Customer Reviews

Kathy Smith - Timesaver - Lift Weights to Lose Weight

5 star:		(102)
4 star:		(61)
3 star:		(24)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

I love this tape. I got it about six months ago and have been doing it about twice a week and I couldn't be happier with the results. This tape will get your arms and legs in terrific shape (the ab program is a little too short for me, frankly) if you do it faithfully, and the tape is so enjoyable, that it's easy to do faithfully. As she points out in the video, building muscle helps you lose weight, and this video will help you reach your goal. As other reviewers have stated, she offers two tracks, complete with guidance as to who should do what when, and recommends beginning weights. Her direction is terrific and the tape really flows. She's energetic, without being overly peppy (as I find her in some other videos). Unlike a lot of other tapes, you don't waste time listening to instruction, you are working out for the entire 40 minutes. Kathy Smith has split the tape into two 20 minute workouts (upper and lower body) which is really helpful when you've got limited time to workout.

Bottom line, Kathy Smith has designed a terrific workout tape that is easy to stick with and will give you the results you want.

A great tape for adding weight training to your exercise routine.

A caveat about equipment you'll need. I watched the intro and it said all you need to get started is a set of dumbbells and either a chair or a weight bench. I went w/ the bench. Then I got to the second workout, where they suggested ankle weights, and also the exercises required a straight-backed chair, which I did not have, as I bought the bench. Sigh! (If I did this over again, I'd skip the bench cause a chair will work just as well).

That said, these are two fast, fun workouts that produce results. The lower body, especially, seems to burn my legs up but then, maybe that's where I need the most work. The mercifully-short abs/back "bonus" workout is over before ya know it, which (if you hate abs work as much as I do) is a good thing. I can really feel a difference, though, so hey, it's working!

The background music is cheesy but fun, and Kathy's enthusiasm is infectious. If her motivational outbursts piss you off, you should really try to get in a more positive frame of mind when you work out, I think.

One final suggestion: try vigorously vaccuuming your workout space as your warmup. Five minutes, and you really warm up all the muscle groups. PLUS... you've cleaned your carpet. No sense in jogging in place for five minutes when you can vaccuum!!

I've worked with a personal trainer for a year and took a year off to run a marathon. I noticed that once I stopped weight training I slowly gained weight, even with running. So here I'm back again with weights. I'm new to Kathy Smith (probably the only one in the country) and I'm impressed. She does all the exercises that my trainer does and even provides 2 methods for either supersetting (to fatigue) or traditional lifting. The leg workout will get your heartrate up. The arm workout was perfect.

I don't recommend this video to beginners. It's much too fast. Great video for a 6-12 week toning. I will mention that a weight bench is helpful and there is a 7 minute ab workout at the end which I didn't even know about. The workouts went so fast I couldn't believe they were 20 minutes.

I have the first volume of TimeSaver Lift Weights and I thought it was okay. I wasn't overly impressed with it, but I still use it. But with this second volume, I was immediately impressed and happy with it. It's become one of my favorite staples already. In this volume, Kathy includes a warmup as well as an abs workout section. The workout is broken down into two sections: first is the upper body with 10 minutes focused on squats and 10 minutes focused on glutes, second is the lower body with first 10 minutes standing leg work and the remaining 10 minutes done on the floor. The people in class aren't annoyingly cheery and the videography is cut nicely. There are even some inserts from Kathy where she demonstrates proper form to ensure an effective workout. There are some new techniques here you will not find in other tapes, especially in the abs section. Great for veriety and staving off boredom. One move I really liked is going down in a squat and then shifting to one leg and then raising squat back up. I am an avid exerciser and this tape made me feel sore in areas I haven't been concentrating. I liked Kathy Smith just fine before, but this tape made me a fan of hers now. Worth the $$.

This is an excellent results-driven video. There are 2 parts-upper body and lower body, each 20 minutes. Both are challenging, move quickly and are very thorough. You'll feel it, believe me. There is no warm-up, I do it after cardio and I think that is what was intended with this one (hence, "Timesaver").Kathy has a system she's incorporated into the workout which she calls the "Dual Track System"-which means that there is instruction for both low rep & heavy weights as well as high rep & lighter weights in the same workout. She's got a class going with her (if you are familiar with KS videos, it's the usual suspects and some new faces too). The bkgd music is fast, Kathy's very whoop-y and 'motivational' (for lack of a better word) in this tape. It's high intensity, but very effective and also quite fun. You'll see results.

Kathy Smith leads you through two separate 20 minute workouts, one for your upper body and one for your lower body, and there is a "bonus" 7-minute abs and back workout at the end. Kathy uses her "dual track" system, so that you can either use lighter weights and do more reps, or heavier weights with recovery time. Kathy is extremly peppy, as usual, which might annoy some people. Frankly, the workout keeps you so busy that you don't have time to think about it! You move from one exercise to the next very quickly, sometimes a bit too quickly. I like this video, though, because you pack a lot into those 20 minutes--it's a great workout for working stiffs like me who really don't have much time to exercise. Many of the exercises themselves are classic moves, like concentration curls, french press, tricep dips, side laterals, flys, lunges, plies, etc. Some of the moves are more unique, especially in the lower body section. The abs section might be too short for some, or plenty for others depending on your level of fitness. I like that she includes a couple of back exercises--we mustn't forget about our backs in our quest to have "washboard" abs. Kathy's cuing is mostly good, at times a little off beat, and once or twice she cues a little late. I like the music, and it's at just the right volume relative to her voice. You will definitely see results if you use it regularly. All in all, a very good workout.

I have been a fan of Kathy Smith videos since the early 90's when I used her fat burning aerobic tape daily and lost 80 pounds. I've always used weights on my own but never knew too many ways to use them and then I found this video. I have been using the upper body portion for nearly a month and I am amazed at the difference in my arms (even after the first couple uses!) The 20 minutes goes by so quickly that I'm usually shocked when it's over. For individuals that have never used weights before, make sure you start only with 3 or 5 lbs and work your way up. What they don't tell you on the video package is that you're supposed to have a set of three different size weights and if you don't have a weight bench to lay on, you'll have to use the floor with a pillow under your back for one part(Kathy instructs this.) The two track system allows you to do more reps with lighter weights or less with heavier ones. One thing I love about Kathy Smith is that she is encouraging without being annoying. Granted, a few whoops and squeals make it on the video, but who wants to hear a whole video of "you go girl, you can do it!" Not me. After Kathy Smith, I won't try out anyone else! I thought I would only use the upper portion part of the tape and one day decided to do the lower body. All the moves are very easy and make for a very complete workout. Like the upper body moves, I started seeing and feeling results. If you want to define your calves, quads and even your butt, she has some simple ways to do that! I'm impressed with the two portions of the video.

This short total-body strengthening workout is flexible for different levels (just change the weights) and its two 20-minute workouts plus 7-minute abs section can be done on separate days if you are in a hurry. You need two or three sets of hand-weights, a chair, a step or bench to lie down on, ankle weights, and an exercise mat. It is not complicated, but it is fast-paced.

When I was a beginner (6 months ago), I used this tape and noticed GREAT results in a short amount of time, especially in strengthening but also in weight loss. It is still very effective (I use heavier weights now) although now it is one of 4 strength-training tapes I use. The others are Kathy Smith's more thorough "Secrets of a Great Body, parts 1 and 2" (40-minutes each, and also with a few annoying problems), the excellent "I Want Those Abs" by Tamilee Webb (30-minutes), and the very tough new pre-release Reebok video "Simply Strong" (an hour) by Gin Miller (see her website).

My complaints about this video are mainly aesthetic. Kathy howls like a coyote and wears an overly revealing outfit, as do some of the members of her workout team. One of the male workout-team members leers at her in a very off-putting way during the hamstring section, and two members of the team look greased-up as if they are shiny with sweat. Yuck. There are a couple of places in the lower-body section where the left and right sides do different numbers of reps, but once you figure out where they are, you can compensate by doing it correctly on your own.

If you can make yourself ignore the annoying parts and just focus on the workout, this tape will give you great results in a very short amount of time.

Kathy's Smith's TIMESAVER: LIFT WEIGHTS TO LOSE WEIGHT is a fun, effective workout for all levels. The workout is divided into three sections: a 20-minute upper body workout; a 20-minute lower body workout; and a 7-minute bonus abdominal workout.

Throughout the upper body workout, you use dumbbells to work your arms and back. Other exercises include pushups and tricep dips. The lower body workout consists mostly of squats and side and back leg kicks/lifts. Finally, be prepared to do a number of different crunches during the ab section.

The nice thing about the upper- and lower-body workouts is that they can be as easy or as difficult as you like - just vary the weight of the dumbbells and ankle weights. Each has two different "Tracks" you can follow, too. The first track employs lighter weights and more repetitions, while the second uses heavier weights and allows for more frequent rests in which to recover. Half the class follows along with each track, plus there are textual cues on the video to help you keep up with your track, so it's quite simple.

Although instructor Kathy Smith suggests that you do the workout every day, alternating between the lower- and upper-body segments (or do both on one day and then take the next off), I also do yoga, pilates, and Tae Bo, so I only do LIFT WEIGHTS TO LOSE WEIGHT about once a week. Even so, I can already see a difference, particularly in my arms and shoulders. I don't use especially heavy weights, either - just 3- and 5-pound dumbbells and 2-pound ankle weights. I can really feel an ache in my muscles after the lower body segment, too. Finally, the ab workout is a "fun" (relatively speaking) variation from what I'm used to.

Speaking of fun, I really like Kathy Smith's instructional style. She's peppy and encouraging, but not to the point of annoyance (yes, I'm thinking of the wild-eyed Denise Austin here). I have a number of Smith's workouts, and they're all above par.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED:

The upper body workout requires at least two pairs of dumbbells: a light-to-medium set and a second, heavier set. During the workout, instructor Kathy Smith encourages you to alternate between the two. A padded bench is optional. If you don't have a bench, you can get down on a carpeted floor or mat instead, but I find that a bench helps me to keep proper form, so I just use my coffee table with a towel for padding. However, you will need a chair for the tricep dips.

The lower body section requires a chair for support, and dumbbells and ankle weights may be used for a greater challenge.

The ab segment doesn't require any extra equipment, optional or otherwise - just a carpeted floor or exercise mat.

Enjoy the workout!

Kathy Smith is not my favorite video aerobics instructor. As others have mentioned, she whoops and yelps throughout the video, which is quite annoying. She also swings her weights a little bit. Those negatives aside, I love this DVD because it has helped me get definition in my arms and lower body. It has also helped me lose weight, since strength training boosts metabolism. The DVD has two methods, in which you can do light weights with higher reps or heavier weights with lower reps. You can also opt do the lower body segment with or without weights. Though I get bored with workout DVD's easily, I always use this DVD (mostly the upper body workout and bonus abs) on a regular basis in combination with my cardio workouts. I've lost about 30lbs. since this past Spring (2002). I started this DVD in May and gradually started from 4 lb. free weights progressing to 8 lb. weights over time. This video was really key to getting the leaner and defined arms I've always wished for.