Saundra

Essentrics Body Sculpting Series is lead by Sahra Esmode-White.  There are three workouts on one DVD.  Sahra states that each workout is a total body workout but each workout has a particular emphasis. The workouts are: Ultimate Leg Sculptor Ab Flattening & Waist Shaping Arm Blast & Posture Boost Ultimate Leg Sculptor workout includes standing and mat work. After the warm up, Sahra takes you through a series of Essentric trademark exercises which included lunge reaches (simulated elastic pull downs) and figure 8s. A plies series follow. This puts you at the 9 minute mark of the workout. You then move to the floor for a series of table top leg exercises.  Donkey kicks, leg lifts, hamstring curls, leg pumps and side kicks are the exercises.  There is also lying side leg work. In this section, Sahra alternates working the outer and inner thigh and glute area using traditional Essentrics lengthening exercises.  The workout concludes with seated ...

The FIRM Core Solution is an abdominal and core workout that features 3 ten minute workouts led by FIRM instructor Alison Davis. The first section is standing abs, the second section is functional abs, and the third is traditional ab work. I did all three sections back to back and really enjoyed the workout. My favorite is probably standing abs. I like the lengthening and strengthening of the moves in the workout. The workout also had exercises to work the shoulder for a more define look and for an increase perception of a smaller waistline. The functional section contain lots of plank, balance and stabilization work; and the traditional routine contain a tough set of oblique work. Alison moves through the three workouts quickly and efficiently. I felt the workouts were sufficiently challenging without killing you. All three workouts feature the use of weights/dumbbells for added resistance. The set is my least favorite of the FIRM sets. Very blah, drab and uninspiring. 4 stars o...

The FIRM FIRM Abs contain three 10 minute abdominal and core workouts. The workout uses the fanny lifter and the sculpting stick as a prop and for resistance. The three workouts are lead by Nancy Tucker. Nancy takes you through a series of crunches, planks, stabilization and stretching exercises. The workouts get progressively more advance as you move from one 10 minute workout to the next. Even so, I would rate any of the three as advance abs workouts. I consider them to be low to medium intermediate workouts. The sculpting stick that is used in this workout is the blue and purple one with the twigs. Often the twigs are removed and the center portion is used in various positions to include using the stick behind the knees, holding against the chest or behind the head. Nancy does a terrific job in leading the workouts. 3 stars out of 5