Crunch - Super SlimDown: Pilates Yoga Blend
starring: Ellen Barrett
List Price: $14.98
Prices subject to change.
Price: $8.49
You Save: $6.49 (43%)Prices subject to change.
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Product Description:
Movie DVD
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
Movie DVD
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
Related Items:
Browse for similar items by category:
- VHS » DVD » Genres » Fitness & Yoga » Fitness
- VHS » DVD » Genres » Fitness & Yoga » Pilates
- VHS » DVD » Genres » Fitness & Yoga » Series » Crunch
- VHS » DVD » Genres » Fitness & Yoga » Yoga » General AAS
- VHS » DVD » Genres » Fitness & Yoga » Stretching
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- GREAT with a capitol G!
Ellen does it again, this dvd is great for those days that you don't have alot of time but know you really wanna workout. Being an aerobics instructor, I can tell you that the ques given for transition to the next level are well initiated. The moves and positions really make you work; it's totally worth every penny!
Rating: 
- There's very little yoga about it. It's really just pilates!
I was annoyed with this video at first because I'm more accustomed to doing yoga and I wondered, where's the yoga in this? Sure, you do some yoga poses in the early sections like downward dog, triangle, and child's pose, but that's as far as the resemblance goes. But I liked it a lot better once I understood what it really is-- a pilates workout that uses yoga poses as the basis for certain sequences. If you're looking for a calming, meditative yoga routine, you won't find it here, and it's quite ... Read More
Rating: - I LOVE this DVD!
I wanted to get into better shape, but I'm not really one for cardio videos, and my gym membership had expired months ago. However, I tried Yoga for the first time last fall in a gym class at school, and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I could tell that I was getting a workout, and yet I was having fun while doing it. Thus, I decided to purchase a couple of Yoga DVDs, and this happened to be one of them. And let me just say how absolutely thrilled I am with my purchase!
This DVD ... Read More
Rating: - MEN LIKE IT, TOO!
(MALE REVIEWER) I caught Ellen Barrett on a TV program and really enjoyed her style: tough with a smile. Although on this DVD she did not use weights, she pushes you enough to work up a nice sweat. The emphasis is on core and lower-body work, especially your glutes. Men may have to modify (or at least be careful) of some of the front-lying exercises but that's easily done. At a little over 40 minutes, the workout is perhaps a little short, but for 7.99 it is a bargain to say the least. I would recommend ... Read More
Rating: - Three Times Good
I have now tried three of the Crunch DVDs and each one has been very good.This one adds some yoga into the mix, which is new for me and a bit of a challenge, but I am getting the hang of it quickly.I like this alot.
- GREAT with a capitol G!Ellen does it again, this dvd is great for those days that you don't have alot of time but know you really wanna workout. Being an aerobics instructor, I can tell you that the ques given for transition to the next level are well initiated. The moves and positions really make you work; it's totally worth every penny!
- There's very little yoga about it. It's really just pilates!I was annoyed with this video at first because I'm more accustomed to doing yoga and I wondered, where's the yoga in this? Sure, you do some yoga poses in the early sections like downward dog, triangle, and child's pose, but that's as far as the resemblance goes. But I liked it a lot better once I understood what it really is-- a pilates workout that uses yoga poses as the basis for certain sequences. If you're looking for a calming, meditative yoga routine, you won't find it here, and it's quite ... Read More
- I LOVE this DVD!I wanted to get into better shape, but I'm not really one for cardio videos, and my gym membership had expired months ago. However, I tried Yoga for the first time last fall in a gym class at school, and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I could tell that I was getting a workout, and yet I was having fun while doing it. Thus, I decided to purchase a couple of Yoga DVDs, and this happened to be one of them. And let me just say how absolutely thrilled I am with my purchase!
This DVD ... Read More
- MEN LIKE IT, TOO!(MALE REVIEWER) I caught Ellen Barrett on a TV program and really enjoyed her style: tough with a smile. Although on this DVD she did not use weights, she pushes you enough to work up a nice sweat. The emphasis is on core and lower-body work, especially your glutes. Men may have to modify (or at least be careful) of some of the front-lying exercises but that's easily done. At a little over 40 minutes, the workout is perhaps a little short, but for 7.99 it is a bargain to say the least. I would recommend ... Read More
- Three Times GoodI have now tried three of the Crunch DVDs and each one has been very good.This one adds some yoga into the mix, which is new for me and a bit of a challenge, but I am getting the hang of it quickly.I like this alot.
