Customer Reviews

MTV Fitness - Pilates Mix

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a great DVD. It has loads of new moves from the first MTV Pilates DVD.
It has 2 30-minute workouts, divided in parts: arms, legs abs sections, and seems that workout 2 is more challenging than workout 1. Based on that, you can pick 3 workouts from arms 1, 2; legs 1, 2; and abs 1, 2. (e.g you can pick arms 1, legs 2 and abs 1, or arms 1, 2, abs 2. Any combination of 3 workouts!) and it'll play the ones you pick as a 30 minute workout.
It also includes a bonus total body 10 minute workout which is very challenging, it is mostly legs and some abs.
All in all a great workout DVD. Kristin McGee is a great instructor and the background people show different positions for all fitness levels. The location is a Manhattan club turned into a studio with black background and colorful sets. And has good upbeat music.
Definitely a workout worth checking out!

If you have been working out for years and have tried Pilates, Yoga, Ballet and a wide variety of traditional exercises, Kristin McGee will take you to an entirely new level of fitness. Throughout this workout you will recognize Pilates exercises, but they have creative twists and present new challenges for the intermediate level.

The creativity in this workout is stunning and mediocrity is not an option. Kristin presents challenging isometric exercises to test your highest level of patience. Yoga definitely prepared me for the concentration needed to count to ten.

So, the first time I tried this DVD I thought for sure I would never complete the exercises. My mind tried to tell me I was not young enough and that I should probably go back to a milder form of exercise at a slower pace. However, I'm back to say that you can do this if you watch this DVD first, then try the exercises at your own pace. By the third viewing you may find you can almost complete all the exercises with a few modifications.

This workout is in a club setting. The fuchsia mats are set on larger purple mats with white stars. The dark floor and the sapphire backgrounds make this an aesthetically pleasing workout.

Routines

Routine 1: This is a ½ hour body shaping routine with a focus on strengthening core muscles, toning the arms and working the abs like never before! Combine this routine with the second routine for a full-body workout. The beginning of this workout is deceptively easy. You quickly warm up and then move from standing to the floor in a quick sequence of movements you may recognize as a type of Vinyasa. Then you spend a lot of time doing push ups without really realizing you are doing push ups. This is wonderful because the variety helps you tone up your arms without boredom.

Your wrists may start to tire out if you don't give yourself enough breaks. I did wish she had alternated with exercises you could do on your back because I started to feel that I was spending too much time looking down at the mat. However, the bonus is a test for your patience level.

Due to the fast-paced style, I'd recommend this to anyone who has a basic knowledge of Pilates and Yoga. A Yoga mat is needed, even though this is presented as a Pilates workout. There are many Yoga postures and while you are in the isometric positions it is helpful to be working out on a secure surface.

Routine 2: This is a ½ hour workout designed for the legs and abs. You will feel your entire body being strengthened and toned. The beauty of Kristin's teaching style is in the motivational quality of her challenge. She presents the challenge and gives you more options. You can follow her and go for the advanced routine or you can choose beginner or intermediate. I found I was alternating between all three, depending on the exercise.

Bonus Routine: You could add this to the hour workout (Routine 1 and 2) or you could use this routine when you have less time. I'd actually say it is filled with creative interpretations of Pilates exercises.

Create Your Own Routine - Step-by-Step selections lead you to your perfect exercise routine.

Audio Setup - Want to listen to your own music? You can select the Instructor-Only Audio Track. I enjoyed the music on this DVD and it kept me motivated. After exercising, you may enjoy the music-only audio track for stretching. There is not a lot of stretching or a cool down section at the end, so that might be an option.

This DVD is not only a true test of your physical strength, the exercises will test your endurance and willingness to push your body to the next level. I was very determined to make it through this workout and on the second try I made it through most of the exercises. It brought out an entire level of competitiveness I didn't even know I was capable of and I was determined to make it through this DVD as if the world would end if I didn't complete the exercises. Now I look forward to incorporating this workout into my weekly routines.

Definitely an intermediate to advanced workout to try after learning the exercises in the MTV Yoga, MTV Power Yoga and MTV Pilates DVDs. The Music on this Pilates DVD is perfect and compliments Kristin's teaching style. Whatever will she think up next? I can't wait for the next DVD and I look forward to the challenge.

~The Rebecca Review

I am pretty athletic. I've been doing Pilates and Yoga for about 5 years, and I thought this DVD was HARD! My arms were shaking so bad during Workout #1, I actually had to rest for a second. I would definitely say this workout is for advanced Pilates people, not beginners. Of course, Kristin McGee and the music is great, but just a warning- this workout is TOUGH!

I really like the workouts in this dvd and I didn't have high expectations from it, but beware - this workouts are really tough and does not have a classical pilates feel to it(althogh most exercises are from pilates).
the workouts:
1)30 min. - Upper Body emphasis with core- this workout is my favorite , it is just what regular pilates don't have - a lot of exercises for the upper body, you do a lot of push up, planks, side planks,downward dogs, kneeling and lying back exercises variations and some reformer inspired exercises towards the end, it was extremely hard since you spend a great deal of the workout on your hands so you got to have a strong upper body and core muscles ,but it was worth it , I felt almost all my muscles a day after, some I didn't know I have.

2)30 min. - Abs and some lower body - This is mainly traditional pilates ab exercises with lots of variations done at a fast pace, some bridge variations and at the end some ballet and yoga exercises for the lower body done standing (very short).

3) 12 min. bonus- side series- some more intense variations on the pilates side series targeting the butt and thighs plus a side plank and an ab exercise.

also you get a "create your own routine" option which is not the best,since it doesn't flow very well , but if you want a shorter less intense workout you can use it, I checked most of the combinations and there are always about 18-20 min. shorter than the main workouts.
What I didn't like is that there is no specific warmup , you just start the workout. Kristin's instructions are minimal but helpful and she cues well.

If your house was burning and you had managed to save your kids, pets, photos, etc, but had time to only grab ONE video, which would it be? I own close to a hundred fitness videos- cardio, strength, pilates and yoga, but Pilates Mix would be my choice without even thinking about it. I agree with all the comments by the previous reviewers, so I won't go on to repeat their comments. The program is tough, it's very effective, and best of all, it is unique. I usually do program 1 plus the bonus on one day, skip a day, do program 2 plus bonus, skip another day, and then do a traditional full Pilates. I've been doing this since Pilates Mix first came out, and I've lost 2 inches from both waist and thighs, even though I had felt as though I was very fit before starting this. Another big plus is that my entire back is so much stronger now. So many fitness videos focus on strenthening or toning strictly what you see in the mirror- abs, arms, thighs. This program is well balanced for full body benefits. As previously noted, this is NOT for beginners. Some of the sequences are very fast-paced.Although modifications for some exercises are shown, all too often the viewer is in a position such as plank or down dog variation, and unable to see the TV screen. Even in the modifified versions, a good functional base of core strength is necessary to maintain good form. Anyone trying this who hasn't already been working at the intermediate level of Pilates could easily strain their back. Anyone with wrist problems might want to avoid Pilates Mix, (or at least, skip Program 1) Program 1 has pushups and lots of plank and side plank variations that may put too much stress on painful wirsts.

For someone who does pilates at an advanced level - this DVD is great. The customizable aspect is nice for keeping variety without having to own a ton of DVDs. If you are a beginner or casual pilates patron - this DVD is not for you. Even though they claim to have a person doing "beginner" level version of all of the exercises, the type of exercises that the instructor does are inherantly advanced. So even though there are modifications shown, they are way above the skill level of the casual pilates user. The progression is fast and intense, and the camera angles do not make it easy to follow the person doing the modified moves. If you are advanced and have very good strength, balance and endurance, then the speed and intensity of these workouts should be good for you.

I read all the reviews for all the other exercise DVDs before choosing this one, and I agree with every positive comment left by the others. This is a terrific workout, and an incredible presentation. I'm new to Pilates and I love it. With both routines and the bonus it's an enjoyable break from my regular free weight routine. Kristin McGee is not annoying (new in my experience of video workouts); I really enjoy how she and her team present the exercises. In the past I wrote that the warmup and cool down were built into the routine, but I've since found that a simple cardio exercise (like jumping up and down a hundred times) is useful to a less-than-warm body before starting. I hope McGee comes up with a more advanced version soon!

I love this DVD it has some new exercises that I had not seen before. I feel great afterwards the only one thing is that it does not have a good warm up and cool down. Other than that it was very good.

This is very much a fusion-type workout! I agree that for me, the pacing was quick and some of the moves I wasn't quite ready for. To safely do this workout, I recommend you at least be at an intermediate level (and not have any wrist problems!) I had a bad fall a few months ago and can't do much plank work, so I'll have to put this DVD away for another time. But, I liked the instructor! Kristin was very upbeat and motivating, and I would probably purchase other workouts led by her. If you're looking for detailed instruction though, you won't find it here!

This DVD contains three workouts, two thirty minute sessions, and one 10 minute "bonus" workout. The first two are what really make it worth buying. They are challenging routines, which together work every muscle. The first one mostly focuses on your back, arms, and shoulders, while the second really hits the abs and legs. They are a bit strenuous to go through all at once, not to mention long, but I find that if I alternate every morning between the two, I really get fit.

You can use the bonus when you're running late or don't have much time.

There is a mix feature in this DVD which allows you to make your own custom workout out of the chapters which are provided for you. I guess it's a nice feature, but I've never really felt the need to use it.