Master Trainer Reviews

pilates-pro.com

By Nicole Rogers

Jennifer Kries, Pilates educator, owner of the Hot Body Cool Mind studio in Philadelphia, and arguably first to bring Pilates to the masses with her award-winning "The Method" videos is back with an ambitious new series of five Pilates DVDs. The Pilates Method Master Trainer Series covers Joseph Pilates' classical series on the Mat, Reformer, Cadillac, Chair and Barrel, with one piece of equipment covered on each DVD, as well as a segment on the magic circle and a "sculpting" section using hand weights.

Each DVD has sections focusing on beginner, intermediate and advanced work, complete with safety features, cueing, anatomical references and modifications. There is also an interesting interview with Kries, and an FAQ section of sorts in which Kries explains what Pilates is, who can do Pilates, etc. The complete series contains close to 11 hours of instruction.

I really enjoyed the series as a sort of encyclopedic documentation of the classical method. I write this knowing that there are slight variations on what people consider the "classical method." But the viewer is in good hands with Kries, a student of Eve Gentry, Romana Kryzanowska and Ron Fletcher.

As the DVD states, the series is suitable (and excellent) for the Pilates devotee, teacher-in-training or Pilates professional, but especially, in my view, those thinking of enrolling in a teacher-training program and those who have just finished their teacher training. It is such an asset to be able to see and reference all of the exercises in one place. The series would certainly be a great reference during the training process as well, provided that it wouldn't be confusing, as some small details would likely be contradictory to various programs (unless of course you are training with Kries).

As someone who has been teaching for several years, I found the series to be an insightful review - refreshing my memory of a few exercises I rarely teach and giving me new cues and hands-on techniques I hadn't seen or heard before. Like any art, the masters make it look so easy. Kries' cues and phrasing are spare and precise, something I always aspire to. This DVD was a great way to invigorate my own teaching, and learn from a master teacher, without leaving my living room.

As much as I like the series, it is worth noting that these DVDs are among the most expensive I have seen. But, while "The Master Trainer Series" is not intended to replace an actual teacher training course, the series does represent Kries's complete official teacher-training intensive course, a $4,500 value.

The Pilates Method Master Trainer Series is available through Jennifer Kries's online store. Prices range from $79.95 to $99 per DVD, or $399 for the set of five (plus shipping and handling).

Nicole Rogers is a Pilates instructor and writer. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

pilatesdigest.com

By Beth Begelman

This collection of Pilates DVDs is the work of well known presenter and teacher trainer, Jennifer Kries. The series offers 5 DVDs; 4 of which address the different Pilates apparatus (Reformer, Chair, Cadillac, and Ladder Barrel) and the fifth which addresses Pilates mat work.

Kries is a second generation instructor and teacher trainer and has studied with Romana Kryzanowska, Ron Fletcher and Eve Gentry. She has vast experience in dance, yoga and exercise and she is the owner/founder of the Hot Body Cool Mind studio in the Philadelphia area. Kries is a certified Iyengar Yoga instructor and has studied other yoga disciplines as well. She has several other DVD titles as well some of which blend yoga, Pilates and other mind-body disciplines such as Chi-Gong.

Kries has a very relaxed and confident teaching style. She clearly knows the material and presents viewers excellent cueing techniques. Kries offers succinct cueing options while also offering excellent tactile cues for instructors to use in guiding clients. The model for the series is Kim Reis who flawlessly demonstrates the exercises.

The Master Trainer Series is a great resource for new instructors but can benefit veteran instructors as well. Each of the DVDs addresses beginner, intermediate and advanced exercises. The Master Trainer Series DVDs can be purchased individually for $79.95 or $99 (plus shipping) or as a collection for $399 (plus shipping). This is on the higher end of the cost spectrum for instructional DVDs which may be cost prohibitive for some but the DVDs are an excellent resource for Studios to keep on hand in their libraries.

pilates.about.com

By Marguerite Ogle

Jennifer Kries is truly a master Pilates instructor. Anyone watching this series of Pilates teacher training DVDs will come away with an expanded understanding of the instruction and performance of classical Pilates exercises for mat and equipment.

Kries not only shows you how to teach the exercises with good verbal and tactile cues, but importantly, with insight about how the exercises build and relate to each other across different levels and apparatus.

Pros

In-depth instruction for teaching Pilates mat and apparatus exercises
Appropriate for serious students and instructors
Kries gives clear verbal and visual instruction
DVDs include exercise choreography, teaching cues, and safety
Model, Kim Reis, demonstrates all exercises with exceptional clarity
Cons

The pace and setting are so consistent that watching can become tedious
At times Kries refers to events the viewer was not part of which can be disconcerting
Description

This 5 DVD series includes instruction for teaching Pilates mat, reformer, chair, barrel and cadillac.
Each DVD covers beginning, intermediate, and advanced exercises.
Individual DVD lengths vary from 45 minutes to 3 hours of content.
The DVDs follow the classical Pilates syllabus.
Prices range from $79.00 to $99.00 for individual DVDs to $399.00 for the set.
Guide Review - Jennifer Kries' DVD Pilates Method Master Trainer Series Jennifer Kries' Pilates Master Trainer DVD series is not intended to take the place of Pilates certification training. It is, however, an impressive and valuable resource for instructors and serious Pilates students.

Some people have questioned the price of these DVDs, but when you consider the depth and breadth of information in them, and the sheer amount of it, I think they are definitely worth considering.

Throughout all 5 DVDs, you get the classical syllabus for mat and apparatus beautifully taught and demonstrated. Along with that, Kries imparts a mature instructor's insights on effective cues, client instructor interaction, and things to look for in a clients performance of each exercise. Kries also makes sure you know what you are doing with each piece of equipment -- how to set it up, and how to manipulate it safely for your client.

These DVDs are too information-rich to be treated as a crash course. For me, it was watch a DVD, or part, and then think about it and practice before I went on to the next one. At times I wished for even more cues and details -- what to do and not to do, what a client might or might not present. But there is a lot of that in this training and after all, how much can you pack in a DVD? Maybe there was room for a little more, but basically I want more, more, more because Kries has done such a good job already.

Teaching on a practical level, without a lot of extra flourishes, Kries' style is direct, yet sensitive to her client. That's a quality to learn from. It also works very well over the long-haul of an in-depth series like this. The clarity of Kreis' teaching, and the precise structure of the DVDs, will allow this series to be an enduring reference for Pilates instructors, instructor trainees, and students deepening their knowledge.

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By Spiridon Rafter

Feeling The Difference With The Jennifer Kries Pilates Master Trainer Series DVD - The Mat

Pilates founder Joseph Pilates once said, "In ten sessions you will feel the difference, in 20 you will see the difference, and in 30 you will have a whole new body."

Through a series of exercises that work to gradually build one's core strength through breathing, balancing and stretching, exercisers from 8 to 80 have been able to master the techniques needed to become mentally and physically stronger. Pilates is one of the best ways to tone one's body and maintain overall fitness.

While it can't compete with the heart benefits of a good cardiovascular workout or the muscle building of weight training, Pilates has a place in one's weekly workout routine. Serious devotees often feel they want to teach Pilates, sharing their talent with others. Jennifer Kries Pilates Master Trainer Series DVD - The Mat is one of the tools aspiring teachers use to perfect their skills.

Reviewers recommend Jennifer Kries Pilates Master Trainer Series DVD - The Mat for people who are considering teaching Pilates/yoga or who have completed their certification course and would like to hone the skills they've just learned.

The DVD is a sort of encyclopedia of the classical methods of Pilates/yoga, which can be rather insightful to have all in one place. Kries uses very precise, minimalist commands to guide her students, which many aspiring teachers say is very helpful as well. There is no fluff on these DVDs: it's all about training, teaching, client safety, cuing, modifications and selecting the appropriate exercises.

Jennifer Kries Pilates Master Trainer Series DVD - The Mat sells for $99 and is one of five in the Master Trainer Series. This Pilates/yoga video may not be for basic fitness freaks who just want a good workout.

The pace and setting are far from extraordinary, so the at-home exerciser may feel the format is a bit tedious and dull. Of course, the instructor-in-training is appreciative that there are few distractions.

As of 2005, there were 11 million Americans practicing Pilates/yoga and 14,000 instructors in the U.S. Pilates was first developed by German-born Joseph Pilates to help soldiers returning from war with injuries.

Through a combination of Eastern philosophical thought involving focus and concentration, breathing techniques and precise, controlled movement, it was believed that people could heal their infirmities, while also strengthening muscles, flexibility and mental wellbeing.

Today, nearly every beautiful body on the catwalk owes some of their physique to Pilates training. The list of devotees includes Gwenyth Paltrow, Madonna, Elizabeth Hurley, Jennifer Aniston, Hugh Grant, John Cleese and onwards.

Become A Pilates Master Trainer

Actress Jamie Lee Curtis once commented, "Pilates is the only exercise program that has changed my body and made me feel great." Those interested in training to become a Pilates master should start out with Jennifer Kries Pilates Master Trainer Series DVD - The Mat.

Jennifer Kries, the guide in the Jennifer Kries Pilates Master Trainer Series DVD - The Mat, has been featured in magazines like Pilates Style, Smart Fitness - Italy, Marie Claire, Golf Digest, Total Health, Fitness Magazine, Fit Magazine and Organic Spa.

Years Of Professional Experience On Instructional DVDs

Kries is a second generation Pilates/yoga instructor, as well as the owner/founder of the Hot Body Cool Mind studio in Philadelphia. She has trained under celebrity instructors like Romana Kryzanowska, Ron Fletcher and Eve Gentry.

After pursuing a dance and choreography career in New York, Kries became certified in Iyengar Yoga, Chi Gong and other yoga disciplines. She brings her years of professional experience and studying, as well as an English Pilates Method Degree, to these instructional DVDs.

Clear Demonstrations And Precise Verbal Cues

Yet many fans of her work say it's her clear demonstrations and precise verbal cues that make this series truly enjoyable. Jennifer Kries Pilates Master Trainer Series DVD - The Mat has received positive reviews from yoga instructors on the web.

"Jennifer Kries' Pilates Master Trainer DVD series is not intended to take the place of Pilates certification training. It is, however, an impressive and valuable resource for instructors and serious Pilates students," writes reviewer and Pilates instructor Marguerite Ogle at www.about.com.

"A Relaxed And Confident Teaching Style"

Another reviewer, Beth Begelman over at www.pilatesdigest.com, comments, "Kries has a very relaxed and confident teaching style. She clearly knows the material and presents viewers excellent cueing techniques.

Kries offers succinct cueing options while also offering excellent tactile cues for instructors to use in guiding clients. The model for the series is Kim Reis who flawlessly demonstrates the exercises."

Nicole Rogers, a yoga instructor and writer for Pilates Pro, wrote, "As someone who has been teaching for several years, I found the series to be an insightful review - refreshing my memory of a few exercises I rarely teach and giving me new cues and hands-on techniques I hadn't seen or heard before."

Yoga Uses Slow And Deliberate Actions

Newcomers to Jennifer Kries Pilates Master Trainer Series DVD - The Mat, and Pilates/yoga in general may find the pace of yoga to be a bit dull. People who generally fill their workouts with rigorous cardio or who have purchased other fitness videos like Taebo may be sorely disappointed. Yoga is a spiritual practice that uses slow, deliberate actions, while slowly toning and strengthening the body.

Those who are recovering from injury or are using Pilates as rehabilitation may need to stick with the videos consistently for awhile before starting to notice results. Despite these cons, this video is considered a "must have" for serious instructors.

Master Trainer Testimonials
"Hi Jennifer!

Your Reformer DVD was a godsend to me when I was studying for my practical test. I was blown away by it, to tell you the truth! I had been doing Pilates for 13 years before starting the certification process, but found that the most difficult part in making the transition to teaching, was getting comfortable with effective, simple cueing, and how to guide the client in the most graceful way on the equipment. Your DVD could not have been more helpful, not only for my testing out, but for making me a much better instructor. There is nothing else like it (as far as I know) on the market and refer to it often. I am so happy to have the opportunity to communicate with you directly and thank you for your work!

All the best,"

~Barbara Kornreich

"Hi Jennifer!

I received my Master Trainer DVDs. My sister gave me one of your pilates mat videos several years ago and I still refer to it. Your new Master Trainer Series is the best and most comprehensive teaching I have ever seen from a Pilates instructor.

I completed my teaching certification in 2008 and I have several loyal clients, but my training did not give me confidence in my teaching skills. I appreciate so much the detailed demonstrations for hands-on cueing and interacting with the client that your Master Trainer Series shows!

I want to give you my thanks and appreciation for sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm for Pilates. You are a pleasure to learn from and the master series is in a class by itself!"

~Mary Beth Thompson

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