Two Belles, Four Biceps and the Pursuit of Fitness

Review: Fierce Force
Anni Mairs, 2012 (4 of 4 biceps up!)

Believe it or not – this is Anni’s best yet! Hard to believe seeing how much I love her previous workouts! Annie works out in a white set with 2 backgrounders. You will only need dumbbells for this fully chaptered workout. Total running time is 80 minutes and that includes two 40 minute workouts with the warmup and cooldown.

She keeps with the Force format of 1 exercise performed for 1 minute, followed by a 15 second break. I was able to use heavier weights in this than her previuos workouts making this a thorough strength and cardio workout. Each workout contains 2 circuits and you perform the exercises in each circuit twice.

Workout One: After the warmup you move into circuit 1(lower body focus), exercises include: squat & overhead press, weighted running, row -lunge-squat-press, & 180 hops & lat raise. Then onto circuit 2 (upper body focus), exercises include: renegade rows & pushups, burpees, 1 arm crab hold w/  clean & press, static lunge & bi curl, weighted & squat jacks w/ floor touch.

Workout Two: After the warmup you move into circuit 3 (core focused), exercises include: oblique double crunches, plank to pike hops & plank side knee pulls, scissor jacks with dumbbells, windmill, and weighted knee pulls. Then onto circuit 4 (total body focus), exercises include: shuffle & overhead pulldown,  rock the baby (dumbbell), weighted squat hops, side lunge to curtsy, weighted crisscross jacks & floor touch.

This is an advanced dvd! Both 40 minute workouts are booty kickers but the time really flies because of the one minute increments and short rest periods. Anni really makes the most of your time – I was drenched with sweat and my lungs were on fire by the end! Love the format, excellent cuing, and unique & fun exercises. Love that each circuit is focused to one body area but also includes other muscle groups as well. I received this dvd to review.

We received samples of these products to review. We were in no other way compensated for our honest reviews. All thoughts and ideas expressed are oury own. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Today’s Review: Breathless Body 2: The Edge

Amy Dixon, 2012 ***** (5 of 5 stars)

Amy leads this 54 min all out cardio w/o in an open room w/ 3 backgrounders. You wont need any equipment for this workout and the dvd is fully chaptered. Each backgrounder performs a different intensity level from beginner to advanced, with Amy exercising at medium intensity.

The workout is comprised of four rounds, each round consisting of three repetitions of 3 exercises performed for 30 seconds each followed by a 15 second rest. There is a 2ish min rest between each round. During the break Amy shows you the upcoming 3 exercises

After the w/u exercises include: Russian dance, cross country skiing, plank hop ins, flying squat jacks, skater, plyo squat & heel click hops, diagonal plyo lunges, broad jump, plyo plank & pushup, tuck jumps, and plank jax & pushups. Before the cooldown Amy gives you a nonstop (no 15 sec breaks) 6 min of all the previous exercises.

My breakdown includes most of the advanced moves, following Amy I rate this a high intermediate workout. This dvd is great for most all exercisers – just follow the exerciser that meets your intensity requirements. Great to grow with, Amy provides great encouragement and cuing. The longer rest periods really allow for you to really give it your all for the next round. Great chaptering to fit into any time frame. I liked this one a lot more than BB 1-time went by quicker, enjoyed the exercises, more fun factor. I received this dvd to review

Pure Barre Mile High: 2 Workout Details and Review

Pure Barre Mile High: 2 , released late 2011 by Carrie Rezabek Dorr, creator of Lowry Lofts, 16th Street, Flatirons and many other Pure Barre DVDs, is the companion workout of her latest series – Mile High. Filmed in the Mile High Station in Denver, Colorado, in a studio/loft setting, the latest series brings you the fastest and most efficient way to lift, tone and tighten your entire body. Carrie is joined in the workout by three background exercisers. With a total running time of forty five minutes, Mile High: 2 uses isometric toning exercises to target the areas of the body that need  it most. For the workout you will need a small fitness or playground ball and a barre, chair or countertop for support. An optional mat will be needed depending on your workout surface.

Pure Barre Mile High: 2 begins with a thorough warm-up to prepare the body for the main workout. Carrie then leads you through a series of exercises to tone and tighten the legs, hips, butt, thighs and core. Each of the strength sections are followed by a brief stretch section designed to help achieve the slim look of a dancer.

Pure Barre Mile High: 2 is a great addition to any exercise DVD library Carrie is a fantastic lead with a pleasant demeanor. She is a fabulous instructor, warm and engaging while still being motivating and professional.  She uses great form, cues well and offers form pointers and through instruction throughout the workout. She does a wonderful job of carefully demonstrating and explaining each exercise so you can easily follow along.

For More Information:
Visit the Pure Barre website
Check out the Pure Barre Webstore
Like Pure Barre on Facebook
Follow @Pure-Barre on Twitter

We received samples of these products to review. We were in no other way compensated for our honest reviews. All thoughts and ideas expressed are oury own. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Power 4 Pink with Patricia Friberg Workout Details and Review

Power 4 Pink , newly released in April of 2012 by Patricia Friberg, creator of the two award winning Belly Beautiful DVDs , is a workout with a cause. With a total running time of eighty minutes, the DVD includes four workouts suitable for all fitness levels. The Power 4 Pink workout is a dynamic fusion of  cardio, strength, Pilates and Balance. The workouts are designed to burn calories,aid in weight loss, build strength and endurance as well as improve balance, posture, core strength and alignment. For the workout you will need a small fitness ball and a six-foot resistance band. An optional mat will be needed depending on your workout surface.

Power 4 Pink is divided into three complete twelve to thirty minute workouts:

• Cardio Interval Balance Challenge is a twenty minute workout that alternates between cardio bursts and strength training exercises performed with the resistance band all while engaging the core with balance challenges.
• Toning Floor Series is a thirty minute fusion workout that uses Pilates inspired exercises and yoga poses to tone and tighten the body. The use of a small fitness ball helps to increase range of motion as well as add resistance to the exercises.
• Stretch and Revive Series is a just under twelve minute stretch workout that focuses on increasing flexibility, calming the bodyand reducing stress.

Also included on the DVD is a bonus workout with exercises specifically designed for breast cancer survivors.

Power 4 Pink is a great addition to any exercise DVD library as it focuses on all the major components of a sound fitness routine to help you lose weight and feel great. And, with Power 4 Pink, you can feel good doing this workout knowing that 100% of the net profits go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Patricia is a wonderful lead with a warm and inviting personality. She does a wonderful job of carefully demonstrating and explaining each exercise so you can easily follow along.

For More Information:
Visit Patricia Friberg’s Belly Beautiful Workout website
Follow Patricia on Twitter
Like Belly Beautiful Workout on Facebook

We received samples of these products to review. We were in no other way compensated for our honest reviews. All thoughts and ideas expressed are oury own. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Review: Pure Barre: Mile High 1
Carrie Rezabek Dorr, 2011

Carrie leads this 35 min chaptered workout in an open gym. You will need a small pilates style ball and a chair for this workout. Modification options are offered.

Carrie makes excellent use of the ball in both the standing & floor exercises and includes a short stretching segments between groups of exercises. Standing exercises include: ball squeezes, bun & thigh squeezes, rear leg lifts, & side leg raises. Floor exercises include: sit up & crunch variations, v sit series, and lower back work.

This is by far, my fav barre workout to date! I rate this a solid intermediate workout. Carrie provides the perfect amount of reps so that you will feel it in your muscles but wont feel “repped to death.” Her form pointers & cuing are spot on and I really like her as an instructor and can’t wait to try more from her.

For More Information:
Visit the Pure Barre website
Check out the Pure Barre Webstore
Like Pure Barre on Facebook
Follow @Pure-Barre on Twitter

We received samples of these products to review. We were in no other way compensated for our honest reviews. All thoughts and ideas expressed are oury own. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

COREGEOUS with Jill Miller Workout Details and Review

COREGEOUS , newly released by Jill Miller in April 2012, is the latest workout by creator of Yoga Tune Up. With a total running time of 105 minutes, the DVD includes seven transformational workouts. From the main menu you have the option of selecting either of the four main sequences – as well as the option to Play All – or one of the three specialty workouts. For the workout you will need a stability ball, Yoga Tune-Up Therapy Balls, Soft Sponge ball and Yoga Block – substitutions include tennis balls, large book or a blanket. An optional mat will be needed depending on your workout surface.

COREGEOUS with Jill Miller contains four complete fifteen to twenty minute workouts:

• Core Re-Form provides a deep tissue massage to release knots and trigger points while activating connections to key respiratory muscles that support your spine and core.
• Get COREganized establishes proper spinal alignment and breathing patterns by using all of your “Coreso” muscles to improve access to the innermost abs including transverse abdominals, diaphragm, iliopsoas, obliques, and more!
• InCOREporate builds a strong lower back and revitalizes the muscles of the ribcage to stitch the seams of your torso together from top to bottom. Awaken quadratus lumborum, lattisimus dorsi, serratus anterior and more!
• Get COREgeous challenges your balance and engages all of your core muscles to master stability, agility and fluidity while challenging your balance in different gravitational planes. The entire body works together as one seamless unit.

The three supplementary workouts range from five to ten minutes and include Tubular Core Activation, which establishes proper breath mechanics, while Abdominal Massage improves overall circulation and locates abdominal knots and adhesions that prevent functional core reactivity, and Abdominal Churning shows you the spellbinding possibilities of “coreso” mastery.

COREGEOUS is a great addition to any exercise DVD library. Jill does a wonderful job of carefully demonstrating and explaining each exercise so you can easily follow along. She provides lots of great information on how to properly perform each exercise and tells us which muscle were targeting. She has a wonderful demeanor and was great to workout with.

We received samples of these products to review. We were in no other way compensated for our honest reviews. All thoughts and ideas expressed are oury own. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. We can not be held responsible for user errors in entering this contest, shipping errors, postage errors, damage in transit, or undelivered prizes.