Product Details

• Actors: Kathy Smith
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Sony Wonder (Video)
• DVD Release Date: March 19, 2002
• Run Time: 30 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000062XE4
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #71,745 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Pilates is an intense, controlled way of working your core muscles--the back and abdominal muscles that stabilize your body--using technique, breathing, and concentration. Veteran instructor Kathy Smith leads an effective 30-minute Pilates workout. The 8-minute warm-up teaches the essentials of Pilates, followed by a 22-minute Pilates routine that targets the abdominals. Smith is an excellent instructor with a knack for explaining technique clearly. "Imagine a balloon pulling you up toward the opposite wall," she says as she teaches the difficult Teaser. She demonstrates the basic, sometimes modified, moves with another exerciser showing more advanced positions. Smith continues to emphasize technique, breathing, and proper position through each exercise, making sure you understand how to get the most out of each movement. This is an excellent introduction to Pilates, especially--but not exclusively--for beginners to this discipline. --Joan Price

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

126 of 130 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WHO'S BETTER THAN KATHY?, September 9, 2001

By	J. S. WILLARD "eclectic reader" (CHARLESTON, SC USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Kathy Smith - Pilates for Abs [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Rather than jump on the bandwagon right away, Kathy Smith always takes her time and produces a quality workout. She packs alot in under 30 minutes. As the title suggest this targets the abs or the "core". You get some benefits for the legs but you core will feel it! Smith is a careful, detailed and motivating teacher. I have several Pilates tapes and it finally clicked with this one. I finally managed to scoop" my abdomen and "engage" my powerhouse. And, while you are sitting or reclined the whole time you will sweat. Here's hoping Smith releases an extended full-body Pilates tape in the near future.

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Intro to Pilates, October 1, 2001

By	L. Marshall "lemjam" (Wildwood, MO United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Kathy Smith - Pilates for Abs [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Pilates is all new to me. I was psyched to see that Kathy Smith was doing a video, and was even more excited to see that it was geared towards someone at my fitness level. (Beginner/Intermediate) I'd have to agree that if you were already familiar with pilates, you may not get much from this video, however if you're looking for a sequence of pilates moves geared at working the abs, I can't see how you couldn't benefit from this tape. She gives great instruction in the beginning on form. It was easy for me to feel like I was doing the moves right, and she does so well on stressing the breathing. (Breathe out - breathe in...great cues!) I viewed the entire video, but wasn't able to complete it in entirety yet, but it's giving me something to work up to. I'm hoping Kathy decides to market a total body pilates video! You won't be disappointed with this tape!!!

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous intro to pilates!!, October 19, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Kathy Smith - Pilates for Abs [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I have been a loyal Kathy Smtih follower for 8 years. When she first came out with this video and I read the reviews I was concerned - several of the reviews were rather critical. Becuse I trust Kathy's intruction I bought it anyway and am thrilled I did. I have several pilates videos (including the Meathod vids) and I would recommend this one above all for beginners. Kathy's explanations of the moves are thorough ( a necessity for proper pilates) and she emphasizes throughout the video how to correctly utilize the powerhouse. Although the production quality is not as high as some of her other videos (and the music is rehashed from her New Yoga series) the video is more than worth the price. After doing this video a few times I was able to turn back to my longer, faster paced, and more advanced pilates workouts and get twice as much out of them as before. Pilates are hard to do correctly (and easy to do wrong) and Kathy provides both beginners and intermediates with the technique and the undersatnding of Joseph Pilates' philosophy to get the maximum benefits out of this wonderful form of muscle toning. Thanks Kathy - you've never let me down!