Denise Austin keeps it short and simple. The prenatal workout is easy, more suited for moms in the third trimester or those who were not following a fitness program prior to pregnancy. My favorite prenatal workout is the more recently released Leisa Hart's Fit Mama, but this one is okay. My main problem with Denise's video is that she frequently interjects the routine to demonstrate the proper technique. In Leisa's video they show the demo side by side with the workout. Here is a summary:PRENATAL WORKOUT:
INTRODUCTION (6 min) - A pregnant and young-looking Denise asks "her doctor" questions about pregnancy and exercise. This section also features ACOG guidelines and a summary of what to expect in her video.
WARM-UP (6 min) - Cool Motown music! Denise and two other pregnant women workout on a wooden floor set with two floating (?) windows in a fake sky. Denise cuts into the routine to demonstrate a plie.
LOW-IMPACT AEROBICS (15 min) - Moves are very simple. After 2.5 minutes she interjects to show a proper grapevine move. Takes heart rate 3 times. Bicep and tricep workout seemed too short. Denise doesn't always cue well, and her participants stutter step from time to time.
ABS & THIGHS (5 min) - I really felt it in my thighs! Abs routine was quick.
STRETCH / COOL DOWN (3 min) - Denise leads you through "active relaxation" which is basically lying down on a pillow.
INTERLUDE (3 min) - Meet Denise's first child Kelly and babies of two participants. Denise poses post partum questions to doctor from introduction.
POSTNATAL WORKOUT:
INTRODUCTION (4 min) - How do Denise and her crew look so FIT so soon after giving birth (all 3 have flat abs). The high energy classical music sounds cool.
AEROBICS (9 min) - Denise has a new attitude just like the music said, but her moves are not necessarily new.
FLOOR WORK ( 9 min) - Denise shows how to check for the separation of the rectus abdominal, which I thought was very helpful. Includes Kegels, pelvic tilts, crunches, buttock lifts. I was hoping Denise would share secrets on how to flatten postbaby abs, but the ab routine was disappointingly short.
