This 40 minute "fitness fusion" workout combines ballet, pilates and yoga. Sadie Lincoln places equal emphasis on balance, strength and flexibility during the workout making it super effective! You'll quickly tighten and tone the body all while improving on the other two qualities.

The set is open and nice. The music was fitting for the workout. The production was provided by ExerciseTV.

Beginning with a few deep breaths to warm you up, you'll then move into wide plie. Sadie then adds arm movements to further increase the heart rate. A few gentle stretches for the lower body prepare it for the main workout that follows. A few more plies with side stretch arms. Sadie concludes with a few head rolls before moving into leg work. You'll start with plies performed on your toes in small ranges of motion using tiny pulses. Next you'll sink the left heel down, turn to that side into a lunge position (carousel horse is what Sadie calls this position). You will perform these lunges, also on your toes, slow & controlled for reps before repeating to the right side. Tough stuff! Walk heels together, then move toes out and drop knees over toes. Then you'll press your heels tight and drop down and up in this different variation of a plie. Next bring feet together, parallel, lift up onto toes, bend knees, drop down then go 3/4 the way back up--keep repeating this sequence. Chair pose and hold. Sadie then performs a standing quad stretch to both sides. Working the back of legs (hamstrings) in standing is next. The left leg will angle out to the diagonal and you'll perform tiny lifts. Now bending the knee of both legs, you'll bend and lengthen the working leg. (the non working leg is also working hard as you are supporting yourself on that one leg during the exercises) This sequence is great for balance, a great two-for-one move! Sadie then has you take a seat to perform an effective hip stretch. Upper body is next so grab your hand weights if you are using them. You'll begin with a rear fly bent over and then add on, eventually finishing standing pulsing the arms back. A chest fly follows. Small pulsing shoulder presses are next. A neat variation follows where you a pretending to be pulling the weights down instead of pushing them up. Sadie always gives great technique tips, such as "pretend you are pulling on a cable" or "pretend two people are behind you and you are nudging them back" (this is another exercise to work the rear delts). The next move works the biceps and instead of traditional curls you'll extend the arm out long to perform the curl. The last move works the triceps. You will reach both arms long behind you and then bend/straighten the arms. You'll then finish with a few upper body stretches before moving on. Mat work with the ball is next. Placing the ball between your knees, you'll slowly lower back to the floor. Feet will be in the V-shape on the floor. Hamstrings/glutes will be worked with glutes tucks/squeezes. (you'll squeeze the ball with every lift) Put ball between ankles, feet still on floor. Glute lifts again. You'll perform these movements in various ranges. To take it up a notch, Sadie places her feet on top of the ball. You'll then again perform the glute lift sequence. Bring feet to either side of the ball to hold it and bring knees to chest to release. Core work is next. Placing ball underneath lower back area, you'll lift both legs up in air and then while keeping abs engaged alternate lowering one leg then the other. Next you'll do this same move but with a bent knee into chest (like a bicycle), again performed slowly. Come to sitting and lean back against the ball, extending legs. You'll then drop back and lift up. The move is very small but you will feel it! Sadie performs various reps and then adds a twist to this to work the obliques (side of the waist). Quick recovery, hugging knees to chest. Next you will perform a pilates rollup, still ball at small of back. Next you will get rid of the ball and perform a plank. Child's pose with a stretch follows. Next, on your knees, you'll perform a modified back bend. Lunge to stretch legs, adding a side bend to stretch the side body. Staff pose into one legged forward fold. Repeat other side. Come to balls of feet and roll into a standing forward fold. Rise to standing to complete the class.

This was a thorough, well thought out workout. You get lower body, upper body and core conditioning and flexibility/balance training all in one workout. For those that like Barre/Pilates workouts, this one is a keeper!

Instructor Comments:
review copy

DeniseR