Due to a very busy period of teaching Body Combat and Body Balance during the BC46 and BB51 period, combined with  more Hatha and Power Yoga and day job excursions, I neither reviewed those releases and have allowed myself to get almost 6 weeks into the latest set (BC47 and BB52) before putting words on paper and screen.

For me Body Balance is a revelation at the moment with Jackie Mills continuing to turn out excellent moves choreographed almost lovingly to well selected music. Also the programme is very popular in Edinburgh and my classes are consistently full with waiting lists which just adds to the great feeling Body Balance evokes in me.

Tai Chi (Airplanes): Unexpected music this. A quiet piano introduction, followed by a modern pop chorus then moves into the sort of rap verse we rarely hear in Body Balance. The two moves are very simple and effectively repeated verse chorus verse chorus. It’s only just over three minutes long and is a short sharp introduction. Nevertheless this is the track I have received most requests to change and the feedback is that it is too repetitive. Personally I feel it is too short to be repetitive but sometimes there is a groundswell of opinion so I am changing this one soon.

Sun Salutations (Daylight): I was just starting out as a Body Balance participant the first time this exact same piece of music appeared as a Sun Salutation in BB18 (though for the detail geeks out there this time the track has been edited so that it is about a minute shorter). The moves are refreshing with a complete departure from the usual Sun Salutation sequence with Child’s Pose, Striking Cobra, Warriors One and Two and Three Legged Dog all making an appearance. The sequence is very quick as the track is quite up beat and as such it is very challenging for new people. But the flow of the moves is so different that this stands out amongst Sun Salutation tracks. I assume that the music was edited for timing reasons which is a shame I would have been tempted to try and use the earlier, longer version and maybe increased the number of salutations from 4 to 6.

Standing Strength (Give Love): The flow into track 3 is achieved by repeating the first part of the sun salutation sequence and this sets up the standing poses well and also provides a well needed couple of rests as the track progresses. Again quite a number of quick changes but by the end of each side the lead leg is burning and screaming for a break. Once again, as in recent releases, Jackie has overlaid subtle modifications to the Yoga poses that form the basis of the track and this adds to the interest. By the time we are in wide legged intense pose just waiting for the music to finish our legs are just about done in. Don’t let people come upright until they can’t hear the music at all.

Balance (If I could Turn Back the Hands of Time): So just what we need after a tough standing strength is a tough balance track and this really does challenge us to the extreme. The slower music helps to lower the heart rate, and the natural flow from pose to pose helps disguise the intensity of what is going on but by the end there is an epidemic of wobbling going on. I always tell my people that wobbling is good – in this track I’m not sure they believe me. The Tree to Half Moon to Warrior 3 is a great sequence.

Hips (Set the Fire to the Third Bar): Now the pace slows right down as we sink to the floor for the hips track. I love hip tracks that allow you to teach breathing and you need to breathe deep to get into these exquistive poses. For people who work their legs hard by running or in cardio classes this deep Swan Pose is perfect. With forehead on the floor it feels deep – and I almost want the track to be longer so we can stay down and enjoy it even more.

Core Abs (Love Generation): Well this abs track was already quite well known even before I launched it. We had all heard the rumours that it was nine and a half minutes long and had been winding the classes up about this on coming storm. I think they were disappointed when it turned out to be only slight less than 9 minutes.

Some have critisised this for being two fragmented, others have said it doesn’t really work the abs. Well once to “hear” the music changes the flow is actually quite good. And even though you do have to work hard to keep the effort in your abs rather than your legs – if you can it is a tough one. The knee to elbow cycling works well. I started counting my class down on the final 8, then cunningly adding another 4 on at the end (i.e. starting to count down the final 12 if you know what I mean) – and this has turned into a game over the weeks. You know you have them when you start to count down the final 8 (or so they think) then add another 12 then a final 4. They never do any more that the choreography says – but it works on getting them focussed.

Others have critisised the Lola Pose. It is difficult but you have to teach it in a fun way. And once people get over the preconception that it is all about arm strength – then they can achieve lift off.

Back (Crossfire): Holding Camel pose in this track for long periods makes up for the rapidly changing sequences earlier. In fact I can’t remember ever being given the chance to explore Camel in as mucg depth before, let alone have time to demonstrate 2 other varients. The Cat, Child’s Pose and Striking cobra is a nice flowing contrast to the initial static poses and by the time we finish in Bow Pose everyone is ready to have their strings cut so that they can flop back to the ground.

Twists (This Ain’t a Love Song): Very quirky music and a necessarily quick series of twists. We are in and out of this one before we have time to think.

Hamstrings (Stop Crying your Heart Out): Another Leona Lewis track and another one of her songs that provides an almost cinematic build up to the finale quite similar to “Run” which was used in BB46. Gorilla Pose is give room to breathe and extend before the music gets louder and we finish in a flowing return to the Tai Chi moves from the opening track. Great climax – but not quite the end…

Relaxation (Eternal OM):  Using this first, short, relaxation track to keep people in a wide leg forward bend to stretch their hamstrings for a little longer is a subtle way of scuppering the plans of people who usually dive for the door before the relaxation starts.

Relaxation/Meditation (Lux Mundi): The music is a little bland, but after that climax we don’t want anything complex.

So yet another great Body Balance release with some real differences. The Sun Salutation and the Abs track are almost experimental in their use of different exercises and I am certainly in favour of this. If the quality of Balance releases continues on this path then classes will remain full and waiting lists will grow even longer.

Over to you: I hope you enjoyed this review of Body Balance release 52. What did you think of this class? What about that 9 minute core abs track? Let me know your thoughts. Please leave a comment.