![\"\"](\"https:\/\/m.media-amazon.com\/images\/I\/51AlYODP-LL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nOctober is known as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and I have bought a new workout DVD from a Goodwill in Arkansas to prep for my upcoming campaign. Specifically, the DVD that I bought is called Shape: Makeover Your Abs, Butt, and Thighs- Fast! which features Lizbeth Garcia, a certified Pilates instructor. As of August 2024, this marks the second appearance of Lizbeth Garcia as a featured instructor; her first appearance was in On the Ball: Pilates Workout for Beginners. <\/p>\n\n\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/m.media-amazon.com\/images\/I\/41HEvMiEMGL._QL92_SH45_SS200_.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nThe front cover suggests that it includes a flat pink resistance band, but my copy did not come with the band. Instead, I utilized an unopened package of rubber resistance bands from TKO that have never been used before. On the day that I did the workout for the first time, I did start off with using the light resistance band and then increased the resistance as I progressed. My medium blue resistance band is actually a great substitute for the pink one that used to come bundled with the DVD, since the DVD packaging did not state the resistance of the pink resistance band. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Like its namesake, the workout utilizes the resistance band to target tone the muscles of the abs, butt, and thighs with Lizbeth\u2019s Pilates method, and she describes those areas as the \u201ctrouble zones\u201d that most women are concerned about. In addition, Lizbeth states that there\u2019s more to being healthy than \u201cjust being fit or thin,\u201d and the main selling point of this DVD is to get people to donate to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF). With the purchase of this DVD from the Shape website, a dollar will be donated to the BCRF to fund research and promote breast cancer awareness. If you or someone you know has breast cancer, you can visit bcrf.org<\/a> to make a donation or start your own campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Pilates workout created by Lizbeth herself is a fun and challenging workout that to tighten and tone those trouble zones mentioned earlier. In a few weeks, you will achieve flatter abs, tight buns, and thin thighs, and puts you in touch with your core (powerhouse in Pilates terminology). She describes Pilates as a way to \u201csculpt without bulk\u201d and every exercise in the workout utilizes the resistance band so your body will naturally respond to the movements. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Lizbeth then points out the students who are featured in the workout: Gina and Erica; Erica will be showing the modified versions for some of the exercises if you need them. The warm-up is pretty straightforward and consists of standing movements using the band; there is a reused audio track from Power 90: Sweat Cardio 1-2, which is where the audio track originated from. In this case, the exercises done in the beginning of this workout are designed to generate heat within the muscles so you are resisting the band with every movement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m not going to go in detail to the specific exercises mentioned in this workout, but I did feel the burn in my thighs and buns. To condense it down a bit, the majority of exercises featured in this workout are similar to those in my other Pilates DVDs. Lizbeth mentions that the usage of the flat resistance band in some of these exercises mimic the same movements done on the reformer, which is a common piece of equipment seen in Pilates studios. This along with the breathing cues (taken from Lizbeth\u2019s other DVD) are important things to keep in mind because they are essential to an effective Pilates workout. The execution of these exercises with the resistance band were great; they help strengthen and tone the lower body in a functional way that really works. <\/p>\n\n\n\n