Squeeze Workout: How Hollywood Gets Buff

Celeb trainer and hot-bod Tracy Effinger, who teaches privately all over Los Angeles, has just released her tough new Squeeze DVDs. Clients such Brittany Daniels, Will Ferrell and Amy Brenneman can attest to Tracy's total-body sculpting moves, which are a unique combination of ballet, dance and yoga. She often uses a patented "Squeeze" stick to target those fat-prone zones. These exercises can literally "squeeze" you into great shape by using isometric contractions, which are long-held contractions that trim and tone the muscles while blitzing calories.

"These subtle exercises burn muscles to create leaner meaner muscles, but not bulky ones. And the high number of repetitions and faster pace kick-start your heart rate to melt the pounds. Squeeze is a no-nonsense, challenging workout that always takes you deeper and disciplines you to work harder, yet I'm challenging you to work your muscles like never before with a unique blend of high repetitions and dancer-like grace," said a buff Effinger in class.

Between smashing a little ball between my thighs and clenching my butt from a challenging five-minute bridge yoga pose, I most definitely "squeezed" every single one of my trouble zones -- and I could barely walk the next day after a session.

Here are two sculpting, flexibility-enhancing Squeeze moves to do at home:
Target: Waistline Squeeze!
Stand with your legs straight and feet hip-width apart. Position a broomstick or Squeeze Stick atop shoulders and place your hands over each end of pole with arms extended. Drop your tailbone toward your heels and pull your abs in tight to make your torso compact and sturdy like a tree trunk. Then slowly lower your torso fully to the left side, then back again, then switch sides. Be sure to keep the shoulders directly over the hips, without bending forwards or backwards. Also, keep your eyes open and focused on one place. Do two side-bends slowly, then pick up the pace and perform 30 reps per side without resting.

Target: Arms and Thigh Squeeze!
Grab a ball or a firm pillow in between both hands and start squeezing the ball in front of your chest with straight arms. Then, come into a full plie with legs wider than shoulder-distance apart and turn your toes and knees out to the sides. Keep your back flat and your shoulders behind your chest, your eyes up. Hold the ball directly out in front of you at shoulder height. Press the ball as you lower hips and thighs down as low as you can. Press and squeeze for 10 seconds. Now raise the ball up behind your ears, arms straight, squeezing for 10 seconds. Next, lift your heels on your tippy toes, and hold it for 10 more seconds. Finally, place your heels down and turn your toes forward. Keep your chest up, and the arms straight with the ball extended out in front of you, and begin to pulse up and down by lifting and lowering your buns for 20 reps. Burn, burn ... squeeze! Ouch.

See Tracy's unique moves online, or try other graceful, posture-boosting workouts, check out That's Fit!

Fitness expert Nicole Dorsey Straff is a Los Angeles-based exercise physiologist and author, and frequently writes about diet, health and wellness.