Beginners, Choose Your Pilates DVDs Wisely

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Ash_Kali]Ash Kali
You have tried other forms of exercises and now you would like to try out Pilates because you've heard so much positive news about the benefits of Pilates. Or you may have attended a few sessions of Pilates classes and are ready to bring your mat exercises home. In any case, you'd probably be looking for a good Pilates DVD to kick start your routine. Plus points if you have attended classes before, because you've most likely obtained the foundation on the basic principles of Pilates. However, unless you can perform movements like the roll-over or the teaser with ease, you are still considered a beginner, or a beginner to intermediate.
If you've never done Pilates before, the best option is to enroll yourself in a class, or learn with an instructor. However, you can still achieve that provided you know how to choose a good Pilates video. Here, I'm going to give you some important pointers to look for when choosing a Pilates DVD.
The first thing most people do when looking for an exercise DVD is check out the top 10 best-selling DVDs online. They are on the right track, but many tend to look at the quantity of positive reviews rather than the details of the review. Read carefully and observe if the person who wrote the review was describing it from the perspective of a beginner, an intermediate or an advanced skill level person.
Secondly, check out from the description of the DVD which skill level it is meant for. Of course, you can't go wrong with those DVD programs with titles like "Pilates for Beginners"! Other than that, the skill level is usually unclear until you read the product description or reviews. So be sure to find that out.
For every beginner, understanding the six Pilates principles is the first step to doing Pilates right. So look out for one that includes explanation on the Pilates principles.
Another important factor is clear instructions of breath cuing. If a Pilates DVD claims to be meant for beginners and doesn't clearly show you when to breathe in and breathe out, then chuck it aside, because the instructor is not doing a good job to teach a beginner.
Likewise, an exercise video for beginners should include explanation of the goals of each exercise, like which are the target muscles of the exercise, and what is the purpose of doing it.
In addition, a good DVD for beginners contain modified version of the exercises for those who find the standard version too difficult to follow.
There's one more factor, though the importance of it depends on the individual. For me, the personality of the instructor also plays a part to the level of motivation one gets during exercise, as well as before starting the exercise. Imagine you can't stand the voice of the instructor (I know this is mean), or the way he/ she speaks can't motivate you enough to go on. Chances are, that DVD will be collecting dust on your shelf. Again, that depends on the individual preferences. Personally, I like to find out the background of the instructor before I purchase the video.
To find out about the above facts, the best way is to   rel=nofollow [http://pilatesathome.net/best-pilates-dvds-reviewed]read reviews, and possibly check out if sample scenes are available on YouTube. With these tips, I hope you will make the right choice when buying a Pilates exercise DVD, more so if this is going to be your very first one!
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Beginners,-Choose-Your-Pilates-DVDs-Wisely&id=6614401] Beginners, Choose Your Pilates DVDs Wisely