The Lotte Berk Method
Kristen Lilley, Stephanie Lyons, Suzanne Cook, Barbara BoolukosYear Released: 2003
Categories: Ballet/Barre
When I heard this method was finally out on
DVD I was hoping it was going to be an all-
in-one workout like Callanetics. Boy, was I
disappointed!
Instead, there is a fair amount of repetion
(especially in the warm-up and end
stretching segments) between each DVD.
There are hardly any closeups of proper form
and most importantly, no profile views of
doing "the tuck". There are very few
modifications offered; you are apparently
assumed to be in great shape just starting
out, unlike Callanetics.
The music has a definite beat to it and is not
conducive to doing the small precise
movements required (same is true of "The
Bar Method"), but while there is an option to
work out with music only, there is no option
to work out with instruction only, and no
subtitles or closed captioning either.
This could have been an outstanding
program if they'd put all the beginning
workouts on one DVD and all the advanced
workouts (there is one on each DVD) on
another, for two all-in-one workouts, OR put
everything together on one DVD and let you
customize your own workout.
I'm glad I rented these from Netflix before
buying--with all the repetition, they are
overpriced. This is not to say that some of
the sequences weren't good or useful, but I
hate seeing waste, and 1-2 hours total (at
most) of different exercises don't need to be
spread out over 4 rather expensive DVDs. It
is very wasteful both of resources and of a
person's time spent changing out DVDs.
I will be staying with Callanetics in the
meantime.
Instructor Comments:
There is a different main instructor on each
of the 4 DVDs (they take turns in supporting
roles). They all mention "the Lotte Berk
Method" 'way too much, as if they're all
reading from the same script.
I don't think any of them do a very good job
of explaining "the tuck"--Callanetics does a
far better job of that (btw, same issue with
"The Bar Method" DVDs). If you aren't already
familiar with Callanetics, you will *not*
realize how important "the tuck" (aka the
"pelvic tilt") is to properly doing these
exercises.