Customer Reviews

Breakthru:Pilates Plus

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I tried this yesterday for the first time and wouldn't recommend it for a beginner. Collage rate it as intermediate/advanced - they're right. I work our regularly, and have worked up to using Moira Stott's intermediate Pilates video regularly for the last couple of months, interspersed with (amongst others) Baron Baptiste's Soul of Strength and Power and Precision - All the Right Moves - Kathy Smith's Timesaver weights - J Kries Perfect Mix - So I am pretty fit - but cannot lower straight down from a plank - knees go down first. That should give you an idea of my level!
Well - this video has LOTS of pushups - including tricep pushups - with the elbows close in - I couldn't even do these on my knees. Fine - something to work towards - but frustrating also!
Anyway - it starts of with 8 mins ballet/yoga warmup - nice, flows. And suitable for those who don't know anything about either of these regimes, as they don't take anything for granted - she doesn't even call a downward dog by its name!
Next comes the Pilates-based floorwork - 18 minutes - as far as I know, none of this is classic Pilates floorwork, but it is very Pilates in feel - and tough, yes!
Then 12 minutes of standing ballet - legwork - this is the easiest segment, but you will feel it if you do it properly - this time, they use the ballet terms - but explain them for non-ballerinas. Good stuff.
Lastly 9 minutes of classic yoga - warriors etc - to keep toning while stretching out. Also good. My only crit - why not another down dog to stretch out the calves even more after the ballet legwork? But the warrior poses probably do the job, as my calves feel ok today.

So - 47 minutes in all - 2 pleasant instructors who cue extremely well, while not talking down to us home exercisers - and who smile often (unlike Karen Voigt who I cannot take any more) but not too much - unlike J Kries who can look a bit forced. This is a keeper, I recommend for those who have previous experience and are already quite strong. And - to compare with one of my favourite fusion videos - All the Right Moves - this is shorter - 47 as opposed to 60 minutes - and the yoga is hatha - not power as in ATRM - and IMHO it flows better - although really I like the way ATRM leaves me feeling more than this - i.e. wrung out! This is much less sweaty - which has its own advantages...... go for it!

I'm a beginner and I found this challenging but it was definately good. They do a good job of explaining as they go along. The ballet was much harder than I really had expected. I have typically done yoga in the past, and I liked the incorporation of all three into one workout. I probably wouldn't rely on any of the three segments for a complete workout on their own nor would I buy the video expecting any of the three segments to be comprehensive in that particular area of exercise. Each of the segments seems to focus mainly on one area. As a whole though, it was a good workout and challenging enough that I will want to keep on doing it.

I hesitated before buying this video, but I am so glad that I did. The workout is easy to follow; the transitions are smooth. Also, even beginners, or those who are out of shape can do it. I got a great abdominal and leg workout.

Tracy and Michelle are excellent instructors. The reason Michelle's form is so great during the ballet portion is because she is a professionally trained dancer. Apparently she danced professionally for years and caught the aerobic fitness bug from a fellow dancer. The rest is history. The dance training definitely enhances her ability.

I've been using this workout for about two months - normally on my cardio "off days". It is a very challenging workout, but it's almost as if you don't notice how hard you are working because the program flows so well. It has become my favorite workout and I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for something a little different. It's a great early morning workout - it's challenging without being too overwhelming.

Some portions were intense like the yoga push ups. But other than that, I enjoyed the routines immensely. I have Core Conditioning by the pair and found that the routine which was primarily pilates based, put too much pressure on my neck.

The variety in this workout is more versatile. In my opinion, if you've never done ballet, they make the movements easy. I enjoy the tape and will log on to their website to check out the tape that incorporates weight training.

I have not worked out in almost ten years. In fact, I don't get much exercise at all, I have a desk job and walking to and from the car has been about it. Fortunately, I'm blessed with "thin" genes. But, I have a lot of body pain, joint stiffness...and very high cholesterol. My doctor said to start moving, didn't matter what it was, just MOVE! I don't like to walk or do aerobics, so on the way home from my labwork, I stopped at our library to try out a tape and there was Breakthu Pilates Plus. What a find! I love this tape! While in the beginning I could not get through the whole thing at once, I did like that I could do just part and not feel like I stopped in the middle of something. Also, the girls continually coach through the whole tape to find the place that feels right for you. I didn't feel pushed to keep up like some of the program's I've ~watched~ on tv. I now own the dvd and it's the best money I've ever spent on myself!

Each morning, I get up and at least do the ballet session, it really gets my energy level up. If I have time, I do the rest of the program. At night I do the yoga and it really helps me relax and sleep better.

This tape has been the best find for me. My body pains and aches are less and less each day, my cholesterol is coming down and I feel good. It is something I look forward to doing each day, I don't dread doing the exercises! Tracy and Michelle seem like they are two good friends in my living room, helping me through this workout. I highly recommend this program!

Thanks, Tracy and Michelle!

Breakthru Pilates Plus is a wonderful mix of several different exercise methods, with Pilates being only part of the workout. The entire video is about 46 minutes long, and it's broken up into four sections as follows:

Section 1: Michelle Dozios leads this stretching segment, which consists mainly of yoga-type stretches, including some sun salutation variations. About 8 minutes.

Section 2: Tracy York begins this segment, which focuses on Pilates. The exercises performed here clearly are rooted in Pilates, yet they are modified from traditional Pilates matwork. Some of moves are deceptively simple (e.g., leaning back to engage your abs and then punching to each side), but I could really feel the work in my abdominal area. Following the lying abs work, you roll onto your side for some additional unique abs moves as well as Pilates side kick type moves. A really challenging series containing plank moves combined with push-ups comes next; you will also do "decellerated push-ups," a slower moving tricep pushup. Michelle takes over to repeat the exercises on the other side as well as to do a second pushup series. At 17 minutes, this is the longest section of the workout.

Section 3: This is the ballet-inspired section led by Michelle. Using a chair for ballance, you will do simple plies, leg raises, and leg kicks, first on one side and then repeating on the other side. These exercises were definitely tougher than they looked, and I found it difficult to emulate Michelle and Tracy's perfect form. This section lasted about 12 minutes.

Section 4: This was the yoga segment, and it consisted of about 8 minutes of standing yoga poses, including warrior, side angle, chair, and standing forward bends. Tracy leds this section, and she provides good instructions on alignment. The workout ends rather abruptly with a very brief stretch at the end of this segment.

I really enjoyed this workout; the wide variety combined with the segmented format to hold my interest, and because of this, I know that I won't easily tire of this video. Michelle and Tracy were both good instructors who provided good cuing, and for many of the exercises, one of them shows a modified version. They occasionally chatted back and forth, but not to the point of being annoying or disrupting the flow of the routine. This is a perfect workout for intermediate exercises like myself who enjoy doing a wide variety of methods in a relatively short period of time.

I really enjoyed the Pilates for Dummies with Michelle Dozias, so I thought I'd try this one next. I got involved in Pilates as part of my effort to tone my midsection, but found I wished for a more "overall" body toning workout. Breakthru Pilates Plus definitely delivered on that! After a good session with this DVD I am sore from my calves all the way to my shoulders.

The Pilates section is good, but I still prefer the Dummies workout in some ways. I think the Pilates portion could be longer. I practiced ballet for about 20 years and also have modern dance experience, so I especially like the ballet portion of the workout. Michelle has incredible form and really looks like a trained dancer. I really feel the work in my calves and thighs. I am not a fan of yoga as I have found it very stressful on my joints, but I mostly enjoy the yoga portion. It is a good way to end the workout since it stretches a lot of your major muscles well. I wish they had made the Pilates section longer and the yoga section shorter--but that may just be me!

Pluses: Great overall body workout; lots of variety; Michelle is an excellent instructor and Tracy is OK; definitely a workout with "room to grow"

Minuses: Hard to do workout and watch the DVD at the same time; a bit hard to do ballet portion on carpet

Recommended with four stars

I love this workout! The instructors do a great job decribing the movements. No endless repetions. It's effective and so much fun. One of the very best routins in the market.