they are all superb. There are three instructors completing the exercises, one as the beginner, one as the intermediate, and one as the advanced when applicable. This is a very nice system that allows you to grow with it as you get better. There is minimal equipment involved: a set of hand weights for "Muscle Eats Fat", exercise mat if you're on a hard surface, and something sturdy to lean on (you can use a bar, a heavy piece of furniture or a wall; I use my fireplace mantle.) I particularly like "Muscle Eats Fat", but all of them are excellent. The exercises work all the major muscle groups, and while there is no cardio involved, you'll still be sweating by the time you're done. If you have serious knee problems, some of the exercises might be uncomfortable, but I have never been able to do a lot of squats or plies when exercising because they always bother my knees. This did NOT. They have you do a ballet type pose with your heels pressed together to alleviate any pressure on your knees. That modification has enabled me to do the exercises without hurting my knees. All in all, a body changing set that is unique, challenging, and fun. A definite keeper.

I recently got this set of DVDs. I have been doing workouts on video like the Firm, Cathe, Pilates and Yoga for some time and I was looking for something different. These workouts are along the same lines as yoga or pilates in that they are lower impact and rely on the weight of the body for muscle shaping. Stretching is also an important factor in all of the workouts. Some of the workouts use weights to enhance the results and they all use a bar but the bar is not necessary and can be replaced by a piece of furniture or even a body shaping stick or other weighted balancing bar.

The DVDs include a special Blast section which is actually a separate workout (not just a compilation) and it is a higher intensity short piece that is great to use to compliment your workouts or to do on their own.

These workouts are great to do on their own or do combine with other activities that you may already be doing. They will enhance almost any exercise routine by adding some variety and extra challenges for the muscles.

I have been using the Lotte Berk method for beginners for the past three months now and love the changes I see in my muscles! Even though I have been using them for the past 3 months I still find them challenging and my muscles still feel like jello afterwards. I had first tried these DVD's out by checking them out at my local library and after checking each of the different series several times I decided to purchase my own.

I purchased the complete set at the beginning of August. I was looking for something to strengthen my back and get into shape after my second child. I was having some back problems and gained quite a bit of weight with my pregnancy. The movements are challenging and carefully explained by the instructors. It took me a while to get the set up and posture correct. The result are worth it! I feel that I am constantly challenged and much stronger. I have not have my back go out since I started doing the video's. I love them and hope they will make more soon! They are not hard to follow and feel great. I highly recommend these if you are looking to tone and shape up!

I want to start by saying that I really enjoyed doing all of these DVDs and looking forward to them kept me motivated to workout everyday. However, after two months the results have been minimal. I'm already in pretty good shape, not looking to lose weight, and I was hoping these exercises would help to tone some of my trouble spots, but I haven't really seen much of a difference. I'm especially skeptical about the abs sections on some of these videos, particularly the video devoted to abs work. They don't seem intense enough to actually effect any sort of change and I never, ever felt sore afterwards. I will admit that I have some trouble holding the necessary pelvic tilt during abs work but I have become very skilled at holding it during standing exercises so I don't think my "form" is the reason I haven't seen any results. That being said, I have noticed that I am finally able to really hold in my abs and/or tuck under during other types of workouts and I attribute that new ability to these videos.

My biggest overall concern, however, is that there are no advanced videos available. These videos all have 10 minute advanced workouts that tease that there is much more to this method than they can reasonably include on these "beginner" level videos. I find this pretty frustrating since there seem to be no advanced workouts in the making and, not living in Connecticut or New York, I have no access to any Lotte Berk Method studios. The bottom line is this: I think it is entirely probable that the Lotte Berk (and the similar Bar Method) classes taught in studios are extremely beneficial for building and sculpting muscle, but the workouts on these videos are simply too basic to achieve real results. If you haven't exercised in a while or are new to exercise entirely, these workouts are likely to be both enjoyable and beneficial. However, if you are in reasonably good shape and, like me, have trouble fitting exercise into a busy schedule, they are impractical for more than once or twice a week usage as they provide no real cardio effect and only minimal strengthening.

I found the Lotte Burk Method to be similar to the Bar Method, but with more variety. I purchased the entire line and found it to very very useful and I did see results in a couple of weeks. At first the exercises may seem difficult but if you hang in there you will begin to move smoothly through them perfecting each exercise, thus gaining the greatest benefit. I enjoy the fact that they are approximately 20 minutes each, thus if you do not have time it gives you a quick but effective workout. I was one whom believed that lifting heavy weights was where it was all at. Weight-lifting combined with the Lotte Burk Method gives you the strength you need, with a long lean look, a physically fit look, not the moster look you get with only lifting heavy weights! I have not found more Lotte Burk DVD's but if anyone knows of some please advise. Thank you Lisa Barsotti

The first time I did the Basic Essentials DVD I was sore for 3 days afterward, especially in the legs! The ab DVD is the hardest exercises I've ever done for abs. If these workouts don't get my butt in shape I don't know what will.<BR...