| Pilates DVD Review: The Jump Board Workout | | | | a cool down series that starts with leg and hip |
| | | | stretches using the Magic Circle and ends with |
| Any Pilates instructor knows that the one exercise | | | | Eve’s Lunge. The cues are helpful, but certainly |
| requested over and over again by clients is jumping | | | | geared toward instructors or advanced students. |
| on the jump board. In fact, I don’t think anyone | | | | Cues like “maintain neutral” and “keep |
| has ever said the word “jumping” to me in a | | | | working from the core” obviously assume some |
| Pilates studio without smiling. Jumping is fun and | | | | previous Pilates experience. |
| weightless and graceful—what’s not love? To | | | | I watched the DVD at home and practiced most of |
| help you with new ideas for this classical prop, Pilates | | | | the moves later on a Reformer (though I did fewer |
| Sports Center has produced The Jump Board | | | | reps). Without question, this is a tough workout for |
| Workout, a 50-minute DVD for intermediate and | | | | the entire body, and definitely a solid cardio workout. |
| advanced levels. | | | | The DVD offers the option of placing the hands |
| The DVD is essentially comprised of one shot with a | | | | under the buttocks to protect the back, which I |
| woman performing the intermediate exercises in the | | | | recommend. Jumping takes an incredible amount of |
| foreground and a man performing the advanced | | | | core strength, especially when done for a long period |
| versions in the background holding hand weights. The | | | | of time. My lungs and legs were burning at the end |
| instruction is clear and concise, starting with a series | | | | of 20 minutes on my own, and I didn’t even try |
| of jumps, then Hundreds, another long series of | | | | using the hand weights! The workout also gave me |
| jumps, side-lying jumps (I had never done these | | | | some great ideas for teaching. |
| before and they are difficult), a hamstring series, and | | | | |