By Amanda Flint

Poland Regional High School

Arriving home from school one day, I found my mom in front of the T.V., sucked into the infomercial for Winsor Pilates. She soon exclaimed “I ordered itit seems like a workout I could do!” Anyway- within a week we received the Winsor Pilates workout, and Mari Winsor herself said that this workout is “guaranteed to sculpt your body slim in as little as 20 minutes a day.”

You’re probably wondering what Winsor Pilates (pronounced pi-la-tees) is. Well, basically it is a dynamic sequencing of a special combination of controlled movements. The brochure that came with the video also explained that Pilates dramatically transform the way your body looks, feels, and performs. It builds strength without excess bulk, creating a sleek, toned body with slender thighs and a flat abdomen. I also read that Pilates teaches body awareness, good posture, and easy, graceful movement. Pilates also improve flexibility, and agility according to the brochure, which also reads, “No matter what your age or condition, it will work for you.”

OKAY! Now for the test. The package came with three videos: Basic Workout, 20-Minute Workout, and the Advanced Workout. I skipped the Basic Workout because I knew it would be too easy for me. My first trial was with the 20-Minute Workout. Winsor elegantly glided to the middle of the room on the screen, surrounded by her workout models, all beautifully sculpted, and oh-so-content while sitting Indian-style in the middle of their mats. The workout seemed to be working my muscles, without all the sweat, but I could actually feel my muscles strengthening. There are many movements with the legs and arms that work the “powerhouse,” or the area around the belly button. Overall, there are about twenty-five different exercises that, in fact work your tummy and give you a relaxing workout.

So, I’ve been doing Windsor Pilates for only a couple weeks now, and I genuinely feel like I’ve been getting a good workout. After most of the workouts, I found that my stomach was being worked, along with my thighs, back and “buttocks.” The only thing about the workout that could be a problem: I thought it didn’t give me a good arm workout. Being a cheerleader who likes to stay in good condition during the off season, I need to keep my arms pretty strong, so I find myself doing a couple sets of push-ups when the workout is over. Anyway, I plan to keep up with Windsor Pilates, and recommend you try the easy-yet satisfying complete workout you could experience (with a couple push-ups when the workout is over!).