Release Date: April 2, 2013
Running Time: Core 45 min., Upper Body 46 min., Lower Body, 54 min.
Ballet Body™ Creator: Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist® LEAH SARAGO created the ballet-inspired Ballet Body workout series, featuring Upper Body Workout, Lower Body Workout, and Core Workout. She has a BS in Exercise Science and Dance, starred in several top-selling fitness DVDs, trained top NFL draft picks, and travels the country leading workshops and trainings featuring her Ballet Body™ techniques. You can read a dozen rave testimonials on her website.
It’s nearing the summertime and you know what that means…everyone is trying to get in shape now! So I was thrilled to receive the Ballet Body with Leah Sarago DVD series to help me with my goals.
The series is comprised of three separate DVDs, the first of which I tried was the Core Workout. For this workout, all you’ll need is a mat. This was without a doubt the most difficult since it’s making a point to not only work the core but really your entire body. The majority of this workout is on the floor. But if you think that makes this workout easier, you are wrong. Fifteen minutes into the workout, I was sweating so you can imagine how happy I was to make it to the end. I knew I was out of shape but wow.
If you do this workout everyday this summer (and eat right), you will definitely lose weight and tone muscles you never realized were there. Not to mention, your form will you better and you’ll be on your way to being prepared to take a ballet class (beginners or intermediate depending on your ballet experience) if you so choose to do so. The exercises are not as repetitive as you’d expect on this DVD but you work everything out in more ways than one so it’s perfectly fine. I also love how the instructions are narrated and the instructor conducting the workout is silent while working out. For some reason, this difference makes the workout way more relaxing than other workouts. In the end, this is definitely an exercise DVD I will be doing numerous times.
Next up was the Lower Body Workout. For this workout, you’ll need a mat and a chair. Four minutes into the workout, I was thinking, “Oh my God, this is hard. I used to do this?” Part of me is so mad that I was able to do most of this almost effortlessly when I was a kid and now, it’s such a challenge. The other part of me is thrilled to be able to get back into shape using these ballet DVDs. This workout is no joke! If you’re looking to have better balance, strength, flexibility, and endurance among other things, these are the workouts you need to be doing, especially the Lower Body Workout.
Your legs will feel like jello afterwards but give it a few workouts and things will change for the better. While I am biased when it comes to workouts I enjoy and need the most (core workouts win), I also really need to focus on the lower body and this is the perfect workout to help me with that. You can bet I’ll be doing this, possibly more than the core workout! Crazy! But you’ll see why when you do it. It’s hard work and this workout is more repetitive than the core workout…and it’s all so worth it. Also, I really liked the music in this DVD for anyone who’s big on the background music.
Finally, comes the Upper Body Workout. For this workout, you’ll need a mat and 2-5 lb. hand weights. I found this workout to be, while still challenging at times, the easiest of the bunch since my upper body is stronger than my lower body and at the moment, my body is used to many of these workout positions already. Depending on your level of strength and balance, this workout could be a breeze or a bit of a challenge. So check it out and see for yourself, these exercise are just as strenuous as what’s on the previous DVDs. Good luck!
Bonus Feature:
* Leah Sarago Biography
Own the Ballet Body with Leah Sarago series – Upper Body Workout, Lower Body Workout, and Core Workout on DVD today.