Dove's Bodies Volume 2

Dove Rose
Year Released: 2008

Categories: Circuit Training (cardio and weights) , Total Body Workouts


This workout reminds me of Slim Series with some slightly more interesting moves. It consists of continuous strength work with light weights or only body weight. There are high reps, quick transitions between exercises, and coming back to muscle groups to exhaust them again and again. The workout is broken up into sections where you alternate between standing and floor work. The core work is good, and there are deep stretches, especially for the lower body, spread throughout the workout. The entire workout is 65 minutes.

The warm-up is about 4 minutes and consists of stretching. It is not an active warm-up. It works for me because I work out after walking the dogs or in the evening. If you prefer a true active warm-up, you'll need to work around this or skip this workout.

The warm-up/stretch is followed by 14 minutes of standing exercises. These include kicks, lunges, a variety of upper body moves, and combinations of upper body and lower body moves you've already done. In this section, Dove introducesa side-to-side bend that she comes back to throughout the workout as a "rest" move although it works your waist some.

You then move to the floor for about 15 minutes. This section includes inner and outer thigh work, variations on crunches, and side planks.

Then back to standing work for 11 minutes. This section includes some more interesting moves, such as repeated kicks where you are balanced on one leg, a twisty bicep move, ballet demi-plies, and "Red Hots" which are single-arm lateral raises, but the other arm is held at the top in an isolation hold. Yowza! Those Red Hots are tough!

Back to the floor for about 8 minutes including push-ups, tricep work, and glute work from a tabletop position. This is followed by a glute stretch, like pigeon pose.

Then you are standing again for about 6 minutes. This section includes two higher-impact/cardio-ish moves: burpees and jumping lunges. Two of the background exercisers modify these. Except for these two moves, the entire workout is low-impact. There are also some squats and plies. The squat has a variation where you hold your upper body parallel to the floor. There is a move that combines demi-plies with calf raises, and a nice section of stretching in down dog with emphasis on the calves.

Then back to the floor for about 2 minutes of bridge work, another 3 of stretching, and the workout ends with a 2-minute meditation.

The set is somewhat cluttered with treadmills and equipment along the walls, not an exciting set, but it didn't bother me. There are several female background exercisers, and two male background exercisers. In general, they do a good job following along and keeping up.

Overall, for me, this is a keeper. It's just enough different from Slim Series to justify it for me. Dove's background in dance is enjoyable for me; I like the deeper lower body stretches and the demi-plies.

Instructor Comments:
Dove is a likable instructor, although not my favorite. She gets the job done. She has quick transitions, but gives you enough warning that I could keep up. She said often to listen to your body and modify as needed. Overall, she does a professional job.

Catherine O'Neill

09/21/2010