Ellen Barrett Live : Sleek Sculpt Express

Ellen's Best!
I have a large collection of Ellen workouts, but I think she has done her best work with this 30-minute DVD. I feel I worked as hard or harder in 30 minutes than I did with the previous longer workouts. Although this is primarily a sculpting workout, I felt my heart rate really rise during the segment where you have to plie and touch your dumbbells to the ground repeatedly. I would rate this as a solid intermediate with no time wasted; a lot of great compound movements. Ellen does all one side in the first 15 minutes and then you switch sides for the last 15 minutes. You get the same pleasant, airy set as her previous Live workouts with two background exercisers; one shows easier modifications. I used three-pound dumbbells throughout and I would not have wanted to go any higher for intensity or safety purposes for these mostly long-lever movements.

There is no dedicated warm-up, but since this workout only uses light weights, I really didn't feel it was necessary. As...

Ellen great as ever! 30 minutes, all standing, no wasted time.
Ive done a lot of exercise DVDs (I own 300+), and Ellen Barrett is one of my favorite instructors. She is very consistent. Cues well, you always know what you are doing, yet she never bores me. I have nearly all her studs (all her Crunch workouts, all her Self workouts, and all her Live series, plus a few more) and I think this may become a favorite.
I love the length (30 minutes, shorter than the 45 min of earlier "live" workouts)sometimes you just have 30 minutes! This is very time efficient. No wasted minutes, and you are holding your light weights from warm up to cool down. Lots of relieves (which I love). No planks (which I also love!)--this workoit is all standing,though you will engage your core throughout.
Like her previous workout, this is small space friendly--if you have room for a yoga Matt, you have room for this.
Totally recommended!

Excellent!
This has got to be the BEST 30 min total body toning routine I have tried! You use 3lb weights from start to finish and she works your arms, legs and you get a decent cardio effect to! Very happy with this one-and the music is EXCELLENT!

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