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Pilates - Beginning Mat Workout Customer Reviews (1 - 3 of 31 Reviews)

I was a total Pilates Newbie
I started using this DVD on April 19th and I already feel the difference. I had never ever done this before. Ana and her sidekick, Tara, make it easy. I mostly follow Tara but after 7 sessions there are one or two moves that I follow Ana. I do use the fast forward through the directions most of the time now. Either that or I hold a possition working on strengthening my core muscles.

I either do it every day or I skip a day but I don't go more than one day without doing it. I want to make sure I keep going. I do break out in a light sweat. I am not that out of shape but I am using muscles I have not used for anything since High School.

I just recommended it to my mom. She has not worked out in a while and she wanted to try it, I hope she loves it as much as I do.

The shortness of this DVD makes it hard to say you don't have time to do the work out. I look at it this way, it is shorter than a sitcom. I am looking forward to being able to follow Ana in all the moves.

excellent for beginners, but soon outgrown
I found this to be an excellent introduction to Pilates. Ana Caban is a wonderful instructor and knows how to give cues. I never had to crane my neck from an impossible position trying to follow things on screen. I could always depend on the audio.

That said, there's a caveat. I soon outgrew it. Not the exercises, but the instructions in between them. After a couple of weeks I would have wished for a version without all the talk in-between. I'm using the remote to fast-forward, but it's cumbersome.

Excellent but short introduction
So far this is the best workout I've found to introduce a beginner to TRUE Pilates, without adding in exercises that are discouraging for a beginner. It consists of 10 minutes of information about the Pilates method, then a 20 minute mat workout. The exercises are all from Joseph Pilates' original 34 mat exercises, which is more than I can say for many of the other Pilates DVDs I have reviewed. Modifications are done alongside Ana, so you can choose which way you would like to do it. The only flaw is she doesn't modify for tight hamstrings, which I have.

What I loved most about this workout is that it most resembled the Pilates classes I used to take with a certified instructor. I just think it's unfortunate that so many of the exercises were left out to keep the workout short. There are definately more exercises which can be modified to a beginner level.

There is also a bonus "Energy Boost Pilates" workout, which was a real disappointment. Imagine my surprise when, instead of Pilates, we were supposed to be hopping and jumping up and down with no shoes! I guess she was trying to add a 5 minute "mini-cardio" routine before the Pilates but it didn't work for me at all. Then she goes on to do about 10 minutes of Pilates. About half the exercises were in the Beginning Mat Workout, about half are new. I like the new exercises but it is a pain having to fast forward through the dumb jumping jacks sequence.

If you are extremely out of shape then I recommend getting Ana Caban's "Easy Pilates" DVD to start out with. It has fewer exercises and more modifications.

A lot of people have mentioned that they prefer "Pilates for Dummies." I much prefer this DVD to Pilates for Dummies because Pilates for Dummies does not show modifications until halfway through the reps. Pilates for Dummies includes exercises that are too difficult for a beginner while neglecting some beginner Pilates exercises. Personally I think this is a much better introduction to the Pilates method.

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