Gymstick Muscle Master Workout
Reviews from VideoFitness
Jonelle Menard, along with her two background exercisers Isabelle and Sonya, bring a total body "fun" workout utilizing the Gymstick. No other equipment is necessary, making it great for travel or for those times when you don't feel like dragging out tons of equipment. Sonya offers modifications throughout the workout making it appropriate for all fitness levels. (you can increase your intensity by using a heavier Gymstick or by simply twisting the stick to tighten the resistance that you are pulling against as Joelle often shows)
The workout was produced by Greg Twombly so the production is good. The set is bright and well lit. The music is instrumental with a fast paced beat. The menu is as follows:
Warm-up
Standing Gymstick Exercises
Sitting Gymstick Exercises
Stretch
You'll begin with a moving chasse with a walk 4. You'll then add a step repeater squat. (when not used for toning, the Gymstick is used to enhance the cardiovascular benefits) Next is a V step front and back, walk it out then perform an upright row. Jonelle adds progressively to each combo, tweaking it by adding a small change here & there to keep it challenging. (your heart rate will go up and the fun factor keeps increasing with each new progression)
The standing exercises use the Gymstick with the bands looped around each foot. The movements are quick (just enough to keep the heart rate up), allowing a higher than average calorie burn for a strength workout. You'll begin with side squats and rear lunges. Jonelle then adds some upper body moves: reverse biceps and upright rows. Next you'll add a chest press and military press. Once you've learned the "trio" of exercises (Joelle does this for each combo), you'll go through them again. Next is a close grip bicep curl with plie. (she'll add several foot rotations to really work those inner thighs deeply) Tempo lunges follow. She adds a progression to the lunges by doing a one arm shoulder raise, grab the bar with the other arm, then raise and grab bar again with the working arm and perform a one armed bicep curl. This is the 2nd trio. Lunge, cross, kick & kick, squat starts the next set. Squat, rotate, then stand tall and do 3 small rear kicks. (this is a trickier combo, some practice may be necessary but it is a good glute firmer) One arm rows are next. Joelle then adds an elbow in rotation. Triceps extensions follow. Double arm rows with rotation are next. Forward lunges with a side toe point out work the inner thighs. Next up is another inner thigh move: an inner thigh standing leg lift. The next set begins with some unique exercises along with more traditional ones such as plies. You'll push against the resistance of the bar to work triceps and rear delts. The next set utilizes curtsy lunges and also uses the resistance of the bar to work the chest. That concludes the standing sequences.
The floor/sitting exercises begins in a plank position. You'll perform hip extensions from this position with the loop still around each foot. The instability of this move really strengthens the core. Next you'll flip over and sit. Then you'll lean back for 2 counts, hold, then come back up for 2 counts working the abs. Joelle agains adds instability here which increases intensity. She also adds a biceps curl. Then to make it even harder, you'll raise the feet off the floor, like in boat pose in yoga. The next move is one that will fire up the triceps, rhomboids and rear delts! You'll still be seated but the bar will be behind your back and from this position you'll perform a long arm extension followed by a wide grip row. Next up is an inner thigh leg lift, repeating several times each side. A bridge move works the glutes. Next you'll move onto the stomach and perform a flexion/extension move to work the triceps. To work the lower back you'll raise both the arms and legs off the floor and make it harder by moving the legs apart, with the Gymstick providing additional resistance. This finishes this section.
You'll conclude the workout with a well deserved stretch. Here the music slows down and Joelle takes you through a nice standing sequence using the stick for balance or to deepen the stretch.
This is a great workout that provides both cardiovascular and muscular benefits in one "go to" workout!