I really love this workout but I am having a bit of writer’s block in expressing what it is I like about it, so I hope I can do it justice here.

There is a separate chapter, Basics of Classical Stretch, in which Miranda goes over form. If you are new to Classical Stretch I think it’s important to go through this chapter at least once so that you get the most out of the workout.

You start with a warm up, step touches with emphasis on pumping your legs up and down, heel digs, knee ups, kicks, all with big arm movements to really open up the joints and prepare you for stretching, Towards the end of the warm up you do some windmill movements with the arms forwards then backwards, which really loosens up the shoulders and feels great. Then you start the workout with a series of upper back stretches, shifting from side to side to bring the stretch further down the back and to the sides of your torso. These stretches then morph in to a series of flowing stretches , using your whole body to loosen up and stretch your entire back. You’ll feel your abs kick in to support you and pull you through the stretches. It reminds me of Tai Chi. Then you move on to a series of arm exercises. All the movement is initiated in your back. You’ll feel it your lats, rear delts, traps and triceps, but not in a stressful or fatiguing way. It’ll make you feel strong and supported in your back body yet at the same time open and loose, not tight. Miranda’s cueing and visualization descriptions will help you throughout the workout to properly execute all the exercises so that you get the most benefit.

Then you work the hips with a series of side leg lifts that work on your balance as well as stability in the quads and the hips. Miranda says you’ll work the saddlebags. I suppose you will but to me it’s really about stability and balance, not trimming and toning.

The next series is again, very Tai-chi-esque. Fluid pulling, pushing of the upper body with some waist rotation, while your lower body stabilizes you. Then on to a plie series. You start with a mini squat with your feet parallel facing forward and do some isometric squeezing of the inner thighs. Then you go into a full plie and stay there for about four or five minutes. Very challenging! In the plie position Miranda gives a good, description/visualization of the muscles your working and how to contract them. It’s not just a static plie. You’ll contract your muscles to pull your knees out and work the stabilizers. You’ll dip further into the plie, tighten your hamstrings and then release to open up the hips. You do get to come up out of the plie briefly a couple of times but overall it’s very long plie.

After that you stretch your quads, calves, and hamstrings. You can end the workout here or move on to the floor work, which is a side lying leg series, some of it similar to the standing leg work, and then some ab work. Nothing terribly intense, but Miranda does give some useful body positioning tips.

Overall, a very enjoyable workout that left me feeling flexible and stable and open. I wish I could do it every day.

Instructor Comments:

Helen K (antbuko)