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  Functional Core Fusion is a 32-minute core inspired workout. The workout is fused with stability and flexibility moves.  Cathe workouts all aspects of the core to include abs, hip and pelvis and low back.  A stability ball and mat are the equipment in this workout. DVD Menu Full Series Overview Workout Intro Equipment Needed Play Functional Core Fusion Play Level 2 Functional Core Bonus Chapters Premixes Audio Settings There are six premixes.  The basic premix combines the main workout and bonus workout. There are three timesaver premixes and two mish mosh premixes. I enjoy this workout. I do the Basic premix option which clocks in at 41:44. 3&3/4 stars

Functional Core Level 2 Bonus from Lift, Move, & Restore's Functional Core Fusion DVD clocks in at around 11-minutes.  There are six exercises in this bonus workout. Some of the exercise are single sided (you perform on the left and then on the right). The workout uses a mat, a smaller core ball and the larger stability ball. Cathe gives you breaks between each exercise. Nothing is really hurried.  There is no warm up nor cool down.  Cathe either describes and/or demonstrates each exercise prior to doing the move. Along with Cathe, there are four other castmates. I really like this short workout. 4 stars

Split Session Strength contains the following workouts: (1) upper-body series that is 35 minutes in length, (2) lower-body: build to burn that is 45-minutes in length and (3) bonus core that is 16 minutes workout. See workout sheet for specific exercise . Jessica takes you the through a circuit style session in each workout where you work a group of exercise, you repeat them for  second run-through before moving on to another group of exercises and repeating those for a second run through. Most exercises are performed twice and you are doing around 12 to 20 reps per exercise. There are a couple of exercises that Jessica only hits once. In the lower body workout, you need weights, a mat, a chair; gliding disk and a step topper with two risers.  Core workout uses a mat. Upper body workout requires a mat, step topper, and weights.    My favorite workout in this set is the lower body workout. Upper-Body Series - 3 stars Lower  Body Build to Burn - 4 stars Bonus Core...

Boss Loops Glutes & Core is a 52 minute lower body focused workout.  There are three color coded loops. Cathe only uses two of the loops (orange and green) in the workout. The orange loop has lightest tension.   Green loop is medium tension. Blue loop has the heaviest tension. There is a standing segment and a floor segment. Within the floor segment, there is lower body floor and core floor.  Something I did not like about the workout was the fact that Cathe and crew already had their loops on at the beginning of each segment. They are not changing the loop color along with you. So she will end one segment with the green loop. When the next segment starts, she already has on the orange loop. With that said, while I felt rushed, there was enough time to make the switch before Cathe started the exercise. Except for the warm up and stretch, the loops are used throughout. DVD Menu Getting Started Play Chapters Premixes (There are 8) Audio Setting Same set as Boss Ba...

Ab Hits is a compilation DVD that features 12 ab workouts from older Cathe workouts. Ab Workout #1 is from Maximum Intensity Strength. This segment clocks in at around 8 minutes. There is about 5 minutes of upper abdominal crunches, around 2 minutes of oblique crunches, and about a minute of lower crunches. This workout used a step as a prop - essentially you have your feet braced against the step. Ab Workout #2 is from Cross Train Xpress Power Circuit workout. This segment is around 11 minutes and broken down into three distinct parts. Part 1 is plank work. First elbow plank work and straight arm plank work. Part 2 is supermans and you are working the lower back. Part 3 is traditional ab work. You are doing upper, oblique and lower crunches. Ab Workout #3 is from Cross Train Express Kickbox.  This workout starts out with planks and then comes plank knee pull.  This is followed by reverse planks, roll ups, reverse crunch, oblique side crunch, crunch variation and c-cu...

Be Empowered is disc 2 of Michelle's One on One with Michelle series. It contains the following workouts: Total Body Workout (30 min) Core Challenge Workout (19 min) Mobility Workout (10 min) Total Body Workout is a strength workout that combines upper body and lower body exercises. Michelle's takes you through a series of four circuits. Each exercise is perform for two sets.  There are three to four exercises per circuit. There is not much down time in this workout as Michelle moves from exercise to exercise at a steady pace. Two sets of dumbbells, a light set and a heavy set, as well as a single heavier dumbbell are used in this workout. Core Challenge Workout is a 360 degree core workout in that it works all areas of the core region to include back, hips, lower abs, and obliques. Some of the exercises in this workout included a beast hover, several series of planks in a variety of position, reverse crunches and traditional crunches.  Michelle also includes su...

Sexy Abs with Kelly Rowland is a 43 minute ab and core focused workout.  Along with Jeanette and Kelly, there are two other cast members. The workout is lead by Jeanette and Kelly. Kelly introduces each segment but Jeanette actually leads and talks you through the exercise, with Kelly chiming in from time to time to offer encouragement and motivation. The DVD menu Play All Welcome to Sexy Abs Love Handles 6 Pack Sculpt Tone Define Burn Stretch I really liked this workout.  The only annoying parts of the workout was when Kelly would do her sound effects. They were so unnecessary.  The music is up tempo, a bit of dance, a bit of band, a bit of techno. The set is a stark white back ground and the cast members are highlighted against it.  A mat is used in the workout. 4 & 1/4 stars

Abs & Core is a compilation workout by Kelly Coffey-Meyer.  Kelly pulled six ab/core workouts from her 30-Minute To Fitness series workouts to give you a well rounded in-depth core and ab workout.  There are standing segments and floor segments. I did these workouts as add-on workouts; and I didn't remember doing any of the segments when I did the original workouts they came from.  So I think this was my first time doing all of these segments. The DVD offers the following menu options : Mix On e (33 min consist of Kickboxing, Muscle Up, & Circuit Burn) Mix Two (32 min consist of Home Gym Intervals, Muscle Definition, Weights) Kelly's Favorite Mix (33 min consist of Home Gym Intervals, Muscle Up, Muscle Definition) Premixes          Premix One (44 min, All Floor Exercises)          Premix Two (20 min, All Standing and Plank              ...

Cardio Core Crusher is a 42 minute workout. It is  a download/streaming only workout and it is a workout that is included in Michelle Dozois's Peak 10 Fit Body Challenge. This workout uses a mat and it alternates cardio and core segments.  The cardio segments are relatively short, at least compared to the core segments. In this workout Michelle works the core from a variety of positions.  Michelle also follows a similar format to her other workouts in the series in that you run through each set twice through changing your lead side the second time through. During the cardio segments you use the mat as marker where you are often working around the mat or across the mat. There are a few standing core sections but for the most part you are going to the floor for the core segments. Thus, this workout contains a lot of up and down movement. Some of the core exercises are: Drop push up with rotation Plie core side reach Plank elbow row + single leg crunch + bicycl...

Tracy Anderson's Boot Camp Targeted Training DVD contains  three 20 minute workout. The DVD allows you to select Play All or to select an individual workout. The three individual workouts are : Abs Hips & Thighs Glutes Each workout is setup pretty similarly. Tracy starts you off with her signature warm up of arm movements. You then move into some stretching.  Next comes the main part of the workout - which most of it is done as a mat workout. The workout concludes with standing arm work and stretching. Now, while there is not a segment for the arms, you do get plenty of toning for the arms as each of the three workouts include some arm movements. Almost all the exercises in the Hips & Thighs and Glutes and some of the exercises in Abs are multi component exercises.  Tracy takes a little bit of time to demonstrate each of the exercise. She counts her demonstration as a rep. So as soon you see what she is doing, my advice is to jump in. Otherwise, yo...

AB Ripper X clocks in at 16:07 -  So short workout that can be used as an add on. There are 11 exercises and you are doing each exercise for 25 reps. If you do all the reps, you will end up doing 349 reps. Tony adds in a few bonus reps. I felt the burn on several of the exercises. It was a nice challenge. Tony does his instructor thing. He will start the exercise and then get up to instruct. There is not a warm up, but there is a one minute cool down stretch. Equipment: mat 3 & 3/4 stars

Core Synergistics is a 58 minute total body functional style workout that focus on exercises that engage the core.  Most of the exercises are body weight exercises. There are some exercises in which the cast members use a set of weights or the bands.  Tony also mixes up the exercises where some are floor based and some are done in the standing position. So there is a lot of up and down. This has been my least favorite workout of the P90X system. 2 & 1/2 stars

Atlectica Vol 4 Body Weight Training.  This workout is 30 minutes in length and includes the following components: Core Work in the form of planks, sit ups, crunches, and oblique work Shoulder and chest in the form of planks and variety of push ups Lot of Burpees.  For the burpees you are doing a total of 5 minutes worth of burpees There are three rounds of burpees.  The first round is 1 minute in length.  The second round is 2 minutes of sumo burpees.  The third round is another 2 minutes but this time you are doing one legged burpees. I didn't find the workout too difficult.  It was doable.  This workout is really similar to an older Ilaria workout called Abs & Pushups Plus. Along with Ilaria there are 4 other cast members.  From time to time, Ilaria would demonstrate a modification but there is not a designated modifier.  This is not a workout that I would readily grab again but with that said, it was okay. 3...

The last workout in the Figure 8 Fitness System is Belly Latin Fusion .  This workout is 30 minutes and Jaana states the primary focus is the abdominals. This workout is different in that it is the only workout that doesn't feature the countdown clock in the lower right corner.  It is also NOT chaptered. The music used in this workout  is a bit of bollywood, samba, and world beat.  This is a cardio based workout that is standing ab focus with lots of core, oblique twist work, and belly dance rolls. Another fun high energy workout from Figure 8 Fitness. 4 & 1/4 stars

  Butts & Guts is a 77 minute workout that focuses on the butt (lower body area) and guts (abdominal core area).  Not a great workout title name in my opinion. The workout is divided into a standing section, floor workout section and an abdominal section.  The floor work section is further divided into floor work using the stability ball and floor work using ankle weights. The standing section consist of essentially two rounds of doing the same group of exercises.  The reps are fairly high.  The standing leg portion is approximately 32 minutes in length.  The floor work is about 20 minutes. I did not do the abs segment but that segment clocks in at 14 minutes. The DVD also features four bonus segments which are: Stability Ball Abs Sit N Stands Leg Press Glutes Squeezes The DVD also contains the following premixes: Standing Glutes & Ab Timesaver 49.5 minutes Overall Legs 65 minutes Leg Blast 47.5 minutes Floor Work & Abs 5...

Ballet Body Core is a 45 minute workout in which you do about 10 minutes of standing toning and then about 30 minutes of floor toning and ending with a stretch. Like the lower and upper Ballet Body workouts, Leah used voice-over in this workout; and the voice-over is done very well. The standing sections alternates between expansive moves and smaller pulsing moves. The floor work includes a set of side planks performed in various positions (knee in, leg straight out).  Leah also includes several sets of exercises for the lower and upper abs.  You also go onto all fours and do what I thought were some interesting exercises.  Supermans also show up. All movement is set to the beat of the music.  I think this is my favorite out of all of Leah's Ballet Body workouts. The DVD offers the following optons: Play All Music Only (No instruction) 4 stars.

Flat Abs Solutions is led by Rebekah Sturkie. The DVD contains five workouts. Four are 10 minutes in length and the fifth workout is 20 minutes in length. There is also a bonus 10 minute downloadable workout. The workouts are : Core Toner - 10 minutes. This workout is floor based. You are either lying or seated on the floor as you perform each move. It uses a dumbbell for added resistance. Boat, chops, bicycle, and modified push ups are some of the exercises performed. Firm and Flat Abs - 10 minutes. This workout features floor and standing moves. Most of the exercises are based in functional fitness - lots of lunge reaches. A pair of dumbbells are used for added resistances. Boot Camp Burn - Also 10 minutes in length and it also uses a pair of dumbbells. And there are burpees. It has been awhile since I have done a workout with a burpee. So it didn't bother me and I jumped right in. Other exercises are spider man planks and knee pulls Flat Belly Sculptor - 10 minutes. ...

Clocking in at just about 20 minutes is Core Dynamics . This is the Peak Fit Challenge workout that specifically targets the back, core, and abdominal region. Also there is a little glute work going on as well. The 20 minutes is broken down into 4 five minute blocks. Block 1 uses a single dumbbell and it is standing ab work - with a functional fitness twist. Block 2 is equipment free and is floor work. Plank work, side rolls, and ankle grabbers are some of the exercises perform in block 2. Block 3 uses the band and you are working off of one knee for much of the workout. There is also some side plank moves. Block 4 is equipment free as well and is more of a traditional floor ab set. My favorite section is Block 2. My least favorite is Block 3 and that is mostly because of the band. I actually chucked the band and replaced it with the FIRM's purple (strongest resistance) band for much of block 3. I really like this work. The 20 minutes moved quick. In Michelle's introduction she...

Probably my least favorite of the WAVE workouts is Rock Solid Abs . This one I am totally lukewarm on. It is 30 minutes and stars Allie Del Rio. I found the music to be drab and uninspiring which could be why I am so so with this workout. There is a lot of variety in this workout. You are working you core seated, standing, lying, stable side and rocking side. Also, you are doing traditional ab work (crunches), functional fitness, balance, stabilization and planks. The planks are kind of cool. You are doing them with your hands on the Wave on the rocking side. Allie also uses a band for added resistance to work side bends and for oblique work. Even with all the variety, I did think this workout "run-of-the-mill". 2 1/2 star

From the Wave system, The FIRM's Express Abs is a 10 minute workout featuring Emily Welsh. The workout uses the Wave in the rocking and stable position. Weights are not used in this workout. Breakdown: Segment one - standing warm up - wave on rocking side Segment two - seated on wave - rocking side to side Segment three - Planks. Toes on Wave -rocking side Segment four - standing ab workout on the wave, carving the wave, stabilization work, standing crunches, Segment five - Planks, Hand on the Wave - rocking side Segment six - seated and lysing crunches, Wave on stable side Segment seven - back work, supermans, Wave on stable side Segment eight - stretch, Wave on stable side Lots of balance and core stabilization in this workout. Emily cues very well. She keeps a nice steady pace throughout the workout. This workouts has the same picture quality as Rock It Off. Solid. 3 stars