Pilates For Life [DVD]

Recorded in a no-frills dance studio, you can sometimes see the London Eye in the background. It is a refreshing change from the Cindy Crawford video I used to have in the 1980's! The pilates sections are thoroughly explained, although it is clearly stated that Darcy is not a professional pilates instructor but that the pilates compliments her lifestyle and it certainly seems to be complimenting mine. The main session is by far, my favourite. I would say it is aimed at those whose joints are overall in a basic condition/good health and are wanting to tone/define their body. At around an hour long, I now know when to fast fwd and can take up to 10+mins off the 1 hour main programme. I have been doing this main session for over 18 months, at least 5 times a week if possible and the results have been beneficial for my posture, stomach, back thigh definition (exercise at around 33mins of main) and mind. Recommended to do Pilates, it compliments/benefits my long distance running/dog walking routines and being the usual busy mum, I can fit this DVD into my life. There are a few minor mistakes, the camera/timing, not Darcy, where around 7mins in the main session, a movement is repeated on same leg, instead of going to the other leg and then at around 43mins, when the camera moves away from Darcy's movements and there's a few extra seconds delay in the routine...I just wait for it to get back into sequence. Just for a change of music, I sometimes turn the volume down and put a CD on. Of course, you would expect a ballet dancer's toes to be interestingly shaped over time and you'll see that Darcy's are no exception...it makes me glad I went to Stan Morris' ballroom dancing classes when I was younger, instead of ballet! My DVD hasn't worn out yet but when it does, maybe I should get a different pilates DVD but I doubt I will, I know I'll stick to the same one! Jan 2017 UPDATE! Still doing this pilates, Mon to Fri, however, I can remember it off by heart (no surprise by now!), so I can do the pilates to fit in with daily schedule, can even do them in around half an hour and feel so good, it's a great way for me to start the day, feel ready in mind and body, nice one Darcy, you've made a great benefit and enhancement to my life. I'm pleased, estastic, at how my stomach now looks and feels these days :) I'm not perfect, in anyway, 51 and got some grey, but now feel so much more content with my efforts, thanks to this DVD :)

I have another pilates dvd (the cheaper 10 minute Kimberly one also sold on here), but a friend recommended this one and I much prefer it out of the two, it's more thorough and professional and I like Darcey's presentation style. Firstly there is a segment where Darcey outlines the principles of pilates which is vital to understand if you have the right position during the moves. She also has a very important 'warm up' segment, tempting to skip when you are in a hurry but some of the later stretches are quite intense so you really need to be warmed through - she does this bit on a beautiful beach somewhere so there is the lapping of the tide and mellow classical piano background music, I find it very soothing and relaxing. The workouts are done in a dance studio again with mellow classical piano background music, and the style is slow controlled movements, I much prefer this to the faster style of my cheaper dvd, it seems more appropriate for pilates. They are available as a shortened 20 minute 'mini programme', good if you are in a hurry, and the longer programme which is divided into 10 minute sections targeting different areas, you can dip in and out and make up your own routine to suit. As you would imagine with her ballet training Darcey is incredibly supple and strong and most of the poses I come no where near where she is, her hamstring stretch is amazing as she has her foot somewhere near her face - good for you if you can, but if you're like me then it's something to aim for. We un-supple folks are the ones who get the most benefit from pilates. The workouts are challenging, some very much so, but the style and Darcey's natural elegance and poise give a relaxing ambiance, I wish I'd got this dvd straight away instead of going for the cheaper one, IMO this is definitely superior and worth the extra money.

Diese DVD kann ich sehr empfehlen! Der Preis ist gepreffert, aber das ist auch schon mein einziger Kritikpunkt. Ansonsten habe ich nur Lob für Darcey: Warm up und Cool Down wurden am Strand vor einer wunderbaren Kulisse gedreht, die Begleitmusik ist durchgehend schön, nicht aufdringlich. Darcey erklärt alle Übungen genau und führt sie langsam - und mit der ihr als Primaballerina eigenen Grazie - aus: Ideal für alle Pilates-Neulinge und "Schreibtischtäter", die sich bisher nicht viel mit ihrem Körper beschäftigt haben. Die DVD ist so unterteilt, dass man wählen kann zwischen einem Kurzprogramm, dass (mit Auf- und Abwärmen)ca. 30min dauert, und dem Main Program, welches 1 gute Stunde dauert. Auch aus dem Hauptprogramm kann man sich wiederum einzelne Sequenzen aussuchen, sodass somit wieder individuelle Trainingsprogramme entstehen. Nochmals extra anzuwählen sind die "Key Starter Points" in denen sie wichtige Grundhaltungen erklärt. Leider geht sie an keiner Stelle auf die Pilates-Atemtechnik ein. Aber ihr sei verziehen, da sie als Berufssportlerin (Primaballerina am Royal Ballett) es dank ihrem Gefühl für Bewegung und ihrer Grazie geschafft hat, eine wunderschöne Trainingseinheit für daheim zu schaffen. Ich warte mit Spannung auf die Fortsetzung ihres Trainings "Pilates for Life"!

Awesome video

Un excellent DVD pour se muscler en douceur ! Moi qui déteste courir dans tous les sens sur une musique trop rapide, ce DVD est parfait ! Sur une musique douce très agréable, les mouvements sont bien expliqués et les muscles « tirent » rapidement signe qu ils travaillent. Il y a 6 « paramètres à travailler » soit les uns derrière les autres, soit en individuel. Je me suis concentrée pour l instant sur la partie abdominale et 10 jours après (1 séance tous les jours) le ventre est plus musclé, donc plus plat. Ce DVD est en anglais, mais les phrases sont tellement simples que même un petit niveau peut les comprendre. En plus les mouvements sont suffisamment explicites par eux-mêmes. Le meilleur DVD parmi tous ceux que j ai acheté, en tous les cas le seul qui ne me donne pas envie de jeter l éponge. Je recommande...

Video adatto agli addetti ai lavori, ci credo che chi non lo sia lo trovi noioso e inutile. Gli esercizi sono 'faticosi' se i muscoli vengono ingaggiati nel modo giusto. Mostra proprio le basi! Però è un buono spunto. Un pò troppo lento in effetti, anche se potrebbe aiutare ad entrare nello spirito del pilates: movimenti lenti, fluidi e controllati coordinati al respiro. Pochi lo capiscono perché il pilates ormai è tutta una fusione con il fitness: musica dinamica, velocità, ripetizioni. Questo video mostra le basi del pilates classico. Comunque troppo lento davvero :) unica stonatura, peccato!

Really good dvd also has a section for if you don't have too much time. Good warm ups and cool downs, I really like it.