Title: Bottom Line & A Core Defined (Patricia Friberg Health & Fitness, 2015)
Goal: Develop "your best bottom." And by bottom, workout developer Patricia Friberg does not mean your feet.
Format: 73-minute stereo DVD with three workout chapters, the 18-minute "Bottom Activation 1," "Bottom Activation 2" (14:30) and the 32-minute "A Core Defined."
"A Core Defined" is the one chapter with significant stretching. Mostly it has unilateral arm and leg motions with isometrically held torso lifts or twists, and modifications of traditional floor work. She builds combinations around downward-facing dog and child's pose from yoga.
But first come four introductory chapters:
• 3-minute "Intro" in which Friberg talks about her experience with weak gluteals.
• 20-second "How to Use This Program," in which she suggests staying with "Bottom Activation 1" for several workouts -- which is good advice, Activation 1 is tough enough.
• 2:40 talk by a physical therapist, Rebecca Guinn, who says she believes in Friberg and also believes in core work.
• 2:40 "Alignment setup" in which Friberg uses one of her two backup dancers, Trudy, as a model to explain a pelvic position needed for a few exercises.
What are the first workouts like? Floor work with many isometric holds against resistance. In a word, "ouch."
The first has hip bridges using the band around the thighs, side-lying thigh raises and circles as well as leg raises in several directions while your thighs remain encircled by the ouchy band; clam shells for 45 seconds (aeegh); "fire hydrants" against the band; hamstring lifts against the band.
All this is followed by less than a minute of gluteal stretching.
What is the second workout like? Similar focus but you stand
while you suffer, often on one leg.
Anything witty? The two people behind her show modifications for tougher and easier exercises, and the man does the easier version.
Gear: small, flexible ball and looped stretch band
Space required: a rectangle about 10 feet by 6 feet
Music: Unobtrusive electronica by workout DJ Deekron Krikorian
Can I do it barefoot? Two of the workouts can be done barefoot.
Distractions: Shallow people could find themselves critiquing Friberg's shiny makeup and decolletage.
Who is the workout developer? Friberg is a licensed mental health counselor with a master's degree from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y. She has 20 years of experience as a fitness teacher and various certifications from Stott Pilates, Gyrotonic, Gyrokinesis, yoga, barre, Schwinn Cycling and the American Council on Exercise.
She trains private clients and pro athletes and is the creator of three Belly Beautiful Workout DVDs for pregnant women and a breast cancer fundraiser DVD, Power 4 Pink Workout.
A California resident, she is married and has two sons.
Price: $19.95
ActiveStyle on 09/07/2015