Power Sculpt & Tone

Full disclosure: I received a free review copy of this workout.

The segments on this DVD add up to about 47 minutes of the following sections:

1. Opening Stretch & Warm-Up

2. Sculpting Stretch

3. Deep Stretch

4. Abs & Core Focus

5. Relaxation Stretch

BONUS: An optional Spiritual Warm-Up including Scripture meditation and prayer.

The warm up includes the cat/cow and childs pose. Then, as we move into the sculpting stretch segment, she includes some moves that are strength building including Sun Salutations, forwar folds, planks, cobras, etc. You do this flow several times and then move into some other moves like a warrior pose, triangle, etc. AFter that is the Deep Stretch with the pigeon, forward folds, and spinal twists. The abs and core focus includes a few core moves, then we moved to our backs and relaxed. But, the routine then includes leg stretches, another spinal twist, and stretches for the legs.

Tonya leads the workout with one back-up exerciser. They both do the same moves, but the back-up exerciser goes deeper into the stretches and shows harder options. There is soft Christian music playing in the background. It includes lyrics with some songs, but is mostly piano music. The set is bright and clean and it is easy to see the exercisers.

Tonya created Power Stretch & Sculpt to flow seamlessly from meditative and relaxing stretching into more challenging strengthening and sculpting exercises and back to more relaxing options. This workout isn't going to build much strength unless you are getting into exercising after a long break. This 47-minute workout requires no equipment other than a mat and if you have carpet, you may not need even that. You can do the workout in its entirety or you can choose the segments you want individually from the menu.

This workout is marketed as one that can be done as a post natal workout. At the time it was filmed, Tonya was about 9 months post natal and the background exerciser was four months post natal. In the introduction, they are both holding their babies (Tonya has one and the background exerciser has twins. It's sooooo cute.) I have never been pregnant, so I can't validate that claim, but it seemed to me like it could be true.

I did Tonya Larson's Power Stretch and Sculpt. Its about 45min of yoga type stretching with a Sun Sal thrown in for good measure. The warmup starts with cat/cow and childs pose then we move into the Sun Sals {chair, swan to fold, half fold, plank, cobra, dog, many repeats}. After several of these we did warrior, triangle, counter stretch, repeat other side. Them we moved into Deep Stretch {my favorite}, pigeon, forward folds, spinal twists. Then a few Core moves. Then I thought we were done, we moved to our backs and relaxed but then Tonya had us stretch our legs, another spinal twist, hamstrings, quads, runner's lunge. There is soft Christian music playing in the background some lyrics but mostly piano, with a nice clean set. I have to admit I don't like workouts with a slow warmup, I'm a little impaient to get started already!, but I feel relaxed and calm when I actually finish them, however I think I'll skip straight to the Deep Stretch in the future.