Women's Health & Fitness Network Flex Posture is part of the FitPrime series and contains 17 minutes of Pilates, 10 minutes of cardio, 21 minutes of yoga and 6 minutes of weights. It ends very close to 55 minutes total. Tamela is a more "mature" and graceful lead than you will remember her in the original Firm's Cardio Burn. She's dressed in a purple top and black shorts, and her Pilates training really shows through in every move.

The warm up begins with sun salutations using the tall step or box as a prop, and then goes into light cardio with mambos and arm sweeps, calf pumps, and plies with arm lifts.

Roll-ups are next, and these work the transverse abdominals. Tamela does these with a yoga block between the knees but modifications using a book are shown. Next we put the block under our glutes I'm assuming as a guide, but I found it easier to do this segment without the block there. It consists of Pilates leg work. Side planks are next, using one leg in front and the block under the other hand as a guide. I think full side planks can be done if you're able to in order to increase the intensity here. I didn't find the supported plank work very challening.

We then go prone for cobra, and leg and arm raises to work the spinal erectors, and the segment ends with the "grasshopper" move which consists of raising the legs while in a prone position, turning the heels toward each other, and tapping quickly. Tamela makes a cute joke about The Wizard of Oz!

Standing work for shoulders using the stick is next, then a cardio segment using the stick.

Here is where the workout seems to take an odd turn for me. I was expecting more of a Pilates and yoga focused workout, and perhaps it's just me and I'm not "getting it", but this next segment didn't seem to fit in with the theme of the workout for me. We do heel pushes into the floor with one leg on the step, then do small lifts as though we were going to do a leg press but not quite. I must not have done these "right" because I didn't feel anything. We then sit on the box and do double lat rows, using light weight. Again, I didn't quite see the point of this. We then do hover squats, and follow with push-ups putting one hand on the box. We end this with plank work in the same position, and I found this part very challenging.

A cardio section follows with the two light weights and some strange hip moves. Again, maybe it's just me but I didn't "get it". We then do the heel engagements on the other leg, followed by shoulder presses with small weights again, and hover squats. Triceps kickbacks using the yoga block as a prop are next, then we do the push-ups and planks with the other hand on the step.

A tree pose segment using the stick as a balance tool is next, and I felt at this point that the workout was "home" again. This was very challenging, and left me feeling strong at the end of it. Leg Pilates work is next, then we go into cat and cow poses, doing some really great variations. Flowing and smooth is the best way to describe this part of the workout. I wish the entire 55 minutes had been more like this part.

We then use the step for yoga moves, but I prefer these moves without a support so I did them that way. We end on the floor again with bow and another Pilates move, then we stretch.

It almost felt to me as if the middle part with the weights was added so the workout could be described as a "fusion", which of course it is, but it just didn't "feel" right to me. I would have preferred an entire workout with yoga and Pilates. Oh well. It's still a very nice workout and Tamela does a great job! I enjoy her like this, and her form is perfect. For that reason, I give this one an A minus!

Instructor Comments:

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