I had never heard of a Flex-Band workout before. I knew there were resistance workouts with tubular rubber and giant rubber bands, but Flex-Bands are not like that at all. Flex-Bands are long, thin and wide: They wrap around your body like a shallow shawl and you use them as forms of resistance as you exercise your legs, back and arms.

The Flex-Band video is not Closed Captioned.

Review Lights
I will rate the Flex-Band video with our standard system of one to five Go Inside Magazine Review Lights. Five green GO lights are best while all red STOP lights are the worst. The results and comments I share along the way should not be taken as a guarantee of product or a promise of performance and before starting any new exercise regimen, consult with your doctor first to review your potential for working with the Pilates program. I’ll also place a text tag under the Review Lights so you’ll know the colors of the lights in case you choose to print out this review on a black and white printer.

Flex-Bands
Flex-Band Workout Video with Green & Blue Flex-Bands: $27.95
Flex-Band Regular (Green) = $4.00
Flex-Band Extra Strength (Blue) = $5.00

The Flex-Bands are a lot of fun to hold in your hand and their resistance is measured in thickness though they are awfully short. The blue band provides more tension than the green because it is thicker. You can vary the tension on each Flex-band by gripping further away from the ends of the band. I wondered how something so thin could provide so much resistance. I wondered if uncut toenails would pierce the thin rubber and decided to trim mine just to make certain no evil points would ruin my day. Don’t wear socks when you use the Flex-Bands. It’s important you feel the rubber pulling on the balls and the heels of your feet. Bare feet help you control the bands better than a socked foot can. Not all Flex-Bands are created equal! Beware that you buy the best bands specifically created for aerobic workouts.

(three GREEN, two RED)

Flex-Band Workout
55 Minutes
2000
$19.95
I was surprised to discover how enjoyable the Flex-Band video was to perform and I suggest this videotape as a “flexible resistance” introduction to the Stott Pilates method. The Flex-Band workout gives you a good taste of simulated matwork and Reformer work.

A “Reformer” is a special hardware system consisting of a rolling platform with pulleys and springs that give you a great overall workout. I hope to review a Reformer with accessories for you here in Go Inside Magazine so you can be taken to the next level of Pilates workout. A good Reformer can cost anywhere from $2,000-$3,000 US, so you don’t want to make a Reformer investment based on a whim. The Flex-Band workout will demonstrate modified Reformer exercises you can use try out right now for the $5 cost of a Flex-Band (plus the cost of the video!).

The Flex-Band is used in a variety of positions to provide resistance to build strength without adding bulk. The videotape is set in the lovely “STOTT” purple and blue scene with set pieces and dramatic lighting. I wish title superimpositions at the start of each new exercise had been included to help mark the videotape and help you memorize the names of the exercises as you make the move away from looking and into the realm of memorization.

The workout focuses 80 percent of its effort on the legs and I like that a lot because my left hip and right shoulder have a habit of popping every once-in-a-while during my Pilates sessions. The joint popping (actually, it’s more like a click) doesn’t hurt, but it does feel a bit odd. Until I can strengthen my hip and shoulder muscles so the joint won’t pop, the Flex-Band offer me a non-popping stretch that allows me to realize certain matwork exercises I cannot wholly achieve yet on my own. Using the Flex-Band for support, my ball and socket joints no longer pop (or click) as they move.

(three GREEN, two RED)

Conclusion
For more information, visit Stott Conditioning online.