Customer Reviews

Jane Fonda's Step and Stretch Workout [VHS]

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This was my first step video, so I'm somewhat sentimentally attached to it. The routine is fun, and the instructors are excellent. (Jane Fonda only leads the stretch) The guy who choreographed the routine is Jay Blahnik, who was IDEA's Instructor of the Year for 1996; well deserved I might add. He's the blond teacher on the right hand part of the screen who leads the tougher sections of the video, and I always push myself when he's in front of the class.

The other teachers are Laurel Sparks, Michelle LeMay and Linda McHugh. Each lends their own personality to the class and all are warm and encouraging. There are plenty of low-impact options for extreme beginners, or those who are starting after being out of shape for a long time.

My one criticism of this tape has to do with the camera repeatedly cutting to one of the background exercisers who is using atrocious step form. I guess the producers thought she was "cute" or something, but she displays every no-no of stepping to its egregious extreme: high-impact toes-only on the step, heels dangling off the back of the step, poor body alignment etc. If people follow her form, they will have ankle, knee and back injury within a month. Guaranteed.

A step is the only equipment needed for this video. The exercisers here use this odd short step, but I would recommend investing in a full-length quality piece of equipment like the Reebok steps or those from the Step Co.

Back in 1996 I bought the Jane Fonda step and this tape was part of the package deal. I've since bought other step tapes (and a few on DVD - although there aren't many around these days since Pilates, Yoga and Tae Bo style workouts are the "in" thing right now), including the Jane Fonda Step and Abdominals workout but this one is still my all time favorite - so much so that I wore out my original copy and recently bought another one. I work at an intermediate/advanced level and this tape can still get me to work up a good sweat - but back in the day when I wasn't in such great shape, this tape also catered to my beginning activity level - no problem.

There are many aspects that make this tape superior to other step tapes around. First of all, it's fun, the instructors are great and enthusiastic enough to get you motivated without being annoying, and it's long enough to allow you to feel like you've really done a decent cardio workout. Many other tapes out there have only 30 minutes or so of cardio, but this one has 40. Also, the four instructors that guide you through the workout are clear, on cue with the music and enable you to keep focused on what you are supposed to be doing by giving you the heads up before there's a move change. Another thing that makes this tape one of my favorites is that it's clean and sharp and the moves build off one another in each of the 11 intervals in a logical way. Other tapes I've bought for the step don't seem to do this very well - often throwing in random moves that don't seem to have anything to do with the one you just did or the ones that follow. The 11 intervals that comprise the workout gradually build up from a warm up, peak at about interval 6 and 7, and then gradually take you back down in activity level to the cool down in a way that's very smooth and natural.

My only complaint about this tape is that it is a tape. I'd love to have it on DVD!

If you're a beginner, looking for some very simple step choreography - this is a video you should try. They have 3 impact options displayed during the video which includes "high impact", lower impact, and one lady modifies the moves for the floor. Most of the music isn't annoying, and they switch instructors throughout the entire set so you never get bored of just one person's style. Because I've been sick, I only used the single bench module this morning. This made the 40 minute aerobic section very easy to accomplish without much effort. If you are looking for a stronger workout, definitely add another bench module and use any of the suggested "advanced" moves like the left side of the room demonstrates. Being more of an intermediate stepper, I have to say the choreography was quite repetitive and too simple to keep me really challenged.Even so, I'd probably use this tape again when I was looking to give my mind a rest and just get some aerobic activity in my day.

I am an excercise addict. I work out six days a week every week, and probably as a result, I have found that most excercise videos are just too easy!
This one is not easy but neither is it so hard that you will kill yourself in the process of excercising to it.
Sweat was pouring down my face at the end of the cardio work, but I felt really great afterwords, because I really felt like I had done a good and solid workout.
Doing the 15 min stretch with Jane Fonda after the cardio work really worked wonders for me. I felt so relaxed and good that I could actually feel the stress just fading away.
But this is an older video, so the music is not so good, and if you are used to step aerobics you will find the coreography a bit basic in some parts of the video.
But this is still a great investment if you like excercise videos. It will burn off those calories and you will see the results if you stick with it!
And what is probably best of all is that the instructors actually seem like real, nice and geniune people. They have great cuing and timing and really try to help and encourage you through the workout. None of the cheasy, fake and horrid encouragement is present on this video unlike on most excercise videos, which just make me want to punch the screen.
In short this is a no nonsense cardio/stretch video which will get the job done!

I have been doing Step Reebok and Kathy Smith's Step Workout for a long time and wanted something new. I purchased Jane Fonda's Step and Stretch and like it a lot. I think the moves are easy to learn and follow. The instructors are very good and make the class fun so that the time flies by! I also love the relaxing stretches led by Jane at the end of the tape. My only criticism is that there are no heart rate checks at all. The instructors remind us to "breathe," but people need to know if they are in their target heart rate zone (I wear a heart rate monitor). All in all, this is a well-produced and well-instructed tape, to me, much more fun than Step Reebok!

I am a intermediate level workout person and found this tape challeging and fun. I love the combination of instructors and routines used to create a high energy/motivating tape. I get bored easy with exercise tapes and have done this one about 25 times and still have not tired of it. The added bonus is the great stretch lead by Jane. Highly recommend this tape if you are a person looking for a new motivating step tape.

I have had this workout tape since 1995, and every year or so, I pop it in and work out to it for six to eight weeks to get myself back in shape. It's challenging to a beginner, but when you can go through the whole step programme from beginning to end, you feel as good as if you had run a marathon! I get more out of the stretches at the end of the step tape, than Jane Fonda's segment, so I do my own stretches. My son watched me work out to this tape a few times, decided that Michelle was cute and perky and started doing the routine with me. We still groan when Jay comes up in the last part, and when Laurel leads us out, but in the end we both feel we have accomplished a good fitness workout. Even though this was my first step tape, it is the one I always come back to-it never gets boring.

This step workout is about 45 minutes long and is led by four of Jane's top instructors, Jane herself doesn't appear in it at all. There are several step sequences, plus warm up and cooldown, each led by a different instructor and has a different song.

Laurel leads you through a simple warmup consisting of step taps on and off the step, step touches and mambos, all with simple arm movements. Then the first combination is led by Michelle, easy routine where you will see more step touches, basic steps, alternating tap up/downs, then going into turn steps. Then Linda comes in for the second combo with tap up/downs off each side of the step, with traveling basic steps to get you from one end to the other, gradually adding on heel pulls, tap scoops etc.

Laurel comes back for the third combination with more tap up/downs, hamstring curls alternating corners, over the tops and heel digs. Then Jay makes his first appearance for combo #4 with more tap up/downs on alternating corners, adding side leg lifts with basic steps in between. Then you will change the side leg lifts into inner thigh lifts, then knee lifts while adding repeaters. Michelle returns for combo #5 with some new moves, step kicks on each corner, traveling across the top to get to the other side, then tap up/downs into mambo steps with simple arm movements to go with it. Linda leads combo #6 where you will see V-step, step kicks into lunges with the back foot alternating corners, then adding alternating knee lifts, then repeating the knees twice before adding jumping jacks to the floor to up the intensity a bit.

We see Laurel again for combo #7 where the step is turned the long way, you will do over the tops, rear leg lifts (or bootay lifts as Laurel calls them), rock steps, step kicks with some jazz arm movements and optional pivot turns. Then Jay returns for combo #8 with more over the tops, straddles, knee lifts, tap up/downs off the side and back of the step. Then it's time to slow things down, Linda comes back with some alternating step taps, marches on the floor, step touches, etc. Then Michelle comes in with the cooldown and final stretch.

This is a fun routine, the steps are quite easy, but there seems to be enough of a variety and each combination is relatively short so it doesn't get boring. This would be best for beginner/intermediate levels, advanced would likely find it boring although the left side of the room does add intensity to the workout to make it more challenging. Those less advanced would follow the right side of the room. I thought all the instructors did a good job, the entire class seems to be having a good time as there are lots of woo's during the workout, normally this irritates me a bit but it was tolerable for this workout. Overall a decent cardio workout in 45 minutes.

Jane leads the 15 minute stretch segment following, it is just her and she does most of the stretches while sitting on the step though you stand for the last few stretches. She also recommends having a towel close by for some of the stretches. Most of the stretches are held for at least 10 seconds and most of the major muscle groups are stretched out nicely. She offers tips and information throughout and points out not to get discouraged if you aren't as flexible as you would like to be. Overall a decent mini stretch routine.

This tape is a good buy if you can find it used. I would recommend it.

I did this tape once when i got it yesterday. it made me sweat but i was not totally out of breath like with some aerobics tapes. The 40 or so minutes goes by fast since different instructors keep coming on.
my calves really hurt today and i wonder if thats from the stepper. it is a good kind of pain though :)

I recommend this to anyone who wants an in betweeny excercise (not too light but not high impact either) although u do do a few jumping jacks.

I love this video as much as Jane's first step video (Step & Abs). This one has an intermediate music tempo - around 124 beats per minute. To me this is wonderful. Too many modern step videos have tempos as fast as 134 beats per minute! I just don't believe that's safe. I love everything about this video, even the music. I love warming up WITHOUT a step. You do not stretch before this workout, but you get such an excellent stretch afterwards that I think it's fine. The stretch portion is excellent! The whole tape is a perfect length. As soon as this one comes out on DVD, I will buy it immediately. It is one of my top 5 favorite step videos that has withstood the test of time.