10 Minute Solution: Blast Off Body Fat!

Suzanne Bowen
Year Released: 2010

Categories: Ballet/Barre, Total Body Workouts


I will start by saying I am not a big fan of 10 Minute Solution workouts. I've owned a few, and have sold or traded them away. This one is no different in it's choppy flow, but I find that I actually need those dead seconds between mini-workouts because these are very intense. Suzanne has created a winner, I think!

As with all other 10 Minute Solution DVDs, this one offers the options of playing all, choosing a workout, or customising a workout. As with all others, I wish there were a separate warm-up and cool-down. The only 10 minute segment that includes the classic knee-lift barre warm-up is the arm workout, which comes first if you choose play all.
Suzanne is alone on the set which is set up like a gym, with black puzzle mat on the floor and exercise machines and equipment on the sides. It's light and spacious.

Arms: Suzanne uses 1-3 lb weights for standing exercises and then moves down to the mat for pushups and tricep dips. She uses larger moves, pulses and holds and reminds you to resist up and down. I especially liked the pulsing pushups. I was shaking from head to toe!

Thighs: She does both standing and floor thigh work in this segment. The standing thigh portion had my legs shaking. Suzanne pushed me and then had me hold for a count of 8, all to push me a little more! It's tough, but it's good tough. As the previous reviewer said, the addition of light weights really amps the intensity.

Glutes: This segment includes both standing and mat work. I'm not a fan of sigle leg squats, so I didn't enjoy this part of the workout as much. The mat work includes exercises on all fours, some with the addition of a small dumbell behind the knee, reverse plank, and bridge work with the dumbells resting on the hips. This was a pleasantly intense 10 minutes!

Abs: This has to be one of the most intense ab workouts I've done. My obliques are still sore two days later! The exercises are mainly pilates-inspired, but Suzanne adds dumbells, little pulses and holds to exercises like the criss-cross, leg dips with one leg straight up, v sit with pulses and holding dumbells, and a killer side plank sequence.

Total Body: Suzanne uses compound moves in a standing sequence that she does on one leg and then the other, then she moves down to the floor for exercises from donward dog position, plank and forearm plank.

I really like the exercises on this DVD, but I personally prefer Suzanne's weekly downloads.

Instructor Comments:
Suzanne Bowen is pleasant, cues very well, explains what each move is for and encourages you all the way through.

topfitmama

06/18/2011