A flowing, blended workout
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.

Superb video
If you want a fast and furious workout, this video is not for you. But then, why would you be doing Pilates in the first place? The movements may seem slow to some, but they are supposed to be done that way. Fast usually means sloppy.
I have a lot of Pilates videos but this was one of the first good ones. I like how it uses a band too. i have noticed other Pilates videos are now copying what is on this one. This is a good workout for beginners too.

Boring Snoring
I have been to many Pilates classes, and although I am only eight I have been doing Pilates for three years.I like fast and difficult. This was slow and snoring. I was staring at the time bar,praying for it to be over. I found the movements very repetitive and the production values very cheesy. I found myself yelling at the screen telling her to do something different.At the end my mom and I lay on the floor suddenly I popped up and said "Mom, is she sleeping?" That brings us to my feelings about this tape: one big bore!

"Mom is She Asleep?"
This review only covers the third tape in this series of three, so in all fairness, the other tapes might be better. I am an advanced Pilates student, and am always looking for fresh approaches to this wonderful form of exercise. I bought this tape on the srength of the Amazon.com buyer's generally glowing reviews.
I found this tape to be a big dissapointment, from the poor production quality, to the repetitive nature of the routine. The idea of repetion of a series of moves is novel, but I found myself staring at the corner of the screen where the time bar is located, trying to find out how much time was left. That is not a good sign.
If you want a slower paced, comprehensive Pilates workout, I would recommend Jennifer Kries "The Method,Pilates Precision Toning",or for that matter any of Jennifer's videos.
If you are looking for an advanced tape of about the same length as Pilates Mind Body Matwork, I would highly recommend any of Hilary Burnett's tapes from the same Mind Body Matwork series, especially the advanced work-out. It is challenging, professional, and inspiring. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
At the end of Dian Ramirez's tape there is a relaxation segment, that felt like filler. As my daughter and I lay there and watched her for what seemed an eternity, my daughter piped up: "Mom, is she asleep?" That sums up my feelings about this tape: one big snore!

wonderful work out
These tapes have been great for me. I love the way that Dian has no endless and peppy chatter. She is there to tell me what to do and how to do it. The exercises stretch me, work me, and relax me all at the same time. I notice an absolute difference in how I stand, sit, and breathe on days when I use the videos and on days when I don't. Video number one is simple to do. It goes slow and they focus on how to do the exercises correctly not on how many you can get done. Another wonderful thing is that the videos are short-about 1/2 an hour. As the mother of a 3 year old this is perfect for me, I can get up early, exercise and still have some extra time before my daughter wakes up. Since starting these videos I am more mindful of my breathing, especially when stress arises. I have lost 42 pounds as a combination of the videos and a change in eating habits. The exercises are well explained. Even though I was very, very heavy when I started I was able to do every single exercise in video one. As I've progressed I am getting better every day at video two and am looking forward to video three someday. Ms. Ramirez could not have made a better set of videos, I recommend them to everyone. You can use them to get hyped up and get a good workout and yet somehow, when I am stressed in the evenings, if I do them then, I am calm and relaxed afterwards. Excellent job Ms. Ramirez and I will continue to tell everyone about this great series.