In 2004, I got into stretching workouts as a way of relaxing myself and dealing with really tight muscles, especially in the neck and shoulders. Since starting this, I have seen some real flexibility gains and have loosened up my neck and shoulder area. In putting together a combination of tapes, I have several athletic stretch tapes/DVDs and several yoga workouts that are mostly stretch oriented. The workouts I reach for most often are Tamilee’s 10-minute stretches and Slim & Limber (just under 15 minutes) as add-ons after my regular workouts. When I want a longer workout that relieves major stress, I reach for Suzanne Deason’s Stress Relief Yoga and PM Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss. I tend to do something short every day I work out, six days a week.

I was interested in this DVD because it has three stretches around 20 minutes and I thought Cathe would do a good job, the only question being how good of a job. Overall, I like this DVD and will keep it and make it a part of my regular stretch routine.

The set is the one used in all the Hardcore workouts with the statues, etc. The same group of background exercisers is there as well. She does not, however, interact with them at all. She doesn’t look at them or refer to them after she introduces them. I enjoyed the music when I turned the volume up on my TV and could hear it. It’s instrumental.

Cathe didn’t seem totally comfortable leading this workout. Given what a professional she is, it wasn’t a major deal – she just didn’t seem as relaxed and comfortable as she does in a strength workout. She didn’t give as much instruction as I would like with breathing reminders, form pointers, etc. She gives some, but not much. There were times I enjoyed the quiet of not as much talking by the instructor and times I wished she would say more about the move she was having me do.

As far as specifics about the workouts:

Stretch #1 uses no equipment. It clocks in at 21 minutes. This was my least favorite of the three. It did leave me feeling relaxed though as was the only one with stretches for the neck specifically (something I look for a lot of days). It also had the most number of moves unfriendly to the wrist – around 2 or 3 stretches where you propped yourself up on your hands. For someone with wrist issues, you would want to modify or just be aware they are coming.

Stretch #2 uses the ball. It lasts for 19 minutes. I started out wondering if I would like this one and ended up feeling really good. So, I’d say I liked it and it was my second favorite. There are just some moves you can do on the ball that you can’t replicate otherwise at home.

Stretch #3 uses the resistance band and ran for 17 minutes. It was my favorite of the three and left me feeling really good! My resistance band is not as long as the ones used by Cathe and her group, but it wasn’t a problem. Just be aware that they use bands that are longer than the average.

Instructor Comments:
She is such a professional and is so here.

Laura S.