Customer Reviews

The Method - Pilates: Dynamic Cardio [VHS]

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

 

 

I am a beginning exerciser, I'm small framed and at 120 lbs and 5'5" not in need of serious weight loss. But, I love to do this tape. It WILL get your heart rate up if you have dance experience and can do all the routines full out the first (or even second) time. I get my heart rate up and break a sweat with this video. You will NOT get your heart rate up if you can't follow along and have to sort of fake the moves and stand in front of your TV in frustration. I also think it's a little too easy for the hard core Method and Firm fans. True, there is NO Pilates work, I don't know why they lied about that. But this video is in my normal exercise rotation as a light 30 min (if you do all 3) workout, and is very good when I've been off aerobics for awhile. If you love dance and are in need of a light - medium workout, this one is for you.

I gave this video the lowest possible rating because of the deceptive packaging. Its got the word PILATES in great big bold letters on the cover. I was really keen to see how pilates could be integrated into a cardio work-out, so I snapped it up.

There is nothing resembling pilates in this entire tape, and I guess they were just capitalizing on the popularity of the trend, hoping fools like me might buy the tape.

Now.... to evaluate the tape for what it is.... a dancy, low-level aerobic workout. I believe the only people who can really benefit from this tape are those who are badly out of shape, elderly, or have never exercised. I did not break a sweat or get the least bit winded. The choreography was too coomplicated for me.....lots of dancy steps and requires a lot of concentration to follow. I got very frustrated and felt like I was wasting my time. I had to go out for a good five mile run after this tape, because I felt like I had not gotten any form of work out.

Also, the music & set was boring. So..... people who enjoy highly choreographed tapes and are just beginning an exercise program may find the tape helpful..... but for those of you who are fit, stay away!

Message to The Method folks: There are a lot of consumers out there who are bothered by false advertising. I will be sticking with The Firm from here on out, since they don't do this.

I would have to agree with other reviews regarding the use of PILATES in the title. When considering pilates is traditionally matwork,abdominal centering and lengthening, this video does not hit the mark. BUT in its' defense, the package states it is a CARDIO workout.

The dance sequences are tough to master, but that's a good thing. This tape uses your mind and body's coordination. You will not get bored.

As far as beginner versus advanced, the workout does raise your heartrate. For people with more advanced conditioning, this tape will probably meet your 60% of your target heart rate. You won't be pushing hard like with other tapes. A beginner probably will be more around the 80% range.

Conclusion: Buy it to supplement your tape collection. It's fun and different.

This video is fun to do. However, it takes a coupple of watchings to really get it down and get a good work out.

The cueing is a bit spotty, and right as you think you have the combination, they change it.

However, it is a lot of fun, especially if you like to dance and have a big living room. It is nice that the background people are men and women.

There are 3 sections so you can use them in different orders or combine them with other workouts.

I have tried three of the method videos (dance to fitness, all in one workout and dynamic cardio)and this one is the best.
1. it is easy to follow. Lisa explained everything clearly and always told you what was coming. I followed her without any problem 99% of the time the first time I tried the tape.
2. it is a nice aerobic workout. The dance moves of the first section are of low impact. The second part is very similar to Lisa's section of "dance to fitness". The final section is more like regular hi-lo aerobics (like the Tamilee Webb tapes)than dance. I did all three and I got a good sweat.
3. the only drawback I can find is the music

I took a lot of dance as a teenager but find it hard to find classes that cater to the middle age person. This tape does the job well. It is engaging and fun. I have had no problem doing it in my living room and making it as "cardio" as I need it to be. I too wonder how they can use the word Pilates since it is not referred to in the tape at all. The teacher is excellent.

The video is broken up into short segments. You need to do all of the segments in order to work out long enough to burn fat. If you are a real beginner, you could do the first segment three times for a long enough work out, but that could get boring.

This is a good basic cardio workout.

This video, though promising to build up your cardio system, is too easy for even beginners. I would, however, recommend it for elder people who are looking to just move around in a safe way. The difference between each level is very minimal, too. If you want to boost your cardio system, don't buy this!

I brought this tape because I have other Method tapes and they were great but this one was a disappointment. There are 3 parts to this workout tape,each with increasing intensity as claimed. I find that this tape is not very challenging. I do not find any difference in intensity in the 3 parts. the steps were also very hard to follow and she did not do a good job in explaning or showing the steps.

This video has three progressive cardio workouts. The goal is to do the first workout a few times a week, and then build up to adding the second and the third. The first workout is not difficult, but is based on dance steps, so it keeps you focused. If you do not have a lot of cardio endurance, start with the first one, you will be amazed how fast you can progress if you stick with it. If you already have good cardio endurance, jump right in and do all three. It's a great, simple cardio workout with no equipment, but interesting enough to keep you moving!