New York City Ballet: The Complete Workout, Vol. 1 and 2

I love this set!!! I just got it in the mail and popped it on and tried the first DVD and am right now watching the second because I am exhausted. I plan to do this every morning (as suggested). I feel good.

My only ballet experience is class as a child and I find this DVD so much easier to follow than all of my instructors. Having 4 people to watch really helps, especially with different skin tones and both sexes, where one dancer is washed out or obscured by the lighting or has less defined muscle, another is easier to see. Also, one of the dancers matches my leg shape and style while another matches the way I hold my body and arms. Slight differences in timing between dancers also helps me match the one I am most comfortable with for each exercise, position or move.

I'm not sure if other reviewers read the booklet provided in the first DVD before they tried it. It does explain that being able to do all the things in the DVD may not be possible and that you should adapt to your abilities at the time and just give it a go. If you can't pick it up after the first few repeats of the exercise or after a second viewing, maybe a dance workout video is not for you in the first place? If you need very regular and consistent promting, take a class!!! I found it a bit hard to follow and watch at the same time, but that wrings true for any instructional media product, doesn't it now?

As to not being enough of a workout, perhaps try going through the whole DVD twice in a row, and with the second DVD do the dancing section directly after the workout.

Obviously the 2nd DVD is more consistent and fine-tuned, it was made second!!! I need both as the 2nd DVD is too fast for me just yet and the first gives the basics for the second.

This is a great buy. Very professional. Not chirpy or cringe-worthy like most awful workout shows I see on TV.

Sparkpeople.com recommended this to me as a work out and it was 100% right! I am over satisfied with the work out :) A++++++++++++ OUTSTANDING!!

This workout is okay. I do feel more long and lean after I do either of the 2 workouts in the set, but I don't really feel like I've gotten much of an aerobic or strength workout. They do work some muscles in different ways than other workouts, but I always feel like I could still do many more repetitions. It's especially important to be mindful of proper posture and form in this workout.

One thing to note, and it could hvae been just my copy or DVD player - for some reason the second disc wouldn't load into my DVD player. My player wouldn't even acknowledge that it was there, so I actually went out and got another DVD player.

This is soooo worth the money! It is a great workout, even with excellent routines for the abs. Music is beautiful and soothing and really gets you into the flowing motion of ballet. Great workout for the whole lower body! Your calves and thighs will thank you! I am easily bored with workout videos, but this one kept me entertained and made me REALLY want to do it every day. It is challenging enough to keep your interest. I was a lot more satisfied with it than other dance videos I have done before. I think there should be more New York City Ballet DVDs to come!

I rented this online before I went to buy it. Thank goodness! The music is beautiful and watching the ballerina's graceful moves is nice....but I nearly went to sleep trying to get a workout in. I definitely need something a teensy more fast paced.....not kickboxing fast paced...just not naptime.