This Classical Stretch season was filmed in Jamaica, and it is titled the “Age Defying Series.” Miranda instructs alone in some episodes and with Sahra and Brendan in others. Each of the workouts is a full body workout. Some have more of a strength focus (shown as “S” below), and others more of a flexibility/mobility theme (shown as “F”). These classifications come from the Classical Stretch website (www.classicalstretch.com).

Overall, I thought this is a nice season. Miranda is chatty, and she miscounts sometimes. But neither of those things bother me, and I always feel good after doing one of these workouts. I have seasons 4 and 6 through 9, and I’ve liked them all. So far, my favorite season has been 9 but this one is pretty high on my “like” list too.

There are 30 episodes in the series. Note that the times are approximate because of rounding and they may not add up to the total because of the 30 second transition between standing and floor/barre work.

801 STRETCH ALL 600 MUSCLES (F) (22:26, standing/barre)

Miranda is in front of a white hotel. She does a warmup with arm swings and circles, then moves into arm and shoulder work (stretches, pulses, and circles) (2.75 min). She continues with big stretchy movements for the arms and upper body (2.75 min); leg lifts to the front, side, and diagonally back (2 sets, first with toe pointed and then with the foot flexed) (3.5 min); and side lunges with upper body stretches (pushing through water, wiping the air, lifting a heavy weight, etc.) (4 min). At the 13 minute mark, Miranda gets a chair for barre work. She starts with dips for the triceps (1 min); and then does standing quad stretches, as well as hip/lower spine and hamstring/IT band stretches using the chair (5.75 min). She finishes with stretches and twists for the spine and sides of the body, as well as the shoulders (3.25 min).

Miranda tells you that blood doesn’t flow in tight muscles, so you should start the workout relaxed. She also tells you to watch your form in a mirror (which you can hide under the couch when you’re not using it). The leg lifts require a bit of balance. Miranda gives good form pointers throughout, and she occasionally shows what not to do (but this is not unique to this episode). I don’t know if this workout stretches 600 muscles as advertised, especially since it is not pure stretch. The barre stretches do feel great, though!

802 INCREASE YOUR ENERGY (S) (23:27, standing/floor)

Miranda is on the beach in Montego Bay. She starts the warmup with side steps, twists, large kicks while moving the arms, and hamstring curls (2 min); then continues with arm and “rib” stretches (like “rocking a baby”), a front “wipe the air” move, twisting lunges, whole body circles, and arm reaches and swipes (3.5 min); plies, some with heel lifts (3 min); torso twists with an arch in the upper spine, windmills, and brief stretches with arms overhead (3 min); and bicycles into lunges to stretch the quads and calves (both in front and then to the side). At the 14.5 minute mark, Miranda goes to the floor for inner thigh stretches (2.25 min); and sit ups (most combined with leg lifts), leg circles, and reverse crunches (3.5 min). The workout ends with twists, stretches for the IT band and calves using a Thera band (2.75 min).

Miranda tells you to “think of your thighs as your best friend” because strengthening them will help you burn more calories and gain more energy. She also tells you that, because you are eccentrically lengthening while doing plies, they won’t make your legs bulk. The bicycles require a bit of balance, and the lunge move during this segment looks like it could cause knee injuries if one isn’t careful about form (Miranda’s knee goes over her toes, which is not recommended in weight lifting circles).

803 STRESS RELIEVING WORKOUT (F) (23:09, standing/sitting/barre)

Miranda is at the outdoor wedding chapel at the Coyaba Hotel. She starts the warmup with side steps, figure 8’s, shoulder rolls, and neck stretches (2 min). She then does a “shoulder blast” (reach forward with with tailbone tucked, then try to pull the hands apart), overhead reaches/stretches, a forward bend, arm circles with a twist, and air “washes” (3.25 min). Just after the 5.25 minute mark, Miranda sits in a chair for upper body/lower back stretches using the chair for resistance (3 min); leg/foot stretches using a Thera band, as well as hip stretches (3.25 min); and finger/hand work, plus short shoulder and tricep stretches (2.25 min). For the last 9 minutes, Miranda stands and uses the chair for foot and calf stretches (2 min); side stretches and twists (2.5 min); and hip/psoas/hamstring stretches and twists (4.5 min).

The setting is lovely, but it is very windy. The first five minutes of the workout are done standing, and the remainder is equally divided between sitting and barre stretches. The music finishes before Miranda does, so the workout ends in a little bit of a rush. Even so, it’s quite a nice stretch workout.

804 FIRM & STRENGTHEN YOUR BUTT (S) (23:30, standing/barre)

Miranda is on a bridge over a pool in Montego Bay. She starts the warmup with plie squats and arm swings/circles/twists/figure 8’s (2 min), then she continues with lots of trademark moves (side lunges, cleaning a large table and mirror, wiping a cloud, pulling a rope, lifting a heavy ball) (4.25 min); finger/wrist/arm exercises (3.25 min); Tai chi plies, some combined with foot stretches and others with upper body stretches (3.5 min). At the 13 minute mark, Miranda tells you to get a chair for barre work. She starts with hip cleaners and leg pulls in a circling pattern (3.5 min); then does side leg lifts and kicks, as well as leg lifts to the back (3.25 min). She ends the workout with stretches for the lower back/hip, shoulders/pecs, and neck/upper spine (2 min) and hips/lower back, quads/psoas, and hamstrings using the chair (3 min).

The colors in this episode are unusually lovely. It’s just after dawn, and the day is sort of golden pink. Miranda’s outfit matches it perfectly. The large movements in the warmup feel great, and they set the tone for the rest of the workout. Miranda doesn’t always call her trademark moves by their “usual” names, but it’s easy to tell what they are. The plie part of the workout requires a lot of strength because the plies are slow and/or static, and during this segment Miranda gives a long dissertation on the importance of mitochondria and how they relate to plies and weight loss (if you do a lot of classical stretch, though, this isn’t really new(s)). Overall, this is quite a nice workout — but it’s one of the more strength- than stretch- focused ones.

805 BALANCE & STRENGTH (F) (23:29, standing/barre)

Miranda is on a path at a resort. She starts the workout with side steps, foot stretches, kicks in all directions (diagonal, front, side, back), and big arm movements (3.5 min), then she continues with forward bends into arm/upper body stretches, side lunges with more big arm movements (3.25 min); (mostly static) plies with upper body stretches and a few heel lifts (4 min); and leg pulls/lifts and circles (2.25 min). At almost the 13 minute mark, Miranda tells you to get a chair for barre work. She starts this section with foot/shin stretches then does back kicks and pulses (3 min). The last 7 minutes are barre stretches for the hips/low back, quads, and psoas (3.5 min); and hamstrings/inner thighs/IT band (3.5 min).

Miranda tells you that the warm up “gets faster and faster, so get ready to speed up!” but it doesn’t get crazy fast. The music ends before Miranda does, so you don’t get the full kick series on the second side (but you get close). Most of the warmup is done on one leg while you kick with the other, so it fits with the balance theme of the title. Miranda also tells you that most people shrink over time, and you can “fight the shrink” by pulling on the spine. I guess that four minutes of static plies are good for you, but they sort of (temporarily) kill the feel good vibe of this workout. The strengthening continues (despite this episode’s “F” designation) when the barre/chair work starts, with Miranda telling you that the back leg kicks help fight “butt sag” and back/side leg pulses target “butt spread.” Miranda does have a way with words! The barre stretches at the end do feel good. However, in the final set of stretches, Miranda spends 2 minutes on the first side and only 30 seconds on the second, so the workout ends on a (slightly) disappointing note.

806 LOSE A PANT SIZE (F) (23:01, all standing)

Miranda, Brendan, and Sahra are at the Half Moon Golf Course in Montego Bay. After 30 seconds of talking about the golf course, Miranda does a warm up which consists mainly of big arm movements (swings, twists, figure 8’s, stirring a pot) (2.25 min). She continues with a series of slow, deep stretches for the upper body, sides, and spine/core, starting out in a forward bend then shifting into an upright position (2.25 min); arm work (2.5 min); windmills (3 min); calf/achilles/psoas stretches (1.5 min); and a series of side lunges combined with arm movements to stretch the sides and work the abs (6 min). The workout finishes with airplanes, hamstring stretches from a forward bend position, side-to-side rocks, washes, and a set of upper body/back stretches (5 min).

The camera angles in the windmill section are not the best; you can’t see what Miranda and crew are doing well at first. If you have a lot of CS experience, this likely won’t be a problem; I do, but I still found it annoying. Miranda is very chatty in this episode. She tells you that windmills are good for golfers because they need to be able to rotate. She also spends a bit of time talking about the “use it or lose it” concept and tells you that a lot of Sahra’s friends are “falling apart at a young age” because they aren’t exercising (which is a “tragedy” that can be solved by exercise). Miranda is happy that she’s in Jamaica and you are at home because she can’t hear you cursing at her. I didn’t feel the need to curse (except in the windmill section), so I think Miranda was just being melodramatic.

807 ELONGATING YOUR MUSCLES (S) (23:17, all floor)

Miranda is on a patio by a swimming pool in Montego Bay. She starts the warmup with seated stretches for the upper body (3 min), then she continues with seated toe/ankle stretches and slow leg lifts (2.5 min); and side-lying overhead stretches, leg lifts, twists, kicks, circles, and figure 8’s (5.5 min). At the 11 minute mark, she moves into a prone position to do backbends and back strengthening exercises (superman variations, etc) (4.25 min). The workout ends with stretches for the hips and IT band (3.25 min); and pretzel, pigeon, and side stretches (4.5 min).

The colors in this episode are striking. Everything is peach and green. The warmup stretches really target the spine and back — very nice! Miranda works the legs unevenly during side-lying segment, spending less time on the second side. Miranda says that the backbends will stretch your back, but I think instead they compress it so anyone with back problems should be very careful here. I wanted to like this workout but the possibility for spinal compression made me a little concerned.

808 SLENDERIZE THE WAIST & FLATTEN THE ABS (S) (23:29, standing/floor)

Miranda is at the ocean in Montego Bay. She starts the workout with vigorous arm swings, arm and shoulder circles, and twists, and then she does some sports-based moves (throwing a ball and a frisbee), figure 8’s, and hamstring curls (2.5 min). She continues with arm presses in all directions to stretch the sides and back, washes, side to side movements and circles holding a “beachball,” and air “wipes”/“rope” pulls (3.5 min); plies, some with heel lifts/bounces/small jumps and others with an arm reach (2.25 min); quad/calf and foot stretches (45 sec); side lunges with arm reaches and twists (2.5 min); and nose dives and lunging twists (2 min). Miranda goes to the floor for the last 10 minutes, and she does ab work (3.25 min); lying leg lifts, circles, twists, and kicks (2.5 min); sitting leg lifts (1 min); upper body stretches (1.75 min); and slow leg lifts/pulls (1.25 min).

Miranda says that you’re going to start “screaming and yelling and complaining” about the plies, but she “can’t hear you so you can yell as much as you want.” This workout has a nice combination of strength and stretch. However, I think it ends on a bit of an odd note with a strengthening exercise thrown into the final stretch segment.

DISC 2

809 IMPROVE YOUR POSTURE AND INCREASE YOUR ENERGY (S) (23:19, standing/floor)

Miranda is on the lawn in front of the Rose Hall Great House in Montego Bay. She starts the warmup with arm swings that become bigger and then turn into a stirring motion, followed by more large arm swings, circles, and ball throws (2 min). The workout continues with arm stretches, overhead reaches, side lunges with large arm movements, and various other trademark moves like lifting a heavy weight, pulling a donkey, wiping the air etc. (4.25 min); arm work (3 min); slow spine stretches combined with more trademarks (rocking a baby, washing a window, wiping the ceiling, etc) (2.5 min); and a Caribbean spine series (2.5 min). The last 8.5 minutes are floor work, starting with ab exercises (3.5 min); and prone backbends (an upward facing dog variation), spine stretches, and an upper body superman move (only two of these) (2 min). The workout ends with pretzel and pigeon stretches (3 min).

Miranda tells the story of Annie Palmer, a woman who lived in the Great House and who killed three of her husbands before the fourth lover killed her; Miranda says that Annie is now a ghost, and she tells you to come to Rose Hall to explore it. The standing part of the workout is done at a moderate pace, allowing you to go deeper into the stretches and strengthening moves. Some of the crunches are fairly fast, however, and the prone backbends can compress the spine if you’re not careful; these felt very iffy to me!

810 STRENGTHEN HIPS & CORE (S) (23:30, standing/floor)

Miranda, Brendan, and Sahra are in an interior courtyard. They start the warmup with side steps, front taps with arm swings and twists, and kicks with arm swings and twists (2 min). They continue with spine and chest stretches, slow figure 8’s, and some trademark moves (moving through water, washes, etc) (3.5 min); deep static plies, some with heel lifts (3 min); a (very) short section of arm work into front windmills and then into traditional windmills to the side (3 min); and calf raises from a semi-squat position, bicycles, and then a combination of the two ending in a “squash” lunge (3 min). The floor work starts at about the 15-minute mark, with groin stretches (pushing against the knees with feet together, then releasing) and “hip blasts” (same thing, but with knees in an upright position) (2 min); and ab work (3.5 min). The workout ends with baby stretch and a stretch with your leg across your body (3 min).

The plies in this workout require a lot of strength because Miranda stays in a mostly static hold for 3 minutes. Be prepared! The heel raise/bicycle sequence requires a lot of balance; Miranda does not hold onto anything; she tells you she’s named the “squash lunges” after exercises she gives squash players because they do a lot of lunges in squash. Overall, this is a nice workout.

811 UNLOCK YOUR SPINE & IMPROVE YOUR POSTURE (F) (23:13, all standing)

Miranda is on the beach in Montego Bay. She starts the warmup with arm circles, figure 8’s, overhead reaches into a forward fold, and loose “frisbee throws” (3.25 min), then she continues with upper body stretches in a circle pattern, waist rotations, lunges “pulling a rope,” shoulder stretches, and various other trademark moves (“pulling a bell,” “stirring a pot,” etc) (6 min); Caribbean spine stretches, hip shifts, hip cleaners, leg circles, and inner thigh stretches (2.5 min); torso twists, airplanes, and forward folds/hamstring stretches (3.5 min); side lunges/reaches (2.5 min); and plies, some with small jumps and others combined with arm work (2 min). The workout ends with stretches for the quads/psoas, inner thighs, and upper body/back (3.25 min).

The title on the DVD cover differs from the title on the DVD itself. The DVD name is “Unlock Your Spine & Increase Energy.” Miranda tells you in this episode how important it is to warm up properly; she compares skipping the warmup to “ironing dirty clothes.” Most of this workout felt stretchy and relaxing; however, Miranda puts a series of plies and arm work at the end just to make sure you’re not too relaxed.

812 IMPROVE YOUR BALANCE (F) (23:26, standing/floor)

Miranda is in front of a waterfall in the Ocho Rios (which she pronounces Ocha Ria) Enchanted Gardens. She starts the warmup with arm swings and twists (2 min), then she continues with stretches for the spine combined with a forward fold, plus a series of slow trademark moves (pushing a piano, pulling a donkey, washing a table, lifting a cement ball, wiping a cloud, rocking a baby, etc) (6.5 min); the alphabet to “H,” twice with the toes pointed and once with the foot flexed (2 min); lunges, to the front and then in a clock formation (1.25 min); and arm exercises (2.5 min). At about the 14.5 minute mark, the floor work starts with PNF exercises for the legs and leg lifts/circles (2 min); a figure 4 stretch and stretches for the hips, IT band, and hamstrings (3.25 min); and prezel/pigeon stretches (4 min).

Miranda tells you about the “magical” waters of Ocho Rios, which are supposed to make you “lose ten years of your life” if you dip a toe in them. Miranda is excited about this, but I think I’d want to have ten years more, rather than ten years less! The setting makes a lovely backdrop for the workout, but quite a bit of the warmup is spent talking about it instead of warming up. Miranda loses count so many times during the alphabet that she says “oh, forget it!” (ha ha, but sigh) There is not much balance work in this episode (contrary to the title), but there is some when you do the alphabet.

813 STRENGTHEN FEET AND FINGERS (S) (23:29, standing/barre)

Miranda is on the sand in front of a white hotel. She starts the warmup with arm swings and circles, combined with plies and lunges (2 min), then she continues with reaches, table/window washes, side lunges, more reaches, pushes/pulls, and twisting lunges (4 min); finger/hand and arm work (3.5 min); and lunges combined with large arm movements/stretches, plus (a very few) plies (3.5 min). At about the 13.5 minute mark, Miranda begins barre work with exercises for the feet (calf raises, toe stretches, foot rotations, etc) (2.5 min); and side kicks (2 min). She finishes the workout with hip cleaners and quad/psoas stretches using the chair (2.5 min); and standing quad stretches, more quad/psoa stretches using the chair, and hamstring stretches using the chair (3 min).

Miranda tells you that, if you’re doing the finger exercises right, your forearms will be burning (that’s true), and then she tells you it’s almost over (that’s not true). There are plies in this workout, but not many. Miranda admits to not doing the same thing on each side in the side kick segment, but she tells you not to worry because your body won’t know the difference.

814 UNLOCK YOUR HIPS (F) (23:30, all floor)

Miranda is on a patio by a swimming pool. She starts the workout with ankle rotations, lower back/spine stretches, side stretches/circles, and overhead reaches (3 min), then she continues with hip/neck stretches and twists (3 min); inner thigh stretches with the soles of the feet together combined with forward bending back stretches, plus “hip blasts” (PNF exercises for the hips) (2.5 min); crunches (2.25 min); hip/hamstring stretches (walking down a staircase and IT band twists) (3.25 min); and figure 4/crossed legs stretch, leg rotations/circles, leg across the body stretch, and hamstring stretches (5.25 min). The workout ends with pretzel stretch, forward fold, and a side bend (4.45 min).

This workout is almost pure stretch. Very nice!

815 INCREASE YOUR ENERGY (S) (23:26, all standing)

Miranda is at the Rose Hall Great House in Montego Bay. She starts the warmup with side steps, plies with reaches and twists, lunges with reaches, more plies/reaches, front air “wipes,” and a short section of arm work (3.25 min), then continues with upper body stretches, side lunges with overhead/side/floor pulls (first with one arm then with two) (2.5 min); a series of trademark moves (lunges while “pulling an elastic” from the side/overhead/down, pulling a “church bell,” and stirring a “a pot of glue”) (3.5 min); hip shifts/circles and figure 8’s while doing a Caribbean spine move (1.5 min); hip cleaners and stretchy upper body circles (1.25 min); stretches from an “airplane” position and then from a forward fold (3.5 min); “clock” stretches, lunges with side reaches/stretches, and arm circles/torso rotations (2.75 min); and plies, some with heel lifts and hip shifts (2 min). The workout ends with stretches for the quads, calves, and upper body, windmills, and more arm/torso circles (3.5 min).

There is no defined break between the warmup and the start of the toning/stretching part of the workout. Usually, the music changes between segments, signaling a different section but not here. Also, the music throughout is mostly mellow rather than energetic, ironic given the title of the workout. This threw me off so much that this one won’t be a favorite.

DISC 3

816 TONE YOUR ENTIRE BODY (S) (23:27, standing/barre)

Miranda is by the ocean in Montego Bay. She begins the workout with fast arm swings, figure 8’s, and more swings/twists/reaches (2.75 min), then she continues with overhead reaches, side lunges with upper body stretches, front/overhead pulls, and waist rotations/circles (2.75 min); kicks with various foot positions (toes pointed, flexed, turned in/out) and leg lifts/swings to the side and then front, some ending in side/front lunges (3.5 min); and arm rotations with upper body stretches, twists with side lunges, “crunches” to the floor, and slow windmills (4 min). At the 13 minute mark, Miranda tells you to get a chair for barre work, which starts with tricep dips, pushups using the chair, and tricep/shoulder/side/back stretches (3.5 min). The barre work continues with hamstring/psoas, quad, and psoas/quad/calf stretches (3.5 min); then finishes with hamstring/IT band stretches and Miranda’s trademark “walk down a (short) staircase” move (3 min).

The warmup is so fast that it almost feels frantic. It does get the blood pumping! The rest of the standing has a very stretchy feel to it, though, and the barre work felt nice too (even though it started with a tricep strengthening segment). Overall, I really liked this one.

817 STRENGTHEN AND SHAPE YOUR LEGS (S) (23:26, standing/floor)

Miranda is on a beach in Montego Bay. She starts the warm up with side steps, arm swings/circles, sports-themed moves (ball/frisbee throws and golf swings) and plies (2.75 min), then she continues with trademark stretches for the upper body (figure 8’s, side lunges, windmills, etc) (3 min); a series of kicks to the front and in a clock formation, plus a couple of bicycles (2 min); and leg circles into front, then back, lunges (3.25 min). At the 10.5 minute mark, Miranda tells you to get a mat for floor work,which starts with foot stretches (pointing the toes and flexing the feet) and slow front leg lifts (which Miranda calls “quad raisers”) (2.25 min); and side leg lifts, circles, and rotations, back leg pushes, and front leg kicks, lifts and rotations (5.5 min). The workout ends with a version of figure 4 stretch, a seated twist/side bend/back stretch, and a final stretch “walking down a staircase” (4.75 min).

The music at the beginning of the workout isn’t synced to the workout as well as it usually is; the upper body stretch segment starts after the second song begins and continues into the third, and the third/fourth song transition isn’t synched either. Miranda talks throughout and sometimes forgets to cue. Despite these possible drawbacks, the movements still feel good and it’s a nice workout. I really liked this one!

818 BURN CALORIES AND LOSE WEIGHT (S) (23:27, all standing)

Miranda, Brendan, and Sahra are on a path that runs through a swimming pool. They start the workout with arm swings and figure 8’s (2.5 min), then they continue with plies with reaches and twists (2.25 min); front presses/lunges, side presses/lunges, and tricep/side stretches, and windmills (4.75 min); a Caribbean spine series, forward folds (which Miranda calls “bow to the gods”), and clock stretches (4.25 min); kicks in a clock formation and lunges/kicks (2.75 min); arm exercises and more plies with side stretches (3.75 min). The workout ends with foot stretches, one-legged balance exercises, hip cleaners, and a final (short) stretch for the quads and achilles tendons (3 min).

The workout starts with a 30-second travel lesson on the Round Hill hotel, which has been the setting for various famous productions (including “When Stella Got Her Groove Back”). The travel information continues during the flow-y warmup consisting of figure 8’s — particularly appropriate because they are on a path in the Infinity Pool. You learn that the Round Hill serves organic food, which is exciting for Miranda. Miranda tells you that plies increase your energy, so you should be excited when she includes them; she also tells you that you can’t hurt your patella tendons in the knees if you hold your legs in a stance that is wide enough. The arm work feels like it goes on forever (even though it doesn’t), making this workout a nice combination of strength and stretch. There are also two sections which require good balance, an added bonus!

819 TONE YOUR ABS & STRENGTHEN YOUR LEGS (S) (23:27, standing/floor)

Miranda is by the ocean in Montego Bay. She starts the warmup with side steps, diagonal kicks, and hamstring curls, all accompanied by upper body movements (2.75 min). She continues with overhead reaches/torso stretches, and figure 8’s which morph into side lunges and reach/stretches, and shoulder “rocks” (2.5 min); plies (2.5 min); hamstring/quad stretches into back kicks from a lunge position, then back kicks into a front lunge, and leg circles, (2.75 min); and achillles/calf/quad/psoas stretches (1.5 min). At about the 12 minute mark, Miranda tells you to get a mat for floor work, which starts with trademark leg exercises (leg pulls/lifts, circles, rotations, back kicks, bicycles, and back pushes (only on the first side)) (6.5 min). The workout ends with two versions of figure 4 (which Miranda calls “baby”) stretch, leg rotations/circles, and stretches for the IT band and inner thigh/groin (4.25 min).

The colors in this one are visually striking — lots of blue and tan. The workout starts out nice, but the I felt the kick/lunge sequence in my knees, and not in a good way. I thought it was very iffy. However, I tried the workout again a day later and it didn’t bother my knees, so maybe I was just having a bad knee day? The leg series is longer than usual and Miranda works the sides slightly unevenly. The final stretch series is particularly lovely, and overall I give this workout two thumbs up.

820 FULL BODY POSTURE WORKOUT (F) (23:27, all standing)

Miranda is on the beach. She starts the warmup with arm swings, arm circles, and front windmills (2.25 min), then she continues with plies, some which move into lunges and others which are combined with upper body reaches (2.75 min); a shoulder “blast” and upper and lower body stretches ending in waist rotations, plus side lunges/reaches (4.5 min); a Caribbean spine sequence, a forward fold move (“bow to the gods”), and a clock/“bow” combination move (4.25 min); kicks in a clock formation and front kicks with various foot positions (2.75 min); and upper spine stretches combined with arm work, more arm work, a “bow and arrow” move, and side lunges with one arm overhead and a fingers “walking down” the other arm (3.75 min). The workout ends with achilles stretches, calf raises, calf/psoas stretches, and windmills (2.75 min).

It’s not clear where the warmup ends and the workout begins, because the music does not change until after the plie sequence. The warmup includes a plie-into-a-lunge move that some might find iffy for the knees. This workout is very stretchy! I really liked this one.

821 STRENGTH & FLEXIBILITY FOR YOUR CORE (S) (23:28, standing/floor)

Miranda, Brendan, and Sahra are by a swimming pool. They do a warmup of arm swings, and “frisbee/ball” throws (2 min), then they continue with a “shoulder blast,” whole-body figure 8’s, side lunges while lifting a cement ball, upper body stretches (including side shifts while stretching the shoulders, rocking a baby, and horizontal “washes”), and waist rotations (6.5 min); the “alphabet” and forward lunges to stretch the quads (3.25 min); and finger/wrist/lower arm work (2 min). At almost the 14 minute mark, Miranda tells you to get a mat for floor work, which starts with seated leg pulls/lifts with isolation holds and leg lifts/circles (2.25 min). The floor work continues with seated stretches for the spine and hips (lengthen and round the spine while sitting with one leg crossed over the other, then bend to the side) (3.25 min); and seated hamstring/calf and IT band stretches (3.5 min).

The warmup feels very short because Miranda spends a good portion of it giving a travel lesson on the Round Hill hotel, which she calls a “paparazzi-free paradise.” Miranda apologizes for being hard to follow during this segment; however, neither Brendan nor Sahra messes up. This workout has the entire alphabet (for a change), and Miranda wobbles but doesn’t miss a letter; it requires quite a bit of endurance/balance!

822 FULL BARRE WORKOUT TO LOOSEN YOUR HIPS (F) (23:27, all barre)

Miranda is on the beach. She starts the warmup with hip shifts, a “belly dance,” figure 8’s, hip cleaners, leg swings, ankle rotations, and spinal flexions (3.25 min). She then uses a chair for balance/resistance while doing stretches for the calves and achilles (2.5 min); psoas and quadriceps (3.5 min); and hips, lower back, and mid back (1.5 min). She continues with foot and ankle stretches (1 min); and quad and hamstring stretches, some of each combined with calf raises (3.75 min); then she uses the chair to stretch the hamstrings more deeply, as well as the inner thigh and IT band (3 min). The workout ends with the leg on the back of the chair for a “walking down a staircase” move and windmills (2 min); side bends and diagonal “rope pulls” (2 min); and chest and neck stretches (1.25 min).

This workout as a whole is very stretch-oriented (my favorite type). It is hard to see what Miranda is doing during the first set of hamstring stretches, but otherwise everything is clear.

823 STRETCH & STRENGTHEN YOUR LOWER BODY (S) (23:27, all standing)

Miranda is on a bridge over a pool in Montego Bay. She starts the warmup with arm swings, figure 8’s, and “frisbee” throws (3.25 min), then continues with plies combined with upper body stretches and inner thigh stretches (1.5 min); shoulder and spine stretches, side lunges, and air “wipes” (5 min); Caribbean spine stretches, airplane, and hamstring stretches (4 min); kicks in a clock pattern (2.75 min); and leg shifts and then pulls while moving in a front circle, front/back lunge, back circle, and side lunge (3.75 min). The workout ends with foot and calf stretches combined with upper body stretches (3 min).

This workout feels very mellow and stretchy. There are plies, but the sequence is short. Even though this is labeled a “strength” episode, there are significant stretches. Very nice!

DISC 4

824 SPINE & ABS (S) (23:55, standing/floor)

Miranda is at the Rose Hall Great House. She starts the warmup with side steps, arm swings, frisbee “throws,” more side steps and hamstring curls (combined with big arm movements), heel digs, kicks (while hitting the hips), and toe taps (with reaches and twists) (3.5 min), then she continues with a forward fold, overhead reaches, slow figure 8’s, twists into lunges, and lunges while lifting a heavy weight (3.75 min); hip cleaners, front/side kicks, and leg circles (2.25 min); and flowing lunges side to side, combined with upper body stretches/pulls (2 min). At the 12.25 minute mark, the floor work begins with side-lying leg lifts (both legs at the same time), oblique crunches, and leg pulls/lifts/circles (4 min); and crunches, both traditional and involving the obliques, reverse crunches with leg extensions, and sideways and vertical scissors (3 min). The workout ends with stretches for the hips, hamstrings, IT band, and inner thighs/lower back (4.75 min).

The standing portion of this workout feels very stretchy, with slow, flowing movements. Miranda miscounts in the kick sequence, giving you a few more kicks on the second side; this section works on both strength and balance; Miranda only loses her balance once. The floor work starts with blues music which has sort of a Delta Moon vibe — very nice if you like that kind of thing (I do). Overall, this is a nice workout.

825 FEET & ANKLES (F) (23:26, standing/floor)

Miranda is on the beach. She starts the warm up with side steps, arm swings, and figure 8’s (2.5 min), then she continues with upper body stretches/pulls in all directions and waist rotations (3.5 min); foot stretches into kicks and drops in a clock formation (2.75 min); side lunges with side stretches and twists, then side lunges with the arms reaching up, to the floor, and diagonally (2.5 min); and arm work (2 min). At the 13.5 minute mark, Miranda tells you to get a mat for floor work, which starts with foot/calf/toe and foot/hamstring stretches using a Thera band (3 min); and ab work (3.5 min). The workout ends with stretches for the upper body and back (3 min).

This workout has several “Miranda-isms.” Miranda tells you that warmups are important and she compares skipping them to “eating on dirty dishes — not good!” She also tells you that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but “you can teach human beings new tricks because we’re not dogs!” The workout itself feels stretchy and flow-y, and the foot work is great, especially in the floor portion. I think the ab work at the end would have been better placed at the start of the floor work, but that’s a minor quibble. This will be a favorite.

826 WEIGHT LOSS & TONING (S) (23:28, standing/barre)

Miranda is on a path at a resort. She starts the workout with shifts side to side, then twists, figure 8’s, and spinal flexes with arm circles to the front (2 min). The workout continues with a series of reaches and pulls in all directions (some combined with side lunges) to stretch the upper body (4 min); arm strengthening and stretching exercises (3.5 min); and plies into a lunge/upper body stretch sequence (3.5 min). At the 13 minute mark, Miranda tells you to get a chair for barre work, which begins with foot stretches and calf raises, some combined with shallow squats (first on both legs then on one) (2.75 min); side leg lifts and circles while leaning on the chair (2.25 min); hip cleaners, leg swings, and calf/achilles stretches (2 min). The workout ends with stretches for the hamstrings/hips (walking down a staircase), IT band, and inner thighs, using the chair (3 min).

The warmup is slow and flow-y in this one — very relaxing, energizing, and nice — and so is the rest of the standing section. It is hard to see what Miranda is doing in the first set of tricep stretches, but the stretch itself felt great. Miranda is quite chatty in this episode, telling you that strengthening your legs is the best way to avoid a wheelchair (a personal goal of hers) and posing the question “if your abs are weak, what’s to stop your intestines from falling out?” (I’m sure this question is rhetorical). The barre work is equally good; any episode with foot work is A OK with me. I’ve marked this one a favorite.

827 STRETCH & STRENGTHEN YOUR HIPS (F) (23:29, all barre)

Miranda is at the Wedding Chapel. She starts the workout with arm swings and circles, then turns to the lower body with hip cleaners and front/diagonal leg swings (3.25 min). She continues with hip/back/inner thigh stretches and quad/psoas stretches using the chair (2.75 min); calf/achilles stretches and two standing quad stretches using the chair for balance (3.25 min); foot stretches (1.5 min); foot flexes and circles with the leg lifted, with kicks only on one side (1 min); more quad/psoas and hip/hamstring stretches on the chair, ending with a short “walk down a staircase move (3.5 min); shallow one-legged squats with slow kicks to the front and side, and slow leg circles (2.5 min); and plies and shallow squats, both while lifting the heels (2 min). The workout ends with side stretches and spine stretches (only on the first side) (2 min); and shoulder/chest hamstring and back stretches (1.5 min).

The setting is lovely. It is windy, and you can hear airplanes flying by. The workout starts out with Miranda talking you through deep stretches, and when she gets to the calves, she calls the long calf muscle the “gastroc nemicius” instead of the “gastroc nemius.” She’s done this before, so I assume it is on purpose (but a mistake, nonetheless). Miranda doesn’t always do exactly the same thing on both sides, but the differences are minimal. This is such a “feel good” workout that I wasn’t expecting the strength moves at the end — very surprising!

828 STRENGTHEN YOUR BONES (S) (23:28, standing/barre)

Miranda is on a bridge over a swimming pool. She starts the warmup with arm swings, ball “throws,” diagonal toe taps and kicks, hamstring curls, and more kicks (3.5 min). She continues with upper body stretches (overhead and diagonal arm pulls, chest openers, side bends from a lunge, etc) (3.25 min); plies into lunges, most with heel lifts (3.75 min); and foot stretches, dropping into side and front lunges (2.5 min). Miranda starts barre work at the 13.5 minute mark, beginning with a calf raise sequence, some done from a semi-squat position using either both or only one leg and others combined with a front leg lift (3 min); and hip/psoas/hamstring and psoas/quad/calf/hamstring stretches and leg rotations using the chair (4.25 min). The workout ends with a final set of hamstring stretches, including the trademark “walking down a staircase” move (2.75 min).

The setting in this one is the same as the setting in episode 804, and Miranda is surrounded by the same peach and green colors. The warmup starts out slow and relaxing, but it speeds up as the tempo of the music increases so that at the end the pace is almost frantic (so much so that Miranda abandons the arm movements and just focuses on short leg moves). The workout slows down again in the upper body stretch section with a series of feel-good deep stretches. The plie/lunge sequence requires strength. The shift from one move to another seemed iffy to me; I wouldn’t recommend it to people with knee issues unless they like a little danger their workouts (or they are careful)!

829 IMPROVE POSTURE & FLATTEN ABS (S) (23:29, standing/floor)

Miranda, Brendan, and Sahra are in an interior courtyard. They start the warmup with arm swings and circles (2 min); then they continue with a forward fold into overhead reaches, side lunges with arm reaches and lifting a “big ball,” and side lunges pulling a bow and arrow (4.5 min); arm work (3 min); spine and side stretches (including the “rock the baby” move) (2.5 min); and a Caribbean spine series followed by “clock” stretches to the sides (2.5 min). At the 14.5 minute mark, Miranda tells you to get a mat for floor work, which starts with ab work (3.25 min); prone backbends (upward facing dog with the knees down), child’s pose variations, and cow/cat pose (2.25 min); and pretzel and pigeon stretches (3 min).

Miranda isn’t as chatty in this one as in some others, but she does tell you that your stomach “pops” out because your organs have to have somewhere to go if you have poor posture. The backbend at the end felt a little iffy to me; it’s easy to compress the spine here which is not Miranda’s intention.

830 STRENGTH & FLEXIBILITY OF THE HIPS (F) (23:25, standing/floor)

Miranda, Brendan, and Sahra are by a swimming pool. They start the warmup with side steps, arm swings, figure 8’s, and more side steps and hamstring curls combined with big arm movements (3.5 min). They continue with a forward fold into overhead reaches, chest and upper spine stretches, pushing/pulling/circling a “heavy ball” (3.75 min); side and front kicks (2.25 min); and side lunges into front and side windmills and side reaches (2 min). At the 11.5 minute mark, Miranda tells you to get a mat for floor work, which starts lying on your side. You do oblique exercises then side leg lifts, circles, and squares (4 min); ab work (3.75 min); and prone backbends (upward facing dog with the knees down), child’s pose variations, cow/cat pose, and sitting groin stretches (3.5 min).

Miranda calls the forward fold at the beginning of the workout “zombies,” which fits. It was hard to see what she was doing, so I tried turning around and looking at her through my legs (which she recommends in another episode), and this worked like a charm. Miranda miscounts several times during the kick section but only admits it once. The ab work felt a little fast to me, and the backbends felt like they compressed the spine instead of stretching it. Even so, overall this is a nice workout.

Instructor Comments:
I like Miranda. She is a little quirky, and she talks constantly. Even so, I’m always happy when I start my day with her.

shawnt