3 Workouts To Love

July 18, 2010

Squeeze Stronger with Tracy Effinger

I’ve written about Tracy before in Squeeze by Tracy Effinger. This program easily deserves another mention. I do it a lot because it makes me happier.

If you don’t own Tracy’s videos, you just can’t imagine how good they are. The program is about strength and flexibility, high repetitions (like 20-30, not 200) with low weight (I use 1-3lbs). For days when you don’t feel like getting all sweaty and panting, these are perfect. The program is varied and moves along quickly. The woman herself is quite interesting to watch, as is the artwork (Tracy’s own) in the background. I love the power in her attitude, let alone her body.

If you’re looking for more emotional strength in your life, grab yourself a weight. I am not fond of moving more than 8lbs of weight. With these exercises and 3lbs., right away I feel like “well, I can do this, it’s only 3lbs!”. Remember that every ounce of fat that you replace with muscle sucks up more calories every minute of the day. You get to reap the reward of exercise even while you’re not working out.

Want to shape every aspect of your legs and hips? Do the pretzel-clam. I LOVE this. LOVE it. I can feel the fat pockets on the side of my hips squeezing out like a sponge.

Expecting to do every repetition the first time you play the DVD? Maybe. But decide ahead of time that it will not be a big deal if you don’t.

The Workout by Mindy Mylrea

You will never hear a more motivating script in a DVD. It’s all about saying to those people who said you couldn’t do something “Oh, yeah, well, you just watch me.” After awhile, you’ll find that they stop saying it. They just wait for the results to come rolling in.

Your thighs look thinner by the time you’re done, I am not exaggerating.

It’s mostly lower body, which is fine because that’s what needs most work.

Mindy says that she’s been teaching Aerobics since 1982. Some of her moves seem repetitive from those years, or from her other DVDs. Some may love that because there is NO complicated footwork or sequences. Me, well, I’ve been taking Aerobics since 1982, and I get bored easily, no matter the level of exertion. If you work out with Mindy a lot, and I do, you’ll recognize a few moves. I wish Mindy would teach me something new when she repeats movements from the past. The movements may not have changed much, but the way we understand movement and the body has. Give me a new visual, a new understanding of body alignment, a new way to think about an old move. Anyhow, I’ll get over it. Mindy has earned her place at the top of this game in many other ways.

Mindy being Mindy, there are always moments of pure brilliance. The whole core section at the end, for example. The surfer interval too. The 40 second intervals you spend inside your own head, unadulterated glorious.

Also in the gem category, she gets the tough long section over in the first 15 min. Then it’s easier, so you’re all empowered, thinking “Well, gosh, after that, this is easy. I must be stronger than I thought. So bring it, baby.”

Ballet Body Workout with Jennifer Galardi

This is the best workout ever for beginning the day. Grace, strength, awareness, a little cardio, body-balancing movements. I always notice that the movements feel really good even while I’m doing them, so there’s no hurry for it to be over. You begin the day feeling slim and strong and small in the waist and in a happy frame of mind. Jennifer moves beautifully, and you’re inspired to copy her, which you can do. This is not Swan Lake.

This hour will feel like the most pleasing part of your entire day. It is the only workout I own (about 60 of them) that I fit in every single week.

Posted by Christine Scaman | Filed Under Move Thy Body

Comments

4 Responses to “3 Workouts To Love”

Susan Garnett on July 18th, 2010 8:15 pm

These videos sound great. I have a hip replacement due to genetics, and I can’t do aerobics or anything that will put stress on my hip. I have asked my doctor repeatedly for exercises that I can do and he just says, “go swimming!” Would you happen to know if any of these tapes, or others, would fit my needs? Thanks.
gina on July 21st, 2010 6:25 pm

Just ordered two of Tracy’s video’s…hope I get to keep them here as I have the feeling they will disappear when the university family members head out
Have been meaning to order and never got around to it! Should have ordered doubles.
Christine Scaman on July 22nd, 2010 8:57 am

Susan,

Pilates seems rather perfect. There will probably be movements in any routine you’ll have to pass on. You have done a Search at Collage Video, right? They have thousands of titles, many ways to search, and you can look at little previews.
Amy on July 25th, 2010 8:11 pm

Christine,

I’ve been using Squeeze Stronger for awhile now, and I really love it. I love all of hers. I haven’t done the ones by Myirea or Galardi yet, but I will order them. You always find great workouts. Thanks!