Callanetics

Callan Pinckney
Year Released: 1986

Categories: Ballet/Barre


This workout starts out with 5 warmups. Every move in the workout is numbered, so there are 5 warmup moves. The first section is "stomach". I'm sure she means abs. I certainly don't want a rock hard stomach!! The ab section is terrific and reminded me a lot of Pilates, specifically The Hundred, Single Leg Stretch and Double Leg stretch. Each move is "pulsed" 100 times. The ab workout had 5 moves and was fairly intense.
Stretching is sprinkled throughout the workout, and each stretch is held for 50 seconds. The leg work was odd: squats standing with your heels together. This caused my knees to go over my toe and made my knees hurt. Other leg work included variations of the leg lift, again using small movements for 100 pulses. One of the more odd movements involved sitting with your knees together, heels under butt and then leaning back and sort of doing a belly dance type move. Again, I couldn't the impingement on the knee joints.
It ends with more stretching, which was actually quite good and thorough.

All in all, this is an ok tape for a day you don't want to put much in to a workout. I don't see how doing the lower body work would transform me the way Callan thinks it will. Theres just not enough of it. I am used to doing squats and lunges. This is a more ballet inspired workout with zero upper body work. I'd keep it for the ab section, but thats about it.

The workout was made in the 80s and looks it. There's actually a backround exerciser named Midge!
I found none of the physiques inspirational. (But I prefer a more defined look)
Personally, I'd like to feed Callan some quality protein and put her through a REAL exercise regimine and I think she'd look awesome.
As it is, she looks like a starved bird. Workout grade C- because of the dangerous moves for the knees.

Instructor Comments:
I had never seen Callan before this tape. I must be honest, my first reaction was horror. She is alarmingly thin. Her upper body looks atrophied in they way you see with anorexics. Looks aside, she's an okay instructor, not irritating or robotic.

Peggy T

11/02/2004