Body Bar Express Innovative Stretch

Clare Dunphy
Year Released: 2000

Categories: Athletic Stretch


This is a 30 minute tape using the mini-BodyBar. (A dumbbell would not work, and a regular BodyBar would be too heavy. A broom handle might work as a substitute.) I agree with the title that it is innovative, and it does involve stretching.

It does have some serious negatives, though. Several of the movements are not at all safe; she does a move where literally all of your body weight is on one bent wrist and you are sideways---ouch! I feel the ache in my wrists still. Luckily she forgot to do the move on the other side! There is a stretch where the front leg is bent inward while the opposite leg is stretched straight out back. This one is not safe for the knees. You must have amazing dancer-like flexibility to have this one be effective and not potentially dangerous.

What I did like was some of the music; I think some of it was the same as in one of the Karen Voight Body Reform tapes; very mellow guitar music. I liked some of the stretches with the Bar, but sometimes found the weight of it distracting. She incorporates moves that require good core strength and flexibility. This is definitely not a beginner tape. My husband did the tape with me and was saying stuff like, "These people are dancers! Her leg is inches from her face!"

It's an okay tape, but there are better stretch tapes out there.

Abbe

04/08/2001