Pilates Mind-Body Matwork

This review refers only to the third tape of this series, "Strengthen," which I found to be a blend of Pilates and yoga movements. The best part of this tape is the way that the movements flow into one another, as the moves are presented in a series of sequences. Each sequence consists of 5-6 exercises, and each exercise is repeated 5-10 times before moving to the next.

Alhtough I liked the flow of the workout, there were several things I didn't like about it. First of all, because instructor Dian Nissen-Ramirez moves smoothly from one move to the next, there are few cues to let the viewer know what is coming next. Similarly, Dian spends little time on instruction. I also was surprised to discover that the workout uses a Dynaband, as this is not mentioned on the box; I was able to substitute a yoga strap, but this did not work as well. Finally, I felt that the sequences themselves were repeated too many times, as I became bored after the first couple of repetitions.

This tape would probably work best for someone who wants a faster paced Pilates/yoga practice and who doesn't mind viewing the video several times before actually doing the workout. However, those who prefer uncomplicated, slower routines should look elsewhere.