Tough. Challenging. Amazing.

That’s how people described the LAST Body Balance release. Is release number 66 in the same league?

In truth the new class treads a different path.

In the last class, from the start of the Standing Strength track until the end of the Core Back track, were 29 minutes of relentless strength and stretch work. Even the Balance track felt like a Standing Strength.

Les Mills Body Balance release 66 combines a great choice of music with equally challenging moves. But there are lighter moments. The Balance track floats and doesn’t sting. You have to dig deeper to find the intensity and for that reason some people might find this class easier than the last one.

Let’s have a look at the tracks (and you can click on the links to find the songs on Amazon).

Tai Chi Warm Up: Bridges – Broods

This beautiful Tai Chi sequence reminds me of some of the warm ups back in the 20s. That’s almost 10 years ago. Arm circles with gentle torso rotation and then adding in wide sweeping sun rise style arm patterns.

Large portions of the song have no beat in the music so you have to feel the moves much more. It can be quite tricky at first but once the moves sink in you can just go with the flow of the sounds.

Sun Salutations: Listen to Soul, Listen to Blues – Platinum Fortune

A very different feel to this Sun Salutations track. Normally we progress through four, maybe six, rounds of the sequence. Here we spend time experiencing a few movements in the sequence on their own. Building up to the full routine after about two minutes.

I like the creative way the choreographers created a power sequence out of the plank, crocodile, upward dog and downward dog part of the salutation by cutting those moves from 8 beats to 4 beats of the music. Again tricky to master at first but variety and challenge once grasped.

Standing Strength: Hold On – Colbie Caillat

Equally as tough as the Standing Strength from the last release, you really do have to “Hold On” to get to the end of this one. The moves flow together especially the quick switches from Extended Warrior pose to Sun Warrior pose.

By the time we shift into Floating Half Moon pose our supporting leg is crying out for respite. Having said that, whilst the notes say Floating Half Moon, the teachers on the instructor masterclass DVD look like they are closer to Warrior 3 pose towards the end.

Holding on for a few more seconds after the music fade on each side burns your glutes.

Balance: Say Something – Jump Crusader

Quiet. Serene. Floaty. The song is gorgeous and the moves feel light. However find depth in each pose and you will challenge yourself. Don’t let this sequence feel like a rest after the fire of the standing strength track.

Eagle pose. Tree pose. And finally Flower pose (making its first appearance in Body Balance I think) create a smooth flow of moves.

Remember though that Flower pose is not Dancer’s pose despite the similarities. Flower pose moves on a horizontal plane and the more familiar Dancer’s pose works vertically.

Hip Openers: Stolen – Dashboard Confessional

Cow Face pose (and we see the half and full varieties here) isn’t the easiest of seated hip opening poses for blokes. Always intense, stretching and opening though which is what we want.

Short and sweet, by the time we move into full Cow Face pose I feel like I’ve tied myself into a knot and reinvented myself as a pretzel.

Core Abs A: Holdin On – Flume

The first of two Core Abs tracks. For the first time teach here’s an opportunity to tease the class as it’s the shortest ever Core Abs track. Then surprise them with the second and much longer one.

I love the variation on the side plank here. Squeeze your glutes and push your hips forward slightly in this move and lift high and you will feel your abdominals catch fire. We’re not here for long but I’d like to see this move back for longer next time. In fact I’ve stolen it for my Power Yoga classes. Very challenging.

Core Abs B: Come On, Get In – KT Tunstall

Relentless. Fitting the upbeat music perfectly we cross crawl, crunch and finally rest on the edge of our hip bones  for leg extensions and scissors all of which fry the muscles in the side of our abdominals. You’ll hear more moans and groans from this routine than any in Body Balance release 66.

Core Back: Make you Mine – Benny Tipene

Another short and simple track which can seem easy unless you look for intensity in the moves. Intensity is there though. Dancing Horse (is that really a pose name or did Jackie Mills make that up?) works all the right muscles and Bow pose always provides a challenge.

I don’t think we are in that last hover for long enough though.

Twists: Spaceship Coupe – Justin Timberlake

Possibly the longest Twists track in Body Balance history. Feeling more like three separate sequences, they could almost have chosen a different piece of music for each and not this extended, almost seven minute long Justin Timberlake epic.

Firstly we experience a tough standing twist routine with Twisted Intense Pose, Twisted Lunge and Revolved Triangle. When you rise after the “right” side feel how strained your right leg is.

Secondly we flow through a seated sequence which lowers the intensity a touch.

Finally we finish with supine twists setting us up for the finale.

A very clever progression of moves. Love it.

Forward Bends/Hamstrings: Can’t Help Falling In Love – Ingrid Michaelson

A beautiful but short Hamstrings track with Happy Baby pose culminating in Bridge pose. Perhaps it feels two short? I’m inclined to extend some of the stretches and overflow into the lengthy relaxation.

Meditation and Relaxation: Angels of Presence – Aeoliah

Long, calm, peaceful and serene.

Les Mills Body Balance release 66 would always struggle in the wake of the stunning number 65. Participants have found it “easier” until they discover its hidden intensities. If you view the class without the context of the release it follows then I think this is another great class with many positives and very few, if any negatives.

Now it’s your turn:

Do you agree with my review of Les Mills Body Balance release 66? Let me know your thoughts. Please leave a comment or post a link to your own review.