Cardio Workouts

Turbo Fire: Basic Set
Chalene Johnson
Year Released: 2010

This set includes several different types of workouts – steady state cardio, interval cardio, high intensity interval training (HIIT), sculpting/toning, and stretching, all led by Chalene Johnson. Here’s a breakdown of the different workouts (the number you see, 30 or 45 for ex., means how long the workout is:

Fire 30 and Fire 45 – cardio workouts mixing fast paced kickboxing-inspired moves, sometimes dancey, with Fire Drills (short bursts of higher intensity moves, some kickbox-y, mostly plyo-style moves, a few lower impact). You will learn a combination of moves (fairly basic but can be on the longer side), repeat several times, and then move on to a new combination.

Fire 45 EZ and Fire 55 EZ – cardio workouts made up of mostly fast paced kickboxing-inspired moves, sometimes dancey, similar to Fire 30 and Fire 45. I thought that these would not have the Fire Drills that Fire 30 and 45 have, but it turns out that one of these does and one of these doesn’t. Not sure why. I am also not sure why these are called EZ. They may be a bit less intense than Fire 30 and Fire 45, but they are nowhere near easy.

HIIT 15, 20, 25 – High intensity interval training cardio workouts. In these, you will do a short high intensity section, followed by a short rest, and repeat the section one or two times. Then you will move on to another section and do the same, etc. The high intensity moves are like the Fire Drills from the above workouts (lots of jumping). The booklet that came with the set says that HIIT 15 has 30 second drills, HIIT 20 has 45 second drills, and HIIT 25 has 1 minute drills.

Sculpt 30/Tone 30 – These are two 30 minute sculpting workouts done with bands. Mostly combination moves (upper and lower body worked at the same time).

Stretch 10/Stretch 40 – Stretch workouts. I really like stretch 10, but I haven’t done Stretch 40 yet.

Music – Some of the music does have some goofy lyrics (boom I got your boyfriend), but these DVDs have my favorite music of any set that I have ever tried. The workouts are hard, but the music makes these so much fun and the moves go very well with the music. The music just makes these workouts. Without it, I might even find the workouts a bit repetitive.

Intensity – These are advanced, but not the Insanity kind of super advanced. The pace is very fast, and that’s where the intensity comes from. Some do feel that the pace is too fast and have even called it manic. I personally like it, but will admit that you do have to work very hard to maintain good control and punching/kicking form going this fast.

Learning the routines/complexity – There is a “new to class” option on the Fire and Fire EZ workouts. This will insert a section before each combination that teaches the moves slowly, and then you move on to the actual workout. The combinations are fairly basic, but they move fast so can be hard to learn for some.

Impact – In the Fire and Fire EZ workouts, there is some, but not nearly as much as the HIIT’s. There is a modifier in all the workouts though, and she is fantastic. She keeps it as high intensity as possible without impact.

Who might not like these – Those who don’t like hip/hop/rap kinds of music, those who don’t like very fast paced kickboxing, those who like kicking more than punching (there’s more punching in these), and those who don’t like dancey stuff at all or thrown in with their kickboxing.

I did not like Turbo Jam (the mugging by the cast, the music, and the repetitiveness), but I love these.
Nyx Black

08/07/2010

Bootcamp Boogie
Petra Kolber
Year Released: 2009

The menu screen:
Introduction
Play All - About 64 minutes
Warmup - 6:38
BCB Express 1 - 16:33
BCB Express 2 - 16:29
BCB Express 3 - 16:25
Yoga Stretch - 7:54
Credits
Get the Music


The Play All option, or the whole workout, includes the warmup, the body of the workout, and stretch. The body of the workout includes 5 sections of floor aerobics. Each of the express options includes 2 of these 5 sections, mixed up in different ways. In each of the sections, I think she started with more athletic moves, and then added some dance, and then did a cardio blast, recovery, and then repeated that same format, although not necessarily the same moves.

Intensity - I saw that Collage labeled this Interm/Adv, but I found it to be more intermediate (even doing the advanced modifications). There were a lot of marches, hamstring curls, and light jogs, so that I can't really say the cardio blasts bumped it up enough to make it advanced (for me).

Fun factor - First time I did it: it wasn't as fun as I thought it would be, mostly because sometimes she takes a while to break down the moves and they're already pretty basic (I like more complex stuff). I wish there was less marching and hamstring curling. That being said, I like this workout and will keep it. It wasn't overly repetitive. The music is not my favorite but it was different and kinda nice.

Update - I tried this one again and I liked it more than I did the first time. If you like complex choreography, like me, you may just want to not do this workout too often so it stays fun.

I skipped the stretch.

Instructor Comments:
Petra is awesome and really like her. Her cueing is sometimes late, but mostly good. I like how she messes up sometimes and says face the camera, oops, TV, but doesn't try to blow it off like she didn't mess up. She seems genuine.

Nyx Black

07/23/2010

Everybody Steps
Gin Miller
Year Released: 2004

This is a beginner step video from the Mistress of Step. How I wish *this* had come with my first Step Co. step! (And, what were they thinking when the put Cathe’s “All Step” with them??? If THAT had been my first exposure to a step workout I would have jumped out the window. Way too complex for a newbie!)

The workout demos most of the usual step patterns at a moderate pace. (I’ll admit I messed up a couple times. But, I am hopeless.)

One can get a decent workout with this. Gin is warm and funny as usual.

I guess my biggest warning would be to not assume that, having mastered this video, you are ready for Cathe or Christie. You will know the steps, but not necessarily be prepared for complex patterns and routines. And, let’s face it, the is no instructor that cues as well as Gin Miller.

I’m not sure if this is a keeper. The music is very uninspiring.

Instructor Comments:
Please see review.

Alta

02/07/2005

Happy Hour Hi/Lo
Christi Taylor
Year Released: 1999


This is the second Christi Taylor video I've tried, and I think it will probably be my last. Those who enjoy advanced choreography--including frequent directional changes, turns, etc.--are likely to enjoy this video, but I've found that complicated aerobic workouts are just not for me.

Christi's 7-minute warm-up immediately introduces you to some of the moves that you will use in the first aerobics pattern, and she also includes a series of stretches. During the aerobics portion, Christi first teaches a very simple, easy-to-follow combo, but then she increases the intensity and complexity by adding on, which usually included arm movements and directional changes. She utilizes a "take it from the top" teaching style in which she frequently returns to the very beginning, combining all combos learned thus far. There are about six different sequences in this workout, and at the end of the aerobics portion, Christi runs through the entire routine several times in a row, bringing the aerobics in at about 39 minutes.

At the end of the aerobics, Christi spends about 2.5 minutes stretching before moving on to the abs work. In this segment, Christi does not perform the moves herself; rather, she supervises two of her background exercisers. The abs work consists mainly of standard crunches, but Christi ups the challenge by performing many of the moves with one leg in the air as well as inserting plank holds between the abs sets. The abs section is about 10 minutes long, and then Christi finishes with a few more quick stretches to bring the entire workout time in at just under an hour (I clocked it at 59 minutes).

Although I actually found the aerobics portion here to be slightly more easier to follow than the other Christi video I had tried, it was still very confusing to me. As a result, I found myself frequently modifying the routine (sticking with the initial simplier version of the move, cutting out the turns, etc.) to the extent that I wasn't able to keep my heart rate consistent and didn't feel like I got a very good workout. While this is definitely a solid workout for those who enjoy complex cardio routines, choreography klutzes like myself would do best to look elsewhere.

Instructor Comments:
Christi generally offers excellent mirrored cueing, although I found that she does not always cue all the moves in the combo every time through (ie, she assumes you've learned it, which wasn't always the case for me). She's quite chipper and often sings out her instructions. She works out with two background exercisers, but no modifications are shown during the aerobics portion (there are some modifications for the abs moves).

Beth C (aka toaster)

12/19/2005


I have to say out of all the 150 or videos I have, Happy Hour Hi-Lo and Kari Anderson's Two the Max are currently my favorite all-cardio tapes at this time!!!

She begins with a 7 minute warmup and stretch, then does approx 40 min of cardio...

Her fun, calm, sweet demeanor makes her feel like a workout partner more than an instructor. She makes all the moves look effortless, and takes you through each move, usually shows you the move first before you try to do it...
the moves are not complex :... she will do 2 or 4 reps of a move then on to 2 of another then on to 2 of another.... the trick is learning the names of the moves so that you know what comes next... That is I think the reason they say this tape is complex.... But I was able to mostly follow and I'm NOT a dancer by a longshot!!!
The music is techno.... (DH enjoyed listening while he was washing the car) for me this music just makes me want to move... When she does a pivot she places other moves in between...unlike others who go from one spin to another without giving you a chance to catch up... and she brings you down to marches every so often...

After the cardio she does a 10 min(approx) Ab session...

then finishes with a standing stretch...

I think she's outstanding!!!!... I can't wait to receive her hi-lo heaven...

Total Rating: 10 out of a possible 10 points... Her charisma is enigmatic, and her energy is contagious. If you like hi-lo and you are willing to put effort in to learning at first, you will not be disappointed.. just my opinion.
Instructor Comments:

Her fun, calm, sweet demeanor makes her feel like a workout partner more than an instructor. She makes all the moves look effortless, and takes you through each move, usually shows you the move first before you try to do it...

Sunshine

07/02/2003



This workout has already been broken down thoroughly, so I will just post my impression. Overall, I really liked this workout! Christi’s enthusiasm just shines through! It is so rare to run into a pure fun floor aerobics routine that isn’t all plyo, HIIT, and high impact. While there is some impact, it is mixed in throughout, and easily modified to lower impact if that is what your mind and body need for the day. Christi cues great in her “watch me” style, and is great at showing hand cues, as usual. She layers moves, and reminds you that you can go back to the previous move or cut out the spins or arm routines if they confuse you. While her style in this one is more athletic than dancy, she does throw in some dancy moves. And with Christi’s workout, you always feel like you’re dancing, even when you don’t get the moves completely right. There are a lot of directional changes in this workout and some TIFTing, but not too much. The hi/lo routine was followed by an ab section, consisting of traditional crunches and plank moves for around 10 minutes. If you love Christi, I think you’ll really like this workout.

What I Liked
This is a pure fun hi/lo workout! I liked that there were actual high and low impact portions throughout the routine, no bursts or endless sessions of high impact.

What I Didn’t Like
After the perceived exertion test, I thought we would go into another, completely different routine. We didn’t. We did the same routine as we did previously, and then added a short new section at the end. Although this wasn’t a deal breaker, I wish there had been two shorter, different routines.

What You Should Be Aware Of
Mixed impact, so be ready to modify if need be. Modifying may take the intensity down several notches, so make those arm movements big! Planks are included in the ab section briefly, so be prepared to modify if you have bad wrists.
Instructor Comments:
Christi is warm and enthusiastic! An excellent cuer.

bubbles76

01/09/2015

Split Routine: Aerobics/Toning
Gilad Janklowicz

Collage shows the cardio as follows:
warm up 7, floor aerobics 30, cool down 7 = 44 min
the toning is:
warm up 7, standing toning 11, floor toning 23, stretch 6 = 47.

chapters:
main menu: choose between cardio or toning.
sub chapters:

Cardio
Warm Up [7:01]
Cardio [29:22]
Cool Down [4:47]

Toning
Warm Up [6:23]
Toning: Lower Body [5:48]
Toning: Upper Body [5:16]
Floor Work: Outer Thighs [5:44]
Floor Work: Inner Thighs [4:45]
Floor Work: Buttocks [4:31]
Floor Work: Abdominals [7:36]
Cool Down [7:52]

some VFers experienced glitching on this title, and I experienced a freeze at about 15 minutes into the Toning section. eventually it moved on. I am not sure how much time was skipped during the glitch.

The cardio is really nice in that it almost reminded me of an advanced Leslie Sansone with a few more high-impact moves thrown in toward the end. I used 1# weighted gloves throughout. I'd probably do it again because there aren't too many 45 minute cardio workouts that are basic.

I did the toning workout the next day. The toning is done unweighted, although you could easily add weights to it. again, I used 1# gloves to do this, but I could see switching to 5# weights, and maybe as much as 8#, during the squats, lunges, and even the floor work.

the floor work is old school, but you don't see much of this in newer videos. there's just enough for you to feel the burn since he does high reps.

the music is typical Gilad (bass, drums, guitar). this was filmed on a deserted beach on a sunny morning.

Instructor Comments:
no-nonsense, good cueing, easy moves, easy to follow.

bzar

09/11/2007

Bellyfit Elements
Alice Bracegirdle
Year Released: 2013

Full disclosure: I received a free review copy of this workout.

I kept hearing about Bellyfit and how much people loved the original Bellyfit Earth workout. I finally bought that original DVD, just to see what it was, and really didn't like it. The camera angles drove me nuts and I found the instruction in voice over to not be helpful to my concentration and there was a lot of talk of energy centers and chakras and stuff that I am just not into, enough that it made things confusing for me. Yet, there was something about the workout that appealed to me when the camera angles were good and I "got" the moves they were doing. So, when this set came out, I decided to try it, especially when I read that they had fixed some of the problems with that original workout.

This set comes with 5 workouts, all on their own disk. And, each workout is set up exactly the same. So, if you understand one, you will understand them all. So, in this review, I will use the singular, talk as if there is one workout, but whatever I say will apply to all five workouts.

If you do the entire workout, it is an hour - 40 minutes of cardio and 20 minutes of Pilates/yoga/stretching. Personally, the Pilates/yoga/stretching part is not something I'm really interested in, so I've just done the cardio sections. (But, I did watch a couple so that I could describe this section some for those that are curious.)

The workouts begin with a guided meditation or relaxation. It is done in voice over. When they start with meditation, it becomes entwined with instruction on how to stand and align the body. And, this section cannot be skipped. There are no chapter points that take you to the beginning of the cardio section. When the cardio section begins, then the instruction switches from voice over to live (which I like much more). Each cardio section begins with cardio preparation - aka, a warm-up - then there is the actual cardio section followed by the cardio recovery - aka, a cool down. The cardio preparation begins slow and easy and ends with your heartrate ready for cardio. The cardio recovery section takes those exact moves and just reverses them, so it starts with the more intense moves and ends slow and easy. The cardio section is comprised of two blocks of cardio. They build the first cardio block and then repeat it twice. Then, they build the second cardio block and repeat it. Then, they put the two cardio blocks together and you do them three times. If you do not like TIFTing, these may not be the workouts for you.

After the cardio section, they move into a flow that includes moves from Pilates, yoga, and feel-good stretching. The aim of this section is both to strengthen muscles and to relax them - and they do both depending on the move they are doing.

There are three exercisers involved in these workouts. Alice Bracegirdle, the instructor, does the middle version of the moves. If the only choices are "harder" or "easier", she does the harder version. There is one background exerciser that does harder versions of moves. For example, there are some places where she leaps instead of stepping though certain moves. There is also a modifier who does easier moves. I'm pretty picky about my modifiers and thought both them did a pretty good job. I mostly followed the easier modifier when I wasn't following Alice. I thought she gave good versions of moves that cut down on the torqueing of joints - mainly the knees - or that cut down on impact. The modifiers continue into the Pilates/yoga/stretch section giving options. However, the easier modifier doesn't give options that are very different - for example, for the moves where weight is supported on the hands, she doesn't give an option to that. Throughout the workout, Alice encourages exercisers to do the moves that work for them *today* with the acknowledgement that one's energy and capabilities can change on a regular basis.

The music was really well matched to the workouts and the moves within them. It is mainly instrumental, although there are a few vocals. But, the main thing is that it was obviously chosen to match and complement the workouts.

The moves themselves are pretty simple: grapevines, step touches, kick backs, knee raises, etc. Generally, she introduces the basic move, then she adds the upper-body accompiament. If it hasn't been added yet, she then sometimes adds a dancier element or a higher-impact option. The pace of learning the moves is not rushed at all. Some people will find this good. Some people may find it repetetive and/or boring. She gives each of the moves a name - and it's not necessarily descriptive of the move itself. Sometimes, it is more ethereal or mystical or ______ (some word I'm not coming up with right now) than that. Many of the moves are similar from workout to workout, but the names are sometimes more linked to the theme of the workout (Air, Fire, Spirit, etc.). Keep in mind that I have not done belly dancing workouts in the past and some of the names of moves may come from that background.

Each Bellyfit DVD is named after an earth element and the workout is designed around the theme of that element. For example, in the Fire workout, some of the names of some of the moves follow the theme of fire or heat. Plus, in what she says, she talks about the heat of the body and she talks about fire and harnessing its power. Each of the workouts seems to slightly stress some parts of the body more than others. For me though, they all seemed like cardio workouts that work the full body (with slightly different emphases).

Personally, I don't see needing 5 workouts that are all so similar. But, for those that really like this type of workout, you might enjoy having that many. Personally, I didn't like Water all that much. Earth I had problems liking from the beginning because of my so disliking the original Bellyfit Earth. It was ME, not the workout. I really liked Fire and thought it would be my favorite until I tried Air. I loved Air. Spirit was okay, but the TIFTing got to me at the end.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

My career is in training - corporate training, not physical fitness. Because some of the jobs I have had have been in instructional design - creating classes - I tend to notice the design of workouts (or the lack of intentional design in some cases). To me, these workouts seem to be some of the best designed workouts I have seen in a really long time. She tells you what she is going to do and then she delivers it in a very structured, yet fun, way.

On the other hand, some of her design elements work against her some. For the workouts that I didn't enjoy totally, the TIFTing got tedious. Also, she gives moves cutesy names that don't necessarily remind me of what I am supposed to be doing and at multiple points in every workout I would stop and look at the screen to see what they were doing. Yes, even with the TIFTing...

Her talk in these workouts is smooth, on point, and empowering. In places, she just seems to be having a blast doing the workout. She is passionate about these workouts and encourages you to enjoy them as well.

Like I said above, I don't think 5 workouts that are so incredibly similar are needed; I think that they should have been sold separately to let people choose what they wanted. It's not like you need all five workouts to have a well-rounded program. If you like these workouts, then you might enjoy having all five.

Personally, I think that they worked hard to create a high-quality set of DVDs with good workouts on them. For people who are not dance people, she makes the moves in the workouts accessible. They are at an intermediate level, but enough options are given that these workouts can be done in a range of intensities and impact.

Instructor Comments:
She is relaxed and instructive in these workouts. She passionate about them.

Laura S.

06/01/2013


NOTE: I received a free copy of this DVD set to review for the web site Metapsychology.net.

The Bellyfit system is a holistic fitness approach designed for women (their tagline is “moving women”). The Elements DVD set features instructor and choreographer Alice Bracegirdle. Each DVD in this set—Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Spirit—offers a combination of cardio dance (drawing on many different traditions, from bellydance to Bollywood), core work, and yoga-based stretching. Bracegirdle incorporates many Eastern elements into the routines, including meditations and mudras (hand gestures). As noted on the Bellyfit web site, the workouts are designed to be accessible to all levels and abilities: Bracegirdle has one of her two background exercisers performing modifications, and she encourages viewers to go at their own pace. However, in her “Safety Tips” (found on each disc), Bracegirdle states that these workouts are not intended for anyone with “serious” neck, back, hip, or knee problems. (She also suggests that the workouts not be done on carpet, but I had little issues with the Berber carpet in my own workout room.)

Each of the five DVDs follows the same basic format. Bracegirdle starts with about four minutes of centering, meditation, belly breathing, and lotus lifts (a.k.a. Kegels) and then moves into an extended warm-up (8 minutes). Following this, she teaches two separate cardio sequences of approximately six minutes each. Bracegirdle instructs the moves in an add-on style, starting with simple, familiar leg movements such as heel digs, grapevines, chasse, high knee lifts, and hamstring curls; she then adds some complexity with arm movements and mudras. In each cardio segment, the exercises are practiced in sequence, and after practicing the first and second cardio routines separately, Bracegirdle combines them together, running through the entire routine several times (“take it from the top”). This is followed by a “cardio recovery,” which is the warm-up exercises performed in reverse order—what a great idea to use moves that the viewer has already learned! The standing work concludes with a brief isolation segment and an “earth shower” meditation.

For the last 20 minutes or so of each workout, Bracegirdle tells viewers to remove their shoes: she and her crew come to their mats (the only prop used) for core work and final stretch. With the exception of the Earth DVD (which was re-released with this set), Bracegirdle instructs all of these routines live, using voiceover for the opening meditations only. She does mirror cue, but she has her own names for the moves (e.g., “Honor the Sun,” “Shoot the Buzzard,” etc.), which I found a little confusing to follow at times. Finally, these DVDs are not chaptered on the Main Menu, although they do have rough chapter breaks at each section (i.e., the start of the cardio, the start of the core work, and the start of the stretch).

I have provided some more specific information on each of the individual DVDs below.

EARTH (62 minutes)
This routine starts with a focus on earth energy. The warm-up includes step-touch, torso twists, heel digs, and shimmies, while the cardio segments incorporate grapevine, hip pumps, bhangra bounce, plié hops, jungle walk (high knees), v-circles, squats with lotus mudra, hip shimmy, and step back. The isolation segment focuses on the root chakra and includes pelvic tilts, evolving into hip circles. The core work on the floor begins with cat/cow and features some Pilates-like movements such as half-rollbacks, a variation on the Pilates hundreds, and single leg stretches. The extended final stretch includes yoga postures such as reclined twist, bridge, double pigeon, seated twist, seated forward bend, and butterfly. Bracegirdle concludes this session with a final meditation and mudra.

WATER (64.5 minutes)
The opening meditation here focuses on the color orange. After gathering chi, the warm-up incorporates exercises such as hips moving in a Figure 8, chest circles, and heels to the front. For the cardio, Bracegirdle performs pliés with shakti rising, water carrier, hip circles, hamstring curls, reverse lunge with twist, snake arms, squat with balance, chasse with twist, oblique crunch, and shimmy with shoulder roll. The isolation segment centers on the rib cage and concludes with an earth shower meditation. The core work begins with several plank moves and again incorporates some Pilates-type work (e.g., can-can, hip lifts, scissors). The stretch begins seated for butterfly, hamstring and quad stretches, mermaid, gentle seated twist, and cow seat, all performed on one side before being repeated on the other. Bracegirdle concludes with a short (2.5 minute) relaxation and a shakti mantra with final mudra.

FIRE (61.5 minutes)
Fire starts with a visualization of the color yellow and a focus on the solar plexus. The warm-up and the segments which follow are the most cardio-intensive of all the Elements. The opening contains hips with elbow thrusts, side lunge, chest thrust, and side-to-side step with push. For the cardio, Bracegirdle begins with “own your fire” lunges and moves into high knees, chasse, hip sways, walk the fire, triple step with knee, plié with archer, step forward, bob and weave with push and punch, and jenga with block and twisting prayer. Following the cardio recovery, the isolations center on the chest. For the core work, Bracegirdle starts with cat/cow and elbow plank work. Additional core moves include a partial roll back, chest rotations performed on the knees, and a variation on the Pilates hundred. The stretch also incorporates yoga postures: Bracegirdle starts with some easy backbends on the floor (sphinx, updog, and bow), moves through downward dog to warrior two, and concludes with a supine twist and reclined butterfly. Bracegirdle finishes with relaxation (about 2 minutes) and final neck stretches and mudras in a seated position.

AIR (63 minutes)
For this opening sequence, Bracegirdle suggests a meditation on the color green and a focus on the heart chakra. The warm-up moves start with a triple hip followed by a hip sit, side lunge with alternating shoulder raise, plié with snake arms, and step tap with arm swings. The cardio segments include push the sky, high knees, heel touch with Figure 8 arms, fast/slow hip shimmy, heart to sky, bhangra, clear the air (grapevine), pull up roots plié, celebrate plié, and kickbacks (hamstring curls). For the isolations, Bracegirdle focuses on the shoulders, performing shoulder shimmies and shoulder rolls. The core section was more yoga-focused: Bracegirdle starts with triceps “dips” (actually push-ups) and then performs several yoga postures (downward dog, standing forward bend, dancers pose, standing side stretch) before doing just a few core moves (c-sit with shoulder shimmies/shoulder roll and balance in butterfly). The yoga stretch continues with seated forward bend, eagle arms, reclined Figure 4 stretch, reclined twist, reclined butterfly, and a short (1.5 minute) relaxation. To finish, Bracegirdle comes to seated and performs two different mudras, one for negative emotions and one for love.

SPIRIT (60 minutes)
The opening meditation centers on the colors blue, violet, and pure white as well as the upper chakras, including the throat, third eye, and crown. The warm-up sequence includes hip sways, hip circles, single-single-double side step with chest pop, temple dancer, and undulations. The first cardio series begins with a squat and then moves into a step tap with a reach to the sky. Additional moves include goddess pliés, plié twists (releasing anger), Shiva inner thigh lifts, temple dancer chasse, and hip shimmy. The second cardio series features knee raise honoring earth and sky plus a heel dig with a push from the heart, dancing goddess, bhangra heel drop, three hips and a bow, seven hips and a turn, and Kundalini rising. The isolation segment is a practice of heart undulations. The core section starts with several standing balance moves, including warrior 3 pose, Shiva, and standing glute stretch; this is followed by temple dancer stretch for the IT band. Floor postures include full prostration, seated sage twist, side lying quad stretch, and a brief (1.5 minute) relaxation. Bracegirdle concludes with three different mudras, one for higher consciousness, one for trust, and the Bellyfit mudra for embodiment.

Overall, Bellyfit Elements provides a fun cardio experience that is likely to be accessible to most women who are already relatively healthy. The meditations and mudras add a calming, soothing aspect to the practice, providing additional stress-relieving benefits.

Instructor Comments:
Alice is warm, down-to-earth, and very likeable. She has an engaging manner that is definitely very strong and empowering towards women. For the cardio portions, she starts off providing good cuing, but once you learn the moves, her cuing drops off quite a bit--you are more expected to already know the moves and to follow along at that point.

Beth C (aka toaster)

02/25/2013