A half-hour lower-body Pilates routine that utilizes a resistance band for a little extra oomph, plus a ten-minute upper body "bonus" segment. Lizbeth Garcia is the instructor for the main workout; Yumi Lee handles duties on the bonus segment.

Advanced beginning to intermediate exercisers — this is not an easy workout! There is an exercise band included with the DVD. The only other equipment you will need is a mat.

Because I'm one of those freaks of nature who actually like hefting a bit of iron, when I see a workout that uses an exercise band — especially a Pilates routine — my mind immediately jeers, "wimpy!" So I'm a little embarrassed to say that this supposedly wimpy, half-hour Pilates band workout kicked my iron woman butt. I made it all the way through the exercises, but not without petering out toward the end of a couple of sets and dropping down to the modified move (and I never do the modified moves!). Lizbeth Garcia focuses mainly on your legs and butt during this routine (utilizing your core the whole way through, of course), starting you off with standing exercises and then hitting the floor for more lower body work, and some abs. She uses the band to mimic Reformer exercises, and both the Reformer and the band give you something weights don't: resistance throughout the whole move, including the eccentric portion (the half where your muscle would normally be relaxing and releasing, for you laypeople). That's where it kicks your butt (and other body parts) — your muscle doesn't get any downtime, so it fatigues faster than you might expect. The upper body workout is also excellent, maybe a hair or two less challenging than Garcia's routine... but then, it was only 10 minutes long. You definitely get a lot of sculpting in little time with this DVD.

 

 

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