Customer Reviews

Denise Austin - Fit and Fabulous at Any Age [VHS]

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

 

 

Denise Austin was the first instuctor to get me up and exercising. I find her particular style easier to take than most instructors who have unnaturally thin bodies (why are they always topped by unnaturally well padded chests?). She's enthusiastic, knowledgeable and "real". This particular tape was one that I looked forward to and actually sought out. I bought her book "Fit and Fabulous after 40" and love it. The tape should have been the adjunct to the book. It's a great tape. A great workout. Intermediate, not beginners. The aerobics is all floor, no step. The toning is well instructed and it has her usual great warmup and cool down. And it was also issued under the title "Age Defying/Baby Boomers Workout". Very disappointing when you find the workout is same as one you already own under a different title (no indication on the cover that it's been re-issued). My recommendation is buy it, unless you already have it!

I was a little upset when I got the tape. The box had one title and I thought it was a new tape since it showed "2001" when I ordered it. When I pulled the tape out there is a different name on the label with different year date. I was a little disappointed. I've yet to be responded to when I wrote to the company. The tape is in 3 segments. The first segment wasn't my style since I'm not into "aerobics" like doing grapevine and all the hoppy-jumpy kind of exercise. The last two segments are really good- yoga and stretching.

I actually got this video first at the library and plan on buying it. I haven't excercised in awhile and it has a great mixture of stretching, aerobics, and toning. After doing it for a week it's a great workout and afterwards I never feel sore, just relaxed and energized. I loved her positivity during the tape and her little jokes made me not want to turn the tape off and give up. I'd reccommend this video to anyone who wants to start excercising again after not doing it in awhile. I'm only in my 20's and didn't realize this was more geared towards 40 and up but actually it works wonderful for me as a starting tape. Great workout!

I really like this workout. When I first started doing aerobics about six months ago, I started out with Leslie Sansone's 2-Mile Walk and this tape. I liked the relative danciness and variety in this tape, but Leslie's was shorter and much easier to do (ie, less frustrating for someone who hadn't exercised in a while), so I stuck with that tape until I had advanced too far for it.

I recently started working out with this again. Clearly, regular exercise has done something for me, because while I still got my heart rate up, I was much less winded and found I was able to keep up with all of the steps. That's also due to the fact that this on this tape, unlike some of the others reviewed here, Denise does a very good job cuing. The choreography isn't going to impress professional dancers, but it's a nice mix of simple steps that she builds into two or three fun routines. The strength and stretch sections are wonderful. I love doing 20 minute workouts, but in those you're not generally going to get the chance to stretch for 10 minutes. At the end of this tape, I've had a great cardio workout and I'm very relaxed.

Just one caveat: I don't recommend the situps using the towel- too many people have said that's not good for your abdominals or your neck.

The first time I used this video I had difficulty following the steps. By the third time I was really having fun and felt like I was getting a great workout. ... I feel like Denise is in the room encouraging me all the way. The stretching is very relaxing as well as beneficial.

(the only reason this has four stars is because it is still too hard for me..so it's more my issue than an issue with the video)

I started watching Denise Austin's Lifetime work outs this year. And I am hooked. She is personable, knowledgeable and funny. I bought this CD and her new book and have been diligently working on her ideas. If you want a healthy change of pace, get this video.
Denise's mix of yoga, stretching, and low impact workout is great for the beginner, intermediate or advanced. She coaches with graceful enthusiasm. FYI - I've lost 13 pounds and 8.5 inches since discovering Denise!

This video takes care of everything in one workout! The cardio dance routine is much more fun than just step aerobics, the toning hits all the major muscle groups and the stretching makes it all worth it. I have 8 Denise tapes I like, but couldn't figure out which one to do when, but now with Fit and Fabulous, I'm all set. I love the fact that there is no bouncing back and forth between cardio, toning and stretching-you do the first for a solid 20 minutes, the second for 15 and the last for 10. I love everything Denise does but if you want one solution to all your fitness needs, this is it!

I almost gave this 3 stars, but since Denise's book "Lose That Last 10 Pounds" is like a bible to me, I had to give it 4 stars. If you want a great exercise and diet guide, get "Lose", it is fabulous. Denise on video, at least this one -- my first, is a different story entirely. The moves are a bit simple and repetitive, but she has so much energy you can't help but have fun doing it, and the toning and stretching parts are challenging. You will feel relaxed after them too. The music and "Price is Right"-looking set are what get a bit silly. I know that sounds petty, but I think she could have done something a bit less corny. And, at times you can't hear her cues, even when she seems to be screaming over the music. Overall, not bad. I did this today and it was fun.

Fit & Fabulous at Any Age is a challenging 45-minute workout. For a person in their twenties, it is probably moderate. But for me, a 50 year-old with a bad knee, it's difficult. I love Denise Austin, and I intend to keep using the tape, but people over 40 should know that the aerobics routine has high-impact moves in it. The floor work (which is great) involves lots of moves from knees-to-the-floor positions, which I have to modify. Nonetheless, Austin's familiar pep keeps one interested and happy to follow along, even if they can't do all the moves. I recommend the tape -- but with caution for people my age.

I find Denise's aerobic workout in this video to be confussing. She moves from doing one combination part 8 times, to maybe doing it 12 the next time. I had trouble following. The band was too loud, I could not hear the cueing. I also did not like how the camara would move off Denise and onto the band. I cannot follow with her on the camara, so you can imagine how bad I was doing while we were watching the band!

I thought that the second and third part of this tape were wonderful. Great toning and streching. And true to her style, she is very incouraging.