DVD Review: Core Fusion Lean & Toned

Core Fusion isn't for wimps -- I know this from experience, and I'm not alone in finding it tough. So, when I received Core Fusion's newest DVD, "Lean & Toned," to review, I knew I was in for a treat and a challenge.

This DVD has five 10-minute sections (each of which have a couple minutes of stretching at the end) plus a five-minute bonus stretch: Upper Body Tone & Stretch, Thighs Tone & Stretch, Flat/Round Back Tone & Stretch, Gluteal Tone & Stretch and Pretzel Core Toner.

The workouts are led by husband and wife team Fred DeVito and Elisabeth Halfpapp, who are the co-creators of Core Fusion. True to Core Fusion's roots, this DVD includes elements of Pilates, Lotte Berk Method, yoga and dance. But did it provide a solid workout?

Level of Difficulty
Intermediate, occasional advanced moves.

Next Day Soreness
Surprisingly, very little -- the night of the workout there was serious muscle fatigue, but not much tenderness the following day.

Who's It For?
Anybody who enjoys yoga, Pilates, ballet or any program that merges stretching with strength training will find this DVD to be a good fit, particularly if they like to be pushed and challenged.

Likes
I loved these workouts. As was the case when I took the actual class, I found myself being pushed just far enough, and occasionally had to take the demonstrated modified route (but there was always room for me to improve; lots of room). The cuing is great and there's a fun mix of moves we've seen before and new exercises. I particularly liked the fact that each section had two or three minutes of stretching to target the muscles that were just worked -- I suspect this is why I didn't feel as sore as I had expected.

Dislikes
My only complaint would probably be that, in the Flat/Round Back Tone & Stretch and Bonus Stretch sections, a wall is required, and my living room isn't set up so that I can easily see my TV from an open wall. I would have loved to see them offer modifications for those moves using, say a chair.

Bottom Line
This is one of my favorites, and I'm excited to keep it in my DVD rotation. And, I can't wait to recommend it to my friends!

Looking for a move you can start doing right now? Check out this Pilates-based Shape move of the week!