A keeper!

I'm a diehard FIRM believer, but I've decided I need to incorporate more flexibility tapes in my workouts. This was only my second venture into yoga/Pilates workouts, and it was an excellent choice for me. (I first bought Bryan Kest Volume 1, and that's just not an easy introduction to yoga.)

This workout is about 45 minutes long, including warm-up and cool-down. Although one reviewer mentioned that the music is recycled from Joy of Yoga, it didn't bother me (because I don't have that tape). I thought the music was fun and a nice change of pace.

The background exercisers had very different body types: one is very lean with a boyish build (she shows the easier modifications), another is an extremely muscular Asian girl, one is a slightly "squishy" looking (don't get mad at me) new-agey girl, and the fourth is a heavier set girl who looks perfectly content with her body and fitness level. That alone is very encouraging.

I felt a little silly doing the arm circles during the warm-up, and I think one of the cast exercisers did, too! But the warm-up served its purpose and the rest of the workout was pleasant. Some lunges, warrior pose, downward dog, and a great hamstring stretch that I really needed. I especially like the T pose, because I've never done any balance moves before, and it was challenging the first couple of times. It takes lots of little muscles to balance like that!

I'd agree that the ab work in this tape is much harder than the rest, but it's something to grow into.

I've since bought All The Right Moves, which is much harder than Strength & Grace and loosens me up more, too. But I'll enjoy this tape on my off days, low-energy days, or when I'm crunched for time. I think it's a great intro to yoga- and Pilates-type moves and it's not intimidating in the least. This one's a keeper!

Marci Braddock