One evening, I was having trouble getting to sleep, so I turned on the television and started flipping through the channels. At three o’ clock in the morning, there isn’t much of a selection of things to watch. However, through the myriad of late night programming and infomercials to choose from, one program caught my eye. It was an advertisement for a weight loss program called Fluidity. The first image that interested me most was a ballet dancer doing exercises at a bar. I have been a dancer for 19 years, but it was when I was taking classes four to five times a week that I was in the best shape of my life. Those classes, which included bar work and floor exercises kept all of my muscles toned and defined, but with the lack of time to take dance class and the lack of room in my home for a ballet bar, I’d given up on that form of exercise, rather opting for workout tapes like Tae-Bo. Seeing the dancer at the bar reminded me of how great, and how effective, a bar workout can be, without overworking the muscles or putting too much strain on one’s joints. So, listening to Denise Austin, the founder of Fluidity, and the team of doctors and customers who tested the system, I was interested to see if this system would truly give me the bar workout that I’d been missing.
Denise Austin’s Fluidity bar is based on a series of exercise movements called Callanetics. Created by Callan Pinckney in the early 1980’s, Callanetics is a series of small, non-impact movements designed to alleviate back, knee, and joint pain, improve posture, and strengthen and tone muscles. The Fluidity method consists of a series of same small, controlled movements used in Callanetics, however, now done while standing at, or sitting under, a stationary bar. According to Austin, the bar that is provided to work the system, because of it’s design, is completely stationary while assembled. However, to save room, the bar folds down to four inches high for storage under a bed or in a closet. After the impressive customer weight and inch loss testimonials, I was sold, and decided to call the number on the screen and order my own Fluidity bar.
The Fluidity bar system is a bit expensive, and costs a total of $240 with shipping and handling included. I was a bit put off by the price, but when the system arrived, I realized why I’d paid the price. The bar that came was beautiful, and very well made. It also had a bit of weight to it since the bar came fully assembled. All I had to do was place the mat flat on the floor, raise the bar to a comfortable hip height, and lock the bar into place. The entire system comes with Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced DVDs, a rubber ball to make the exercises harder, and two resistance bands, plus eating and exercise guides.
So, after setting up the bar, I wanted to perform my own test to see how well this system works. I was surprised to see how accessible the movements are; even if you haven’t danced before, the movements Fluidity requires aren’t too difficult to do, and are easy on your joints as well. I really felt that my muscles were working throughout the first DVD, and I definitely worked up a sweat trying to control the movements. After about two weeks of working out with Fluidity every day, I noticed that I’d lost a total of ten inches, including five inches off of my waist, which used to be my main problem area, and I really hadn’t even started to change my diet yet. The bar wasn’t completely stationary; it did move a bit, but not to a degree that was unsafe or caused me to fall over. I actually enjoyed the workout, which allowed me to continue, and seeing the results so quickly was definitely a catalyst. My back felt better. I gained more energy, and I noticed more flexibility as well. Overall, the Fluidity system is probably one of the best purchases I’ve made, and one of the best health choices I’ve made for my body as well.
