The Lotte Berk Method, 4 Disc Set: Basic Essentials, Hip Hugger Abs, Muscle Eats Fat, High Round Assets

All 4 DVD's are 30 minutes, and have lots of bonus features, including trailers for the other Lotte Berk DVD's, and even a special short bonus workout. The quality of the picture and sound is excellent, and the workouts are chaptered so you can go where you want. They all start out the same way, with about 7 minutes of the same warmup. It consists of vigorous knee lifts, pushups (the kind you do on your knees), and backwards pushups for the triceps. Then, there is the workout.

The Basic Essentials goes to the barre at this point. You can use a chair or table, and they even have one person demonstrating how to do it on the wall. There are some ballet type workouts with deep plies and other standing leg work. It works your buns and thighs. This goes on for 15 minutes or so, and then there is the Shape by Stretch, which is sort of like yoga stretches. They explain that it will make the muscles you just toned look more lean. I really like this workout. It was a good introduction to the series, and it works total body (abs, arms, butt, and thighs). They teach you about the Lotte Berk tuck really well in this one, which is a way to protect your back and firm your abdomen.

Muscle Eats Fat starts with the same warm-up as the others, then uses light hand weights. It's nothing too difficult, but you can feel it working. It then goes to Knee Dancing, a sort of toning thing where you are kneeling but you are not all the way up or down and you can really feel it in your thighs. Then Shape By Stretch.

Hip Hugger Abs starts with the warm-up, then a little barre work, then mat work. It is mostly isometric work, not repetitions. But do you ever feel it! The main exercise is sitting up with your knees into your chest, and then leaning back and holding yourself halfway. You'll do different modifications of that. Then some sit-up type things, but they are very different and they feel more effective without really wearing out your back and neck. Then some side work for your obliques. Then, Shape By Stretch.

I didn't get to do all of High Round Assets. It starts the same way as the others and then goes to the barre, where you sort of kick behind you with your knee straight. What I did felt really effective.

Bottom line - this works! I have really seen results in by body after three weeks of doing these DVD's. My legs are slimmer and I have built strength in my arms from all those pushups! They're pretty pricey, but if you've got some money to burn, give these a try. You won't be disappointed!


Good workouts featuring non-traditional/ballet-style toning   March 16, 2005
Beth Cholette (Upstate NY USA)
37 out of 38 found this review helpful

The Lotte Berke Method (LBM) is a non-traditional type of toning workout developed by a Russain dancer of the same name and brought to America by Lydia Bach. Drawing from dance and other similar disciplines, many of the exercises require the use of a ballet barre, and the focus is on making small, precise movements to facilitate the development of long, lean muscles. The hallmarks of LBM include an emphasis on stretching throughout the workout and use of the "Lotte Berk tuck," which is a pelvic tilt used to emphasize the movements. Each workout begins with a warm-up of marching in place, lifting your knees high, and each ends with a "Shape by Stretch" streching segment.

Basic Essentials contains the greatest variety of movements and provides an overview to the method. It is a full-body toning workout which includes push-ups, barre work for legs and glutes, floor work for abdominals, and "knee dancing," a kneeling exercise targeting the lower body. Muscle Eats Fat is also a full-body workout and the only one to incorporate weights; you use light dumbells for shoulder, biceps, and triceps work. This workout also includes planks to work the core, thigh work at the barre, and knee dancing for the lower body. The remaining two workouts target more specific areas, although both include push-ups in their warm-ups. In High Round Assets, the barre work includes only a couple of different exercises, but you will perform a very high number of repetitions and then do the same on the floor for pelvic tilts; this was probably my favorite workout of the series and the one that felt the most effective. In Hip Hugger Abs, the entire workout is performed on the floor, first in a seated position for isometric work, then lying for Pilates-inspired movements and finishing with side and regular plank work.

Overall, these videos are well-suited to beginners and intermediates looking for something different than traditional weight work for toning. However, it should be noted that the personalities of the instructors are sometimes a bit hard to take, as they vary from cheesy to condescending to almost drill sergeant-like. Also, the workouts can be a bit boring at times, especially since it takes the instructors so long to set up each exercise. Despite these issues, I would still recommend this set as short, effective toning workouts, with Muscle Eats Fat and High Round Assets being particularly worthwhile.


Tones and lengthens muscles   August 26, 2003
Shannon Hanson (SOUTH JORDAN, UT USA)
33 out of 33 found this review helpful

I bought this set about 2 months ago and I do one of the workouts every other day (each dvd is 30 minutes long). I really love the Lotte Berk Method- it is very different from anything I've done before. It focuses on toning the muscle and then stretching right after to result in long lean legs and arms.

The instructors are great- not annoying at all. The workouts fly by so fast but you will feel the effects right away and the next day of course.

These workouts do not have any cardio in them but they do make you sweat if you do the excercises right - which is easy. I have noticed that my arms are definately more defined- especially my triceps. I am short but I notice a huge difference in how my legs are looking- slimmer and lean. There is no doubt that these workouts produce results but the trick is to stick with it. Consistency is key.


Excellent...everyone should try the Lotte Berk Method.   January 16, 2004
M. Wright (Iowa)
33 out of 34 found this review helpful

Due to the other rave reviews of this DVD set, I couldn't wait to get a set of my own. Now I got it, and I love it. I've only been doing it for a few weeks and already feel the difference. Quite honestly, after I completed it the first day I was so sore for the next FOUR days that I didn't even attempt to do it again until I was better. I've been exercising and strength training six days a week for the last seven months and while I am not the most advanced exerciser, I'm no fluff either. This workout is totally unique to everything else I've tried. The whole system is centered on small, controlled movements. Sometimes, you're hardly even moving. It's laid out very well. Four instructors take turns on each DVD, and they are all superb. There are three instructors completing the exercises, one as the beginner, one as the intermediate, and one as the advanced when applicable. This is a very nice system that allows you to grow with it as you get better. There is minimal equipment involved: a set of hand weights for "Muscle Eats Fat", exercise mat if you're on a hard surface, and something sturdy to lean on (you can use a bar, a heavy piece of furniture or a wall; I use my fireplace mantle.) I particularly like "Muscle Eats Fat", but all of them are excellent. The exercises work all the major muscle groups, and while there is no cardio involved, you'll still be sweating by the time you're done. If you have serious knee problems, some of the exercises might be uncomfortable, but I have never been able to do a lot of squats or plies when exercising because they always bother my knees. This did NOT. They have you do a ballet type pose with your heels pressed together to alleviate any pressure on your knees. That modification has enabled me to do the exercises without hurting my knees. All in all, a body changing set that is unique, challenging, and fun. A definite keeper.


Callanetics much better   May 31, 2006
ReadNReVu
31 out of 39 found this review helpful

I was so disappointed in this set. It is not at all relaxing in the way Callanetics is. Also, this shares the same tone as the Lydia Bach book (Awake! Aware! Alive)--don't bother with the Lotte Berk Method unless you are already in shape. All of the people in the DVDs are fit and toned--not a normal person to be seen. Callanetics (which is derived from this) is much more friendly to beginners.

Also, this whole thing could have been put out on one DVD with an interactive menu so that you could customize workouts.

Buy used.