Classical Stretch Season 7: The Health Series

This Classical Stretch season was filmed in Jamaica, and it is titled the "Health Series." In most of the workouts, Miranda shares the story of someone who has been helped by Classical Stretch. Miranda instructs alone in all episodes.

According to the Classical stretch website, the episodes are divided into strengthening (S) and flexibility (F) workouts. There are 30 episodes in the series.

701 REVERSE THE AGING PROCESS (S) (23:44, standing/barre)

Miranda is on a balcony by the ocean. She starts the warm up with side steps, arm swings (up and down/side to side) while doing loose plies, arm circles, single- and double-arm figure 8's, overhead reaches, and side lunges (4 min). She continues with her trademark moves of "stirring a pot," "washing a table" and "wiping a mirror" and then she adds a deep lunge at the end of the mirror move (2.25 min); arm/wrist/finger work (including some chest opening moves) (3.75 minutes); more figure 8's with overhead arm reaches/pulls, side lunges with side reaches, and a forward fold/stretch (3.5 min). At the 13.5 minute mark, Miranda tells you to get a chair for barre work, which starts with foot/calf/achilles work, some straight leg hip cleaners, and slow motion leg kick/stretches (2.5 min); and hip/psoas/quad/hamstring stretches and spinal twists/IT band stretches using the chair (4.5 min). The workout finishes with side/lower back/shoulder stretches and standing twists (3 min).

Miranda calls this workout the "fountain of youth." She tells the story of Kim from Phoenix, a 50-year old woman who looks 30. Kim has been using Classical Stretch for many years, and Miranda uses this to tell you that the way to stay young is to exercise. Kim also had frozen shoulder when she started with CS, and Miranda implies that CS will fix YOUR frozen shoulder too! if you have one, that is. I thought the lunge move in the post-warmup sequence would be iffy for people with bad knees, but there are only a couple of them. The arm and barre work in this episode are particularly nice.

702 SLENDERIZE YOUR LEGS (S) (23:35, standing/floor)

Miranda is on a beach. She starts the warm up shifting side to side, then she adds arm swings/reaches, twists, and arm circles (2.5 min). She continues with low back/torso stretches, shoulder "blasts," and side-to-side lunges with arm reaches (2 min); the "clock," "airplane," a forward fold/twist, and waist rotations (3.25 min); lunges with side stretches/reaches/twists (3.5 min); and foot/toe stretches, slow kicks with the knee bent, ankle rotations, and leg stretches for the inner thighs and backs of the legs (3 min). At the 14.25 minute mark, Miranda tells you to get a mat for floor work, which consists of leg lifts and circles (3.75 min); and a series of stretches (baby stretch, and stretches for the hamstrings and IT band) (5.25 min).

The production values in this episode are not the best; you can hear the wind in the microphone in some places, and the camera angles are unhelpful in others. Miranda tells you that it is good to work out with your shoes off for the health of your feet; I always do, so this is not news to me but it's still great advice. Miranda also tells you about an email she received from Louise from Ottowa, whose muscles became longer and leaner after using CS. Louise was obviously doing the exercises correctly (or so says Miranda)!

703 LOOSEN YOUR UPPER BODY (F) (23:37, standing/barre)

Miranda is in front of a swimming pool, at night. She starts the workout with plies, squats, and footwork, then shifts to shoulder circles, figure 8's, and overhead reaches/circles (4 min). She continues with a series of trademark "washes" (2.25 min); arm work, plies, and arm work with plies (3.75 min); and more trademark moves (removing a sweater, windmills, washes), twice on the first side and once on the other (3.5 min). At the 13.5 minute mark, Miranda tells you to get a chair for barre work, which begins with stretches for the achilles tendons and shins while doing calf raises, foot flexes, and leg lifts with the foot rotated inward (2.5 min); and stretches for the psoas/quads and psoas/hamstrings/glutes (including the "walking down a staircase" move) (5.75 min). The workout ends a final series of stretches for the upper body (1.25 min).

Miranda tells you that this workout is to work on frozen shoulder, so it is ironic that she starts with the legs and feet. While Miranda is warming up the upper body, she tells you the story of Susan from New Hampshire who suffered from frozen shoulder and after four days of working with Miranda directly she was able to dress herself for the first time in four years. Miraculous! Miranda also discusses the process of atrophy and why it's important to move, even if you have frozen shoulder. Miranda doesn't work the sides evenly in the last set of standing exercises, but the rest of the workout does seem to be even. The barre segment is particularly nice in this episode.

704 STRETCH AND STRENGTHEN THE HIPS (F) (23:58, all standing)

Miranda is at the Cinnamon Hill golf course. She starts the workout with side steps, arm swings, figures 8's, and a small bit of foot work (2.5 min), then she continues with stretches for the upper body and sides, including some trademark moves ("pulling on a bow and arrow," "lifting a heavy weight") (3.75 min); a series of lunges, including reaching to the side, twisting, and "windmills" with only one arm (2 min); full body rotations (involving a lunge on one side into a plie with a forward reach, and into a lunge on the other side), waist rotations, and overhead reaches/pulls (3.5 min); kicks to the front and side, leg circles, rotating leg lifts, and calf/achilles stretches (2.75 min); and plies with upper body movements into inner thigh stretches (4 min). The workout ends with hip circles and some trademark moves including "pulling a sack of sugar," "washes," "the airplane," forward folds, and lifting a "feather" (5.5 min).

Miranda tells you that a lot of people have "flabby" feet, and then she tells you the story of David from Tampa who, as a young man, had a motorcycle accident and then a work-related back injury; David found CS in his mid-50's and is now pain free. This workout felt more strength- than flexibility-related to me – especially the plies. Ouch!

705 TONING THE ENTIRE BODY (S) (23:37, standing/barre)

Miranda is at the Greenwood Great House. The warmup starts with kicks, hamstring curls, and toe taps, combined with big arm movements (2.5 min). The workout continues with a series of trademark moves, including "wiping the ceiling" (which progresses down to the floor and turns into low back stretches), "stirring a pot," and pulling a "church bell" (3 min); static plies with upper body twist/bends and half windmills (2.5 min); and a series of Tai Chi moves involving an imaginary heavy ball (which Miranda says is actually your opponent's head), more trademark moves (wiping the ceiling, pulling a rope, etc), waist rotations, arm circles, and a short side-to-side sequence (5 min). At the 13 minute mark, Miranda tells you to get a chair for barre work, which starts with shin stretches/calf raises (first on both legs, then on one while the opposite leg kicks), hip cleaners, quad stretches with calf raises, and leg kicks/raises to the back (4 min); and inner thigh squeezes and calf raises from a plie position, and stretches for the achilles tendons and calves (2 min). The workout ends with IT band stretches with upper body twists, windmills, and a brief spine stretch, all using the barre/chair (4 min).

Miranda starts the workout with a 30 second tourist talk about the Greenwood Great House, which was owned by Elizabeth Barrett Browning's family and is now a museum. Miranda is very chatty in this episode, and her imagery can be funny. She calls one of the leg kick moves a "saggy bum" workout, and another leg kick move a "spreading bum" workout. There is no CS success story for a change.

706 WEIGHT LOSS AND TONING (F) (23:34, standing/floor)

Miranda is at the beach in front of a lifeguard stand. She starts the workout with side steps and big arm movements (2 min); then she continues with a series of trademark moves (sweeping side to side, waist rotations, pushing a piano, pulling a donkey, etc.) (3.25 minutes); a series of karate-inspired kicks and arm work (2.75 min); and inner thigh squeezes, slow plies with arm and/or heel lifts, and side lunges with heel lifts (3.25 min). At the 11.25 minute mark, Miranda tells you to get a mat for floor work, which starts with leg lifts and circles to the side then to the front (3.5 min); and ab work (3.5 min). The workout ends with a series of stretches, including figure 4, supine IT band and hamstring stretches, and seated back and neck stretches (4.75 min).

Miranda tells the story of Elizabeth, who lost weight through changes in diet and exercising with CS. Miranda tells you that CS really "thins out" your muscles. (I hope she meant fat! I want to keep my muscles.) Overall, this is a nice workout but I've liked some of the others in this season better.

707 FULLY BODY TONING WORKOUT (F) (23:40, all standing)

Miranda is on a balcony by the ocean. She starts the warmup with shifts side to side, figure 8's, big arm circles, and upper body stretches (3.25 min), then continues with a series of whole body movements, including forward folds and hamstring stretches, "rocking the baby," torso circles, and stretching lunges (4.25 min); a "Caribbean spine" series (3.25 min); side kicks involving balance (2 min); half of the "clock" move and airplanes (3.5 min); and static plies with big upper body movements, ending in a brief inner thigh stretch (2.75 min). The workout ends with footwork (toe stretches and calf raises) and squash lunges (2 min); and hip cleaners and achilles/calf stretches from a forward lunge position (2.5 min).

Miranda gives several form pointers in this episode, some of which involve unusual imagery (e.g., opening a paint can as part of Caribbean spine). She also tells the story of Linda, who at 66 looks 40 and who credits CS with taking all of the "bulk" out of her body. This is a good episode to work on your balance because many exercises involve a balance component.

708 FLEXIBILITY OF THE SPINE (S) (23:42, standing/floor)

Miranda is in front of a swimming pool. She starts the workout with side steps, arm swings, figure 8's, and twists (2.5 min); then she continues with overhead reaches/stretches, pelvic tucks/twists/stretches, shoulder/spine ("rock the baby") stretches, more deep figure 8's, and pulling an imaginary rope (3.75 min); arm exercises (2 min); slow windmills, pushing/pulling an imaginary ball, table "washes," and reaching lunges (3.5 min); and a Caribbean spine series, ending with more figure 8's (2.75 min). At round the 15 minute mark, Miranda goes to the floor for ab work (crunches, oblique twists, scissors, etc) (4 min); and spinal stretches and half "superman"s, and child's pose (2.5 min). She ends the workout with stretches for the quads, psoas, and lower back (2.25 min).

This workout is slower than usual, and the stretches seem deeper. Miranda does a lot of trademark moves, but she doesn't call them by their usual names – her cues are ok so it's easy to follow along. At the beginning of the episode, she tells the story of Tammy who had herniated disks which caused her to lose the use of her foot; Tammy found CS after being bedridden after a bad surgical outcome, and it helped her with her recovery.

DISC 2

709 HELP FLATTEN THE ABS (S) (23:45, standing/floor)

Miranda is on the beach, at night. She starts the warmup with side steps, toe taps, knee lifts, kicks, and twists, all with big arm movements (2 min); then continues with slow spine stretches, figure 8s, whole body stretches/circles (3.5 min); arm work (2.5 min); and a series of mostly static side lunges with big arm stretches (3.5 min). At the 11.5 minute mark, Miranda switches to floor work, with side leg lifts for the obliques then more leg lifts, twists, and kicks to the front and back (4 min); a sit up sequence (3 min); cobra pose and some superman variations (2.5 min); and child's pose variations, cat, and cow (1 min). The workout ends with a few more leg lifts and torso stretches (1.5 min).

Miranda tells the story of Karen from Maine, who improved her posture, increased her bone density, and flattened her abs (which Miranda calls her "stomach") by using CS. This was a nice episode, more on the strength than stretch side. Miranda's cuing was not great at times, making her hard to follow, especially during some of the floor work.

710 STRENGTHEN HIPS & IMPROVE BALANCE (S) (23:35, standing/barre)

Miranda is on a balcony in front of a pool. She starts the warmup with side steps/loose plies and arm swings/circles, inner thigh stretches, and hip shifts/rotations (2.5 min), then continues with side lunges/big arm movements, hamstring and low back stretches (4.75 min); plies with heel lifts and then arm pulls in all directions (2.5 min); and windmills, a "front" airplane, and forward bends/pulls (2.75 min). At the 12.5 minute mark, Miranda tells you to get a chair for barre work, which starts with hip and IT band stretches with one leg on the arm of the chair (2.5 min); hamstring/groin/IT band stretches with a straight leg, combined with upper body reaches/twists (3 min); and windmills and "walking down a staircase (3 min). The workout ends with a series of side stretches and twists (2.25 min).

The barre work in this episode is nice and stretchy. Miranda tells you how your muscles are like "braces" for the teeth, pulling your body into the shape that you want. Then she tells you about synovial fluid and how it helps the joints, and how the latissimus dorsi muscles control your posture. Miranda isn't overly chatty, and there is no "story" in this one either. Overall, it's a nice workout.

711 ESSENTRICS WORKOUT (S) (23:40, standing/floor)

Miranda is in front of a swimming pool. She starts the warmup with relaxed plies and big arm movements (2.5 min); then continues with upper body stretches/reaches forward, forward "sweeps," and side lunges (2 min); the clock (3 min); a series of side lunges (4 min); toe/achilles/calf stretches and inner thigh stretches (2.5 min). At the 14 minute mark, Miranda tells you to get a mat, then does with side leg lifts, circles, rotations, kicks, and (first side only) figure 8's (3.73 min). The workout ends with a series of stretches for the low back, IT band, and hamstrings (4.5 min) and inner thigh stretches (.5 min).

Miranda tells the story of Nancy, a tiny lady in her 50's who got rid of her "bulk" and oiled her joints with CS. Miranda talks a lot (!) about lengthening and thinning the muscles in this episode. She doesn't work the legs evenly in the first floor segment. The stretches are particularly nice.

712 RELIEVE ACHES AND PAINS (F) (23:39, all standing)

Miranda is on a lawn at the Greenwood Great House. She starts the warmup with gentle washes, figure 8's, "zombies," and arm and neck stretches (3 min), then continues with more arm/torso stretches, lunges with pulls/pushes, more vigorous washes, and twists (4.5 min); a series of "Caribbean spine" stretches (3.25 min); a series of kicks (2 min); the "clock," waist rotations, and an "airplane" series (3.5 min); and static plies, some with big arm movements (2.75 min). Miranda ends with slow leg kicks into a lunge, for balance and to stretch the quads and calves (2 min); hip cleaners, lunges with spine stretches, side bends, and washes (2.5 min).

This episode is loaded with trademarks (most done without Miranda's naming them). It isn't pure stretch - the kick series requires strength and balance (which Miranda loses a couple of times), but overall it has some nice stretch sequences. I had a hard time following Miranda in spots because she doesn't cue all of the moves in a forward position, and the balance series at the end seemed like it was shorter on the second side. In this episode, Miranda tells the story of Paula, a ballet dancer who had fibromyalgia, weight gain, hair loss, and insomnia. After Paula found CS, she lost weight and reduced her pain.

713 STRENGTHEN HIPS AND IMPROVE POSTURE (S) (23:34, standing/floor)

Miranda is at the Cinnamon Hill golf course. She starts the warmup with big arm swings, circles, and twists then adds kicks (2 min). She continues with a series of slow trademark moves ("rope pulls," figure 8's, "cutting the air," windmills, etc) (3.75 min), calf/achilles/quad/psoas stretches, some combined with big upper body movements, and inner thigh stretches (4 min), and finger/arm work (2 min). At the 11.75 minute mark, Miranda tells you to get a mat for floor work which starts with sit ups, oblique twists, reverse crunches, and scissors (3 min); a seated twist series and hamstring/calf stretches (2.75 min); toe/ankle and IT band stretches (2.25 min); and pretzel/mermaid, pigeon, and forward bend/twists (3.5 min). The workout ends with PNF exercises for the inner thighs (press on the knees and release) (1 min).

Miranda tells you that she is in the location of the James Bond film "Live and Let Die." She also tells the story of Karen who had a miraculous recovery from a hip replacement due to CS. Miranda calls fitness "soft medicine," and says that it shouldn't be optional. This workout is very stretchy. Wonderful!

714 STANDING AB WORKOUT (S) (23:23, all standing)

Miranda is on a pathway at a resort. She starts the workout with side steps and hamstring pulls, both with big arm movements to the side and overhead, and shallow plies with arm circles (3 min). She continues with overhead reaches, a shoulder "blast," figure 8's, circles with a "beach ball," and twisting lunges (3 min); kicks while doing the "clock," in a semi-circle pattern, and to the side and back (4 min); torso and arm circles and washes (2.5 min); a short Caribbean spine series then standing quad/calf stretches from front and side lunge positions (4 min); windmills and side bends from a plie position (1.75 min); and arm work while contracting around the ribs (2.25 min). The workout ends with arm and torso stretches and a push/pull/arch/bend sequence (2.75 min).

Miranda tells the story of Debra who, by age 40, had had two C-sections and was on thyroid medication; three years later, she was off her medication and felt better. CS helped her feel healthy and young. Overall, this is a nice workout. It didn't feel particularly strength-oriented, as advertised, but maybe that was just me.

715 FEET AND KNEES (F) (23:44, standing/barre)

Miranda is on a balcony by the ocean. She starts the warmup with toe touches and kicks, combined with big arm movements (2.5 min), then she continues with overhead stretches, "pulls" on a "church bell" and a "rope" and a half windmill sequence (3 min); a static plie combined with twists and a windmill-like movement (2.5 min); and more (light) plies while moving a "heavy ball," and "washes" with twists (3.5 min). At the 11.5 minute mark, Miranda tells you to get a chair for barre work, which starts with toe rises (on both legs, then on one leg, some with kicks), hip cleaners, quad stretches, and leg pushes to the back (4 min); and dips (for the triceps), more heel lifts combined with squats and plies, and achilles/calf stretches (3.25 min). The workout ends with a series of stretches for the legs and back/spine using the chair (4.75 min).

Miranda tells the story of Donna, who had knee pain and "plantar fasciata," which was helped by CS. Miranda says that the secret to controlling knee pain during plies is tightening the quads, and she demonstrates this for 2.5 minutes in a static plie. Ouch? There is a weird flash card (?) during the transition to barre work – very bizarre! You learn in this episode that the leg pushes to the back are for "dropping, droopy bottoms," while the leg pushes to the side are for "spreading bottoms"; Miranda says that "bottoms" is such a funny word. Miranda ends with another CS success story, of a 66 year old physio-therapist who became taller after practicing for a year; Miranda says that life isn't over at 66, even though some people may think so!

DISC 3

716 BONE STRENGTHENING (S) (23:36, all standing)

Miranda is in front of a swimming pool, at night. She begins the workout by shifting side to side and then adding hip circles, twists, and arm circles (1.75 min). She then does plies (1.5 min); a series of slow, stretchy trademark moves (wiping the air, windmills, etc.) (4.25 min); Caribbean spine (3 min); kicks to the side and back (2.25 min); the clock and hamstring stretches (3.3 min); more plies (2.75 min); and hip cleaners, quad/psoas/calf stretches and hamstring stretches (2.25 min). The workout finishes with a final series of stretches for the back and legs (2.25 min).

Miranda is quite chatty in this one, and on occasion this interferes with her cueing. I don't take her anatomical banter too seriously (e.g., do muscles squeeze the synovial fluid out of the joints?). Even so, this is another nice episode.

717 WEIGHT LOSS WORKOUT (S) (23:37, standing/floor)

Miranda is in front of a swimming pool. She starts the warmup with side steps, hamstring curls, and shallow knee bends, combined with big arm movements (2.75 min), then she continues with torso stretches and figure 8's, zombies, overhead reaches, beach ball "circles," hamstring stretches, more torso circles, and overhead reaches (4 min); a series of kicks, the alphabet through O, and plies (3 min); side lunges/reaches, hamstring and groin stretches, plies with heel lifts, the clock, and waist rotations (4 min); and arm work (2 min). At almost the 16 minute mark, Miranda tells you to get a mat for floor work, which starts with side leg lifts, circles, rotations, swings, and figure 8's (3.25 min); and ab work (3 min). The workout ends with very brief stretches to the side, some arm/upper torso tightening moves, and hamstring stretches/twists (1.25 min).

Miranda tells the story of Donna, who lost 20 pounds using a combination of Weight Watchers and CS and who also cured a mysterious shoulder injury. Miranda uses this story to repeat one of her common themes that one must exercise while dieting or the weight will come back. Miranda doesn't time her segments to the music in this episode, so it feels a little disjointed. This episode is also a lot less stretchy than typical.

718 STRENGTHEN HIPS AND IMPROVE BALANCE (S) (23:35, standing/barre)

Miranda is in the hall or lobby of a building. She starts the warm up with toe taps and arm swings/circles that get progressively bigger (2.5 min), then she continues with arm stretches overhead and to the front, windmills, side lunges and plies with "Marilyn Monroe"s (reach to the side and then bring your hand behind your head) (3 min); plies with windmills, shin/foot stretches, and heel lifts, then hamstring stretches (3.25 min); waist/body rotations, airplanes, forward bend to one side with hamstring stretches, and overhead reaches (3 min). Miranda starts the barre work at the 12 minute mark with a series of exercises for the feet and ankles (mainly lifts onto the toes, some on one leg using a chair for support) (4 min); quad stretches (some while rising onto the toes of the opposite foot), hamstring stretches from a forward fold (some while raising the heels), and side and shoulder stretches using the chair (3.25 min); and hip/hamstring stretches, with the first side worked longer than the second (4.25 min).

Miranda calls this workout the "Fountain of Youth," after Margaret, who found CS at age 70 (8 years earlier) and is now more fit than all of her friends. Miranda explains the concept of "use it or lose it," and she also explains why "old people have skinny little legs and big fat tummies" (their leg muscles have atrophied from lack of exercise). This workout requires some balance, especially if you don't hold onto the chair tightly, but it doesn't have any pure balance exercises. Very nice!

719 LOOSENING YOUR BODY BAR WORKOUT (F) (23:47, all barre)

Miranda is on a walkway by the ocean. She starts the workout with torso stretches, a forward fold ("zombies"), and figure 8's (2.75 min), then continues with two rounds of hip cleaners and knee swings, foot work/leg circles, slow leg lifts to the front and the side, and leg lifts to the back (5.75 min); a series of plies with heel lifts separated by inner thigh stretches and squats with heel lifts (1.75 min); hip/leg stretches using the barre (3 min); quad stretches into dancer's pose and calf stretches (2.75 min); more stretches for the psoas (2.5 min); inner thigh/IT band stretches (2 min); hamstring stretches combined with windmills (2.5 min); and side/shoulder stretches (30 sec).

Miranda tells you this workout is almost all barre, but for the first 10 minutes, she is only lightly holding onto a railing for support. This workout was stretchy and lovely.

720 STRESS RELIEF (F) (23:22, all standing)

Miranda is on the beach at dawn. She starts the warmup with arm swings and circles, shoulder rolls, wrist/finger stretches, torso and lower back stretches, twists, hip circles, and bigger arm swings (2.5 min), then continues with more big, loose arm movements (stirring a pot, circles from the floor to the ceiling), tricep/shoulder stretches/pulls into side lunges, more trademark moves (wiping the air into pulls from several heights) (4.75 min); side lunges into waist rotations and more side lunges into circles and arm pulls/reaches (2.5 min); the airplane, forward fold while shifting side to side, and hamstring stretches to each side (3 min); windmills and washes (2.5 min); static plies with heel lifts, figure 8's, and bow and arrow pulls (3.5 min); side lunges into a move called "pulling sacks of rice," hamstring/calf stretches and leg rotations, and achilles/calf stretches (2.25 min). The workout ends with "rocking the baby," "lullabies," and chest opening stretches (2.25 min).

It is nice to see the dawn break, and Miranda is less chatty in this episode. There seems to be less stretching in this workout than in most "flexibility" episodes, and the plie section in particular requires a bit of endurance. There is no CS success story.

721 INCREASE YOUR ENERGY (S) (23:46, standing/floor)

Miranda is at the Cinnamon Hill Golf Course. She starts the workout with energetic "ball throws" and side steps (1.75 min), then she continues with large figure 8's, torso circles, and side lunges (3.25 min); arm work (2.75 min); and static plies, combined with large arm movements/stretches (3 min). At the almost 11.5 minute mark, Miranda tells you to get a mat for floor work, which starts with her trademark leg exercises (pulls, lifts, kicks, and figure 8's) (3.75 min); ab work (3.5 min); backbends, child's pose, and cat/cow (1 min); seated side bends and forward folds/twists (2.25 min); and seated arm and neck stretches (1.5 min).

The first 30 seconds of the workout consists of a brief history lesson, with Miranda telling you that she is standing in the exact location where Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote the poem "How Do I Love Thee." She then tells you the story of Diane, a 54-year old massage therapist who lost weight with CS and was able to ride her bike up a mountain near her home for the first time. Miranda admits that she doesn't work the legs evenly, and she says that you'll be "a little lopsided, but it's not going to kill you." The ab work feels fast, and perhaps a little uneven as well. The stretches, especially the ones for the neck, are a nice way to end.

722 STRENGTHEN AND SLENDERIZE THE HIPS (S) (23:41, standing/floor)

Miranda is on the beach, at night. She starts the workout with figure 8's, kicks, and side steps (2 min), then continues with "zombies," overhead arm pulls, and other trademark moves ("cutting the air," windmills, etc.) (3.75 min); toe stretches, slow kicks, the alphabet, and inner thigh and hamstring stretches (4 min); and finger and arm work (2 min). At the 11.75 minute mark, Miranda tells you to get a mat for floor work, which starts with ab work (3 min); and seated forward fold variations and twists (2.75 min). The workout ends with more twists, PNF exercises for the inner and outer thighs, calf/achilles stretches, and back stretches (6 min).

This is a nice, stretchy episode. There is some balance work, a small bit of foot and finger work, and deep stretches. Miranda loses count on the alphabet at one point, but, even so, she is even on both sides. Miranda tells the story of Cathy, who used CS to reduce her anxiety. Miranda says that no one knows why exercise helps emotional well being, but it does!

723 FULL BODY BAR WORKOUT (F) (23:16, standing/barre)

Miranda is on a walkway by the ocean. She starts the workout with side steps, arm swings, shoulder rotations, and foot work (2.5 min), then continues with trademark torso/chest stretches, side lunges with upper body stretches, and side windmills (4.75 min). At the 7.25 minute mark, she tells you to get a chair for barre work, which begins with achilles stretches, leg lifts, leg swings, crescent kicks, and back kicks (2.5 min); more foot work, combined with squats and plies (2.5 min); and hips/psoas and psoas/quad stretches using the barre (6.5 min). The workout ends with hamstring stretches, combined with one-armed windmills and twists (4.5 min).

Miranda reminds you to do these workouts with bare feet to help prevent foot atrophy. Miranda gets a little absorbed in what she's saying and doesn't seem to stretch the psoas evenly, but even so, this is a nice, stretchy workout.

DISC 4

724 SLENDERIZE YOUR LOWER BODY (S) (23:16, all standing)

Miranda is in the hall or lobby of a building. She starts the warm up with sways side to side, combined with big arm movements, and foot stretches/kicks (3 min). The workout continues with a series of trademark stretches for the torso (overhead reaches, pulling a rope, side lunges pushing down, and washes) (3 min); a series of kicks, hip cleaners, and one legged squats/heel lifts (4 min); windmill variations and forward folds (2.5 min); standing bicycles and squash lunges (4 min); and plies, some with heel lifts and others with arm work (4 min). The workout ends with a series of stretches for the achilles, calf, sides, and inner thighs 2.75 min).

Miranda tells the story of Jonathan Power, the world squash champion. It took Jonathan two hours every day to get out of bed because of his pain, but the footwork in CS helped him resolve his problems and go on to be the only two time world champion. Miranda named the "squash lunge" in his honor. The balance work in this episode is particularly nice.