GOOD lower body workout for a day when you don't want to kill yourself with heavy dumbbell squats and lunges. The format of this workout is similar to Brazil Butt Lift High & Tight, in that there is standing leg work with a cardio component followed by intense floorwork with a band ( a moderate-tension band is included with the DVD). Andrea leads with two backgrounders in a brightly lit, modern studio.

After a brief dynamic warmup, the standing work consists of two "Minute Moves" sections, in which you do several lower-impact cardio moves for 60 seconds each. The moves are simple, like fast plie squats and side touches. The final 30 seconds of each minute has a higher-intensity move, so the side touches turn into speed-skater leaps and the plie squats add a calf raise. Between the two "Minute Moves" sections is one section of standing legwork with light dumbbells. Again the moves are simple, like deadlifts, rear leg extensions and curtsy lunges. Andrea suggests 3-5# dumbbells but you could definitely go heavier and slow down the tempo a little bit.

Following is a tough, tough floorwork section with the band, done lying on your side, then moving to hands and knees. The moves are all familiar and straightforward, like clamshells/mermaids, donkey kicks and leg circles, but the pace is nonstop. You can do the entire floor section without a band and still get a serious burn.

There is a brief abs section - crunches, lowering and lifting bent legs to work lower abs, rolldowns, oblique work, NO planks - then a short stretch.

The music is generic synthesizer background mush and Andrea strays from the beat quite a bit. It's OK when her counting tempo is consistent, but when it's not you'll have to go at your own pace. I found some of the standing leg work and much of the prone work with band to be too fast, so I slowed it down.

I'd rate the cardio and standing leg section as intermediate, the floor work as advanced.

Instructor Comments:
Andrea is very competent, direct and upbeat. Her cueing is good but her counting is sometimes off tempo and strays from the music. She does say a lot of silly things like "you're getting to the end of the runway (or catwalk)" when finishing a set, and there are a few too many mentions of "tush" and "tushie" (ugh). However, she doesn't say things in a cutesy voice so it's not cloying, just a little unexpected from someone who's otherwise so professional. Form pointers for floorwork could be a little clearer.

athompson10