Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
173 of 173 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
There is no other way to get a Pilates chair for this price., September 29, 2008
This review is from: Malibu Pilates Chair with 3 Workout DVDs (Misc.)
I taught Pilates professionally for seven years. In that time, one of two studio quality versions of this sat perched in a corner of my studio. Comparatively, this isn't perfect, but it's very, very good.
What's fantastic about it:
1.) Real springs. It makes a difference. Springs require control and slower speed--you will get a better workout because you have to do the exercises with more effort to control springs than the comparative effort required by weights.
2.) It folds up!
This folds up into the space that a folding chair would take up; when Joseph Pilates invented the original Wunda Chair, he was trying to create a piece of Pilates equipment that would fit into a tiny New York apartment, or a corner of your average suburban living room; his solution was to create a box that could be used as a chair when its exercise-equipment-side was turned down towards the floor.
This is a better idea. Pilates would have loved it. Instead of a box, it's like a folding chair with no back and an attached platform on the floor. Someone should submit it for a design award. It folds up!
3.) This is a safer chair than some studio quality chairs. In fact, it's much more stable than the first Pilates chair I bought for my studio, which came from a manufacturer in California that I shall not name to avoid their annoying, rude, and distinctly non-refundable legal department.
4.) Mari Winsor DVD's designed specifically for this piece of equipment are included.
Loathe as I am to admit it, Mari Winsor is a genius. About the time that I started thinking about how much you could improve the calorie-burning effect of Pilates by alternating the difficulty levels and tempos, so that it was Pilates-interval training, I discovered that someone had already done that and very successfully marketed it: Mari Winsor, darn her.
The DVDs included in this follow the same 'dynamic sequencing' pattern used in Mari's other Pilates DVD's. On the chair, a very difficult exercise known as Mountain Climber is alternated with less difficult exercises, to make this a very challenging interval-Pilates workout.
What's not so fabulous about it:
1.) The range of motion on the pedal is an inch or two less than a 'real' chair. It may not functionally make a difference, but it feels a little odd compared to studio quality equipment.
2.) The springs aren't interchangeable with other manufacturer's springs: if you are male or a stronger female, it's helpful to be able to put heavier springs and/or bungee cords on equipment like a non-studio quality trap table, the Pilates Extreme, and a Stamina Reformer, to increase the difficulty of workouts. I would also suspect the springs are not replaceable--this is sold as a unit without the option of replacement parts.
Any complaints aside, I love this. It's a real, useable, spring-loaded Pilates chair; it was dirt cheap for what it is; it folds up into a very small space, for the cost of about five private sessions in a studio. Impressive.
P.S. Just read the instructions first. I pulled on the wrong thing when opening up the chair right out of the box, and heard an alarming crack. But you'll be smarter than me.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
 
|
|
|
|
|
|
30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is a real Pilates chair--and cheap!, October 24, 2008
I taught Pilates professionally for five years. In that time, one of two studio quality versions of this sat perched in a corner of my studio. Comparatively, this isn't perfect, but it's very, very good.
What's fantastic about it:
1.) Real springs.
It makes a difference. Springs require control and slower speed--you will get a better workout because you have to do the exercises with more effort to control springs than the comparative effort required by weights.
2.) It folds up!
This folds up into the space that a folding chair would take up; when Joseph Pilates invented the original Wunda Chair, he was trying to create a piece of Pilates equipment that would fit into a tiny New York apartment, or a corner of your average suburban living room; his solution was to create a box that could be used as a chair when its exercise-equipment-side was turned down towards the floor.
This is a better idea. Pilates would have loved it. Instead of a box, it's like a folding chair with no back and an attached platform on the floor. Someone should submit it for a design award. It folds up!
3.) This is a safer chair than some studio quality chairs.
In fact, it's much more stable than the first Pilates chair I bought for my studio, which came from a manufacturer in California that I shall not name to avoid their annoying, rude, and distinctly non-refundable legal department.
4.) Mari Winsor DVD's designed specifically for this piece of equipment are included.
Loathe as I am to admit it, Mari Winsor is a genius. About the time that I started thinking about how much you could improve the calorie-burning effect of Pilates by alternating the difficulty levels and tempos, so that it was Pilates-interval training, I discovered that someone had already done that and very successfully marketed it: Mari Winsor, darn her.
The DVDs included in this follow the same 'dynamic sequencing' pattern used in Mari's other Pilates DVD's. On the chair, a very difficult exercise known as Mountain Climber is alternated with less difficult exercises, to make this a very challenging interval-Pilates workout.
What's not so fabulous about it:
1.) The range of motion on the pedal is an inch or two less than a 'real' chair. It may not functionally make a difference, but it feels a little odd compared to studio quality equipment.
2.) The springs aren't interchangeable with other manufacturer's springs: if you are male or a stronger female, it's helpful to be able to put heavier springs and/or bungee cords on equipment like a non-studio quality trap table, the Pilates Extreme, and a Stamina Reformer, to increase the difficulty of workouts. I would also suspect the springs are not replaceable--this is sold as a unit without the option of replacement parts.
Any complaints aside, I love this. It's a real, useable, spring-loaded Pilates chair; it was dirt cheap for what it is; it folds up into a very small space, for the cost of about five private sessions in a studio. Impressive.
P.S. Just read the instructions first. I pulled on the wrong thing when opening up the chair right out of the box, and heard an alarming crack. But you'll be smarter than me.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
70 of 79 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Buy the real deal instead, May 12, 2009
Please be aware that any new Malibu pilates chair sold on Amazon is a knock off and not of the same quality as the ones sold by Gunthy Renker. They are known for the springs breaking and tipping over. Gunthy Renker has only selles their chairs via their website or through HSN. I mistakenly bought a knock off on Amazon and I was sorry. I now have an authentic one and the difference is night and day. Authentic ones can be found on Amazon, however they would be used and not new. The aunthentic Malibu pilates chairs come in 2 boxed when shipped not one and they also come with a warrenty from Gunthy Renker. The ones here come with no warrenty. Be an educated buyer and ask questions before you buy! These chairs are made in China and are of poor quality!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
