Element: Total Body Pilates w/ Toning Ball Kit

This DVD helped me when physical therapy couldn't get me relief from arthritis that had taken hold of my chest after breaking a lot of ribs and damaging intercostal muscles. I felt relief in under 15 usages and this was after 6 months of consistent physical therapy. I was hurting so much I'd pretty much given up on my rigorous high impact exercising as it was so difficult to breathe and I was making too many compensations that could have resulted in bad form and more injury. This DVD enabled me to eventually return to my more rigorous exercising but I've kept this in the rotation for the sake of keeping my arthritis away and also getting a great core stretch and toning session when I don't feel like getting in a disgusting sweat drenching hard workout. You don't have to workout hard to get a healthy toned body. If you have any physical injury and don't want to do crazy workouts anymore--give this DVD a go.Update June 2018: Still one of my go to DVDs for arthritis pain and realigning my posture. I have switched the pink ball that comes with the DVD with a yellow theraband inflatable mini ball I purchased from Amazon and I find I prefer this new ball. It has held up well to excessive use. I have found this DVD to be so very wonderful for eliminating pain. I have truly saved a heck of a lot of money by using it because it has reduced my need for PT and chiropractor visits which was a frequent expense in my life because as a violinist, the extreme asymmetrical posture and movement can cause pretty intense wear and muscular imbalances and this routine works deep on your stabilizer muscles to train them properly and break wrongly formed muscle memory. I even used this disc to supplement PT post my second shoulder surgery on my bow arm (I did have to modify or leave out a few moves though) and it truly helped accelerate healing and strength. I was back to playing violin in 4 months rather than the anticipated year. Thank you, Element DVD team and Lisa Hubbard! I have bought more Element DVDs as a result of this mini ball routine and I feel Element presents a superior product. The mini ball routine is my favorite though. So thankful for it. Please give it a try.

I've always been a fan of difficult high impact exercises (insanity, turbo fire, chalean extreme, etc). I recently ended up with plantar fasciitis and I wanted to do something to keep my muscles working and continue building strength while staying off of my foot. I saw the reviews on this video and I thought i would give it a shot. I did it and i didn't even break a sweat. I felt relaxed after and my muscles felt good so I didn't mind too much but I was looking for a more challenging workout. However, when I woke up the next morning every muscle in my body was sore! I was pretty impressed! I do wish the video got my heart rate up a little bit more an worked me a little harder, but anything that gives me sore muscles lets me know it's working! I combine this with the weight loss pilates from Kristen McGee and I have a great workout routine for a little bit!

Excellent pilates DVD. I am not new to pilates workouts, but I would not quite consider myself a seasoned veteran. I am still sort of new at it. I have only ever done the pilates workout DVDs by Denise Austin. While they were effective, I wanted something a little more challenging. What drew me to this DVD specifically was the incorporation of the mini ball. I thought that might add a refreshing and challenging twist. Boy, was I right! Ms. Hubbard actually incorporates the ball into the workout, bringing a new twist on traditional pilates moves.My only critique is that I wish the ball was a little biggger. The ball used on the DVD is bigger than the one you actually get -- you get the mini size and Ms. Hubbard has the small size. Still, the workout is effective with the mini ball.I would highly recommend this DVD to beginners and those, like me, that can't afford to be part of a pilates gym, but want the workout.

This is a great workout video for people who enjoy Pilates and yoga. At first the video does not seem difficult, but the further you get into it, the more you can feel the workout. . It's really helping me tone my saggy "muffin-top" waist area, while giving me the total stretching and strengthening I need. The visual demonstrations are very clear, and the detailed verbal instructions give me all the coaching I need to work on improving my Pilates technique.Lisa Hubbard pairs strength training with flexibility work. She has you contract the muscles and then relieves the tension with a looooooooong stretch immediately afterwards. This is far superior to the neck-crunching Pilates workouts and the easier yoga workouts that don't seem to do enough strength work and it feels GREAT as you do it. The Pink ball has worked wonders on my back pain :)It's a very mellow and relaxed workout that incorporates breath, well-paced and you still work up a sweat!You feel great afterwards - looser, leaner, stronger, improved posture - that's enough incentive to do it a few times a week!I enjoy it! I recommend this video to anyone who wants to start exercising and strengthen their core.

This is a great video to add a new level to your pilaties routine. the DVD has either a 20 or 30 minute workout. the ball adds instablility to routines making you work your core even more. Being a shorter person, the addition of the ball behind my sholders really makes me work to keep my lower back on the ground. good and bad, but i just deflate the ball a little and that helps. added benefit of the ball is taht it helps keep proper leg position since you have to hold onto it and that is somethign i often strugle with. overall, i really enjoy it, i wish there was a way to make it run thorugh the 20 adn 30 together as one big workout.

**Please note that unfortunately this DVD is Region 1, hence it will only play on North American dvd players (or Multi-region dvd players, of course)! Even though it is not impossible to overcome this issue (there are a couple of free software tools out there than can do the trick) this could represent an extra hassle that you might want to avoid.**In this dvd Lisa Hubbard demonstrates how to incorporate the mini ball into two nice intermediate Pilates routines and I really mean in all the moves!The dvd comes in a box which includes an inflatable pink mini ball (the straw is also included).As all the other Element work-outs, it is filmed outdoor in a beautiful garden beside a swimming-pool, with the ocean in the background. Very peaceful and inspiring.Lisa instructs the routines through detailed voiceover cuing. The camera work is impeccable, so the visual demonstrations are also very clear. However, there is no introduction to the basic techniques specific to Pilates that you must start out with, so I would not recommend it to beginners.During the workouts Lisa continuously offers modifications for the less advanced practitioners but she moves at a steady pace assuming that you are already familiar with the fundamentals and with Pilates mat work in general.The DVD includes two routines, a 20 minutes and a 30 minutes practice, with unfortunately no "play all" option.The 20 minute practice includes most of the classic Pilates "hits", such as the single leg stretch, the hundred, the scissors, the helicopter, the bicycle, the mermaid.The 30 minute practice is more challenging. It includes several modified series of five exercises, the rollover, corkscrew, rolling like a ball, the saw and various toning exercises for the lower body, like clams and single leg pulses.Overall this is a complete work-out with a nice flow and pace which incorporates very well strength training with stretch and stability challenge exercises.

This is the best pilates video I have ever tried! I have about 20 other pilates videos, mainly windsor and stott. They are ok. But this one is the perfect blend of resistance challenge and stretch. I feel taller and looser after doing this workout. Both workouts are great, though I like the 30min one better, feels more complete and balanced. I like the encouraging tone of the voice over. And the form of the instructor is a great visual tool. The mini-ball definitely adds more challenge!

It's been a while since I've been to the gym but was always a fan of group fitness classes. I looked at local Pilates classes in my neighbourhood and balked at the $20-25 per class costs. I couldn't justify paying that much for a re-introduction and bought this DVD hoping to ease back into Pilates before returning to classes. So here are my thoughts after using it for 2 weeks:Who this DVD is for:Contrary to articles naming this the best beginner Pilates DVD, I don't think Element: Total Body Pilates is appropriate for Pilates newbies. You could easily hurt yourself because you're not paying attention to your form (e.g. keeping your lower back on the mat, not straining your neck, knowing when to point or flex your toes, etc.) However, I do think it's a great DVD if you've been to a few classes and have had an instructor give you pointers.Pros:* The included ball. I love having it because I do find that it helps me focus on my form and there are some really good exercises in the DVD that use the ball to focus on stability. (And if you're just watching t.v., you can use the ball like an old fashioned thigh master!)* There are 2 different workouts: 20 minutes and 30 minutes. I find that they go by really quickly initially but as you get better at focussing on your form, some exercises actually become more challenging -- not easier! Plus you can switch up the workouts so your body doesn't get use to the same routine. I usually do 30 min, 30 min, 20 min, 20 min, 30 min, etc* Workouts are quick and not that sweaty so it makes it nice to put on the TV first thing in the morning or before bed.Cons:* There isn't always a lot of time in-between exercises. The first few times I exercised along with the DVD, I felt like I was playing catch up the entire time.* It's not a "workout" workout video where you do a lot of reps and "feel the burn". There's lots of core work, so you'll definitely have great abs from this but it's not something to pick up if you're looking to target other body parts like your butt or thighs -- although having a strong core will help make any other workout easier.* There's this one move called a "rollover" (I think) where the instructor asks you to lift your legs waaaay over your head while lying down on your back. For the love of me, I cannot do this move without momentum or feeling pain in my triceps. I wish she would give better instructions on how to work up to it.So in conclusion...I think this is a great DVD for when you're trying to ease yourself back into exercising. There have been so many days where I moan and think about skipping my Pilates session but then I think, it's only 20 minutes.... And then the 20 minutes fly by without too much fuss and I feel better much better for having done it.This DVD is also great in combination with other activities or workouts. I sometimes do one of the 20-min workouts followed by segments of another video called "Legwork".

I really like this one. The ball added resistance (until it popped)