Customer Reviews

The Method - Pilates: Precision Sculpting [VHS]

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Truly, I look forward to doing this tape. I don't procrastinate or avoid my workouts when I know I'm using Precision Sculpting. How much higher can praise get for an exercise session? Two to three-pound weights are suggested, but aren't absolutely necessary; since the exercises are isometric, you can get a good toning workout even without weights. The movements work the body effectively without endless repetitions, and Jennifer Kries is the best instructor I have ever watched, hands down. I can't say enough good things about her style and professionalism. She's a joy to work out with, and her Method Series videos have changed the shape of my body, when no other video or workout ever did. To sum up: quiet but encouraging instruction, quality over quantity of repetitions, no annoying perkiness or music, visible results with continuous use. Need I say more?

If you've ever admired and/or desired to have a dancer's lean body then this workout routine will be a good place to start. As someone who takes belly dancing lessons weekly (and soon weekly Flamenco dancing lessons) I find Ms. Kries' workout to be surprisingly helpful even with my dance practice and performance - especially her constant attention to proper posture and good form.

In fact, my instructor uses Mr. Kries workout routines for a toning and strengthening class she teaches. She has an optional 1 hour class before the belly dancing class where we do precisely this workout. The funny thing is, she didn't tell anyone where she got the routine. I only recognized it AFTER I bought this tape when I popped it in the VCR and discovered to my great surprise I was doing the routine from my instructor's class!

There are some important points about this tape potential purchasers may wish to know. For one, you will need to keep your chest lifted, stomach in, buttocks tight, thighs tight and chin lifted AT ALL TIMES throughout the workout unless Ms. Kries tells you differently. Otherwise, you will get no - I REPEAT - almost no benefit from these exercises. This is harder than at first it may seem simply because you will also be trying to follow all the various exercise instructions Ms. Kries gives. This is a lot to remember and in the beginning when I first learned this routine I was continually having to remind myself to keep my muscles contracted and chest lifted. After a while however it becomes second nature.

The good thing is, if you do keep your posture good, muscles contracted, etc - basically follow Ms. Kries instructions - you will get a very good workout indeed. It will definitely tone your body, thin your thighs, stomach, etc. She uses very light weights in this video - they look like maybe 2 lb. dumbbells but you can use more, less or none if you desire. I'm up to 12 lbs. and get a fantastic muscle-building burn.

She often reminds you to stretch. Really stretch for that ceiling or reach out for that wall which will help elongate the muscles as well as add flexibility. Ms. Kries is one of the better video instructors I've seen when it comes to cueing and describing precisely how and where you should feel certain muscles working. She is very encouraging saying things such as, "This may be a difficult at first - perhaps more work than you're used to, but it WILL get easier." She also moves at an easy pace so beginners will find her easy to follow.

There is no music except at the very beginning of the tape. It is only Ms. Kries instructions and counting out of the repetitions. Actually I think this is a plus because you will be so busy trying to follow precisely all her directions and cues while maintaining proper form that I think music would have been more of a distraction. Also, the exercises and pace seems more typical of yoga or a stretch video. No high-tempo aerobic exercise or music here so you will need to get your cardio workout some other way to compliment this routine.

Occasionally Ms. Kries will remind you to do these exercises while keeping your muscles contracted and chest lifted. "Squeeze your thighs together as tight as you can - like you're pressing a very thin ribbon between them." or telling you to get your navel to contract inward like you're trying to get it to touch your spine. It would be more helpful for a beginner if she had said these reminders more often. That is probably the one potential downside to this tape. Unless a beginner remembers to keep their form proper at all times even w/o reminder cues from Ms. Kries they will not get much from these exercises. On the upside, if a beginner CAN remember to maintain these form pointers throughout the exercises it is one of the most effective workouts around for getting toned without building muscle.

This is one of my favorite exercise videos and I work out to it even on days when I don't go to my dance instructor's class. I use it in conjunction with a Karen Voight video (another favorite video fitness instructor of mine who's tapes are also available at ...). If you are willing to make the commitment to learning the routine properly you will definitely be rewarded with a better body all around for the time spent.

I think the workout is rigorous but the tape is too slow. After the first 2 or 3 times viewing the tape I did not need her extended explanations. I found I was waiting for the next exercise which made it a tedious experience.

I love this video. It is challenging without inspiring dread. After just a few times, my posture improved, my legs tightened up, my body awareness increased, and I just generally felt better. HOWEVER, several of the arm exercises rely heavily on your shoulders, and I ended up with a rotator cuff injury which has put me out of commission for months. It is largely my fault because I thought I could increase the weight to 5 lbs. since the 3 lbs. I had been using had gotten to be not very challenging. I do NOT recommend using more than the 3 lbs. she suggests. As soon as I went to 5, that's when I got the injury. These exercises work because of the way you isolate the muscles, not because of the large amount of weight you use. So use caution and don't make the same mistake I did! This is NOT a classic weightlifting program, so don't try to turn it into one.

This tape is revolutionary in the way Jennifer Kries teaches you to tone your body. She incorporates many different styles (yoga, dance, Joseph Pilates) to give you an overall toned body. It is difficult to get used to in the first few workouts, but after that, you will be hooked!

This video is great, especially if your a woman wanting to work on those "problem areas". Jennifer shows you how to support your whole body with your abs. The yoga/ballet type moves and stretches are fantastic for the conditioning of the female form. I would definately recommend this video to anyone!

No disrespect, but she must have been thinking of a differnt tape. The instructor does not wear a headset at any point in the tape, and there are no aerobic moves whatsoever....
This tape is awesome, my favorite workout tape. No jerky movements at all. The routine is smooth and focused and very effective. You will feel the results the first time you use it. Jennifer Kreis is great. The first half is an upper body workout with light weights, the second half is a fabulous and fun workout that really targets the abs and glutes. I agree with some of the other reviewers, the "push-up" routine is the best, and don't worry you don't have to be able to do many traditional push ups to do it at all. It's very unique and you really will feel taller after this one!

I have owned this tape for about 7 years and after doing it 2-3 time when I first got it, it has just been collecting dust. I grew tired of the intense and exhausting weight training and aerobics that I had been doing for a few years and decided a little over a month ago to take a break. I decided to do Pilates in the meantime to maintain my muscle tone. I dusted this tape off and was pleasantly surprised. I noticed visible results after the first week even though I was only doing it 2 or 3 times a week. This tape has helped to tighten my stomach considerably. A feat I could not accomplish after years of weight training and ab work. My thighs and [...] are also considerably firmer. All of this in a little over a month's time. The tape is not the most energizing or interesting, but I don't think that is the point of the excercises. If you are looking for a way to calm down after a long day and still tone your body, this is a wonderful tape. The instructor can be a little dry and over explanatory, but she is clear and concise in what you need to do. She very rarely gives instruction without being in a pose or an excercise herself. So, once you become familiar with the instruction, there is no need to wait for her to finish. Just start the excercise without her or maintain the pose while she is talking. I am enjoying my hiatus from strenuous excercise that I really dreaded and still seeing amazing results thanks to this tape.

Precision Toning is a very refreshing approach to exercise. In an easy to follow (although not so easy to execute) program. Jennifer walks you carefully through the movements that are fairly simple, but very effective. I have noticed lengthening of muscles, greater strength and flexiblity. It seems that you can continue to be challenged by this video for quite a while. This video focuses on abdominal strength and overall flexability. My only complaint is the length of the video. An hour is a bit too long for me.

I love Pilates and Yoga, and this combines the best of both. Jennifer Kries is terrific. She's warm, and friendly and explains the moves and positioning of your body without talking down to you. The video video is 40 minutes, with 15 minutes of upper body sculpting and 15 minutes of lower or "total" sculpting for the legs, buttocks, and thighs. Some of the moves are hard, especially towards the end. There are some variations on push-ups that if you have little or no strength in your arms I would either skip or do less of them until you gain the strength. When paired together with The Method's Precision Toning you have the perfect 1,2 punch to your workout regime.