10 Minute Solution: Pilates Perfect Body

Suzanne Bowen
Year Released: 2008

Categories: Pilates/Core Strength


This DVD is led by Suzanne Bowen, previously of Lotte Berk fame (under the name Suzanne Cook, she led the Lotte Berk Method Hip Hugger Abs workout). Like all of the offerings in the 10 Minute Solution series, it features five 10-minute routines. It also has a nice programmable option which allows you to "Play All" or to custom-create your own workout by mixing and matching 1-5 different segments.

In the introduction, Bowen states that these workouts fuse traditional Pilates with some ballet dance moves as well as hatha yoga for stretch and flexibility benefits. I have provided a brief overview of each segment below.

PILATES PERFECT BELLY
Here Bowen begins with a brief overview of Pilates breathing. She then introduces the mermaid legs, and keeping the legs in this position, she performs the Pilates 100, alternating the legs every breath series. She continues with the legs in mermaid for the chest pull, adding a rock on the second set. Next comes criss-cross with a 3-2-1-hold pattern, adding a leg raise. She performs corkscrew with the ankles crossed, doing a set with the head down, then with the head up. She does the same for the crossing straight leg stretch--i.e., head down for the first set, up for the second. Coming onto hands and knees, Bowen moves through a brief plank/up dog, child's pose flow, repeating just a few times. She concludes on the stomach with the Pilates grasshopper, crossing her bent legs behind her.

PILATES PERFECT BUNS & THIGHS
Bowen starts this routine on her side for some of the classic Pilates side series moves, including the up/down, passe, and 3-point. Moving to bent legs, she performs leg raises, hamstring pulls, and circles; she then switches to an inner thigh focus with lifts and circles before repeating the entire series on the other side. Moving to her back, Bowen does one legged pelvic lifts. She then comes to her knees for what she calls "deep knee bends"--in the Lotte Berk videos, they called this "thigh dancing." Bowen finishes with a quad stretch.

PILATES PERFECT ARMS
For the first part of this routine, Bowen suggests using 1-3 lb. weights. Starting in Pilates stance, she performs shoulder rolls, side raises, hug-a-tree, scissors, chest expansion, and several different positions of small circles, both slow and fast--because of this, I found this segment to be overly hard on the shoulders. Bending forward, she also performs triceps push backs, bug, side bicep curls, and lateral lifts. For the last four minutes of the workout, Bowen goes down to the floor for what she calls the "plank series." She starts in a traditional plank position for push-up variations. Next, she moves into a side plank position for sort of a star with a leg raise (this felt more like leg work than arms work to me!). She concludes with reverse plank work.

PILATES PERFECT SILHOUETTE
Bowen states that this workout combines Pilates with ballet moves. She begins standing in plie position for a standing version of the spine twist, then moves into plie with hug-a-tree. Next comes front leg lifts with the thigh pointed forward and then out. This is followed by the standing see-saw. Bowen then goes to the floor for the Pilates push-up, doing a one-leg version. Next comes reverse plank with a side passe and reverse push-ups. She concludes with a half roll-down with a twist and then full roll-ups.

PILATES PERFECT STRETCH
Bowen begins on her knees here, moving into a stretch similar to gate pose in yoga. Next comes saw and then seated hamstring stretch to either side. This is followed by seated spine twist, moving into a hip stretch (a.k.a. firelog pose). Bowen then performs a seated thigh stretch. She transitions from child's pose into cat/cow stretches. Next comes a series with down dog, 3-legged down dog, and low lunge with a hip flexor stretch (repeat on other side). Bowen concludes the stretch segment with thread the needle, twisting child's pose, and a wide-legged seated forward bend. This was quite a nice stretch series overall, BUT Bowen goes just a bit too fast for my liking; I really wish she had maybe included a few less exercises and held the moves for a little longer.

I found this DVD to be a pleasant surprise, as I enjoyed the routines more than I thought I would. I particularly liked the Belly, Buns & Thighs, and Stretch segments; the Arms felt more unbalanced, with its over-emphasis on the shoulders, and the Silhouette lacked focus. Thanks to the DVD's programmable feature, however, I can just focus on the segments I like and skip the ones I don't. I would say that this DVD is probably most appropriate for Pilates practitioners at the low intermediate and above level. Other than briefly reviewing breathing at the start of the Belly workout, Bowen gives very little instruction about Pilates basics, and many of the exercises are definitely beyond beginner level.

So, if you are an experienced Pilates practitioner who enjoys adding interesting twists to traditional Pilates exercises, I would recommend this DVD.

Instructor Comments:
I definitely liked Suzanne better here than I did in her Lotte Berk offering (I think that they must make them read from a script for Lotte Berk--they sound so rote!). I thought that she cued well, mostly going at a reasonable pace, although there were a few times when I felt like I had to scramble to catch up. (In particular, as noted above, I definitely would have enjoyed holding the stretches longer in the Stretch segment.)

Beth C (aka toaster)

10/28/2012