Review: Total Body Pilates With Mini Ball Kit
So I hate to admit it, but I got the element Total Body Pilates with Mini Ball kit awhile ago, and it’s been sitting around waiting to be popped into my DVD player. But in the midst of my hectic schedule (ahem, P90X2!)—and, honestly, my hesitation of actually trying Pilates—I finally found the time. See, yoga is not my favorite form of working out. Too many downward dogs give me a headache; it’s just not really for me. So in my mind—right or wrong—Pilates was similar, maybe just a few tweaks here and there. Well, I must say it was better than I expected…
Total Body Pilates has two separate workouts, one 20 minutes and one 30 minutes in length. The 20-minute one was very easy to do on a tight schedule and a good beginner’s course. It went by in a flash, and before I knew it, the workout was over. The 30-minute session was a bit more involved and walked you through some basic moves for Pilates. Doing both workouts back to back makes for a longer, more complete workout.
The DVD comes with a Mini Ball that proved to be a good asset to the workout. You may not think a small ball would do a whole lot, but it does! In some instances, it made things a little easier with less strain on my back or my shoulders. In other instances, it made moves harder, thus targeting muscles better. It definitely helped work the core while doing all of the moves.
Lisa Hubbard, the instructor in the video, does a decent job of leading you through each move, although since she is narrating the video in a voice-over instead of live, she gets pretty chatty. While the instructions are good and it allows her to better explain how to breathe, it got slightly annoying at times with just a little too much talking. Lisa gives you tips on how to modify moves if it’s appropriate, but most of the time I could do the moves without much problem. While the music in the DVD wasn’t exactly my cup of tea, it was calming, which was the point. Also, I did like that the moves flowed well together.
Overall, the DVD was pretty good. It’s a good beginner workout for Pilates and is something you could do on a time crunch if needed or all at once when you have more time.
FBG Rating (Out of 5):
Instruction: ★★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★
Music: ★★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★
Overall: ★★★1/2
Have you tried Pilates? Like me and are a bit hesitant to try it? Don’t be! It’s pretty fun, and a great muscle-toning workout! —Kelsey