Product Details

• Format: Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
• VHS Release Date: September 11, 2001
• Run Time: 45 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005LQ1M
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #194,815 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

62 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Basic, easy and a real fat burner., May 22, 2002

By 

Minnesota Raven "Viking Vixen" (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fat Burning Workout for Dummies [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I am a veteran of many an exercise tape and many years of taking aerobics classes. Because I crave variety I have all sorts of exercise tapes in my collection but not many that feature just plain ole low impact aerobics so when I cam across this one and read the back of the video cover it seemed liked a good one to add to the collection. When initially reviewing the tape I was sort of disappointed. It looked so easy. The instructor was going through each of the moves that would be used in later combos as part of the warmup. They were all so easy and things I had learned years ago. But as I watched the tape I did note that her form was excellent and it was actually kind of nice to only have to focus on a single person who you know is doing the exercise the correct way. Sometimes the people in some of these exercise videos are not actually showing good form and it's annoying when the camera focuses on them during a critical changeover or difficult move. Another plus is that during one of the four routines in the corner there is the same instructor showing you the high impact version of the exact exercise.

I put the tape away at first and did not add it to my rotation. A few months later I was coming off an illness and wanted something to gradually get me back into the swing of things. I chose this tape and what a surprise. Yes the moves are all basic and very easy but they work. I always try to wear a heart rate monitor when I exercise to monitor the effectiveness of any exercise I am doing. This has been invaluable. Given that I was coming off an illness it didn't take long for me to get my heart rate up doing this tape and I also found that I couldn't finish the last combo. I was baffled and a little put out that what appeared to be such an easy tape had stumped me. A week later when I was feeling like my old self I did the tape again and while I could finish the tape easily this time I still was able to get my heart rate into the correct target zone. I believe this tape is effective because someone has taken the time to involve all the major mucsle groups in such a way that not only requires a great deal of energy expediture but that keeps the moves simple. You are also given enough options to make this work for anyone. Feel like more energy on certain moves then do the high impact version. It's that simple. Because I have so many tapes it takes me awhile to cylce back to any one particular one but this one definitely got added to the "A" list. While it's not anyhwere near the most exciting routine I have ever tried it does the job and that's what counts. Another bonus is if you are a beginner to exercise it gives some great workout tips and bust some of the more common exercise myths/

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my six favorite exercise videos, January 4, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Fat Burning Workout for Dummies [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I recently bought this tape and it's quickly taken its place among the 6 tapes I use every week. It's not perfect, but it's good enough for me. It consists of 12 minutes of instruction in the steps that will be used, about 30 minutes made up of learning and repeating 4 routines, and a cooldown routine. The setting is indoor, pleasantly bright and spacious. Gay Gasper, a fitness expert, is the only person shown exercising. She's no perfect beauty, for one thing being rather muscular, but she seems to enjoy being herself. Her manner is professional, but pleasant and positive. She always lets you know ahead of time what's coming up, in a consistent way that is very helpful. The music is maybe a little above the average exercise video for interest; it fits the steps very well.
The exercise routines are easy to learn, though fast-paced enough to make you goof up some at first. Each one uses 3 to 5 of the 10 steps. You'll need a little bit of space, maybe 6-8 feet up and back, and 6-8 feet side to side. The steps used include a simple mambo, side steps, V-step, grapevine, heel digs, taps, mild backward lunges--nothing too difficult or stressful on the joints, but with the arm movements suggested, enough to get you breathing a little harder.
My only objections to this video are minor distractions and other personal preferences. It probably wouldn't suit you if you are only interested in serious body-building or complicated dancing routines, but otherwise it should be fine.

--the planimal

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Strong Choice for Getting Started and Growing, April 21, 2003

By 

"aprilove415" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fat Burning Workout for Dummies [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I bought this tape as a very beginning exerciser. I am now an intermediate and I still reach for it. It is absolutely one of my most used tapes. This tape is a good choice for many beginners because it offers a lot of room for growth. It starts out with a ~12 minute introduction to all of the basic aerobics moves. While, a lot of other reviewers have commented that there is no warmup I disagree the first move is the march and then variations on the march (Out-out in-in, 1-2-3 tap, etc) The march the ultimate classic aerobic warmup move, and Gay spends a good three minutes just on this move. From there she moves so that each move is progressively more difficult and more aerobic (v-step, lunge, mambo, etc).

From there it moves on to four different combos, that build one onto the other (i.e. learn combo one, do it straight through, then learn combo 2 and add it to combo one) until you reach combo five where you do the entire combination all the way through three times. As you get progressively healthier you can add a combo one by one gradually increasing the length of the workout. Also, there are some high impact options shown for many of the moves that once I got to be a beginner/intermediate I used to interval the workout.

Finally, she ends with a nice length cooldown and a stretch. While a lot of reviewers have also commented on no warmup up stretch, I've noticed that most more recent cardio videos have eliminated a stretch in the warmup and emphasized it in the cooldown. This seems to go along with what I've been reading in my fitness magazines about when a stretch is really the most effective.

If you need fairly basic choreography, or want to become familiar with standard moves used in an aerobics class this is a good place to start. However if you're a choreography junkie or always groan if you see a repeat of a combination this is not your video.