Video Fitness Forum  

Go Back   Video Fitness Forum > Video Fitness Reader Forum > General Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 07-24-17, 07:51 PM  
bzar
Exchange Moderator
 
bzar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: PalmTreeVille
Quote:
Originally Posted by IceQueen07 View Post
Can I ask how is Callanetics different from pilates and/or barre?
this is an old thread (link below), but might be useful. Callan was a student of Lotte Berk before branching out on her own, however Callan was the first to bring it to home video users in the mid-80s; LBM video workouts came out in 2003.

The Everything Lotte Berk Thread
__________________
~jeannine


Miyagi: Wax on, right hand. Wax off, left hand. Wax on, wax off. Breathe in through nose, out the mouth. Wax on, wax off. Don't forget to breathe, very important.
[walks away, still making circular motions with hands] ~ Pat Morita, The Karate Kid, 1984


disclosure: in the years 2002-2004 i had a professional relationship with a distributor of fitness videos; see profile.
bzar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-17, 03:45 AM  
Lannette
 
Lannette's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: NH
Quote:
Originally Posted by bzar View Post
this is an old thread (link below), but might be useful. Callan was a student of Lotte Berk before branching out on her own, however Callan was the first to bring it to home video users in the mid-80s; LBM video workouts came out in 2003.

The Everything Lotte Berk Thread
Jeannine, Do you even see a resemblance between Lotte Berk and Callanetics? I used to, probably because I expected there to be one but after 11 months of really trying to understand Callanetics and having access to two great instructors (one trained by Callan herself) to answer questions I see very little resemblance. In one of her books, or maybe an interview she talks about teaching in a studio, not mentioning Lotte Berk, but then she wouldn't. She goes on to talk about people getting hurt, which I can imagine was true when I look at the old historic Lotte Berk video. She started teaching her own moves.

In that thread Tamara gives a great description of Pilates. Romana distilled it to Strength, Stretch and Control.
__________________
Lannette
See my profile for info on relationships with various video distributors.

Do you really want to look back on your life and see how wonderful it could have been had you not been afraid to live it? - Caroline Myss
Lannette is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-17, 04:39 AM  
Dabbadooey
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: SC
What dvd's would you recommend? I cannot stream at this time.
Dabbadooey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-17, 04:41 AM  
IceQueen07
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Texas
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lannette View Post
I saw your question earlier and have been thinking of how to answer it.

First of all there are similarities as well as differences.

1. The pulses are smaller than you see in Barre WOs and there are more of them, typically not more than 100 for any exercise. If you use Sandra Hanna's form concept of counter extentions they are extremely small, even smaller than Lacey uses. I've been studying Classical Pilates and the instructors talk about counter extensions but don't call them that.

2. There are more stretches and you hold them longer. I love this!

3. The Warm Up movements actually accomplish as much toning and tightening as the exercises! For instance the "waist away" trims and the arms, waist and hips.

4. One of the biggest differences is that you relax everything except the working muscles and the setup is what contracts those muscles. When Callan says, "Relax, you just have to relax." She means it! Crazy as it sounds, the more you relax the more you can concentrate on form elements and the deeper you work. As long as I'm relaxed I don't get typical DOMS but rather a deep fatigue in my muscles letting me know that I really worked.

5. Just as Classical Pilates has a certain progression of exercises, so does Callanetics. Like Pilates there are also crazy tough exercises you won't see in a beginner class.

6. In the original Callanetics there was only one arm exercise, what Callan called the "under arm tightener." In the updated DVDs there are planks and push-ups in addition to that original exercise. In her studio Callan also had people practice hanging from Swiss Bars. (I can't wait until my Cadillac/Reformer comes so I can start doing this!)

7. You never feel beat up - well as long as you remember to relax. Saturday I did the flow version of the original 10 in 10 and worked super deep. I never got sore, in fact my body felt great but I ended up taking a 20 minute nap. When I woke up I was raring to go.

Not sure what else to say but if you have specific questions I'm happy to try to answer them.

Thanks Lannette for a great explanation. Really appreciate it.
__________________

**Candice**
IceQueen07 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-17, 04:42 AM  
IceQueen07
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Texas
Quote:
Originally Posted by bzar View Post
this is an old thread (link below), but might be useful. Callan was a student of Lotte Berk before branching out on her own, however Callan was the first to bring it to home video users in the mid-80s; LBM video workouts came out in 2003.

The Everything Lotte Berk Thread
Thanks Jeannine for the link.
__________________

**Candice**
IceQueen07 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-17, 05:44 AM  
Lannette
 
Lannette's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: NH
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dabbadooey View Post
What dvd's would you recommend? I cannot stream at this time.
I'm not sure who you're asking or if you got your answer. Maybe someone pm'd you.

If anyone wants to try Callanetics the Countdown video represents a nice value. You get Beginner, intermediate and advanced WOs for one price. As you become more advanced the beginner WO becomes more of a deep practice or recovery WO - it can be used either way. The price at Amazon has been the best though that changes, sometimes day to day.
__________________
Lannette
See my profile for info on relationships with various video distributors.

Do you really want to look back on your life and see how wonderful it could have been had you not been afraid to live it? - Caroline Myss
Lannette is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-29-17, 06:09 AM  
Lannette
 
Lannette's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: NH
Quote:
Originally Posted by bzar View Post
this is an old thread (link below), but might be useful. Callan was a student of Lotte Berk before branching out on her own, however Callan was the first to bring it to home video users in the mid-80s; LBM video workouts came out in 2003.

The Everything Lotte Berk Thread
Not sure if you will see this Jeannine. Though you didn't respond to my question, I've continued to think about this. I actually asked someone certified in both disciplines. I'm waiting to see if she'll allow me to quote her.

She referenced the old Lydia Bach book. THIS IS SIMILAR TO THE VIDEO I SAW. I think that the violence of the movements stunned me to the point that all similarities were then lost on me. If I haven't donated it away, need to look at the book more objectively.
__________________
Lannette
See my profile for info on relationships with various video distributors.

Do you really want to look back on your life and see how wonderful it could have been had you not been afraid to live it? - Caroline Myss
Lannette is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-29-17, 02:28 PM  
Lannette
 
Lannette's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: NH
The instructor certified in Callanetics and Pilates got back to me and gave me permission to quote her. Notice the second quote after she sees the video clip that she had not seen previously.


Quote:
I actually love Lotte Berk---it was the first form of exercise I formally studied when the "Awake,Aware, Alive" book came out, I think in the '70's. I believe Callan did study Lotte Berk, and I find there are more similarities between Lotte Berk and Callanetics than all the current barre classes ( and aren't there like a zillion of them now??). The current classes are so far off from Callanetics, they don't even come close. Much more ballistic movement, pounding music and driven classes that go so fast I don't know how anyone can find their form.

Pilates is larger muscle movement; it's a system of body conditioning exercises that is considered full body in varied ranges of motion. But Pilates does not have any movement as tiny as our Callanetics pulse----now many instructors include what they call a "pulse", but in fact, what passes for a "pulse" these days boggles my mind! The power of Callanetics is that the pulses are so very tiny ( barely visible) that the larger muscles "give way" and the smaller, stabilizer muscles have to kick in.
This is from the Callanetics website, written by an exercise physiologist, explaining that Callanetics is a blend of isotonic and isometric muscle work:
"The CALLANETICS program is a unique method of anaerobic-type exercise that is recognized as one of the most thorough muscle toning routines on the fitness scene today. It is best described as a combination of isotonic and mild isometric work that uses a very small range of motion of about one inch "pressing" type movements and very controlled "pulsing" type contractions of muscles. These characteristics make the exercises neither purely isotonic nor isometric.

The program is non-impact, and easy on the joints, tendons and ligaments, making it a comfortable exercise for inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and lupus. There is no strain on the cardiovascular system and there is never a sustained isometric contraction that would be contraindicated for a hypertensive person.

CALLANETICS exercises, though easy to do, create a deep muscular contraction that trains the muscles to become stronger and more toned with time. This training effect increases muscle endurance and raises the blood lactic acid threshold."

So Callanetics and Pilates fatigue and strengthen muscles in different ways; Pilates mostly involves concentric and eccentric contractions of the muscles, whereas Callanetics includes both concentric (such as the ab pulses) and eccentric contractions (the waist stretch pulses), but the movement is so tiny it is almost isometric ( a contraction in which the muscle length doesn't change/shorten during the work load). Pilates generally uses a much greater range of motion than Callanetics; I agree with you, Lannette that they are complementary.

When people ask me now, I say that both Pilates and Callanetics are mind-body disciplines; both work the total body in a balanced manner, and both result in greater muscle endurance and greater muscle strength. Pilates matwork is a system done in a specific order, and when done in a flow, is mildly aerobic. (Of course, Pilates also has a system of movements on the pilates apparatus). Then I say that Callanetics, along with Lotte Berk, was the original "barre method", and that it is still the best, far surpassing the current barre classes that are popping up on every corner. The Callanetics Pulse is like nothing else you will find in any other form of movement and it is uniquely powerful in how it shapes the muscles of the body.

Often,after hearing my explanation, people will give me a blank stare and then say something like, "So it's like yoga?" sigh....
And then I tell them to come take a class from me---doing Callanetics is the only way to understand the difference!
Good night all,
brenda
Quote:
Good morning!
Your link worked, Lannette, and yeah---that's pretty darn cringe-worthy to watch all that ballistic movement! I never took classes in Lotte Berk, so I don't know if it's taught that way now or not ( I followed the book, but I didn't really know what the tempo of the movements should be; Callan's books are so much more thorough! The Lotte Berk videos haven't been updated either, so they're interesting, but I wouldn't follow it as my movement practice.)
The book is more isometric types exercises at the barre, with a "hard tuck" of the behind, so it's not been updated with what we now know about why tucking habitually throughout the workout is not good form.
In the 70's and 80's, we were all about throwing the body around, it seems! Bouncing and jumping and moving so quickly---no wonder so many of my generation has all the knee and joint issues!
__________________
Lannette
See my profile for info on relationships with various video distributors.

Do you really want to look back on your life and see how wonderful it could have been had you not been afraid to live it? - Caroline Myss
Lannette is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-29-17, 02:46 PM  
MathTeacher
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Arkansas
Quote:
Originally Posted by momofcha View Post
I found it on Amazon for $10.70.
Today on Amazon it is $13. Earlier in the week it was $14. Hmmmmm.....
__________________
In a world where you can be anything, be kind.
MathTeacher is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-29-17, 03:08 PM  
Lucky Star
VF Supporter
 
Lucky Star's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: A helluva town
Quote:
Originally Posted by MathTeacher View Post
Today on Amazon it is $13. Earlier in the week it was $14. Hmmmmm.....
Either way it's a ridiculously cheap price for 3 complete and sequential Callanetics classes.

SuzieC (and Lannette), you've inspired me to start my own 30 Day Countdown. (It's been sitting on my shelf for ages, so why not? )
__________________
~ Gina ~
"Remain cheerful, for nothing destructive can pierce through the solid wall of cheerfulness." ~Sri Chinmoy
"We are so fortunate that we get to exercise!" ~Erin O'Brien
Lucky Star is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
callanetics, callanetics countdown, lacey kondi

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:11 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
© 2009 Video Fitness