This workout is one of the new Studio offerings, and is a follow up to Slim Sculpt from 2008. Like Slim Sculpt, this workout utilizes very light hand weights (1-3# with a modifier using no weights at all) to intensity the standing yoga/pilates/cardio fusion followed by Pilates-inspired floor work. The workout clocks in at 45 minutes with a 5 minute warm up, 25 minute standing series with the weights, 2 minute floor series with weights, 10 minute floor series without weights, and a final 3 minute cool down.

I was greatly anticipating this workout because Slim Sculpt is my very favorite Ellen Studio workout and one of my favorite overall workouts. Ultimately I think Slim Sculpt is more enjoyable and varied, but Skinny Sculpt is very good as well. The music in Skinny Sculpt is definitely different than the usual instrumental, but seemed slow moving and not particularly motivating to me. It seemed like only one or two tunes were used throughout the workout, could have used more variety. Very much like the original Studio workouts, Ellen works out with two female background instructors in an open studio set with bright windows to the side.

The exercises were somewhat repetitive – it seemed like Slim Sculpt just had a lot more variety. And thanks to that variety, the arms are not fatigued quite as quickly as they were in this workout. I used 3# weights which is definitely the highest I would recommend. I use 3# weights very comfortably with Slim Sculpt but the moves in Skinny Sculpt are a little harder to execute with this poundage-mostly because Ellen moves quickly through the moves, combined with the multi-planar moves they can be tricky to execute safely with poundage. I do not have 2# weights but would have gone down in weights if I had (I had to take a couple of quick breathers or go at a slower rate at times).

It seems like there was a lot of shoulder, chest, and back work (standing star-a diagonal shoulder raise, and variations of that; lateral raises with breathing plies; shoulder presses moving upwards and forwards, standing chest presses, and another set of bent lateral raises with twisting torso). There was really no triceps work at all, and biceps were only worked once during a warrior pulse and biceps curls move. For this reason, the arm work felt unbalanced and my shoulders and back wore out rather quickly, making the workout seem tedious. I enjoyed the multi-planar work but just wish there had been more balance. She did have a figure-8 arm move with side lunge which felt very Ellen-flowy (in a good way) and not as tedious as the other work. There were some plies, chair squats, and lateral leg lifts sprinkled throughout but this was mostly an arm focused section.

The floor work was very leg and core focused and included some twisting core moves (with weights), then drop the weights for bridges, several varieties of heel taps interspersed with lateral leg work using the inner and outer thighs, one leg “windshield wiper” lateral movements, and a final stretch. The leg emphasis in the floor work felt balanced against the arm focus of the standing work. There was minimal work for the core (only really worked secondary to the arms and legs) but overall this could be used as a total body strength workout.

As usual Ellen is smiling and enthusiastic and cues nicely, and seems to be really enjoying herself. In general this workout will appeal to people who already know and love Ellen (there are many VFers who do!) or those who like a yoga-pilates-ballet fusion or maybe barre style workouts. Those little weights do pack quite a punch and I was sweating by the end. Overall I do not think this is as good as Slim Sculpt or the other original Studio workouts (Fat Burning Fusion or Yogini) but it is an adequately good workout and I will use it on occasion. Collage Video rates this workout intermediate, and I would agree with that rating. It can be easily modified to beginner by using no poundage but cannot feasibly be modified to an advanced workout. Overall grade B.

Instructor Comments:
Ellen is very enjoyable. She does have several sayings that she uses in all her workouts, talking about the female physique and how smaller weights with multi-planar moves will make you lean and defined, and skinny, and not too muscular. I love Ellen but don’t really like or agree with her message that heavy weights will bulk you up and a “female physique” can only be attained with light or no poundage. That’s an old myth which has been disproved over and over, and hopefully newer exercisers will not take this to heart and miss out on great systems like CLX, STS, P90X, or any number of other workouts. There is definitely a place in my collection for her fusion workouts, but I would never use or recommend them as my sole source of strength work. Ellen does smile and show a lot of enthusiasm and overall she is very charismatic and a great instructor.

Emily B.