A 46-minute cardio fusion workout that builds on ballet and Pilates moves. Ellen Barrett instructs.

Advanced beginning and intermediate exercisers. You aren't leaping around or doing complicated choreography, but this workout is still tougher than you might assume. It's done barefoot, and all you will need is a mat (which you will mostly be standing, not lying, on).

Ellen Barrett never ceases to amaze me. She's beautiful and has a sweet personality, but she creates workouts that make my muscles shake. And she does it without heavy weights and athletic clunkiness. When I saw the word "fusion" in this workout, I assumed it would be something like one of my favorite DVDs of hers, Crunch: Super SlimDown Pilates Yoga Blend — in other words, a routine that was a little tough, but one I could still do at night without getting too revved up. Luckily, I chose to try out Fat Burning Fusion in the morning instead because I wound up working up a sweat! This isn't some bunch of strung-together standing Pilates moves with a few plies and arabesques thrown in for good measure — it's a well thought out, flowing routine that keeps you moving nonstop for 40 minutes. I never even had time to grab my water or pull off my sweatshirt. Yes, the moves are graceful and elegant, just what you'd expect from Barrett if you've done any of her prior workouts. There are standing Mermaids, Butterflies and that Zig-Zag move she loves so much in the Pilates Yoga Blend DVD. But you are also doing one-legged squats and leg lifts that will tone your lower body while leaving you a little breathless. I felt taller when I was done, and I was loaded with energy. Of course, Barrett makes it all seem so simple that I'm sure I'll forget how hard I worked and pull it out again when I'm in the mood for a "light" workout. And by the time the DVD is running and my muscle memory returns, it'll be too late to stop.

 

 

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