Tonique: Hamptons Sunset Express

Title: Hamptons Sunset Express

Instructor: Sylwia Weisenberg

Time: 25 Minute downloadable workout (toniquefitness.com; $5.99)

Level of Difficulty: Advanced

Production quality: medium

Equipment used: light weights (about 3# each) or you could do without weights

There are a lot of things I love about Hamptons Sunset Express, in fact I think it may be one of my favorite Tonique workouts ever. It is a little shorter at 25 minutes, a much more doable timeframe than some of her other newer workouts which range up to over 2 hours in a workout (Femme Fatale Phase 2). Also, every workout Sylwia puts out seems more and more dynamic. Not just for your lower body anymore, Sylwia has really structured her exercises to be more total body with tons of work done in plank and downward dog, and tons of pushups mixed throughout. The music is interesting and I recognize some of the tunes from Femme Fatale and maybe from Royale. As the title would suggest, this workout is set outside along what looks to be a cliff in the Hamptons at sunset and is very pretty.

In a nutshell I would call this "Royale Jr" because the length is significantly shorter (25 vs. about 80 minutes) but the intensity is the same and there is a lot of back to back upper body work before the more classic Tonique lunge work. The workout starts in downward dog with swinging leg back then lunge forward and pushup; grab weights for an interesting leg push-through and shoulder press move; arm then reaches down towards your ankle in downward dog then stretch up above you in plank; kick leg out to side while in downward dog then curl knee beneath you in a torso twist (works the abs); repeat on the other arm/leg. In my experience if you can get past the first 7 or so minutes, then the rest of the workout flies by.

Next, stand for a series of squat jumps then into some traditional Tonique style leg work - curtsey lunges with leg raise to the side; static curtsey with weights pushing towards feet then above head with a mini torso twist; deep curtsey lunges with side kick. Repeat on the other leg. Then into one arm burpee with arm push forward and back in plank (repeat on other arm). Then stand for more jumping with the weights, deep squats into sort of a chair pose style squat and back out, jumping jacks with the weights. Pushups with leg swinging back and knee in. Stand for some squats with hands clasped and moving in a circular motion, then repeat the pushup sequence on the other side.

This workout goes by fast and definitely works out all the major muscle groups. Working the arms, then legs, some cardio, (abs mostly worked indirectly), this workout really just hits everything in a condensed amount of time. And it is FUN! Going at Sylwia's pace, I would call this advanced, even for a shorter workout. However, go at your own pace and you can make it a little easier.