Lotte Berk Method For Beginners - Muscle Eats Fat [DVD]

Hey, I was skeptical, I'll admit it. I bought this on amazon in January and didn't begin to use it until about March. Well, I take that back, I think I used it twice in February and then didn't do anything for the next few weeks. Ok, first here's the boring history of my body: My size has fluctuated from a 6/8 to 8/10/12. Currently I'm around 120 at 5'2". I have this odd condition called PCOS and in essence my body gains weight very easily, worsening the condition and then making it even harder to lose the weight. ("insulin resistence" it's called.) Anyway, I'm also short and have the bulky leg look. It's very hard for me to work out and trim the thigh area because I tend to build up muscle in the thighs very easily. Over the past year I've been on spironolactone which has helped me with my condition and controls the weight gain problem. Before I was on medication, I worked out RELIGIOUSLY with all kinds of cardio work such as step aerobics using the Firm videos, Taebo w/ Mr. Banks, running, weights, etc. (I do have a point I'm getting to...) Over the past years after graduating college and settling into a marriage and job I quit working out. Since the meds helped me control my weight I didn't see the need to squeeze work out sessions in. Part of this excuse of mine was due to my body not taking extra-hard cardio workouts as good as it did when I was in my teens/early twenties. Taebo began to cause my feet great pain (flat feet...thanks Dad.) and running, even on a treadmill, jarred my back too much. I would join a gym to lift weights for toning and then never use the weight machines because the gym would be too crowded or I'd find some other reason to put it off. Within the past year I discovered I had a bulging disc in my back and have been told not to do jarring exercise but to walk instead. Walking on the treadmill was too boring for me so I used my back problem as an excuse not to do anything.I was in a dressing room last night and saw my once-curvy muscled arse shimmering like jello under the harsh dressing room lights and I didn't like it. I knew I needed to get toned but in a low-impact way, and money spent on gym memberships for weights was a waste for me. So, I went home and popped the dvd back in last night and completed the work-out for the third time in a LONG time. It's not very long (30 min) and it is so low-impact you perform it without shoes. (I recommend gripper socks if you're on a hard floor) It doesn't seem possible that you would get results from something so low impact but even the very next day you will feel a difference. Also, the workout can be performed at night with no worries of a rev up feeling that would prevent you from falling asleep. I love to use this after work since the toning and stretching seem to help me unwind from the day. If you do have back or knee problems, doing these exercises incorrectly and rushed may injure you further. Take your time and don't think that just because you're not sweating you need to push it. The last time I did this I got stupid one night and did the advanced bonus workout after the regular one because I thought the first one wasn't hard enough. This caused me great pain the next day and that was another contributing factor to me not doing the workout again until recently. Trust me, you will feel an effect after the first workout. There is quite a bit of stretching involved. DO stretch because lengthening of the muscles is one of the most important aspects of this workout. During the stretching session my legs are usually so shaky from the work out that it is hard to tell when I'm forcing the stretch so I really work hard on trying to not mimic the stretches of the instructors. They are experienced dances and LIMBER doesn't even begin to cover it. They're like female Stretch Armstrongs. I think you will be pleased with this workout. Some of the movements seem very awkward to set up at first so I had my husband watch me from a side view during set up while he watched the instructor on the video so he could correct my form where needed. Once you get a feel of it from repetition the moves/positions don't seem that strange. I'm really enjoying this dvd and can't wait to use the high round assets dvd. (this is a great workout to do in combination with swimming/walking for those of you, like msyelf, who need more cardio but require low impact) It is really helping to shape my thighs, butt, and abs without adding bulk to the thigh area.

I've been taking barre classes at a local fitness studio 3 times a week for the past few months. Due to scheduling and the ongoing cost, I decided to try some videos at home. I like the Lotte Berk videos, this one in particular, because they are similar to the style of class I was taking. I wish they were a bit longer (this is about 30 minutes, the classes I take are and hour). You spend a good deal of time getting into position (VERY important with these types of exercises) but do very few reps. I do wish there was a bit more of each exercise because I'm used to the motto "shake to change" where you work your muscles to exhaustion take a little break and join back in the class to push out a few more reps. I do feel a burn with this DVD though, which is great.The components of the workout are:- warm up (swinging arms with leg lifts),- upper body weight series (you need a set of 1-3lb weights) and some planks,- lower body (a few plies with diamond legs),- knee dancing (sometimes called thigh dancing - they don't do very good job showing the details of proper positioning, you want to keep your back straight and your seat over your heels)- stretch (pretty standard, on the floor)In addition to weights and something for balance (like a chair or bar), you'll need a mat if you work out on a hard surface since you are on the floor for some of the exercises and stretches.Overall, this is a good bar workout to up into the rotation.

Although dated now, I have been doing the Lotte Berk Method of exercises for years and continue to benefit from them. This one, Muscle Eats Fat, is for beginners but is NOT for people with weak or bad knees because a lot of pressure is put on the knees.However, it is still an exceptional workout that is non traditional in every way yet incorporates some barre, some ballet, and some Pilates into the workout. It seems at first almost too easy. You don't huff and puff or contort into a pretzel. You do very small pulses generally with your legs slightly bent. When I first started doing this workout, I laughed because it didn't really feel like I was doing much. But the next day, I wasn't laughing. I was sore.After that, I started doing this workout three times a week and my lower body toned up very quickly. I stopped doing the workout in favor of other more contemporary workouts but found my way back to it in the past year or so and I still love it. It works my entire lower body as well as core and it's almost soothing to do as compared to the high intensity workouts that I am used to. This workout doesn't really do a lot for the arms but it hits the glutes, thighs, calves, waist area, and helps with balance and discipline.Dancers used this method many years ago and still do to this day incorporated with more contemporary exercises. The goal is long, lean muscles rather than bulk. It's a not a workout everyone will enjoy or need but I think it's pretty awesome. I like that there is a girl in the back who does modified versions of the exercises and another who does more extreme versions. The instructor is not at all what you would expect but an older woman who has been teaching the Lotte Berk Method for many years. She's tough as nails though and shows people that you don't have to be 22 years old to be strong, lean, and in shape. I am now 50 and have enjoyed this workout for many years and it never gets old for me. I am slim but want more muscle which is why I am back to doing this and other workouts after switching to mostly cardio work. My lung power is great but I don't feel like I have enough muscle so I am back to callanetics, Pilates, some yoga, and workouts such as this which challenge the tiny muscles as well as the larger ones.You need more than this workout for an all around good exercise program but, for strengthening and toning the legs and butt, this method works and it works fast if you stick to it. If you have bad knees though, even the modifications may be too tough and could cause you pain.

Very dated. Instructor was annoying. Couldn’t forward through promo/ preview.

I love this dvd, the first few times I did it my legs were wobbly from working so hard, obviously the more you do it the easier it becomes, but I have to say it never becomes easy and I can always feel that I've worked hard. The intense workout at the end is great as a change and a harder albeit shorter workout.

The Lotte Berk method is very similar to Callanetics but this series is more enjoyable than the Callanetics workouts, which means you're more likely to actually do them! (Although I feel Callanetics is possibly about 20% more effective). I have about 30-40 various workouts and keep returning to these as they are short, enjoyable but effective. Anything else this effective I have found gruelling and miserable. By doing one from this series every evening I noticed the exercises become easier after 4 days and a visible improvement in posture in 1 week, a visible improvement in body shape and tightness in 1.5-2 weeks.This DVD starts with a warmup and weights section for toning the arms and then a standing section of leg and thigh exercises and some killer floor exercises for the thighs (similar to the pelvic scoop in Callanetics), and finally a short stretching section. The whole workout is about 30 minutes but you will feel its effectiveness. It should be noted that to get a full body workout you need the Hip Hugger Abs and High Round Assets workouts as well, as this one is for thighs and arms only. The Basic Essentials has one excercise from each section of the other 3 workouts and is good if you want a brief all over workout but doesn't add anything new.This is an excellent thigh workout, really quite tough for a beginner and still just about a challenge if you're used to something similar. The 30 minute length is fantastic for after-work-but-before-dinner time when you should exercise but want to eat. The instructors demonstrate the movements very clearly and in a friendly, encouraging manner and there are modifications for beginners shown throughout.My only negative comment would be that the other 3 DVDs in this series all have the same warmup section with pushups which I preferred to the weight section in this workout as I naturally bulk up very easily and felt the pushups were more 'bingo wing prevention' but this may actually build muscles.All in all a fantastic series, the question is can you do all 3 consecutively?!

I researched this DVD before buying it quite carefully and certainly many of the reviews about it are true. It's a killer on the thighs - I've only done it a few times and I can definitely feel them changing shape (less bulky, more lean) as well as toning up. This particular video doesn't have any core or abs work, so it feels like it's missing out a bit and this is why I think you need the full set of DVDs.Overall though the exercises are good and I defy anyone not to tone up if used regularly!