Search - The New Method Pilates: Precision Toning and Sculpting on DVD

Excellent, well-chaptered DVD

dnk | Boston, MA United States | 07/08/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am a big Jennifer Kries fan. I love her newer series (Pilates Method/New Method) and her book, Pilates Plus Method. I tried in the past to get into some of her older stuff- Precision Toning and Precision Sculpting- and while I thought she gave (as always) great instruction, the workouts were very long and I just couldn't see myself making the commitment on a regular basis.I just recently got this DVD and am now over the moon. It is very well chaptered. If your DVD has a programmable play feature, it's easy to split up the workouts so you don't have to do over an hour (Precision Toning) or forty minutes (Precision Sculpting). Some of my favorite combinations are: the upper body work from PS combined with the side kicks from PT; the matwork/Method Toning (minus the side kicks) from PT; and Toning Essentials from PT and the pelvic lifts/ballet segments from PS. And while figuring out the specific titles/chapters on some DVDs can be a nightmare, this is pretty straightforward: Title 1 is PT, Title 2 is PS, and the chapters for each segment are numbered on the title menu they provide.Though some may already have other Pilates workouts (even other Jennifer Kries workouts) I still recommend this tape. The side kicks segment alone is worth the money- I could not believe how much my thighs and buttocks burned the first time I did her sequence, and I'd been a Pilates "veteran" for quite some time.One final comment: when these two workouts were first released, everyone kept going on about how they were "fusion" workouts, combining Pilates, dance and yoga. Having done them, I can guarantee that they are almost completely straight up Pilates (with a little dance thrown in at the end of Precision Sculpting). Yes, we do use Child's Pose a few times, but that move has been used in "pure" Pilates practices for years. Not that this takes anything away from the workouts- I just wouldn't want someone to be disappointed by the lack of yoga on this DVD."

The Pilates Workout to Begin With And Grow With

dnk | 04/29/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was surprised by the somewhat negative reviews here. I love this workout. It has two sections. In the first section, Jennifer is very descriptive of all the moves and also talks through modifications. The 2nd section is all the moves at a faster pace and also includes the "side series". As you become more adept at performing these moves, you use the 1st segment as a warm-up and then complete the 2nd segment. I never tire of this workout and no matter how well I can now do Pilates, I always come back to this workout and find her tips and techniques applicable. It's like hiring a 1:1 personal trainer. After doing this workout only three times, you will notice a major difference in your strength and you will be hooked on Pilates! I highly recommend this DVD."

Noticeable Results after 5 Workouts!!

AJ | Columbus, OH USA | 09/20/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After 5 workouts (3x precision toning, 2x precision sculpting) my abdominal wall was noticeably stronger & flatter and my butt already had a "lift" to it. I was "very" skeptical of pilates as I was a traditional cardio/weights lady, but I have been raving non-stop about this dvd b/c of how surprisingly "effective" it turned out to be for me. 2nd time doing the workouts proved to be more difficult b/c I had already become familiar enough with it to start concentrating on moves & form. Definitely recommend this to any skeptic out there trying pilates for the 1st time. Bonus for me: works on my flexibility at the same time it tones me. This is great b/c I have NEVER been flexible."

If it's not hard enough. . .

AJ | 12/30/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

". . . you're not doing ir correctly, according to Joseph Pilates. I agree that the negative reviews here are unwarrented. I have had several Pilates tapes/DVDs AND I have used a certified personal trainer. I am fit and limber -- but I still sweat to this video. Perhaps the problem is not that the video is too easy, but that Kris does not stress enough that you have to be very precise with your movements (or that it's too easy for viewers to skip over that part -- particularly on the DVD version). I've never had a problem with her explainations, but maybe that's because I have had the benefit of one-on-one training. It's a great video for use between trips to the gym/studio. If you know what you're doing, you can use it as a guide and advance your movements according to your level -- even use equipment -- without being distracted by "exciting" graphics and music. But only if you're serious. If you're looking for a hand-holding video, you might want to look at something else."