Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Do it With A Band

Adding a little oomph to your workout
Wednesday, November 28, 2007

By EVELYN SHIH
STAFF WRITER

For those just beginning to get in shape or simply looking to maintain the body, a little exercise can go a long way.

Starz Home Entertainment, the creator of the popular 10-Minute Solution workout series, knows that for a fact. By adding a resistance band and using some popular DVD titles, Starz claims, you can get an extra bang for your buck -- and your time.

The resistance band makes the most sense in Suzanne Bowen's "Slim & Sculpt Pilates" as a stand-in for Pilates equipment. But it also has the pleasant effect of a home-gym-lite in "Tone Trouble Zones!" with Amy Bento.

There's a clear downside in that you're giving up movement and aerobics for extra strength training. None of the three reviewed DVDs requires too much space to execute, including Jennifer Galardi's "Dance It Off & Tone It Up." It would seem that a resistance band would cramp your dance style, but Galardi gets around it by dedicating part of the disc to dance and part of it to the band.

Although thematically split, Galardi's five workouts actually add up to the best overall collection. It's halfway in intensity between the more difficult "Slim & Sculpt Pilates" and the easier "Tone Trouble Zones!"

If you don't have a lot of space in front of the television and don't have wrist problems, this trio of discs will be a snappy new workout.

E-mail: shih@northjersey.com

10-MINUTE SOLUTION:
Slim & Sculpt Pilates With Pilates Band

with Suzanne Bowen
$16.98, starzhoment.com

What I liked: The "Pilates band" really does add intensity to the workout. In fact, I very much needed a wind-down in the form of the last 10-minute workout, a cool-down segment called "Pilates for Flexibility." I've never done Pilates with machinery like the Reformer and the Cadillac, but it seems as if I'm already working pretty hard against the band. The instructor gave a lot of tips for making each move a more intense workout but always demonstrated the easier version first. For those who enjoy having a good "flow" in a workout, Bowen makes it smooth.
What I didn't like: Although Bowen constantly exhorted me to keep up the flow, I couldn't keep up and simply felt a little clumsy, especially as I was sticking my feet in and out of the band. This may also have something to do with the fact that the workout was a bit of a strain for me. I don't have the most powerful abs, but the 10-Minute Solution series DVDs don't tend to be tiring for me, especially if I do them in 30-minute sessions. This one had me flat on the mat.

The bottom line: Great for core strength.



10-MINUTE SOLUTION:
Tone Trouble Zones!

with Amy Bento
$16.98, starzhoment.com

What I liked: Bento keeps you motivated by reminding you of what you can look forward to after the workout has successfully shaped you into a fitness goddess. More to the point, she gives good notes for what each movement should feel like. I could definitely feel my muscles working against the band, especially when I wrapped the ends around my hands a few more times. I liked the creative use of the band to replace free weights for the arms and upper body workout.

What I didn't like: The workout was pleasant, and I felt good about myself for being able to do it easily. On the other hand, you do want your workout to have some difficulty. If you are relatively fit, this DVD will be too easy for you. It definitely won't push your limits or force you to tap that hidden reservoir of energy -- the hallmark of a great workout. The "10-minute stretch" at the end was a bit of a throwaway segment.

The bottom line: Good beginner disc.


10-MINUTE SOLUTION:
Dance It Off &Tone It Up

with Jennifer Galardi
$16.98, starzhoment.com

What I liked: Galardi has done a similar disc before, and it's clear she knows what she's doing. I liked that she put together moves from different dance styles to keep things fresh. She also does a good job of building the routine through the course of 10 minutes so that even beginners have time to catch on. It helps that she calls out the moves, square-dance style, when running through the full sequence. The "Upper Body Tone Up" and "Buns & Thigh Sculpt" were pleasantly different from similar segments in the other DVDs.

What I didn't like: This DVD tries to do a little too much in one collection. Because of the included stretch-band, I thought we would be using it right away. But it did not come into play until the fourth segment, when Galardi switched to strength exercises. Confusingly, there was little dance involved in the last two segments.

The bottom line: An energetic composite workout.

-- Evelyn Shih


* * *
Best 10-minute workouts
• Aerobic: "High Energy Fat Burner" in "Dance It Off"
• Core: "Pilates for Abs" in "Slim & Sculpt Pilates"
• Lower body: "Butt & Thigh Blaster" in "Tone Trouble Zones!"
• Upper body: "Upper Body Tone Up" in "Dance It Off"
• Stretch: "Pilates for Flexibility" in "Slim & Sculpt Pilates

-- Evelyn Shih


Copyright © 2007 North Jersey Media Group Inc.
Copyright Infringement Notice User Agreement & Privacy Policy
Print | Close

No comments: