Gentle Yoga Plus Pilates DVD: Low Impact Abs, Core, Flexibility, Balance, Two Total Body At Home No Equipment Workouts with Jessica Smith

I’m 48 and never done Pilates or yoga but I have taken an adult ballet class and this is harder than that but I just do what I can without hurting myself. The instructor is great and explains the moves very well. It is a great work out and I have felt so much better after doing it for two weeks only three times a week I feel great. I only do 30 minutes not the full hour and it is still good. My 30 and 28 yeah old daughters also did it and they said it is a great work out. I think this is great for all levels.

These new workouts are sneaky, sneaky, as Jessica has said about similar workouts before. They may look easy, but I felt like I had done a nice, easy on the body workout when I was done. You will work on balance ,flexibility, and core strength and stability while doing these workouts. As always Jessica has modifications to make them easier or a bit more challenging. She suggests using a chair to help with balance if you need it. In both the standing series and the floor series she discusses proper body alignment, so you will be set up to do the exercises correctly. I’m not going to list every pose for each series, but I will list several for each. In the standing series you begin with a gentle warmup that includes shoulder and hip rotations, then you move on to modified roll downs that go into a spine extension to chair pose and then to standing, crescent lunges, standing hundred, warrior II, half moon, bicycle, leg circles front and side, warrior III, standing swimming, cat/cow crunches, eagle sit, and you end with roll downs. The whole series is done standing and you will move in and out of poses. I really enjoyed the flow throughout the workout. Jessica’s cueing is excellent and I didn’t find the pace to be too quick or too slow for either the standing or floor series. The floor series starts with a sitting spine stretch and then moves on to hip and core stretches and twists. From there you move on to side planks, modified roll up, half bow, full bow, single leg stretches, scissors, bridge with a diagonal reach, V stretches, locust, side lying hip circles, inner thigh pulses, side lying rear leg pulses, corkscrews, bridge, child pose to upward dog, elbow plank with hip dips, swimming, cat/cow, kneeling crescent lunge, rolling like a ball, V sit, and you end with a stretch. I listed most of the poses, but not all of them. Again, Jessica has modifications to make it easier or more challenging. For me, this DVD will be great for the days that I’m not doing my strength training or cardio, so I’ll most likely be using it at least 2 days a week. However, on days that I have more time, I think these could be great to add on after doing cardio. I hope this review is helpful and maybe answered some questions about the types of poses. If you’re already a Jessica Smith fan like me, then you know what her yoga/stretch DVDs are like and I think you will like this one too.

Sadly, cannot recommend this exercise DVD. I like the exercise portion. I think Jessica is an excellent instructor. I have a stretch DVD I like. However, the music, in both programs is too loud. The first program, the standing poses, the music is annoying- it is loud, repetitive, with a bass beat that that will not stop. The second program is distractingly loud and modern jazzy. Exercise music should be in the background, not front and center. This DVD will probably be donated to the library.

It’s quite a good workout

I have most of Jessica Smith's workouts and subscribe to her mailing list, so when I got her email saying this was coming out, I placed an order immediately. It came faster than I expected -- I got it Christmas Eve.For exercise, I prefer yoga and pilates. All of it is to cross train for riding my horse more effectively, so core work and hip flexibility is high on my list of pluses when looking for a workout routine. This DVD will definitely be toward the top of my go-to workouts.I was afraid it might be too easy, but ha, I should have known better. I'm 52, and never was particularly flexible, so these workouts are gentle but challenging. No headstands or anything too out of reach, but my abs were trembling in the floor workout routine. The standing routine was challenging enough I needed the chair for some of the poses, but was able to try to push for better balance.All in all, I'm really happy I got this DVD and am looking forward to getting better at the routines.

It is gentle. Yet I have a knee replacement and 2 fusions in lower back. Some movements caused stress on these areas unfortunately or I'd have kept it.If I'd not needed surgeries and not had surgeries, I'd be able to do these.Requested to return for a refund. If I didn't have these surgeries I'd be doin the exercises . These stretches and exercises are really good and gentle. I did do some. Wasn't enuf for me to keep the DVD unfortunately.I gave 5 stars cuz the DVD is good. Not the sellers fault I can't do these.Am grateful to seller I can return it.

First time yogi but this was easy to follow and feels like a good full workout

I’m so glad I persisted in my effort to receive this DVD! It is everything I had hoped for!