Brea Getting Fit » Exhale

Exhale Spa has a NEW workout

breefawn — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:53:32 +0000

One of my very favorite people, Denise was lucky enough to get the NEW Exhale workout, Exhale: Core Fusion – Glutes & Thighs, before it’s available on amazon! When she told me, I was a tad bit jealous, and asked her to write a review. After reading it, I now HAVE TO HAVE the workout!! Here’s what Denise had to say about Exhale: Core Fusion – Glutes & Thighs:

This workout is broken into (5) 10 min sections. All of them start off with a brief one minute warm up of raiding your legs and arms.

The 5 sections include:
1. Turned Out Thigh
2. Parallel Thigh
3. Standing Gluteal Tone
4. Kneeling Gluteal Toner
5. Pretzel

I thought the whole workout was great and challenging. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a solid lower body workout. I love how it’s divided into sections that you can mix and match. My two favorite sections were the Parallel Thigh and Pretzel. With the different variation of squats done you can feel your thighs shaking and when they add the towel in between the legs, my inner thighs were shaking! The pretzel section was a really challenging section for me. I have been doing Fluidity, Callanetics and other barre type workouts for more than a year and find this move super challenging still. They do different angles and give you so many good tips on the pretzel than instead of dreading it I actually look forward to doing it again. When Elisabeth changes the angle of the back leg you can feel the different muscles being worked. I’m planning to add this section as an add on to other workouts.

The instructors are Fred deVito and Elisabeth Halfpapp, and they are excellent in this workout. They give very clear instructions and show proper form for the entire workout. They are also very encouraging if you don’t have the same flexibility as they do. One of them usually shows a begginer’s pose.

The workout also has a 5 minute bonus section called Leg Lift Thigh Strengthener. They have also included sections from their previous workouts Core Fusion Body Sculpt and Core Fusion Pilates Plus.

I have a lot barre/fusion type workouts and this one is a great addition to my collection. I am really looking forward to more releases from Exhale.

You can pre-order the workout now, which is scheduled for delivery on July 25th: Exhale: Core Fusion – Glutes & Thighs!

NEW workouts coming THIS SUMMER

breefawn — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 22:19:20 +0000

Summer is a GREAT time to start, change or increase your home workout collection. Why? Because SO many of the DVD-making workout gurus come out with BRAND NEW workouts during the summer months! It’s truly genius!! In fact, there are 4 workouts coming out that I am SO very excited about! Exhale Spa is coming out with a new one, Exhale: Core Fusion – Glutes & Thighs, and so is Tracy Effinger (Squeeze: 30-Day Body Transformation)! In addition to this, Pure Barre is coming out with 2 (YES, 2!!) new workouts (see them here) on MONDAY! I had to laugh when I found this out, especially because I did Pure Barre: Ballet, Dance & Pilates Fusion workout this morning (and it ROCKED!). I can honestly say that I cannot WAIT for the two new Pure Barre workouts! It looks like one of them uses a ball, Squeeze-style. I’m very curious and excited at the same time. I like the ball work in Squeeze: The Complete Workout with Tracy Effinger, which makes me think that I’ll like the Pure Barre take on ball work as well…. I’m on pins and needles waiting to see what ALL of these workouts are like. How about you?

Getting rid of cellulite

breefawn — Wed, 13 May 2009 18:43:04 +0000

Let’s face facts: we all have cellulite. It’s a sad fact, but true. And no matter what the lotion-potion companies tell you, there’s no way to make it disappear…I thought. Now I’m not saying that I’ve found a miracle cure that just makes cellulite go away…BUT, with lots of hard work you CAN reduce the appearance of it. REALLY. It is happening to me. If you’ve been following my blog, you knwo that I am addicted to barre workouts. They focus on isometric exercises that target deep in the muscle. If you’ve read about the Tracy Anderson Method lately, you know that she touts ‘waking up your accessory muscles’…which is basically what isometrics do. They make everything smaller and tighter. EVEN YOUR TOOSH. Yup. I said it. YOUR TOOSH. So…my realization came this morning as I was getting out of the shower. I noticed that my backside is nearly deviod of those hideous dimples. WHAT?! So I moved closer to the mirror for a better look. My skin has gotten smoother, and my legs/toosh have gotten smaller, and where there used to be a virtual plethora of dimples, now there’s 1. That’s right: 1. I was overjoyed and felt the need to share. So I’m sharing. It takes TONS of hard work, doing your barre workouts regularly, and incorporating cardio. I am sure that diet has something to do with it…and a vegan diet is very low in fat compared to SAD (Standard American Diet)…so the combination works! TRULY! Try it. It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it when you can shake your cellulite-free tooshie at the beach this summer!

Exhale: Core Fusion-Pilates Plus

breefawn — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:55:05 +0000

I didn’t feel like pulling my barre out today, so I decided that I would do a DVD that doesn’t often get used. Now I remember why: it’s tough. Tough, but doable. Exhale Spa (www.exhalespa.com) came out with a workout that fuses pilates and isometrics. I love isometrics. I’m not terribly flexible, so pilates is slightly difficult for me. That said, I enjoyed this workout. There are some things that bother me…like the voice-over instruction. But I can get beyond that. I really like the fact that this workout is segmented: it has 5 individual 10 minute segments. Each segment has its own warm up and cool down, so they could be stand-alone workouts if you’re crunched for time. The first segment focuses on upper body, with planks, push ups and tricep dips. The next segment has a lower body emphasis. They do some knee dancing-type moves that really worked my quads. After those segments, it’s all about abs!! First, they do seated ab work, and move to flat-back work. You will need to be sure that you have an available wall for this segment. And it’s tough. It not only works your abs, but your hip flexors, quads, inner thighs and forearms. After the seated ab work, the next section includes lots of isometric exercises, very similar to Bar Method or Squeeze. The last segment is a dynamic stretching segment, ending with their “signature” stretch. Try it. I double dare you. I think the multiple warm ups are a bit much. You do the same basic warm up (with variations) in each segment. I would have liked to see a “play all” option with one warm up. I don’t really see the need for 5 warm ups, since each segment keeps your entire body very warm. I also would have liked to have the instructors speaking to me, rather than a voice-over. I felt that their glances at each other were a little much as well…they appeared to be laughing at their own voice overs. On a positive note, they are both in tremendous shape, and they do a great job of showing modifications for every move. I appreciate this. I’m still not strong enough to get all the isometric ab work without holding my thighs. This is a nice, calm workout that left me ready to relax, rather than ramped up. I will do this one again, although it won’t be a go-to workout, as I seem to lean more toward Squeeze, Tracy Anderson and Bar Method lately.

Pure Barre

breefawn — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 01:23:28 +0000

Okay, so I’m all for barre-style workouts, if you’re familiar with my passions. I love ballet, dance and any type of toning that gives AMAZING results. I am a HUGE fan of Bar Method, Exhale, Squeeze and Fluidity…I’ve even tried The Tracy Anderson Method (okay, I need to do the DVD again to get a good feel for the actual workout….). That said, I have heard great things about Pure Barre. I was so very excited to actually try the workout tonight…. And then I hit play. The girl standing in front of me was NOT what I was expecting. She was (I know that I’m going to regret saying this, but I don’t know how to say it nicely) chubby. As my darling husband put it: “she has ALOT of junk in the trunk”. I say this because the type of exercises (Lotte Berk, Bar Method, etc) that she does are designed to create LONG, LEAN muscles…. It actually made me want to know what she was eating so that I could do the opposite. I realize that this is hypocritical (and feel bad saying so), but when I put in a DVD that touts losing inches, creating lean muscle, etc. on its cover, I expect the instructor to be a model for the type of body you are working hard to achieve. Okay, I’m moving on now. The actual workout really kicked my toosh! The thigh work was killer, she does the same sequence TWICE, just rotated to the left and the right, which was SUPER painful! I know that my muscles are going to love me in the morning! LOL. I honestly couldn’t get my legs to stop shaking. The seat work was half at the barre, and half on your knees…no pretzel here (I must admit that i was a little disappointed by that). The standing portion of the seatwork required quite a bit of concentration, as she is not very good a directing BEFORE you start to work…moving to the floor was a little better, as she actually tells you where to position your body. The abs segment was very similar to Bar Method style abs. Overall, I enjoyed the workout and will do it again. I don’t know yet if it will be a go-to, though. I was not drawn toward her style like I have been by some others. Additionally, the instructor has an annoying habit of asking “please” for more reps. For example: “2 more, please?” Ummm…do I have a choice?? I think that this bothered me almost as much as her physique (hubby also mentioned that she had really strong “thunder thighs” since hers weren’t shaking while mine were).

Okay, so I’m trying really hard to be honest in my reviews, but I must say that I feel bad about this one, because it seems so negative. I just can’t get past the issues that I mentioned before. That said, I think that this is a very solid workout. If you are familiar with other barre workouts, you shouldn’t have a problem with this one–in fact, it may be a welcome addition to your collection just for some variety. I know I will be feeling my thighs tomorrow morning! LOL

Bar Method: Accelerated Workout

breefawn — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 01:16:00 +0000

I absolutely love barre workouts. Maybe it’s because I did ballet for so many years, or maybe it’s because EVERYONE seems to want that ballerina physique. Either way, the workouts are addicting…whether it’s Squeeze, Exhale, Fluidity, Tracy Anderson Method…everyone seems to have their own take. One thing all the workouts do have in common is the small, concentrated isometric movements. I really enjoyed Bar Method: Accelerated Workout because it blends the grace of dance with the power of isometrics. In this workout, Burr Leonard (the creator of Bar Method) does a wonderful job (as usual) of explaining the “bar method tuck” and positioning. This workout also does a well rounded job of leg work, but I felt that the shoulder and bicep work was a little bit lacking. Burr only does two sets of shoulder and bicep work, and then moves on to three sets of triceps. I realize that the triceps are a trouble spot, but I honestly expected a more well-rounded workout. I will say that she includes 3 full sets of push ups…2 before the leg and seat work, and 1 after. Overall, this workout is truly enjoyable, but I did feel compelled to do some bicep curls and shoulder raises after I was done with the workout.

I must gush for a moment: she does back dancing after the ab work and I LOVE IT!! I know that she does back dancing in other workouts, but this sequence truly engaged my inner thighs and rear end. It was FANTASTIC!! I know that by continuing to rotate this workout into my isometrics, I will definitely see a MAJOR lift in my assets!! LOL

All in all, this is a good, solid bar workout. Burr does a wonderful job of reminding you of posture, positioning and keeping your tuck. I think that if you are looking for rounded results, this would be best rotated with Bar Method: Change Your Body. I would also recommend doing Squeeze for the upper body focus. If you’re looking for something that will reshape your glutes, hamstrings, thighs and calves, this will do it!

If you’re interested, here’s the Bar Method website: http://www.barmethod.com/index.html

Tracy Anderson Method: Mat Workout

breefawn — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:27:00 +0000

So I tried a new workout this morning: The Tracy Anderson Method Presents Mat Workout DVD. She claims that she has a revolutionary training technique that will make you skinny, toned and not bulky…when you look at her clients (Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow), this is an easy claim to believe. They are both tiny, toned and not at all bulky. I have a hard time with the revoultionary part, which is what was so intriguing to me. I do Bar Method, Fluidity, Exhale, Squeeze, etc. And I must say that I’m quite good at them. I have seen SIGNIFICANT improvement in my figure and muscle composition. Of course, I’ve also lost 40 pounds…. I think that may be part of it, as well. I just recently started back into isometrics again after doing FIRM for almost 6 months. I like that my heart rate stays in a reasonable range and that I’m relaxed, rather than tense after my workouts.

Here is my take on the Mat Workout:

Her instruction is AWFUL. I am somewhat familiar with some of the moves, having done other isometric-based workouts. She doesn’t cue for posture as frequently (read: hardly at all) as I think is necessary to get the most from the movements. In addition, she looks bored most of the video. Now, I will confess that the arm segment had me near tears, and I can still feel my shoulders and triceps burning, but she does not offer much encouragement, other than to say you will get stronger, and be able to do this. She does take the time to mention that you HAVE to keep your arms up the entire segment, which I was unable to do, due to the awful burning sensation in my shoulders. In addition to being lack-luster in the instruction department, she does not include any arm stretches nor does she stretch the muscle groups after exhausting them. I think that this is extremely important if you are going to be teaching new students. I realize that her method is “new” and “revolutionary”, but it is based on isometrics, which focus on strength THEN STRETCH. I had to stretch for a good 10 minutes AFTER the workouts (which I do anyway, but I was quite upset that she didn’t feel the need to emphasize the importance of stretching). The cooldown was the same as the warm up…dancy, little instruction. In fact, thinking about it, her instruction was almost an afterthought…. I can definitely see why she waited so long to introduce her Method to the masses: she would probably be AMAZING in person, but on video, you need to cue, instruct and emphasize form. All of which are sorely lacking here. I will do this workout again, and my complaints are only that it could be improved.

I did enjoy the music and the movements, I would have appreciated more guidance, however. I think that after doing the DVD a few more times, I’ll be more comfortable with the moves and able to follow her movements without the instruction, but we’ll see…