Working on my Physique

A while back I decided to try a new workout DVD set called Physique 57 based on the recommendation of Mormon in Manhattan. She's a gal that's been on Broadway (and currently is right now) and has also made a living as a personal trainer. Needless to say, she's pretty fit. So when she said it kicked her tushy, I knew it had to be worth a try.

Physique 57 is a workout system based on the Lotte Berk method and is also very similar to the bar method. Basically, it's kind of like a combination of ballet and Pilate's. It started out as a studio in New York and has since branched out to DVDs and a studio in LA. When it first came out, it got a lot of press, especially since Kelly Ripa apparently does it to keep in shape (and if her shape is any indication of what these workouts can do for a person, it's worth a try). You use your own body weight to strengthen, lengthen, and tone your muscles. You also use hand weights, a bar (or chair), and a playground ball to make the movements more intense. A lot of the movements are small, so it seems easy, but trust me--it's not.
 
There are 3 DVDs in the set: the full 57 minute workout, a 30 minute express workout, and a 30 minute arms and abs booster. They also have a second set of 3 DVDs that I haven't tried yet, but have coming in the mail. These DVDs are supposed to be harder, but I can't really speak to that since I don't have them yet. The DVDs I do have are a little corny, but they flow well and are easy to follow. I don't have to stare at the TV to figure out what's going on so I can just concentrate on getting the move right and feeling the burn. And boy are they hard! My muscles start shaking almost immediately and I have a hard time getting through all the sets. It's not so hard though to be discouraging, and they do offer encouragement and modifications to help beginners get started and keep going. They also say that you can do them while pregnant or recovering from rehab, but I think you'd need a pretty good exercise knowledge base to be able to modify them enough to make it work.

I first tried the full DVD back in December, but with exams and travel I didn't get too into them. This week, I decided to try them as recommended. The recommendation is that you do the full workout 2-3 times per week, and the two 30 minute workouts once a week. Combined with my running program, that's rounding out to be a lot of exercise (I'm doing the couch to 10k program). So far, I've mostly been able to stick to the schedule. I've done the two 30 minute workouts this week, but will only get 1 full workout done (tomorrow). I've also been walking/running about 3 times per week for about an hour at a time for the past 4 weeks, and I'm happy to say I'm starting to see some nice results. My arms are more defined, my posture's improving, and my legs feel stronger. I'll update a few weeks from now with my progress, but if I can keep it up I'm thinking it will be pretty good. Spencer even commented tonight that I was looking pretty good. Needless to say, if you're looking for a good workout to add to the mix or if you're like me and don't really like tradition weight lifting, give Physique 57 a try. I'm sure you'll be happy with the results.