Quick Toning Lower Body of Steel

Structure: 3 15-minute workouts; each has a 2-minute warmup, 11 minutes toning, and 2-minute stretch.

Intensity: Intermediate

Setting: a beautiful teahouse in a Japanese garden overlooking a lake

Workout 1: Buns. All exercises are done standing. Tamilee has some unusual variations on the usual lunges & squats. For dips, she has you put a washcloth under your foot (or a baggie on carpet) and slide your leg back, then pull it forward.

Workout 2: Inner & Outer Thighs. Great news - no lying side adductions! Again, all exercises are done standing. She does not use ankle weights but you could add them for some of the exercises. For one exercise, you use the washcloth or baggie again, sliding one leg out in a plie position then pulling it back in.

Workout 3: Legs. She does a lunge with the baggie or washcloth under the forward foot - you slide it forward then pull it back. This exercise made me realize my legs weren't as strong as I thought! She does some calf pumps, then ends with some floor exercises that I've never seen before, that work the hamstrings, shins, and ankles.

I really enjoyed this tape. The exercises are different than the usual lower body work, the setting is beautiful, and Tamilee is a wonderful and motivating instructor.