Core Fusion Cardio Pure Intensity

Mountain Climbers…..There are a lot of them. They are very effective for working your core (and your shoulders while you stay in the pose), and also provide a nice cardio blast – but not something everyone enjoys. I personally love them and really liked this workout! I wasn’t really watching the modifier during the workout but it appears she stays in downward dog and does some knee bends.

There are (6) segments of about 10 minutes each including the stretch section. While yoga poses are used throughout the DVD, I never really felt like I was doing yoga. You do need light hand weights – I used 2 lbs. The first four segments build on each other, the first segment starting slowly. Here is a breakout of the DVD:

ENERGY MOVES (10:10) – all done standing except for planks and downward dog
o Shoulder rolls, standing twists, side stretches
o Second position squats, initially sweeping arms overhead, moving to some slow punches, and then twisting to warm up the spine
o Wide leg standing forward bend
o Pyramid pose variations
o Squat variations
o Standing quad stretch moving to Natarajasana
o Standing side bend
o High plank with slow alternating knee tucks
o Downward Dog
o Standing Side Bend
o Repeat plank with slow alternating knee tucks and downward dog

CARDIO FLOW (10:53) – need light hand weights
o Standing side stretches to high plank, to Mountain Climbers to Downward Dog – repeat cycle three times w/16 Mountain Climbers in first two cycles, 24 in the third
o High plank to side plank, back to center with pushup, side plank on alternate side (repeat twice)
o Downward dog
o Repeat standing side stretch to mountain climbers (24)
o Downward Dog variations (tuck knee, extend back)
o Repeat standing stretch to mountain climbers (32)
o Downward Dog
About 5 minutes into this segment:
o Lunge/Crescent Pose with side bend using weights
o Warrior 1 and Warrior 2, bending and straightening the bent leg, and using weights for upper body and waist work
If I counted correctly, there were 112 Mountain Climbers throughout this flow.

POWER FLOW (10:36)
Light weights are used during this entire routine except during the Mountain Climbers and Downward Dog
o Standing side stretch to Mountain Climbers (32) to Downward Dog
o Standing knee lifts and then stepping back to high lunge
o Slow punches with weights
o Standing side stretch to Mountain Climbers (40) to Downward Dog
o Stationary lunges moving to Warrior 3 using weights for triceps
o Standing side stretch to Mountain Climbers (40) to Downward Dog
o Standing back leg raise moving to Warrior 3 pulsing the raised leg
o Standing side stretch to Mountain Climbers (48) to Downward Dog
They have you add twists when doing the Mountain Climbers in this flow. Again, if I counted correctly there were 160 Mountain Climbers. I think some may find the Warrior 3 based work rather challenging for balance.

POWER SWEAT (11:22)
I was sweating before I started this flow! Light hand weights are used again throughout the standing portion of this segment.
o First 5 minutes alternates between second position plies alternating with standing knee lifts stepping back to high lunge
o Standing side stretch to Mountain Climbers (56) to Downward Dog
o “Speed Skate” squat variations holding weights behind you. Includes lateral and diagonal back leg raises.
o Standing side stretch to Mountain Climbers (64) to Downward Dog
o High plank
o Sphinx to Child’s Pose
I did drop the hand weights during the very last portion of the squats as I was feeling them in the lower back.

CARDIO CURL (10:41)
Traditional Core Fusion style c-curve ab work, adding in leg variations, but felt like a fresh routine. Seemed like one of their tougher ab workouts, or perhaps I was just tired from the Cardio work!

BONUS STRETCH (9:23)
o Bridge moving into optional Wheel Pose. Liz lifts one leg at a time while in Wheel.
o Several supine hip stretches – figure 4, “butterfly” (like a supine Gomukhasana), twist
o Sitting cross leg - side and shoulder stretches
o Seated twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana)
o Seated straight-leg forward bend
o Seated wide leg forward bend
o Thigh/hip stretch
o Downward dog
I liked this segment, although I paused the DVD and held some of the stretches longer than they did.

FINAL COMMENTS:
I really did like this DVD. It got my heart going as promised, and I felt like I got a really good workout. I didn’t feel it in my glutes as much as some of their barre DVDs, but an excellent upper body, core and lower body workout. Some portions may be challenging for a beginner although I did not watch the modifier that much during the workout.

kitty12