Customer Reviews

Bellydance Fitness for Beginners: Slim Down [VHS]

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I am currently trying to get back into shape after not exercising for about three years. Because of this, I find that I have to stick to lower impact videos. I bought Bellydance for Beginners-Fat Burning on a whim over Christmas and have since purchased both Basic Moves and this video. Though I enjoy all of them this one is my favorite by far.

Visually, it's a little bit glitzier than the others. The set is the same room but colorful drapes and pillows have been added to decorate it so it doesn't look like a big empty room anymore. Also the country "landscape" has changed to something like a city at night. The girl's costumes have also changed for the better to shinier fabrics and more fancy hip scarves. The music is much better as well -- sassier and more energetic! I was surprised however that the choregraphed dances during the credits have been removed and replaced with a montage of 30 sec clips of the twins dancing!

Workout wise, this is FUN! The thirty minutes absolutely fly by. This video is much more of a cardiovascular workout than any of the others. You "genie bounce" in between the various toning moves(it's a bouncy way of stepping side to side.) There's quite a bit of jumping and hopping throughout and this video gets my heart racing more than any of the others did. Part of this is because the moves are pretty FAST. I recommend starting out with the Basic Moves video first in order to learn the movements at a slower pace. (However, this is not necessary, if you don't want to buy both -- just rewind...)

Like all of the videos, this one is full of fun and fluid, sensual movements. I always end up with tight shoulders and hips from the video. The workout seems to mostly target the waist, hips/gluts, and some abs although your entire body gets to move around throughout. It is a good overall workout. I find myself doing the moves along to the music in my head throughout the day after I have done the workout.

Veena and Neena videos are always great productions and rarely have any distracting close-ups that prevent you from seeing what you should be doing. The twins are skilled dancers and very inspiring to watch. One of the best influences of the videos for me is that I have become more aware of the many ways my body (which I have always thought of as very rigid) can move. Yes, my ribcage can move seperately from my hips! Although i may still be a bit klutzy, i am gradually becoming able to move in the sensual ways I always wanted to.

I go to the gym and get bored fast. I have other exercise tapes(tae bo, denise austin, etc.) Of all the exercise videos and classes I have every been to this girls are the most enjoyable. I look forward to exercising with them, and learning the moves. The moves are easy and simple to learn, even for a exercise veteran like me. It is a long way from the traditional get on the floor ab crunches and leg crunches which are boring. These exercises uses your own body weight for resistance(natural resistance and isometric holds, for those who complain about that). This tape works the large muscle groups and every other part of your body(arms, legs, chest, abs, back, and calves)! Each time you work with the tape you will have a different workout everytime!! Also, I have never sweated so hard on a video before and I mearsured my hips after doing the video, I had lost 3 inches in a week!!! I never woke up the next morning sore from the video!!!! It has been over a month and I still use this video. I have recently purchased both box sets (the exercising videos and the instructional dance videos). I never felt so sexy exercising! These exercising video is for exercising not learning to bellydance!! It says what type of video it is on the box(if you read it), so I do not know why some people believe that they will learn bellydance techniques to use for your husband!! That is what their instructional dance videos are for! Also, I do not understand some of those women who said that the videos have too many reps on their legs, etc. Well, as I said before the moves are using your body resistance and uses isometric holds. If you stay with the video you will see results(if you eat right and do the video), and I have felt the results in my abs.
Loved the tape. You will too.

You look at this video and say, "You're kidding, right?"

I said that. Now, I am sweating like crazy and working harder than I would have ever guessed before-hand. AND I am laughing like crazy and LOVING IT!

If you're a modern American couch potato mom (like moi, more than I would like to admit), whose most vigorous exercise is chasing the kids into the car to drag them to yet another after-school activity. If you're wanting a great place to start burning off some of the the "baby fat" that came and never left. If you want an exercise video that will keep you laughing at yourself as you do it (life is way too grim these days) rather than getting depressed and feeling stupid at the sight of a perfect young thing telling you to "Come on, and feel the burn," (one whom you could never hope to match even with thousands of years of exercising and thousands more dollars spent at the plastic surgeon, and was probably born looking that and has never had kids yet, and lives on a single lettuce leaf for lunch!!!! ARGH!!!! Enough venting.) If your most active pursuit is surfing the web (I am a web programmer and free-lance writer). You've found the right video to help you get on your way.

The only discomfort I have felt so far is tired arms, but I already seem to dropping weight. My husband keeps laughing at this forty-year-old shaking her tail but even he can see the difference after only a few days of working out with Neena and Veena.

Now, all I have to do is convince him to buy me the whole set for x-mas! This will definately be a the top of my list of gotta haves! I think he'll go for it! He likes what he's seeing and so do I!

I don't know about you, but my downfall is getting bored with conventional aerobic tapes, where the instructors are in places you'd rather be, looking the way you'd rather look, while doing exercises that are less than exciting.

I picked this tape up as an impulse buy and figured it would be something new and fun to try. I discovered that the movements were easy to learn and different from any other workout I had ever done. You don't need weights and you never have to lay on the floor. The music is great and keeps you motivated, and for once it's nice to see two women with natural shapely bodies--which definitely made me feel better about the way I look! Plus, I even broke a sweat despite the simple movements.

This workout is a great balance between those that are curious about Bellydancing but still want beginner aerobic exercise. For those that are looking more for Bellydance instruction, Veena and Neena also offer dance routine videos in addition to their fitness videos.

I give this tape 5 stars for easy instruction and escape from the ordinary. In fact, I've already ordered the other workout sessions on DVD and I can't wait to try them out! Who knows, I may have discovered a new hobby!

I have all of Veena & Neena's videos, and this one is my favorite. As always, they're beautiful and graceful, the set is pretty, the voiceover is clear and easy to follow. It's an excellent workout, combining both aerobic exercise (try picking up those knees a bit higher and really moving that chest up during the Genie Bounces, if you don't think this is aerobic enough!) and isometric moves to tone and tighten. I love their teaching style; they execute a move (say, chest lifts) a few times, then it's back to Genie Bounces and then on to another move. If you don't "get" chest lifts, no big deal; you missed maybe a minute of your workout. If you are really lost (it took me a loooong time to figure out how to travel in a circle) you can always go back to Genie Bounces early.

I have found their videos highly effective for weight loss. By following the diet/lifestyle changes from the book "The Pathway" (by Laurel Mellin) and working out every day with Veena & Neena, I've lost almost 10 pounds and over 7" overall since April 1st! I look *forward* to getting up early (before my three children) to dance. I alternate between their Abs-Arms and Buns-Hips-Thighs (M-W-F) and Basic Moves or Sensual Dance and Slim Down or Fat Burning (Su-T-Th-Sa).

As for this tape being dangerous...ha. I have bad knees (used to be a runner) and this workout is a breeze, even for me. I can't do Kili's Hula for Weight loss video (which is a pity, because it's a terrific, fun workout!), but this one I *can* do, no problem. The Fat Burning video, yes, I need to be careful. I simply can't do that many Choo Choos. But THIS video...no problem.

Oh, yeah, one more thing...according to my husband, I'm also learning to bellydance, along with losing weight and toning up. ;-)! Veena & Neena execute this routine with all the grace and sensuality of you would expect of a bellydancer...which, of course, they are.

I highly recommend this video, along with all of their other titles.

Bellydance Fitness for Beginners: Slim Down is not the hardest cardio workout you will ever do. That said, the exercise contained in this video is enjoyable for anyone, and a great addition to a regular workout routine. I think it would be enjoyable for any fitness level; from an introduction to cardio exercise for a beginner or as a recovery day for an intense exerciser.

The video starts with a warmup period where you begin to isolate different muscle groups, including abs, hips, and muscles. This continues for approximately five minutes, and then the workout moves into the cardio portion. This involves various dance movements interspersed with the genie bounce, a side-to-side sway using the arms. You can take this section at your own pace. By the end of the workout, which includes a cooldown, you feel that you have really exercised - and don't even notice it while doing the routines!

Something to note is that the vocal instruction is done using a voice-over. It is somewhat different than other workouts where the instructor is the one yelling from the tv! The sisters just do the movements, with a mysterious smile the entire time.

I recently bought this tape and I love it. I've tried other cardio workout tapes, yoga tapes, etc., but never found one that I just couldn't wait to pop in to the VCR and move along with until now.

Be aware that this tape is not designed to teach you belly dance, and if you are looking to learn the dance itself you'll need to invest in their "Sensual Art of Belly Dance" series (a wonderful set of tapes themselves.)

Also, if you have never had any experience with belly dance, you will be more comfortable getting the "basic moves" tape first, and familiarizing yourself with it. You can do this tape without knowing anything about belly dance, but it will take you longer to work out the movements.

Although this tape is designed as a full-body cardio workout, you are doing most of the moves with your legs bent, which makes the thigh muscles, calves and glutes get a really good workout. I have bad knees and I've not had the slightest twinge from doing this workout. I would classify it as very low impact, despite some moves that involve jumps and twists.

The moves are incredibly easy to follow, with clear instruction and good photography. As another reviewer mentions, if you don't catch on to a move, you can always continue with the "genie" until they move on and you won't miss much.

I would say that I am beyond out of shape and I am able to keep up with this video. My heart is pounding and I'm sweating profusely, but I'm able to complete the whole 30 minutes. I haven't experienced any soreness the day after except for a slight twinge in my lower back and I suspect that people in better shape than me won't even have that. Don't despair if you're in really great shape and looking for a good workout to help keep you fit -- this will work for you too. I say that because belly dance makes your body move in such a different way than, say, a traditional aerobics class, that you will probably "feel the burn" enough. Plus, there are plenty of opportunities for you to up the level of the workout by making the movements more extreme and such. In that way, it is a very adaptable workout.

The best thing about this workout is that it really is fun. You're never bored. They keep your interest by not spending too much time on any one thing. Plus, the music is upbeat and the ladies are gorgeous and graceful and make you want to work really hard to be like them. They also aren't so perfect they make you feel like a bumbling idiot.

If you're looking for a great, fun workout, then I can't think of a better one than this.

I went looking for something exactly like this. I've been dancing for a few years off and on. I never seem to get past the basics because I can never get physically fit enough to practice them. I've tried yoga and areobics, but they never kept my interest. This video is perfect, the moves are a few steps past the basics so I feel I'm learning something, but more importantly its a nice workout that I expect to keep with.

I would definately suggest that this is the last of the videos in the beginner series. I have not yet tried the others (but have them ordered). For a true novice, this is not the right video to start with ... try the basic moves from them first.

The only side comment, the music is egyptian style, and if you are use to dancing to heavy drums, AND are a bit tone deaf (like me), the music takes a bit to get use to.

All and all, perfect for what it is.

I'd highly recommend this for beginners! If you're not that coordinated you may need to try some things a few times before you get them, but it's FUN, and worth the effort! It doesn't look that hard, but it will definitely make you sweat if you aren't used to aerobic activity, and it WORKS, too.

IF you get the DVD (that's what I have) I'd recommend doing the flexibility training before and after the main workout- that way you are completely warmed up before, and stretched out afterward, so you don't get too sore. The extra workout also helps with getting long and lean.

The twins are beautiful dancers and have choreographed a simple, easy to do workout. I usually have trouble following along to difficult choreography on other videos, but I was able to pick up everything on this video quickly. (It's my first taste of belly dancing!) The production quality is good: nice sound, scenery, didn't care too much for the music, though. The workout definitely left me sweating. Probably the most important aspect was that it was FUN. I loved feeling like I was really dancing and not just doing aerobics.