Gabrielle Reece - Fit and Healthy Prenatal Workouts (2007)

Custom-designed by Gabrielle Reece, her personal trainer Mike Monroe and approved by a leading OBGYN, FIT & HEALTHY PRENATAL WORKOUTS, safely and effectively condition your growing body by focusing on strengthening and stretching moves. With six 15-minute workouts, you ll always find time to work out. Stay fit and healthy while you increase your self-confidence and feel great throughout your first two trimesters. Product Description

great workout

great workout for the preggers out there just one thing I wish they would mention what kinds of exercise equipment that you need before you start, such as stability ball, weights, bands and chair. September 19, 2008

So-so workout

I have been lifting weights for about 6 months. Then the first trimester sickness and tiredness took over and I took about a 6 week break from weight lifting. Today was the first day I tried it and I used this video. There are positive points and negative points. The positive is that it's nice that every month (up to 6 months) you get a new workout. This keeps it interesting. I also liked that the trainer used different equipment, but then I own all the equipment he used and had it readily available. I thought that every exercise he did was new and different. I don't think there was really a single exercise he did that I've done before and I've been working out very regularly for several years. For the negative, it is not much of a workout. He says that while pregnant you want to lower the amount of weight and increase the reps, but in the video he does not increase the reps at all. Most exercises probably average 8 reps, maybe even 6. I think I'd have to do the video 2x to get a decent workout. On the plus side, it is very short, so those days you feel like you only have 15 minutes or don't have a lot of energy there is no excuse for not workingout. Another negative is that the video stops at 6 months, so you're left with no workouts for the next 3 months of your pregnancy (even though in the special features she says she wanted to do a video that covered all 9 months of pregnancy and post partum. Obviously not this particular video.)

Bottom line, if you have all the equipment ready to go and don't have a ton of high hopes in terms of getting a great heart pounding workout in, this is probably a good video to have for your pregnancy. August 19, 2008

Very Disappointing, not worth it!

I have to agree with other reviewers on wishing I had a heads up to the amount of equipment I needed..and with such a SHORT workout, I found that it was very excessive to have so many different tools needed. I had been working out prior to my pregnancy so I found this to be a very easy workout as well. Just felt disappointed and not impressed at all. August 10, 2008

Mixed feelings

What I like: 1. she looks great, which is inspiring, and she is a real person when doing these exercises (not flawlessly rehearsed). 2. The 15 minute sessions are perfect for my work schedule. I do them in the morning before hitting the shower for work. I never get to do the cool down for lack of time. Hard to talk yourself out of a 15 minute workout. 3. The exercises are very effective...and just challenging enough to bring your heart rate up and work your muscles. 4. The exercises feel safe and well planned.

What I don't like:
1. I used to like Gabby Reese, and maybe it's b/c I'm pregnant but she sort of got on my nerves in this video. She and her trainer do not have good chemistry, and you get tired of hearing the commentary between the 2 of them. I have to remember that she's an athlete and not a TV personality.
2. You need a partner for a few exercises/stretches. He suggests replacing a partner with a door knob or bed post at times...neither of which I have. My doors are modern with a lever rather than a knob, which doesn't give me a secure piece to hold onto. In one exercise, he suggests jamming a stretch band in the door for chest pulls. The band snapped loose from the door jam and whipped me PAINFULLY in the face. I was furious!!
3. He transitions from one exercise to the next too quickly sometimes, forgetting that while he is there to assist Gabby with changing out her gear, most ladies at home will not have a personal trainer to fetch these things for her. By the time you have your chair, ball, etc... they are nearly finished with the set! I.e. they are not mindful of the real audience they have.
4. The video should start with a quick address on what to expect: gear, partner, what to keep nearby throughout the program, what substitutions are acceptable, etc... I found myself scrambling around for things in the middle of the workout.

You need: large bath towel (to make a situp splint), weights, stretch band, partner (or secure door knob or 4-poster bed post!...assuming you are working out in the bedroom!!), stretch ball, and a grippy yoga mat to keep your ball from sliding all over the floor (even on rugs/carpet).

August 5, 2008

Straight forward, challenging, effective

What I appreciate so much about this series is the straight forward approach that doesn't rely on bells and whistles to make it interesting. It's about providing a comprehensive workout that targets the right body parts and aims to teach and guide the viewer. I felt challenged and not condescended to, as I have with other workout videos. And I like the idea that Gabby is going through pregnancy with the viewer. June 29, 2008

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