Product Description

If you want a slim sleek toned body this is the workout for you. Pilates is great for creating long lean sexy muscles. Yoga gives you strength balance and flexibility. Creating dynamic movement within both disciplines burns calories. So we ve combined all these elements to develop a revolutionary blend of flowing yoga and Pilates that is specifically designed to burn some spare calories AND give you a sleek physique ALL from one beautiful balanced and effective workout. You ll start with flowing yoga-inspired moves as you work toward developing a stronger more focused more graceful you. Next you ll move to the mat for a fluid Pilates workout that will help firm your muscles strengthen your core and improve your posture. You ll feel the burn as you slim down on your way to a lean elegant body.The CRUNCH fitness program welcomes people from all walks of life regardless of shape size or ability.We created a workout environment that is not competitive or judgmental. Enjoy these favorite classes with imaginative instructors in an atmosphere that makes working out fun.System Requirements:Running Time: 42 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: HEALTH/FITNESS Rating: NR UPC: 013131424393 Manufacturer No: DV14029

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2954 in DVD
• Brand: Anchor
• Released on: 2006-02-07
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 42 minutes

Amazon.com
So here's a portrait of yoga in the 21st Century: this ancient discipline, created thousands of years ago to enhance the meditative experience (the asanas or poses commonly used in hatha yoga were in fact designed to enable meditators to sit quietly, calmly and comfortably for hours on end), is now "a total body blast," with users urged to "get hard core" and "feel the groove," all so "your torso will look buff." At least that's how Ellen Barrett, the relentlessly sunny instructor featured in Crunch Yoga's Super SlimDown: Pilates Yoga Blend, sees it. But while that approach may sound pretty frightening to traditionalists, this can't in fairness be viewed as a typical yoga video; nor does Barrett, who commingles power yoga moves and what she describes as "core-conditioning power pilates," make any claims that it is. Many of the poses--including Warrior II, extended right angle, cobra, locust, and others--will certainly be familiar to yogis. But instead of holding these poses for several breaths, as is common, Barrett takes a more aerobic approach, "pulsing" in and out of positions as if this were a calisthenics class; while that doesn't do much to promote stretching, it does generate a lot of heat and calorie burning. Same goes for the pilates portions, which involve a lot of leg lifts, abdominal work, and other mat-based exercises. One might wish that the instruction were more detailed when it comes to proper breathing, alignment, and so on; it's also a bit paradoxical that while the "Crunch philosophy" states that their fitness programs are designed for "people from all walks of life regardless of shape, size, or ability," the only folks we see onscreen are uniformly attractive, bare-midriffed young women in amazing shape. But hey, whatever. Call it what you will, this is a fast-moving, reasonably challenging program that will likely find favor with many. --Sam Graham

Customer Reviews

Super pilates yoga inspired routine...
I was pleasantly surprised with this workout, it is invigorating and relaxing but you will feel it working too. Ellen Barrett, who is known for her Crunch and more recently Self magazine workouts is back in what I feel is her best workout ever. Ellen is joined by 7 other ladies including Marni who shows some beginner modifications.

This 40 minute workout begins with some power breathing and standing backbends before moving into the first yoga series. You will move into warrior 2 and pulse while in that position, therefore called the "warrior pulse", then you will move into side angle pose, then reverse warrior, and sweep your arms around and down to the center for some power breaths up before repeating on the other side. This series is repeated a few more times, but with less warrior pulses. More power breathing finishes this series.

The next series is somewhat similar, but you will begin in triangle pose this time. Once in triangle, you will move back to warrior 2 but twist to the front and raise the arms up, hold them before lowering and twisting back to the front. This is repeated several times on the same side before doing on the other side. Next is the zigzag, Ellen's favorite move which targets the core. You will face front and extended your arms from side to side then scoop down and do the same thing. Then you will repeat the triangle series on each side again followed by the zigzag once more. Then you will move to triangle once more before moving to plank pose then do some knee cross crunches. Then you will stretch out first in downward facing dog, then childs pose.

The next series is the willow series which is much harder than it looks. You will begin in childs pose, then lift up your torso up while trying not to lift your rear from your heels. I need to work on this one. You repeat this several times before moving to the dolphin float (elbow plank). The willow/dolphin series is then repeated several more times. Then you will do a variation of extended cat pose, you extend one arm and the opposite leg, and lift and lower each one, then you will extend them out to the side slightly and do the same, then you will alternate front and side. This is then repeated on the opposite arm/leg before stretching out in childs pose.

The next series starts on your front, you will first do leg beats, then a back extension, then a little piece of heaven which is a pushup on the knees, hinging back, then returning to start which your elbows are held inward. This really targets the triceps and I was definitely feeling it after a while. This series is repeated several times before finishing out with pilates leg circles. Then you will lie on your side for some more leg work. You will lift the bottom leg off the floor, then lift and lower the top leg, then you will lift and lower the bottom leg. The option of taking the supporting arm is there to make it tougher, side passe alternating the leg to the front and back follows. Then you will do the side bend twist, then the knee drop progression. Here you are propped up on your elbows and you will drop knees to each side while extending the top leg, then you have the option of straightening both legs while lowering to each side. Then you do a brief stretch before repeating the lying side leg series and side bend twist on the other side and do some more knee drops.

To finish out the workout, you will do some ab work. You will roll down and up halfway before going into modified teasers, then you will roll halfways down again while pulling the elbows together. Then you will move into the single leg stretch, some more oblique work where you drop your knees to each side and climb an imaginary rope and finally the ballerina criss cross. Then you will do some brief stretching and breathing.

While I am extremely active and aim to do weights, cardio, yoga and pilates each 3 times weekly, I do have to force it somedays. This is one workout that I truly look forward to doing. It is exhilarating and I feel great afterwards. It isn't hard, some experienced in yoga/pilates might feel it is way too easy but it is perfect for me and I have a blast doing it. This is Ellen at her best, she does an excellent job leading this workout. 5+ stars for this one.

Good, tough workout :-)
This is another great workout from Crunch and Ellen Barrett. She's great in all the workouts of hers I have. She cues very well and this is no exception. This starts with standing yoga and moves onto floor/mat Pilates. The Pilates section is a little longer, and it includes mix of Pilates classics and weight-room-inspired toning routines. This is a good and effective mix of Pilates and Yoga. I really love this; it's relaxing and easy to incorporate into your other workouts about 4 times a week. All up, it's about 40 minutes.

Creative and Challenging Blend Of Yoga and Pilates
I literally just walked off my mat from doing this program and wanted to give my freshest impression of it.

I've been doing Yoga daily for about 10 years and I added Pilates to my daily routine a little over a year ago. The combination is incredible (I also weight train intensely twice a week).

I've also got well over 100 Yoga and Pilates programs so I'm very familiar with much of what is out there.

I've liked some of the crunch programs I've done in the past and I also enjoy doing fusions of Pilates and Yoga (I have programs like Yogilates and several of the New Method programs). I thought this one looked very interesting so I picked it up when I saw it.

To start with, Ellen Barrett really impressed me as a teacher. She gives clear yet concise instruction and keeps the flow moving throughout the program. I found her to be motivating without being too peppy (I can't stand overly peppy and cheerleader like instructors).

The program is really cool, it starts with flowing yoga sequences where she takes several Yoga poses and links them together into a flow. This creates a lot of heat in the body and allows you to warm up and move deeper into the poses as you go through the sequences. I always like to start by playing my first edge in any Yoga pose and then move deeper into it gradually. With these sequences I liked the fact that I could do this same sort of deepening but with each sequence as a whole so by the time I was into the final sequence I was really deeply into the poses.

The entire program is done using this effective sequencing in both the Yoga and the Pilates inspired sections. I say Pilates inspired because while she uses Pilates exercises this is not traditional Pilates. For me that's a good thing because I already have many programs that follow the more "classic" sequence so having programs that use the Pilates techniques in creative ways is something I find really helpful. This is great on two counts; first because it keeps things interesting from a mental standpoint, and second because your body doesn't adapt to a limited range of exercises (and overtrain those areas).

This program was almost exactly 40 minutes long and is broken down into four sections on the menu (two Yoga sections and two Pilates sections). You can also input the exact location if you need to (by inputing for ex: 1:05 for one minute and 5 seconds etc.),

So, if you are looking for a flowing combination of Yoga and Pilates that will challenge your body in ways different than other programs I highly recommend this one. Also, for people who might love a flowing approach to yoga but aren't into doing Sun Salutes (I must admit that I personally like Sun Salutes but I also like variations in my practice as well), this program will probably be ideal for you. It's not an over the top, butt kicking type program that will leave you exhausted, but it's certainly challenging in what I'd consider an intermediate sense.I'm in really good condition and I still broke a bit of a sweat doing this.

Also this program has a designated modifier who you can follow throughout the program until you are able to build up to doing the full expression of the exercises.