Product Details

• Actors: Joel Harper
• Format: NTSC
• Region: All Regions
• Number of discs: 2
• Studio: CustomFlix
• DVD Release Date: December 5, 2006
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000LP528O
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #40,399 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

100 of 103 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank you Joel Harper, March 4, 2007

By 

dnk "dnkboston" (Boston, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Joel Harper's Fit Pack - Nine Short Workouts (DVD)

For every person of limited means, time and space who has had to listen to someone tell them that they won't be able to get in shape unless they spend hundreds of dollars on gym memberships and/or large (or small) home equipment as well as devote over an hour per day- this is for you.

Fit Pack has nine different workouts that clock in at 30 minutes or under- for the most part, under. Included are workouts for Chest, Back, Shoulders, Abs (two of them), Legs, Buns/Glutes, Cardio and a Combo workout that has a little bit of everything. The only "equipment" required is a mat (which you could get away with not using for most of them) and sneakers for the Cardio workout. I really, really like the workout choices Harper made. If you've got something of a gym mentality, you can work your body parts by day, starting with maybe Chest on Day 1, Back on Day 2, Shoulders on Day 3, etc. without overworking your muscles (and since you're using your gravity and your body weight only, that would be unlikely in any case). Or if you're looking for a total body workout, you can use the Combo workout or combine some of the other workouts if you want a longer workout. It's very flexible.

Harper clearly has a yoga practice of his own. Many of the exercises, particularly for the upper body, have recognizable yoga postures and movements- some Down Dog variations for the Chest, Cat extensions for the back, and some tough Side Planks for the Shoulders. In addition to integrating yoga into calisthenics, he also adds some twists I've never seen before (and I've been using "the latest and greatest" at home for quite some time). I found many of his Leg exercises to be very innovative, particularly his take on the One-Legged Deadlift. That move is always a killer, but he found a way to make it that much harder.

The Chest, Back, Legs and Advanced Abs had me near tears. I'm a proud, stubborn person, but I dropped some of the reps on the pushups and a whole bunch on the Advanced Abs. Even with that, I have to say that the Advanced Abs was the hardest abdominal workout I have ever done. I have not felt that worked over- for days afterwards- since my very first Pilates class. Tough, tough, tough.

The Abs, Buns and Cardio workouts are shorter than the others, between 17/18 (Abs) and 6 (Cardio). I would recommend using those in combination or adding them onto the other, longer workouts (or just doing them on their own- as I said, the Abs are tough). The Buns workout is also pretty difficult; I felt that for about two days as well. Actually, the Chest workout is about the same length as the Abs, but I'd recommend treating that as a standalone workout that complements the Back workout, since it works your Chest pretty hard.

Here's hoping that this isn't the last we see of Harper and his no-equipment, no-time workouts. If there is a volume 2, I'd love to see: longer, lower-impact cardio (this one has a lot of jogging and high impact, and sometimes my downstairs neighbors just aren't as accommodating as they could be); a Combo 2; and a stretch routine (which, given the yoga, shouldn't be too hard). But in the meantime, this release should keep me plenty busy.

50 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great video-great instruction and successful results, September 6, 2007

By 

Raining Sunshine "Jacalyn" (Fall City, Washington United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Joel Harper's Fit Pack - Nine Short Workouts (DVD)

I stumbled upon this DVD looking at the Oprah website. I was really intrigued and downloaded a sample version. There are so many advantages to this DVD. I absolutely love it and what it is doing for me and my body.

1) Joel incorporates three people-one is doing the beginning workout, another the intermediate and another the most difficult. Most exercise videos/DVD's, that I have and I have quite an assortment-- don't do that. And, so if the exercise is too hard--I can't do another version that still works the muscles but is more at my level. Not to mention that I can do some of the beginner, some intermediate and some expert and do what works for me.

2) The exercises DO NOT require any extra equipment-no weights, bands, ball etc. You use your own body weight to get a great workout. So it is easily done at home or outside.

3) Workout time is perfect. You can select from a whole group. The combo is about 30 minutes and then other more specific workouts are less time and you can choose what you want or need to work on.

4) I even had questions and emailed Joel Harper and I got a response back!! And, answered my specific question and did not send me some general email. I was pleased!!

There is more but you can see for yourself when you purchase this DVD.

45 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple, Effective, Efficient, Fast..., March 10, 2007

By 

passedpast "passedpast" (West Yarmouth, Morocco) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Joel Harper's Fit Pack - Nine Short Workouts (DVD)

I'm an older exercisor and needed a regimen where you don't have to be a great dancer to perform. This DVD has it all and works great for me. You can follow the performer who you feel you match up best with. It hits all the areas of the body that need working. The 2 DVD set is also interestingly produced; done almost as an artform. It's well done and it has allowed me to advance my physical state beyond my expectations. I just love it.