10 Minute Solution: Prenatal Pilates

I bought several pregnancy workout videos, and thought it would be a good idea to write a review of all of them at once: Amira’s Bellydance and Yoga for Pregnancy; 10 Minute Solutions Prenatal Pilates; Shiva Rea’s Prenatal Yoga; Perfect Pregnancy Workout vol.1; Summer Sanders’ Prenatal Workout. Let me start this by saying that before my pregnancy, my level of fitness was somewhere in between couch potato and world-class athlete – I usually worked out a few times a week, doing 20-30 minutes cardio and some light weight-lifting, but was not running marathons or anything like that. I wanted to maintain a similar level of fitness during my pregnancy, while building muscles and flexibility specific to labor and burning enough calories to offset my very increased appetite. Whether you get one of these or not, my overall advice is that working out during pregnancy really, really helps – it helped me stay more comfortable as I expanded and my center of gravity shifted, it helped me feel good about the changes that were happening to my body, and it helped prepare me for a relatively smooth and manageable labor and delivery (no medication). Amira’s Bellydance and Yoga for Pregnancy: This was one of my favorites, and I think in the long run it really helped prepare my body for labor; it also helped me to relax, stretch, and feel good as I got bigger and bigger. Some of the reviews here point out that it is not a very intense workout – that’s true, but I felt like there was plenty of stretching and strengthening, and through much of my pregnancy high intensity was not what I was looking for – the goal of this video is not to increase athleticism, but to help the body adjust to pregnancy and prepare for labor. Amira is a very encouraging coach, and much of the commentary is designed to be relaxing, informative, and comforting; I also appreciated that she looked like a real pregnant woman in the video, rather than a super fit, still skinny woman who just happened to have a bump. The bonus material – interviews and some dance performances – was not all that appealing to me, but I liked Amira’s intro statement about her own experience and the history of bellydance. The interviews might be more interesting/helpful for someone who doesn’t have sisters/girlfriends who have been through this before. 10 Minute Solutions Prenatal Pilates: This was another favorite. I really like the format, where you can choose how many of the 10-minute segments to do, and in what order, and I felt like the workouts were manageable and well-suited to pregnant bodies. Towards the end of my pregnancy, I was doing the flexibility workout more than the others and often just one or two at a time, but for the first two trimesters, I would usually do three of the workouts at a time. I was somewhat familiar with pilates already, but not an expert by any means, and I found the workouts easy to follow (with a little practice needed the first few times); I think this would be good for those new to pilates, and the format means that even people who are not used to working out can start off with a manageable amount and work up from there. The instructor sometimes gives conflicting cues about breathing patterns, but generally she is clear, informative, and easy to follow. Seeing someone well into her 3rd trimester doing these exercises was very inspiring. Some of the workouts don’t require any equipment, but some require light hand weights and/or pillows. Shiva Rea’s Prenatal Yoga: I didn’t get this until near the end of my pregnancy, but the few times I did it made me wish I had it earlier. The pace and level of difficulty are definitely geared towards beginners, and much of the emphasis is on toning and stretching in ways that are particularly geared towards pregnancy and labor (kegel exercises and hip stretches). This is a very relaxing and slow-paced video – not a killer workout that will leave you sweating and panting. There are modifications for each trimester, but with many of the moves, I found I could do the 1st trimester version and didn’t need the modifications. It did require some equipment: a yoga blanket (? Not sure what this is – I just used a regular blanket folded up), a strap (I used the belt from a bathrobe), and a yoga brick (this was needed for some of the later trimester modifications – I just skipped it). Perfect Pregnancy Workout vol. 1: I had read great reviews of this, but was disappointed and only used it a few times. Basically, it was too strenuous for my pregnant self – the instructor is a world-class athlete and I guess this is the workout she had put together for herself during her pregnancy – nothing wrong with that, but her level of fitness and her fitness goals were just a little different from mine, and I really couldn’t keep up. That said, there were a few moves that I liked and did separately when I just needed something quick (like the labor squats). I did like it that kegels were built into this. If you feel you are up to it, it is an intense and thorough workout. The final section, on preparing yourself mentally by doing an intense endurance exercise, seemed silly to me at the time, and it still seems silly now that I’ve been through labor: 3 minutes of arm circles is difficult, but conquering this difficulty will not be enough to prepare you for making it through labor (which can be manageable if you are well-prepared!). Summer Sanders’ Prenatal Workout: This video was ok, and definitely offers a thorough workout, but it was not my favorite. It has three separate workouts, one for each trimester, and you can choose the complete version or an express version for each one (I think the complete version is just the express workout repeated a second time) – I almost always did the express version. The 1st trimester workout was way too hard for me (I wanted to spend most of my 1st trimester sleeping), the 2nd trimester workout was just about right in terms of intensity, and the 3rd trimester workout was a little too light (for me). The moves here are fairly traditional and will certainly tone major muscles groups without any frills; I would have appreciated more stretching. There were a few pregnancy-specific moves that I often did separately (labor lunges, plie squats). Summer Sanders and her trainer/sister-in-law are encouraging, but their chatter doesn’t hold up well and starts to get annoying after watching it a few times.

I have always had a hard time picking out workout tapes & doing so pregnant was no exception. I previously purchased the Pregnancy Workout Volume I and Prenatal Yoga tape-both of which I did not like. The Pregnancy workout Volume I was insanely hard, especially for me to pick up since the first 3 months of pregnancy I was sick EVERY DAY & was out of shape... the Prenatal Yoga tape was boring and the instructor annoyed me. With the 10 minute solution prenatal pilates tape none of those things were issues. I literally JUST finished my workout and had to come on here to do my review. I put this tape on because my lower back was bothering me and I figured doing the 10 minute standing pilates section would be a nice stretch. I wound up doing all 5 segments instead. This workout provides nice stretches and good workout techniques for pregnancy. I felt the workout but I don't feel like I never want to do that again because I am too beat up from it. It has a nice balance of exertion without being too strenuous. My favorite segment is the total body pilates and the standing pilates. The flexibility one didn't seem as challenging as I would have liked, but overall still a decent workout. The core pilates is mostly done on your back HOWEVER if you use the pillows properly for support as shown in the video it minimizes any impact on the lower back and makes the exercises adaptable for pregnancy. Going into this video I had some issues with my lower back and was to the point where I couldn't even lie flat on my lower back without experiencing pain.... some of the exercises on here you do do flat on your lower back. Please bear in mind that this is not the "optimal" position for pregnancy but the time spent here is minimal, at best, and you are constantly moving. Also, I would recommend trying it. I made sure to try to do at least 2 reps of any flat back exercises through my slight discomfort and I can honestly say that just from this one time through my back feels better now than it did before. I am eager to see how much I can increase my reps and work out the kinks - literally- in my lower back. I would highly recommend this workout. It is good to be able to break down the sessions into quick 10 minutes spurts but you can also work through them one by one or customize your workout each day. The workout is efficient without being too overly taxing on the body. You can tell that the standard pilates positions and workouts were modified for pregnancy with serious thought. Also, the instructor is not overly perky or obnoxious like is the usual case with these videos. She is pleasant and almost fades into the background as a guiding voice. One small addition is that she does move fairly quickly through the workouts and at one point on the buns and thighs session I got slightly annoyed because I couldnt switch sides as quickly as she did. But, overall that is minimal compared to the pro's in the video. ** For this video you will need a set of 1-3lb dumbells and 1 or 2 king sized pillows, a yoga mat is also recommended. This isn't indicated on the case of the DVD itself, but you will use them and they are beneficial to the workout.

I am 6 months pregnant with my first baby and would consider myself a pretty active person. Pre-pregnancy I would run about 10-15 miles a week and do barre-method ballet workouts 2x/week and then a very intense strength training session once a week. I am quite fit and have good muscle tone and a strong core. I continued my normal routine for the first trimester, simply skipping any jumping-rope or trampoline based exercises. By my second trimester, I began to worry that perhaps I wasn't doing appropriate workouts for my "condition", as my belly has popped out now and is definitely a bit in the way. I also was at the stage where laying on your back for extended periods of time was no longer medically sound for the baby - so I moved onto specifically prenatal workouts (in addition to continuing my cardio which I switched from running to the elliptical). I have four prenatal DVDs that I ordered here on Amazon: - this one (10 min prenatal pilates solutions) -suzanne bowens long and lean -summer sanders prenatal -suzanne bowens barre workout Those are in order from easiest to most challenging (IMO). This DVD is quite mild and doesn't ever make me sweat or feel intensity, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I save it for a day of the week where I'm feeling lazy and would be proud of myself to accomplish anything at all, but am not up to the challenge of one of the other work outs. Lizbeth is easy to follow, though the first few times you may miss out on a rep or two by watching her to find the proper form, but by the third time - you should be able to follow easily without needing to constantly study her movements. I feel very relaxed and like I got a good stretch in after I've completed this DVD- but like I said, I don't feel like I worked out. If you're a beginner at exercise, this may be right up your alley. The only thing that worries me is whether we should be doing crunches, etc while pregnant -- I've heard that you shouldn't if you want to avoid diastasic recti (which we obviously all do). She does have pillows supporting her though, so the crunches/roll-ups are much less intense than they would be otherwise. All in all, I would recommend this DVD to anyone who is looking for a very mild, calming exercise routine -- just don't expect to get an intense work out, and you won't be disappointed :)

I received my three workout videos last week: "10 Minute Solution: Prenatal Pilates" with Lizbeth Garcia, "The Perfect Pregnancy Workout vol. 1" with Karyne Steben, and "Summer Sanders' Prenatal Workout." So far I have only used 10 Minute Solution twice, and the other two only once. I would like to update as I continue to use these videos but I wanted to give my thoughts so far. 10 Minute Solution has five 10-minute workouts. I am a total newbie on pilates but I loved this video. I only made it through two workouts on my first try; on my second try I got through all five. In the future I will only use the first four, and instead of the flexibility one I will do my own stretches, just because it didn't seem to go as well with my joint pain as my own stretches do. Perfect Pregnancy vol. 1 is about 40 minutes long. Karyne gives alternate moves for intermediate and advanced, but I had to stick with the beginner moves, and it kicked my butt. Twice I even had to stop and rest because I could not keep up with her. That woman is amazingly strong. I really liked that she included a lot of ab work, because I feel like my abs need that desperately. Summer Sanders' workout was much milder, but it was still a good workout. She does a little bit of abs, but mostly focuses on arms and legs. The workout is about 45-50 minutes long. I didn't realize that you need a resistance band. I have one, but mine is a loop and on the video she uses a straight band with handles at each end. I was able to do the leg exercises, just holding my band lower, but for the arm exercises I used a pair of 3 lb weights instead, and that worked fine. I just wanted to say how amazed I was with the difference I felt in my own body after only one week of working out with these videos. I am 33 years old and 21 weeks along in my 5th pregnancy. I am six feet tall, so my ideal weight is between 150-160 lbs. I have sacroiliac joint dysfunction, which started in my first pregnancy, which just means that I get a lot of joint pain in the back of my right hip. This joint pain got worse with each pregnancy, until in my 3rd pregnancy I was sometimes unable to walk from one room to the next without pain. I have found that regular chiropractic appointments have helped a ton, and I walked regularly through my 4th pregnancy and that seemed to help too. But I have also noticed that my abs seem really weak, like they can't handle carrying another baby and I have felt like I really need a good ab workout. After my first pregnancy, I got down to 145 lbs. Woo-hoo! After my 2nd pregnancy, I stopped losing at around 155. After my 3rd it was 165, and after my 4th I never got lower than 173. So I have also been extremely concerned with this trend. I have gained too much weight during all of my pregnancies, and so far in this one I have already gained about as much as I think I should have gained for my whole pregnancy. So I hope that regular exercise will help me gain slower, as well as help my joint pain. After only one week of working out with these videos, I have already felt a huge improvement! For the first time in weeks I didn't gain a pound this week (yay!), and although I imagine I look exactly the same, I feel better, my muscles feel tighter all over, and I feel like I look better. My joint pain is very minimal, and most of the time I don't feel any pain at all there. I am blown away with how much the joint pain has improved with just one week of working out. And my tummy feels tighter, like maybe it can handle this baby after all! I feel healthier in every way. I am really excited about such amazing results in so little time. UPDATE 2/2013: I am now 33 weeks along. I have been favoring 10 Minute Solution, Perfect Pregnancy, and Knocked-Up Fitness with Erica Ziel, which I got a few weeks later. Over the Christmas holidays, we went out of town for a while, and I didn't exercise at all during that time, and I ate a lot more than I needed to, so at this point I am still heavier than I want to be. But I have been exercising consistently for close to a month since that break, and I am still loving these videos. I have been focusing on one video per week, which is nice to stick to something for a week but over the month I get some variety. I have been working out six days a week, and I have stopped drinking everything except water and sometimes milk, and I have been eating a lot less desserts lately. For the past few weeks my weight has pretty much stayed the same, and my back pain is very minimal. Also, I have been getting lots of compliments from my husband lately. He has noticed that my butt looks different than it has for a long time, and he says he doesn't think I have ever looked this good while being pregnant. I definitely feel better now and have more energy than I did during all of my other four pregnancies. The differences I can see are that my butt and the back of my thighs are still separate (rather than meshing together like they always did in the past), and I still have a little pouch of fat on each of my hips but it is shallower even than it was before I got pregnant, and in past pregnancies I always had a couple rolls above my belly, below my chest, and I do have one small one now but it's so much better than before. And my arms had started to get kinda floppy but now they are looking toned lately. And this is my first pregnancy without swelling in my feet and ankles. So I am still excited about my videos and hope to keep using them up until the baby comes, and then after she is born and I'm ready to exercise again, I will likely come back to these videos before going back to regular non-pregnancy videos.

I'm in the 5th week of my 3rd pregnancy. I gained 45 with my first and was in terrible shape. I didn't loose the weight until after my 2nd pregnancy where I only gained 25, but started overweight. I finally lost all the baby weight and then some and now here I am for #3. I am no where near in great shape, but at least my weight is down and I'm working on it. I started working out early and I've promised myself I would have a more healthy pregnancy this time. My diet is great, I just needed to find a workout that I would enjoy and that wouldn't take an hour of my time. I purchased 4 pregnancy workouts - 2 pilates and 2 yoga and I love them all. I looked at pretty much every prenatal workout Amazon has to offer (spent a couple days reading reviews) and am super happy with my choices. All 4 make the workout very personal, the music is great, and there isn't any of that super peppy over acting stuff like so many workouts. They are all well trained in their art and have many years of experience behind them. #1 - 10 minute Solution Prenatal Pilates with Lizbeth Garcia This really energized me. It uses weights along with great moves and my heart rate was up and going. I love Lizbeth Garcia. I LOVE that you can pick which order you do the workouts in and you can do one or as many as you like! I'm looking forward to the postnatal workout after my beautiful little one arrives! #2 - Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga with Elena Brower This is a great workout! This is my first time doing yoga, though I've done some of the moves in my regular non-pregnancy pilates workouts, and I'm loving it. It has really loosened up my stiffness and made my hips and lower back feel so much better. I thought I was going to die during my 2nd pregnancy because of all my aches and pains. I talked with many of my friends about yoga and what I should look for. They told me about how I should feel it, but not overstretch, to know what my bodies limits are. The breathing really helps. This one also has a postnatal workout! #3 - Pilates During Pregnancy with Niece Pecenka All I can say is - wow! My legs are out of shape. The ab workout is great and helps me feel open and even helped my bloated feeling pass. The leg work is a challenge and has a lot of different moves my other pilates workouts don't, but I know it will get easier as I gain strength. Some of he movements aren't always the same length, but I still love doing this workout. #4 - Yoga for Pregnancy Labor & Birth with Colette Crawford I did this today and it really relaxed my body and mind (which I needed as my 3 and 5 year old were running around the house doing crazy things). It's very simple and straightforward and anyone can do it. I feel motivated after doing it and so many pressures are gone. As mentioned in some of the other reviews the girls in it aren't super skinny and that is kind of nice sometimes. She talks a lot about breathing, being in the moment, and just knowing your body. I would recommend this to anyone who just needs some time to learn to relax and do some great stretching to help with aches and pains! I hope this helps anyone out there looking for some great workouts to stay in shape and feel in control during pregnancy. Just a side note, I've noticed working out really helps me control my cravings and wanting to over eat. It strengthens my mind and helps me feel in control.

UPDATE: Three months after having my LO I wanted to get back in shape. The first thing I tried was the extra add on to this DVD. It is led by a different woman, who does not look like a slim pack of muscles who doe not look like she ever has been pregnant. The postnatal workout would be challenging for me even in the pre-pregnancy days. Now they are next to impossible. I found it very frustrating and not helpful. After going over other DVDs that erred on the other side of being too easy, I decided to do regular pilates and try this DVD once I am more in shape. One good thing, though -- it doesnt require any special equipment (balls, bands etc) so you can do them in a whip -- an important thing to consider with a busy new-mom-schedule. ORIGINAL REVIEW: I used to practice pilates fairly regularly prior to my pregnancy, and was looking for a work out that would help me maintain fitness while being safe in my current condition. Many pregnancy work outs I have seen erred on the side of being way too easy even for someone without any work out history. In this sense, this DVD is great. It offers a variety of exercises on different levels, so both fledglings and veterans can enjoy it. Moreover, as I progressed through the pregnancy I no longer could do certain exercises but could still benefit from others. It is very important to stop BEFORE you get tiered, and to never exhaust yourself. So at some point I had to give up a lot of the exercises that require bringing your knees towards the belly or lying flat on the back. (A note on this issue -- ask your OB. Mine said that spending just a few minutes lying flat on the back will not be a problem, but you should stop if you feel any signs of dizziness, nausea or fatigue). I liked the adaptation of many of my favorite pilates exercises, but I have to note that some of the exercises have very little t do with pilates. They are nice and probably do the job, but it is a misnomer. My favorite sequence of pilates workout: Start with the first 3 minutes or so from the standing pilates for general stretching and warm up. Then skip the weights exercises and continue with pilates for flexibility. Then, alternate between days with either pilates for buns and core pilates (in both there would be some things I could not do past 6th month, so I only do about half the work out from these two series). This results in a very nice 20 min work out session, that makes me feel flexible and energetic for a good portion of the day. Although, as you can see, I do skip a lot, I think this is a very good value.

After a shaky first trimester, my doctor gave me the ok to exercise again. I started shopping for a good, fun workout DVD. I tried the "Buff Moms-to-be" workout - don't bother with that one. Way to wimpy. Next, I got the "The Perfect Pregnancy Workout" DVD. I love that workout. By far my favorite. However, there isn't much core work involved, so I thought I'll get a pilates DVD, so I can alternate workouts. So, I ordered "Pilates during Pregnancy." That workout is way too brutal. It made me hurt all over, and not in a good way. Finally, I ordered the "10-Minute Solution Prenatal Pilates" DVD. Oh, how I love this workout. The whole body gets a workout. Every muscle in your body is working. The workout is just right - not too wimpy and not too hard. Very doable. You'll feel great afterwards. The instructor is very pleasant, and the background is very inviting. The music is there, but not overpowering. There are five 10 minute sections: Standing Pilates, Core Pilates, Pilates for Buns & Thighs, Total Body Pilates, and Pilates for Flexibility (my favorite). You can select the "Play All" feature, or you can create your own workout by selecting only the sections you want to do. I recently started some physical therapy for my sciatica, and the therapist commented on how great my muscle tone is, especially in my core. I told her about this DVD, and she told me to keep it up, since it seems to work well. I'm now 34 weeks pregnant, and I will continue to use this DVD and "The Perfect Pregnancy Workout" as long as I can. A number of people have raised some concerns about some of the exercises on this DVD that are done laying on your back. First of all, the amount of time you spend on your back is extremely short. A couple of minutes at the most. I spend more time laying on my back during ultrasounds. Also, the physical therapist gave me some exercises to do at home for my sciatica, and those exercises have me laying flat on my back for 3-5 minutes, so it can't be that bad. Also, while you are laying on your back, during this workout, you are moving around, so I could imagine that prevents blockage of blood flow. But, you need to do what you feel comfortable with. I would definitely recommend this DVD for a great pre-natal workout.

I am 4 month pregnant and I purchased this video for its medium difficulty and the 10 minute convenience. I have not exercised much at all before I got pregnant or in my first trimester, but decided it was time for me to start. I like the fact that I can exercise just 10 minutes at a time, but ususally go through more sections. I love that some weights are being used while the exercises concentrate on all body stretching and strenghtening. The trainer is very pleasant and encouraging. The reason I did not rank the DVD higher is that there is very little explanation of the positions she is taking and the pace is quite fast. There is also very little breathing guidance or over all pilates principles explanation. It is good to have at least a very basic knowledge of the pilates principles before going through the exercises (for example Pilates Beginning Mat Workout with Ana Caban). Not negating the above, the fact that there are no breaks for exercise explanation makes the routine interesting over and over again - it prevents it from getting boring once you get familiar with the exercises. Over all, I recommend this DVD.

This is great! Very good 10 minute sections for different parts of your body. The exercise just flows and keeps you moving so you don't dwell on the pain but rather concentrate on what you need to do and how to do it properly. Read some reviews before buying and a lot of people mention that it's fast moving, but I must say that if you exercised before you will not find this fast moving at all. If anything I wish it was slightly more difficult at times, but I am only in the first trimester so the exercise will only be more chalenging as my belly grows. There is also one 10 minute part for stretching which is very good to add to your total body workout from time to time or when you simply have more time on your hands. You will need some hand weights for this DVD, an exercise mat and some pillows. I enjoyed it very much every time I did it. In my first pregnancy I used another DVD which I absolutely loved as well so was surprised that this one I love just as much if not more, simply because it keeps you moving and you never get bored. Very nice total body workout. Excellent for mentaining flexibility and strenght throughout your pregnancy :) And the price was very low for such a good DVD :)

There aren't a lot of good prenatal fitness dvds to choose from, but this one is a sure-fire winner. I did it throughout my first pregnancy and I'm doing it again this time around because of how great it made me feel. There are five 10 minute prenatal workouts which offer a great variety - you can choose to do all (if you have more time) or only one or just a few (if you are pressed for time) in a customized workout. There are a good variety of easier and more difficult workouts that actually make you feel like you are DOING something. She uses some good classic pilates moves and includes strength training and flexibility components. There are three components that make a good workout dvd in my opinion: 1) a workout that actually makes you feel you've worked out! 2) a variety of exercises so it doesn't become boring and repetitious; 3) an instructor who isn't too peppy or obnoxious. This dvd delivers on all three parts and I would highly recommend it! Fellow pregnant women: do these workouts (or any) routinely and you will undoubtedly feel better and feel better about yourself!

Ein Workout, das fordert, aber man sich auch mit Kugel gut aufgehoben fühlt. Viele Elemente kennt man aus "normalen" Workouts. Und welche Wohltat war es trotz Schwangerschaft mal wieder Hanteln in den Händen zu halten :-) dass man sich Workouts im Menü kombinieren kann ist super. Es gibt also die Möglichkeit nur 10 min zu trainieren, komplett alle 5 workouts zu machen (obwohl eines für nach der Geburt ist) oder eben sich seine Lieblinge zusammenzustellen und dann ohne Fernbedienung in der Hand trainieren zu können. Ich finde die DVD top.

LA video de ma grossesse. Je l'ai faite sans souci durant la totalité de ma grossesse et même après l'accouchement pour une reprise en douceur. C'est juste ce qu'il faut pour des personnes qui n'ont pas bcp de temps ou qui souffre d'un probleme dorsale (comme moi). 10mn par ci par là ou alors la video de 50mn d'un coup. Je faisais les 50mn pendant mes neuf mois de grossesse et tout s'est bien passé.

Muy cómodo por que lo puedes hacer en casa, cuando quieras y a tu ritmo (aunque al final te cansas un poco de hacer siempre los mismos ejercicios)