Tracy Anderson: The Pregnancy Project

I love Tracy. I used her Metamorphosis series to get in shape for my wedding a few years ago so I knew I'd get results with her. Anyway, during my first pregnancy I was so scared to do too much so I walked every morning and swam a little tiny bit. My body ballooned up anyway and once I was able to lose that weight my butt and abs were just not the same-so flabby! Going into my second pregnancy (almost 5 months now!) I knew I needed some extra help so I purchased this set. First of all, I think the price is great for what you get (9 months of workouts) and I just can't say enough about how much I love her program so far. I was a little hesitant to purchase it at first because of some of the negative reviews (bad music, "unsafe" exercises) but I'm so glad I didn't listen! I'll be honest, I haven't been really consistent with my workouts but from what I've done I've noticed a HUGE difference in my body-and so has everyone else! I'm almost to the month 5 DVD and so far the workouts have been challenging but nothing scary at all. Tracy stresses again and again to listen to your body and if it feels uncomfortable don't do it. Anyone who's used a Tracy DVD before knows her music is probably going to be bad (which it is) but you have the option of working out to just her voice OR voice and music. I opt for her voice only and use my own music. Also, I think this series is much more guided than any other Tracy workout I've used in the past-she really explains the movements and COUNTS thank goodness! I'd highly recommend this series and will definitely use Tracy's post pregnancy DVD to help get back in shape after baby #2 arrives. 5 stars!!!

Pros: 1. 30-35-minute workout for each month of pregnancy on 9 discs. This makes it easy to fit in an AM workout at home, especially on days you cannot imagine heading out to the gym. 2. Easy to do at home, even in an apartment living room with limited space. Basically, you can do the workouts within the area of a standard yoga mat. 3. Simple equipment-- yoga mat, chair, 2-3 lb dumbbells. (If you were not strong on weights before, I recommend doing 2 lb instead of the 3 lb recommended because you do a number of reps and 2 lb made me feel the burn without straining). 4. Easy-to-follow workouts overall. 5. Option to turn off background music and just hear her voice. (I highly recommend this option. You will get bored of the music if you do these workouts a few times a week. I put on my own workout mix in the background to stay motivated.) 6. 2-part workout format of arm series then leg series. I found it helpful to even squeeze in at least 1 series (about 12-15 min.) on a particularly busy day. 7. If you do all the reps and watch your form you will definitely feel your muscles being worked. I have been doing the workouts 2-3 times a week for about 3 months now (2nd half of 1st trimester and now part way through my 2nd) and do feel that it is keeping the non-bump areas of my body toned and strong. Actually, I expect to mix in these workouts even later post-pregnancy. Aside from excluding direct ab work, they would be challenging enough for a general gym-goer. Cons: 1. 9 separate discs-- would be nice to have fewer and just select the month workout to play. 2. Product placement/promos throughout the series, though at least they are separate DVD chapters so you are not forced to watch them every time you put on the DVD. 3. Not a lot of variety. For instance, for the early months, you do arm series (mix of different ways to move arms with dumbells) which is good; however, all the leg series is done from a down-on-all-fours position. However, this is a workout you will feel and is part of a whole pre-natal workout routine, not a stand-alone. 4. Minimal warm-ups and stretching. The workouts include some of this, but if you are doing these in the morning I recommend doing your own warm-up first and extra stretching after.

I decided that I should start exercising more regularly when I was 22 weeks along. I am reasonably active, but wasn't doing anything in the first half of my pregnancy because of morning sickness and travel. So I wasn't sure how I would feel jumping into a new routine, but this DVD is great, it is low impact, safe moves that still push me. She does arm work involving 3 lb weights and then drops them for the leg work, which involves being on your hands and knees and lifting your leg up and behind you at various angles for 20 repetitions. You will want a floor mat with some good cushioning. The 'all-fours' leg work seems to work the back a lot, too, which is great for me because I tend to get some back pain and sciatic nerve pain, later in pregnancy. I am hoping to avoid some of it this time. I have done all the DVD's from month 1-6 and then on a day when my back was feeling a little glitchy I tried the 9th month just to see what it involved. I really like all of them, but I think month 6 was my favorite so far. After doing them 6 days a week (plus walking 1-2 miles) I feel like they are helping with my strength and energy levels. I have decided to order a second pre-natal DVD off Amazon to mix up the routine though. I ordered "Expecting More- Sarah Haley's Daily Sweat Pregnancy Program". It looks like it has a higher intensity cardio factor which will be a good balance with this DVD hopefully. I like Tracy Anderson's personality, she doesn't do the cheesy commentary throughout the workout, just a little at the very start of each workout, but then she gets into the routine and is right to business.

Let me begin by saying I am really enjoying The Pregnancy Project now that I've got my own little routine with it figured out. The first time I used her DVD (at the very beginning of my fourth month) I was sore for three days afterward and really disheartened. It made my thighs feel so tight, I had trouble walking up the stairs. I learned my lesson quickly though and now I do my own warm up before I start the DVD workout. I do ten minutes of walking with my Wii Fit but a walk around the block or maybe some laps through your house will have the same effect. It's just that you do not want to start this workout with cold muscles or you will regret it. Tracy doesn't take any breaks between exercises but I will usually pause once or twice to drink some water (because we all know how important hydrating is during pregnancy). I've also learned to be more realistic with myself. Some of her leg workouts are tough if you aren't used to them and rather than forcing my legs to get to 20 reps for every movement, I stop at 15 per leg for some of the more challenging ones. I don't get as frustrated and I'm able to better keep my form. Another bit of advice, make sure you stretch a lot after you finish the DVD. She incorporates some stretching at the end, but for me it just isn't enough. Overall, I like her workouts. I feel like I am doing myself a favor by exercising now and hopefully I won't have such a hard time getting back in shape post-pregnancy. I never feel completely exhausted or like I have over exerted myself. You can tell she is knowledgeable about what works for a pregnant woman's body. The DVDs all have extra segments on them, some are more interesting than others but I do like hearing about what other people went through with their bodies during their pregnancies, especially since this is a first for me. I like that I have the option of turning off the background music and having just her voice because frankly, I never like listening to workout music. I use the DVD about three times a week. Sometimes I get tired of doing the same workouts, so I will change it up and do the three or five month workup. I've also been doing yoga and some kind of light cardio throughout my pregnancy. I'm 20 weeks today and have gained 8 lbs so far. My OB said I'm right on track for a healthy weight gain. I just want to try to stay at least somewhat toned in my arms and legs and I feel like these workouts are helping me do that.

I literally just started my first workout yesterday. I am 11 weeks and this is the first time I have really been able to workout since I found out I was pregnant. I was too exhausted in the beginning. I thought the workout last night was pretty intense. I regularly worked out before my pregnancy. When strength training I would do videos such as Jillian Michaels and Brazilian Butt Lift (I know, the name is corny but the workout is actually amazing for your lower 1/2). All of my strength has been in my legs my entire life. I stopped working out for about 6 weeks after I found out that I was expecting. Last nights workout kicked my butt literally. I have no doubt that it is a great lower body workout and I am very sore today. I was able to do all the reps, but could only do the workout for about 30 minutes before I stopped. My body just wasn't ready for it. I think I was just a little surprised at how intense it was for a pregnancy video. The main reason I gave this 3 stars is because the video is just a little strange. Tracy doesn't do much explaining of what the moves are working and some of the moves are a little bizarre. She switches moves very quickly at times with little warning. She also does not have any breaks between the longer sets. Sometimes a move is actually 2 moves and you do 20 reps. Then she quickly moves to the next one that is working similar muscles. I don't need an actual break between sets, but would like to focus on a different body part to give the other body part a break. I am going to stick with the workouts though and am happy with the purchase. I just don't know how I feel about the entire workout.

This review is for Months 1 through 5. I stopped using these videos at Month 5 b/c I have found other prenatal exercise videos that I prefer. If you plan on getting this video, please note that most exercises are on done your hands and knees so you will need a really thick yoga mat. Also, you will need a set of 3 lb weights. I'm going to be very honest here - I purchased this video b/c I wanted to look as good as Tracy Anderson during my pregnancy. Before pregnancy, I attended 2 - 3 ballet barre classes a week and felt really strong and fit. Based on the picture and the reviews of this home workout video, I thought it would get a good workout. I found the videos hard to follow. There is very little instruction on good form for the exercises and Tracy does a lot of subtle movements in her body during the exercises that she does not mention. The camera angles are weird and due to the camera angles and vague instruction, sometimes I didn't realize that I was doing an exercise incorrectly until the 2nd side. Since I like to make sure my form is correct, I was constantly straining my neck to watch the video while I was on my hands and knees, which is a majority of the time. I started using my laptop to play the video on the floor, so I wouldn't have to constantly look up. However, I did like the arm exercises b/c they were different and seemed to work muscles that other videos don't focus on but do not think it is worth purchasing just for the arm workouts because the videos are not separated into different sections. I would not recommend purchasing these videos.

I'm 37 weeks pregnant and have been using this set since the first trimester. I love that each month has a new workout that caters to the size of your bump as well as the typical energy levels during that time. She takes it slower in the first few months when you feel exhausted and nauseous. But don't think for a second that this set is going to be easy! Tracy pushes you through the whole 40 weeks - I'm on the last disc and expected it to focus on stretching and breathing to prepare for labor (wishful thinking). Nope, I sweat more than I did last month! But it's never too much, and she always encourages you to do only what your body is telling you is ok. ~What you need: 3 pound weights are used each month, and a chair is used most months. You will also spend ALOT of time on your knees so have a very thick mat! I have hard wood floors so my mat felt paper thin after a few minutes. I needed to put a towel under my knees, and they still hurt. So now I moved to a bedroom with soft carpet :) ~Also, it's worth noting that this is not a cardio set. You will sweat (but then again you are pregnant, so you probably sweat grocery shopping) but don't expect to use this set to "get in shape." Her goal is to prepare you for labor/delivery and keep your muscles toned so you can get them back easier after delivery! I used this set a few times a week when I had the time/energy, and I walk at least 30 min every day. I still gained 40 pounds so far. But I feel strong, flexible, and prepared for labor and delivery!

I love this workout! I am 5 months pregnant with my second child and it has made a huge difference compared to my first pregnancy. I am petite at 5'3" and 110lbs and ended up gaining close to 40lbs with baby #1 so I was really hoping to find a workout that catered to my pregnant body the second time around. I love this workout for the variety, length, and because it's effective. The first 3 months are a little longer, around an hour, and at month 4 they shorten to abt 30-40 minutes. I can do this workout while my toddler is napping and still have plenty of time to shower and get stuff done around the house. I like to mix it up going back to the previous month every now and then, and with the shorter workouts I like to combine it with a little cardio if I can make it to the gym. Don't kid yourself though - this is TOUGH! It is a full-body work out that really targets your arms, butt, legs and abs. I am right on target with my weight gain and I feel CUTE this time around. Highly recommend this workout!! I plan to do the post pregnancy workout and I've already gifted this DVD set to a friend.

トレーシーファンです。 普段はマットワークアウト、気分によって腹凹をやっています。 いつも同じ筋肉ばかりを使うとオーバーワークになるとトレーシー自身が言っていると聞いて、他の筋肉も刺激しなければ！と思いローテーションに加えられる好みのDVDはないかと探しています。 少し体力がついてきたとは言え、Perfect Design SeriesやPrecision Toning は骨が折れると聞くので躊躇していました。 そんな中、トレーシーが妊娠中に収録したというこちらをYoutubeで見て実際にワークアウトしてみて即決！購入しました。 妊婦さん向けなのでお腹周りを鍛えるものは入っていません。 その分、腕や脚にゆっくりと少ない回数で様々な動きを交えながらアプローチするように出来ていると感じました。 マットワークアウトより後に出たもので動きも進化していますし、何か加えたいけれどまたキツイものに挑戦するのは。。と思っている方には最適だと思います。 主観ですが、妊婦さんには辛いのでは？と思うようなものも割と多くありました。。私が妊娠してた時はこんなに体力ありませんでした(汗 妊娠前からトレーシーのワークアウトを続けていた方向けだと思います。

Nove dvd uno per ogni mese di gravidanza, adatto ai vari cambiamenti di ogni mese....poco impegnativo i primi tre mesi, un po' più intenso nei mesi centrali.

Dies ist nun meine 2. Schwangerschaft. Ich trainiere bereits seit 6 Jahren nach der Tracy Anderson Methode und ich bin begeistert wie abwechslungsreich und effektiv diese Workouts sind. In der 1. Schwangerschaft habe ich anfänglichen noch Sport gemacht, habe das aber schnell aufgegeben, da es mir einfach zu anstrengend würde. Der Körper benötigt die Energie halt woanders ;) Da hatte ich aber noch nicht diese DVD Serie. Nun bin ich 13 Monate nach der Geburt wieder schwanger, jetzt im 6. Monat, und trainiere fast täglich. Ich fühle mich fitter und habe das Gefühl meinen Körper mehr "zusammen halten " zu können : D Ich habe mehr Kondition und bin noch genauso kräftig wie vor der Schwangerschaft. Auch das Gewicht schießt nicht so in die Höhe. Bin begeistert und gespannt, ob ich dadurch nach der Schwangerschaft schneller wieder in Form komme. Update: Die Geburt ist nun eine Woche her. Ich habe in der Schwangerschaft 10 kg zugenommen und war wesentlich fitter als in meiner ersten Schwangerschaft. Rückenschmerzen waren diesmal kein Thema. Die Geburt dauerte nur 4 h und kurz danach habe ich mich gefühlt als wenn ich nie Schwanger gewesen wäre. Kein Kreislaufprobleme oder Probleme mit dem BBeckenboden. Nach einer Woche ist laut meiner Hebamme meine Rückbildung fast abgeschlossen. Auch die Bauchmuskeln haben sich sofort zusammengezogen. Bei der ersten Schwangerschaft dauerte dies mehrere Wochen Ich bin begeistert, man sieht fast nicht, das ich vor einer Woche ein Kind bekommen habe. Kann dieses Programm nur weiterempfehlen :) Update 2 :D Die Geburt ist nun 9 Monate her. Mein Gewicht, welches ich vor der Schwangerschaft hatte habe ich bereits 5 Monate nach der Geburt um 3 Kg unterboten ;) ich habe zwei Wochen nach der Geburt wieder mit der TA-Methode trainiert und innerhalb weniger Wochen wieder zu einer besseren Figur gefunden, als ich sie vor der ersten Schwangerschaft hatte. Und genau das verspricht Tracy in diesem Training. Schnell wieder fit und schlank werden. :)

So I was fit going into pregnancy the first time and was clueless about keeping in shape safely while pregnant. I gained a lot and was so out of shape by delivery that at 3 months pp I got stuck on a playground swing because I didn't have the ab strength to get me off:(. 3 years fast forward and I am again in shape and was determined not to fall victim to the same deterioration as last time, I got a pregnancy yoga video which was so boring and slow I couldn't be bothered. I did weights and lunges but again was very careful. Around the 6th month mark I came across this series and ordered, I started at the 6th month video and was so impressed I managed to work my entire body without feeling I over did it. Now I'm onto the 7th month and sort of thought it will be slower and more of a "traditional" pregnancy workout, OMG it was hard in an awesome way. It was quicker paced but with full modifications and felt very graceful I actually stopped half way to go get changed into cooler clothes because i was sweating so much. I can't wait to keep going! I actually would love to hang out with her lol she has a bit of a dry wit, complains a bit about what a pain it is to even stretch down to touch the floor I think she's hilarious and says what I'm thinking which is refreshing. If you aren't fit starting this series or aren't used to fitness classes I'm not such this is your cup of tea.

Each month there's a new DVD which takes 30 mins to do which is adapted to suit your growing body during pregnancy.