Perfect Design Series: Sequence 3

I am a high-intermediate/low-advanced exerciser aged 44—I recently completed the Meta Omni 90-day program and thought I'd work through the Perfect Design Series before advancing to Continuity. I'd tried the PD Series when it was out the first time and didn't like it, but after reading Tracy's book and doing Meta, it's much more doable! Tracy is an acquired taste—in the beginning I didn't think it was hard enough, but since you do it every day, it does give good results without wiping you out. Here is a breakdown (Tracy doesn't do the same number of reps on each side, unfortunately):


Perfect Design 3 (51:12 mins)

Warm up-4:15 mins

Butt/legs-36 mins (9 moves, all but last two with chair)
1_Grand Plie in first position. Right leg lifts to back attitude, then sweeps in front across left leg, back to first position/plie. Use chair to reduce pressure on joints. Reps: 32/27

2_Right leg crosses over chair back, then extends (in attitude) behind you.
Begin by tapping the seat, then progress to no taps. Reps: 29/29

3_Two part move. First, right leg crunches into torso and extends back.
Then, right leg swings straight to side and back. Keep right leg at hip height. Reps: 28/22

4_Get in tricep dip/bridge up position facing the chair. Crunch right leg in and extend straight (toe pointed) from side to side of the chair. (keep leg ~1' up from ground). Reps: 27/30

5_Get in quadruped position, kneeling on left knee with the chair in front of you. Crunch right leg in/out while pulling the chair toward you with right arm. 10 reps.
Switch so that knee crunches out to side (rather than parallel/down). 10 reps.
Switch to pulsing, alternating one small and one large pulse (while holding chair tilted toward you). 30 reps.

6_Move chair behind you, facing away from you (seat back toward you).
Get in quadruped position, reach back with right arm to hold the chair.
Lunge right leg forward, then kick back (in attitude) to chair seat, then fully extend leg to side before returning leg back to chair seat. Reps: 25/25

7_Get in straight arm plank with feet on chair (elevated plank)
Drop right knee toward group and then extend straight out at a diagonal (1' above hips). This is pretty tough on the chair — I was afraid that the chair would slip out, so I have been modifying by doing a straight arm plank on the ground, or on a step. Reps: 30/30

(Get rid of chair)
8_Quadruped position on left knee. Lift right leg into fire hydrant lift, then extend/kick out to back/side. Reps: 25/25

9_Get in side arm plank position on left side/left leg.
Push up and extend right leg to front, back, and above—then drop right foot behind torso and dip body down. This is challenging from a balance and strength perspective! Reps:5/5


Abs-5:32 mins
Standing Abs/Arms-4:27 mins

Cool down- 1 min

Instructor Comments:
Tracy is serious in this video. This is the most challenging workout of the PD series, perhaps equivalent to one of the intermediate Meta levels. I found the chair a bit tricky to position properly—it's kind of a pain, but it does seem to work the muscles in a different way.

oogy99