Kathy Smith
This seemed at a more advanced level than the Foundations cardio workout. I'm an advanced beginner and I found it challenging. I used light weights.
There is no warm up....it is meant to follow the cardio workout. I like this, more time for strength. I just warmed up on my own.
This was a high rep workout, with lots of tempo changes.It went by pretty quickly and there was a nice variety of exercises.
I did not notice the music really, so it is at least not offensive!
There are 4 background exercisers. There is a lot more talking in this one then foundations. Pretty much your standard "I'm feeling it" type comments, and some counting along. Nothing that struck me as becoming really annoying after hearing it 10 times. They are a likeable group and add some fun to the workout, especially when the exercise starts to get tough.
Here are the exercises. Most of the exercises start at a slow tempo, switch to a pulse and then back to slow:
1.Squats
2.Split Lunges on Rt leg ( Kathy calls them lunge-dips)
3.Rear Rt leg lift ( leaning on a chain back)
4.Hold the Rt rear leg lift and bend knee for a hamstring curl
5"Shave the Butt" -From the hamstring curl pull your RT leg into your chest and then back into the curl ( this is hard to describe!)
6.Back to RT hamstring curl- holding it and pulsing upwards
7.Split Lunge on rt leg again
Repeat 3 to 7 on Left leg
8.Plies & Plies with foot drag
9.Deadlifts with heavy weights, 1 leg at a time ( or both if you want)
10.Squat with alternating rear kicks
11.Squat with alternating side kicks
12 Lying leg lifts for outer thigh- on the ball or on a mat
13.Obliques crunch
Repeat 12 & 13 for other side
14.regular crunches on the ball or mat
15.Hamstring bridges /lifts on a ball or chair
16. Crunches while Squeezing your ball or a pillow between your inner thighs
17.Sevens- Crunches while squeezing the ball for 7 counts....I think that this was done 4x and it was killer!
18 More hamstring bridge lifts on the ball/chair.
19.Rolling out the ball with hamstrings engaged, or pulsing up on the chair.
Short lower body stretch....I added a couple on my own.
The Ab work was fine. Not too much or too little.Standard crunches.
I felt that this was a thorough workout. It was definitely not too easy, and I'm guessing is a solid intermediate level workout. I'm always glad to find a shorter workout like this....However, I tend to like more standing leg work, so I am kind of mixed on this workout. I have it in my mind that you have to kill yourself standing to get results. I would be thrilled to be proven wrong, because I liked the variety of this workout.
Instructor comments:
Kathy Smith is enthusiastic and encouraging in this workout.Everyone seems relaxed and having fun, and it is contagious!
Sabina
1/22/05
This is the lower body split routine from the Project You series from Beachbody. I have several of their other workout sets and feel like Beachbody is a reliable company for me. I had high expectations for this set.
I found the workout to be a somewhat tiring but overall effective lower body routine. If you are using this independent of the set, you should know that it does not include a warm-up, but other than that detail, it could stand alone as a solo workout quite well. The main sections of the workout are a squat sequence, rear extension sequence, lunge sequence, floor work and abs. There are a few other moves too. Generally, you do one set at 2-2 count, then a pulsing set, then a regular set.
The workout did not feel as 'fun' to me as the cardio routine I preceded it with (Project You Foundations) and I can't say I am hugely looking forward to doing it again. It also strikes me as an iffy one for people with knee issues, featuring lunges and dips among other things. But it is short and convenient. If you have the Project You set already of if you like Kathy Smith, this would be a good lower body workout option.
Instructor comments:
I really like Kathy. She has aged very well both physically and as an instructor. She comes across as friendly and experienced.
Joanna
02/21/05
This is one of the stength workouts from the Beachbody Project You series. There is no warmup as this is supposed to be preceded by one of the cardio workouts. You need weights, a chair and an optional stability ball. Kathy and one of the background exercisers use the ball and the other 3 do not. I enjoyed this workout and the time seemed to pass quickly. The standing exercises include lunges, squats, plies, glute raises and hamstring raises. Kathy does single counts and then 3-in-ones on these. Floor exercises include crunches, oblique crunches, outer thigh lifts and pelvic tilts for the hamstrings. She doesn't do any calf exercises, but if you've done the cardio before this workout, the calves are somewhat worked. You can easily up the intensity of this workout by adding heavier weights to all of the moves.
This was the first of the project you where I noticed the music -- it was pleasant background music - nothing to get excited about, but not annoying by any means!
The set is bright and all 5 of the people (including Kathy) seem to be enjoying themselves and working hard. I would consider this workout anywhere from beginner to intermediate (by varying the weights) I don't love lower body workouts in general, but I enjoyed this one.
Instructor comments:
As on all of the Project You workouts I've tried, Kathy is pleasant and encouraging in this one. She gives lots of form pointers and looks great!
Jo
6/7/05
