Pilates

[vfb2girls]

Has anyone used these tapes and if so what kind of results have you seen with this type of workout. I need something new to keep me motivated so any info will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[Terry S]

I do the Windsor Pilates. I bought her basic set which consists of a training video, a 20 minutes basic workout and then an extended workout and I also bought her abs workout and her buns and thighs workout. I do 40 minutes a day. Consisting of her 20 minute basic work out and 20 minutes of Abs or Buns and Thighs (I alternate the Abs and Buns/Thighs every other day). I had done this everyday for 3 months straight and then took a month off because I went to WDW and the cruise for 2 weeks and then coudn't get back into it. I have now started back for 1 week. Anyway, I was really seeing results in those 3 months, I even had other people tell me that my butt looked great, much more firm! You really do feel it in your abs and your butt when you first start so it must be doing something. I will be curious what other posters have to say that have been doing it awhile and have stuck to it!

 

[LuvTigger]

I've had 2 experiences with Pilates:

A while ago, a friend of mine was teaching it (also called Mat Class/Works), and I did it for several months and thought it was a GREAT workout. It is definitely more challenging than it looks, and I really liked it, but it got kind of expensive. I felt more toned, had better posture, and it also helps with breathing (which really is the basis of Pilates).

More recently, I bought a set of tapes (sorry, can't remember what it's called at the moment!) that has an AM workout and a PM workout. I really like that a lot too, but I haven't been consistent with it.

I think Pilates is great because you can do it at home and even a 25 minute workout (like my tapes) is very challenging. My personal opinion is that if you're interested in Pilates that you might want to take a few classes with an in-person instructor before purchasing tapes (I know a lot of fitness centers and the Y have them these days). I know when I was taking the classes from my friend, she really helped me learn how to improve my form and do the exercises the proper way to provide the most benefit to my body, I'm not sure if I would really have learned properly had I just gone straight to the tapes.

 

[TigH]

I absolutely love the Winsor Pilates tapes! I am hooked!!! Nothing else has worked this good for me before (but I don't think I ever stuck with any type of ab work for an extended period of time before!) I started out with the intro tape a few times to get familiar with the moves, then moved up to the 20 minute workout and then eventually tried the longer workout and stuck with that one. I was doing it every day of the week and then changed to M, W, F to give my abs a chance to rest between workouts. I LOVE IT! When I first tried the longest tape I thought there was no way I could ever do all the moves like the people on the tape, but I am pretty darned close to being able to do them all just like they are done on my TV! Woo-hoo!

Sticking with it was pretty easy, because the 20 minute one seems to go by pretty quickly. And after the first workout (with the intro) I could tell I had gotten a good workout (sore muscles!) Give it a shot!

 

[ohMom]

I have been experimenting with pilates too and I really like it! I can definately tell a difference in my target areas (tummy/hips/thighs/buns/heck just about everywhere!)

I like Kathy Smith's pilates for lower body - very instructional if you need that

I like Denise Austin's Mat Workout based on JH Pilates - though her soft voice can be a bit irritating it is a good workout and a good bonus workout for buns

I just bought Quick Fix Pilates/Yoga - it has 4 each 10 min workouts of yoga and pilates and you can pick three at a time in whatever order you want and it'll play it that way (DVD) It's not as instructional though, you should be familiar with the poses

I also have a new pilates one from the library to try this week. I tried Pilates for Everyone and didn't care for it - it moved really really fast!