Crunch - Burn & Firm Pilates

I've recently given 5 stars to another fitness video on Amazon and seriously thought it would be quite a while before I find another one I just can't seem to complain about. But Burn & Firm Pilates has definitely swept me off of my feet.When I first saw Ellen I gotta admit I didn't like her at all. I just thought she didn't look like someone I would wanna look like after doing this tape. It took me a few times of doing the workout to actually grow and like her - but I really have. I realized she was cute and natural, which qualities so many other instructors lack. I still don't feel like she's giving it her all - then again, I understand she needs to stay relaxed enough to actually be able to talk. Because running out of breath IS what you should expect when you are doing the fat burning routine with ALL your might. There's one lady in the background that does slightly easier versions of the exercises, but if you don't feel challenged enough, you can easily find ways of breaking into even more sweat. Like, I use heavier dumbbells (by the way, a couple of dumbbells and a mat or carpet is all the equipment you'll need, no fancy steps or such), when it comes to the mambo section, I do the lounges from the very beginning and I do "Shave the head" with both dumbbells. The cardio section is a little over 20 minutes long and I keep sweating like crazy even though I weigh less than 100 pounds.The mat workout could be longer - it's less than 10 minutes. The exercises seem effective enough, but I always feel like I could go on, so I usually just do one of those time-saving 10 to 15 minute sculpting workouts right after the mat section on this tape.I usually care a great deal about background people on tapes and I couldn't say one bad thing about the ones on this one. They differ in age, built and color and they basically just look like those people at Ellen's daily classes must look like.One more thing for those new to Pilates: this was my first Pilates tape and as far as I can tell from what I'd previously and have since learned, the exercises on Burn & Firm might be Pilates-BASED, but they don't excatly have a lot to do with what you see in books. However, it IS a great workout routine and you will definitely feel the change in your body if you stick with it.

This was my third Crunch workout, the second with Ellen Barrett whom I really like. I have been a fulltime living room athlete since about 1988 finding it easier (and safer) to stick with than the jogging I used to do. I have been through Jane Fonda's aerobics (good at the time), the Step workouts (Cher Fitness was the most fun and a great workout, yes with THE Cher herself), and mostly I did all the Firm workouts from Volume 1 (my favorite is still Volume 2 with Janet Jones-Gretzky). I also did Tae Bo for awhile, which I really found boring too quickly. For the past few years I have been doing Leslie Sansome's Walk videos and Zumba workouts, both of which I really like.I found it this video easy to follow, almost predictable which is a good thing for me (I don't need fancy steps after exhausting mental gymnastics at work)but challenging physically. I have great lower body strength though anyway and though I have not been working out for 8 months or so I was still able to do it. There are many plies and lunges but nothing works your legs and butt better than those two exercises, which is why everyone hates to do them but loves the results. I love the intervals and the light weights and well as the pretty moves of some Pilates moves. After just 3 weeks back on it (every other day) my quads and glutes are already shaping back up--actually I could feel the gluteal muscles I so missed coming back in just a week. This is a full-body weight workout if you don't need heavier than three pounds for upper body--which I don't having an hourglass shape. I like that it is done in 30 minutes or so and then when I have time I do a dance or walk video just to burn more calories and then finish with Ellen's floor work which I love also. Yes, Ellen does keep reminding you to tighten your abs which I find works them really well--but then I'm not going for a 6-pack just strength and tone.I would like to add this. Through all my years of working out I have never lost weight with it, only gotten strong enough to carry around all the excess weight I have piled on since I got married in 1987 and stopped jogging at my husband's behest. You can get strong and fit with any of these workouts but you will not lose weight. It's not about that.

I work out for 45 min a day at the gym at work (cardio and weights) I bought this video because I was looking for something to do on the weekends.I tried it for the first time last weekend. The instructor in the beginning said to use no more than 3lb weights. I thought "Bah! I work out every day! I don't even LOOK at the 3lb weights! Three pounds are for wussies!" SO I grabbed my 8 lb weights. . . the next day I went to Wal-mart and bought myself some 3 lb weights.I enjoyed this DVD very much. I find it very good for a light day on the weekend. There are some pilates moves, but lots of lunges and squats. I was feeling it in my quads by the end of the video which is a good thing! While my heart was pumping and I did break a small sweat, I do not believe the rate was up in the "fat burning zone" as the instructor kept saying.I would definitely recommend this DVD to someone who is looking for a light, effective workout on their "off days". And I think that if done a few times a week, you will definitely see results with this work out.