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38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Get your body moving while relaxing at the same time, May 18, 2005
This review is from: Discover Tai Chi With Scott Cole - Weight Loss (Digital Collector's Edition) (DVD)
Discover Tai Chi for Weight Loss was my first-ever experience with Tai Chi, and I enjoyed it more than I had anticipated. Instructor Scott Cole describes it as an "interval-type workout," which means that you alternate between slowly flowing through the movements to performing them at a more upbeat tempo. The workout begins inside a large, airy studio, and Scott starts with an 8-minute warm-up consisting of gentle arm and leg motions. One frequently-used transition move is called monkey-bear, which basically means swinging your arms in front of you as you lightly move from side to side. Following the warm-up, Scott moves into a 21-minute segment of what he says are traditional Tai Chi postures. Unlike in yoga, these postures are dynamic and consist of simple movements linked in a flow. Scott introduces each posture first at a slow pace, then speeding it up to tempo, a pace that is brisk but still easy to follow. The movements range from a basic "Brush Push"--pushing one arm forward while sliding the other backward--to slightly more strenuous Tai Chi kicks. During this section, I could definitely feel my heart rate increasing, although this was not a steady effect given the variable pace of the workout.
Once you have learned all of the postures, Scott moves to an outdoor setting, where he combines all of the movements together in a continuous flow. He repeats the entire series of movements twice: the first time, he cues the movements via voiceover instruction, but the second time, there is no cueing whatsoever. Because the postures were so simple and straightforward, I found that I was able to follow along even without the cues, although I did have to keep a close eye on the TV in order to keep up with the transitions from one movement to the next. Following the flow segment (about 13 minutes), Scott returns to the indoor studio for a 6-minute cool-down and stretch; he also includes some work on body acceptance in this segment. The total time for this workout was 48 minutes. Overall, I found this video to be an enjoyable introduction to Tai Chi that provided me with a good, light cardio workout. I think that this workout would be well-suited to beginning exercisers who are looking for a gentle, low-impact exercise program or more experienced exercisers who enjoy doing a lighter, relaxing workout now and then.
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26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Ahhh....., November 29, 2004
This review is from: Discover Tai Chi With Scott Cole - Weight Loss (Digital Collector's Edition) (DVD)
I identify with myself as a runner and normally don't stray too far from that. I have been recovering from injuries caused by my unwillingness to branch out---that is, I haven't been stretching enough and I've been overdoing it. I can't stand doing nothing and have been making an effort to try new things.
This was a nice departure and I liked the "tempo" workouts that move through the routine at a faster pace. This is not the traditional slow movements I associate with Tai Chi. I've picked up the moves after two viewings; the transitions are a bit of a challenge for me. At first, I wished, like the other reviewers, that there was more instruction as I have never taken a class or had any other instruction in the moves. In particular, the sequence filmed in Hawaii was difficult to follow as the camera angle changes at inopportune times; admittedly, this is shown after the step by step instructions. For me the purpose was to focus on "letting go" and I have decided to do just that and enjoy without putting to much emphasis on doing the moves perfectly. I would imagine that from a weight loss stance the idea is to just keep moving.
Overall, this is a nice DVD: the choreography (for what it is) is good, background music is enjoyable and Scott Cole provides a a calming and encouraging vocal instruction.
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23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not your ordinary workout, August 11, 2002
This review is from: Discover Tai Chi With Scott Cole - Weight Loss (Digital Collector's Edition) (DVD)
I highly recommend this DVD for those of you who are bored with the 'normal' routine of workout tapes that leave you exhausted and not really inspired. With Tai Chi you remain relaxed while learning the graceful and beautiful movements. There are no jarring or forceful movements here, everything from the music and the locations flow wonderfully. Scott not only teaches you the basic movements to follow, but also how to accept yourself and the world around you. Also, an added bonus are the nutrition and menu tips to aid in weight loss. Although I am only just beginning my journey to weight loss, I know I will be successful thanks to Scott's inspiration. I look forward to purchasing his other DVD's as well! So if you are in the market to break from the hard working, and breathless world of workout videos, this one is for you. You will feel graceful, energized, and inspired ... and there are not many other videos out there that can promise you that.
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