The abs are at the beginning of this workout, following the warmup/stretch. I kind of like having the abs at the beginning, because there are occasionally times when I get to the end of the workout, and don't do the ab work (and believe me, I NEED the ab work!). I think of the 3 Tri-Trainer tapes, this one has my favorite ab section. I think it works the abs the hardest. Besides the breathwork (which I'm starting to feel more), it has good oblique work, and it also has the rock & lift movement, which I think is challenging.

Obviously, the weight work is targeted primarily at the lower body, but there is some upper body work. The weight work starts w/ a combination of squats and side lunges. I like the squat segment a lot. You use your box and a 2x4. You sit on the box w/ your heels on the 2x4. Then you do a series of hover-stand-hover-sit squats, followed by hover squats, followed by half-time squats. Side lunges for the right leg are next, and then another squat segment. This time the sequence is reversed, and then side lunges for the opposite leg. Next are leg presses (16) followed by the tall box climb, and then 16 more leg presses. I can really feel that second set of leg presses. Plyo jumps are next, followed by some upper body work w/ militaries, french press, and biceps. Next are dowel squats w/ leg abductions. No weights/no ankle weights. Then a lunge/dip combo w/ heavy weights. This is similar to a sequence in Maximum Body Sculpting. You lunge forward w/ the right leg, then dip back w/ the left so that you're working the same leg/glute. She finishes this w/ pulsing dips. Before turning to the other side, you do some step squats. Next is the leg press/tall box climb combo again. After the additional leg work that's been done, I can really feel it. The hamstring/lat row sequence that comes next is similar to the one in Firm Cardio (Strong Heart). The lat rows are fine, but I'd rather do deadlifts to work my hamstrings -- I feel them more. The plie section is tough. There are half-time plies, pulses, glute pinches, and combinations of those. Next are pushups, and then it's on to floorwork. I'm not a big floorwork fan, but this isn't too bad, especially since I change it a little. There's table work (supported by the tall box) with ankle weights. Then she does abductor work which is a little different from the type of abductor work they've done before. They don't use an ankle weight for these, and basically, you're just sweeping your top leg back and forth. I do the standing abductor work with a dowel that they taught us at the studio. (Sharon Muha describes it very well in the Columbia Firm report she submitted.) Then there's the final stretch. I think this is a good workout, but I think I like Maximum Body Sculpting a little more. (They make an awesome combo when you do them back to back, though!)

Instructor Comments:
I really like Jen Carman a LOT. I think she does a great job. I also like Taber Bruner (and she does sound like Heidi Tanner). All three instructors do a good job of leading you through the exercises. I wish Jennifer Peluso would have given more instruction during the breathwork in the ab section, but that probably wasn't her fault. I'm sure she read what was on the script. Fortunately, I've printed out Laura Harper's instructions!

Melissa F