Search - Lotte Berk Method for Beginners on DVD

Getting a Better Barre Workout

Khezla Durr | St. Louis MO | 01/11/2009

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This set is exactly the same as the 2003 release of the Lotte Berk Method for Beginners. The only way to get a good, challenging, full body workout with this is to buy all four DVD's, and use only the 10-minute bonus workout on each, in order, but without doing the final cool down stretches until the fourth bonus workout. That will give a workout of 30-40 minutes, not counting DVD-changing time.



If you want a barre style workout that includes cardio, you can purchase the Cardio Barre DVD's from their website and the book is sold on Amazon. The website also sells a good quality portable barre for a reasonable price.



If you want Lotte Berk Method without the strident, annoying instructors on this set, purchase the two Core Fusion DVD's released in December 2008, available on Amazon. The Body Sculpt workout is full body, excellent quality, guided by the former VP of Lotte Berk Method Ltd and her husband, a former Lotte Berk Method instructor/trainer. Incidentally, it's nice to see those two overcame their fear of retaliation by Ms. Bach, their former employer, with her suspicious claim of possessing the worldwide rights to that method of exercise - which must be why the US version never went beyond a NY studio. Lotte Berk herself knew nothing about such an agreement when questioned in the late 1980's about it.



Good luck with your barre style workouts - they really work."

One of the best exercise programs I've ever tried

Happy Mommy | New York, NY | 01/07/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I used to go to the Lotte Berk studio in NYC's UES, but they closed and I was devastated. The only studio they had open was in the Hamptons, and I'm not loaded to travel out there just to take a class. I briefly thought about the Core Fusion class over at Exhale, but the people who started that class were previous Lotte Berk instructors. So why pay for a bastardized version when you can get the real thing? So I searched and found these dvds. I love them. They are almost exactly what you'll learn in class, and the instructors are easy to follow and give plenty of tips and corrections for the moves. It's challenging, and you always work on your form so you will always feel the burn. If you ever read about Lydia Bach (who created Lotte Berk) and her background, you'll understand how these movements are meant to help and challenge you. I still buy other dvds (I just got Tracy Anderson) but in the end I still go back to Lotte Berk."

Well Worth the Effort

MsDandy | New York, NY | 12/13/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was initially interested in a similar exercise routine that I saw advertised on an infomercial. When I researched that program on the web, I kept running into recommendations for the Lotte Berk method instead.



Let me point that I have lost a lot of weight this past year; however, my thighs were subbornly refused to get smaller. I thought that a ballet-type routine would do the trick without putting too much stress on my joints.



I bought the cd's & started doing the routines and WOW!!! Most of the exercises involve thigh work & boy are they effective. I look at my thighs now and I can't believe how much they have slimmed down in a short period of time. BTW these exercises also effectively target abs, arms, chest, etc. But for me, the thigh reduction was the most impressive.



My only complaint: things that were too tight last week, now have to be altered. LOL"

Lotte Berke Method

M. Klarich | 01/07/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Bought the 4-CD set for a little more than $12 and it's worth every penny. It's very similar to pilates with slow small movements - however, very effective. Each workout is about 20 minutes. They use a barre for several of their exercises, but they explain how to use a piece of furniture or the wall if you don't have one available. I have the fluidity bar and it's perfect for this. If you are advanced, you may not be satisfied with these tapes because it may not be "difficult" enough..."