Crunch - Burn & Firm Pilates

I've recently given 5 stars to another fitness video on Amazon and seriously thought it would be quite a while before I find another one I just can't seem to complain about. But Burn & Firm Pilates has definitely swept me off of my feet. When I first saw Ellen I gotta admit I didn't like her at all. I just thought she didn't look like someone I would wanna look like after doing this tape. It took me a few times of doing the workout to actually grow and like her - but I really have. I realized she was cute and natural, which qualities so many other instructors lack. I still don't feel like she's giving it her all - then again, I understand she needs to stay relaxed enough to actually be able to talk. Because running out of breath IS what you should expect when you are doing the fat burning routine with ALL your might. There's one lady in the background that does slightly easier versions of the exercises, but if you don't feel challenged enough, you can easily find ways of breaking into even more sweat. Like, I use heavier dumbbells (by the way, a couple of dumbbells and a mat or carpet is all the equipment you'll need, no fancy steps or such), when it comes to the mambo section, I do the lounges from the very beginning and I do "Shave the head" with both dumbbells. The cardio section is a little over 20 minutes long and I keep sweating like crazy even though I weigh less than 100 pounds. The mat workout could be longer - it's less than 10 minutes. The exercises seem effective enough, but I always feel like I could go on, so I usually just do one of those time-saving 10 to 15 minute sculpting workouts right after the mat section on this tape. I usually care a great deal about background people on tapes and I couldn't say one bad thing about the ones on this one. They differ in age, built and color and they basically just look like those people at Ellen's daily classes must look like. One more thing for those new to Pilates: this was my first Pilates tape and as far as I can tell from what I'd previously and have since learned, the exercises on Burn & Firm might be Pilates-BASED, but they don't excatly have a lot to do with what you see in books. However, it IS a great workout routine and you will definitely feel the change in your body if you stick with it.

I also have three of Ellen's Crunch Pilates DVD. All are excellent. This particular DVD keeps me moving - I never get bored. The participants on the DVD are not all "hard bodies" - they are "everyday" women which for me, is easier to watch. The music is uplifting, fast moving - and Ellen is easy to understand and follow. I like the addition of hand-weights. This is a new spin on pilates. My arms and legs really felt the burn. If you do not like squats or if you enjoy a slower, calmer pilates style - this may not be your favorite...however, it is definitely one of my favorites because I keep a great pace and I can feel the muscles stretch and move without having a high-impact workout. The mat work was shorter than her other DVD's, however, I substitute a segment from her "Pick Your Spot Pilates" DVD if I feel I want to continue mat work. Ellen is definitely my favorite instructor. I look forward to any more pilates DVD's she releases in the future. I highly recommend this DVD!

I really enjoyed this workout. It was challenging and interesting, and not overly easy. The Instructor was pleasant, easy to follow and really kept things moving along swiftly. One thing I didn't expect was all the squats.. I've never done so many squats in my entire life! My legs were definitely burning during this workout. Despite the overabundance of squats, I enjoyed the ballet moves, the aerobic movements, the salsa dancing, and the floor routine. Plus the weights added to this routine really boosted my workout. This was a solid, well rounded fitness routine; Every inch of my body (including my lungs) got a workout! I will definitely add this video it to my rotation when I want a challenge.

Great workout for home.

I purchased this DVD (along with Fat Burning Pilates) because I was looking for something different - and my sister had been raving about 'Pick Your Spot' video. I just started working out again, and I work out at home, because I've spent a ridiculous amount of money on home workout videos so I'm going to use them. Still, I wanted something to add to my kickboxing, yoga, and Zumba; something else that would give me a total body workout without leaving me feeling like I just got my ass kicked. I started feeling the workout during the warmup! Ellen has a pleasant, and gently enthusiastic voice - and she gives timely cues for her smooth and easy, yet challenging moves. I broke a sweat, I was breathing heavily, but never did I feel like I needed to stop. There were some times when I felt my knee grinding from all the lunges and plies, but I would just adjust my stance to release some of the pressure. The matwork was great too, just long enough, but not overkill at the end. 40 something minutes went by before I knew it. All in all, it was a fun, low-impact, effective workout that I look forward to doing again.

This DVD will make you feel the burn! You definitely do not need more than three pound weights to complete this DVD. If you do, you will regret it. I found this DVD to be surprisingly challenging after many years of total fitness training. I have found a new obsession beyond the gym and the classroom when it comes to healthy living. I love Pilates and the strength it provides. This DVD takes usual Pilates moves and joins complete strength training with hand-held weights. It is a total arm workout, and I love it. If you are not a morning person, like me, it is a bit challenging to complete in the morning before work. I would recommend this DVD to be completed in the evening when you have more energy and are more alert. I have one other Crunch DVD and I love them both. I have a feeling over the next few months I will order more. It is nice to switch up my regular workout routine in order to avoid boredom. Another thing that is great about this DVD is the participants in the class. They are not all cookie cutter perfect bodies like the other DVD's I have tried. Each individual in the class represents all body sizes and shapes. It is even more motivational seeing people just like me working out. As always, the instructor Ellen is great- highly motivational and clear in her instructions.

Why don't you have the full workout on You Tube????????

I am not really sure what I think about this workout. I appreciate the cardio-strength- coordination aspect of this Pilates-dance-aerobic combination but at the same time I find it extremely repetitive and get quite bored with it. The program does offer great exercise that trains your whole body. It is easy to follow and even if you get lost for a moment you will have plenty of chances to find your way back. As an alternation for the usual low-intensity Pilates this DVD offers a great change to get your heart rate up and build muscle strength at the same time. There is one major problem with this workout though - IT IS EXTREMELY HARD ON YOUR KNEES. SO DO NOT TRY IT IF YOU HAVE BAD KNEES!!! I have even heard people that usually do not have knee problems to complain about pain in their knees after this program. If you do not have knee problems and you do not get bored to do the same movement over and over again, I warmly recommend this DVD. Otherwise ... try something from the Quickfix series...

The only equipment you need for this workout are; a pair of trainers, a pair of light handweight (I use 1 1/2kg or 3 lb, like the instructor does) and a mat to protect your back when you do the short matwork and cool down section at the end. There is a modifier at the front of the class who does not use any weight to show easier options. The instructor is very skilled at pilates and verbal cueing so you will not be lost any time throughout the workout. The warm-up starts without weight and includes moves such as wide leg and narrow leg plies which you will be doing throughout the workout. You will definitely being hot and sweaty at the end of this section. The main workout using the weight throughout. The arm movement always compliment the legs. However, if you are a little uncoordinated you will pick it up as the choreography is simple and the sets are long. Matwork moves such as the Swan and Leg Circles are modified for standing work. As you do moves such as a lunge your arms are doing a bicep curl. The matwork at the end combines ab work and stretching for an effective cooldown. If you are looking for a cardio-toning workout for those days where you want to take it a little easy or have never done pilated before and want an effective introduction, this is the workout for you.

Ellen is my favorite instructor. I own 4 of her videos and this one is my favourite. She's really nice and her moves are easy to follow and very effective. I look forward to doing this workout every week. I would highly recommand it.

This is one of the best workouts I’ve ever done. It’s very easy to follow, there are no jarring routines but you will be sweating by the end of the cardio workout. The mat workout is also very good.

Love Crunch!!

I've been working out with more than six Juiilan Michael's DVDs. They are so great but sometimes I felt a bit tired. So I tried this DVD and it's perfect for me. It suggests easy but exciting pilates so it would be more useful for the begginer. However, I cannot figure out why Amazon charged me $19.98, even though the price was shown '$14.98' on the leaflet in the DVD. Ecxept for this issue, I'm satisfied with this DVD.