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Darcey Bussell: Pilates For Life


RRP: £17.99
Our Price: £6.04 (subject to change)

Bliss!
Review date: 2008-08-25 Rating: 8 out of 10

As someone who has dabbled with various exercise DVDs and videos over the years and never stuck with them, I can't express enough how refreshingly different this one is. No thumping music or graphics, no flashy sets and most importantly an instructor who doesn't feel the need to talk or shout in a 'motivational' fashion all the way through it. Darcey is elegant and calm and explains everything simply and concisely.

I was a complete beginner to Pilates when I bought this DVD, and a few reviewers have expressed the opinion that it is not suitable for beginners and indeed may lead to injury, but provided you watch closely how Darcey does things and watch the key points section, you should be okay. Of course, you should exercise your own judgement as to whether you think a particular exercise is suitable for you or not. For example, I have a long standing cartilage problem in my right knee, so I sit out the 'sphinx into a roll-up' exercise, because I know that sitting right back on my knees like that would do more harm than good.

The full workout itself is effective, but not overly difficult. There are some quite challenging exercises, particularly in the abdominal section, but they are do-able and well worth persevering with. What I love most about the programme is the way that it is interspersed with some truly wonderful stretches which feel absolutely blissful, especially when they come after some of the more challenging exercises. I wholeheartedly agree with Darcey when she says that she could do these stretches all day. They really do feel amazing. I always come away from a workout feeling energised, both physically and mentally.

The music is calming and soothing and gives a meditative quality to the workout, which I am sure contributes to the feeling of mental clarity you are left with at the end.

The only slight problem I have with the DVD, and the reason I could only give it four stars, is that I found it quite difficult to follow her timing. Now, I'm not terribly musical and perhaps the timing is quite obvious to most people when following the soundtrack, but I find that I have to keep watching the screen to keep to the same timing as her. If I don't I invariably end up either going too fast, or worse, too slow and not fitting in the right number of reps each time. But this is a small point and certainly doesn't interfere too much with my enjoyment of the programme.



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Reviews


Fabulous Body Work Out
Review date: 2008-08-04 Rating: 10 out of 10

Great work out. Very easy to follow and well paced for beginners. Your body gets stretched but not battered. You feel great doing the warm up, the full program and then the warm down. Would love to see a new video by Ms Bussell taking you to the next stage. Lovely music.

Worth the effort
Review date: 2008-07-31 Rating: 10 out of 10

I have various back problems typical of a desk worker. After attending a series of pilates classes run by the physiotherapist that I attend I decided it would be more convenient to exercise in my own home. I chose this DVD based on previous customer reviews and would highly recommend it. Don't be put off by Darcey Bussell being slim, elegant and very, very flexible, this DVD is at the right speed and level for anyone who wants to take up pilates in privacy without looking like an inept idiot in a class! Darcey is a good teacher and the pace is just right. The music is calm and soothing. The exercises are very similar to the classes I attended and are not a struggle. With there being a shorter programme as well as the main one it is possible to fit this into any busy schedule and that really is the main thing to remember - the DVD is very good, but absolutely useless if it sits in its cover unused.

Best exercise DVD I've used
Review date: 2008-07-29 Rating: 10 out of 10

I bought this DVD because of some of the reviews on Amazon and I'm really glad I did. Since I've been doing it 2-3 times a week I have noticed a big difference in my posture, I sleep better, and there is a glimmer of the muscles I had as a teenager 15 years ago! I haven't lost any weight yet, but my fat percentage has dropped and my jeans fit better. The long work out is good for days when you aren't in a hurry and its easy to fit in the mini-workout a few work days a week.
As for the music being dreary - if you don't like classical music I could imagine it is a bit annoying. But it works well with the Bussell brand and the tempo required to do the exercises properly, and I really like Debussy.
The only thing I would criticise it for is she can't say "with" properly, and the leg lifts section in the main workout is long and boring, but glossed over too quickly in the mini-workout.

Good, but too long
Review date: 2008-07-08 Rating: 8 out of 10

I originally got this dvd in an attempt to help my back problems.. Overall I see no improvement to my back, if anything it's worse, but that's probably just me and my weird and annoying back.
Otherwise, this dvd's pretty good. I especially feel the difference in my stomach. The stomach section is just the right length and gives me a decent work out. The arms section is a little short and dissappointing.
My main quibble with this dvd is the time. The 50 minute work out it promises is actually more like an hour, and that doesn't include the warm up or the warm down, which add an extra 15 minutes or so. Generally I find that I get bored before the end of the programme. As the full programme is meant to be done 3 times a week, I would only recommend this to people with time and patience

Product Details/Specifications


Artist(s):
Darcey Bussell

Recording label: Virgin
Manufacturer: Virgin
EAN: 0094635322392
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2006-03-13
Universal product code (UPC): 094635322392
Audience rating: Exempt
Region code: 2
Language: English (Original Language)

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