Piyo!

My zumba teaching sister took the summer off and in the process got me hooked on a new way to exercise. Have y'all ever heard of piyo? It is a mix of yoga and pilates in DVD format so you can exercise at your own pace at home. You don't need a ton of supplies to do piyo, although a yoga mat makes it more comfortable. The exercises are designed to use your body weight.

I'm pretty picky about DVD exercise instructors. I don't like the fake peppy, or the screaming varieties. Chalene is neither of those. She is genuinely enthusiastic and she has an adorable personality. She also has assistants demonstrate modifications throughout the whole workout sessions for a range of difficulties. You always have someone to watch, regardless of your personal abilities. That means I can watch Chalene or her more advanced assistant during the parts that rely on balance and leg strength and then switch my attention to the "easy" assistant for arm exercises.

There are a variety of work outs in the DVD set so you can pinpoint what you want to work out and for how long. The upper and lower body sections are about 20 minutes each, Buns is around 30 minutes, and Sweat is a whole 40. I haven't tried any of the others yet but let me tell you, sweat is hard. I have yet to make it through the whole thing!

Have y'all tried piyo? Melinda told me she took a class or two, but didn't care for it. As with all fitness classes, a lot of the enjoyment and effectiveness depends on the instructor. Even if you haven't fallen in love with your local piyo class, you should still check this set out. And let us know your progress! I have yet to do a whole push up with correct form. See, I wasn't kidding earlier when I mentioned the easy versions of arm exercises!

We aren't sponsored by Piyo, Chalene, or Beach Body Workout. No freebies here!