New York City Ballet: The Complete Workout 1 & 2

I was never a fan of following an exercise routine on DVD. I’ve always felt the only way to get a good workout was at the gym. So when I received the New York City Ballet: The Complete Workout 1 & 2, I was skeptical.

The DVD box set contains two workouts: New York City Ballet Workout (beginner) and New York City Ballet Workout 2 (advanced). It’s narrated by New York City Ballet Master-in-Chief, Peter Martins, and accompanied by four New York City Ballet dancers who aid in guiding you (makes you feel like you’re in an actual class.) The first volume contains 17 exercises that focus on the following areas: warm-up, stretching, floor barre exercises, leg section and cool down.

After listening to Sarah Jessica Parker explain her love of the workout in the introduction (wasn’t cheesy and, in fact, added to the workout’s credibility), I put this swanky workout to the test. Actually, I should say it put me to the test.

The warm-up and stretching did what they were supposed to do—my heart rate went up, body temperature rose and, much to my surprise, I was already breathing pretty heavily from the basic ballet poses and combinations. The abdominals section is also demanding with back-to-back exercises that not only challenge your endurance, but actually make you feel and see what particular muscle you’re working.