Acacia Catalog is definitely one of my favorite places online to roam and hunt down new workouts on dvd or video. Given that I “hate” gym workouts– and unless I am feeling very comfortable in that environment, I don’t go to the gym. It’s not my weight– it’s my ability to follow and exhibit proper technique. I know that for me as well as for others it’s easier, more affordable and is less threatening to workout at home with the comfort of pausing & rewinding to get a move just right. Can’t do that in a class. However, one can find that doing the same workout over and over again can get boring. Depending on your fitness level and the workout, you might find it takes too long.
Fred DeVito and Elisabeth Halfpapp– from the workout DVD.
I have solutions for you– straight from the Acacia Catalog— and they are winners. The Exhale Spa has many locations across the country but only the NYC location has Core Fusion creators, Fred DeVito and Elisabeth Halfpapp who have over 50 years of combined experience teaching Pilates, Lotte Berk Method, yoga, and dance. It really shows up in these well-planned, perfectly choreographed and beautifully shot workouts.
What is Exhale? What is Core Fusion?
Exhale is a fresh, upscale mind body spa brand that is truly a unique brand. The heart of Exhale is the popular Core Fusion classes, which have a large celebrity clientele including Heidi Klum, Cameron Diaz, Julia Roberts, Kate Hudson, and Samantha Harris. A quarter of a million people have transformed their bodies at exhale and you can do it in the comfort of your home.
From the DVDs….
I was able to try out several DVDs from the Core Fusion catalog of workouts and I have to say I am extremely impressed (and that’s hard to do– because as a consumer workout video/dvd reviewer I have lots of expectations and have been doing this for almost 10 years) .
I figured one way to get into the workouts was to take a couple with me on my trip to upstate NY because I needed a vacation yet still needed to workout.
One of the DVDs I took was Pilates Plus
.Each of the DVDS from Core Fusion series has five 10-minute workouts can be played sequentially or mixed up for a full Core Fusion class. Or, you can pick individual segments to suit your time schedule– which is exactly what I did. I found that doing that made shook up bad habits and made me more aware of my posture, my abs, my core and just about every other muscle group in my body.
The Pilates Plus is a great workout for those who want to learn pilates or progress in pilates and keep tabs on their form and practical application. Oh boy, was I out of sync with this one. This kicked my proverbial butt– in a very good way It’s 10 minute segments made it easy for me to flow from one body part to another and provide me a lot of variations within each workout DVD.
BodySculpt is truly my favorite of the three — because I can mix up the different body part and work out the kinks. I can actually feel my back loosen up or suddenly a muscle will let go and ease when I do these postures.
Core Fusion Thighs & Glutes firms and tightens in all the right spots, giving you the lower body of your dreams. These moves work your largest muscle groups at a high intensity, you’ll lose weight and inches as you sculpt and tone.
This is not the world’s easiest workout. It’s not hard– but you have to realize your own level and be honest about what you can do. I did one of the bonus segments and about died because I didn’t have that core strength to do it. Hmmm guess I will work up to that one. (Just like I did with Wii Fit too).
However most of the workout was right on target and while it was not “easy” to maintain perfect posture and do everything perfectly (particularlly the first time) I have found this to be a great workout to mix up with the other two. By allowing myself to work into 2 x 10 minute segments that are about building muscle, weight bearing work plus also sculpting and toning your body, you get a full workout. It might not seem cardio but you will be breathing and you will feel that you have done some serious work after you are done.
Here’s what I particularly liked.
1) the set was well done and well lit. It was just Fred and Elisabeth in the sequence.
2) the flow of the workout was well-paced and the photography focused on the body parts being used as well as long shots. They didn’t care about getting a glamour shot– it’s about the precision of the move– because that’s what makes the workout work so effectively.
3) their cueing was spot-on perfect because they did it as voice-overs as they watched the video. What a perfectly wonderful idea. No extra chatter, Elisabeth and Fred both took turns leading and also inserting extra commentary about what to focus on– breathing, the pace, the form that the body is trying to achieve. Because of this voice-over, it makes the workout easy to follow and you get a real sense of the workout and able to get a better workout at home– something that live cueing often doesn’t provide.
4) this is one of the best series of workouts I have ever seen because they provide both beginner and advanced postures. Really love it.
I would highly recommend this series. I am very serious about my workouts. I am very exacting and I know after a while what someone’s going to say. I know when they have missed a cue. I haven’t found a missed cue yet in these three dvds. My body is already changing (yay. That means that I might be able to have that occasional ice cream and not regret it and my waist is looking better already). If you have an Exhale Spa near you, you are offered a free class to test it out live. It’s worth it. I haven’t done it yet. I want to be prepared to handle 50 minutes of this class.
Find these dvds at www.acaciacatalog.com . It’s a worthwhile investment in yourself and your body and your clothing will thank you for it.
Stevie Wilson
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I’ve been thinking about getting into Pilates for a while now, the problem ismost of the DVDs I find seem tonot appeal to me.