Customer Reviews

Pilates for Every Body

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I LOVE this CD! I alternate this every other day with one of Denise Austin's other Pilates CD's (Mat Workout), also highly recommended. I especially like Denise's instruction...she's very much in tune with her body and health and it shows! I've read some mixed reviews about her personality, so I'd really like to add that I find her enthusiasm very genuine and inspiring! It's also encouraging that she's close to my own age (45) and is so physically fit. I think this is a super Pilates CD...I can feel results after only 3 sessions, and am much more aware of my posture during the day.

After doing yoga for a year and pilates for the last 5 months I have tried many new programs to compliment my routine and Denise's Pilates For Everybody was a good next step for me!! My core workout for 5 months has been Susan Deason's Pilates For Weightloss - A program I highly recommend for beginners! I lost 2 sizes using this program with a lo-carb diet, and the occasional addition of upperbody and cardio work.

Pilates For Everybody has an energizing warmup, and brings new challenge to familiar pilates movements using the resistence band. I was not aware when ordering I needed the band !! I'm not used to seeing Denise on a studio set, I wished this was filmed in a beautiful location. This program will have some very difficult movements for a beginner and not a lot of instruction for doing a less advanced version. The leg-work movements I've been doing on a mat, Denise does standing with a chair, which causes me a little more back strain. The final cool-down is more energizing than relaxing so overall this program is in my rotation for those high-energy days when I need more challenge.

I started pilates this year and I love it. I bought Denise Austin's mat based pilates and loved it. When I saw her new video Pilates for every body, I immedietly bought it. It is a great 45 min routine. The only downside is she goes rather fast and does not give much instruction. Luckly, I had started with her mat routine video and I knew how to do the stretches. I love the new video, but would suggest starting out with the 20 min. Denise Austin mat based pilates first.

I'm a personal trainer and I realize this is a challenging video. I promise if you try it twice it will be easier. The first time I wanted to cry, but after ONLY the second time, it was SO much easier and I was SO proud of myself! Denise always puts a twist on things so you aren't stuck doing all of the traditional Pilates moves you already know. AND she always has an encouraging word and a smile. Other great Pilates videos are:
Yoga Plus (by denise Austin)EASY
Intermediate Pilates (by Gaiam)NOT TOO HARD
ON the Ball (natural journeys) FUN
Strong and Streamlined(Stott) most challenging
Hope this helps

I recommend this DVD to anyone and everyone, no matter what your age or fitness level is. I used to be a workout maniac for a few years, but my busy college lifestyle kept me from working out and eating healthy, causing me to pack on a few pounds. A few weeks ago, I decided I wanted to do something about it, and I started off with this DVD--and I am SO glad I did. I haven't shed much weight, but I definitely feel so much better about my body. I have more energy the days that I do pilates (3-4 times a week), and what I'm most proud of is that my abs have gone in considerably since starting this workout. Granted, bringing in those abs also requires that you eat less and healthier, but pilates has definitely helped tone them up.

What I really love about this DVD (and Denise Austin in general) is that she's so perky and encouraging. Some people don't like this and find her rather annoying, but I think you should just take her super-positive attitude as a caring one. Whether or not she really does, I don't know...but I like to think that she does, and it helps me get through the entire workout when I don't really want to. :) While I said earlier that I didn't lose much weight from it, it's still a fantastic workout that DOES get you to sweat quite a bit, and by the end of it all, you're quite glad that it's time to stretch.

If you're a beginner who wants to lose weight, do some over all toning, or just be more fit overall, this DVD is perfect. I'll say this though: We all have different bodies and levels of fitness, and some beginners will find this perfect for themselves, and others might find it a bit difficult. If you do find it a bit hard in the first workout, don't be fazed. You need to do the workout a few more times to get the hang of it (at regular intervals, of course. It won't help to use this DVD once a month) and I am positive that you'll find it easier the 2nd or 3rd time around. Lastly, while I swear by this pilates DVD, I'll be the first to admit that this workout alone will not give you a healthier heart and turn you into a size 0. To get a full, thorough workout to improve your health, you really need to combine this with cardio workouts (like kickboxing, jogging, etc..) and weight lifting. If you're at a level where you can pace yourself and mix around all these workouts, go for it. If not, start off with pilates and slowly work in these other workouts later.

The title of this DVD is misleading. It implies that anyone can do this workout, which is most certainly not the case. Perhaps Denise Austin is so out of touch with reality she doesn't realize that most people are not as strong or flexible as she is.

I have been doing Pilates at a studio for 5 months. The classes were getting to expensive for me so I decided to start practicing at home with rented DVDs. I would consider myself a low intermediate at pilates. I found that this DVD used too many difficult moves that even I can't do, and Denise acted like they were nothing and provided few to no pointers on proper form (T stand, teaser). If you are new to pilates and don't already have strong abdominal muscles you will probably injure yourself trying to do these moves.

Overall I did not feel like I got as good of a workout from this DVD as I get from my normal routine, because I could not get in all the positions properly. The workout also uses a resistance band, which I tried to use, but apparently my band is not as flexible or long as hers, because I could not get the same range of motion as she did and therefore the exercise did not have as much effect. If you are relatively new to Pilates then I would not recommend this DVD. Perhaps a more advanced practitioner would get more out it. I think much of the problem with this DVD would be resoved if the title did not imply that it was for everyone.

I bought this DVD as a part of my new weight loss and fitness plan. I was somewhat familiar with the principles of Pilate, but I found that Denise Austin moved too quickly from one exercise to the next. She spent no time explaining the various positions and moved from a basic form to an advanced form in the blink of an eye. Even after watching the tape all the way through, I couldn't figure out what she was doing. This DVD may be suitable to people who are already very familiar with Pilates and correct form, but it's definitely not for beginners.

This video is approx 40 minutes of pilates work. Denise uses a resistance band and it makes your muscles tone faster. If you are more advanced it is not a terribly hard workout, but it does give you good toning results.
It focuses mainly on the upper body and abs and less on the legs.
7 minute warm up/stretch
18 minutes of floor work on arms and abs (some using resistance band)
7 minutes ballet with a chair for balance
7 minutes arms with some leg work thrown in and use of resistance band
6 minute stretch which is more for mind relaxation and to get tension out than to stretch out the muscles that may be sore the next day. You will probably want to do more stretching.

I have found that Denise motivates me and calms me. I don't mind her chatter throughout the workout, it gives me something to focus on instead of how many minutes are left.

You do not need a resistance band for this video, you can do all the required moves with light hand weights or soup cans if you are just starting out.

I have been doing pilates for 7 years and started wtih Denise Austin's Mat Workout based on the principles of J.H. Pilates. That was a good starter, but this video is perfect if you have mastered beginning pilates and are looking for ways to spice up and change your workout. I can't believe the fast results I have seen in the tone of my arms and legs after just two weeks! The ab workout is excellent as well, I feel less flabby. I have been doing this about 3 times a week altering with other pilates dvds. I don't find Denise annoying, but encouraging. The workout does use a band, and at first my band wasn't long enough, so I tied two together in a square knot, and that works great. The leg kicks were very challenging at first, but I am getting through them with ease now after a little practice. This is such a complete all body workout. I really recommend it if you have already mastered some basic pilates.

This is a challenging workout, no question about it, but isn't that why we're spending our precious time with a DVD to exercise? But, the neat thing about a challenging workout is you can start slowly. Denise always emphasizes form over speed and repetitions. We all know that doing 2 repetitions WELL and in good form is much better than 10 sloppy, poor ones. You can build up your strength and stamina over time. Once you feel you have mastered and can keep up with her, get a thicker band and you will again be challenged. At first, I got tired of hearing her talking throughout, but I learned I need her to remind me to hold those dang abs in constantly as I'll get caught up with trying to get my other body parts in the correct position. It's like having a personal trainer with me. I just play music from another machine and get busy. The stretching ending is fantastic, too. I had 2 back surgeries this year and was sooo limited in what I could do for 6 months. I'm back to doing this workout and have my hamstrings almost stretched out to where they were before. I know that this workout was instrumental in my physical AND mental recovery!!