Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2852 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-12-23
• Rating: Exempt
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Louise Solomon's logical blend of pilates and yoga in the original Yogalates was presented as a tool for weight loss aimed at professional women. The Australian expert's second offering Yogalates: Total Body Toner is a curiously--and most definitely welcome--softer approach.

Although billed as a total body toner, the graceful Solomon ensures that this is no pounding quick-fix. Far from glossing over details crucial to both pilates and yoga (namely an understanding of one's anatomy and breathing), Solomon creates a fundamental respect for the body by attaching great importance to detail. It's an attitude which benefits newcomers, without alienating the more advanced. Similarly, seamless editing that cuts to less advanced positions is helpful for beginners without being intrusive to others.

The first three segments work thoroughly through abdominals and waist, upper body, and lower body, in an obvious blend of the two disciplines. The crucial difference for Yoga devotees is that there is more repetitive movement within postures, whilst the Pilates stretches are within a Yoga framework. The fourth all-round programme is more of a straightforward Yoga session, and as a result is perhaps weaker. However, all in all, Solomon's method delivers results. What's more the combination of a white studio and no soundtrack other than Solomon's own voice makes this a rare workable substitute to a real lesson.

On the DVD: Yogalates: Total Body Toner has chapter selection that enables you to choose which part of the body you want to concentrate on, or which combination of programmes you prefer. An additional "Energy Booster" designed for combating stressful days and jetlag is likely to prove enormously useful and highly effective. --Lorna V

Synopsis
LOUISE SOLOMON, the creator and teacher of the Yogalates fitness system returns here with 5 workout programs that combine elements of yoga and pilates.

Customer Reviews

Finally, an exercise video I can do
In common with many people, I tend to buy exercise videos and lose enthusiasm rather quickly. So far I am very impressed by the Total Body Toner DVD. The exercises are quite hard to follow initially - I am new to both disciplines - but the detailed instructions given mean there is little need for craning your neck round to see the television screen which may reduce the risk of serious injury. I find the whole process very relaxing which I had not expected, and am getting the hang of the breathing - slowly - and discovering that deep down in my post-natal bulge there are actually still muscles! Most importantly, there's no leaping round to complicated routines, and no irritating music.

finally found an exercise programme that I enjoy doing
After about a decade of unfitness due to a busy life and a general and lifelong aversion to exercise, I have finally found an exercise programme that I have stuck with it for 3 months, and that I truly enjoy. I had no experience with yoga or pilates, and was seriously out of shape with a recurring back injuury made worse by a desk job, and had done minimal exercise in recent years. At first my level of flexibility was very low, although right from the start the combination of yoga and pilates was deeply relaxing for me and helped 'destress' me from the very first run, and the beginner programmes which focus on, respectively, the abdominals, arms, and legs noticably improved my muscle tone, much to my suprise, within the first 3 weeks. More importantly, I was able to do these workouts without injuring my back, and found that my back strength increased with time. I actually look forward each day to doing the video, unlike previous forms of exercise I have tried which took great effort of will to do, and now work out every day, since the workouts wake me up in a way that coffee used to, minus the caffeine jitters. After eight weeks of doing only the first three workouts which felt for the most part fairly effortless, and which improved and strengthened my back, I have graduated to the advanced programme 4 which is more strenuous but hugely satisfying to do, involving a variety of integrated postures and movements, and lets you know just how much your tone and flexibility has been strengthened. Yogalates is a great exercise for individuals who need to improve their muscle tone as well as to learn to relax, and for those with an injury that prevents them from doing other types of exercise; the video is well paced and well edited (although now I fast forward over the discussions of breathing and spinal alignment),and Solomon's presentation is extremely soothing. I know I also need to integrate some higher- paced cardio workout into my life to complement my yogalates workouts, but yogalates has been the first step for me to healthier living- my back problem is much better, and my stress level is much reduced. I have not lost weight, but I have lost literally inches due to enhanced muscle tone and now can wear a bikini without cringing for the first time in 10 years!

Yogalates TBT
this video has 4 short sessions or "workouts" as they are called by the presenter, this facilitates either a short daily practice or a longer one by doing the sessions in sequence.

the video is beautifully presented, in terms of asthetics, plus the sessions themselves are well thought out and coreographed. the clear instructions can be followed easily whilst exercising ie no need to crane the neck to figure out what your meant to be doing.

the instructions for the "breathing system" are clearer on this video than on Yogalates 1.

a really excellent physical exercise video.