Fitprime Metaboost

Heidi Tanner
Year Released: 2005

Categories: Circuit Training (cardio and weights)


Women's Health Fitness Network Metaboost is part of the FitPrime series and is described as a fusion workout containing 5 minutes of Pilates, 8 minutes of cardio, 6 minutes of yoga and 30 minutes of weights. The set is gorgeous, the picture and sound quality are flawless, and the colors are beautiful! Heidi Tanner leads, wearing a red top and black pants. She looks as though she never aged from her original Firm days! She sparkles and has a perfect screen presence. She gives excellent form pointers throughout, and modifications are shown in the form of 5 background exercisers shown using household items intermittently.

The warm up is energetic with only a few static stretches. Heidi starts on the floor with core work, using a yoga block held between the knees. Oblique and tranverse abdominals are worked in two exercises, and if you really concentrate on imitating her form and squeezing the block, you will feel it. A modification is shown using a sofa pillow, and I can see using a small medicine ball here as well.

4 limb is next, and this pattern reminds me of the original Firm workouts. Plies with biceps curls, side toe taps with side delt raises and step touch with overhead presses. I used five pounds and the tempo was just right for that. I would consider myself an intermediate/advanced exerciser. The tempo was never too fast, and it varied between slow and fast. I can't say this will elevate your heart rate much if you're a seasoned exerciser, but it's useful for lower weights/higher reps training.

Next are dips using the stick for balance, but you can easily modify this by not using a balance tool and adding ankle weights to increase intensity. Dips are alternated with front sweeps, working the inner thigh. Adding ankle weights will increase this.

Seated shoulder work is next, alternating with rows for the back. She uses a yoga block in your lap to help stabilize, but it's not necessary if you have good balance. It's easy to modify this up just using heavier weights.

Leg press is next on one leg, using a stick and one dumbbell. Again, easy to modify up using two weights and no stick.

Next is 4 limb again, and this one is less intense than the first segment in terms of cardio effect, but again is good for lower weights/higher reps strength training.

The next segment is squats using the step behind as a guide, but it's not necessary. Heidi uses one dumbbell and the stick, and I used two 15# dumbbells and really felt this! You use one leg and there's a balance component involved. Variations in the leg position are used, and I really loved this segment! Triceps push-ups are included here, done on the step, but for more intensity just do them on the floor. Cursy dips return, again on one leg, and if these bother you just do more squats. Because they're done fairly slowly I was able to do them without bothering my knees, holding the two 15# dumbbells.

Next are biceps curls while balancing one foot on the yoga block. It takes a few reps but then you realize how it's also working the core doing them this way. I used two 15# dumbells and I really felt these!

Plies are next with one leg on top of the step. I found these a bit uncomfortable at first, but did them anyway and by the end, I had the balance just right. Heidi uses a stick and one dumbbell - I used a 15# dumbbell and no stick and found the balance challenging without it. She then places the dumbbell on the outer thigh and does leg lifts. Again, I did not use the stick and enjoyed the balance challenge that provided.

The other leg is then worked in the squat sequence, and again the triceps push-ups and cursy dips are included.

Next comes a push-up sequence putting one hand on the yoga block to isolate one side. Both sides are worked, and triceps dips are done in between changing sides.

The other leg is then worked in the plie sequence, and a very nice stretch follows, incorporating yoga moves.

I absolutely loved this workout!! I would give this a solid A, and it's a keeper!!

Instructor Comments:

Carol_is_fit

03/23/2005