(Artisan)
2002
What is it?
A 45-minute Pilates routine for advanced beginners through intermediates.
Who is it for?
Those who know their way around the basic Pilates moves, have gained a bit of proficiency, and who want a workout that's not too easy.
What to expect:
You either love or hate Denise Austin -- her maternal attempts to be supportive ("You can do it! Let me see that straight back!") can be grating. And she's neither a Pilates nor a Yoga instructor. That doesn't mean, however, that this video is worthless or bad -- it's actually a very effective abdominal workout, especially the first 20-minute, Pilates-based session. Austin starts the whole video off well by giving a brief explanation of good form for the hips, back and shoulders. Pilates purists will not be happy with session number one -- Austin does not present the exercises in the same way you would find at a regular Pilates class. But if the point is to get an abs workout (as opposed to doing a full-on Pilates session), it definitely works. The second session, which combines Yoga and Pilates, isn't anywhere near as effective, primarily because Austin illustrates a few fairly challenging Yoga poses without giving enough direction. Even worse, they're balance poses and she doesn't offer modifications. Eventually she gets into some Pilates moves, which gives the session a relatively strong finish. Your best bet is to skip the last 20-minute session completely and use the first one only. It makes for a quick and effective core workout.