Beginning Callanetics (Official DVD)

Love it. Challenging

After reading a negative review on this tape, I attempted to cancel my purchase, but it was too late! Boy am I glad I missed that bus! This program demonstrated to me that Callanetics was possible for me, the most inflexible 50+ year old woman walking around on two legs (with bad knees to boot!) I recently lost a lot of weight and now I want a toned body, and like a typical human, I want it NOW. I have read such glowing reviews about Callanetics, how fast it works, how effective it is, and so I thought it was the ticket. Bought the book and was downright intimidated by the apparent difficulty of these exercises. Tried a few positions based on the photos in the book, and quickly despaired of ever being able to do this. For one thing, I have not been able to touch my toes since I was in Head Start! For another somehow I have not yet gotten around to installing a ballet barre in my house! I did try to use a dining chair, but it was too light to support my weight. I even lugged my ironing board in there, staring down the menfolk in my family ("Why am I taking the ironing board into the spare room? Cuz I'm gonna exercise! Don't be so stupid!")It was useless. Depressed and downhearted, (I really need the toning I heard boasted of by Callanetics devotees! My "before" pictures are truly appalling. I need some fine "after" pics to make all my hard work worth it!) I returned the ironing board and spent the rest of the evening resisting the urge to drown my sorrows in a plate of buttered biscuits and syrup.Next day the despised tape arrived! I figured I might as well watch it if only to add fuel to my pity party. I shoved it resentfully into the machine, and there was Callan sneering about people's excuses not to exercise (okay, she wasn't sneering, but remember this was a pity party)to all her flexible friends! Then they started exercising. The woman demonstrating the exercises under Callan's very close supervision was a seasoned Callanetics instructor herself; slim, pretty, cool, aloof, supple as a silk ribbon! The flexible friends? A group of ordinary Joe's that I could have easily fitted into with no questions asked! A rather stocky man of uncertain age, some women who were like me, not exactly the most perfect physical specimens you will ever meet, including Callan's 80 year old Mum! Some could do the exercises with little or no correction, some had to be constantly (and charmingly) corrected by Callan. Some required modification due to various physical problems which kept them from performing by the book. And like me in my plebian little spare room, they were using ordinary furniture to assist them! Sofas, tables, chairs? I've got those! Soon I was on the floor with them, absolutely exhultant! Put my leg up on low coffee table cuz I don't happen to have a ballet barre in my den? No problem! Use my sofa to support me during the glutes exercises? Why not since it has been supporting my glutes for years anyway!To be fair, this was not really a tape to exercise to though it does provide a short workout; it was more to show you how to do the exercises, so you will not, like me, despair when you try to use the book, or when your more extensive Callanetics tape arrives. So happy I got this! I have practiced to this tape and I can do every one of these exercises (except the "Open and Close" which I just laugh at, I think it was nice of Cally to throw in a little comic relief). I highly recommend it for all those like me who are flexibility challenged, yet still have the nerve to want to look hot in a pair of jeans!

I bought this version along with the updated version. I haven't viewed the updated version yet. Previous viewers stated the main positive about the older version is the clear instruction Callan gives for each exercise. I watched the video first and took some basic notes to organize the exercises so I could then record progress over time. Callan also goes over beginner variations for the stretches/exercises which I appreciate. I'm not strong enough to perform some of the exercises in their regular form yet. The next day I started the program. This is not a dvd to work out with the instructor. It is for instruction and introduction to the exercises. Callan starts each stretch/exercise with her co instructor. This helps greatly in performing the exercise. Callan starts by telling her co instructor how to perform the exercise. I listen to her instruction on how to put my body in the correct position and then do my repetitions. When I am finished I can press chapter forward to go to the next exercise. I really like this feature. After Callan works with her co instructor, she then works with the students. This is nice if I need to review variations. I injured my back several years ago and really enjoy these exercises and I appreciate the three stretches at the end of the workout focused on stretching the back. I have been seeing a physical therapist to get my body in shape just to be able to start exercising. I was pleasantly surprised to see that one of Callan's back stretches is the same stretch my physical therapist taught me. After I am more comfortable with performing these exercises I will watch the updated version.

I did Callanetics decades ago, but didn't have any way to watch it done or to modify, so I quickly gave up.I decided that all the other things I was doing were okay, but I wasn't seeing results. I'm a dumpy old lady that is tired of the rolls, so I thought I'd try Callanetics again.I can't believe how wonderfully this programme works! I have done about 12 hours, and my figure is actually changing. My rear is visibly smaller, and my back love handles are nearly gone. My stomach and hips are the problem areas, and they are, slowly but surely, decreasing.This is not an easy programme. One must do the exercises exactly as Ms. Pinkney says to do them. That takes at least 6 hours to get close to. The adaptations are terrific, and the pace is nice.The workout does what it says it will do- you WILL change your shape if you do this programme faithfully. (I do it three times a week.) If it works for this over-60 oldie, it will work for you.

I almost gave this a three because the workout was broke up so much while Pinckney was explaining various exercises and modifications. However, it is a good introduction before buying her more difficult workouts, and you can start the various exercises and just continue doing them the whole time she is showing modifications with her students. There is one other callanetics instructor besides Pinckney. Otherwise, the other people working out appear to be regular people off the streets who are beginners, which I like.