Winsor Pilates & The Bar Method

[Guest guest]

Today two older women kicked my BUTT!I was so happy to get the set of Winsor tapes and popped in the first one, Winsor Basics Step-By-Step.  It was around a half hour long.  She went over the 7 basic moves in Pilates in great detail, and my abs were totally feeling it by the end.  She has such wonderful instruction, and she could even read my mind; as we were doing the Hundred, she said, " now don't be petting your dog " and as she said that I was petting Junior, my Creamsicle Cat! 

This workout is comprised of:The HundredThe Roll UpSingle Leg CircleRolling Like A BallSingle Leg StretchDouble Leg StretchSpine StretchI decide to continue with a similar format, Join Burr Leonad's The Bar Method:  Designer Sculpting.  I picked this one up at Ross on vhs AGES ago when I was first getting into working out at home.  This 50 minute workout also really kicked me in the " seat " as Burr NEVER says the word 'butt " <gasp> or even " glute " . 

You don't need a bar to do the workout, a chair is fine.  Junior sat on it and helped hold it down for me as I did the plies, calf raises, and this killer move where you're up on your toes, knees together, then you knock the knees in and out in teeny tiny movements.  OW!  After most moves follows a nice stretch, she emphasizes throughout that this workout will make you long and lean. 

Next she said to use 1 to 5 pound hand weights for upper body.  I used 5 lbs, but for the biceps I could have used 8's. You do traditional biceps, but while standing in a " tuck " and while the 5's seemed light at the time, I'm starting to get sore there.  You also work shoulders and triceps with weights.  The ab and " seat " work on the floor was the hardest part, esp after doing pilates because the positioning was similar, V-Sit like, likes of pulses and isometric type holds.  You finish with doing bridge lifts in 3 different feet poisitions to target a different area of the " seat " .

I must say I am intrigued with this format!  The more I do pilates and ballet the more I like and respect it. Hope everyone is having a super Memorial Day!