Valslide Essentials

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This DVD has two total body workouts, Basic workout and Total Body Conditioning, and only uses the Valslides/gliding discs for bodyweight exercises (Val recommends that users can use dumbbells during some of the standing leg-focused exercises to increase intensity). The production is the best of all of the Valerie's DVD offerings, there is a clean, well-lit set, two background exercisers (male tends to perform the more advanced version of exercises), the exercises & rep numbers are cued on the screen, and there is music (more of background noise than something recognizable or something that adds to the workout).

The basic workouts is about 23 minutes long, has 3 chapters for each circuit, consists of a warm-up (movement prep), 3 rounds of (the same) exercises in a circuit w/ a short rest in between each one. Most of the exercises are cued for 15 reps, but some are 8 (leg curl/hamstring curl) and 20 reps (lat pull).

Basic workout exercises:

Reverse Lunge- 15 reps on each leg

Side Lunge- 15 reps on each leg

Push-ups (on toes or knees)

Lat pulls (lie facedown on floor w/ legs straight & arms straight above the head w/ hands on Valslides, upper chest & head are off of the floor, squeeze shoulders together to pull arms back, head is in neutral position the entire time)- 20 reps

Upside Down snow angel-15 reps (body in plank position on elbows, feet on Valslides, slide legs to the sides, as far as comfortable or flexibility allows & return to starting position)

Mountain Climbers- 15 reps per leg, alternate legs

Leg Curl (hamstring curl while lying on the back, can do both legs at same time or alternate legs)

One Arm Slide- 12 reps each arm, alternate arms

No cooldown

The Total Body Conditioning workout is about 27 minutes long, has 4 chapters for each circuit, consists of 4 circuits, and there is no warm-up in this workout (just jumps right in), but there are some stretches done w/ the Valslides for a cool-down. The exercise selection is very similar to the Basic workout, but each subsequent circuit builds on the previous, and adds a twist/variation to increase the intensity (ex. side lunge will be with arms to the front or side vs. keeping hands on hips, hands placed by ears/elbows bent during reverse lunge vs. keeping hands on hips), and some different exercises, too (new ones that I have not seen in Val's previous workouts). The last circuit consists of just floor exercises.

Some of the new or different exercises/variations used in Total Body Conditioning:

Ice cutters

Drop lunge (curtsey lunge)

Bird Dog (same quadruped position & form of alternating opposite arm & leg w/ movment, but the feet are on Valslides and slide vs. being held in the air)

Cobra (love this variation, lie facedown on floor w/ legs straight & arms straight in front of head w/ hands on Valslides. Slide arms back w/ Valslides while head, chest & arms come off of floor, & engage the glutes & lower back during the exercise)

Bicycle (both feet on Valslides, alternate sides)