Crazy-Good Workout or Just Plain Crazy: Lastics

This workout testing quest has sent me up, down, around, in, out and, well...in some other I-didn't-know-my-body-bent-this-way positions. I figured Lastics would be a great way to wind down from all of my running around, but to my surprise, it was quite the workout on its own.

The Workout: Lastics is a stretching technique that's designed to increase your flexibility and body awareness. Its creator, Donna Flagg, is a trained dancer, so many of the moments come out of dance positions.
I came in expecting a guided series of stretches, which I certainly got. However, stretching muscles to warm up and stretching muscles to strengthen, tone and lengthen them is entirely different. In a carefully put-together sequence, we set up in particular positions (think alignment in yoga), and did a lot of pulling of our muscles in opposite directions. Sounds easy, right?
Um, it wasn't for me. I'm fairly flexible, and figured the whole thing would be simple enough, but I was constantly being corrected on my position. Apparently, I have a lot to learn about the way my body aligns, what a flat back or a hyperextended arm really looks and feels like...and at times, my left from my right. Honestly, I couldn't believe how bad I was at it! I'm not the kind of person who gets very self-conscious about screwing up in a fitness class, but everyone else (they'd all taken the class before!) looked so graceful and fluid that I couldn't understand why I was struggling so much.
That said, working extra-hard was a nice workout. I was a bit embarrassed that I seemed cognitively incapable of processing what was being asked of me, but once I was corrected, each position felt amazing. That was one of the things I really liked about Lastics--you know your muscles are working, because you feel the tension. And you know you're not working hard enough if you're not feeling it.
With multiple classes (or views of their DVD!) I can definitely see what a huge improvement this could make to one's form, posture and overall awareness of her body. I bet it'd be a great pick if you're in recovery from an overexertion injury; what you'll learn is as important as what you'll feel.
Intensity factor: 5, physically. Mentally, like, 95! I sore in some seriously odd places the next morning.
So, crazy-good workout or just plain crazy? It's definitely not crazy, and if you have the commitment and want strength and toning without a high-impact, fast-paced workout, this is definitely worth a try.
Do you like stretching workouts? Would you try Lastics?