Title: Tonique Born to Move
Instructor: Sylwia Weisenberg
Time: Workouts range from 36-63 minutes each, and 24 minute active stretch
Level of Difficulty: Advanced
DVD menu: Workout 1.1, Workout 1.2, Workout 2, Energy Stretch, Play All
Production quality: high
Equipment used: light weights (about 3# each)

Workout 1.1: The longest as well as most challenging on the DVD. This 63 minute workout is very glute and leg intensive, spending nearly a half hour on each leg, completely exhausting it, before going to the other leg. There is some plank work between the leg circuits to engage the upper body and core, and upper body is worked throughout with arm movements while performing the leg circuits. Anyone familiar with Tonique will recognize her affinity for curtsey lunges in this workout! There are tons of lunge variations, first standing, then in a crouched position, working the same leg. There’s not as much jumping in this workout, besides a plank frog jump type move (plyometric) mid-workout, and at the end of the workout is squat jump type exercise and some handstand style hops on one leg while swinging the other leg up in the air.

Workout 1.2: A shorter workout at 36 minutes but more cardio intense than the others. There are a lot of horizontal cardio moves (lunge leg hops in plank pose, etc) along with some standing cardio, and significantly shorter leg circuits with her lunge variation style exercises. This workout may be short but the cardio impact makes it a toughie! Note: W1.1 will transition directly into W1.2…in case you want to do them back to back!

Workout 2: My personal favorite, a best of both worlds combination of W1.1 and W1.2 (no repeat footage). The leg circuits are shorter than in 1.1 but this 52 minute workout still trains the glutes and legs well. There are also cardio intervals, tons of squat jumps, some freestyle cardio at the end, as well as a long set of donkey jumps balanced on your hands and a unique wheel pose/burpee combination exercise. While working each leg, there is also a run in plank type move with a kick, both toning and very cardio intense.

Energy Stretch: An interesting and vigorous workout done on the floor. In this 24 minute “stretch” chapter there is lots of ab work, bridge and table style floor work, and active stretching. Note: W1.2 and W2 transition straight to the Energy Stretch. Honestly this could be used as a workout on its own for a lighter day. I personally enjoy a more passive stretch after all my workouts but sometimes add this on to one of the main workouts to get in more toning!

The workouts on this DVD are definitely advanced. But with time and patience (and modifications if need be-such as using no weights, using a dowel for support, leaning over a step instead of on the weights or floor for the crouching work-though she does not demonstrate or suggest any modifications) they get a little easier and the effort is well worth it for leg and glute toning and slimming. The very high rep work is great for toning and endurance, and complements other endurance exercises like running. And it’s just fun! (Once your endurance improves and you can get into the zen zone). Workout 1.2 and 2 would be better to start with for people new to Tonique or trying to get into more advanced workouts, before attempting 1.1, which I would really only recommend to advanced exercisers. I highly recommend BTM for any advanced exercisers who are into high rep, high intensity workouts, like Dream Body. I have also found Tonique to work well with barre style workouts.

Instructor Comments:
This was my first workout with Sylwia and I LOVE her method! (Since having BTM I’ve also gotten Addicted to Movement and Femme Fatale – would also highly recommend these too!) She’s very artistic in her approach, the music is unusual and she works out by herself and with her shadow on the wall – to remind you it is just you and your shadow, and no one to push you but yourself. She is very enthusiastic about her method, eating right, and having you feel beautiful, and conveys this all to you while you’re working out, and yet she does not seem chatty at all. I think she talks just enough to keep you going but allow you to get into a zen zone with the high reps.

Emily B.