Kari Anderson: Reach

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An hour-long ballet-based exercise routine that also includes moves from Pilates, Yoga and traditional toning. Kari Anderson instructs.

Intermediate exercisers — even though you won’t be using any weights, this routine requires a lot of muscle control, strength and balance. The only equipment you’ll need is a mat.

Kari Anderson’s cardio routines have always been fun (and challenging!) for the intermediate exerciser, but one gets the feeling that her heart is truly in these slower, more mind-body focused workouts. She has clearly put a lot of care and thought into the choreography of this hour-long DVD. It’s both safe and demanding and develops strength, balance and flexibility. And, unlike many mind-body type DVD workouts, this is definitely for the intermediate to advanced exerciser — there is absolutely nothing wimpy about it and beginners will probably struggle through a lot of it. Anderson gives you the toughest form of pliés;s; adds a wicked twist to a vinyasa variation; and has you do push-ups at a pace that adds an upper-body jolt to a routine that otherwise mostly targets the thighs, glutes and core. This is the breakdown: 30 minutes of standing moves, 20 minutes of floor work and a 10 minute cool down. The cool down, by the way, doesn’t even let up — Anderson gives you one last difficult-to-hold balance challenge before it’s over. Don’t be surprised if this hour of slow, deliberate moves has you sweating bullets long before it’s over. Health magazine calls Reach the “most innovative” exercise DVD of 2006. That it is, but even more importantly, it’s effective — a rare workout that increases strength and flexibility in equal amounts.