Total Body Workout: Digital DVD
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$14.99
Our classic Total Body Workout features six of our most popular workouts EVER – Find out why Ballet Beauties have been swearing by this video for YEARS! These foundational Ballet Beautiful exercises are designed to deliver maximum results and leave you feeling energized, inspired, and confident. Buy today to watch Total Body Workout online in your streaming library anytime, anywhere!
This video includes:
- Lean Hips and Outer Thigh Workout
- Lean and Firm Inner Thighs
- Ab Workout for a Slim Waistline
- Lean Legs and Buns Workout
- Long and Lean Arms
- Total Body Standing Series
Run Time: 50 Minutes
Level: All Levels
70 reviews for Total Body Workout: Digital DVD
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Artistic. Athletic. Attainable.
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Meet Mary Helen Bowers
A professional ballerina by training, Mary Helen danced with New York City Ballet for 10 years before graduating from Columbia University and founding Ballet Beautiful. She personally trained Natalie Portman for her Academy Award winning role in Black Swan along with countless other A-list celebrities, supermodels & millions around the world, delivering authentic, results-driven ballet-inspired training.
Emily –
This Changed Everything
“This was the workout that introduced me to the Ballet Beautiful method. It took one run through to know that I had found the program that was perfect for me. The technique is simple yet strenuous. Absolutely love this workout and highly recommend for anyone beginning or continuing their BB journey.”
Eric Moore –
Overall I enjoy this workout
“Overall I enjoy this workout. If you’re looking for a lot of mat work, strengthening and lengthening, then this is a great choice. It’s good to add into my rotation (I don’t like to do my Jillian work out every time). I have taken ballet classes – but am in no way a ballerina – and I was looking for a replacement for those classes at home. This doesn’t cut it as far as that goes. The standing portion is very – very! – short, just a couple minutes, and doesn’t begin to touch on the ballet I was hoping for. I will look at her other dvd’s and hopefully find what I’m looking for.
Another plus with this one is the ease of putting together your own workout. The menu is nice and easy, I can do the standing, the bridge, and the standing again, no problem.”
longhornrph –
Challenging but rewarding workout
“I have been going to Zumba classes for 3 months and wanted something I can do at home for non-Zumba days. This is an excellent workout, truly total body. Even though it is floor exercises, your heart rate will get up from the effort you are exerting. I could feel the residual soreness in my muscles two days after (the good sore, not bad, overdid it sore.)
Mary Helen does a great job of showing modifications, cueing you during the exercises, and explaining what the different moves target and accomplish. Another thing I truly appreciate is the simple set and the use of classical music – I abhor the cheesy, synthesized faux music that so many workout videos use.
One of the best parts about this purchase is that it can go with me anywhere I have my iPad, making it a perfect travel workout that requires no equipment other than a mat (or an improvised one).”
Skay –
I’m so grateful for Ballet Beautiful!
“I absolutely love this classic ballet beautiful workout. I’m recovering from a couple of run related injuries. While researching what to do for my injuries (shin splints and knee issues) every source basically in one way or the other all recommended the type of exercises in the comprehensive video. I like that there is no lunging, only plies at the very end. Its gentle, but not. You really work the small intrinsic muscles which are hard to reach with traditional workouts. I also like that when the going gets tough and your muscles are burning, there is only classical music playing. So it helps you to stay calm and focused. I’m so grateful for Ballet Beautiful!”
Tracy Gray –
Great Workout
“Mary Helen really provides a great low impact workout. You don’t need a ballet class history as I did not and it was not difficult to follow.”
Jessb –
Mary Helen Bowers is awesome. These dvd’s were recommended to me by my …
“Mary Helen Bowers is awesome. These dvd’s were recommended to me by my sister-in-law who is also a runner for when the weather gets too cold/icy to run outdoors (NYC and Colorado). She has such a great approach to fitness, and after years of attending barre/pilates/andyoga classes, I’m pretty shocked to have a DVD that matches the athleticism for a 1/3 of the cost of ONE class. I’ve since ordered the body blast as well. I’d also say one of the biggest selling points for me was the lack of “extras” needed for this workout–you just need a mat and a very minimal amount of floor space. And the moves are easy to follow–I am not a dancer–but I can follow this much more easily than some of the dance cardio/aerobics workouts that I’ve tried in the past. Thanks!”
Lorri Smith –
This DVD is wonderful.
“I’m a pretty active person, but being a college student full time, and working a full time job doesn’t leave much room for exercise, at least as not as much as it should.
Let me start by saying, I’ve done various workouts, and dvds.
Everything from Beachbody’s Insanity, to Rockin’ Body, to Jillian Michaels 30DS, so Les Mills Combat and various custom workouts.
I love to run and the Les Mills was probably my favorite, but I don’t have the time for it.
With this dvd, I do two sets each day, and feel GREAT.
Mary Helen Bowers is instructive, calm and makes the workout seem effortless.
I could feel the burn of a workout after the very first session. Mind you, it isn’t going to get you ripped and in possession of a 6pack, but it will make you feel lighter, help your posture, and tighten and elongate your muscles.
It’s a great workout and VERY relaxing.”
songbird –
Different, Fun, and Challenging Workouts
“Mary Helen Bowers leads me through a fun and challenging workout! Each of her DVDs offer different movements and stretches, so you don’t feel like you’re doing the same workout with a different outfit and scene. I am no ballerina! I’ve never had any dance lessons or experience at all, so sometimes I do have to reverse the DVD to keep up and ensure I am in proper form, it’s well worth it. If this girl doesn’t whip me into shape then no one will! If I could change one thing it would be the music choices, nonetheless I highly recommend her!”
Stevie Wilson –
Want a ‘Tough Cookie” Workout that Gives Results? Try this Ballet Meets Pilates Type Workout with Mary Helen Bowers!
“This is ONE hard workout– but I guess that’s what I wanted because I am loving it. It’s not easy. The cueing is amazing. Mary Helen’s workout is mostly toning but you will be sweating and you will feel this…. the same day (forget about the next day)! You can work out for a solid hour but then you might not be able to walk or move unless you are super fit. By doing the custom workout, you can choose segments and work into it. It’s not particularly easy but it’s worth every second! It will improve your body and your posture. It’s an amazing workout. It’s a commitment to you. It’s a great workout. I haven’t had it long enough to see the results but I do feel the results.”
katieslabyrinth –
I’m not ready for Swan Lake, but I look good!
“Let me start by saying that I am no ballerina – I am a deeply uncoordinated asthmatic who would like to get in better shape in the privacy of her own home. This DVD is amazing. She is the least irritating exercise guide (calming, soothing, doesn’t tell you that you look good when you really, really don’t). What I love in particular is that this is the best targeted workout that I’ve ever done – you pick an exercise to do, and then that part of your body will HURT. But ONLY that part of your body will hurt. If I could go back and pay for more this, I would because that girl deserves every penny for the workout that I get. I guess the downside is that I will never be a ballerina, but I did know that already.”
gina_v31 –
Stress free yet effective
“I LOVE this DVD workout by MHB! Extremely effective, the video is divided into 6-10 minute segments: i.e. butt, abs, arms, etc. etc. Her demeanor and tone are both beautiful and relaxing. I’ve owed this for over 2 weeks and I absolutely love it. I also own the NYC Ballet complete workout volumes 1 and 2. The difference between the two, in my opinion, is technique. MHB offers little to none while NYC company offers dance instruction and techniques. MHB will get you through her video quickly, you will definitely feel the burn every single time. NYC ballet company is beautifully done, but takes twice the time as BB. Little to no equipment needed other than a yoga mat for both. I come for a place of no formal dance training, I find the music, tone and movements lovely and relaxing. Great way to tone up the bod.”
karolinatx –
I am a convert — thank you, Ballet Beautiful!
“A month ago I developed pes anserine bursitis in my knee as a result of all the walking and C25King I’d been doing. I was searching Amazon Prime for a low-impact workout I could do and in a fit of desperation tried BB. Let’s just say that the first few times I did it I called poor Mary Helen some very unladylike names as I was lumbering around my bedroom floor like a hippo in heat. Since then, though, I’ve done the entire workout about 16 times and see tremendous improvement in muscle tone. My legs are much more shapely, I’ve got tiny little triceps (so cute!) and my lingering postpartum pelvic pain (SPD?) that flared up monthly with my period is gone now that I actually have some muscle back instead a big hollow void of a core. I can now keep up with Mary Helen and have moved on to the demi-pointe versions of the bridge exercises.”
Stephanie Bain –
Kicks my butt!
“I have recently been annoyed by the bulkiness my thighs have developed due to my (until lately) strength training routine which includes up to 4 sets of 15 reps of squats at 135 lbs (I am 5′ 8” and 140lbs). So I decided to give something along the lines of a barre workout a try. Holy man! I can hardly complete all the sets in this DVD and my legs are still sore the next day! I love this DVD because it is rowdy but at the same time relaxing. Though it isn’t really at all a “ballet” work out, it seems be essentially the same in theory due to the repetitiveness of the exercises, which are done basically until fatigue. Though I think I will still do weighted lunges and definitely keep up the upper body strength training in addition to this DVD just to keep everything strong and whatnot, this seems like it will be a great help in slimming down my thighs.”
B. Parmer –
Best Work out I have had in a long time
“I don’t like to work out. I have tried yoga, zumba, & even just running. Nothing really works for me. I decided to try this when I got an amazon gift card. I love this work out. Mary Helen has a very calm voice so she’s encouraging you while not being annoying (the main reason I don’t ever use my zumba. I mean it’s not fun when every 2 minutes someone is telling you how fun it is to sweat all over the place) I prefer to work out in the privacy of my own apartment and this has been super helpful. I just whip out my yoga mat, work out with Mary then that’s it. The best part is it’s all simple moves that you can really feel working right away. You never feel like you didn’t do anything BUT you don’t feel like you can’t move afterwards either. Best work out for after work and after 3 weeks I can already see results.”
aem –
Don’t hesitate – just get it!
“I danced all my life and stopped when I went to college. For the past 10 years I stayed in shape by going to the gym, other workout videos (Jillian Michaels the most) and yoga but I have always thought something was missing until I bought this DVD. The workout is challenging and after 3 times of using it I feel more toned and back to the body I had when I was in high school. I love Jillian work outs but I was getting too bulky, which is why I would mix yoga into my routine. However, nothing has made me feel as good as doing this workout. I just got her other DVD because I am hooked. I would recommend this product to anyone. I would not say to give up other methods of exercise because variety is key to sustainability, but I really feel this has truly made me happier and feel better than I have in a long time! It makes me want to find a local dance class and start again.”
Sia –
Great Workout
“I love this workout. I started with Body Blast, and this one has 10 minute segments instead of 15, which makes it easier. Her workouts are intense and effective. The big difference between these workouts as compared to other Barre routines, is keeping that leg stretched out as much as possible, and keeping knees taunt as well. A bent knee will not give you the same results. I’ve noticed a difference all over my body. I still do Tracy’s arms sometimes, but these ones are more effective. You will not bulk up. A big plus in my book. These are also easy to memorize, so you can take them with you when you travel. Warning: the circles for legs and arms are killer.
Mary Helen Bowers is a great teacher with a gentle disposition. Like the classical music, and her minimal talking.”
K –
Life-Changing
“I am not a workout or gym person by any means but I loved Mary Helen Bowers Ballet Beautiful book & she recommends this DVD. This is one great workout. It’s not actual ballet, per se, but small dance-inspired workout sections (like legs, abs, etc.) that are really effective. Most take place on the mat but they are a hard workout, still manageable for a beginner like me though. You will have to work up to the more advanced positions but beginner’s will love this workout too. My only advice is to do A LOT of stretching beforehand & take breaks for stretching in between. She does some stretching, but I found it wasn’t hardly enough & I cramped up a bit, especially during the bridge series at the beginning. You can do the whole 60 minutes or just bits & pieces of the workout so it will fit into anyone’s lifestyle. Ballet Beautiful really is a way of life so get this DVD, get the book & have fun!”
Oneida Y. Turcios-Wong –
WOW! POWERFUL SET OF WORKOUTS!!
“All I can say is these are a powerful set of workout! since I lost almost 30 lbs because of the job, I have to be 10 hours on my feet walking really fast! Because of this weight lost the skin under my arm is very saggy and in my inner thighs too.!
Just doing these exercises today was really hard and I could really feel the burn around in my glutes, arms, thighs. Really challenging workouts BUT ARE REALLY WORTH IT! just by doing the 1st. set of workout for the glutes I could see my glutes took a rounder shape? I was amazed! These workouts are really worth the BURN!
The only thing I regret is that if I had started sooner I would had had amazing legs and glutes by now!”
Asurles –
Kicked my butt (in a great way)!
“I am not new to working out. I work out 4x per week (at minimum) in the gym and I work out hard. That being said I was not toning up in areas as much as I would like no matter how I spot trained so in looking (specifically for thighs) for targeted low impact toning exercise I came across ballet beautiful. Holy cow, did Mary Helen ever kick my butt. Forget the roman chair, forget squats and lunges, I felt the burn about two seconds into the DVD. The bridge work was difficult and I felt like a lumbering walrus, but who cares? I have only been watching and working out with Mary Helen for a week, but the difference is noticeable. Everything feels a little tighter and that is exactly what I was looking for. Best part is I can do it in the privacy of my home (which is fantastic because if I had to do this in front of people I would die of mortification).”
crazy4books –
I love MHB and this is a great workout
“I love MHB and this is a great workout. When I first tried her workouts (I started with Swan Arms) I couldn’t believe how hard they were! And I am an intermediate to advanced exerciser. But these exercises hurt in places I didn’t know existed! But in a good way! I do have to pause for a few seconds every so often because my muscles are on fire! This is not an easy workout. The arms in this were easier than swan arms. They didn’t feel as effective.
I really like how you can pick and choose which body parts to work on. I do 2 or 3 of them at the end of a cardio workout.
I don’t think I’ll look like MHB after doing these even for months! But it’s definitely a nice workout to add into my rotation. And it definitely feels effective. Great workout.”
TulipToes5 –
The workouts on this DVD are easy to follow and are accompanied by lovely classical music
“The workouts on this DVD are easy to follow and are accompanied by lovely classical music. While it is “basically” low impact, the repetitive movements can make it hard on joints. Workouts are good at firming everything up, but I did not experience much muscle definition change. I did not use this to lose weight, so I am not for sure how it performs in this area. I started out pretty weak from an illness, and it helped me gain strength without having to keep up with a fast paced weight lifting program. I used this, the BB: Cardio Fat Burn, and walking for about 4 months on a consistent basis. I also did not start out doing all the repetitions, which are many! I like how it is divided up into segments to make it easy to establish a daily routine. Overall, this DVD really served it’s purpose in every way I needed. :)”
Ashley Boldin –
There is something to be said for simplicity
“Just completed the first workout and I love it! I have always enjoyed Pilates and can’t make it out in this weather for a Barre class so I decided to try this video. It goes at just the pace that I enjoy and I felt my muscles working during each segment. I’ve never been a fan of workout videos because I thought I would get bored with the same workout, but I couldn’t finish each “series” without having to rest (before Mary Helen Bowers rests) so I have something to strive for. Yet it was “simple” enough for me to make it through the entire DVD without getting discouraged. It feels like I’ve completed a full body workout, but I’m not left feeling exhausted, like after some of the High Intensity Interval training workouts I’ve completed in the past. (I have exercise-induced Asthma, so that may also play a factor in that).”
Cassandra –
Great workout. I have 0 ballet experience
“Wow. Great workout. I have 0 ballet experience, but always wanted to be a dancer. Regular exercise videos are boring to me so I thought I would give this one a try. I love it. I will definately be buying more ballet beautiful videos soon.
This is a 60-minute workout, broken into sections with short water/rest breaks in between. Its mostly done on the mat and similar to pilates. She is very easy to follow, encouraging but not cheesy, and pushes you to the limit. This workout narrows in on a specific muscle area and you do a million reps on the same exercise and then shift something to work the next part of that muscle. This is definitely a TONING routine, not bulk. But really, who would want to add bulk to their inner thigh anyways. I was most impressed with the butt exercise. I expect some lifting and toning to take place as the result of this workout. She suggests doing this routine 2-3 times weekly.”
Chelsea –
Great workout DVD!
“Just for reference, I’m a 22 yo female, not overweight, but also in pretty poor shape. I got this DVD because I needed something interesting to get me back into working out on a regular basis. I started with just the arm workout, and while it was difficult and I had to take a couple breaks I felt good when I was done, like I’d accomplished something. I soon started doing more of the other workouts on the DVD, and have enjoyed them all. They’re all challenging, but also doable. Mary Helen is so sweet and calm on the DVD, and lets you know it’s okay to take breaks as you need to. My only issue is that during the inner thigh work out she doesn’t tell you until the second side that you can have your stagnant leg in different positions. Nevertheless, this is a great work out video and I’d definitely recommend it to anybody, especially if you’re not into high intensity/high impact/cardio work outs like I am. You’re body with almost instantly feel more toned! Don’t be intimidated by other reviews, take as many breaks as you need to and know that it will get easier!”
Samantha –
I didn’t think the workout was working until I looked at my before and after pics.
“I love her workouts dvds. I use this and all her other dvds to mix my workout up. I started in October, (7 months after having a baby) and thankfully I took a pic on the first day I started because i honestly didn’t think I was seeing results until I took a pic today….. All I can say is wow. Funny thing is, I was gonna go have a tummy tuck and I was told that my ab muscles separated from pregnancy (which was why I couldn’t lose my mommy tummy) and the only way to correct it was to have a tummy tuck. Ha, were they wrong. The pics don’t lie. Her workouts saved me from spending $10k on a tummy tuck and my self confidence is back here are my before and after pics”
MegskiesL –
Excellent workout!
“Holy cow! I take Barre classes 3X a week but I wanted something at home to do in case I miss a class. Amazon Video is amazing. This workout is basically like Barre but you can do it at home with just a yoga mat, no weights or equipment. I tried this out this weekend and my glutes are still sore! It’s amazing how simple moves like bridges can really make an impact. I will be using this 2 times a week to see some added glute/arm/core results. I have already recommended it to friends that cannot make it to the gym because I feel like this is an amazing option to try at home for ALL fitness levels, yes ALL. It can be easily modified to be easier/harder depending on your level. If you have low back issues maybe for the core part one of those small balls could be placed against the lower back for the core portion. I don’t usually need those, and found this workout challenging and enjoyable.”
J.W. –
What a way to start the journey
“I had recently read that Ballet Beautiful was the way some celebs trained & got toned for their jobs. I decided to get ALL the B.B. dvds (4 at the time of my writing) to see and experience what they were like, as I get the urge to add something new & fresh to my exercise regimen every couple of years.
I assume that this one was the first, and it was very comprehensive and challenging! I am not a dancer or have any dance background. I had some clumsiness getting the foot positions correctly. Mary does go a bit fast at times, but I reckon we will all get it down the more we do it. Personally, I wonder if an absolute fitness beginner should start out with this workout. I consider myself intermediate to advanced, and I found myself tiring & cramping up at times (calf muscle while on demi-pointe) during my first go at this workout! I would say try this one first, if you get all the B.B. dvds, as it will give you familiarity with a good smattering of the moves on the other dvds.”
Lou Bozmarov –
Pilates based workout–great for ballet conditioning but no ballet
“This is a great conditioning style workout that targets the butt and hamstrings quite a bit, and these are muscle groups vital to dance well in classical ballet. My wife is a ballet dancer and a fan of Mary Helen Bowers. We have all her workout DVD’s and wanted to get them in digital version for travel.
THIS IS NOT A BALLET CLASS!! If you want a ballet class, get Ballet Conditioning or Ballet Bootcamp for ballet technique-based class. If you are serious about dancing ballet, then you should be in a ballet studio dancing and not following along a DVD. Real dancers dance and they do Ballet Beautiful to help with grand allegro jumps. Don’t be fooled into thinking this is a slow graceful level 1 ballet class. This is a conditioning level 2 class for all dancers. Gave my wife incredible muscle tone and helps her leap much higher. You can try these bridge exercises with 3-5 lbs weights on your hips if you need more advanced conditioning, that is what my wife does.”
Cori Hart –
An AMAZING full body workout!
“This is one incredible workout. I thought I was in pretty good shape, but Mary Helen showed me differently! I am gaining long sleek , toned muscles and flexibility each time I go through a session in this very easy to understand but not always easy to follow along “kick butt” video. What I mean by that is this: Mary Helen gives you very good, easy to understand instructions and does the exercises right along with you, BUT, I just can’t keep up with her, at least right now. I know I will some day but that’s what is so good about the video. It will keep you challenged for a long time (at least if you are a normal woman like me). You can do the complete exercise program all at once or break it into separate sections if you don’t have a lot of time. One of my favorite options in this DVD is that you can even customize it by choosing the sections you want to do and the order of how you want to do them. I haven’t had any ballet experience at all but I really wouldn’t let that keep you from trying this really great, all around body exercise workout.”
yayplauge –
Hurts so good!
“I found it very challenging but still managed to get through the entire DVD the first time. As the others reviewers mentioned, it’s broken down into 6 sections, each specific to a body part/area. The inner thigh and outer thigh sections were the toughest, probably because they are areas that I typically don’t work out at the gym, I usually focus more on quads and hamstrings, so it’s a great way to make sure you’re toning from every angle. The arms workout is deceptively simple but my triceps felt pretty sore the next day. I wish the standing section was a little longer, because I can see how it could really help improve posture and balance, maybe down the road I will challenge myself by doing that section twice. The price is unbeatable, considering that a single dance class at a studio usually costs between $12-$18 (or more), so for under $9 if you only do this DVD once you are already getting your money’s worth. I will definitely be using it at least once a week, and I expect that it will be beneficial in more ways than one. Highly recommended!”
td123 –
Wonderful – Just what I needed!
“I love the Ballet Beautiful workout! The first time I tried it, it was HARD. I put it away for a while until I felt ready to tackle it again. I started again back in January, after getting engaged over Christmas. Upcoming weddings are great motivators! Anyway, it’s now nearing the end of April as I write this, and I can say I have lost 10 lbs., two inches of my hips, two inches from my waist, and at least an inch from my chest. For reference, I’m 26, 5’8″, started at 140 lbs. My arms are sleeker and stronger, my body looks leaner, and I feel so much better! I’ve been doing the workout on average about 3-4 times per week. What I like about it is that the movements are simple but challenging. I don’t feel like to need to be a ballerina to do it, but it makes me feel like one! Mary Helen’s guidance is encouraging without being annoying. I like the peaceful piano music, and the workouts are short enough that I can even work in some on busy days. I also like that it’s changed my body in a healthy way that compliments my frame and figure. It’s difficult at first, but stick with it and you will see results!”
S.M. –
Great Ballet-inspired workout
“I absolutely LOVE this video. I have been looking for a workout that spares my bad knees and this really delivers. All of the thigh/butt exercises take place on the floor, so there is very little weight-bearing involved. I needed something to tone my lower body, but a lot of the exercises I have tried in the past have the tendency to make me bulk up my legs. The ballet exercises don’t add bulk. The ballet music playing in the background is soothing. There are modifications in the video that are easy to follow. It is a 60 minute workout, but it is broken down into three separate sections, so you can choose to do just one or all three. The workouts don’t seem to take very long, because the music and cues are soothing. Don’t get me wrong..there are times that I want to hate the instructor, because she is so limber and fit, and never looks like she is breaking a sweat. However, she does come across as a very encouraging, helpful instructor. I have been doing these routines for a couple of weeks, and have gotten much stronger and flexible in such a short period of time. Finally something I look forward to doing.”
Nah –
Must have!
“This classic 60 minute workout is so wonderful! I dread the bridge series, and always look forward to the inner and outer thighs sections. They’re all great but I’m really loving the thigh workouts, it burns so good and you see changes fast. I try to do this workout at least 3 times a week. It’s so worth the hour!
If you can’t do every rep or every set I’d highly recommend trying to do a full set of 8, then resting for a few reps and jumping in. Don’t torture yourself, just always do your best and you’ll see improvements.
Some people prefer to break it up and only do sections. I think that’s a silly approach and you should really strive to do the entire workout. Use the 15 minute blasts (her other dvd) for when you aren’t doing this workout.
Start slow. You’ll be in pain.
I’ve started with this workout MWF for the first two weeks, then added the Swan arms to Tues and Thursday on week 3 and 4. Add blasts as you feel necessary, but definitely keep this one in your rotation. It’s great!”
MilkyPink –
Absolute FAV
“Out of all of the MHB dvds that I have (this one, Cardio Fat Burn, & Body Blast), I love this one the most. It comes with the following 6 workouts:
-Bridge Series (about 15 minutes)
-Abs (about 6 minutes)
-Inner Thigh (about 6.5 minutes)
-Outer Thigh (about 10 minutes)
-Arms (about 10 minutes)
-Standing (about 4 minutes)
Sometimes I don’t have time to even do a full 30-minute workout, and with this, I have no excuse to not do something each day. And though they work you out, they don’t kill you and wear you out like the P90X dvds that my husband loves. I can keep up with most of his workouts, but if I know I’m going to be doing a sweat-inducing workout, then I have to make sure I have time to workout, shower, and get ready. And that means I need 3 hours to exercise and be presentable again. I don’t mind working out, but hate sweating. So when I got these MHB dvds, Heelllllooooo normal life routine! I can do a couple of these babies and not spend 2 hours getting ready… again. I also love how you can mix and match them and do something different everyday. All in all, I most definitely recommend these.”
Bloodblonde –
Intense, interesting workout
“You start this video and think “Ah. this is going to be a calming, peaceful workout,” similar to yoga. About 10 minutes in, you will regret ever laying on that mat. The burning, the agony, all with a peaceful serene background and voice, is total torture. You can feel it working in every way. No part of your body goes unscathed. It is not fast paced or loud like lots of video. But it is a video that truly makes you feel accomplished, I began seeing results in under two weeks, I had slimmer inner thighs and hips. I’ve also found you can jump around in the video and select certain parts if you just want to target a specific area as well. You won’t need anymore space than the size of a yoga mat, as all of the workout is done on the floor, except for the last few moves. So if you need a great, intense, indoor workout this is perfect, but be prepared to be SORE, especially the first couple weeks. I found I could not complete all the reps, in most of the exercises, but you get stronger each time and still see results. I hate cheesy dance workouts and jumping around so this video really appeals to me. I would recommend it to anyone wanting to really get a good workout that focuses on specific difficult areas, like inner thighs, hips, lower abs, and inner arms.”
Vivien M. –
Great for cross training for triathletes!
“I love this classic DVD!
I occasionally use it for cross training in my triathlon training. I use the Body Blast DVD more, because it’s more focused on the butt & legs and arms, which are used a lot during triathlons. I use this one less often than the Body Blast DVD, but still enjoy doing it and see great benefits from it, because it’s a full body workout that targets different areas and muscles from different angles than Body Blast. I think this is key in keeping me injury free. The purpose of weight and cross training is to strengthen secondary/ supporting muscles to prevent injuries and this is doing a great job at it. No matter how in shape I am, I always feel the burn and I am always sore the next day!
Like I said in my Body Blast DVD review, I can’t say anything about how it shapes your body or if it helps in weight loss, because I don’t use it for that purpose and I don’t use it nearly enough to make any kind of difference. I get my body shape, fitness and leanness from triathlon training. That being said, I can easily see how it can do an amazing job at toning and helping in weight loss because it is a great workout every time I do it, and I still get sore from it.”
not home –
Feelin’ GOOD!
“I’ve been doing this for a couple of weeks, and I’m amazed at how good I feel after doing this. I have muscles returning that I lost due to a recent illness.
All the moves are simple, and are very targeted to developing muslces. Anyone who complains about this not being “balletic” enough hasn’t gotten down in the floor on a mat, and has NOT done this workout.
I used to dance in class 16 hours a week, Monday thru Thursday back “in the day”, and I’ve not found a better work out. Wish I had had this work out long ago.
I recently lifted a flat of water that weighed 46.2 pounds (from the garage to the kitchen), and while it wasn’t easy, it was very do-able. This absolutely would not have been possible several weeks ago.
I recommend this workout to anyone who is at any level of fitness. Like I am, just getting back to a workout routine after an illness, or you have been working out, and need something different. The idea of muscle confusion works really well with this workout. OR you just want to look and feel more FIT, this is my “go to” item for all of the above! I recommend taking the first 3-4 weeks slow, and gradually build into it.
Thank you Mary Helen. You are an inspiration to me, and I’m glad I found you! Hopefully one day we will have a chance to meet!”
BB –
Ballet love!
“I started doing this work out just over a week ago (second day of my second week). I did it the first week for 5 days, im just jumping into this. I’m really loving it so far. The first week I did no cardio and i still saw great results. I have lost 1inch off my hips already! Although, im not sure if that is because i finished another month long work out. But this week im going to do 5 days again and ive also started alternating days of cardio. So far im loving this work out. I actually like the repetitions and i found that on my two days off, my muscles and my body were CRAVING this work out. It felt like they were dying to stretch and “feel the burn”! I’ve never had taht before. I also bought the book and i love that too!
I bought the blasts dvd too, just in case im in the mood to mix it up.
Before purchasing these, there are few tester segments on youtube that i tried out first. I’m already seeing results in my legs and arms are getting a pretty shape to them.
I’m so happy i bought these and get the book too! I’ve not followed the exercises in the book yet, but i love her outlook on food because its a mindset that’s only recently “clicked ” for me.
So if you’re hesitant if it’s for you, try it out a segment on youtube first. But if you want long toned limbs, i think this is the ticket.”
JesB –
Just the workout(s) I needed!
“I’m not sure when this video was made, but I sure am mad I did not buy it sooner! Over the years I have tried all sorts of workout videos (8 min abs, butt, etc., windsor pilates, P90X, Brazil Butt Lift, Tracey Anderson), but this is by far my favorite!!! The Tracey Anderson videos are fabulous and I definitely recommend them too. With a combination of Tracey Anderson and Brazil Butt Lift I was able to go from 142 to 128. But even with the weight loss, I still felt I was lacking muscle definition and I still had cellulite on the back on my legs. I have been using the Ballet Beautiful Total Body workout and Body Blast for a few months now and my arms are more toned than ever and for the first time since I was 12, my cellulite is almost completely gone!!! I think in another month it will be completely gone! The 15 min body blast has been so helpful! There are some days that I don’t feel like doing anything but going home and going to bed, but I make myself do at least the 15 min body blast. In the past I thought if I didn’t have at least an hour to work out, I didn’t have enough time–so I wouldn’t work out. Now, I figure something is better than nothing and the 15 min blast is so easy-you can do it anywhere! Sometimes I even go home at lunch and do it–that way I know I’ve done something good for myself that day. These workouts are VERY hard and challenging, yet easy (to follow) at the same time. Stick with it and you WILL see results!!!”
Alaina –
Wonderful results
“I was really shocked at how effective this workout is. I saw an article talking about how the Victoria’s Secret models used this workout to shape up for the fashion show, and I decided to take a look at it. I was intrigued and ending up downloading it. Got my yoga mat out and decided to try for the Total Body 60-minute workout. I thought, this may end up toning me, but it’s not going to be super difficult or challenging. WRONG. I literally got five minutes into the workout before my feet and hamstrings started cramping up so badly I couldn’t continue. And the next day I had serious muscle soreness. Tried to go for it again, made it maybe seven minutes into it that time, albeit without so much cramping. Then I started trying the 15-minute Blast workouts that are on the other DVD. I started doing this about a week and a half ago and I’ve lost 5 pounds. I purchased a new pair of black slacks for work two weeks ago and they’re already on the verge of being so big for me that I can’t wear them anymore. I weight less now than I have in the past six months. My posture has noticeably improved. My mindset about nutrition has also totally changed, and I’m not one to do diets where I can’t have pasta or cheese. I am so shocked and amazed and completely gratified to discover how incredibly effective this workout is, even in small doses. I’ve been recommending it to everyone. It really couldn’t be easier–all you need is a yoga mat, and eventually a pair of ballet shoes”
PhotogFrancais –
I gave up working out for a few months due to many circumstances but when I got back to it I wanted to use the best strategy to
“I wouldn’t call myself a dancer… yeah I am those people born with two left feet and my dance moves aren’t exactly my forte. I am also that type of woman who packs the weight on the legs and hips. I have worked out with Shaun T for over a year and to my dismay have notice my thighs turning into muscles but not really shrinking. I gave up working out for a few months due to many circumstances but when I got back to it I wanted to use the best strategy to loose weight in my butt and legs. I have been doing half the workouts on this video twice a week and I have alternated with 30 minutes on my recumbent bike the three other days I work out. (Day 1 bike, Day 2 Bridges series, abs and arms, Day 3 bike, Day 4 Inner and outer thighs, Standing, Day 5 bike) – I am a 35 year old woman who hasn’t had as thin legs as now since I was a teenager. It only took two weeks to start seeing very noticeable results, my size 6 pants are getting loose when 2 weeks ago they were tight. Combine with a balance healthy diet, this work out is perfect for women (and men) like me who seem to not be able to shrink those pants sizes 🙂 And yes for somebody with 0 experience in dancing and even less so in Ballet, this workout can be a tad challenging at first but one gets used to it. And also remember you only get as much result as you push yourself during the exercises. I am actually planning to buy the other DVD in this series. Good luck if I can do this anyone can”
Katherine –
I am a lazy exerciser
“I am a lazy exerciser. I like to do the bare minimum that will get me satisfactory results. A few months ago I decided to lose some weight and try to firm up my butt and thighs which were looking worse than I had ever seen them. So I started walking a few days a week, and I started Ballet Beautiful. As a lazy exerciser, there was no way I was going to do the entire Ballet Beautiful body workout. On the contrary I decided that I would focus only on the bridge series to target my butt and thighs. But the entirety of the bridge series was a lot, so I decided to do only the section of the bridge series where the feet are positioned on the outside edge of the mat which targets the butt and the inner and outer thighs. (I also didn’t go on demi-point, but rather stuck with the “easier” version) Well, I was seriously surprised and extremely delighted when I saw after a couple of months a pretty dramatic change. My upper thighs (inner and outer) were no longer chunky, I had that long streamlined look she talks about, and my butt and hips looked much toner. As a lazy exerciser, I am thrilled that I can do about 5 minutes of work and see such great results. Give it a try, you lazy exercisers out there! You will be delighted with the results.”
NLED –
Mary Helen kicks my butt, but I enjoy it!
“I love Mary Helen Bowers’ Ballet Beautiful workouts! I have this DVD (Total Body Workout) as well as Body Blast and Cardio Fat Burn. This is my favorite of the three. Each DVD is a hour-long workout when you do the whole thing, but this one has the most options when you need to break it into smaller chunks. This has 6 segments, so I can do arms, abs, and standing (cardio) one day, and then inner thigh, outer thigh, and bridge (butt) another day, for two 1/2 hour workouts. The workouts are easy to follow, Mary Helen’s voice is calm and soothing, but she still makes you feel motivated without going all “angry trainer” on you. I respond much better to calm. I feel like I don’t want to let her down! It’s almost like nice relaxing yoga, but the workouts are definitely challenging at the same time–you get a lot of muscle burn in a short amount of time! I LIKE to get up at 5:30 a.m. and have my half-hour with Mary Helen before my kids and husband get up and the chaos starts! 🙂 I was looking for something to give me long and lean toned muscles, not weight-lifter muscles (which is what my body tries to do anytime I work out), and this seems to be doing the trick! I’ve been doing it for three weeks and I can definitely see a lot more lean definition in my legs. My jeans fit me better. I only had about 10 pounds that I wanted to lose (it’s more about muscle tone for me), and I’ve lost 4 already!”
J. Beckmann –
This workout is amazing!
“I absolutely love this workout- it’s easy to follow along with and fairly simple, but gets great results! You’ll have toned, lean muscles without bulk. It’s especially good for your legs and butt! The classical music and repetitive movements could be boring for some, I suppose, but for me they are calming and almost meditative. Mary Helen Bowers is also very calm throughout the workout (no yelling instructors here!). There is also an option to play just the background music without her voice, which is nice once you get familiar with the workout. The DVD is an hour long, but it has the great feature of separate chapters for each of the different muscle groups. You can mix and match these any way you want (do any number in any order), which is great!! However, there are a couple of things I don’t like about this workout- the arm section is tough but pretty short compared with the lower body portion, and the abs section is so hard I can’t even do it. I usually just substitute other ab moves I’ve learned from different workout videos instead. Be warned- you’ll feel a different kind of pain while doing this than with most other workouts because it targets small muscle groups in problem areas. It can be an intense burn in one small area or even feel like your bones hurt. However, she offers ways to modify many of the moves to make them easier or harder, and you can always take breaks or do less repetitions while you’re a beginner. This is the key to liking this video- don’t be afraid to modify it to fit your strength level. Also, stretch breaks are built into the video to keep those muscles long and lean, and the stretches feel incredible! If you’re looking for strength training that doesn’t bulk up your muscles or involve yelling instructors, this is the workout video for you!”
Chelle –
Wonderful!
“I am still using Ballet Beautiful three years later and love it just as much! I have had one more baby and used her workouts throughout the pregnancy as well. My weight is stable and I feel healthy and strong. After seven children, I am very pleased to look the way I do!
Mary Helen Bowers’ workouts are the best. I am a former recreational dancer and stopped dancing in college. I then went on to get married and have had six children in ten years. My youngest is eleven months old. I was stuck in a cardio exercise routine that was not really doing anything for me. I would jog for 30 minutes twice/week and ride my stationary bike for 30 minutes two or three times/week but the pounds were not coming off and I couldn’t figure out why. I began using this DVD along with her Body blast series and within a few weeks there were definite changes in my body. It is now three months later and I have lost ten pounds and my body is more toned than it has ever been, even when I was dancing. I even had the courage to go back to a dance class last week and I did great! I now have four of her DVDs that I rotate through six days/week and I never get sick of them. Bowers’ voice is very calm and soothing unlike the forceful boot-camp styles of other gurus. The music is classical piano and it never gets old to me. The contrast of doing extremely focused, difficult movements with my body with the calm voice and music leaves me feeling refreshed, not agitated and tired after a workout. I can’t recommend these videos enough. You will not be sorry you purchased them.”
Jacquelyne A Gannon –
One tough ballerina
“I’m going to start by saying, I never post reviews on products. But I felt I should for this and all of Mary Helen Bowers DVDs.
I’m 26 years old and I am getting married in October. I wanted to tone up up for the wedding and specifically I wanted to have good posture, core strength and grace for that day. What is more graceful than a ballerina?
I started out by watching a segment or two before I jumped right in so I could mentally prepare for what I was getting myself into. That was both a good and bad idea. I got to see what type of moves would be done, how much space was needed, and if any props were needed. On the other hand it can be a little intimidating (I was a little scared to try the the butt series).
Once I jumped in, the classical music was relaxing and her voice is very calming and encouraging. She always will tell you take breaks when needed and I definitely have taken her advice.
I will not lie it is hard, but int a great way. From the very start you feel muscles you didn’t know you had working that you normally would not target by normal gym workouts. I am not a person that sticks with workouts for long if i don’t immediately feel like it is working something. From the very first minute I felt my buns burning. After my first couple days I was extremely sore, but stretching it out really helps. Since I was new I didn’t go for the full 60 minutes. I tackled two segments each day, and I’m slowly working my way up.
I haven’t been working with these DVDs for very long but I feel like they are working. I feel my strength and flexibility are already improving.”
mrussell70.3 –
Great workout for total body
“I have always been athletic and thin, but as I get older it seems harder to maintain the long, lean muscles I developed when I was young. I added this workout into my rotation of running, cycling, yoga, pilates and walking the dog because I felt I was losing muscle tone. I would not normally review a workout video, but something amazing happened this Saturday. I was doing this workout when my 11-year old daughter walked into the room. She looked at me and said, “So that is why you have such great legs. Can I do the workout with you?” I was amazed that she wanted to do the workout with me and more amazed that she thinks her 45-year old mother has nice legs. My husband and I think our daughter may be the most uncoordinated child on the planet (if there is a hole to fall in or a rock to trip over she will find it!). My first thought was to tell her she could not do the workout, but I didn’t want to be discouraging. This is the most amazing part – she loved the workout and did not get frustrated because she couldn’t keep up or wasn’t flexible enough. When we finished she asked if we could workout again together on Sunday. She was all smiles after the second workout and asked if we can keep doing it together. That was when I realized that this workout is perfect for just about anyone because it does not require balance or rhythm. You don’t need to have a background in ballet and you don’t need to have great flexibility. It is very easy to follow. You don’t even need to be coordinated! All joking aside, I love this workout and it has made a huge difference in the way I feel about my body. An added bonus is getting to spend some extra time with my daughter while doing something that is good for us.”
Crystal C –
Tough but effective!
“I picked up this DVD because I was looking for a low impact exercise that did not require equipment. I had read the reviews before purchasing this, and I knew ahead of time that this would be a challenging workout. When I hit play, for a moment, I thought I had ordered the wrong product. The exercises looked so simple, it was hard to believe that they would have much impact. Then I tried them! Wow! This is video is no joke!
The video is divided into sections. Each section consists of an introductory move with four sets of eight reps. All other moves in each section (except the arm section and cardio) are variations of the introductory move. So in the end you end up doing 32 reps each of 4 or more very similar moves all working the same muscles. Towards the end of each section my muscles were screaming and I was praying for the torture to end! The periodic stretches are always a huge relief, even though I am not flexible enough for some-even with my yoga experience.
All if the exercises were simple. The biggest challenge for me is keeping the proper positioning while my muscles are in agony. The pacing is good. Rarely did I find myself falling behind. I liked that MHB was encouraging and gave great tips (even though I am convinced she is a robot because she doesn’t even flinch through these demanding exercises).
Even though I find myself cursing while doing the exercises in this video, they are very effective! I have done this video for a week and already I noticed my pants are baggier, my arms have lost some circumference, and my cellulite is not as apparent. It just boggles my kind that this video is so effective!
I will continue with this video 2-3 times a week and hope that it eventually becomes easier. Until then, it will just be the part of my fitness routine that I love to hate!”
Lynnette –
Astounding!
“I’ve been using MHB’s blast videos from her online store for a few months and was very, very happy with how they shaped up my body. I did, however, find them too intense to structure a general work out around, so eventually caved and bought this DVD. My body was already fairly strong as a result of doing the blasts, but this is just the perfect routine. Each set of exercise is incredibly challenging, fatigues the muscles in new ways (compared to the blasts – I admire MHB for her creativity in formulating new exercises), targeted and effective. What’s more, they are not so challenging as to make one reluctant to do them! You do the perfect number of reps and sets to the point of exhaustion, and then you move on. You do not get bored, and there is plenty of variety. The music and general aesthetic is pleasing, MHB is encouraging and warm and supportive.
Because I’d only been doing the blasts, I’d never done the bridge workout before I got this DVD. It is no exaggeration to say that after doing the bridge series twice or thrice, the size of my thighs NOTICEABLY decreased, the muscles had elongated and tightened and my thighs and butt were more defined and toned. Of course, I’m already in reasonable shape and I eat well, so the results were very nearly instant. They might take others a little longer if this is their first time doing a ballet beautiful work out – but I really cannot overstate how effective this routine is! I’m not at the stage where I can do it every day, but I’m working up to that.
If you are even slightly hesitant about buying this, please, hesitate not a day longer! It is so heartening to find your muscles responding and strengthening after just a few sessions. Your posture changes too. MHB also emphasises the importance of stretching – stretching forms a part of the work out, unlike other fitness programs where it is viewed as something supplementary.
I can’t speak more highly of ballet beautiful :)”
Jody Rosenblatt –
Great exercises!
“This is the second video of Mary Helen Bowers that I have used and loved! I had been exercising at the gym and running and then doing lots of Jillian Michael’s videos. I am in my late 40’s and one thing I have noticed with my workouts and with other women my age is that it seems to shift us more to bulk up–I have a real tendency to do this. While my husband loses weight with exercise, I put on weight with muscle, which is really not the look I am going for. The Ballet Beautiful series has been great at lengthening and toning my muscles–my husband has even noticed and commented frequently!
I must admit that this can be at times excruciatingly hard, all while she is just smiling away doing leg lifts. The workouts look like a joke–they remind me of ones Joan Crawford would do in The Women-but they are harder than most. I find that I do better sometimes in her other series by stopping the tape and doing extra stretches–especially with the out leg series as I have had troubles with my hip. I also want to say that these workouts have really helped me with knee and hip injuries I have gotten from running.
I love this workout and have become addicted to it. The music is sort of meditative, as is her demeanor. I have been recommending it to all of my friends, especially those who like Pilates. I also love that I can just do them for free (all you need is a mat and for some weights) on my own time and that each video can be broken down into 15 minutes, 30 minutes or 1 hour workouts depending on how much time you have. They are great for travel, which I do a lot of. I also am reminded of my ballet classes as a teen and it makes me want to improve my posture and form. Thanks Mary!”
patricio –
Just beautiful!
“I have been using this DVD for over a week now maybe ten days and I just love it! First of all Mary Ann Bowers is just beautiful with an amazing face body and hair that just screams elegance and the classical music really fits and as I love the classics this is my cup of tea. I have exercised all my life so at 47 I have done it all and am very fit and toned but because I have fibromyalgia I do not do extreme exercise that jars my body. I am 63 inches tall, size 3 in clothes and am seeking a sleeker look just like a dancer and because I am small boned I feel I can achieve this look. When I use weights I use just up to 5lbs as I want a sleeker look and have stopped using the heavier weights and so this workout is great for me and yes it does really work me out and I do feel it but I am not sore the next day but I do feel a tightness in my body. To someone who is used to other forms of exercise it may be difficult to get used to as most people think to get results you have to sweat profusely but after ten days I can really see a difference in my butt and upper arms especially. It is wonderful because you can choose different sections and exercise for 15 minutes or what ever you choose to suit your day or if you are just having a tired day but want to do something. I like variety so I do some of this and some yoga and pilates at different times during the day. Something is better than nothing so there are no excuses not to exercise! I really like this but it may not suit those who like hard driving workouts with loud music. I recommend in every way as I feel it is very well done and the instructor is just beautiful!”
Sara –
Challenging yet Fun
“Don’t let the minimalist aesthetic and seemingly simple moves fool you…this workout is a challenge. I’ve done the workout about 5 or 6 times now, and I have yet to get through the whole thing without taking a rest. I am trying to get back into shape and I am a 23 year old female. Here are my three tips for doing this workout.
1) Don’t get discouraged. All those little repetitions are meant to work your muscles to fatigue, but each segment is only about 10 minutes, so you can get through it! If you have to rest, don’t worry. Make sure to do the modifications for easier moves if you need.
2) The workouts cover larger, more difficult muscle groups first. That way, you have enough energy to use proper form in the more challenging segments. Once you get through the first two, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. You can also customize your own workout to omit certain portions if those areas are sore or you are pressed for time.
3) Stretch WAY more than Mary Helen does in these videos. She is a former ballerina and fitness expert on a totally different level than the average person. She is so limber that she doesn’t need as much time between sets. I urge you to take as much time as you need between sets and to do a bit of stretching before you begin the DVD at all. I had a very deep burn in a butt muscle for 3 days because I didn’t take enough time to fully stretch the muscle out when I should have. I learned to keep my remote close in case I need extra stretching time.
Overall, I’d say this was a great buy for me. I activated muscles I didn’t know I had! I’m just starting to try the other workouts available on DVD, but I already know I’ll continue to go back to this one. If you really want to sweat AND get muscle definition, this is what you want!”
mightybangaw –
I can’t believe how it beautifully changed my body
“I have been doing this workout for almost three weeks…I can’t believe how it beautifully changed my body! My background: I have been on paleo/primal lifestyle for 3 years and counting, a proponent of natural movement (I hike and walk a lot) and an enemy of chronic cardio (I used to run 30 miles a week). I am stuck with bulky muscles from doing the wrong kinds of work out, so I am in desperate need to get leaner and stronger. I am 30 years old, 5 ft and 114 lbs. Having bulky muscles does not look good with my height. For the past 3 years, I have supplemented on Tracy Anderson’s workout (still doing it) and Vinyasa yoga. I did the Jillian Anderson workouts, but it bulked me up, too.
I have been doing 50 squats 5x/week to maintain my bum and knees but the consequence is having thick thighs, I could barely put my jeans on. Despite doing chronic cardio and ab work, my midsection isn’t where it used to be pre-pregnancy (my son is already 7 years old! I should have made progress by then). Refusing to believe that I could not get my body back pre-pregnancy or because I just turned 30 and that everything goes downhill as we get older, I did my own research on how to change my body by eating primally and and doing exercises that will help me get leaner and stronger.
This is it. Ill keep doing this, forever. It’s very portable, too. I stream it from my amazon library using my phone or tablet and I can exercise whenever and wherever as long as I have wifi and enough space to extend my arms and legs. Of course, with every exercise, proper form is VERY important or it just negates the idea of doing it. I do my best eating sensibly, too. My rule is 80% nutrition 20% exercise and intermittent fasts.
I have increased to 4X per week. I just love the way it works my body! My posture has improved and core muscles stronger. I could do longer headstands during yoga nowadays. It’s not an easy routine, though, but a nice hour of showing how much I love myself.”
Lilly –
Enjoyable !
“Gimmicks- they come in glitzy packaging and make promises like “Change your body! Look great!” I know a gimmick when I see one. When I read about Ballet Beautiful Total Body Workout, I thought: “Gimmick. Just like Tae Bow, Abs of Steel, etc.” I mean – hey – any exercise program that encourages you to get off your fat butt and move will make you lose weight, right? What made this one any different? I am not a lazy type of person, either. Working out is part of my lifestyle. I truly cannot live with out it. I have had gym memberships my whole life and personal trainers, too. But after I had my baby, my body was weak, my joints were in pain, and I wasn’t myself.
So I read reviews – tons of them. I consulted my trainer. I gave this a whirl for almost a month, and I have to say that the toning is incredible! I can see a difference in my legs and arms. Ballet Beautiful is definitely a different way to tone than using weights or going to Body Pump at the gym.
It’s also very enjoyable. The piano music, the stark white room, and the repetition of her voice counting give the whole DVD a surreal, hypnotic effect. I am exercising, and yet, my mind is shutting off. I can feel my muscles burn – nay, SCORCH – and yet I am in la-la land, living vicariously through this woman who is beautiful, disciplined, and in great shape. I am no longer a mother and frumpy, school-marm high school teacher. Somehow, I too become a beautiful ballerina type. Mary Helen Bowers must be a marketing genius because I think that soothing, hypnotic nature is 90% of the appeal. Tone your whole body and give your mind rest. Brilliant!
Also, like I said, I do see results. It’s only been one month but my outer thighs look different (leaner) and my arms do, too. My whole body feels and looks better. And you don’t need to be a ballerina. At all. Because I have NO dance experience whatsoever (unless you count getting drunk at a club and spelling out my name with my butt like I used to do when I went out clubbing in my 20’s. That is the extent of my “dancing.” Sandstorm, anyone?)
Gimmick or no, I am going to keep doing this and the other DVDs. IF not for the physical benefits (which I do see), then for the mental benefits as well.”
A.V.P –
My favorite BB dvd…
“I am a big BB fan, I love her workouts and since I tend to bulk up very fast doing regular exercise, this was god send!!! First, I’m already petite – and in good shape and a devoted swimming fan (my only sport and most effective sport so far) but I wanted something that I can do when I can’t go swimming and sometimes the chlorine dries out my hair. This is where Helen Bowers is a genius!! This will get you a feminine body, I felt it transform within two weeks. I will warn like all toning and cardio exercise, when you build muscle, you will gain weight (fair warning). I was so upset when I started gaining weight (roughly around 5 lbs) and I was getting hungry!! I learned to control my appetite again and eat only when necessary but you can visually see the results although the scale said something else and when my ex saw me again, he thought I had lost weight, but I was just getting more toned and lean!!! Within 4 weeks, I started loosing weight but I will say, I do take some breaks in between so my muscles can relax. I really see a nice feminine transformation way better than anything else I’ve seen.
As for this video… I love and use the bridge series every day. It’s not a suffocating work out and I can really see results in lean legs with muscle, very elegant. The stretches are extremely important, I don’t think she does enough, so I do a few more after the videos end. All these target areas are packed in 15 min intervals, so I often want to do more and sometimes I do more than 45 mins without even realizing it. These workouts look easy, but they are not, so you need to really stick to them to get strength. The abs are great of course but also she targets the sides which make it slimmer and I believe it accelerates metabolism. The inner thigh work out is short but also great for long, lean legs. The videos are kind of slow to start and Helen Bowers is so beautiful and such a great trainer which makes it hard to hate her when she is working you to death (I feel that way more with the Body Blast dvd).
To sum it, two essential BB dvds it’s this one and Body Blast.”
RoGo72 –
I’m addicted to Ballet Beautiful and that’s a very good thing!!!!!!!!
“For as long as I can remember, I’ve been cursed with thighs that resemble two tree stumps. In my quest to find relief from having to face another shorts wearing season dealing with dreaded chub rub, I decided to check out inner thigh workouts on YouTube, instead of fixating on cosmetic surgery sites that push liposuction as the answer to my lifelong problem.I came across excerpts from Ballet Beautiful: Total Body Workout. At first I didn’t believe the simple movements (ballet inspired, not actual ballet) would change anything, but since I’ve never seen a ballet dancer with cellulite, or thighs that rub together, I figured I had nothing to lose. Surprisingly, after completing three days of the inner thigh workout I started seeing changes which prompted me to try several other excerpts that focused on the thighs, hips, and derriere.
I’ve been exercising consistently for almost thirty years, having tried just about every workout known to woman, and I can honestly say I’ve never experienced the results that came from those first few days. I ended up buying the Total Body Workout in addition to Body Blast, and I couldn’t be more satisfied. I do another workout which concentrates on abs and arms, so I always choose to skip the Swan arms and ab workouts. Consequently, I won’t even attempt to comment on those routines, but I will say my biggest problem areas (thighs) are getting leaner, longer, and more streamlined after every workout. My hips are getting smaller, my backside is tighter, and I’ve even noticed my cellulite slowly disappearing. I’ve read several of the reviews which claim Mary Helen is boring, too repetitive, or they can’t stand the piano music, but I have to disagree. I find it refreshing that she doesn’t bark orders at the individuals turning to her for help. Her tone is always incredibly pleasant. I also find it nice that she encourages everyone to drink plenty of water and beginners to take breaks and stretch as needed, instead of demanding everyone push through the pain. As for the piano music, I find it relaxing.
These workouts are a great supplement for people who get plenty of cardio exercise in addition to those who watch what they eat. They’re designed to tone the body, build flexibility, and relax the spirit. Muscles that have never been worked before will be worked in a gentle manner, but don’t expect the movements to be easy. They’re probably the hardest movements I’ve ever done, but they get results. After all, ballet dancers have the bodies they have by doing movements that are repetitive. Exhausting the muscles is what firms them up. Thank you, Mary Helen, for sharing your secret to maintaining a ballet body to those of us who don’t wear tutus and can’t stand on their tippy toes for very long. You’re a beautiful, elegant lady with an enviable figure earned through years of perfecting your craft. I don’t expect my body to look like yours, but I’m thrilled it’s evolving into the best version of my body ever.”
Mom of boys…. –
Must try!
“Full disclosure, I am a Bar Method junkie. I can’t live without it. Like it or not, everything else I try will inevitably be compared to BM. I randomly ran across a few short clips of the Ballet Beautiful workouts somewhere on the internet and liked what I saw, so I bought them thinking I could switch off here and there with my beloved BM DVD’s. That’s exactly what I’ve been doing. Here’s my thoughts:
Pros:
*Mary Helen Bowers is a wonderful instructor. So pleasant to listen to and not annoying in any way, shape or form (as some instructors can be). Just motivating and genuinely interested in giving you an effective workout. I love her! Plus her bod is fab…I mean come on.
*These exercises are EFFECTIVE. They hurt like h-e-double toothpicks, but in such a good way that you refuse to quit.
*This is a very doable, no-nonsense workout. I have no (NO!) ballet background and I had no trouble doing any of the moves. There are no complicated sequences or steps to learn.
*I love the simple format. Every exercise is done in four (or is it five? Darn, I can’t remember) sets of 8 counts. I’m sure some would find that boring after a while, but I love the simplicity. It allows me to completely focus on the area I’m working and I always know exactly how many more reps I have to do.
*I love the piano music in the background. I’m a piano player so this is right up my alley.
Ok, now the cons:
*Minimal stretching. There is stretching, but it’s so quick! I’m comparing to BM here, but I like a good, deep stretch between sections, and BM wins in this area hands down. I find myself pausing Ballet Beautiful A LOT to get a good stretch in between sections. That’s annoying.
*Sometimes the camera angle is less than helpful and MHB doesn’t give a ton of instruction. The moves are simple, yes, but sometimes I wonder if I’m holding my leg in the right angle and I can’t tell by the camera angle and MHB doesn’t tell us. Subtle angle changes can make a big difference, so I want to know exactly what angle I’m supposed to be moving in.
Overall, I love this DVD (and her Body Blast Workout) and will continue to incorporate it into my weekly routine. I’m not giving up BM (ever!) but it’s nice to have this as a supplement. Oh, and my original review griped about this DVD not having a “play all” option. Oops…that’s what the “custom” option allows you to do. I should have spent more time exploring the options before I complained. My apologies!”
Ilene –
Fastest hourlong workout ever.
“I don’t remember how I found this video. I am so glad I did. Reading the reviews, I realize how late I am to this party. I honestly DON’T write reviews. I might answer a question here or there, but a review? No. This dvd deserves every 5 star review it has received. I am so in agreement with so many of these review writers. I am so glad that I read so many reviews as some of the more recent (I like to select that option to shake things up a bit) reviews have been less than stellar. After a few workouts with MHB videos (I could not wait for my dvd- I did a couple streaming workouts) I am so impressed.
I don’t like working out. I watch the clock. I zone out and stop focusing. Has not happened with MHB. The workout moves along at a nice pace. I can’t get through all the sets, yet, but I do keep moving and do work all the way through the different sections.
These are tough workouts, but in a great way. I feel really good when I am finished with the workout- and not in the ‘thank God that’s over’ kind of way. I feel genuinely ‘good’ afterward.
I don’t know what will happen. Right now, I am eager to keep going with these challenging videos (I have purchased both this dvd and the 15 minute blasts) and see what happens. Will I get a more toned, graceful looking physique? That would be amazing. I just never expected a workout that improves my general mood and my confidence level in such a remarkable way. No doubt, the physical health benefits will follow!”
Arialexa –
I have been using this for ten days now.
“I am 5’4.5 and I was 122 at my highest weight. The way I carry my weight, I looked a lot heavier than most people would think. So about two-three months ago I tried dieting, doing squats and the usual exercises you do in gym class, and I got down to 114. After that I was stuck and I also felt kind of bulky from the exercises I was doing. About a month ago I really started getting into ballet, now that I’m thinner and more confident. So it took me a while to get around to find this but I gave it a try and started using everyday.
The Current Results:
IT HURTS at first. But once I finished it the first 1-2 times, I felt euphoric. It was amazing. I’ve been doing it for about 10 days. She suggests 2-3 times a week, but I’m active enough to do it 6-7 times. Plus I’m really impatient and the good results have been encouraging me. Also I’m hoping to actually start ballet soon. Note: I also walk for two hours a day but before doing this workout I was stuck at 114. Now I’m clocked in at 109 and I’m as fit as I’ve ever been. I eat as much as I want basically, (I’m not gluttonous, I just don’t have to starve myself and that makes me feel great. I haven’t bulked up AT ALL. I’m so happy with the results..
The Workout:
This workout is great in my opinion. Ballerinas are known for strengthening smaller muscles, and that’s the key I think to not bulking up. Instead of having intensely big thighs and arms and calves, this workout has defined my smaller muscles that squats just won’t do. I have a thigh gap now! WITHOUT being dangerously underweight. People ask me if I do squats obviously and I don’t! EVER! Mary Helen is the grand master of teaching you how to localize the workout. It burns and you may feel inadequate if you can’t keep up, but just as long as you are feeling the burn, that means you’re working as hard as you can and there’s no way you aren’t going to see great results from that.
-This exercise is intense but I don’t ever sweat from it. I feel the burn but I don’t sweat even with all the different sets. It’s not like jumping jacks or anything you would think. So if you were to exercise before an event to tone up your body a little, this would probably work, and you won’t feel awful if you don’t shower after (unless it’s hot where you are of course).
Bottom Line:
I highly recommend this but not for anyone looking to lose say…20+ pounds? I say this because I struggle keeping my legs up for certain exercises and I’m not even overweight. My thighs carry some chunk though so it DOES make it difficult for me. This is great for anyone looking to tone their body or even lose a few pounds. 10/10 I recommend.
PS: For anyone thinking I’m grossly underweight, I’m 16 and I have a curvy frame if that’s a thing. I’ve mentioned my weight on online fitness boards before and have been criticized, but I feel great and have not been criticized for being too thin in person. It’s all about how people carry their weight.”
L. Perry –
BB always Lovely, Tough, and Tranquil.
“I love the Ballet Beautiful workouts! They are as tranquil as they are tough. I love the bright white set and the classical music background. I love that MHB speaks gently to motivate instead of getting bossy like “bootcamp” style instructors. Overall the Ballet Beautiful workouts are some of my smartest fitness purchases.”
baby bear –
Heck Yes!
“I am already a callanetics 10/10 devotee and have seen great results from this; however, I wanted to take my strength/muscle elongation exercises to the next level. I am mortified to say that I have about 25+lbs of marriage weight on my small stature (under 5′). I already eat very clean but I not super restrictive, a few beers or three make it down the hatch and straight to my belly on the weekends.
I did not have unrealistic expectations in spite of the glowing reviews but went ahead and bought the full body and the blast on instant video. I have mostly done the full body video so that is what I am reviewing. The exercises themselves are very targeted and core strength building. I do have a back injury from a bike accident that I have been particularly careful about and this has not bothered me since beginning the tapes. I find after finishing the exercises that my muscles are nicely fatigued–you can really tell you have worked each and every one. One odd thing I’ve noticed is that I cannot make it through the full workout without drinking 1-2L of water (this is on top of the 4L I drink already in a day). If you stick with the exercises, they do get more manageable to get through without breaking. I recall the first week I did them I certainly thought that my limbs would fall off.
Ok, on to the results: I am not particularly a fitness freak. I do not do cardio or weights. I do not starve myself or calorie count. I just eat mostly raw for breakfast and lunch (about 2 lbs veggies and fruits)and have nuts as snacks and a cooked dinner usually with eggs/lentils/beans and some type of carbs. I have taken a break from callanetics (used to do it 2-3x a week) to do the total body workout about three times a week. It’s been about 3 weeks now but I know for a fact I saw results in the first week. My calves are becoming defined, my inner and outer thighs have shrunk, my love handles and tummy are much flatter….but most dramatically—and I’m not sure what voodoo MHB has done—but my butt has literally shrunk 30% in size and become firmer and more lifted. I also broke a plateau by 3lbs! in one week alone!! I suppose the results may slow down and depend on diet , frequency of exercise, etc.
I highly recommend this for anyone who wants to tone, firm, sculpt, improve their core or general muscle strength. It’s also really awesome when you work with a bunch of fitness freaks that obsess about how much they go to the gym and count calories and then make more noticeable progress then they have for the past three months.”
Jennifer –
More than just your average workout
“For some background, I’ve been doing Bar Method Dancer’s Body Advanced Workout off and on for a year. I can keep up with the Bar Method workout with some wavering only on the harder moves- such as the downhill slalom. I have had decent results with it, I felt a lot stronger, but my muscles did bulk up a bit, particularly the upper thighs. To be fair, I have never done it consistently for the 2-3 months they recommend that it takes for muscles to settle into their proper, tighter form. It’s not a bad workout, but it severely lacked in inner thigh work, which is one of my biggest problem areas. Ballet Beautiful on the other hand brought the burn directly to those inner thighs- I was barely able to finish the fourth sets without losing form.
For many of my younger years, I was very obsessed with food, exercise and weight. It took a lot of work in letting go of my ‘all or nothing’ mindset and there is still room for improvement in finding balance, so now I like to focus on what feels good to the mind and body. I’ve ditched the scale and never diet because those two things were always major triggers for me. Looking into intuitive eating has helped in the journey, but I made sure I didn’t create a fixation with that as well. I think that is why this DVD appealed to me, it resonates with my need for a more gentle approach. Doing the exercises does not stress out my body nor elevate my blood sugar, which used to just make me feel more hungry- something I’ve experienced with the more cardio-intense workouts.
Ballet Beautiful is so different, even though the simple moves seriously burned and my muscles wanted to quit at times, I felt like my mind and body were in harmony, working towards balance and wholeness. I feel as I honor my body, rather than beating it into submission, it will respond accordingly, becoming strong and lean over time.
Perhaps MHB’s own self-acceptance shone through the DVD and imparted something to me, but all I can say is that I love how deeply content I felt after this workout. For that reason it feels completely sustainable long term.
Will report back in two weeks to see if this was just a good first impression, or if it really does have the potential to change the body as well as the mind.
UPDATE: I’ve been excited to see results so I’ve been doing the workout every day with a break every 3-4 days. Inches lost so far- Waist: 2, Hips: 1, Thigh: 3/4. I actually just have some vanity pounds to lose, but I am short and carry most of it in my lower body, so to me its disproportionate and very obvious.
I can say that I can keep up now without feeling like crying (like after the inner and outer thigh segments). My least favorite segment is the Bridge Series, perhaps it’s because it’s 15 minutes long, or maybe because the butterflies feel awkward,(or both). I’d like to it all together, even though I do like the one leg bridges, but I don’t want to short change my results so I’ve started just doing the Bridge Series every other time I do the DVD. Once I get past it, the rest of the workout is actually quite enjoyable. In fact, with the exception of the aforementioned section, I have never had the, “Just need to get through this and I’m done” feeling.
On my break days, I feel tempted to workout anyway because it feels relaxing and I love how taut my muscles feel afterwards, but I incorporate the breaks so that I won’t feel burnt out over time.”
L –
Excellent
“I was so, so happy to find MHB’s DVD’s. I am in my early 50’s. I took ballet as a young girl. I purchased three Ballet Beautiful DVD’s, and the book. I have the Total Body Workout, Cardio Fat Burn, and Body Blast. If you have never taken ballet, and you are a newbie, it is a lot to digest initially. If you have taken ballet, then you know this is not dance class, it’s a hard, rigorous workout. For newbies (no exposure to ballet) I recommend purchasing the Ballet Beautiful book, and at least 2 different of the DVD’s. These DVD’s were designed to be watched/done in full. What I mean is, don’t just start at the beginning, and then a third of the way through the DVD just stop and forget it because you are wiped out. You want to do the entire DVD every time. So if you are out of shape, or not used to these kinds of moves, start with only 5-10 repetitions at the beginning of each different exercise. Then, just rest while it plays, and watch, and wait until the next exercise. This way, you get the benefit of every exercise in the DVD. As you do the DVD more often, you will slowly work up to being able to do most or all of the repetitions.
It is very HARD. You will feel it and you will feel sore. That is why it is important to start with the fewest amount of repetitions you are comfortable with. This also prevents injury or severe pain which will only make you want to quit. There is no need to feel you cannot do this, if you start slowly, you will surprise yourself and enjoy it. Even I do not do all of the repetitions. I do as many as I can handle and then just wait until the next exercise. That is when you can rest and take some deep breaths. I alternate the DVD’s, that way I don’t get bored and I get a different workout every time. That’s why I purchased three different DVD’s.
Also, for me personally, why I love this whole regiment is it takes me back to my childhood, and how much I loved ballet. I wear leotards, tights and ballet slippers, as well as legwarmers and lightweight sweaters. But sometimes I just do the exercises in lightweight leggings or knit shorts and a tank top with a sportsbra. I find (because of having been a childhood ballerina) that I like wearing a leotard and slippers, it helps get me in the right frame of mind and psychologically forces me to concentrate on posture and being graceful. Anyone who has been a ballerina or took ballet and loved it when they were young enjoys the serenity of it, the grace, the way the body feels doing it.
I also recommend for newbies to get and read the book. This is a lifestyle, not just popping in a DVD once-in-awhile. It’s about being healthy, feeling good, and taking care of yourself. I cannot recommend these DVD’s enough. I would say it’s best if you are a self-motivated type of person who doesn’t need to go to a class in order to want to do it. As long as you are pretty healthy, you should be able to do this as long as you do not overdo it and become demoralized. If you have never done ballet, but always loved watching ballet, then this may be good for you. But I think certain personality types are more drawn to it than others. For older ex-ballerinas (like me) it will take you back, and remind you of the beauty and grace and why you loved ballet, and make you feel young. This is what it does for me anyway. I am happy to be doing this in my home, where all I need is an exercise mat, and some motivation. The music is serene, just what I want. I cannot say enough about MHB and her book and DVD’s.”
CW –
Effective, with a few drawbacks
“I used to teach Pilates, and have been doing both Pilates and Callanetics (old-school but still the gold standard for quick results) for years, so I’m in pretty good shape already. This workout has helped refine certain parts that neither Callanetics nor Pilates fully reached for me: in particular, the high inner thighs and the arms. The Ballet Beautiful workout really hits those areas hard, and I saw the difference within the first six workouts, which was a nice surprise. I appreciate that this workout hits the quads only indirectly, unlike Physique 57 or the Bar Method, both of which put bulk on the front of my thighs rather than slimming them down like Ballet Beautiful and Callanetics have done.
I also like the fact that most of this workout takes place on the floor. Make no mistake– this is difficult– even Mary Helen’s reps start to get a bit smaller and lower to the ground during the later stages of each exercise. Nonetheless, being on the floor helps me keep tension out of the non-working parts of my body: if I’m working my legs while standing, for instance, I sometimes tense my shoulders or neck as things get tougher. Floor work is great for keeping the upper body relaxed. Mary Helen is excellent about reminding you to extend fully during the exercises– this is absolutely essential for quick results, so do take her repeated hints!
Despite these positive attributes, there are some limitations to this video. First, I find the abdominal exercises impossible to do without low back pain. I have extremely strong abs from all the years of Pilates, and this is the first time I’ve encountered low back pain during abdominal work– ordinarily engaging my lower abs is sufficient to prevent any strain on my back. There’s something really awkward and painful about the positioning for the Ballet Beautiful abs, and unfortunately no modifications are offered. Frankly I’d worry that for someone who doesn’t have fitness training, these exercises could cause injury, since it takes a bit of experience to know when you’re feeling pain instead of just muscles working hard.
Second, the stretching in this video is negligible. Even if you’re already quite flexible, the stretching isn’t sufficient to maintain (much less increase) flexibility. It gets annoying to have to pause a lot in order to stretch properly, and I missed the presence of a dedicated stretching segment in the video.
Finally, if you’re coming to this series of exercises from another type of exercise that relies on extremely precise form, you might find it difficult to get used to the lack of precise positioning advice from this video. Sometimes it’s very hard to tell exactly how Mary Helen’s leg is turned or angled, and she herself doesn’t say.
In spite of these limitations, however, this is an excellent workout that really gives results.”
BrightBright91 –
Grab your leotard and leg warmers!
“As someone who is always looking for good and interesting “at home” workouts, I gave this workout a try. I have a few other ballet inspired workouts that I have enjoyed so my interest was piqued by this workout. What I found was just a series of floor exercises that reminded me of 1980’s exercise videos. This stuff was old school. Effective yes, but so retro and completely unoriginal.
There is no “routine” per se. It literally is separate segments of floor exercises targeting different body parts. You have an option of stringing together all or some of the segments to “customize” your workout. I liked this feature very much, but it made for very awkward transitions between segments. So if you like continuous flows in your workout, this will drive you crazy. Also, the warm up and cool down isn’t great. Each segment runs about 10 mins, with some longer and some shorter.
The instructor, MHB, is graceful and elegant. Every movement is delicate and beautiful. Unfortunately, this doesn’t describe me when I am in the midst of this workout. MHB is an ok instructor; a bit fast in my opinion. Her cues are not great so this can be challenging your first few times through. The exercises themselves are not necessarily too difficult; what they bank on is tiring your muscles out by doing each exercise for many counts, and then repeating them for many counts. There was definitely one time during a segment when I started to get bored; I just wanted her to move onto something different. She also offers some “advanced” modifications (i.e., doing them on your tippy toes) for some exercises. The “standing” series was pretty lame. The cardio lasted no more than 3 minutes, and the remaining parts were fairly easy. If I remember correctly, this segment may be one of the shortest, if not the shortest, segments on the entire DVD.
The arm segment was one I did find interesting. Outside of the standard tricep dips, she went through other arm exercises that were challenging but fun. I also liked the fact that we didn’t need weights. That is the beauty of these types of workouts, no equipment. Can be done anywhere! I can see myself using the individual segments on this DVD as a supplement to another workout, perhaps a cardio routine. As an entire workout routine, I found it rather uninspiring. We’ve seen it all before, but this time it is set to classical music, instead of the soundtrack to Flashdance.”
Steph –
OUTSTANDING!
“I have been working out now for almost twenty years and have never come across something that worked so well for my body structure. I am petite ( almost 5’4”), small-boned with narrow hips. I have done everything from traditional weight-lifting regimens to short high-intensity, circuit-style workouts, and while I appreciated the variety of benefits that each style gave me (more strength, more endurance, etc.), I found that I didn’t really like the shape that my body was getting. In fact, a good friend of mine told me once that the look I was getting after a few months of diligent weight-training, cardio sessions, and circuit-style workouts was “not the one I was probably going for.” My legs were thicker, and while I was relatively lean at the time, I looked chunky because my skeletal structure didn’t have enough room to visually accommodate the type of muscle I was building. My upper arms weren’t proportioned to always-thin forearms, and I got wider and just did not like the way I looked, especially considering how hard I trained and watched my diet. Anyway, I appreciated her honesty, and felt the same after I continued to not fit into ANY OF MY PANTS. So, I had to change something. I tried Pilates, which is fantastic, but I felt I needed more of a localized muscular challenge to really fatigue my muscles. Somehow, by the grace of God, I found this workout. I don’t do the whole thing everyday, but I do at least the bridge series, and some other clips from her other videos. The results have been nothing but extraordinary: a higher, stronger butt, smaller legs (even though I still run everyday), and posture that elongates my entire frame. This workout, especially the bridge series, has improved my running tremendously, and my knees and back DO NOT HURT ANYMORE. At all. I am convinced this workout works on the muscle patterns that don’t get stimulated during everyday life, and will help improve aches and pains that many people attribute to “aging.” If you can tolerate the misery, this workout will make you look and feel decades younger. I now own three of her other videos and cannot believe how quickly my body is changing, and it is exactly what I wanted. No more bulk, no more not fitting into my pants, just proportion and muscular control. What more do you want out of fitness?!?!
EDIT: So, after of doing this for a few more weeks, I decided to look around for something with more variety. My mind wanted someone to really tell me what exactly to do because Mary Helen does not give a ton of precise instruction and I felt like I needed a bit more cuing. I found Suzanne Bowen and she is exactly what I needed at the time; her form and cuing are the best I have ever experienced. I started doing her streaming barre workouts for about a month and while I got stronger, indeed, I got the dreaded “barre bulk” (more rounded shoulders and front upper legs). I read that it might away, but it might not. And, once again, I wasn’t fitting into my pants and I don’t have time nor patience to wait it out. (I guess I should just know the drill by now; easy-quad-builders like me should limit standing leg work.) So I decided to switch back to ONLY Ballet Beautiful and the usual cardio. I guess something really clicked because the strength that I had gained with Suzanne TOTALLY helped me with getting the form right from Mary Helen’s movements; I was better able to connect with my core and “pull in with the stomach” that is key to getting the intended results. Anyway, I have been doing the ENTIRE DVD and I think that made a big difference, too, because, if you are doing it properly, you really are using your core the entire time while extending your limbs. Anyway, the claims she makes are pretty valid; I lost the bulk, my thighs rebalanced, and everything is getting stronger again. This is repetitive and I try to do it 5 days a week, and I believe the results come from its tedious repetition and frequency. Ballerinas are known for their insane discipline and ability to repeat and repeat and repeat until they learn it, and that’s how I feel this workout works. Anyway, I feel and look more proportional and I should have never underestimated how that can positively impact one’s quality of life — NO JOKE! BUUYYY THISSSS NOWWWWWW!!!!!”
littlejug –
(UPDATE: one year later!) One month in, and I believe the hype …
“If you haven’t met MHB, then you haven’t given your body the opportunity to reach its full potential.
A former cardio/HIIT/circuit junkie, I got hooked on barre workouts when I was pregnant and couldn’t do the whole jarring, breathlessness thing. They did a great job of toning my legs and arms and helping my body bounce back, but I sort of plateaued in the leanness department and started “building” in my quads and shoulders, instead of tightening and slimming down.
Really wanting to take my body to that level of lean ripped-ness, I read a zillion reviews and settled on Ballet Beautiful. I’ve been doing these for a month now (total body 2-3 times a week, cardio fat burn 1-2 times, some butt blasts and swan arms thrown in there), I am so glad I gave it a shot. I’ve lost 1/2 an inch off my hips, 1/2 an inch off my waist and at least 1/2 an inch off of each thigh. Arms are leaning out and look super toned. Posture is improving. My whole lower body looks smaller, longer, tighter, more toned. I really notice my pants loosening and fitting differently… Love it!
Yes, the exercises are difficult, but it’s a good burn and results come quickly. I noticed changes after the third or fourth time, and it was awesome motivation to keep going. You’ll feel yourself getting a little stronger each time (though it still won’t feel “easy”) and you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment each time you do. The segments are easily broken down and rearranged to fit your schedule. With a 4-month-old, it can be tricky to squeeze in a full hour. BUT I can almost always fit in half an hour, then if I can build on that, super!
Several reviewers have said these workouts somehow relax you and kick your butt at the same time… Absolutely true for me, too. MHB is a pleasant presence, and I genuinely look forward to spending time with her. Lots of repetition in these, but I find it allows me to really focus on perfecting my form. I can lie down, zone out and get hot. You work on one area of the body, then move on. NO dread factor as with other workouts. My muscled get fully worked, but I don’t feel overly drained and tired afterward. No equipment required, very little space required.
Cons? Mary Helen’s pacing varies from one side/exercise to the next, and she often loses count. I also wish the movements were synced to the music. But no worries, MHB — I still love you! Also, these workouts are probably not the best for dropping major poundage as they aren’t super calorie burners (although your new, lean muscle will up your metabolism).
I’m totally sold on this program. It’s changed my whole approach to fitness. I always thought of working out as a necessary misery, but I’ve learned I really CAN enjoy it, and get killer results in the process.
—- UPDATE —-
I figured it was time to add to this, as I’ve been at this program for about a year now!
First, one personal con for me: After a few months of solely doing BB, my quads did seem to lose some shape. I think it’s matter of personal preference, though … they were still being worked out indirectly, but I like my legs to look slightly athletic and shapely, not stick-straight. I ended up adding one day a week of Suzanne Bowen’s Cardio Torch (15 minutes of lunges and plies), and this combined with BB seems to be the perfect formula for my body! I still give BB credit for my overall physique, though, and am convinced it will be my main workout regimen for the rest of my life.
Now, the pros … and there are many! Oh my gosh. I cannot believe how my body has changed in the past year. My current routine (for the past 9 months — and it still works!) has been 30 minutes of Ballet Beautiful 5 days a week (I mix and match segments from Total Body Workout and the Body Blasts, alternating upper and lower body but always hitting the abs), PLUS the aforementioned one day of squats and lunges). … Speaking of the Body Blast DVD, the butt segments on there are killer, but so, so effective. It took months for me to get all the way through them without taking long breaks, screaming obscenities or switching legs before she does.
I can’t speak highly enough of these workouts and this approach to fitness. It’s given me a body I didn’t think genetically possible, and at 30 years old and 15 months postpartum, I’m in the absolute best shape of my life. From my posture to my ankles (what?!) and everything in between, I am simply loving my body. I see my butt and hips and abs in the mirror and can’t believe they’re mine! And it’s all accomplished in 30 minutes a day, 5-6 days a week, with no gym memberships, no equipment, no pain, no dread, and no need to leave my living room.
… and I think that about sums it up. Amazing. If you love yourself and want to love your body, try these workouts!!!”
Magicwizard –
BUY THIS DVD IF YOU WANT TO BE SLIM!!
“Over many months I struggled to find a perfect dvd that would help me to eliminate the fat once and for all off my body. Like many people I have stuggled with my weight for a long time and have done countless silly diets that didn’t work, felt depressed, snapped and ate a whole bunch of food and gained five pounds the next day…yes, you get the picture….
I started to get into yoga a few months ago because I admired how slim and sleek the yogis looked like and I wanted to be like them so I began to do yoga…only to find out that it was just too tough for me and I was not seeing results fast or ever ( plus, to be honest, I completely HATE push ups, whether they are called changuranga( how on earth do you spell that?!) push ups or not).
I fell upon this dvd and decided to give it a try, as I was at the ends of my rope dealing with fitness dvds in general( I had about four diffrent ones that didn’t work).
And I must say that I am pretty impressed!
This dvd has SIX workouts in it. SIX! And the best part is that I LOVE HOW TIME HONERED IT IS. The Bridge series is about 15 mins long, and the others are about 10 mins! PLUS, the workouts are CUSTOM FIT FOR YOU, meaning that you can select which ones you want and which ones you don’t want for the day, so you don’t have to go through a 55-70 min workout that has the same moves over and over again. When it goes to the main menue there is a button called custom workout that you can select and you can do the abs first and then the arms, or any of the workouts first, second, etc…you’ll see what I mean!!
Now, about the excercize in general….
I have read a lot of reviewers say about how ‘difficult’ it was and how it made them feel like they were dying, especially that first reviewer that you see that told us how she cursed at poor Brower for the pain she felt.
I would like to let you know that I was not physically active three days prior to beginning this dvd. In fact I HATED exercize in general. So I was plump not fat ( meaning that I had some rolls of fat on the top of my back and around my waist area and my thighs were wiggily and wide).
When I first tried the arm workout, I had the feeling that I was going to be ‘drenched in sweat’ because of my inactive level, but, to my suprise, I HARDLY sweated AT ALL! My skin felt a bit sticky, but rolls of water did not descend down from my forhead ( yes, I sweat from my forehead big time and I hate it) and my back did not get soaked or wet, either.
About the burn…YES you DO feel the burn, but in a GOOD WAY. The burn makes it challenging to do the workout, which prompts you to go back over and over again to the workout to improve….so the dvd never ever gets boring and you always have something to look forward to when it comes to improvement. After I did my first arm, abs and standing exercises I felt a little tiny bit sore but not sore enough that I couldn’t move! I felt very graceful and light all day afterwards.
It has been three days so far and I am ALREADY starting to see dramatic improvements to those fatty areas in my body. My waist seems more tighter and, for the first time in a very long time, I am starting to see a LINE GO DOWN MY BACK!! The line is faint but I am sure that it will get deeper as more of that stubborn fat leaves it….this is SO COOL to actually see that line there….I never in a million years believed that I even HAD a back line before to be honest… and my pouch around my waist is SHRINKING! Yes, that’s right, its GOING AWAY…..I almost feel sad because its been with me forever….
NOT!
And aside from the tight body that I am receiving I find that my over all attitude has improved. I am more relaxed and calm and happy! I actually look FORWARD to doing this workout! I even think about doing it twice every day, it is so addicting!
So, yes, BUY THIS DVD! If you want to finally get slim and are tired of all those hard-to-do push ups and crunches and backbends and who-knows-what that are hard to do then get this dvd! You WILL be slimmer and you WILL be grateful that you had made the decision!”
helluvagoodnews –
For Girly-Girls Who Are Tired Of Being Yelled At By Trainers
“Well girls, it’s been around 4 or 5 months, and my body looks AMAZING. I have not only lost weight that everybody around me has noticed, but I have gained long, elegant, and feminine lines from my arms, to my spine, over the hips, legs, you name it, they have all changed for the better. My fiance told me that I look absolutely gorgeous, retaining my curves with no nasty bulk and keeping the flubber away. My waist has been dramatically shrunken, exaggerating my curves beautifully. I just love looking at myself in the mirror, knowing all my hard work has been paid off. I want to try her streaming online videos next, especially her 15-minute ab workout that you can only access through her website- although the DVDs have done an awesome job for my mid-section, I am still prone to feeling a certain softness on my belly, and I want to REALLY flatten it before my wedding. My advice for everyone is this: Keep the rotations random and fun, don’t just stay stuck doing the same DVDs over and over again, switch them around and ‘shock’ your metabolism by doing different workouts, as well as trying her other videos on her website. I even found YouTube videos of her doing very short workouts that lasts only a few minutes, and there were like around 6 videos in total (Channel is called NET-A-PORTER), resulting in a total of 25 minutes of workouts for days where I just cannot do her longer workouts. Even her super short videos BURN my muscles, so please check them out! 🙂
Remember to eat well. Lean proteins, dark chocolates, complex carbohydrates, tons of water, healthy fats, cooking and packing your own snacks and meals before going to work or school, fruits, vegetables, fish… you know the drill. Eat as many organic stuff as you possibly can and try to severely cut down (or even permanently cut out) processed meals! If you do this, and her workouts, honey, you are on your way to becoming a beautiful ballerina yourself!
Oh, and before I forget… you will NOT believe me, but after months of doing her workouts, I am finding myself doing very ballerina-like activities, such as being able to kick my leg very high in the air, going on my tippy-toes without any problems, and practicing foot work whenever I’m bored. I could sign up for real ballerina classes if I want to! Heck, why not?”
Shelley –
Excellent!
“After the first workout I was like…hmmm that felt good. My legs felt stretched out. I noticed results within two weeks. My hips and butt slimmer. Two weeks?!?!? Eek!!! This workout is amazing. It works you but calms you. My posture is excellent now and I feel mentally better too. Buy this!! I just slid into my “too tight jeans”…I slid in them!! Finally a workout I don’t dread and I feel soooo good afterwards…buy this!!”