Wow--this is an intense 19-minute Pilates routine! Mari starts with the traditional sequence of the hundred-the rollup-the rollover, moving through the repetitions quickly and with little pause between the exercises. After rolling like a ball and single leg circles, Mari lead you right into the series of five, upping the intensity by adding a second set of faster repetitions to each exercise. Other exercises included in this workout are leg kicks, back stretch, child's pose, the neck pull, the jackknife, the swan, several teaser variations, heel beats, and the side kick series. You'll end with a few additional side kick exercises performed on the knees (tough!) and finally the seal. I know that I'll use this video frequently whenever I am looking for a quick, intense Pilates workout at a high intermediate level.

Instructor Comments:
As always, Mari leads others through the routine rather than performing the moves herself; here she works with the same two women from her Upper Body Sculpting video. Given the up-tempo pace of many of the exercises in this practice, Mari comes across as even more of a drill sergeant than usual. The fast pace also means that there is little instruction, but Mari does offer form pointers here and there.

Beth C (aka toaster)