Gabrielle Reese, best known for being a professional volleyball player and model, designed these six mini-workouts with her personal trainer. Each workout is tailored to one of the first six months of pregnancy, accommodating the additional weight and balance challenges that occur as pregnancy progresses. Interestingly, the workouts were filmed as Reece progressed through her pregnancy as well.
The workouts are slowly paced and feature safe and appropriate exercises utilizing hand weights, bands and a stability ball. The instructions and demonstrations are clear, and precautions specific to pregnancy are given regularly. However, some of the camera angles and editing make it difficult to verify proper form. Individuals looking for a motivating, fast-paced workout should look elsewhere—these workouts are almost soothing in terms of tone and exercise selection. Additionally, the workouts, while convenient, feel extremely abbreviated and should be combined with appropriate cardio activities such as walking and swimming. Overall, this exercise DVD offers pregnant women six safe and effective workouts that will help increase their strength and flexibility.
What we liked:
- Safe and effective exercise selection for the various stages of pregnancy
- Features clear exercise instruction and pregnancy-appropriate precautions
What we didn’t like:
- Camera angles and editing make it difficult to identify proper form for some exercises
- Short workouts may not provide enough challenge
October 22, 2009