Attitude Tu

This is a great workout for working on balance, core strength, and control, while working the whole body gently. I found it challenged my balance and coordination more than I expected it to because it looks easy.

I don't have a small weighted ball so I substituted a 2.5 lb dumbell. It's a bit tricky to hold between the feet, but my sand filled plastic dumbell worked fine with a little practice.

I can recommend this workout to anyone who likes dance and pilates and is looking for a calm workout with very good instruction.

Bernadette leads with a group of background exercisers in a nice open white room. The 52 minute dvd is chaptered VERY well. Optional equipment includes a resistance band and a small weighted ball. The dvd also includes tutorials for every segment that can be reached from the dvds main menu.Between segments an inspirational quote comes up on the screen. Great music!

Center: (13 min) This is a standing pilates & ballet fusion section that doesnt use any equipment. Exercises include: a nice pliet series with plenty of variety and various arm movements, flowing side bends, rondijon, lots of great balance work, portibra, and rhythmic lunges. This is a nice flowing segment that really hits your lower body.

Center with Bands: (14 min) a resistance band is utilized in this standing pilates & ballet fusion segment. Exercises include: band curls lifting onto your toes, flowing lunges with the band, side lunges, etc. Using the band really helped with the balance work and I def felt it in my shoulders!

Mat Work: (21 min) The mat work utilizes the ball in many of the exercises and really hits your core! Bernadette does a great job of using the ball in unique ways to enhance your workout. Exercises include: ball roll ups, ball saw, leg drops, criss cross, single leg extension, double attitude, teaser, sidekick series including leg lifts, leg shoots, and leg circles, bi curl with the ball, ball attitudes, and concludes with a 4 min stretch.

I rate this a beginner/intermediate workout that is really suitable for most all fitness levels. Bernadette offers wonderful form pointers & her cuing is excellent. These workouts really flow well and will definitely hit your muscles in a new way. Invigorating workout that leaves you well worked out and has no dread factor! Tons of time options- great in part, in whole, or added on to other workouts! I received this dvd to review.

Attitude Tu is the follow up to Bernadette's first workout, Attitude Ballet & Pilates Fusion. The workout runs approximately 52 minutes and can be broken into separate workouts (due to time constraints or specific needs).

The set is sparse (white floors/background with a pink curtain off to one side) but seems to work because of the type of workout this is. (it's serene without being distracting) The music is relaxing instrumentals. Equipment used, but not required, include a resistance band and a small hand held weighted ball.

Bernadette includes 2 tutorial sections, one for each segment. In Ballet Basics you'll review some of the poses you'll be doing in the standing section while the Mat Basics covers the movements in the floor routine. These tutorials are helpful for beginners to master the poses (and enhance their benefits).

The workout begins with rhythmic movement to gently warm the body. It's very easy to follow and you'll just flow through the gentle twists and plie movements.

The standing section is ballet inspired (and really keys in on toning the lower body). Bernadette uses the band to incorporate some upper body resistance for a total body session. Traditional ballet exercises (plies, releves, curtsy lunges, tondu, etc) are incorporated. The combinations are taught add on style, repeating a few times before doing it all over on the 2nd side. Every movement flows from one to another (very graceful). The standing section contains 5 parts to it, 3 of which use the band. The other two parts utilize more traditional center barre exercises. (if your balance isn't quite there or you are a beginner, a high backed chair may be useful) These segments really tone & tighten the glutes, hamstrings and inner/outer thighs.

The floor mat section uses the ball. (the small 2lb weighted ball gently increases the effectiveness of the exercises) This segment utilizes pilates based movements to really work the entire core area. Bernadette begins with the roll up. The saw is next followed by the rollover. (as with all the exercises, the ball is optional and Bernadette has some cast members demonstrate without the ball) Crunches with bicycle work the obliques. Bernadette demonstrates a unique variation of the "dead bug" pose which really works the transverse abdominals. Using lots of variety, Bernadette chose options that will greatly help to flatten the abs. The floor work also includes leg lifts, shoot outs and circles (all which define the outer thigh/glute area).

Bernadette concludes the workout with a relaxing stretch. She also performs stretches between sets of exercises during the actual routines. The final stretch will "unkink" your muscles you have just worked & cool you down.