Strong Stride

There are four workouts on this DVD: Dynamic Warm-Up, Program 1, Program 2 and Strength Training. Overall, the workout itself is pretty dry, but serves its purpose well. Lisa leads with four background exercisers in a small room with wooden floors. Her instructions are basic and clear. You will need a mat, light dumb bells and a resistance band.

Dynamic Warm-Up: Lisa takes you through a series of movements she does to warm up before each run. It only lasts 2 minutes and 30 seconds. It includes walking on your heels, taking a step and then alternate lifting your knees up to your chest, walking hamstring stretch, walking toe touches, lunges, lunges with a skip, backward lunges, lateral lunge and butt kicks.

Program 1 is a 45 minute workout and consists of six, individual segments: Glutes/Hamstrings, Hips, Hip Flexors/Quads, Core, Planks and Back. You have the option to play all or pick whichever segment you'd like to do on any given day. You'll need a mat because it's all floor work. You'll be doing work on the back, in bridge position, on your side and planks. The various moves are all pilates inspired and you will feel the burn without being rep'ed to death. It's a solid floor work workout that does a good job of hitting the leg, butt, abs and back.

Program 2 is a 50 minute workout and also consists of six, individual segments: Glutes/Hamstrings, Hips, Hip Flexors/Quads, Core, Planks and Back. Again, you have the option to play all or pick whichever segment you'd like to do. Of course you will be working your muscles groups differently in this program than you did in Program 1, but you will still need a mat for this all floor-work segment. In this program you will burn our your lower half on the knees, side and back. I found the moves in this program more of a challenge than Program 1. It really hits the backside, hips and inner thighs well. I can see how this would shape up your lower half combined with running/walking or any favorite cardio activity.

The Strength Training segment is divided into two, 30 minute workouts: Running Muscles (weights/no weights) and Non-Running Muscles (weights/no-weights).

Running Muscles (weights): In this 5 minute segment, repeated 3 times for a 15 minute workout, you will be performing standing and floor exercises for the upper and lower body while holding dumbbells. There are curtsy lunges, chest press & flys while in bridge position, weighted crunches, dead lifts, lunges and mountain climbers.

Running Muscles (no weights): In this 5 minute segment, repeated 3 times for a 15 minute workout, you will be doing squat jumps, push-ups, one legged dead lifts, squat jumps, lateral lunges, plank jumps and high knee runs.

Non-Running Muscles (weights): In this 5 minute segment, repeated 3 times for a 15 minute workout, you will be working your non-running muscles with weights. You'll be doing standing, bent over reverse flies, tricep kickbacks, plank with alternating side plank/row & press, standing side shoulder raises, plank with side arm raise, bicep curls and jumping jacks.

Non-Running Muscles (no-weights): In this 5 minute segment, repeated 3 times for a 15 minute workout, you will be working your non-running muscles without weights, but you will need a resistance band. You'll be doing seated tricep dips, downward dog push-ups, bent over rows using a resistance band, shoulder presses with resistance band, alternating bicep curls with resistance band, push-ups and plyometric lunges.

I would highly recommend this to a runner or walker looking to strengthen their stride! It packs a lot into the four different segments and the fact that you can pick and choose which short segments you'd like to do (or do them all at once!) makes this a great add on. The only part I'd skip is the warm-up. It didn't do anything for me, but it might give you some good ideas on how to warm up before a run!

This dvd has a ton of options & is chaptered very well! There are two ~50 minute workouts & two ~30 minute workouts to choose from. All are strength workouts that focus on improving your running - but are not limited to runners and includes a non-running muscle focused workout as well. Lisa works out with 4 backgrounders in a gym room and you will need dumbbells & tubing for some of the workouts. Modification options are performed by some exercisers.

Program One: (46 min) This pilates inspired floor routine really hits the legs & core. Exercises include: reverse pushups adding a leg lift, bridge variations, a tough pilates leg series performed leaning to one side while kneeling, single & double leg lift, reverse crunches, plank variations, and a low back series.

Program Two: (50 min) This floor routine will REALLY burn out your entire lower body!!! Exercises include: a long set of: donkey kick variations, side lying leg raise variations, and supine leg series. Core & lower back work includes: a supine core routine, a plank series including plank jacks, and breast stroke & cat cow.

Strength: (31 & 26 minutes) One focuses on running muscles and one on non-running muscles. Both segments include a weighted and non-weighted workout. Each workout is divided into three sets with a cardio burst in-between each set (jacks, plyo lunges, Mt. climbers). Exercises include: reverse fly, kickbacks, plank row & press, lat raise, plank side raise, bi curls, dips, pushup variations, band overhead press, curtsys, dead lift, dip lunge combo, bridge & pec fly, squat jumps, deadlifts, plank frog hops, side lunges, tuck jumps, & pushups.

I rate these program one high intermediate, program 2 as advanced, and the strength workouts as intermediate. They are pretty much nonstop and really burn out the muscles! Lisa is a great instructor & I found the dvd to contain some really unique exercises & plenty of variety (weighted, non-weighted, pilates inspired, traditional dumbbell exercises, etc). Very inclusive program at a great price. A lot of workout minutes that are easy to break down or add together (also includes a separate warmup). This dvd comes in a cardboard sleeve. I received this dvd to review.

This is a 2011 release by Lisa Watson. At the time of this release, it comes in a thick paper sleeve, not a plastic dvd case.

Initial thoughts:

There is a lot of material on this dvd -- I foresee it being an add-on lovers PARADISE! It has many moves that look like they'd compliment barre & TA, not to mention (duh, the obvious) running...

Main menu screen:

Program 1

Program 2

Strength Training

Dynamic Warm-up

DYNAMIC WARM-UP (2:30)

Lisa quickly runs through some moves that she does pre-run. I can't tell if this is meant to be follow-along, or for your reference to do on your own, at your own pace. SOME moves include: heel walking, tip toe walking (straight leg), hamstring pulls w/ arm reach, walking lunges, lateral lunge, high knees, butt kicks

STRENGTH TRAINING:

RUNNING MUSCLES (31:00 all)

~Running Muscles - WEIGHTS (17:20) -- curtsey lunge, bridge w/ chest press, weighted crunch, deadlift, forward/back lunge, bridge w/ chest flies, mountain climbers (2nd and 3rd sets are repeat footage)

~Running Muscles - NO WEIGHTS (14:20) -- squat jumps, push-ups, single leg deadlift, tuck jumps, lateral lunge, plank jump through, high knees (set 2 and 3 - repeat footage)

NON-RUNNING MUSCLES (25:45 all)

~Non-running Muscles - WEIGHTS (14:45) -- reverse flies, kickbacks, plank/row & press, lateral raise, plank/side-raise, biceps curls, jacks (set 2 and 3 - repeat footage)

~Non-running Muscles - NO WEIGHTS (10:50) -- dips, shoulder pushups, wide rows, shoulder press, biceps curls, pushups, jump lunges (set 2 and 3 - repeats)

PROGRAM 1 (46:00)

(can chose individually or play all):

~GLUTES/HAMS (10:39): lots of moves in reverse plank, bridge or table top

~HIPS (5:25): single legged moves/lifts -to the side- from a kneeling position (on knees)

~HIP FLEXORS/QUADS (8:20): on the back, "triangles" (bicycle?), leg lift variations, leg circles

~CORE(Core Back) (10:00): pilates leg stretch and crunch variations

~CORE (PLANKS) (6:00): several plank variations on elbows

~BACK (4:45): move on stomach such as Y lifts, superman, flutter swimming

PROGRAM 2 (50:00 all)

~GLUTES/HAMS (9:00): leg lifts variations on all 4s

~HIPS (15:30): side-lying pilates leg work, a la Winsor Bun & Thigh sculpting

~HIP FLEXORS/QUADS (5:45): on the back with lots of open-close moves for inner thighs

~CORE (Core Back) (9:30): crunch and V-sit variations, Russian twists, etc.

~CORE (PLANKS) (5:50): plank variations on hands

~BACK (4:14): back stretches/strengthening moves from a stomach down position

CONS:

You cannot skip a set, no chapter points between sets in the strength training circuits

echo-y at times

segments lack cool-down and stretch

some segments show pretty poor form by some of the backgrounders

PROS:

nice set (wooden floors, dark walls in back)

4 backgrounders in modest attire: charcoal fitted capris, yellow tanks

timer bar at bottom of screen, plus segment name

modifications shown to remove impact or make easier

Program 1 and 2 do include some stretching in between movements

OVERALL:

A dvd with great potential. The only major flaw is that there is no "program" or outline (that I have seen) to tell how to use it all. For the strength training, no info on when or how to use the different workouts (running muscles vs. non-running muscles...) or how to mix it in with running days.