Customer Reviews

Joel Harper's Fit Pack - Nine Short Workouts

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

I received FitPack DVD as a gift for Christmas. I haven't purchased many tapes as I'm not interested in most of the tapes that sit useless in my closet. FitPack's short workouts are more like an uncomplicated workout format that allows me to get into shape in my living room and get my 13 year old daughter involved. Unlike most gyms that don't allow children. My daughter does the beginner and I the intermediate level and we both feel great about our accomplishments. I really like the soothing music so I don't understand where the woman in the previous review was coming from with her comment. This video has a nice unique feel with some special effects which I haven't yet seen in any workout video. I'm sure you will love this DVD. Definitely buy it.

Fit Pack is a real amazing complete workout.
It taught me a lot of things.
I was sedentary, overweight and lacked flexibility.
I have a six pack indeed now, a lean core, strong shoulders, fast legs and I'm in the best shape and weight of my life. Everything with Fit Pack. You heard me. I haven't touched a dumbbell, a push-up bar, a medicine ball and neither I have runned outside.

Six Pack made me more knowledgeable about fitness and that allows me to explain something about this program.

Many won't notice it but Fit Pack includes a lot of different techniques to form the best cross training conditioning. They all so blend together magnificently that you don't realize you're doing so many things.

You have the calisthenics: push-ups, crunches, leg lifts, bun raises ...
You have dyamics: all the kicks
You have yoga: down dog, child, lord of the fish, cobra, eagle, table
You have isometrics: wall squat, knee-hand press, plank, side plank
You have interval training: cardio, squats ...
You have plyometrics: jumps
You have stretchings: harmstrings, shoulders, abs, back ...
You have balancing: all exercises standing on one leg

Studies have shown that push-ups provide a greater hypetrophic stimulus than bench pressing. And what about abs? Most gym goers just finish their workout with ab training which is just a series of crunches. Here you have one of the most complete abs training every including isometrics, heel drops, russian twists, superman, V-ups, legs lift, toes pointing.

There's everything you know to have the body you desire. It's a myth that body weight exercises can't build muscles. Resistance is resistance no matter the source. You can start with beginner positions and move to advanced and when even that isn't enough you can increase the reptition or crease challenging routine. For example advanced abs + legs + buns together. Then abs + chest + shoulders togheter.

I LOVE JOEL AND HIS FRIENDS WHO WORKOUT WITH HIM IN THESE DVDS. IT TOTALLY AMAZES ME THAT I CAN WORK UP THAT AMOUNT OF SWEAT DOING AN 11 MINUTE BUTT WORKOUT. I HAVE PURCHASED MANY WORK OUT DVDS AND NONE OF THEM GIVE YOU THE RESULTS THIS ONE DOES. I'VE BEEN AT IT FOR THREE WEEKS I AM STILL HAVING SOME TROUBLE BUT I KNOW THE MORE I DO IT THE BETTER I WILL GET. I ALTERNATE DIFFERNT WORKOUTS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK AND DO THE COMBO ON THE WEEKENDS. KEEP THEM COMING JOEL.

LINDA

I totally dig this dvd. 1) No equipment needed, just your body. 2) Time flexibility and you mix and match the workouts. 3) Love the yoga influence. And, $29.99 is not so much for nine, yes 9 workouts.

I think this DVD is great. It's really to the point and works out almost all parts of the body. I enjoy being able to do the exercises in the comfort of my own home. I also like the fact that I can turn off the music track, play my own music, and still hear the instructor. You won't be sorry that you purchased this DVD, but you may be sore after using it!

I ordered this video series based on viewing the challenging, yet effective, workouts which Joel Harper produced for the YOU series created by Dr. Oz. I figured I would get a DVD which permitted me to work out without a much equipment and a minimum of time. From what I have seen, this series does indeed provide such a workout. Unfortunately, I haven't seen much. In the first Fit Pack I ordered, both discs were defective. Disc Two skipped a lot, and Disc One would not play at all. So Amazon kindly permitted me to exchange it and, kudos to Amazon, I received a replacement in two days. The replacement is better since I can view most of the workouts, but one whole track on Disc Two will not play at all. So, back it goes.

Based on the fact that another reviewer had the same problem, I believe this is no coincidence. Something about the manufacturing process for this particular DVD set is flawed. I would give this DVD a higher rating if I could, but it is impossible to separate the content from the delivery. You simply cannot benefit from a DVD you cannot play.

The Fit Pack DVD is perfect for my lifestyle. I really like the 30 minute workouts that leave me feeling as if I have spent an hour and a half in the gym. I get up 30 minutes early, go down to the basement and have a workout that burns calories and leaves me stretched out and energetic for the day ahead. I am in my 50's and the yoga has increased my range of motion tremendously. A great, fun product.