Customer Reviews

10 Minute Solution: Blast Off Belly Fat

5 star:		(80)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I am a fan of the 10 Minute Solutions series and was intrigued when I saw this one was coming out. I was curious to see whether it would live up to its name and if it would keep my attention and not bore me with endless crunches. I have tried it and can definately say without hesitation, this is another winner. Each of the 5 workouts has effective and creative moves that really work and are fun to do. During each workout, I could feel the muscles working and could see a difference afterward. The last two workouts are more traditional, incorporating crunches, but they do so in a way that is not monotonous. The instructor is pleasant, but not annoying and she gives good modifications, if neccessary, along with direction as to how to do the exercises properly. I really am glad that I have added this to my collection and would highly recommend it to anyone looking to tighten and tone their waistline!

I picked this up in part because I wanted to take a look at the ten minute cardio segment, and in part because the instructor was featured in the Lotte Berk releases, and I wanted to see if she brought any of that here. Having done some of it, I think it's a great, varied program that can fit into a lot of people's schedules and, as a bonus, will work more than just your abs.

The first section doesn't include one single crunch but still has an athletic feel. This features pushups, front planks, forearm planks and side planks, with lifts for the hips (for side planks) or limbs (front planks). Of all of the sections, this was the one that felt the most Lotte Berk to me as she threw in some reminders about tucking the hips and pushing the weight back. I really liked this section, but then I like anything that doesn't require crunches. Seriously, I felt this entire segment through my back, arms and buttock as well as my abs.

The second section featured Pilates movements. I'm pretty sure that the instructor isn't a certified Pilates instructor, but she stuck to enough of the fundamentals to be respectable. This section included the Hundred, some of the Stomach Series, Roll Ups and a modified Teaser. Bonus: she also included some work for the back, noting that Pilates was not all about the abs.

The third section was the cardio segment I'd been curious about. On preview, she doesn't look like she's moving fast, and she does break several times to instruct, but it still gets the heart rate up. It felt like a hybrid of standing ab work and kick boxing, with an emphasis, obviously, on kicks and knee lifts. Here, too, she also included instructions for the tuck familiar to Lotte Berk practitioners.

The next section was pretty much classic, straight up, gym-style crunches. As I've said, these are my least favorite way of training my abs, but if that's what you're about, she packs most of the traditional variations in here: classic crunches, side crunches, crunches with one knee up, double crunches, etc.

The last section is a mix of the first and the fourth, with some of the planks and crunch variations. This would be a great way to get in some traditional as well as functional training for the abs.

Whatever your preference for training, this dvd should give you some enjoyable options.

Over the years, I've come to like the 10 Minute Solution series. This is quite a good one, but not my absolute favourite.
You will challenge your entire ab section in different ways. Plank work for the transverse abs and Pilates for the core, combat aerobics to hit and burn the fat and then regular crunches and ab curls and a little more pilates. I like having a dvd that concentrates mainly on abs because you can do these whenever you want - daily if you'd like. If you've done your walk or aerobic work, it's great to put this on when you've got a little spare time and it's easy enough but you still feel good for it afterward. The instructor Suzanne is good - her cuing is helpful and on the mark and it makes this easy to follow. I think this would make a good addition to your other workout dvds.

I have been doing The Firm workouts for about two months now and I like them a lot, especially since they combine cardio and toning. However, I had a baby by c-section 7 months ago and I needed a video that would focus on strengthening my core and four layers of abs since The Firm workouts do not include thorough ab workouts, in my opinion. So I picked this up and decided to give it a try, especially when I saw it had a segment called "Flat Belly Fast" which trains your abs to lay flat and I really need that after a C-section. I was so impressed with the workout, very challenging, it made me feel I had never worked out my abs before. The very next day my obliques were so sore and I could notice a visible change in my abs, they were lying flatter already after only one workout, I could not believe it was possible. Most ab workouts focus on the rectus abdominis (the six-pack) muscle and not enough on the obliques and transversus abdominis, which is actually the innermost ab muscle that allows your abs to lie flat (which is what we women want). Especially after a C-section, strengthening the innermost ab muscles is very important since I found that they got very weak after the surgery. This video is perfect for strenghtening your ab muscles from the inside out, which is the correct way to do it. Very effective, highly recommend.

I had another abs DVD "Perfect Abs" that I was getting a little bored with, so I picked this one up for variety in my routines. It was a good choice. There are various routines, all of which I find challenging, especially when strung together. You can pick and choose several of the routines and get a very tiring and satisfactory workout done in about 25 minutes. The toughest of the five routines (for me) is the Pilates series, which emphasizes precise control. This product is an excellent value.

Finally, I have found a video that I can stick with. The instructor is pleasant and encouraging without seeming like an exercize nazi. You can switch the order of the 10 minute segments and do as little or as much as you can. I usually do three segments at a time. And I can see results. I even look forward to exercizing, now, which never happened before.

My first thought was that this woman is evil. For someone starting off with pretty much zero abs, I had a lot of trouble getting through some of these sequences. I recommend the pilates and fat burning for those in the same boat as me. The 6 pack abs sequence? OW OW OW. Couldn't finish it. I'm not discouraged though, I'm still working at it, and trying to build up. I definitely feel it the next day. I'm not sure how effective it is if you already have killer abs... maybe I can let you know one of these days!
She's definitely fun and energetic, but not in that annoying way. I found this to be challenging, but mostly because of how out of shape I am!

I am fairly fit but found this DVD to be a real challenge. I think it's amazing, however! If you have never done any ab work (or fairly limited ab work), then you should look for something easier to do.

There is a decent amount of new exercise or variations on old themes to keep this workout interesting and help keep your abdominals responding. However, there are portions of this workout where you have to be very careful to watch your form-it seems my neck and shoulders take a beating during two of the segments. I don't think this workout is good for a beginner. Maybe starting with someone like Tamilee Webb and moving into this workout after you have mastered form.

My daughter and I love this dvd. Suzanne Bowen is easy to follow and the exercises aren't too hard to do. The 5 different workouts give you variety and with each only 10 mins. long you can make it as challenging as you like by doing as many sessions as you like. We've only been doing it for a couple of weeks and I can already see results.