10 Minute Solution: Sculpt, Tone and Reshape

This workout uses the usual 10 Minute Solutions set, which is a room with a wood floor and bright lighting. The music is nothing memorable. Like all 10MS, you can program the workout to play just one of the five 10-minute segments, you can pick and choose segments in any order you'd like, or can play all segments in order.

The workout uses a figure 8 resistance tubing. Mine came with two in the set. I used the red one, which is the harder resistance, for all moves. I am by no means super-advanced (I'd say I'm high-intermediate), but I felt I could have easily used a heavier resistance with this. On some moves, you can choke up on the tubing a little by holding the tube and not the handle, but that's not possible on most moves.

For each segment, Amy does an approximately 60-sec. or less warmup. She does 8 reps of each move. At the end of the regular reps, she does a "burn set" (also 8 reps). This involves doing the moves at a quicker pace, doing pulses, and/or "staying in the middle of the move" as Amy likes to say. The last 30 seconds or so are devoted to a quick stretch of the muscles worked.

I'll give a brief breakdown of each segment. Many of the moves are hard to describe and I don't have a name for them as I've never seen them before. All moves use the tubing in some way.

Sexy, Sculpted Lower Body - warmup includes some side lunges & kicking your leg to the front and back, and a stretch. Then you do a front kick with one foot in the tubing. Next, both feet are in the tubing and you do a step and abduction. The third move is a little awkward. You put the loop on one foot then put that ankle over your knee and do squats. Then there's a kickback and some calf raises. All moves are standing, and many really challenge your balance at the same time.

Upper Body Tone & Chisel - Balance on one leg, foot in the band and do rows. Next, one arm chest fly. Then push ups where you do a one-arm lat raise at the top. Next you kneel with your knee in the loop and do a front delt raise. Then your foot goes into the loop and you lift your arm back (works the triceps)followed by a bent-arm side raise. Final move is for your biceps & triceps, followed by a stretch. This segment also can challenge your balance a bit.

Fat-Blasting Sculpt - After the warmup, you do a cardio blast which goes for about 30-45 seconds. These are basic moves, nothing fancy, and you hold the tubing. It is higher impact, but easily modified. Following each blast is a resistance move, which works two muscle groups at once (for example, a curtsey lunge while doing overhead tricep extensions). There are several rounds, then a final ab sequence of side bends.

Jiggle-Free Buns & Thighs: All done on the floor. Kneeling side leg raises (fire hydrants). Lying on the side with both legs elevated and pull the top leg up while the bottom one pulls down. Still on your side, doing an inner thigh left to the side and then straight up. Recline on elbows with knees bent, drop one leg to the side and tap your toe. Put the figure 8 over your thighs and do a frog move. Then supine leg lifts, followed by lifting both legs at once and separating them out to the side.

Flat & Firm Abs Fast - Standing portion: Side bends. Elbow strikes. Lift arms up & overhead while leaning over forward and lifting one leg up behind. Floor portion: Crunch. Side to side twist. Side plank-type move w/ legs bent. Plank on elbows walking legs out & in with tubing on ankle.

Overall Impressions: I liked this workout and using the tubing, although sometimes it's a bit awkward as the looped part where you put your foot can slip up your leg on the moves where you're not standing on it. I could definitely feel most moves. This would be good for a lighter day of strength/toning for me. I could also see using a segment or two as add-ons to another strength/toning workout to work the muscles in a different way.

This would be a great travel workout because it doesn't take up much room at all, the tubing is easy to pack, and you could put down an extra blanket for cushioning on the floor moves.

I liked that there were some unique moves and I could see using some of them apart from the DVD to focus on certain areas. My favorites were the two lower-body segments. I especially felt the Jiggle-Free one in my inner thighs. The ab one was good also, and the upper body one was ok but didn't leave me feeling as worked as I would like. The Fat-Blasting segment seemed to be included just to get some cardio effect in there - it was my least favorite.

This would be good for a beginner to intermediate, for someone looking for some toning work that doesn't stress the joints, or for a lighter day or add-on for a more advanced exerciser. Also, just to try something different, especially if you like using different fitness gadgets.