Pilates

Pilates on DVD

Check out these below, or see the current top selling Fitness DVDs (updated hourly) here >> pilates & more!

Breakthru - Pilates Sculpt
We've blended Pilates with handweights in one extraordinary workout. It's like a shortcut to your leanest, firmest body ever. Pilates is one of the best workouts to make your body leaner and is known for creating sleek abs and firm buns. Body sculpting with weights creates unparalleled muscle tone and definition - for sexy arms and the kind of legs that turn heads. Now you can get the best of Pilates and the best of sculpting in one easy-to-follow workout, that's under an hour. Tracy and Michelle have skillfully combined the most effective elements of Pilates and sculpting into a one-of-a-kind workout designed to tone and tighten your entire body. Pilates Sculpt will make the most of your workout time and deliver RESULTS!

Crunch - Pick Your Spot Pilates
This Pilates workout's subtitle, "Pick Your Spot," sums up its flexibility; the three 10-minute segments each tone the abdomen, rear, and thighs using Pilates-based exercises. Crammed into each segment are up to 10 exercises. "Belly" features the 100, criss-cross, twist, and mermaid; "Butt" includes swimming, double leg kicks, and leg circles; and "Thighs" offers the frog, front kicks, and leg lifts. While each segment is too brief to challenge veteran exercisers, viewers are free to hit the pause button and add reps. Plus, a 10-minute bonus total-body Pilates workout proves more demanding than the individual segments. L.A. Crunch instructor Ellen Barrett does an excellent job of initiating newbies to the regulated breathing and core muscle control needed for the exactness of this exercise system. However, visual clarity is somewhat hampered by a crowded set of eight exercisers when Barrett and one other person demonstrating the modifications would have been enough.

Pilates Complete for Everyone
Pilates Complete for Everyone is a bargain: about four hours of Pilates instruction and practice, from beginning to advanced levels, more than 35 workouts all on one DVD. The workouts are divided first by level (basic, beginning, intermediate, challenging, advanced), then into individual 5- to 25-minute workout chunks so that you can fit your Pilates into the busiest day. The 10- to 20-minute introductory segments for each level have the most instruction. Certified Pilates instructor and former professional dancer Karen Garcia has an impressively lean, supple, and strong body--a testament to her Pilates practice. The instruction is done by voice-over; Garcia's moving body doesn't talk or smile. Although Pilates is best learned from an instructor who can give you personalized instruction and correct your form, this DVD is the next best thing to having your own trainer, and there's enough variety that you'll never get bored.

Denise Austin - Mat Workout Based on the Work of J.H. Pilates
Denise Austin's Mat Workout presents two 20-minute workouts emphasizing flexibility, core strength, balance, and relaxation. Workout 1 is Pilates-based, focusing on the core muscles of the abdominals and back. Pilates-based workouts are heavily founded on technique and awareness, so Austin takes time to explain and demonstrate neutral pelvis, shoulder stability, breathing technique, and the muscles you'll be working. Then she takes you through a challenging Pilates-based workout focusing on trunk stability, which translates to a killer ab workout, offering modifications for beginners.
Workout 2 includes both Pilates-based exercises and yoga postures, starting with the Sun Salutation and progressing to a variety of yoga poses that emphasize balance and flexibility and Pilates-based exercises that focus on core stability and strength. This is a softer Denise--quiet voice, subdued pace, tranquil feeling--a nice change from the frenetic pace and unrelenting chatter of many of Austin's videos. You'll be surprised by how demanding this workout is, because of the core stability and balance challenges.

Crunch - Fat Burning Pilates
Welcome to CRUNCH Fitness! Get the best of both worlds and the most for your effort with this winning combination: calorie-burning cardio along with Pilates-based toning. Impact safe yet so effective, it maximizes your fat-burning potential. You'll start with easy-to-follow cardio that skillfully blends dance and low impact cardio with standing Pilates-inspired moves into one routine to challenge your aerobic fitness, improve your posture and put you more in touch with the power of your "core." Then, kick off your shoes and hit the floor to tighten and tone your favorite body parts, including abs, butt and thighs. Get long, lean, sexy muscles with our series of Pilates mat exercises, sure to give you a year-round bikini body! For faster results than Pilates alone, this combo workout can help you sculpt your body AND burn fat! For all fitness levels. A mat or rug and bare feet are highly recommended for the Pilates floorwork.

Pilates - Beginning Mat Workout
Certified Pilates instructor Ana Caban is a splendid teacher. First she demonstrates alignment and technique for 10 minutes, explaining the cue words you will hear and how to do the basics, emphasizing how to use the core muscles to strengthen the abdominals and back throughout the workout. Then she introduces a challenging 20-minute series of Pilates moves, instructing clearly, demonstrating beautifully, and continuing to advise you about technique, breathing, and form.
Even though this is a beginning Pilates workout, Pilates is never easy, so these moves will feel extremely difficult if you're new to this kind of exercise. For example, you learn to hold your abs tight whatever move you're doing, and you move only the muscles you're working at the moment, using your stabilizing muscles to hold the rest of the body still (much harder than it sounds!). Another participant demonstrates modifications throughout in case Caban's moves are too difficult or your muscles fatigue. If you've been wanting to explore Pilates and you're willing to put in the effort and concentration, this video gets our top rating.

Pilates Workout for Dummies
Pilates Workout for Dummies is a 60-minute DVD, ideal for both the first-time and intermediate Pilates exerciser. In the Basic Workout, well-toned instructor Michelle Dozois clearly and patiently presents 18 classic Pilates mat exercises, first demonstrating and explaining, then doing 6 to 10 repetitions. She explains what the Powerhouse is and how to use it, and covers the basics you'll need if you've never done this before (or need to be reminded), offering alignment tips, breathing, and extremely clear instructions for executing each movement. Dozois suggests modifications for making the exercises easier (or, occasionally, more challenging), and includes cautions against common mistakes and reminder tips for doing each exercise effectively. This is a fine first workout for Pilates novices. The Intermediate Workout consists of some of the Basic exercises and several new ones, all done at a faster pace and with more challenging instructions. This is a workout you can progress with!

Classical Pilates Technique - The Complete Mat Workout Series
(Modified Basic / Basic / Intermediate / Advanced / Super Advanced)
Although the Classical Pilates Technique DVDs were not shot in an exotic location or on a luxurious set, these are the finest Pilates DVDs on the market. They exhibit the high standards of instruction required of all who were trained in the tradition of Romana Kryzanowska.
I have read in other reviews that the instruction does not focus enough on the Breath and must offer my opinion. Joseph Pilates himself said: "Above all, learn to breathe properly." By that, Mr. Pilates meant to take full inhalations and complete exhalations. He believed in a deep lateral breath. My beginning students are always concerned with when to inhale and exhale and I tell them to be more concerned with how, not when, to breathe. The body will find its own natural pattern to assist in the movement.
In Ms. Ungaro's directions, I have found a new path to familiar routines and with my own students, I now use many of the powerful images that Mr. Liekens delivers throughout his voiceovers. Two of the DVDs in the collection include discussions, from which much additional information about the Pilates method can be learned. All in all, this collection of Pilates instruction remains unsurpassed.