Petra Kolber's Liquid Grooves

THE WORKOUT:  Petra Kolber's Liquid Grooves

REVIEW BY: Kritter

WHO CAN DO THIS: If I can successfully attempt it, anyone can. Petra's encouraging attitude and excellent cuing got me through a blend of modern dance, tai chi and yoga---all movements I've never explored. 

BEFORE YOU START: Make sure you have plenty of space.  There are leg and arm movements in all directions---you don't want to break the flow backing away from a piece of furniture. 

THE BREAKDOWN:  You can do just the warm-up plus one of the sequences, but if you've got the time the four sections really shine as one long workout. Awakening (the 4 minute warm up) flows easily into Sequences 1 and 2 (about 22 minutes per sequence), each section ending in a gathering of energy and a change of music, not a break in movement. It all ends with a 5 minute Moving Meditation of easy flowing moves, just music, no cuing.  I was surprised how much "taking it from the top" this DVD has, though thankfully she doesn't use that phrase and break the mood. New moves combine to make short routines, leading to two rounds of all the moves from both sequences.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: Not fat-burning cardio, but you can work up a light sweat.  The movements are simple, you decide how much energy you're going to put in---how far you'll stretch, how deep you'll bend. Surprise arm toning bonus---by the end you realize you've been waving your arms around for nearly the entire 56 minute workout.

WHEN IT'S OVER: You'll not only be glad you did it, but surprised how quickly the time went by.


GEAR AND APPAREL:  No special props, no special clothes.  

BUT IS IT FUN?  Now it is. I had performance anxiety my first few attempts because dance-y moves and take-it-from-the-top routines are not my strong suit. It became fun once I relaxed and could focus on my breathing and enjoy the movement. 

FINAL WORD: Revitalizing