Jennifer Kries: Hot Body Cool Mind - Waking Energy (2006) Review

This is a new video by Jennifer Kries, a ballet-trained fitness instructor who is well-known for her The Method Pilates videos. Here, Jennifer expands her teaching and adds a new element, the concept of Yin (cool, relaxing) and Yang (hot, energy).Thus the concept of this DVD is to provide exercise segments which are designed mainly to relax, energize, or both. There are a total of 7 different individual workouts, each of which are designated as Yin or Yang; 3 of these segments involve use of "Pilates Toys," including a magic circle, dumbbells, and a stability ball. The DVD offers a variety of workout options, including 7 "custom" premixed routines which combine two or more of the individual segments.

Here is the main menu for the DVD:
*Welcome to Hot Body Cool Mind
*Complete Waking Energy Life Force Workout
*Waking Energy Workout Segments
*7 Custom Waking Energy Workout Combinations
*The Yin Yoga and Meridian Theory Interview
*Credits
*About Jennifer

I didn't try any of the premixed workout combinations, as most were a bit too lengthy for me (3 of the 7 were under 50 minutes, the remainder were 52 minutes and more, up to 87 minutes).However, I did mix and match until I had used each one of the 7 individual workouts.When you select the option for the individual segments from the main DVD menu above, the breakdown is as follows below (note: the times are all as given on the DVD insert, and the 5 segments labeled "on the go" are less than 25 minutes each):

*Waking Energy Introduction
*Waking Energy "Before You Begin"
*Waking Energy Sitting (21 min.) -on the go
*Waking Energy Standing (24 min.)
*The 5 Tibetans Introduction
*The 5 Tibetans (11 min.) -on the go
*Pilates Magic Circle (14 min.) -on the go
*Pilates Sculpting Series (10 min.) -on the go
*PhysioBall (10 min.) -on the go
*Yin Yoga Introduction
*Yin Yoga and Meditation, Full Yin (28 min.)
*Yin Yoga and Meditation, Shorter Practice (21 min.)

Okay, now I will provide my impressions of each of the above:

Waking Energy Sitting (actual time 28.5 minutes).Jennifer states that this is the "full list" of waking energy exercises (as opposed to the shorter series on the Level 1 DVD).The moves here are based largely on Chi-Gong and focus on awakening chi, or life-force; the exercises involve activities such as rubbing the hands together to generate energy and actually slapping and punching the body to loosen trapped chi (Jennifer provides detailed instruction on these moves both during the workout itself and in the accompanying booklet to insure that they are pleasant). Self-massage movements are also included, from loosening the muscles of the entire face by massaging the eyes, cheeks, jaw, and ears to massaging the feet.Overall, I think this segment would work great for a warm-up, although it is a bit lengthy to use regularly for that purpose.

Waking Energy Standing.This segment is also based on Chi-Gong as well as Makko-Ho (active meridian stretch).Performed standing and including various spinal rolls, I found it to be more energizing and stretching than the seated version (although both Waking Energy segments are supposed to serve dual Yin or Yang roles depending on when they are performed).Although not labeled this way on the menu, it is actually shorter than the seated segment.

The 5 Tibetans. These 5 exercises are known as the "Rites of Rejuvenation;" they are practiced by Tibetan Monks and are supposed to stimulate the chakra system to provide age-defying benefits. Some of the moves are recognizable from yoga, such as camel pose and down dog, but all are performed in a series of flowing repetitions (the goal is 21 for each exercise) with breath. Assuming that you've already worked with her previous DVDs, Jennifer does 14 reps of each move here (she starts with only 7 reps on the Level 1 DVD).Despite my prior experience with both yoga and the 5 Tibetans themselves, I found it a bit difficult to keep up with Jennifer's fast pace, although she does instruct you to relax with two full breaths between each exercise set.She also shows some modifications for each movement prior to starting the exercise, but I thought this disrupted the flow of the workout, especially when she could have included this information in the 5 Tibetans introductory segment.This workout ends with the goddess breath.

Pilates Magic Circle.This was a nice short workout using the Pilates circle or ring.It begins working the upper and the lower body from a standing position, using some unique variations on the exercises that I haven't seen in other ring workouts.There is also some work for the abs from a seated position as well as additional moves performed on one side only.

Pilates Sculpting Series.Here Jennifer leads her two background exercisers through the standard standing arms series developed by Joseph Pilates.She moves briskly from exercise to exercise, sometimes pausing before a new movement to give a form demonstration.Jennifer notes that 5-10 repetitions are the usual recommendation, and she does 8 of each exercise here (although the reps were slightly off on a few occasions).

PhysioBall.This third short "Pilates Toys" segment was more challenging than I had expected!Jennifer begins seated on the stability ball for abs crunches, moves to feet resting on the ball for hamstring work, and finishes with some tough plank work on the ball (she briefly demonstrates even more advanced variations).

Yin Yoga and Meditation, Full Yin.Jennifer describes Yin Yoga as "needle-less acupuncture" in the sense that it targets the meridian areas of the body to provide complete relaxation (she explains this further in the interview link off the main menu).Jennifer alternately refers to the postures as "makko-hos" and explains which meridian pairs are addressed by each.Although she recommends holding the poses for up to 15 minutes or at least 8-10 breaths, they are NOT held that long here; rather, she frequently reminds the viewer that she and her helpers are offering an overview of how you would practice on your own.The postures are performed entirely on the floor and include butterfly (cobbler's pose), a choice of seal (similar to cobra) or saddle (similar to 1-leg reclined hero), seated forward bend, dragon (wide-legged seated forward bend), a choice of shoelace (bull seat or the legs from cow-face pose) or eye of the needle (thread the needle) or ankle to knee (double pigeon), pigeon, wide-legged child's pose (Jennifer actually recommends performing regular child's pose between every posture, but this is not shown), dragonfly (wide-legged forward bend), quarter dog, reclined twist (revolved stomach pose), dead bug, cross-legged seated forward bend with crossed arms, and relaxation/final meditation.

Yin Yoga and Meditation, Shorter Practice.This abbreviated Yin Yoga practice (21 minutes) is not listed on the DVD insert.It contains the same footage as the Full Yin practice above, but a few of the postures are left out, and others don't seem to be held quite as long (the end of the practice in particular felt a bit more rushed).Poses here include butterfly, choice of seal or saddle, seated forward bend, choice of shoelace or eye of the needle or ankle to knee, pigeon, dragonfly, reclined twist, and relaxation/final meditation.

In summary, this is generally a very well-done DVD with a variety of practice options. I think that ideally, it would appeal to someone with prior experience in both Pilates and yoga who is interested in incorporating additional Eastern principles and philosophies into their workouts.I can see myself using the waking energy segments whenever I want to feel gently refreshed, the Pilates segments as add-ons to my other workouts, and the Yin Yoga practices when I want to get the benefits of relaxing yoga postures with extended holds.My overall rating is about 4 1/2 of 5 stars.

One final note:Hot Body Cool Mind "Waking Energy" was released at the same time as another Hot Body Cool Mind DVD by Jennifer Kries, Level 1 (or "Embark on the Journey").Apparently, two other DVDs in this series, Level 2, "Harness the Power," and Level 3, "The Life Force Power Workout" are yet to be released.Also, during her instruction for this Waking Energy video, Jennifer sometimes refers to it as Level 4 and assumes your prior experience with the other DVDs in this series.

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Product Description:
She taught you how to speak Pilates.Now Jennifer Kries,America's #1 Original Pilates expert, is ready to teach you body thelanguage of Waking Energy!Look and feel younger with greater energy andvitality! Tone and Sculpt, lengthen and define! Enhance flexibility, corestrength and stamina!

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Jennifer Kries: Hot Body Cool Mind - Level 1 (2006) Review

This is a new video by Jennifer Kries, a ballet-trained fitness instructor who is well-known for her The Method Pilates videos.Here, Jennifer takes some elements of her past workouts--ie, combining Pilates and dance--and adds a new element, the concept of Yin (cool) and Yang (hot).Thus, the workout segments on this DVD are designed mainly to relax, energize, or both.There are a total of 7 different workout styles, each of which are Yin or Yang; Jennifer has combined these into 7 premixes, or you can choose to mix and match on your own, which is what I did.

Here is the main menu for the DVD:
*Welcome to Hot Body Cool Mind
*Full Life Force Workout
*Life Force Workout Segments
*Hot Body Cool Mind Workout Combinations
*The Yin Yoga and Meridian Theory Interview
*Credits
*About Jennifer

As I mentioned, I didn't try any of the premixed workout combinations, as most were a bit too lengthy for me (2 of the 7 were 30-40 minutes, the remainder were 55 minutes and more, up to 91 minutes).When you select the option for the individual segments, the breakdown is as follows (note: the times are all as given on the DVD insert, and the 5 segments labeled "on the go" are less than 20 minutes each):

*Waking Energy Introduction
*Waking Energy "Before You Begin"
*Waking Energy Sitting (17 minutes)-on the go
*Waking Energy Standing (13 minutes)-on the go
*The 5 Tibetans Introduction
*The 5 Tibetans (9 minutes)-on the go
*Pilates with Introduction (34 minutes)
*Pilates without Introduction
*Yoga Intro
*Yoga (22 minutes)
*Ballet (18 minutes)-on the go
*Jazz (14 minutes)-on the go
*Yin Yoga and Meditation (21 minutes)

Okay, now I will provide my impressions of each of the above:

Waking Energy Sitting. This was a unique seated warm-up based largely on Chi-Gong.Jennifer focuses on awakening chi, or life-force, from rubbing the hands together to actually slapping and punching the body (she provides detailed instruction on this both during the DVD and in the accompanying booklet to insure that it is pleasant).Self-massage is also performed, and Jennifer says that this segment is intended to provide spinal mobilization.Overall, I found it to be pleasant, but that's about it.

Waking Energy Standing.This segment is also based on Chi-Gong as well as Makko-Ho (active meridian stretch).Performed standing, I found it to be more energizing and stretching than the seated version.I think this segment would make a nice wake-up to start the day.

The 5 Tibetans.These 5 exercises are known as the "Rites of Rejuvenation;" they are practiced by Tibetan Monks and are supposed to stimulate the chakra system to provide age-defying benefits.Some of the moves are recognizable from yoga, such as camel pose and down dog, but all are performed in a series of flowing repetitions with breath.The goal is to work up to 21 repetitions, but Jennifer does only 7 of each here.Despite my prior experience with both yoga and the 5 Tibetans themselves, I found it a bit difficult to keep up with Jennifer's fast pace, although she does instruct you to relax with two full breaths between each exercise set.

Pilates.This segment starts with an overview with basic Pilates principles such as breathing and form.This is a must if you are new to Pilates, but if (like me) you have prior Pilates experience, you can go directly to the version without the introduction (about 28 minutes).Jennifer leads a fairly standard mat practice which mostly follows classical Pilates sequencing, although she adds some stretches, decreases the repetitions, shows modifications, and performs only 3 of the series of 5.This is definitely a beginning-level Pilates workout, although I found there to be some good form reminders included.

Yoga.Again, this is a pretty standard vinyasa flow yoga practice.Jennifer begins with sun breaths and then goes into two rounds each of sun salutation A and B.Standing postures include warrior 2, triangle, tree, and wide-legged standing forward bend; seated poses are supine boat, child, table, seated forward bend, and sage twist.The practice finishes with a final down dog and forward bend before rolling up to standing (there is no final relaxation).Although not ideal for someone with no prior yoga experience, this segment would probably be doable after reviewing both the introduction and the practice before attempting them.

Jazz and Ballet.I'm reviewing these two segments together because I found them to be similar as well as my least-favorite aspects of the DVD.Although these two dance styles are intended to provide some cardio, I found both to be too slow-moving to significantly raise my heart rate.I also found it very difficult to follow Jennifer's cueing in both sections:she does not mirror-cue, so it's very easy to get confused left vs. right, and in both workouts, she uses many different ballet terms without explaining ahead of time exactly what these exercises involve.As a result, I needed to watch my television constantly during both segments and had to try very hard to match what Jennifer was doing as closely as possible.She also puts together little combinations; these were a bit easier to follow in the Ballet workout, as in the Jazz workout, you do not even know that you are doing a combination until Jennifer tells you to go back to the beginning.Those who enjoyed Jennifer's dance instruction in her prior The Method series might like these segments, but they didn't click with me at all (and I do generally enjoy dance workouts).

Yin Yoga and Meditation.This is much different from the previous yoga segment:the concept behind yin yoga is to perform just a few yoga poses held for very long periods, up to 15 minutes or more.Jennifer calls this the "un-workout" and talks about how each posture is designed to stretch the meridians of the body (for more on this, you can check out the "Theory Intergration" segment from the main menu, where Jennifer interviews a shiatsu practitioner).Jennifer does NOT hold the postures for the recommended length in this segment; instead, she encourages you to hold the poses longer on your own or to complete approximately 10 breaths here.The postures are performed entirely on the floor and include cobbler's pose, seated forward bend, child's pose (Jennifer recommends performing this between all of the postures but only shows it the one time), wide-leg seated forward bend, thread the needle, reclined twist (aka revolved stomach pose), savasana (relaxation), and final meditation.

In summary, this is generally a very well-done DVD with a variety of practice options.Although the DVD case suggests that the workout is appropriate for all levels, as a high intermediate, I felt that most of the segments were to easy for me.However, a beginner will certainly appreciate the more detailed instruction (in many of the segments, Jennifer talks quite a bit between exercises) and will most likely enjoy the slower pace of the waking energy and dance segments.I think this DVD would be best suited to an advanced beginning exerciser who is interested in trying some of the unique styles presented here.

One final note:according to Jennifer's reps, this Level 1 DVD is subtitled "Embark on the Journey" (Jennifer sometimes uses this name during the workouts, but the name does not appear anywhere on the DVD case).There are two follow-up DVDs planned for release later this year, Level 2, "Harness the Power," and Level 3, "The Life Force Power Workout."The other video that is currently on the market, "Waking Energy" is a stand-alone DVD from this series which includes instruction on "Pilates Toys."

Click Here to see more reviews about: Jennifer Kries: Hot Body Cool Mind - Level 1 (2006)

Product Description:
Welcome to Hot Body Cool Mind, the workout that will changeyour life!The only workout to combine the Best of Pilates, Yoga,and Dancewith all new"Waking Energy" exercise secrets!

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Jennifer Kries, Yin Yoga (2007) Review

NOTE.The yoga sequences on this DVD contain footage whichhas previously appeared on Jennifer Kries' Hot Body Cool Mind series DVDs.

In this DVD, instructor Jennifer Kries presents Yin Yoga, a style of yoga in which the postures are held at length, usually up to 10-15 minutes.However, Jennifer and her two background exercises do NOT hold the postures for the recommended length; instead, they hold each pose for approximately 10 breaths, with Jennifer encouraging you to hold the poses longer on your own.In her Introduction to this DVD, Jennifer calls Yin Yoga the "un-workout," noting that it is cooling, calming, and restoring; she also refers to the practice as "needle-less acupuncture."All postures are performed entirely on the floor.

The Main Menu offers the following selections:Introduction, Workouts (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced), Yin Yoga and Meridian Theory Interview, Credits, and About Jennifer.The three workouts contain very similar postures and footage, but additional poses are added as the difficultly level increases.However, the workouts would more appropriately be called "Short, Medium, Long," as it is mainly the length rather than the difficultly level which increases; furthermore, Jennifer has her background exercisers display various levels of difficulty in all three workouts.Throughout each practice, Jennifer talks about the meridian pairs addressed by each posture, noting some of the benefits/effects that you might experience.

The Beginner workout is about 20 minutes long and includes butterfly, full seated forward bend, child's pose (Jennifer recommends performing this pose between all of the postures but only shows it only the one time), dragonfly (wide-leg seated forward bend), thread the needle, reclined twist (aka revolved stomach pose), savasana (relaxation), and final meditation. The Intermediate practice comes in around 23 minutes and includes full forward bend, child's pose, saddle (similar to 1-leg reclined hero), choice of shoelace (bull seat or the legs from cow-face pose) or ankle to knee (double pigeon), pigeon, quarter dog, reclined twist, and relaxation/final meditation.Finally, the Advanced workout is 33 minutes long; the postures include include butterfly, a choice of seal (similar to cobra) or saddle, seated forward bend, dragon, a choice of shoelace or eye of the needle or ankle to knee, pigeon, wide-legged child's pose, dragonfly, quarter dog, reclined twist, dead bug, cross-legged seated forward bend with crossed arms, and relaxation/final meditation.

In the Yin Yoga and Meridian Theory Interview, Jennifer interviews a friend of hers who is a shiatsu practitioner.The interview begins with an explanation of "yin" and continues with talking about Chinese element theory and how this impacts emotions.The conversation then moves into a discussion of exactly how the "Makko-Ho's" (exercises to address meridian pairs) target various meridians in the body.At this point, Jennifer calls upon a male and female dancer to demonstrate some of the Yin yoga postures while she and her friend point out the affected areas of the body.This segment is 9 minutes long.

Overall, I really liked the Yin sequences on this DVD; I find the soothing effects of Yin Yoga to be a nice alternative to my usual hatha yoga practice.However, the one thing I didn't like is that Jennifer does not allow enough time in each pose.In order to do the Yin practices the way she recommends (ie, holding each posture 10-15 minutes), you would need to pause the DVD and keep track of the elapsed time on your own, which I find to be awkward.Still, this is a very good introduction to Yin Yoga which provides a nice variety of options for all levels of yoga practitioners.

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Product Description:
Studio: Razor Digital EntRelease Date: 11/20/2007

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Jennifer Kries' Pilates Method: 3 Dimensional Toning Review

Our bodies move in every conceivable plane of motion, in varying ranges of expression. Most traditional exercise formats are comprised of linear one-dimensional or at best two-dimensional movements and are geared towards enhancing or changing appearance, rather than improving the body's efficiency or level of functionality. With this three-dimensional fusion of Pilates, Yoga and Dance, you will feel better, stronger, more flexible." ~Jennifer Kries

You might be pleasantly surprised by Jennifer Kries' sassy red top and short hairstyle. Her personality shines in this beautiful workout filled with sapphire yoga mats, marble style floor and open-air temple in Athens feel. The workout is an invigorating dance and yoga experience that will test your creativity, balance and coordination.

Workout 1 - Pilates Based workout that will give you a lean, straight, limber new figure. This is a standing/dance style workout that I would call intermediate to advanced because this workout builds on the knowledge you have gained from previous Jennifer Kries exercise videos. This workout involves a lot of leg work, balancing, bending over, stretching hands to the ceiling, dance positions, stretching legs, lunges, side stretches and some very creative new moves/poses I had never tried before.

If you enjoy ballet workouts, this one will be very interesting to you. I found the balancing exercises to be a wonderful challenge and when I did them without falling over, I was so proud of myself. In this workout, there are four other instructors/workout partners. Table is still the ultimate challenge for me. I'll be working on that pose for years.

Workout 2 - Core Conditioning for buns, abs, sculpted legs and thighs. You don't need high impact aerobics to see wonderful results. Jennifer Kries has one of the most beautiful bodies in the world and when you do her exercises, your body starts to improve at a rapid pace. In this section, Jennifer works out on a purple mat, same outfit. I love the individual instruction, all the helpful tips and the pace of the second workout.

This is almost a reward for working out in "Workout 1." You are flat on your back to start and then you will start to recognize yoga and Pilates based exercises. She starts with breathing exercises, roll-ups and leg stretches. Leg circles will be familiar to you if you have been doing Pilates workouts.

I love the rolling like a ball and stomach exercises. Jennifer takes you through all the basic poses and concentrates on precision. I like the way you can actually hear Jennifer breathing in various exercises, it reminds you to breathe! She ends with a teaser and a deep breath and then magically disappears. I'd like to see a nice relaxation/stretching section added to her workouts.

Jennifer Kries is definitely the Pilates goddess of the workout video/DVD world. Not only does she create challenging workouts, she gives precise instruction and teaches you to respect your body in a new way. I love her new workouts and I see fast results in all-over body toning. In fact, your skin will be softer and radiant and your entire body starts to become smooth and sculpted. Of course, I still have a way to go!

This is truly an exciting new workout from Jennifer Kries. I always look forward to trying all her new workouts. Also look for: Perfect Mix and Precision Pilates. These three workouts can be used together to add variety to your workout routine and will help to get you into shape fast.

~The Rebecca Review

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Product Description:
Jennifer Kries has achieved international acclaim as an alternative fitness spokesperson and was presented with Fitness Magazine's most prestigious award: 1999's Best Mind-Body Video. This is the perfect workout for beginner and intermediate levels. These isometric exercises shape, tone and lift upper body parts. The result: a sleeker, tighter silhouette.

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Jennifer Kries: Hot Body Cool Minds Level 3 (2008) Review

I believe I heard Ms. Kries say once that she wanted to put a "health club in a box", and that's what she's done with every disc in this series.This one is for the members who have gone to all of the beginner and intermediate classes- and came three or four times per week (and maybe enrolled in a teacher-training program).In other words, a lot of this is very advanced.If you haven't already built up deep strength, visit her other discs.

But if you have, this has everything: Qigong, the Five Tibetans, Pilates, Hatha Vinyasa Yoga, Jazz Dance, Ballet, a Cardio/Sculpt routine and finally a lovely Yin Yoga and Meditation practice.Please note: the full footage is almost four hours long.It would be pretty unrealistic to expect anyone to work out for that long, especially when so many of us are time challenged in the first place.Therefore, five of these sections are under 30 minutes, and Kries has come up with seven premixes that address different physical goals (heating up, cooling down, quick toning, etc.).Note: most of these are over an hour long.Of course, you can also pick and choose a section off the menu (which is what I usually do).

There is some repetition of footage.If you have the Waking Energy disc, you have the Waking Energy Standing and Yin Yoga and Meditation sections.Also, the Cardio Sculpt section is very similar not only to what's on Level 2 but also Kries' 2000 release, Perfect Mix.Not identical however- she's added a few new movements and overall increased the pace and stretch.You'll sweat.

That's a guarantee for most of the other segments as well.The Jazz and Ballet segments are fast-paced, and the Pilates segment includes most of the advanced classical syllabus.Make sure you have already built up control and strength before you attempt this- some movements put weight on the upper spine/shoulders (JackKnife, Rollover, Boomerang, Advanced Corkscrew), and these movements are contraindicated for some people.In other words, if you can't do something or it doesn't feel right for you, leave it out.As advanced Pilates practices go, this is a perfect length- not too short (see Romana's 14 minutes of advanced matwork!) or too long (see the hour long practices of a number of other instructors)- 35 minutes is just the right pace, and even lets you get a little stretch.

The Yoga segment is also fast-paced and demanding, particularly of balance and upper body strength.It's a nice, long practice, and you should feel like you worked your heart as well as your muscles when you're done.Again, leave out what you can't do.

If you made it through all of those challenging sections- or even if you didn't!- the Yin Yoga and Meditation section is a wonderful reward for your hard work.If you follow it with the other sections, you should be warm enough to ease into the intermediate or advanced levels of the long-held postures.Very soothing and nourishing- your only complaint will be that it wasn't long enough.

If you're an experienced practitioner, you will find this very satisfying.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Jennifer Kries: Hot Body Cool Minds Level 3 (2008)

Product Description:
Studio: Razor Digital EntRelease Date: 03/24/2009Run time: 234 minutes

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Jennifer Kries' Pilates Method: Precision Pilates Review

This is a great workout. I especially like the 3rd segment on stretching. J.K. leads you thru a dance-like session of stretching that is quite lovely. I have an old DVD of Precision Pilates that breaks up when I run it. I'm glad to see they've republished the same sequences and called it the same thing (unlike Gaiam).

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Product Description:
Using the techniques of founder Joseph Pilates, this workout will dramatically make any woman look thinner and sleeker by improving posture and sculpting muscles.

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Jennifer Kries' Pilates Method: 3 Dimensional Toning/Precision Pilates/Perfect Mix (2005) Review

I love these DVDs.I use perfect mix the most, I really like the metabolic booster part because you get a cardio workout while toning your arms, legs, and core.There is also a fabulous yoga part at the end which is a real treat after all that hard work.The precision pilates DVD has a 20 min arm workout and a 20 minute leg workout.I like to do the core conditioning on perfect mix, then pair it with the precision pilates DVD for 60 minutes of arms, legs, and core.I feel very toned and refreshed after that combination.The 3 dimensional toning has a really fun dance segment, but the core workout is kind of lame.I never do it, I use the one from perfect mix instead.Overall, I use these DVDs on a regular basis.I enjoy Jennifer Kries, her enthusiasm is encouraging and she is not annoying.You just have to keep in mind that she has super human flexibility or you will hurt yourself!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Jennifer Kries' Pilates Method: 3 Dimensional Toning/Precision Pilates/Perfect Mix (2005)

Product Description:
Tone, shape and energize your body with award-winning Pilates expert Jennifer Kries. Drawing upon her Pilates training and her background as a professional dancer and yoga devotee, she developed well-balanced workout and core conditioning techniques adopted by fitness facilities around the world. Transform the way you look and feel with three DVDs of her essential workouts! This 3 DVD set includes The Perfect Mix, a total body workout to condition your core, boost your metabolism and release tension, 3 Dimensional Toning, featuring effective isometric exercises to shape, tone and lift your entire body, and Precision Pilates, a deep muscle workout that creates beautiful lines and curves.

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The New Method Pilates: Precision Toning and Sculpting (2001) Review

I am a big Jennifer Kries fan.I love her newer series (Pilates Method/New Method) and her book, Pilates Plus Method.I tried in the past to get into some of her older stuff- Precision Toning and Precision Sculpting- and while I thought she gave (as always) great instruction, the workouts were very long and I just couldn't see myself making the commitment on a regular basis.
I just recently got this DVD and am now over the moon.It is very well chaptered.If your DVD has a programmable play feature, it's easy to split up the workouts so you don't have to do over an hour (Precision Toning) or forty minutes (Precision Sculpting).Some of my favorite combinations are: the upper body work from PS combined with the side kicks from PT; the matwork/Method Toning (minus the side kicks) from PT; and Toning Essentials from PT and the pelvic lifts/ballet segments from PS.And while figuring out the specific titles/chapters on some DVDs can be a nightmare, this is pretty straightforward: Title 1 is PT, Title 2 is PS, and the chapters for each segment are numbered on the title menu they provide.
Though some may already have other Pilates workouts (even other Jennifer Kries workouts) I still recommend this tape.The side kicks segment alone is worth the money- I could not believe how much my thighs and buttocks burned the first time I did her sequence, and I'd been a Pilates "veteran" for quite some time.
One final comment: when these two workouts were first released, everyone kept going on about how they were "fusion" workouts, combining Pilates, dance and yoga.Having done them, I can guarantee that they are almost completely straight up Pilates (with a little dance thrown in at the end of Precision Sculpting).Yes, we do use Child's Pose a few times, but that move has been used in "pure" Pilates practices for years.Not that this takes anything away from the workouts- I just wouldn't want someone to be disappointed by the lack of yoga on this DVD.

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Product Description:
The Method(r) brings you the secret to the worlds most beautiful bodies! This double feature DVD combines the best-selling Precision Toning and Precision Sculpting videos featuring instructor Jennifer Kries.She gives clear and precise instructions on how you can tone, firm and flatten your abs without strenuous sit-ups or crunches! Define your buns without lunges, squats or machines and sculpt your legs without high impact aerobics.
In the Precision Sculpting segment,you can tone and trim your arms without heavy weights or boring repetitions, sculpt your chest and shoulders without pushups or chest press machines then trim and define your lower body.
Precision Toning is over an hour and a half of deep muscle techniques and mat based exercises for an all over total body toning & sculpting regime that you can see results on very quickly.

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