Oh, The Glamourous Life!

Dear Constant Reader,

New review! I recently subjected myself to the “Burlesque Booty Workout” DVDs and this is what I found…

Best Assets and Rock Bottom by Gal Friday and Peekaboo Pointe (2013)

Each DVD follows the same format. There’s a stretching warm-up, then 3 segments each teaching a couple of burlesque moves which are good for toning your bum, each set of moves is followed by a 10-minute workout using those moves, plus others. You can also select the continuous 30-minute workout of all three workouts. Each disk ends with a toning workout from one of the instructors. On “Best Assets” that’s a Pilates-based core & leg workout (with a little upper body works) from Peekaboo and on “Rock Bottom” it’s a squats routine with Gal.

The instructors trade off teaching the individual moves, but they both do the workout, with one taking the lead. Sometimes the other one offers a side view which can be really helpful to see what your backside is supposed to be doing. They wear cute go-go outfits with spangly sneakers to add some burlesque appeal to the bumping & grinding workouts.

However, the toning workouts are all business. Gal’s has a lot of teaching about the different kids of squats. Peek’s is 24 minutes (yes, I was watching the clock) of pure ass-kicking. I enjoyed both and will probably incorporate aspects of each one into my usual fitness routine.

There’s quite a bit of overlap between the two DVDs with a couple of the same burlesque moves being taught on both disks. However, despite the repeated instruction, the workouts associated with those moves are very different. Also, there are moves that are taught on one disk, but then used in a workout on the other. If you do “Best Assets” first, you’ll learn some moves that appear in the “Rock Bottom” workouts, but not in its instructional sections.

Although the workouts are mostly focused on hips & glutes, there are still some moves for the upper body (stripper pushups, anyone?). Most of the workouts are done standing, but there’s some floorwork too, so you might want a yoga mat.

I would have liked to have had a cool down as well as a warm up, ’cause I was sweating by the end. A little less chitchat during the workouts would also be nice. There was a little teaching during some of the workouts, which slows everything down and I didn’t want to stop moving. Lastly, I do wish the 2 DVDs were completely independent of one another or had been packaged as a 2-disk set. I bought both of them, but someone who only bought “Rock Bottom” might be lost when the moves taught on “Best Assets” came into play.

The production values were very good, which I have come to expect from World Dance New York projects. I think these workouts were a lot of fun, a good workout, and you’re going to get very familiar with the butt isolation. Trust me.