The Method: Pilates Target Specifics Plus

This DVD is the worst combo possible for me - a great workout trapped in a bad video.

First the good stuff.

It's a very nice workout - challenging and thorough. In the 60 minutes, she hits the legs, butt, hips and arms. Every section is chaptered. There are no weights, but you will need a small towel or a yoga strap. The sequence of exercises allows the intensity to build. The instructor is pleasant enough. The picture and audio quality are fine.

Now the bad stuff.

The cuing is awful. She doesn't tell you what she's doing until the middle of the first rep. You're not always positioned to look at the television so you can't see changes. You're often left wondering when you missed the change in exercises. Also, the instructor can't seem to describe what she wants you to do. Her description of the movements is so nonspecific that I often had no idea what the exercise entailed. (As a frame of reference - I've done yoga and Pilates for years and I have decades of dance training. I can normally picked complex choreography on the first try.) Finally the camera work doesn't help - you can't always see what she's demonstrating.

There isn't a single stretch at the end. She just stops and says thanks. That's it.

The final verdict.

I'll keep this video, but I don't recommend it. When I have the routine memorized it'll be a good toning video to take on business trips since it requires no equipment.