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Ballet Beautiful Body Blast |
  Exquisite Torture |
| I've been working out for many years and have used advanced weight lifting systems, such as STS, and I can tell you that Ballet Beautiful Body Blast is one of the hardest workouts I've ever done. I'm positively mystified by the Beginner/Intermediate rating. If you use proper form, the movements are quite challenging. I also appreciate the simplicity of the workout - no equipment is needed other than a mat for the floorwork. I removed a star in my rating for two reasons: First, it is sometimes difficult to see the angle of Mary Helen Bowers' legs during the Butt Series. Sometimes it appears that her leg is out at a 90 degree angle, sometimes at 60 degrees. Sometimes it appears that her foot is pointing down, sometimes out. The exercises involve such very precise, subtle movements that these distinctions are important. I wish Mary had included a separate segment on the DVD to explain this. Second, Mary includes very brief stretch breaks between sets. And I mean BRIEF, like seconds, really only long enough for a few deep breaths as you brace yourself for the next set. Mary could have allowed a little more rest time. - posted by Martha on 4/30/2013 |
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| Great workout. |
| This is the best ballet work out to date. Mary provides great instruction. The moves are fluid and tough. The music is soothing. My only criticism is having to use my remote to move to the next session of ballet exercises. This really is annoying and stops the flow of the work out!!! Please develop another DVD using these exercises in a non stop 1 hour routine. The exercises are wonderful! I would give this DVD 5 stars if it were not for having to deal with the remote issue. - posted by sandy on 4/8/2013 |
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| What a challenge! |
| I am active in most sports and consider myself fit and toned. I have also tried other ballet videos which helped me stay injury free. Then I tried this video. Wow, I love it. It may seem easy, but the arm segments were excellent, and helped relieve my swimmers shoulder problem I have had. The ab segment is equally excellent and helps maintain a strong core and back. And of course the last two segments target the gluteals, which with continued practice have helped strengthen my hamstrings and hip flexors for when I run and bike. Overall, I absolutely love this DVD and have bought Helen's other ballet DVD. Hopefully, she will continue to do more DVDs. - posted by S on 4/7/2013 |
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| Not a favorite |
| I think this is a lovely workout dvd but I found it far too boring. - posted by Deborah on 3/28/2013 |
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| Great Workout |
| This is a great workout. I found it to be the more difficult of Mary Helen's two DVD's and would class it as intermediate not beginner/intermediate. The swan arms are killer, and the butt and leg work is exhaustive. My only minor complaint is Mary Helen's repetitive comments between exercises. However, that's not a big deal, and I'd recommend this workout. - posted by Steph on 3/20/2013 |
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| deceptively difficult |
| I like this workout very much. it looks easy especially if you are already strong and athletic, i even used to dance. I really felt my muscles work during and after the workout. my husband even commented on a change in my body. he is unaware that i am working out differently. I am sure this workout will continue to challenge me for quite sometime. - posted by donna on 3/9/2013 |
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| harder than it looks! |
| I had not tried any 'ballet' workouts before; but this sparked my curiousity, so I bought it. So far, I've done only the 'swan arms' workout. I couldn't do all the reps and sets the first time. I will have to do the other segments one at a time, until I learn them. This is SO different from the other resistance/strength training dvds I've done. I love the classical music that accompanies her instruction. She IS tough. It is good to have strength training dvds that don't require equipment to do them. I want to try more of this kind of workout. - posted by vanessa on 2/23/2013 |
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| Good workout video |
| love this workout. I am a beginner/moderate at exercising, (I'm still struggling some but getting better at it). The exercises are easy to do, but very strenuous at the same time. The only thing I wish was different is alternating leg exercises back and forth to each leg. She has you do all the leg exercises on one leg (which are quite a few) and then switch and do the same on the other leg. It would be better to alternate legs during the exercises to keep your legs from being overly stressed out. But other than that I love this video. I'm trying to master the "classic swan arms" it focuses on the upper and back of the triceps, and since I am 50 years old, I really need to focus on that also. If it wasn't for the legs I'd rate it a "5" - posted by janet on 2/21/2013 |
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| Deceptively difficult |
| This workout is a nice change of pace from my other dvds that involve a lot of equipment. All you need is a mat and you're good to go. There are four sections that are approximately fifteen minutes each. One is focused on arms, two on the butt and the fourth hits arms, abs, legs and butt for a total body "blast." Each section starts out easy, but after the first few sets of reps (usually she does four sets of eight) I felt the burn like i haven't felt it in a long time! I've worked with weights for many years, but these exercises seem to target muscles that I didn't know existed. My only complaint is that in the final butt blast she doesn't do the same exercises on each side, thus one side is more challenging than the other. Besides that, this workout is a nice compliment to my collection. - posted by Anne on 1/30/2013 |
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| I'm a Ballerina! |
| OK, I'm REALLY not, but these workouts make me feel like I am. And if they can do that for a, shall we say, coordinationally-challenged gal like me, imagine what they'll do for someone who doesn't continuously trip over their own feet. The moves are easy to follow (though not always easy to do) and well-cued, with well-timed breaks for a quick stretch (t.e, when you think the particular body part you're working is about to fall off). It's a different flavor from many of the other barre-based workouts available, so it adds a nice variety if you already like Bare Method, Squeeze, etc. - posted by Alyssa on 12/7/2012 |