Customer Reviews

Prenatal Pilates

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

 

 

I'm not one who exercises regularly but when I got pregnant I was told (again and AGAIN) that I must. I don't like walking and I refused to buy a maternity swimsuit (it's not so much the vanity as the price of these tents!) so I decided to try yoga. I bought a yoga book and a yoga mat... but alas, yoga wasn't for me. Not only did I find it extremely difficult to follow written directions (yoga directions are anything but succinct) but I also fell asleep while doing the breathing exercises. So I learned my lesson: I need something that shows me what to do and something that requires a bit more movement. This is where this DVD comes in. I found the directions simple to follow, especially as they were acted out in the DVD; I found the exercises easy to complete and the time required was short enough that I could actually stick to doing this routine (well, most of the time...).
There were some flaws however:
1. the woman giving instructions talks in a weird intonation and there were some things I just couldn't understand regardless of how many times I re-played them. E.g., I still don't know if she says to breath out my nose or my mouth!
2. the instructions don't always synch perfectly with the action, especially when she goes off on a tangent mid-exercise; so when you're supposed to be breathing in she suddenly says to breath out. What I did was learn the exercises (for the final trimester I just watched the DVD and wrote down the exercises since at this point I knew the names pretty well) and do them without the DVD playing in the background to distract me.
3. I couldn't do all the exercises for various reasons (my writsts are too weak for a couple of the routines, and I don't have a wall in my house I can use to lean against with enough space to follow the directions). But I found that what I could do was sufficient for my level and I can definitely feel the benefits of a stronger back, legs, and muscles.
In short, if you're not an exercise-daddict I recommend this DVD and this routine for you; I liked it enough to buy the post-natal version. If, however, you're very athletic and already in good shape you may want something a little longer and probably a little more active (I'm assuming... I don't know how athletic people cope with pregnancy since I'm not one of them).

This DVD was highly recommended to me and I couldn't wait to buy it. After I read the review on Amazon, I was concerned about not being able to skip to each workout. I contacted the company directly through pilatesforpregnancy.com and they assured me that this problem has been fixed. They were right and I have been reaping the benefits of this workout ever since. I am in my third trimester and I feel fit, relaxed and in great shape! I cna't wait to buy the post-natal DVD and to get the chance to workout with my baby.

This workout has helped me tremendously! I started using it in my 2nd trimester, and am now in my 3rd. Because the workout is fairly short, I'm able to do it almost every morning. It helps tremendously with lower back pain, my major pregnancy complaint. When I miss a day, my body complains. I like that the workout is fairly short--if it were any longer, it would be harder to fit into my schedule. Thank you, I just ordered the post natal workout and am greatly looking forward to it.

I rented this, and did it for the first time this morning. It has three different workouts, one for each trimester. I did the second trimester one.

At the beginning of each workout, it tells you who is doing the workout, and at what stage of pregnancy she is. That is nice. The "instructor" sits or stands alongside the pregnant lady, coaching her in the poses and such (wouldn't it be nice if we all had that help?). The instructions come in the form of voice-over.

Ok, what I like about this workout:
- It takes some of the pilates that I know and love from pre-pregnancy and modifies them so that I can still do them. Things that I used to do flat on my back are now done on an incline (pillows and blankets)
- It looks like it was filmed in a living room, and that is cool.
- It felt good to do some pilates again. I miss it.

Here are the flaws, as I see them:

- WAY too short!! I think that each workout takes maybe 20 minutes, BUT - half that time is explanation (How to Build Your Incline). There should be a straight through workout for those who are used to the program.
- I always hate things that call for you to stand against a wall, because all my walls are covered with furniture! I can use the archway into the livingroom, but it always annoys me.
- It uses soupcans as weights, and doesn't mention that you could also use weights (I did).
- The breathing is not very clear.
- I wanted more "interaction" with the instructor and the pregnant lady. I felt like an observer, not a participant. I am going to try some other pre-natal pilates workouts.

I don't see this as keeping me happy for months to come. I am glad I rented and did not buy.

I found this Dvd to be not particularly helpful. It is divided into 3 separate trimester workouts, each of which is only about 10 minutes long. A 10 minute work out is not of much use to me. In addition, I thought the instructor went too quickly through each exercise, without much instruction on what to focus on. I enjoyed using a Pilates for Pregnancy book instead. I get a 30 minute work out using my book and I find it easier to read the instructions than to watch someone else zipping through the exercises.

The 2nd trimester program runs only 14 1/2 mins, and I imagine the other 2 trimester workouts are similarly less than 20 minutes since the dvd as a whole only runs for 57 minutes, and that includes instructions.

It's still not a bad program -- but less than 15 minutes is a bit dissatisfying.

I'm in my third trimester and am beginning to feel tired, heavy and uncomfortable. This workout was just the perfect amount of exercise and intensity for how I am feeling. I know I'm supposed to workout regularly, but am really not in the mood lately. This DVD allows me to get my workout in, without overdoing it.
It is also a great accompaniment to your usual aerobic activity.
Thank you Prenatal Pilates! I look forward to using your other products after my baby is born.

The exercises are very well suited for each semester of pregnancy, although only 20 minutes per session. One big problem is that the DVD is not broken up into different "chapters" so if you want to watch the second or third trimester (or beyond), you have to sit there and fast forward EVERY time!! This is an annoying problem if you want to use the exercise video a lot. However, the exercises themselves leave you feeling refreshed and nicely stretched out.

I got this as a gift and used in during all 3 trimesters. It truly helped me stay in shape during my pregnancy. Even now, a few weeks after delivery, I can tell that I'm in better shape than I was after my first child was born(when I hadn't used this excercis video then). I recommend it highly!!

I just had my baby, and I used Prenatal Pilates from my 4th month on. To be honest, I thought it would be too easy. I am so glad I stuck with it! The bigger I got, the harder it was. It saved my back in my 3rd trimester. I have been told my labor was really short for a first pregnancy. I just gave it to my pregnant sister-in-law because she knew how much I loved it.