Customer Reviews

The Pilates Body Kit: An Interactive Fitness Program to Strengthen, Streamline, and Tone (includes 2 audio cds, flash cards & workbook)

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I love pilates. It's a great workout, and you quickly feel the results. (If you have lower back pain, consider pilates. It strengthens your back muscles and may help to ease your pain.)

If you have never done pilates before, this may not be the right starter kit for you. Pilates exercises are not necessarily intuitive. How your body is positioned is very important in pilates, and you may find it easier to learn with a video, so that you can watch how you body is supposed to move through each exercise.

Once you've learned the basics, the flashcards will make your life easier. I take the flash cards with me when I travel. They're small, pack easily and serve as a great reference tool. With this in mind, if you are already familiar with pilates, the flash cards are worth the money.

I learned Pilates from tapes and DVDs by other instructors, but now I prefer using this CD for my every day workouts. I like the efficient pace of the workout tracks. They provide great guidance without including every laborious instruction from the introductory tracks, and there are no gaps where an instructor is blabbing and you're sitting on the floor waiting to do the next exercise. Therefore, if you do the 20 minute workout, you're really doing 20 minutes of exercise. I was skeptical about buying this system, but thought it was worth a chance for the price. Now, I'm sold on it. Not only is it easier to fit a workout into a busy schedule, but the results are better, too. I agree with other reviewers, however, in hoping to see another CD soon with a more advanced workout.

While I enjoyed Siler's "The Pilates Body" and found it to be a comprehensive reference, I could not imagine myself using the book while performing the exercises or even walking away with all of the important points she made about each movement. She veered too far into the wordy side at times, and I could see how absolute beginners could find her intimidating.

This kit is a great follow-up or add-on to her book. Her instructions for each of the sections are very clear, and the cards that she provides for each movement give just the right amount of information about what you should be thinking about for each exercise.

I enjoy the CD format of the workout. The format makes it very easy to skip over to the section that you want to work on that day without having to skip around as you would in a video. Much has been made about why Siler would come out with an audio version and not a video or DVD. Having read interviews that she's given, I know that there are plans to come out with a video. Frankly, I suspect that she wanted to expand her market cautiously by coming out with an audio version first, which, I believe, would be somewhat less expensive to produce than a video.

Also, while some may disagree, I feel that a more advanced Pilates mat workout really requires a visual component. I would be very nervous about a product that instructed, say, the JackKnife without giving an idea of how it should look. While that could be gotten across to some extent on flash cards, I think it would be very helpful to see the more advanced movements in motion to give the viewer an idea of the speed and care necessary to use when performing them.

While I enjoyed the workouts and recommend them to any Pilates student, I'm giving this four stars instead of five because the constant references to "Authentic Pilates" in the first two or three sections of the CD became very annoying. Most students acknowledge the superiority of the original method Siler and her mentor teach, but constantly bringing it up don't further convince me, just irritate me.

The pilates kit is great if you don't have access to vcr.
The Pilates Body Kit consist of:

A/ Workbook:
-Explains the principles and guidelines for pilates
-Journal to record progress

B/ Flash Cards - which provide the visual components of the
exercises (Beginner to Intermediate Exercises)

C/ Two CDs organized as follows:

CD1 Beginner/ Intro to Intermediate -
1. Welcome to Beginning Pilates
2. Beginner Preliminary Principles
3. Beginner Mat Exercise Breakdown
4. Beinner Mat Class
5. Welcome to Intermediate Pilates
6. Intermediate Preliminary Principles

CD 2 Intermediate
1. Intermediate Mat Exercise Breakdown
2. Intermediate Mat Class

In the CDs Brooke Siler prompts you through each exercise as if you were in a actual mat class. Her instructions are clear and she informs you of proper hand and body placement, as well as when to breath.

With all due respect to the reviewer who expected DVD's, this kit of CD's, cards, etc. is the absolute BEST at home pilates guide I have ever used. Unlike exercise guides that come in the form of books, these cards can be laid out flat on the ground or scrutinized while attempting a specific exercise -- no pages flopping around, no losing one's place! Brooke Siler is an amazing teacher -- not only does she explain the exercises and set the stage for one's success, her technique tips are totally accessible and unique. I've seen other Pilates guides and NONE are as thorough as this kit. Likewise, I was very impressed with her first book. By using it, I was able to LITERALLY change my body following the birth of my son. I've NEVER enjoyed an exercise regiment as much as this one and that is largely due to Siler and her teaching technique. BUY THIS KIT! You will love it!!!

I love pilates and have used variety of pilates equipment, dvds, books, , but was confused how to feel and move from powerhouse, also how to breath position my body correctly. I knew something was lacking from my form and the various dvds and books did not help, either they were confusing, or the workouts were tedious, joyless. After using this set, I realized that you cannot "see" the fine details of pilates, by looking at someone else doing the movement, You have to find them through tuning into your own body. Pilates is subtle, complex. and wonderful to do when you grasp the basics. This set shows me what it must be like to train with top trainer. Wow! what a gift. It is like having one of the best trainers in your room, giving you private instruction! Now I understand and feel my powerhouse and know how to breath and how to use my breath and powerhouse to do the exercises. and have much clearer understanding of correct positions, movements of exercises than I ever did from the other sources. Plus she makes it fun. What a difference! If you've never seen the pilates exercises, then it might be helpful to borrow video or dvd from library and to see the basic movements. then take it back, and use this set to learn the details, to learn how to do them correctly, with joy, from one of the best trainers out there.

I bought this for the two workouts. I have several Pilates videos. But once you know what you are doing, it is frustrating to have to stop to listen to the alignment cues each time. The two workouts allow you to flow through the routines, moving from one exercise to the next without stopping. Since they are CDs, they are also excellent for taking on vacation or business trips.

If you have been doing other videos/dvds or taking classes, you might find the beginner workout too short, around 15 minutes. The beginner and intermediate exercises used correspond to those labeled as such in her book The "Pilates Body". Therefore, they don't include intermediate exercises that might be on a beginner video/dvd or advanced moves (like swimming) that you might find on an intermediate video.

I give it 5 stars for use by people familiar with Pilates. I would never try to learn Pilates, however, by using these. You really need to see the moves to understand them and to be able to do them properly.

With all respect for the two reviewers who were disappointed in getting audio only CDs and not a video, I would like to remind them that watching a video while doing Pilates is virtually impossible as the act of watching will almost certainly pull you out of proper alignment (unless your TV is on the ceiling). These CDs are terrific - They include reminders of all the crucial mental aspects of Pilates, the breathing, the control of movement, and extension and opposition of body parts - and allow you to do a Pilates routine with proper sequence, pace and form while listening to important cues but allow you to concentrate on your own form, movement and breathing. Pilates done right is hard work - if it seems like just another form of calisthenics/yoga, as one reviewer suggested, then it simply isn't being done with proper focus. By the way, I credit Pilates with helping me gain the body control and flexibility to become a much better ice hockey goalie.

I found Siler's book extremely accessible and user friendly. She provides detailed explanations of the exercises, photos to demonstrate the poses, and amazing drawings that evoke imagery and imagination in the workout. Not to mention those CDs! What a fabulous way to learn (or review) a system of exercise without straining your neck to see the TV. As an instructor I would recommend this kit to novices who are seeking Pilates knowledge AND pros who can benefit from Siler's workout tips and words of wisdom. It is definately the best out there!!

i'm not a big reviewer but think its time to put in some effort. I have her Book and i also have the Essential Mat DVD, Alycea's Portable Pilates and also On the Ball with Lizbeth garcia.

Brooke's books is the definite essential as everyone says but her Body Kit is fantastic here's why :

The 2 DVDs are akin to doing it in a studio environment, no pausing, no silly stops in between

Her flashcards are informative and whilst they explain the basics have enough depth for intermediate users. simple things like visualizations, little arrows is what distinguishes a great pilates dvd from good. Pilates is so subtle, sometimes its so hard to get it right esp on your own at home.

I think the least useful DVD for me was the Essential Series - i think its great for teachers and people who have been doing pilates for yrs and more as a historical, ref book, its not so useful for those who just want a weekly, daily workout.

My only problem is a lack of discipline on my part.

I hope this helps in your buying decision.