About me: I'm an intermediate to low-advanced Pilates lover with many videos; I also take Stott and classical mat classes.

I really wasn't expecting much from Pilates Core and Yoga Flex, the two flexibility add-ons to the Project: YOU system. Pilates Core surprised me by being a somewhat well rounded, if brief, Pilates mat workout. Kathy instructs while her background exercisers perform. One is a designated modifier.

The routine starts off with a well-done tutorial on Pilates breathing and abdominal, rib cage and gluteal control. The 18 minute workout kicks in with one of the nicer renditions of the 100 I've done (i.e., over fast!). Rollup, Rollover, Ball, and Single Leg Circles segue right into Series of Five nicely. After that it gets a little dicey with moves I consider too hard for the rank beginner: Corkscrew, Can Can, Leg Pulldown among others. Rollover is an intermediate and potentially dangerous move and newbies need to develop more core strength before attempting it. I wish Kathy didn't throw it at customers trying their first Pilates workout.

Some 'uniquities' in this workout include upper body circles after the Corksrew - sort of a revolving crunch - and Kathy's visualization cue of "House for Mouse." As you lie prone on the mat, you imagine a mouse under your abdominal wall and pull it back far enough so that you don't crush the mouse. I prefer my Stott teacher's cue to "pick up a marble with your navel."

There is no Side Leg Series. I would have given this video a higher grade if the questionable moves were replaced with a well-rounded side series. It would also make the workout fall into better step with the whole Project: YOU theme.

What increases my score from a potential D+ to a C+ is that the workout flows well with no hang-time, it's over in 18 minutes and the music is nice. I would have raised it to B- if the modifier was better utilized for the iffy exercises.

Instructor Comments:
Kathy obviously consulted with a Pilates pro for this video and she does a good job instructing. However, even though I forgive Kathy's tendency to stumble on her words in the higher intensity workouts in Project: YOU, this became rather irritating during Pilates. Perhaps because the instruction is non-stop?

Pat58