(Natural Journeys)
2003
What is it?
A half-hour total body toning workout using a weighted bar for resistance. Leisa Hart is the instructor.
Who is it for?
Beginning to intermediate exercisers. Hart uses her own Core Bar, but you can also use a body bar (9 to 12 pounds, whichever weight is appropriate for you) or a pair of hand weights (3 to 12 pounds, whichever weight is appropriate for you). You will also need a mat for the abs/ core exercises if you are exercising on a hard surface, like a wood floor.
What to expect:
Pretty, blonde and fit she may be, but it's easy for most women to relate to fitness expert Leisa Hart. She has an easy-going manner that's upbeat but not too perky - and she's the mother of two kids (and yes, she has a prenatal workout and a postnatal workout, too). This exercise routine features her own invention, a Core Bar, but you can also use a regular Body Bar or hand weights (one of the exercisers is shown using light dumbbells to show you how it's done). These moves are quite different from traditional exercises, with which you would have used a barbell, and some of them may take a bit of getting used to, but once you have them down you'll find yourself working muscles in ways you never did before. It's an especially good workout for those who are not enamored with weight training. Hart's workout is creative and different from anything you'd see at a gym. It's a fast-paced half-hour and before you know it you're done (your muscles will probably feel it the next day, though). Beginners can grow with this video by using more weight as they become stronger. A good, innovative full-body workout.