Squeeze DVD

I purchased this DVD on a whim because I had a gift certificate to use. What a find for me. I do this workout consistently at least 3 times per week and it has already made a difference in my strength and muscle tone in just 5 weeks. I love it because it works the entire body in about an hour. The arm segment (for me) using 3lb. weights is amazing. My arms are more toned and defined than ever. It's all I can do to push through it, but it works. Love the last section with feet on the wall. Wow...was a new butt/hamstring workout for me. Really Good!! If I had to complain about anything, it would be the about the section with the leg stretch on the chair. I always have to pause it because she doesn't stretch long enough. Would highly recommend. Others may not find it as challenging as me, but for my age...late 40's, it's perfect.

Great lower body workout. I always feel this one. Great for balance and leg strength. Glutes get a workout too.

I'm sure this would be a wonderful exercise routine for many people, however, this was way to difficult with my physical ailments. Still glad I got it and could take some hints from it.

So. Tonight, I completed Squeeze ...I should preface this review by pointing out that I am a definite Barre gal and I know Lotte, I know Callan, I know Burr and that means I've been "burned" (remember Burr's "Dance of Fire"?) by the best so for these workouts I have very high standards.Squeeze begins with some fairly intense arm work. The weights are light - I used 3lbs and it was pretty good for what she did. My issue with her arm work (and a lot of other sections) is that it wasn't really uniform and she seemed a little sloppy in her form (although she gave cues, she just didn't follow her own instructions) and at some point, it seemed as if she was making it up as she went along. There wasn't a lot of variety here and I expected a new "method" ... hey, if she's going to call it Squeeze and describe it as something unique and different, then let's see it.The Tracy in the DVD had a pretty nice midsection but she looked bloated and pear-ish during the "in studio" shots. Nothing wrong with that if you're a regular gal but when you're a "trainer-to-the-stars" I want you to look the part. I want your look to be inspiring to me. Her arms in the DVD are not the arms on Tracy on the cover shot. Her body didn't look much like the cover shot and that bothered me more than it probably should have but I did purchase the DVD based on her credentials and part of that package is the body she presents on the cover.The switching back and forth between Tracy "in-studio" during which time she spoke directly to the camera and the "on-the-rooftop-in-Lululemon" wear, all urbanite music video with flowing hair was mildly distracting. The rooftop urban gal sections didn't add anything of value to the workout, just depicted what it would be like if you were, well, on a rooftop pretending to be in a music video.There was much arm work with a lot of reps but the exercises weren't really challenging in the sense of "something new and novel" but more tiring in the "same-old-arm-rows-but-twisted-sloppily" kind of way. They were tiring because she threw so many reps in with no rest between them but the movements weren't a)crisp, precise and tight; and definitely not b)deep muscle work. She was moving fast but her form and movements weren't consistent or uniform or clean. For a lot of the arm in front of the body work, it was kind of hard to see exactly what she was doing that made the work effective. Why not just add in old school arm work and leave it at that? Forming the "L" formation and criss crossing over the torso during arm work didn't make a lot of sense to me especially when one moment she'd have her arms at one height, the next moment they were at a different height :dunno: but it did engage the muscles. Something to be said for that but there are a lot of tricep exercises out there that could be made even more challenging in these type of workouts but ... hey, she's a professional trainer and I'm not but ... I do know what I like. :pThe "barre" work was not challenging. Burr, Lotte and Callan run circles around her on this. You would have to do a lot more than she did in Squeeze in order to take on the old school dames. Lotte Burke Bonus Blasts would knock Miss Tracy to her knees. It was like a mini-break during this time. Granted, if you've never done Lotte or Callan or Burr, the barre work will be challenging and you will be impressed and you will be sore and you will curse her like a sailor on leave. If you're familiar with the Old School Barre Dames, this will be a respite for you. I will give it to her on the stretching - the stretches afterward were wonderful.The floor work was interesting. The initial legwork wasn't very challenging and I was beginning to lose interest. Then she introduced what she called the "L" ... Said her clients called it "L" H*ll and then she laughed. That's never a good sign.This move was challenging and even produced protests from my muscles BUT I'm really not sure how swinging the leg around wildly like that, flexing and pointing and "digging" and scooping and twirling the leg accomplishes anything more than allowing Tracy to show off. That isn't the reaction you're looking for in a workout. It struck me that she wanted a "signature" move and this move is hers. I didn't like it mainly because she didn't set it up the way most instructors would, letting you know what you should be feeling and where or reminders about form. During the wild swinging, it would be easy to allow momentum to carry your leg and I didn't hear her giving any cues here. I had no idea what was supposed to be worked, how I was sure I was doing it exactly right and what the proper form was when the leg began it's worldly travels around your body. I felt this was a let's indulge Tracy move.The ab work was ok but by this time, I'd already made up my mind that I was sticking with Jillian's Shred (marvelous workout, just outstanding for crazy fast results), Callanetics Evolution and Miss Chalene's Turbo Jam for good measure. Callanetics Evolution and SuperCallanetics ab work by far is unbelievably effective. I didn't really feel the Squeeze work in my abs. Even today, I'm not feeling it.If I'd not had such extensive work with Lotte, Burr and Callan, this workout would be impressive and I'd think she was the cat's meow. Some of it is very challenging, some of it isn't. Most I didn't like.All in all, I give it 3 out of 5.

I love Tracy Effinger. I love that she does all the sets and reps while talking so that I forget how long I've been working out. I love her high-rep, small movement, low-weight philosophy. The "squeeze" basically comes from tensing, or focusing, your muscle. It helps make the most of the movement.You'll like this if you like....changing up your workout (you can customize it by selecting just sections or doing the full or quick workout)lots of varied repslearning proper forma high-energy, positive instructorusing light to no weight

In her Introduction to this workout, instructor Tracy Effinger describes it as a combination of yoga, ballet, and athletic exercises. Unlike with many other barre workouts, Tracy wears sneakers throughout here. She instructs live in an indoor studio setting, although during the workout, the scene shifts to images of her exercising on a rooftop setting as well. She uses light dumbbells for the upper body work--she recommends 1-3 lbs. but states that she is using 2 lbs.--and for the lower body, she uses a chair, a mat, and a rubber playground ball (I substituted a Pilates ring, which worked pretty well).The Main Menu of this DVD offers three options: Full Body Squeeze, Power Squeeze, and Custom Squeeze. Only the Custom Squeeze section has its own submenu, which makes the DVD somewhat difficult to navigate (more on this below). I have broken down each of the three workout options, including approximate times and brief descriptions of each chapter point.FULL BODY SQUEEZE (56.5m)*Warmup (2m)--Tracy performs the knees up/arms up usually found in barre workouts, but she also does knees/arms to the side. She ends with a forward bend stretch.*Arms (8m)--This segment definitely burns the shoulders; the weights might feel light at first, but you will feel it towards the end! Tracy does variations of lateral raises, shoulder presses, and chest presses; she also incorporates a bit of biceps work.*Triceps (4m)--You start in a traditional 1-arm kickback position, except that Tracy has you perform pulses with the arm straight; she does several variations. I felt this the next day!*Waist (3.5m)--Standing in a wide-legged stance and still holding the weights, Tracy does reaches both overhead and down to the ankles.*Push-Ups (4m)--Tracy sets up to perform push-ups on the knees, doing one set of 2-count push-ups and then a second set double-time. She also performs tricep dips on the floor, adding in a leg raise to up the challenge. A brief seated stretch for both the triceps and the hips concludes this segment.*Standing Stretch Series (<3m)--Tracy uses the chair to stretch the hamstrings: you will place one foot on the chair, stretching over and around that leg, and then repeat on the other side (nice!).*Legs (5m)--This segment also uses the chair for barre work. Tracy includes the v-plie, the wide-leg plie, and "the uncomfortable chair"; she also adds little twists, such as what she calls the "John Travolta move." She concludes with a quad stretch.*Seated Stretch (7m)--This nice long stretch segment begins on the floor with a camel variation, then moves into a lunge series which stretches both the hip flexors and the hamstrings, moving towards splits. Tracy ends with standing pyramid and standing forward bend.*The "L" (6m)--Here Tracy has you lie on your mat with your legs perpendicular to your body. She then moves you through many different variations on leg lifts to really get into the outer thighs and glutes; this is especially tough when you get to the SECOND leg!*The Abs "C" (5.5m)--This segment uses the ball, mostly between the thighs. Tracy forms a "C" shape with the torso and performs various curls in this position while squeezing the ball in place.*Buns & Thighs (4m)--This is a pelvic tilt series, but the unique aspect is that Tracy sets you up with your feet on the wall, with your legs forming a 90-degree angle. In this position, you perform various pelvic tilt variations, such as heels only, toes in, etc.*Final Stretch (3.5)--Tracy begins lying for happy babies pose (or dead bug); she also performs an lying straddle and reclined leg stretch. She ends seated in a full forward bend.POWER SQUEEZE (26m)*Warmup (1.5m)--This is a mini-version of the full warm-up; the side knee lifts are omitted.*Power Push-Ups (2.5m)--Here Tracy performs one set of 15 push-ups on the knees followed by a set of tricep dips on the floor. She again concludes with a seated stretch for the triceps and hips.*Standing Stretch Series (<3m)--This is the SAME segment that is included in the Full Squeeze. Although I liked this section, it felt VERY out of place here--you haven't even started working your lower body yet, so why are you stretching it out?*Legs (1.5m)--Tracy states that she will be doing one quick set, and this definitely is quick; you use the ball and the chair for one set of dips on the toes.*The Pretzel (4m)--This section is new to the Power Squeeze. The Pretzel is a move in which you are seated on the mat with both legs bent at 90-degrees, one in front of you, and one behind; you lift the rear leg to work you buttocks.*Abs (5.5m)--Although this is another abs segment using the ball, it is different from the section on the Full Squeeze. Here Tracy performs more traditional crunch variations as opposed to the C-curve curls.*Buns & Thighs (3.5m)--Again, you set up with your feet on the wall for pelvic tucks. This time, however, Tracy has the ball between her thighs, adding inner thigh work in addition to the glute and hamstring work.*Final Stretch (3.5m)--SAME stretch as in the Full Squeeze.CUSTOM SQUEEZE (38.5)*Triceps (4m)--SAME as Full Squeeze*Arms (8m)--SAME as Full Squeeze*Seated Stretch (7m)--SAME as Full Squeeze*The Pretzel (4m)--SAME as Power Squeeze*The Fold Over Plank (5.5m)--This is a a segment of glutes work performed from a hands and knees (all fours) position. Tracy does mostly straight leg lifts but adds a few bent leg lifts towards the end.*The Flat Abs (6m)--In this variation on the abs work, Tracy is lying completely flat, with one leg crossed over the other, performing small crunches that really target the lower abs. However, she moves into some scissors work that is fairly advanced.*The Windshield Wiper Buns & Thighs (<4m)--This is another section of pelvic tilts performed with the feet on the wall. In this segment, however, Tracy adds the knees moving in and out (i.e., the "windshield wiper" effect) as well as some 1-legged work.So, as you can see, this DVD provides a wide variety of options, including three different segments each of both pelvic tilts and abs work. However, I was quite disappointed that the DVD is not completely customizable. For example, I went to the "Custom Squeeze" menu hoping to select my own workout which would include the "L" segment from the Full Body Squeeze; however, as you can see from the above, the "L" is not included on the Custom Squeeze menu. The only way for me to select that section would be to choose the Full Body Squeeze workout option and then to skip through the chapters until I get to what I want--not very convenient! For this reason, I prefer Tracy's second DVD, Squeeze Stronger, to this one. Otherwise, I do enjoy Tracy's athletic approach to barre work and expect to get quite a bit of use from this DVD.