Customer Reviews

Dance Off the Inches: Tummy Tone Party Zone!

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This is a new workout in the Dance Off The Inches series, which I just discovered. Marie Forleo, who leads Crunch Cardio Dance Blast and Prevention's Dance Yourself Thin returns to lead you through a fun dance workout with some focus on the abs. She is joined by 4 friends, including Michelle Dozois who has been seen in numerous other fitness videos. They are ready to Dance off the Inches in a very cozy living room like setting.

There is a step guide that will teach you many of the moves that make up the foundation of the dance routines. I found this to be very helpful as I am a complete clod when it comes to dance workouts, though I am trying to work them into my workout regimen for additional variety. Marie will show you the move and repeat it several times depending on if there is a variation of the move in the working whether it's a traveling move or specific arm movements.

You start with a brief warmup then you go right into the first dance routine which is the Tummy Toning Funk Combo. Steps seen in this routine include funky two steps, step touch w/a bounce, double lunges (heel toe move), triple step, twist step, hip circles, step cross, walk ups, grapevines and body rolls. Marie teaches one step at a time, repeats it a bit until you have it down, then will gradually add on steps, each time taking the routine from the top. While some might find this repetitive, I found it helpful to learn it faster.

The next dance routine is the latin combo, taught in the same format. Steps in this segment include rock steps, cha chas, sunshine arms, sambas, twist & hold, lazy merengue, latin combia, more hip circles, and triple lunges. After this segment you cooldown and stretch a little before moving on to the floor for more concentrated ab work.

The ab segment called the Belly Blaster is about 10 minutes, but contains some unique and interesting moves. You start with traditional crunches in various counts, then you will add a knee pulling in and pressing out, then you will cross over and pulse then an isometric hold, then you will finish with some unique lower ab work. This sequence is repeated once. Then you will do another set of exercises including circle crunches, lift & pulses to the middle, then crossing over to each side.

I liked this workout, Marie as always does a great job here. I am glad to see her get more leads in videos, I like her style of instruction and she is enthusiastic and fun. She makes the steps look so easy too. Overall a good choice for those looking for a fun dance workout that isn't too difficult. Plus the step guide is a really helpful tool. 4 and a half stars for this one.

I don't really dig workout videos, a lot of them are so boring and after doing them a few times, I often feel like it was a waste of money. I don't feel this way with this Dance off the Inches DVD. As a dancer, I completely love the moves, and can get into them, and I like the combinations Marie choreographed. I think the workout is a bit short, so I just double up on the dance routine and I burn between 375-425 calories (I use a heart rate monitor). I didn't do the intro to the dance moves, and since I have done the workout a few times, I start doing the moves to the max ( arms movements, body rolls, et. all) as soon as we start doing the routine rather than waiting for her to introduce them. The music isn't great, but I have enough fun doing the cool dance routines that I hardly notice. The workout consists of a warm-up, then a set of hip-hop-ish combinations, which you do for about 10-15 minutes. Then you do a latin combo, which has elements of the samba, cha cha, and Coimba. It's cool. After that, you cool down, and them she does some ab work on the floor. The movements definitely force you to use your mid section, and you feel sexy as you shake your hips. recommended.

This video is formated so you have a step quide and a three part workout. I do not overly care for this, since the step quide is just boring to watch, but if you don't watch it you might have a little trouble getting started with the routines. All the steps and combinations are pretty easy though, so you could probably pick it up on your own by the second time around. At first I didn't think the workout was doing much for me, but my the end I did start to feel it a little bit. With this type of tape the more you get into the dance the more you'll get out of it. I wouldn't make this my main workout, but it is a nice change of pace for someone working out every day. The main plus to this video is Marie Forleo, who keeps you motivated without being annoying.

This DVD is good for someone like myself - a perpetual beginner and someone who hates to exercise. I don't like squats, crunches or sweating like a farm animal.

This DVD is kinda fun and is designed to tone those dreaded abs without having to get on the floor and do crunches although that is there too. The other thing that I like is that it doesn't require a lot of room. Imagine yourself dancing on a crowded dance floor and that's pretty much it.

Since I don't have a lot of coordination either, I just draw the shades and do the first twenty minutes. It doesn't feel like exercise and that's the part I like.

If you're an intermediate exerciser like me, you are not going to sweat very much. However, if you're just starting to exercise, this video is simple to follow and a great starter on ab toning exercises.

Marie Forleo is a motivating instructor that is fun to 'workout with' and cues well and makes this dvd doable. There is a blend of ab toning and dance moves. They are easy enough so it's really not hard to do. When you combine the toning with fat burning aerobic work, you get great results. It doesn't get boring because she uses a lot of variety in the moves (torso twists and hip moves, grapevines, funk moves etc etc). I love the Latin style sambas and cumbias. It's great. Then at the end, it really gets more focused - you do ab floorwork. If you are worried about not getting the dance moves down, don't worry because there is an instructional segment at the end of the workout.
It's not the toughest workout I've ever done (I think it's mainly geared toward intermediate exercisers), but it is very helpful to break the boredom from your regular workouts, and if you aren't in the mood for a very tough workout, then this is perfect. I really like it.

This workout did not 'work out'. With her always saying "ah huh", and how to 'move your hips like you are in a bowl of cereal', there was nothing else.
No sweat, no workout. I do not recommend this

Recently, I bought this DVD. Most evenings, I work out to a Tae Bo DVD four or five times a week. I thought I'd give this one a try for the other nights. Although it was fun to dance, I didn't find the workout challenging enough for me. I didn't really break a sweat. This DVD seems to be geared more towards beginners.

this dvd workout is great. definitly FUN. you forget thats your working out.

This one doesn't show Marie at her best; she's demonstrating the moves with other women who've done their own videos, like Michelle and Stella, and she seems a little ill at ease. I don't think the workout is strenuous enough to provide much benefit for most exercisers either.