Review: Top Trainers: Your Best Body Circuit

Today's Review: Top Trainers: Your Best Body Circuit
Michelle Dozios', 2007 **** (4 of 5 stars)

This is a 57 minute cardio & strength interval circuit workout led by Michelle in a set with wooden floors & accents. She works out w/ 4 b/g'ers- one shows beginner modifications. The dvd is chaptered so you can play all or select an interval. It also includes a 35 minute express version. You will need dumbbells and an exercise band for this workout.

After a nice warmup you move into the first cardio set. You complete that and move into your strength work. Each strength set focuses on one or two muscle groups and she does a good job of burning out the muscles! You repeat the same cardio set, leading with your other side. I would say Michelle really focuses on the upper body in the strength work but includes one set of lower body strength work and includes a nice ab/core section before the cooldown. There are some nice combo moves that she puts together very nicely because the poundage worked for all moves involved. I was able to heavy up pretty nicely in this w/o.

Cardio work includes: step touch, skater, knee pulls w/ a punch, jump rope, jacks, power lunges, cross country skiing, power jacks, kicks, rocking horse, jogging, and other athletic type cardio that is easy to catch onto but will really get your heart pumping nicely.

Strength work includes: side lunge w/ row & bicps, band rows w/ pliets, pushups w/ knee drops, chest press, band tricep extension, band chest press, dip & row, band curl, wide band row, seated band row, band tri extension, band pushups, chest fly w/ leg extensions, pliet w/ a twist & shoulder raise, dips w/ military press & abduction, band shoulder raise, a squat series, and a lunge-pliet-glute extension w/ a knee lift.

Core work includes: side elbow plank with leg lift, crunches & crunch variations, oblique work, and she uses the band to up the intensity in some of the moves.

I would rate this a solid intermediate that gave me a great workout! My upper body is NICELY worked, def felt it in my core, got a bit of lower body work, along with a great calorie burn. This w/o is easy to up the intensity by adding some more impact and really heavy-ing up. Or follow the beginner mod and bring it down a notch. Michelle is a great instructor & I really enjoyed this workout! Great cuing, great energy. I received this dvd as part of the Top Trainers set to review.