Customer Reviews

David Kirsch's Sound Mind Sound Body Ultimate Fitness Boot Camp

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I like David's style in that he is trying to get the viewer to not only work on performing the exercise, he wants to get you to think about visualizing what it is you are trying to achieve. So he is constantly asking the exerciser to do a mind and body connection.

I would have given this video 4 stars had his cueing and pacing been consistent. I do a lot of home videos and so have seen good and bad. They perform on the sand on a beach and this may be a factor in how well he paces some of the moves. For instance he does an exercise where you swing your leg out in front of you in an arc and then do a squat. Well he does some of them at one speed then another speed and then yet another speed. It's means you find yourself out of sync with him if you keep a consistent rhythm going. This happens in at least three of the routines. The other point is he miscounts. He will say you have 5 more to go and then end in 3. Not a big thing but it is just one more thing that might annoy some.

I liked the actual exercises they are indeed going to make you feel like you have exercised. I usually use between 8 to 15 pound weights with most exercise training videos but not with him. Believe him when he tells you to get light weights. I use 3 pound weights and towards the end they seem impossibly heavy as he does a lot more shoulder work than most videos. High repetitions while also working the lower body will definitely make you feel it.

David Kirsch's Sound Mind Sound Body Boot Camp DVD is the perfect answer for those who want to get fit, but have "no time" to do it. In 45 minutes and with only two 3 lb. free weights, Mr. Kirsch takes you through a solid series of super effective toning and cardio moves, without ever letting you get bored. His brilliant point of difference from other exercise videos is his encouraging way of reminding you to focus your body, mind and spirit as you are moving. This special emphasis enables you to get maximum results while he moves you through the workout at an enjoyable pace; you never have a chance to think "on no, how many more of these?"!
When you finish, you feel the satisfaction of having completed a great workout, plus you feel what can only be described as a kind of centered,energizing calmness. I actually look forward to working out now!

Heed the reviews! This is an advanced workout! There is a lot of jumping and strength moves (ie push-ups) that will be very, very challenging to the beginning exerciser. For the intermediate/advanced - it's great. Using 5 pounds is probably the maximum amount of weight you can use, without causing any injury. This workout combines cardio strength moves, isometrics with the basics - squat thrusts, push-ups, crumches...etc. You do feel energized after doing it! David is a great motivator and not annoying at all. In fact he is quite funny: "Your butt...IT'S STINGING!" My only complaint is the music. It sucks. I wish the music wasn't so wimpy for such an intense workout. Also he does tend to speed up near the end of each set of exercises, but what can I say...he's pumped up!! Other than that...let this workout change your body and your attitude.

This is a great workout--more strenuous than anything I've ever done. I am sure I woule see results FAST if only I had the strength and resolve to make myself do this workout regularly. I had to hit the "pause" button every 10 minutes to catch my breath. David Kirsch is fond of push ups, it seems, and I found it very hard to keep up when he plunged into push up sessions(twice!). I would echo what one customer said--DO NOT BUY IF YOU ARE OUT OF SHAPE--this is a challenging workout. I was amazed how the people in the dvd kept on smiling! Miracle!

Also, this dvd is hard to perform on slippery surfaces, such as wood, because it contains a lot of movements where you need to support your weight on the tip of your feet and arms(like reverse cycling in pushup position). No wonder they taped it on the beach, where the sand provided friction and stability. I would recommend that it be done on a carpeted floor or at least on a big stationary yoga mat which will stay put.

I highly recommend David Kirsch's motivational Boot Camp for int/adv exercisers. It's an intense 45 minute workout that focuses on strength training, but also gets your heart rate up enough for an aerobic workout. I wore a HR monitor and was surprised to see that my avg heart rate for the session was up in my aerobic range (which never happens to me with regular strength training videos). What to expect from the workout? isometrics, squats, lunges, jumping jacks, curls, push-ups, crunches ... some combined with 2-5 lb weights. Never a dull moment! There is also a short warm-up & cool down/stretch.

Only con: a lot of times, the reps were not done in time with the music. Slightly annoying, but easily overcome.

The workout definitely left my muscles tired, but David Kirsch can be pretty annoying. Saying things like "Come on, don't think about those soap operas, don't think about that dinner." I thought he was a very ineffective and poor host. It made me doubt sometimes whether he really knew what was good for a person's body or if he was just someone who got into working out and decided to make a video out on a beach somewhere. He definitely does not seem like he's connecting mind and body - just talking the talk.

But, as far as the way my muscles feel after the workout, I can tell that they were worked pretty hard. And I am left sweating and out of breath. You do about 50 push ups by the end, lots of weights and cardio happens in spurts throughout it. I own a lot of workout videos & workout over 5 days a week, and I'll normally do this one maybe once or twice a month. It's hard, but not really fun and not a favorite.

This is an excellent workout. The workout is filled with plyometric exercises, as well as multi-joints, which really tire you out. I have been working out with this video for about a week and I can feel some changes in my body, already. David coaches you through all of the exercises, and is constantly telling you to concentrate on body part that you are working out (which is really effective). In addition, he also mentions the possible errors that you maybe making and where it should hurt if you are doing the exercises in bad form and how to correct it.

The most common problem with exercise vidoes is that they lead to boredom, but I don't foresee that problem anytime soon. The exercises are very challenging and it is quite hard to complete the whole session without stopping somewhere along the way. Thus, I think that is will remain a challenge to complete before boredom sets in.

As noted in other reviews, the quality of the DVD is not the greatest. For instance, if you go to one of the additional features on the DVD, you can't get back to the main menu unless you open and close the machine. And, there is a short pause in the video whenever a new chapter starts. These things aside, don't let it deter you from getting this DVD, because that is small in the big picture.

In addition to this video, you should invest in 2-3 pound dumbells (David calls for 2-5 pound dumbells). I find the 3 pounds to be more than enough for this workout (despite the fact that I use much heavier weights when in the gym.

I've done the workout four times now and enjoy it more and more each time because I'm able to measure how much more I'm able to do and I'm able to focus more on the moves since I'm more familiar with what's coming. I love the variety of moves and the fast pace of the workout. No equipment other than light dumbbells (I use 3 pounds) is needed & the length at 45 minutes is just right. I consider myself a high intermediate exerciser and I find this routine very challenging, which is good because the boredom factor is non-existent. Once I'm done I know I've thoroughly worked my body and have a great feeling of accomplishment. My spirits remain elevated all day, which is an added incentive given the current state of the world. I highly recommend this.

None of the advanced workout tapes in my extensive exercise video library has ever challenged me--that is, until I used David Kirsch's Bootcamp Video. I consider myself to be in excellent shape--I've been a runner for several years and exercise (cardio and/or weights/Pilates) 5-6 days/week. I did not know what to expect after putting the tape in the VCR and was hoping to not be disappointed since I was familiar with Mr. Kirsch's "Sound Mind, Sound Body" fitness program. Boy was I in for a treat! The video is a fairly fast-paced workout that is definitely intense. Mr. Kirsch effectively combines weight-training and cardio intervals to keep your heart rate elevated during the workout. He also offers motivation throughout so when you feel like you can't do one more push-up, he pulls it out of you. If you're bored with your current workout regimen or want to boost your fitness to a whole new level, I would recommend buying this video--you won't be disappointed.

With some reservations after reading other reviews of this DVD, I went ahead and bought it, and I liked the workout much better than I expected. It's like the old joke about smashing one's head repeatedly against a wall: it feels so good when you stop! What another reviewer wrote is certainly true: some of the exercises probably work a lot better on the beach (where Mr. Kirsch and his team work out on the DVD) than they do on floors, where most of us work out. The only way I could do that "mountain-climbing" exercise was to take off my shoes, so that my sweat-socked feet could slide along the carpeted floor; but then I had to stop twice, once to remove the shoes and again to put them back on. I have two criticisms of my own that I don't think anyone has mentioned. One is the lack of "modifiers" for people with back and knee problems. The other is no mention of how often the program is to be performed. I listened carefully, even on the "informercial" part of DVD, and also read the SOUND MIND, SOUND BODY book, and am still in the dark. Usually programs involving weights require a rest day between exercise sessions, to give the muscles a chance to recuperate and rebuild; but since this program involves light weights, should one do it daily? Has anyone else asked this question, or maybe caught something I missed?