Supreme 90: Legs

Tom leads this workout 35 minute w/o with 3 background exercisers in a nice lifting gym style set. You will need a ball & dumbbells for this workout though the b/g'ers show various options. The dvd is chaptered into warmup and workout- if you select w/u it continues on to the workout (you dont have to go back to the main menu).

This workout really hits your entire lower body & includes 1 core section after the warmup (which is the same on all discs). Tom structures this workout that you do the core circuit twice and the lower body circuit twice. In this dvd- they don't introduce the moves before each circuit but I didnt feel I needed necessarily needed the intro.

Exercises include: weighted ball crunch, lying scissor kicks, seated #ed twists, unweighted squats, lying ball pulls, bridge, lunge-dip combo, deadlift, sumo squats, side lunges, single leg lunge w/ the ball, lunge -reach combo, hip lifts on the ball,

I would rate this an advanced w/o that can be easily modified by lowering your poundage or doing fewer reps. Tom goes slow enough to allow for heavy poundage but at a good pace to still get your heartrate up. He keeps things moving right along without being rushed. Each participant moves at their own pace- you can follow one of them- or simply go at your own pace. This and all the S90 w/o's have had me sore for days! Like the exercises, like Tom- love the set! I received this set to review.

lindseylu8

This workout is part of the 10-DVD Supreme 90 set developed and led by Tom Holland, and clocks in at about 35 minutes. The warm up and cool down are the same as the rest in the set. The DVD menu allows you to play the warm up and the workout, but the workout is not chaptered. Tom leads one woman and two men in a darkish gym setting. The music was okay in this one, it was a little louder and was rock type music like P90X, which worked well. The cool down is a sort of blues tune.

This workout is structured with about 10 leg exercises, then repeat all of those once, using various dumbbells (preferably heavier) and a stability ball. At the very beginning and the very end is a “triple warmer” which includes bridge, roll ins/outs, then bridge again prone with the stability ball. Like in all the S90s, there is a very brief core circuit to start before the meat of the workout, which included weighted crunches on the ball, seated twists, and an interesting sit up / leg extension exercise (repeat core circuit once before commencing with legs). The leg work included prisoner squats, lunge and dip on same leg (then repeat on other leg), deadlifts, side lunges with reach down, front lunges with reach down, “Bulgarian” lunges with back leg on stability ball, sumo squats with one heavy weight with a calf raise, squats. Tom varies the recommended reps but is generally 12 on each leg or 12 together. The prisoner squats (unweighted) were more like 30 reps. There was adequate time to switch poundage between sets, if preferred (i.e., this felt a little less rushed than the other S90 workouts I’ve tried, in which Tom rushes you from one exercise to another). I went just a little lighter on the lunges to protect my knees, which worked great. There was enough variety in the exercises, that I felt all the major muscle groups got worked. I can see how this workout would increase your leg strength along with your muscle and cardio endurance! The cardio effect was really high throughout!

Final thoughts: This is a very good leg workout, standalone or as part of the overall S90 set. I would say it is high intermediate level but could be made easier or higher depending on poundage used. I will continue to do this as part of the S90 rotation, and on an occasion outside of the rotation, but to be honest I like some of my other leg workouts better, that don’t rely AS heavily on lunges, such as some Firm workouts which include leg presses and outer thigh work. But that could just be my personal preference talking because I really like leg presses (LOL). It really is a very good leg workout overall. Overall grade A.

Instructor Comments:
Having used several of the S90 workouts, I have really grown fond of Tom as an instructor. He seemed more organized in this one, not rushed and remembering which exercise is next (sometimes in the other workouts he cues you to go the floor, then tries to cover it by saying “going down” into a squat or something…thankfully his backgrounders always remember what’s next). He gave out a few form pointers, including reminding you not to let your knees go over your toes. He does not mirror cue, but lets you start on whatever leg you want. Sometimes the backgrounders start on opposite legs, which sounds like it might be distracting, but really isn’t when you’re working that hard.

Emily B.