As for Crawford, she is her supermodel self, but still warm and amicable—her infectious girl-next-door personality seeping through every frame. “I want you to feel empowered and energized,” she exclaims at the beginning. There’s an incredible dichotomy: Crawford with her signature blowout, but with the genuine sweetness that’s apparent in her backstage interviews, or in her MTV “House of Style” videos.
And while it has plenty of artistic flair, what makes the workout so addictive is that it feels believable. (Trust me, I can still feel the burn in my triceps from doing Crawford’s solo chair workout). Even though these reps are dictated by a living, breathing supermodel, it somehow feels approachable. We know that Cindy actually does these workouts! She twists, she turns, then we get wacky moments like Crawford taking a break and guzzling a bottle of water, recalling that epic Pepsi commercial. (There are some funny crotch shot moments, too, but we’ll chalk those up as very detailed instructionals.). The best moments are when Crawford comes a little undone in that New York studio, messy top bun and all. “Try to keep your knee up on those: I know it’s hard but you get more benefit,” she says, swinging her leg across her body. It’s highly produced, yet it still feels raw: we even see Crawford out of breath at various points.
So, does the workout actually work? Well, yes. Physically, it may be no different than the Alo Yoga-wearing babes of YouTube offering 10-minute butt-toning service workouts. But with Cindy, we know we’re getting the real deal, and the way she instructs us to do a high kick prompts a reassuring burn in the glutes. But even without the fitness element, just watching Cindy squat on the beach is a joy in and of itself. Really, it’s just as much fun to watch as it is to participate—and how many workout videos can you say that about?
