All Rise...

Judge Katie Herrell thinks pajamas are underrated as workout apparel.

The Charge

Move in a body that is flexible, strong and toned.

The Case

If you were to find yourself under the watchful eye of master Pilates instructor Risa Sheppard (of the Sheppard Method), I have no doubt you would emerge (after the required number of weeks) a toned and graceful Pilates convert. Because on PILATES! A Gentle Formula to a Strong Body Risa's exercises and instruction are rock solid. It's everything else about the DVD that is soft and flabby.

First off, the menu has two options: beginner and intermediate workouts. There is no easy option to jump through exercises and scenes. And special features? Not on this pared-down DVD.

There are times, like at the beginning of the intermediate workout, when the audio is atrocious. It is tinny and far away, seemingly disconnected from the speaker. In the beginner workout I could hear street noise in the distance.

When Risa is just talking (and she uses the same introduction on finding your center in both workouts) the camera has a hard time settling on a comfortable angle. The shots are either straight on (the best method for this DVD) or Risa is gazing at and talking to one camera while another, stage right or stage left, is actually filming the footage. One close-up tilt on the beginner workout, moving from Risa's feet upwards, is ridiculously blurry.

I found the beginner workout to actually be a more varied and well-rounded workout and I didn't notice a large change in required ability levels between the two. Risa's instruction and the demonstrations (she and her partner Gidget alternate demonstrations) are well paced and easy to follow. Risa is obviously a teacher…just not a director, as this self-directed DVD demonstrates.

The Verdict

Guilty. It's just too bad the DVD doesn't hold itself to the high standards of the practice it is promoting.

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