Maggie does a wonderful job explaining how to perform the exercises, and the beginning level is just what I needed.

I am working through things and still learning, but took a look at the next level and it looks like it should be fun and a bit more challenging when I get to the point I can use it.

Very satisfied and happy I got this DVD.

The instructor goes a little bit to fast. She doesn't really explain your position to you. I have done it only once and feel frustrated.

I found this DVD helpful in understanding the "theory" behind Pilates, but for an absolute beginner, I find that the instructor sometimes gives the instructions too quickly. Overall, I like the various workouts with emphasis on different parts of the body. I plan to use this DVD on a regular basis.

I really like this instructor and this DVD has everything I wanted - good, easy to follow instruction, a nice setting, pleasant instructor, effective workouts, easy enough for a beginner but not so easy that I'd be ready something new in a couple weeks. With two levels of routines, a variety of routines of different lengths, and some with hand weights for more challenge, I'll be using this DVD for a long time.

I've had Pilates for Beginners for about 2 months and love it. I recently started a walking program and was having stiffness and soreness in my lower back, hips and shoulders. A trainer told me that I needed to work on "core strength and flexibility" and suggested Pilates. I've been alternating routines Pilates with walking and what a fantastic combination. The Pilates has helped me get a stronger back and abs, improved the movement in my hips and given me better overall alignment and posture. All of this lets me walk with better form, and for longer distances.

This is my first Pilates DVD, but it is excellent for beginners. Some of the excercises have a hard transition, like they were cut off before trainer was completely finished. But over all this is a very good beginning DVD. It has helped me understand the breathing techniques which feel backward sometimes. The inward breath at the beginning of a move and makes for a smoother movement. I'm also taking a class for beginners and the DVD has helped understand the Pilates method better.

I bought this video for my wife and she really enjoys the workouts. My wife says that it is very easy to follow and learn the routines.

For anyone looking for a low-impact, relaxing way to get back into shape, Pilates For Beginners is it! The presentation is great as well as the routines. The explanations for how to do the exercises are easy to understand and paced slowly enough that you don't feel overwhelmed. I would definately recommend this to anyone who wants to combine exercise and meditation/relaxation! An absolute 5 star item!

This video assumed that the viewer knew when to tighten the abs and when relax them. It just didn't offer enough instruction as she went through each exercise. Also, the delivery was distracting; it was obvious the instructor was reading a cue card. She reminded me of a third grader giving an oral presentation in front of the class. She was just going through the motions almost robotically.

If you are looking to learn pilates from scratch and you can't meet w/ a teacher, this DVD is wonderful. Its main goal is to teach perfect BASIC form and strengthen core muscles. Though I wasn't very experienced, I had been taking Pilates sporadically for a few months and was used to a much more rigorous class, so some of the routines were not quite challenging enough. BUT I have learned better form w/ this DVD, which is exactly what I needed. The workouts are broken into 2 main sections (very beginner and intermediate beginner) and each main section is broken down into several workouts, each targeting different body parts for different times. (arms/abs, 15 min...full wkout, 35 min...legs/arms, 15 min...) If you're just starting out, get yourself a mat and give this a try!

This DVD is perfect to learn pilates with easier (though not easy) workouts to start teaching you then a more advanced level (a bit tougher) that I have worked a little bit with. I look forward to being able to do more of them soon. Very enjoyable.

My friend suggested I may like pilates as an exercise to supplement some other things I have recently started (yoga and some weights) and recommended this DVD.

The instruction is clear and there is a set of lessons/routines for someone just starting out and routines that are more challenging when you improve upon the beginning level. You can even feel the effects of the more beginner level by following the instructions. The correct postures work wonders.

Beautiful setting and the instructor is encouraging and engaging in demeanor.

After reading the reviews, I expected alot from this DVD.
However, do not expect too much.
Since this is for the beginners, this has only easy work outs.

This is one of the best beginner Pilates DVDs that you'll find. The instruction is clear. The pace of the routines is perfect for someone who's new to Pilates, there are routines that are more challenging as you progress and the beach is a very nice setting.

I had recently started yoga and wanted to add pilates to my routines since I had so many good things about it.

There is a wide variety of routines on this DVD, with a level that has modified versions for a real beginner. But do not let the modifications fool you. Even though they are "easier" if you do what the instructor says you will get a very good workout while you are learning.

There is also a great selection that are easy to access. Pick what you want based on your time or what you want (Abs, Arms) and start your workout. The Essential routine is always a good one to reinforce what you need.

I have enjoyed it alot.

I've not done Pilates before. I've had time now to review the different stages of this video & have been pleasantly surprised. It gives instructions in a very direct & easily understood format & doesn't fly through the steps too quickly. By the time I had worked through all the steps from 10 minute to 30 minute full workouts I had a good grasp of the correct postures & breathing techniques. I'm currently working my way through the 2nd level of workouts & already seeing results! I would recomend this to anyone who is interested in learning Pilates. The range from very new beginner to further progressed is done well.

I fell out of shape, not too much, but enough that I felt I wanted to try to get back in shape.

My wife enjoys her Pilates class so I figured I would try it at home.

This DVD has helped alot. There is a selection of routines for beginning and some longer routines for when you get stronger and back into shape.

I put it into the player a few times a week and it has helped.

I had never done Pilates before, but was really curious from all the buzz. This DVD is a great place to get started. Not only did it have a wonderful beginning level with a several workouts with careful, methodical instructions, but it also had another level with many more challenging workouts. It was very beautiful as well. I highly recommend this DVD.

I have been interested in Pilates for some time. My chiropractor recommended that I do some core ab strengthening exercises to help my back so I bought this DVD. I love the instruction on this - it is perfect for someone that has never tried Pilates before. It is also a beautiful DVD visually. So far, the results have been great. I feel like my abs are in better shape and I have more strength overall. I think this is a perfect DVD to begin learning Pilates.

I am clumsy, oafish and accident-proned. I have not broken anything so far while following this DVD's instructions. I find this to be a plus. I am also massively out of shape and generally hate exercise videos, but this one keeps my attention and I actually look forward to doing pilates! It is not the least bit cheesy, nor do I feel ridiculous if someone's watching while I'm pilate-ing along with Ms. Rhodes.

Maggie Rhoades does a good job explaining how to do the movements and the workout is not too rigorous. I do feel my abs "burning" a bit the day after a workout. Another plus. Her voice is pleasant and soothing as someone else mentioned. Plus #3. I don't know if I am imagining it or not, but I just don't seem as flabby after a week of following this DVD.

For someone resonably fit and with no knowledge or experience in Pilates, this disc provides a good introduction. The workout is substantive and can produce good results in toning, strengthening and flexibility. I wish it had more background information to explain rationale of Pilates.

I think this DVD is fantastic. I would highly recommend it to people. Great job.

I really enjoy this DVD. The routines are easily learned and the pace is perfect. This is by far the best Pilates DVD I own.

This video included easy to follow instructions and had different sections to follow as you increased your level and skill of exercise. I would recommend it.

Being new to Pilates I wanted to find a DVD that was easy to understand and follow. I picked the DVD up after being told by a friend how great it was and am now hooked.

Finally a DVD that I'm able to use and grow with.

This DVD is sent up very similarly to Body+Soul's other recent release, Yoga for Beginners. It is intended for those new to Pilates and provides a variety of workout options, starting with more modified versions for the complete beginner and progressing to other beginning routines. The workouts feature instructor Maggie Rhoades practicing alone (on a beautiful beach at Half Moon Bay Resort in Antigua) with voiceover instruction. All of the workouts use a mat, and 1-lb. dumbbells are used in a few segments.

A overview of the DVD is provided below; I've first listed the main menu items and then have broken down the two submenus, "Getting Started" and "As You Progress." The times for each practice are given as they appear on-screen, but I've added adjusted times in parentheses based on my own review. I've also included brief summaries of the composition of each segment; these summaries are meant to provide an overview rather than to be all-inclusive. Finally, some workouts consist of stand-alone segments, whereas others are compilations of several previous segments (which I've noted when applicable).

Main Menu
Contents
* Learn: Interview (12.5-minute interview with instructor Maggie Rhoades reviewing basic Pilates principles)
* Getting Started: Modified Beginner Routines
* As You Progress: Beginner Routines
And More...
* About Body+Soul: Meet the Editor (2-minute interveiw)
* Articles: Articles and Advice (PDF file reprints of Body+Soul magazine articles on Pilates and related topics)
* Credits

Getting Started: Modified Beginner Routines
*Essentials, 8m (8)--the hundred, modified single leg stretch, modified rolling like a ball, spine twist, side kick series, back work
*Essentials & Weights, 15m (14)--same Essentials segment above (8m) with the addition of a 6-minute Pilates standing arm series with dumbbells
*Warm Up & Abs, 15m (16)--a 9.5-minute warm-up with reclined stretches, breath work, pelvic lifts, twist, cat/cow stretches, and curls, plus a 6.5-minute abs segment consisting of the hundred, partial roll-down/roll-up, balance, and rolling like a ball
*Rotation & Flexion, 15m (16)--the same abs segment from above (6.5m) plus a 3.5-minute segment with spine stretch forward and spinal twist, a 3.5-minute segment with saw and an arrow twist, and a 2.5-minute reverse curl/pelvic lift combo
*Prone Extension, 15m (13.5)--starts with the reverse curl/pelvic lift combo from above (2.5m), next comes a 3.5-minute segment on stomach with single leg kicks and modified swimming, a 4-minute segment with back extensions, child's pose, and work on all 4s, and then a 3.5-minute series with plank work, seal, and push-ups
*Legs, 15m (12.5)--starts with a 4-minute series of leg cirlces plus modified single and double leg stretch, next comes the leg kicks/modified swimming from above (3.5m), and finally a 5-minute side kick series in which Maggie switches from side-to-side for each exercise
*Abs & Abrs, 15m (16)--repeats three of the above segments: abs (6.5m), plank/seal/push-ups (3.5m), and the standing arms with weights (6m)
*Arms & Legs, 20m (18.5)--again, combines three of the above segments: the warm-up (9.5m), the leg cirlces/single & double leg stretch (4m), and the side kick series (5m)
*Full Workout, 35m (36.5)--combines the following segments: abs (6.5m), leg circles etc. (4m), spine stretch etc. (3.5m), saw etc. (3.5m), reverse curl/pelvic lift (2.5m), leg kicks/swimming (3.5m), back extensions etc. (4m), side kick series (5m), and plank/seal/push-ups (3.5m)

As You Progress: Beginner Routines
*Essentials, 10m (9.5)--similar to above version but less modified, with the hundred, single leg stretch (performed at a lower angle), full roll-ups, rolling like a ball, spine twist, side kick series, and back extensions
*Legs & Kicks, 10m (12)--4-minute single leg kicks and back extensions, 4-minute side kick series, and 4-minute plank/seal/push-up combo
*Warm-Up and Abs, 10m (12)--6.5-minute warm-up with reclined stretches, pelvic lifts, cat/cow stretches, and curl plus 5.5-minute abs segment with the hundred, roll-up, and rolling like a ball
*Essentials & Weights, 15m (17)--Essentials series from above (9.5m) plus 7.5-minute Pilates standing arm series with dumbbells
*Rotation & Flexion, 15m (17)--Abs series from above (5.5m) plus a 4-minute segment with criss-cross, spine stretch forward, and spinal twist, a 4-minute segment with saw and an arrow twist, and a 3.5-minute segment with open V balance, open-leg rocker, and reverse curl
*Flow, 15m (14m)--unique footage consisting of the hundred, leg circles, criss cross, saw, arrow twist, single leg kicks, side kick series, modified teaser (the only appearance of teaser on the DVD), modified swimming, let pull-down, seal, and push-ups
*Arms & Legs, 20m (18.5)--starts with a new 5-minute segment with leg circles plus single/double leg stretch and then adds the side kick series (4m) and Essentials (9.5m) from above
*Abs & Arms, 25m (23.5)--combines four segments from above: Abs (5.5m), criss cross etc. (4m), plank etc. (4m), and Essentials
*Full Workout, 30m (30.5)--a compilation of the following series: Abs (5.5m), leg circles etc. (5m), criss cross etc. (4m), saw/arrow (4m), V balance/rocker (3.5m), single leg kicks/back extensions (4m), and side kick series (4m)

Overall, this is an very well-done DVD, but I had a few issues with it. First of all, Maggie does not follow traditional Pilates sequencing in her approach; because I'm more experienced in Pilates, the flow sometimes felt strange to me. Similarly, the way some of the segments were combined to form the various workouts also felt a little odd--for example, why put the "Essentials" segment at the end of the "Abs & Arms" workout above? For those new to Pilates, however, these factors may not be an issue. I do think that this DVD, with its huge variety of options, could be a bit overwhelming to someone who has never done Pilates before, but for those who have some prior familiarity with the discipline, need modified versions of the exercises, and prefer a wide selection of routines, Pilates for Beginners might be an ideal choice.

I never thought I'd be able to learn to do Pilates with a DVD but this one is so easy to follow and moves so appropriately from begginer with no knowledge to intermediate level.. it is been fantastic. Maggie Rhoades is a great teacher. Her DVD is truly one of the best I've ever found. My core strength has improved 100% since I've started using this dvd. I am more flexible and have found that in my ability - strength-wise and balance-wise has greatly improved now in other sports as well. I would not hesitate to recommend this dvd to anyone interested in doing Pilates at home. (Just an aside, Maggie Rhoades has a beautiful and soothing voice and is a pleasure to listen to as well as to watch).

This pilates video stands out from the rest. The setting is a beautiful beach cove with the background audio of gentle waves, not music. After you heat up with the 100's and rest of the warm-up you almost feel like you are on that beach next to the instructor doing the routines. Other videos are often filmed in a stark unchanging studio and can get boring after a few times.
The instructor has a nice smile and pleasing voice, and gives just the right amount of instruction and with the right tempo, making the exercises very easy to follow while always reminding you of your posture and breath. The routines flow easily from pose to pose without unnecessary gaps or breaks. The first part is perfect for beginners, yet I found the second part challenging enough for an early intermediate level. Don't skip the intro, where the instructor does a nice job explaining what pilates is all about and how to intergrate it in your practice.
Since this video in enjoyable to do, I find myself practicing with it often. I just returned from a snowboarding trip and felt improvements in my core strengh, balance and flexibility. I recommend it for beginners to early intermediates who want to enhance how they feel and how they perform in sports.

I had been searching for a way to strengthen my core in hopes that it would lessen my chronic lower back pain. I tried a park district class for 6-7 weeks but had to quit because my back was getting worse and i thought that i just didn't have the strength to do pilates. My friends kept insisting that pilates, when done correctly would really help me with my problems. I looked in to private lessons and knew i wasn't able to make the financial or time commitment. I decided to give it one more go with the aid of a dvd. I lucked in to this dvd- picking it because it had Beginners in the title. What i didn't expect was to get such detailed oral and visual instruction. I understood more watching the dvd than i did in the classroom. It is easy to follow and has helped to improve my core strength so i can use those muscles and depend on my back less. Maggie Rhodes not only teaches pilates moves she teaches how to move while doing them. This has been the most helpful aspect of the dvd, learning how to move correctly. She gives detailed instructions on proper posture and breathing. I enjoy the routines and the variety, looking forward to the INTERMEDIATE version(hopefully to follow.)