Customer Reviews

Denise Austin: Fat Burning Dance Mix

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

I'm not always a fan of Denise Austin; - not because she's not a good instructor (because she's a pretty good instructor), but because she is way too over the top with extra cheesey enthusiasm and she can be too in your face. Not this time however. Sure she is still enthusiastic (I guess you need some personality), but this is better than usuall and it's a great and easy (yet effective) workout.
She also is an instructor that isn't always in sync with the beat of the music, which can be frustrating, but not so much this time. It's a great dvd with four different types of cardio work. You can do them in any order (the dvd lets you programm how you want to do it), and there is ballet toning, Latin, jazz and club funky aerobics. It's nice to have a variation going. In each segment, you start of simply and then slowly add on moves to make a longer combo. Then there is a toning segment that is easy to follow and uses usual kind of moves like crunches, planks and plies etc.
I like this. It's good for days when you want a bit of a lighter workout and if you are a beginner or intermediate. If you are advanced you won't find this enough, but like me, it's good for the days where you can't be bothered with a tough routine. I really enjoy it and if you are normally put off by Denise like I sometimes am, then don't worry, she is less overpowering here, but does an excellent job and you'll have fun with it I'm sure.

To put it simply, I have a hard time getting motivated to do...anything. I'm usually down in the dumps about something or other and that makes me lethargic. Most of the time, I don't want to get motivated to do anything. If you're like me, you will LOVE this workout. It is not difficult to follow. Denise Austin's dance moves are very well-explained and she is extremely understanding and compassionate. The dance moves are really fun. I was afraid that I wasn't going to be able to "dance," but they're more graceful moves than dance moves, which I really appreciate because I find that whole monotonous movement thing in exercise really....BORING. There is nothing monotonous or boring about these dance moves. She makes it really fun and exciting. The music pumps you up and makes you want to move. I'm actually excited to exercise which is a first for me. What I love about the dance programs is that they are short 10-minute bursts. Each 10 min. segment is a different theme--latin, club funk, jazz, ballet etc. I was also afraid that I wouldn't like certain genres, but I did! Becuase they are short and sweet, it keeps things interesting for you. Also, you can customize the order of the programs.
I would recommend this to anyone...it honestly does NOT matter what age you are. I'm a complete weakling when it comes to exercise and I found these exercises to be energizing and effective...and not difficult at all!
The only segment that is a little challenging is the ballet section because she has you doing push ups for a very short period of time. I can't do push ups. So, I just skip that part. :) But the rest of the ballet program is great.

I love this DVD!!! Its a very fun workout that really gets me sweating. I love that I can customize my workout before I start. I've been doing this DVD for a couple weeks and haven't gotten sick of it yet. I purchased 4 DVD's and this is my favorite. The moves are fun and as you get more familiar/comfortable with the routine you can add your own style and flair.

Denise's miscuing didn't bother me at first (actually I didn't really notice), but I have the more I do the DVD. Even so, this is still my favorite DVD.

If you are looking for a workout that will get you dancing and sweating, this is the one for you. I especially like that the routines (10 min each) move quickly to keep your heart rate up. I hate when the steps are broken down too much and too slow - its not a workout then. This workout is great!!!

I have worked out with Denise Austin's DVD's on and off for quite a while. I like Denise because I feel she is honest in wanting to help people get in shape and I believe she enjoys what she does. This DVD wasn't hard to do and it has variation which is nice and helps to keep your interest perked, especially for us 'older'ladies. Kind of a pick and chose type of thing. I liked the Latin dancing the best.Maybe this isn't everyone's cup of tea but I think it is pretty good.

Denise Austin is not a dancer and it shows. She may be the instructor, but the talented dancers behind her are doing a better job of dance movement that is pleasing to the eye.

Better dance videos provide instruction in a "mirror" format so they are easier to follow. For example, the instructor leads with his/her left foot, but cues you to use your right foot. Denise does not do this. She always leads with her right foot, which means that I have to lead with my left foot. It was awkward doing a dance video where I was taking off on my left foot all of the time. Perhaps left-handers would like this video. Most professional dance video let the audience lead with their right foot when learning new steps.

This is a mediocre addition to an industry collection of dance videos. Denise's instruction is also poor in that she does not give adequate cues for what she is going to do next. Even the dancers behind her sometimes had a difficult time following her lead. Also, the camera work is sometimes lacking when Denise is teaching a step and the camera shot is from the waist up.

As far as the workout goes, it is a low impact, low-medium cardio routine. Also be warned that Denise does some floor work near the end of the video. I've got four dance videos now and this is my least favorite.

i don't know about anyone else who has used this dvd but i am an actual dancer and to be quit honest this video did not make me sweat one bit. on the other hand it is a fun way to get moving, i recommend it for anyone who is just starting out.

I was looking for alternatives to my usual 1 hour daily walk, and was hoping for something with higher intensity. I didn't want to use garden variety old-fashioned aerobics videos, so 'dance' style cardio seemed like an awesome option. This video BLOWS. Denise could not be more annoying... I am a tolerant person, but I'd love to punch her! She talks in a weird sultry sex-kitten tone the entire time, and her encouraging remarks are absolutely ridiculous. It is just way too annoying. And she can't dance! Denise's rhythm is atrocious. In addition, there is no cuing whatsoever. How hard is it to give us a quick reminder of what step comes next? Or a count of how many times we are doing each segment? They also move very quickly through the dance moves... I'm not ultra-coordinated, so it was extremely frustrating. I did start to catch on after using this DVD for the 3rd time, and felt more comfortable with the moves, but the bottom line is I really thought the moves were stupid, and didn't have fun doing it. It just wasn't FUN. Most importantly, I didn't even come close to breaking a sweat. If it doesn't give me a workout, what's the point?

While I found this DVD to be a good workout, it was unfortunately mostly a rework of a lot of the dance moves she uses in previous workout tapes. I have a lot of her earlier videos, and she uses the same steps, but just in different categories. If this is your first Denise Austin DVD, then it is a really good low impact workout; there is minimal jumping which is good for people with bad backs or knees. However, if you have some of her other tapes, then this is not a good investment. The best part of the workout is the ballet sculpting set which features towards the end of the disc and contains new material.

I love Denise! I am a group fitness instructor that has always been influenced by her down-to-earth, cheerful style. Her cueing may not always be perfect, but that is part of what makes her seem like a real person with a genuine interest in getting people active. This is a fun workout that I enjoy and am incorporating into my own routines. I never thought I could do hip-hop style dancing, but Denise makes it easy to follow. The latin and jazz combos are a blast! If you are at a beginner to intermediate level and enjoy learning simple dance routines, you will enjoy this.

I really enjoy this workout. I'd say for cardio, it's a medium--it's not super advanced, but it's great to get you moving and sweating--plus I love to dance so it's great for me to have a workout where I'm actually dancing.

Each dance segment is interesting in and of itself--and it moves quickly, which is nice. There's 2 combinations in each of the 3 main dance/cardio sessions (jazz, latin, funk). There's also a nice ballet workout that focuses on stretching and toning.

I'm a Denise Austin fan and own a number of her other workouts. She's very light and supportive (although in one of the dance segments she keeps telling the viewer to "have fun!" which, although a staple instructor line, can be annoying: Yes, I get the whole idea that I shouldn't be loathing every second of my workout, but on the other hand--it IS a workout, and I figure as long as I do the best I can and get a workout, THAT is the most important thing, not to "have fun.")

I look forward to the evenings when this workout is on my rotation.