Reviewed by the Boulder Daily Camera -- January 8, 2008

Instructor: Sarah Schutzendorf, of Boulder. She has been teaching the class for one-and-a-half years and working out at The Workout Studio for five. She majored in physical education at played tennis and lacrosse in college.

Who does it? Class was nine women of varying ages and physical conditions, including a woman who was pregnant and another who had never lifted weights before.

When: 12-12:45 p.m. Saturday.

Level: Class is a beginning/intermediate class that focuses on strength, not cardio. On a 10-point scale, it was about a three.

Format: Exercises vary weekly, but include a warm-up and series of circuits using free weights, machines and sometimes partner work.

Equipment: A wide range of equipment, spanning weights, machines, mats and balance balls.

What to wear: Normal exercise clothes and shoes.

Muscles worked: Full-body workout.

One new move: Hanging leg raises. Raise your legs or knees to your chest using your abs. I have done this on a "captain chair" before, but the hanging version requires more control to not swing, and also works better with smaller body frames. I don't fit well in standard chairs, which can mess with my form.

What's different: This class is all women, which is comfortable and friendly, yet it is more difficult than typical women's-only weights classes.

What I loved: The emphasis on abs and lower body, which I think most women want to focus on. I liked doing crunches on a slanted bench with a balance ball under my lower back. It assured a max difficulty in a short time. I would especially recommend for women new to lifting weights to help with proper form and get group support. A very welcoming and uplifting atmosphere.

What I didn't like: There was a lot of down-time between the partner exercises that I would have liked to use for stretching or optional light cardio.

Inspiration for class: Class came from the demand of women at the center.

What others say: "I like that it's 45 minutes -- a good workout quickly. She mixes it up a lot so it has good variety." -- Carly Brantz, of Boulder.

How I felt after the class: Not too exhausted, but it was a great start to my Saturday.

How I felt later: My core was sore.