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FitnessProsBooks.com - The Lotte Berk Method: Basic Essentials, High Round Assets, Hip Hugger Abs, Muscle Eats Fat
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List Price: $49.95
Our Price: $19.85
Your Save: $ 30.10 ( 60% )
Availability:
Manufacturer: Goldhil Home Media
Starring: Barbara Boolukos, Stephanie Lyons, Suzanne Cook
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: VHS Tape
EAN: 0743452072934
Format: Box set
Label: Goldhil Home Media
Manufacturer: Goldhil Home Media
Number Of Items: 4
Publisher: Goldhil Home Media
Release Date: 2003-02-04
Running Time: 120
Studio: Goldhil Home Media
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Good even for a guy.
Comment: My wife bought the set of four DVDs a couple of years ago, and stopped using them fairly quickly, out of boredom. Recently I have been trying to get back into shape. I used to work out a lot, but haven't in several years. My eating habits and lack of meaningful exercise caused me to gain 20-30 pounds. Recently, I have begun to lose weight by eating better, and needed to boost that weight loss with exercise. I dusted off the Lottie Berk box set, popped the introductory DVD into the player, not expecting much. But, after 30 minutes, I was surprised to find that I was sore, and my legs were feeling a little wobbly. To me, these are good signs; they mean that something's happening.
Since then I have used the intro and the "muscle eats fat" DVD about a dozen times, and still find that I get a good workout. I also feel more energetic than I have in a while. This is probably due to both the healthier eating and the increased exercising I've been doing.
Some people have complained that the workout is too short. I don't agree, and in fact, I have worked out probably more times than I would have, if the routine was an hour. The 30 minutes goes by pretty fast, and it takes more effort to justify not working out for 30 minutes than not working out for an hour.
I don't know how long these workouts will be effective for me. If needed, I can do specific exercises "off-line," and increase the hand weights, to keep them challenging. It probably helps already that the legs I lift are considerably heavier than the legs those instructors are lifting...
What annoys me about the DVD is that I haven't found a way to pop it in the player and fast forward to the workout. You have to go through a couple of minutes of non-workout propoganda (ads for other products, etc).
Overall, I think this is a good product. I've done the Tae Bo, but that guy started to irritate me pretty quickly. I like that this workout is short, and yet I can feel it afterwards. I have decided that I don't want to spend hours every day working out. But a 30 minute workout that leaves me sore is fine, at least at this point in my working out.
PS: I still need to do aerobic activity, because there's none to be had from the videos. We live in a hilly area, with woods nearby, and so I'm out walking quite frequently.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A lot harder than you think!
Comment: It took me about a week to decide which tapes to purchase. I did a lot of reasearch and am very happy with this set. I bought these tapes and have used them for the past 2 weeks. WOW! The video's are 30 minutes each. But within those 30 minutes, you get a great workout. Simple moves, but boy do they make you sweat! I feel the muscles working during the workout and feel energized after. I even have that "good hurt" feeling the following day. You know you have worked those muscles, but didn't injure them. I am starting to see small changes, but that is because I haven't been as consistent as I should be with the videos. Some reviewers had said that the instructors can be annoying. It's all in how you look at it. Yes, they can be redundant at times, but that's what I need to make sure I don't lose proper form. I would definitely suggest using a workout mat, especially if you do not have carpet on your floors. Other than that, stay consistent and you will begin to feel great and notice changes. And, of course, smart food choices and exercise go hand in hand. Drink lots of water, too!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Box set makes the grade for this couch potato.
Comment: If you're looking for a workout that will have you sweating profusely, these are NOT going to be the tapes for you. If, however, you want soemthing requiring no special equipment that will give you good results in a fairly short period of time (both daily and overall), then these might just work for you.
Being one of those folks who hateshateshates to exercise, particularly if it's CALLED exercise, these are a Godsend! They're quick, only 30 minutes apiece, and in spite of what one reviewer said, you do work up a little bit of a glow, though not a rolling sweat. Keep in mind, these are NOT aerobic exercise tapes, but toning tapes. They do what weightlifting does, and even include a weightlifting segment.
I find that they work best if I split them into groups of two, then do one set for two weeks, alternating tapes every other day, switching to the other set after 14 days. Both Muscle Eats Fat and Basic Essentials are general, full-body workouts, while Hip Hugger Abs and High Round Assets target particular muscle groups (abs and glutes, respectively). Muscle Eats Fat involves no abdominal work at all, so my preference is to pair that with Hip Hugger Abs so that nothing is left out at any time.
Additionally, no special equipment is required to make use of these. A folded blanket for padding on some of the floor exercises, a dresser or wall for balance in place of a ballet bar, full bottles of water for hand weights, and a towel to help with some of the leg stretches will get you through nicely.
That said, either of the general tapes could stand alone, though I don't think that Hip Hugger Abs and/or High Round Assets would work well without the more general workouts interspersed. Having done them fairly consistently for a couple of months now, I'm noticing considerable differences in my body shape and the way my clothes fit. I am also not inordinately sore, though there are indications that muscle is being developed and that work is being done.
The instructors are good, though occasionally a bit overly enthusiastic for the early morning (when I use these). They do, however, seem to be actually personally encouraging YOU to keep going, which is a very good thing in some spots. Many of the specific exercises appear on more than one tape, and the instructors explain the form and set-up slightly differently. I found that it took watching all four of them before I completely understood all the specifics of the form, which can be very important if you don't want to inadvertently hurt yourself.
In a nutshell, these are quick, easy, require no special equipment, and you will see results in short order if you are consistent with them.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Good workouts featuring non-traditional/ballet-style toning
Comment: The Lotte Berke Method (LBM) is a non-traditional type of toning workout developed by a Russain dancer of the same name and brought to America by Lydia Bach. Drawing from dance and other similar disciplines, many of the exercises require the use of a ballet barre, and the focus is on making small, precise movements to facilitate the development of long, lean muscles. The hallmarks of LBM include an emphasis on stretching throughout the workout and use of the "Lotte Berk tuck," which is a pelvic tilt used to emphasize the movements. Each workout begins with a warm-up of marching in place, lifting your knees high, and each ends with a "Shape by Stretch" streching segment.
Basic Essentials contains the greatest variety of movements and provides an overview to the method. It is a full-body toning workout which includes push-ups, barre work for legs and glutes, floor work for abdominals, and "knee dancing," a kneeling exercise targeting the lower body. Muscle Eats Fat is also a full-body workout and the only one to incorporate weights; you use light dumbells for shoulder, biceps, and triceps work. This workout also includes planks to work the core, thigh work at the barre, and knee dancing for the lower body. The remaining two workouts target more specific areas, although both include push-ups in their warm-ups. In High Round Assets, the barre work includes only a couple of different exercises, but you will perform a very high number of repetitions and then do the same on the floor for pelvic tilts; this was probably my favorite workout of the series and the one that felt the most effective. In Hip Hugger Abs, the entire workout is performed on the floor, first in a seated position for isometric work, then lying for Pilates-inspired movements and finishing with side and regular plank work.
Overall, these videos are well-suited to beginners and intermediates looking for something different than traditional weight work for toning. However, it should be noted that the personalities of the instructors are sometimes a bit hard to take, as they vary from cheesy to condescending to almost drill sergeant-like. Also, the workouts can be a bit boring at times, especially since it takes the instructors so long to set up each exercise. Despite these issues, I would still recommend this set as short, effective toning workouts, with Muscle Eats Fat and High Round Assets being particularly worthwhile.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Recommend but think it's too short
Comment: I have practiced Pilates for 6 years one on one with a Pilates guild instructor (machines and mat) and was looking for another type of exercise in the same genre to mitigate some boredom in my exercise routine.
I think the production of these videos is excellent: quality, music, set. I more or less like the instructors--they can be a bit weird some times but it's head and shoulders above the cheerleading on other exercise videos. Their cuing is excellent and I find the exercises fairly effective.
Two problems:
First, Way to short to get any type of workout. I always have to find something else to combine it with.
Second, the bonus track is like a mini workout and you have no idea how to integrate it into the entire workout. It even starts out with the same warm up!
What they should have done is create two tracks in the DVD where you could select the harder workout which was the entire workout with the bonus exercises layered in. This is totally doable at virtually no extra cost in a DVD.
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Editorial Reviews:
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The Lotte Berk Method has been called the ultimate body transformation system. For over three decades this no-nonsense, results oriented fitness method has been available exclusively at Lotte Berk Method studios in Manhattan and Bridgehampton, New York. A best-selling book and hundreds of articles have featured and praised these special exercises, but now for the very first time, the world famous Lotte Berk Method is available in a series of effective home video workouts. Former school teacher and tax lobbyist Lydia Bach developed the Method while training with Russian dancer Lotte Berk at her Rehabilitative Exercise studio in London. The Lotte Berk Method combines elements from modern & classical dance, orthopedic back exercises, and Hatha yoga into a highly sensual and satisfying fitness system. The Lotte Berk Method is a low-impact, extraordinarily effective program that firms, lengthens and shapes muscles to their optimal form! Its system of concentrated movements and deep muscle conditioning was designed to make each woman get her best body - miraculously fast. The Lotte Berk Method will make you feel great and help you discover a new level of confidence and vitality. This easy-to-follow set of exercises will introduce you to the basic movements of the Lotte Berk Method. You will enjoy warm-up exercises and stretches followed by concentrated exercises to work the thighs, abdominals and seat. Step-by-step instructions for proper form and body alignment will help you get the most from the exercises. You will feel new strength and increased flexibility after your first Lotte Berk Method workout!
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