Tracy Anderson Method: Mat Workout

My first review...love the Mat Workout...
I am in my 30s and have been a lifelong on and off exerciser(gym, treadmill, mostly The Firm videos)... About a year ago, I had an a-ha moment and realized that I was having a hard time "sticking" with working out, because with my Firm videos I wasn't really seeing good results and they were boring me to death!

That's when I switched over to yoga/pilates/barre workouts which I have truly enjoyed and have provided me with results...however, I had plateau'ed and was (coincidentally) thinking of how I could supplement with dance cardio when I saw Gwyneth Paltrow and TA on Oprah. After some research I ordered the TA Dance Aerobics (older dvd) through her studio...and enjoyed it so much that I decided to go for it with the Mat WO as well, even though I had promised myself to not spend any more $$ on tapes for a little while.

This has to be my #1 favorite DVD I own now. I have been doing it about three times a week and also doing the dance aerobics dvd. I have lost...

has many problems, but nice change of pace
I agree with the negative AND positive reviews. This isn't going to be for everyone. At the same time, it's possible to get something out of it if you're willing to accept the video's shortcomings.

Overall, I'm glad I got it. I can use it in conjunction with my fitness regimen.

I'd read the reviews before I bought, so there were no surprises - I could enjoy it for what it's worth: a good change of pace, very 'dancer-ly'. It reminds me of portions of the dance classes I took in high school / college, so maybe that helped me. The concept of "accessory muscle" training makes a lot of sense, and I can incorporate that into the rest of my fitness.

After doing the workout three times in nine days, I'd actually noticed some toning. It's a much more fluid form of movement and exercise (than, say, step aerobics or kickboxing), and therefore helps my poise and core. As a disclaimer, I hadn't done much training in a couple months, so probably MANY kinds...

Love it!
I am so happy I ordered this. I have known about Tracy for some time and after seeing her on Oprah was pleased to see there are DVD's available.

It is only Tracy doing the workout, which makes me feel more like I have a personal trainer. Her directions and comments are appropriate and the music corresponds well to the moves. The changes can be quick but with repeated viewings, I don't see a problem in picking them up. It's much more graceful than any run-of-the-mill workout. In fact, I would go so far as to call it "purposeful movement" rather than exercise. I can definitely say it's something I will look forward to doing rather than dreading. Also, there isn't a lot of babble and bubbly encouragement, which I'm grateful for.

I can't imagine a muscle that isn't worked during this routine. It is a challenge and if you're just starting out, just do what you can and work your way up to it. It will take me some time to be able to do it as effortlessly as...

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Tracy Anderson Method: Post-Pregnancy Workout

Fabulous Workout for Any Woman
I know this DVD is aimed at post-natal women, but the way it targets common trouble areas like the abs, hips and outer-thighs makes it a wonderful workout for any woman. I did have a baby 16 months ago, and have had a terrible time getting back in shape and losing the baby weight. I keep buying new workout videos, looking for that magically inspirational workout that is going to help me get my body back, with no luck, until now. I am completely hooked on Tracy Anderson! Her DVDs are beautifully produced, the setting is elegant, the music on this DVD is classical and complements the tone of the workout very well. Tracy's demeanor is encouraging and kind, she explains the mechanisms of each move quite well, but she does not talk too much.

The workout itself is about 45 minutes long, and is composed of a brief warm-up, a lot of ab work, some side lying ab work, some leg and glute lifts and squeezes, and then two series of arm exercises, one without weights and one with...

A real workout, but no cardio
I just got this video after seeing Tracy on Oprah. I had my 2nd baby 5 months ago and am trying to get back to my pre-1st baby weight.

Pluses:
- Great encouraging tone and instruction
- New ab, leg and arm exercised that I was not familiar with
- Seems like it is going to be effective (since I could feel my muscles while doing it)
- Classical music in the background rather than obnoxious techno or pop

What you need to know before purchasing:
- You need 3 lb weights. (I did it without them, but Tracy uses them on and off in the video)
- No cardio
- The actual workout (including warm-up and cool-down) is around 50 minutes.

Tracy Anderson Post Prego workout
This workout WORKS!! I am not an all caps , exclamation point type of girl but they best convey my happiness with this video. If I miss a day, I miss the feeling I get after having completed this butt kicking task. Anyway, I saw Tracy on the Today show and liked her attitude and she seemed to be different than other body conscious workout women. The video works all of your abs in such a way that you start to see and feel them in days. The leg portion is my least favorite because it really hurts and works. Every time I do it however, there is a little less pain and more concentration on how great I am gonna look in no time if I just keep at it. There is no jumping around , no heavy breathing concentration, no "you got it girl, feel the burn" energy. This is just a classy, if you will, intense workout geared toward getting back what you had and then some. Good luck all.

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