Project: You - Lower Body/Abs

Kathy Smith
Year Released: 2005

Categories: Lower Body Strength


This seemed at a more advanced level than the Foundations cardio workout. I'm an advanced beginner and I found it challenging. I used light weights.
There is no warm up....it is meant to follow the cardio workout. I like this, more time for strength. I just warmed up on my own.
This was a high rep workout, with lots of tempo changes.It went by pretty quickly and there was a nice variety of exercises.
I did not notice the music really, so it is at least not offensive!

There are 4 background exercisers. There is a lot more talking in this one then foundations. Pretty much your standard "I'm feeling it" type comments, and some counting along. Nothing that struck me as becoming really annoying after hearing it 10 times. They are a likeable group and add some fun to the workout, especially when the exercise starts to get tough.

Here are the exercises. Most of the exercises start at a slow tempo, switch to a pulse and then back to slow:

1.Squats
2.Split Lunges on Rt leg ( Kathy calls them lunge-dips)
3.Rear Rt leg lift ( leaning on a chain back)
4.Hold the Rt rear leg lift and bend knee for a hamstring curl
5"Shave the Butt" -From the hamstring curl pull your RT leg into your chest and then back into the curl ( this is hard to describe!)
6.Back to RT hamstring curl- holding it and pulsing upwards
7.Split Lunge on rt leg again

Repeat 3 to 7 on Left leg

8.Plies & Plies with foot drag
9.Deadlifts with heavy weights, 1 leg at a time ( or both if you want)
10.Squat with alternating rear kicks
11.Squat with alternating side kicks
12 Lying leg lifts for outer thigh- on the ball or on a mat
13.Obliques crunch

Repeat 12 & 13 for other side

14.regular crunches on the ball or mat
15.Hamstring bridges /lifts on a ball or chair
16. Crunches while Squeezing your ball or a pillow between your inner thighs
17.Sevens- Crunches while squeezing the ball for 7 counts....I think that this was done 4x and it was killer!
18 More hamstring bridge lifts on the ball/chair.
19.Rolling out the ball with hamstrings engaged, or pulsing up on the chair.
Short lower body stretch....I added a couple on my own.

The Ab work was fine. Not too much or too little.Standard crunches.

I felt that this was a thorough workout. It was definitely not too easy, and I'm guessing is a solid intermediate level workout. I'm always glad to find a shorter workout like this....However, I tend to like more standing leg work, so I am kind of mixed on this workout. I have it in my mind that you have to kill yourself standing to get results. I would be thrilled to be proven wrong, because I liked the variety of this workout.

Instructor Comments:
Kathy Smith is enthusiastic and encouraging in this workout.Everyone seems relaxed and having fun, and it is contagious!

Sabina

01/22/2005