Bottoms Up Gold

Well here it is 13 years later. I've used it on and off over the year and I'm using this workout consistently right now. This was my first Joyce workout and it's my favorite. I think my original review only addressed lower body and back. The upper body workout has a similar format - super setting between body parts. She does four super sets for chest and shoulder. She then does four super sets for biceps and triceps. Then adds on 2 extra tricep exercises. For all there is a 15 second rest between super sets. I'm not sure what it is about this workout but it helps me drop inches and pounds - only JV and TA can do that for my consistently. It's not terribly difficulty - but works for rebuilding strength (I recently broke a scapula). Glad I kept this one in all my fitness workout purges.

I was surprised that I could not find a review of this set here, so I am contributing my own impressions. First of all, I was surprised to find the Joyce and her daughter, Marthe, were not as toned as I expected in this tape. It was made in 2003, apparently after Marthe had another baby. Both ladies were much more toned in the 2000 "Fast Forward" tapes.

This set of tapes is divided into two workouts: Upper Body & Abs (70 minutes) and Lower Body and Back (45 minutes). Within these parameters you do supersets between body parts, and the pyramid system of light, medium, and heavy weights over 3 sets of each exercise.

Both ladies use very light weights. I would have preferred to see Marthe using light weights and Joyce much heavier ones, or vice versa. One of them needed to demonstrate how to up the intensity of the workouts by using heavy weights.

In this set, Joyce also demonstrates some modified exercises for those who can't squat or lunge (she mentions having had knee surgery).

I was mostly impressed by the sheer number of exercises demonstrated on these tapes. The floor exercises for thighs, for example, just go on and on. This struct me as a possible weakness of the set. Who really wants to do THAT many exercises per body part?

This is more of a break down than review. If you'd like to try Joyce, or want a somewhat slower lifting speed than her other workouts, BUGP is a good one. Joyce super-sets between body parts, resting 15 seconds between super-set. She pyramids where weights are used (12 - 10 - 8), you complete 15 reps where no weights are used (I'll * those).

Warm up stretches

Legs/hips

1. squat / back leg extension

2. front squat / reverse lunge lift

3. hack squat / seated horizontal scissors

4. seated leg extension / seated vertical scissors

5. lunge / standing butt squeeze (Joyce shows a lying option for these, Marthe stands)

6. leg curl / prone leg lift *

7. inner thigh squeeze* / lying butt lift*

(the inner thigh squeeze is done lying on your back. You lift one leg, then bring it down and slightly inward toward the other leg. 15 reps, then switch sides)

8. frog leg lift* / lying horizontal scissors

9. saddlebag stripper / lower butt side kick*

(she skips the rests on this super set because you change sides)

DVD clock says 38:00 at this point.

For the scissors, I place my hands under my hips and that feels more comfortable. Also, I like finishing all the standing work before going to the floor. Even with the rests, I always feel this one in my LB.

You can continue with back and calves or stop here.

Back/calves

1. leaning one-arm dumbbell row / standing calf raises

2. upright row / toe in calf raises

3. seated back lateral / seated toe out calf raise

I think this runs about 11 minutes - sorry I didn't catch the exact time.