I Hate Winsor's Advanced Body Slimming!

[Mike Zen]

Sorry folks but I really need to vent my disappointment and disgust over Mari Winsor's Advanced Body Slimming. I got the tape from Collage some time back but only got around to doing it once and boy is this tape going to the bin right away.

For starters, the box cover promises "a low intensity calorie burning workout that can help you lose unwanted pounds and inches, her dynamic sequencing technique firms, strengthens and tones more muscles than ordinary workouts". I know that titles like Fat Burning Yoga or Yoga for Weight Loss or Pilates for Weight Loss should be taken with a pinch of salt because it's really too slow to burn fat. However these videos usually qualify that they help you to attain a body awareness to help attain weight loss. They do not blatantly proclaim that their workouts burn calories. What calories does ABS help you to burn? Unless it refers to that mad pace of a workout ? The ABS workout goes at such an extremely fast pace that I feel it negates the whole purpose of pilates which is to feel the muscle contractions instead of rushing through the exercises. I won't even consider ABS as a "fluid" workout. With the constant "rushed" vibes that you get from Mari and that harried and haressed feeling, it is simply hard to get into the zone. At least Power Yoga makes you sweat. Surprise...Tamilee Webb's Tighter Asserts 10 minutes Abs also makes me break into a sweat. Winsor's ABS? Forget it. I am sure you can get more bang for your buck with another tape.

The straw that broke the camel's back was her cueing. I don't mind drill-like bootcamp style which exhorts one to push harder. But what really really made me loose my marbles was Mari's annoying loud counting which bordered on yelling.

Mari's claim on her exclusive dynamic sequencing? Oh sure and I was just born yesterday. Her so-called dynamic sequencing is nothing unique but can also be found on Stott's Power Mat. Stott's sequencing is also the same and although Power Mat is also a faster-paced workout, Moira's cueing is far better and inspiring. Also the ABS workout is standard pilates fare with some advanced moves like jack-knife (I concede I can't even emulate this move for my life) thrown in.

All said, I would rank ABS along with Method's 20/20 Precision Abs as the worst pilates tapes that I have gotten so far. Perhaps I would have been better off getting her Abs Sculpting tape instead but it's no use crying over spilt milk.

P.S. : This is only JMHO.

[nora]

I don't have any of the Mari Pilates tapes, but the informercials alone were a real turn off for me. It's all about slimming, leaning out, losing pounds...blah, blah, blah. To me, it's such an obvious ploy to pull in the bucks from the unsuspecting weight-loss-hopeful looking for a quick fix. Even if the workouts are worthwhile, effective and well-constructed, (which some say they are), it can't justify the hard-sell "pie in the sky" promises that are made. I find the commercials for these tapes/DVDs really distasteful. For that reason alone, I would never send her a cent of my money.

[deanne]

True, Advanced Body Slmming is fast, but I love this tape! It is my most used pilates tape because it hits all the body parts, no time is wasted & it moves.

Mari Winsor doesn't bother me too much. She's not my favorite instructor, I don't consider her yelling during the workout & I disregard all the other sales pitches & go with if I like the tape or not. I did have all seven tapes, but now only have Adv. Body Slimming & Buns & Thighs (which is also terrific).

I found I did have to work up to the speed of Adv. Body Slimming. It's not a beginner video.

Fwiw, if you don't like it, don't do it! There are TONS of choices for pilates!

Deanne

[Mike Zen]

tons of choices for pilates? Gee, I didn't know :-)

[Aline]

I so wish that I had seen this review before buying it. Because I feel exactly the same way. If I had reviewed it, I would made the exact same criticisms (but I restrained myself, feeling that I'm saying too many negative things on here lately)

Mike and Nora, you both are now on my list of "which people's opinions to pay attention to" when deciding on whether or not to buy a video. It seems like we have similar tastes (or maybe we are just annoyed by similar things!)

[Leela]

I keep seeing the infomercials and wanting them.. but now, I'll stick with Stott !

[Aline]

That would depend on whether your taste in videos is closer to Mike, Nora, and I, rather than to all those people who do like Mari's style (and there are lots of them too).

[tanyat]

For pure pilates this is my favorite so far, 25 minutes hits your whole body it is fast which is good sometimes when you don''t feel like an hour workout, although I do find when I do my hour long stott, I seem to feel it more, due to it being slower paced.
One of my other favorites is the crunch pick your spot pilates, I love doing all of the 3 10min segments at once, and enjoy this one for its variations on pilates moves. I haven't tried Hilary burnett yet, but am hopeful to get to try hers soon.
I too got rid of all my other winsor tapes and have only kept the adv body slimming, buns and thighs, and accelerated (though I feel the need to fast forward through all her talk on this one).

[Sunshine]

I'm sooooo glad you posted this, My biggest complaint about Winsor has always been that it bores me to tears... because it usually takes sooooo long to go from one move to the next.

Now that you say it moves fast, I'm gonna be on the lookout for it. I hate sloooooow pilates tapes.

[Kimmigirl]

Hi Mike:

You may want to take a look at Hilary Burnett's Intermediate Pilates. Its only 30 minutes and she goes from one exercise to another quickly , but it is not difficult to keep up with at all. Hilary's has sort of a relaxed style and her vocal quality could be described as soothing. It's really low-key but she keeps it moving so it's not boring,IMO .She also has a basic and an advanced tape(and I do mean advanced! ) Both are also about 30 min long. Use the support VF link at the top of the page and check out the preview of it at Collage Video and see what you think.


Kim