Full disclosure: I received a free review copy of this workout.

Skinnylates is a circuit-style workout for Pilates enthusiasts who want a different type of workout that includes Pilates strength work. This workout alternates cardio segments with Pilates matwork.

Amy Cady is the lead instructor and there are two background exercisers, one of whom demonstrates easier modifications. I thought this modifier was pretty effective at showing options. All you need is a mat and you can do it barefoot - the exercisers in the DVD did. I thought the music fit the workout well. Its driving beat fit the cardio and made the matwork seem to flow. It is not what a lot of people would call "good music", music they really like, but it did seem to be a good match to the workout.

The workout is chaptered by segment so that you can skip a section you don't want to do. The main menu gives you the choice of playing the entire workout or choosing segments from a submenu of segments.

I had problems with Cady's cueing, mainly because she didn't do much of it. She would announce moves and sometimes we would do the moves given and sometimes it seemed like she would give a category of movements that you would just have to follow along with because she didn't cue the moves as they came up.

The cardio was on the repetitive side. She did every move in the first cardio section that appears in the workout. Then, you do those same moves in various ways in the other cardio sections. Fortunately, the moves she chose were fun to me as they included some punching segments and repeater knees.

The matwork segments actually included Pilates-like movements. She would include traditional Pilates moves and then flow into other moves that were not as traditional. I thought these segments flowed well and were creative in general. I thought the last Pilates floor section was a bit on the long side and it wasn't as fun as some of the earlier segments.

I liked this workout less than I had hoped, mainly because I am not a strong enough Pilates person to make the frequent matwork fun for me. However, I think this is a really creative and different workout that should appeal to Pilates enthusiasts who enjoy fusion type workouts It is well-done, although, if she does more workouts, I hope that shse will cue more.

Instructor Comments:
She is encouraging and professional. She just needs to cue more.

Laura S.