Customer Reviews

Billy Blanks: Ultimate Bootcamp

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have been exercising 3-4 times a week with various TaeBo workouts for about seven years. I alternate through about 5 or 6 different advanced level workouts, and find they keep me in great shape. I am in my 40's and my blood pressure, weight, and cholesterol are all great. I would classify this particular workout as advanced. It has a section that uses the bands, although since I don't have the bands, I just use light wrist and ankle weights for resistance in that portion. Using the weights with this and other TaeBo workouts has helped to define my arm muscles (no tricep wiggle at all). There is also a killer section of push-ups, but the main thing I like about this one is the new leg exercise he does. You step forward like you are doing a lunge so both knees are bent and then move up and down using just your legs. Your upper body stays upright. It made my quads, hamstrings, and glutes sore for a week the first time I did it, but it totally gets me in shape for downhill skiing and bike riding. In fact, I have found those two sports quite easy since I started this DVD. This is a great addition to your other TaeBo videos, especially to add variety, strengthen legs, and define arms, but if I could only buy one, I'd still probably pick the Get Ripped Advanced workout. For me, those are still the most fun.

If you are a beginner, you want Billy Blanks' Tae-Bo - Instructional Workout, Basic, Advanced, 8-Minute Workout (1999)

As for this (Ultimate Bootcamp) its great if you've been doing Tae Bo for a while. Honestly, this is a great set!!! Just be sure you start out with the right DVD.

I am a loyal Tae Bo fan, and have been doing the advanced tapes for a few years. This video was difficult for me at first, but after consistently doing it for a few weeks, I am stronger, much more toned, and have more endurance. I am a mother of two small kids, and Tae Bo has helped me lose all the baby weight. It works great, and Billy Blanks is the most inspirational exercise instructor I have ever seen.

My husband Terry wrote this review after doing the workout for 2 months.

I do this workout 7 days a week, and it is a pretty tough workout. I have seen definite improvements in my stamina and muscle tone. Having said that, this is one of the sloppiest made video workouts that I have ever used.

Billy is very motivating, but he presents this workout without being much concerned about precision or details. You will do one set of repetitions at one speed for one arm or leg, and sometimes the repetitions for the other arm or leg, at times, are either just left out, or sometimes done at a different speed. Billy, very annoyingly keeps saying "are you ready". Ready for what Billy? Nothing special comes up, you just keep doing the short routine you are doing. He announces that you are going to do squat thrusts, and you actually just do a set of squats. There is a difference Billy. A few times in the 55 minutes, He tells you "two more sets" and then halfway through the second set, he just starts a different sequence, without finishing the one you are on. You watch the people he is leading in the video look confused, and try to catch up with him. The sets are all counted out 1 to 8. Several times He will start something else at 4 or 6. Right in the middle of a set. You can see the others in the video getting confused for a few moments until they see what the heck he's doing. Many times you hear him say, "one more time", and you actually end up doing it two or three more times. The number of repititions are fine, just don't tell me we are going to do one more, when we are actually going to do three. It is confusing and sloppy. It appears that the people he is leading in the video, have never done this routine before, or if they have, he's changing it as he is going along, so they don't know where he's going this time. Sometimes the group starts together, most of the time they don't.

The music is crap. It barely qualifies as a rhythm track. It sounds like it was done with an electronic drum machine and someone trying to use a keyboard. Several times the music track changes right in the middle of a set. Very annoying.

After a few days of doing this workout, you find yourself getting really ticked off with how amateurish this production was done.

As I said at the beginning, I still do the workout 7 days a week, but I find myself yelling at the TV when Billy says something like "keep moving, hold that position", while you are in the middle of an 80 second squat. Billy, I can't keep moving when I'm in a frozen position. I also get annoyed when he says "walk it out" and at that moment I'm on my back having just finished a set of leg lifts. Billy, I can't walk it out, I'm laying on my back.

I do have to admit that my anger at the sloppy production sometimes helps me a bit, because I use that anger to help me do a more strenuous workout.

All in all, It would be really nice if it was a professionally done video, but it is not. Instead, you get something that a high school class could have done much better. If you can ignore how poorly this was produced, you can get a very very good workout, and Billy seems like a really nice guy.

I have only done this video once, but I couldn't wait to write my review. This is probably one of my favorite Tabeos yet... and I have a lot! I did this straight through without the resistance bands. I would reccomend always trying his videos without the bands first so you know what you're getting into. The bands add a huge level of intensity, and if you're not familiar with the moves, you might not be able to keep up.

Anyway, there's a brief warm-up, as usual, then right into the workout. Billy's got a great personality in this one! You will see him go yell in some of the exercisers faces and make them scream at him, but not to be taken too seriously he remains smiling and motivational throughout. This video really has it ALL for your body. You get a mix of cardio, strength/toning for your upper and lower body. This is the most "bootcamp" style workout in the series in my opinion. There is a serious push up portion, where he has you going back and forth between your knees and toes (sorry Billy, I had to do all of them on my knees, and I could still barely keep up!) There's more at the end, where you do 4 push-ups, roll for 4 and 4 more push ups. Expect a lot of bicep, tricep, chest, and back work too. For most of those exercises, you can substitute dumbells if you want. There is a small section where you go down to the floor and do some butt exercises... my buns have never been on fire so bad in my life. Talk about getting buns of steel. Towards the end, there is a great ab section. No rest here, he wants those abs contracted the whole time!

I kid you not, the day after doing this video, I ached all over, but that's the goal, right? If I wasn't hurting I would think I didnt work hard enough!

Note: Yes, Billy messes up his counts sometimes, and does things a little uneven, but it's not like it's so terrible that one side is going to be noticeably more toned than the other. Billy is very intense, in the moment and wants to encourage you and explain the moves to you. He must forget his counts at times. It doesn't stop him from being an exceptional instructor! Work with it. The music is not crap... if you enjoy the music in his other videos, you will like this. It's upbeat and has a good workout feel to it and it's not the same song throughout. Enjoy Billy's spirit as I do.

Good luck with your fitness/weight loss goals. Here lies a great tool.

This video came to me about a week ago and I let it sit on the counter and kept staring at it knowing that it was going to be hard. And it did NOT disappoint!! I have been doing some other Tae Bo videos....mixed with some other types of videos....for many months now but was finally ready to step up to something that would really challenge me.

What I really love about Billy Blanks is that everyone in the studio there doing the workout with him is sweating their you-know-what's off. I think that is a sign of a good video...when the healthy and fit people are sweating, you know that it is a good one. I understand that they are under a lot of hot lights in a studio but I have seen many a DVD where no one is sweating and it always leaves me suspect. In those DVD's I usually don't end up breaking a sweat either. But Billy is always good for inducing sweat in his own people.....and me as well.

This video was it!! It is hard and I barely got through my first try. But I made it through and now it will continue to get easier from here. It was 55 fast paced minutes. I really liked that he first fatigued your arms and then went on to lower body and even did some floor work and abs. This workout is well rounded and although, as someone mentioned before, Billy tends to have a little inconsistency here and there....if you do his videos, you just know that is the way of Billy Blanks. He is not perfect. However, you will always get a GREAT workout. For ANYONE thinking of purchasing this DVD to get a tough drill style, fast paced, intense workout, this is the one for you!!

This is a fantastic workout! I haven't done Tae Bo since I was trying to lose my pregnancy weight 8 years ago. Back then I lost all of my 50lbs. by doing the tapes (yes VHS!!) 4 times a week.
This time around I get up in the morning and do it before work & before I take my daughter to school. Let me tell you...by the next morning I am so sore in my legs. It hits in all the right places and I am not even using the bands yet.
I definitely recommend this for anyone that works out from home. Even if you don't, it makes you want to cancel your gym membership and save money!!

I have been doing tae bo DVDs for over a year now and really love the series. They keep you in great shape. This DVD was a bit disappointing because he takes more of the bootcamp style than many other Tae Bo DVDs. If I wanted to do push-ups I would just do them on my own. Otherwise it's a pretty solid workout, and a bit different. That's why I gave it 4 stars. Also there's a pretty good ab portion at the end.

I got this as a present (part of the bootcamp set) and almost took it back, but I'm really glad I didn't. I now alternate this video with another (the advanced Power 90 cardio DVD I used to think was hard but now refer to as my easy workout) and get awesome workouts every morning without having to go out in the cold weather. Yes, there are some production mishaps where exercises are done at different speeds on each side and commands are called out that aren't right, but so what? To me, it feels more like a real class with a human instructor that might do the same. Besides, if you do the workout enough, you'll know what's coming next so you won't be suprised. I usually switch up the sides I do certain exercises on during the video so the moves that aren't the same on each side will even out over time.
The only thing I don't like is the lack of good cool-down stretching, but I just do that on my own afterwards. Also, with a 54 minute runtime, it can be a bit tough to fit into my mornings, but I just get up earlier to make it work.
I was already working out regularly and was glad to find something that came close the the high-intensity aerobics class that ended recently at my gym. I'm always drenched in sweat by the end and more than energized to start my day. Give it a try, but GET THE BANDS! They make a huge difference in the intensity of the workout. And as to the counting? Honestly, I kinda feel like a cheerleader or dancer learning a routine, so I don't mind it at all.

This video is great! I am a pretty avid exerciser, so when I do a video I want it to be difficult. This video worked almost every muscle. I run half marathons, but my glutes have never burned like this. If you are looking for a great workout I highly recommend this video. I am definitely incorporating it into my training schedule!