Product Details

• Actors: Kathy Smith
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Sony Wonder (Video)
• DVD Release Date: March 7, 2000
• Run Time: 110 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305717273
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #165,593 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Fans of Kathy Smith will appreciate the highlights from her exercise videos gathered on one DVD for a full-body workout. Use the written chapter menu (no pictures are shown, but the names are descriptive enough) to jump to the segment you want, or use Smith's training schedule, which gives you a weekly routine depending on whether your goal is weight loss (the cardio workout plus walking to be done outside or on a treadmill), body sculpting (the weight and cardio workouts), or stress reduction (a combination of yoga and cardio). The training schedule is an effective and easy way to keep you on track and to keep your routine varied.

The exercise program is broken down into the following segments: warm-up (6 minutes from Functionally Fit: Peak Fat Burning), cardio (20 minutes from Cardio Fat Burner), upper body (20 minutes from Lift Weights to Lose Weight), lower body (20 minutes from Functionally Fit: Lower Body Firming), abs and back strengthening (5 minutes from Lift Weights to Lose Weight), yoga basics (30 minutes from New Yoga Basics), and cool down (7 minutes from Cardio Fat Burner). The extras are negligible--a biography of Smith, clips from her videos, her Web site link--but the heart of the DVD--the workouts--will have you moving and sweating. While many of the segments here are short (it would have been nice if the DVD had included the full 40-minute workout from Cardio Fat Burner, and the ab workout feels brief), this is one program that covers everything: your heart rate will be elevated, your muscles will be toned, and you'll be feeling de-stressed and healthy. --Jenny Brown

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

102 of 105 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars New technology, old material, March 26, 2000

By 

S. Friedman (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kathy Smith's Personal Trainer (DVD)

The DVD format has great potential to provide a better home workout than VHS. The music sounds better, you don't have to fast forward or rewind, and you can customize the "order" your workout. The concept behind "Personal Trainer" is that you can create your own workout routine from a menu of different exercises; cardio, sculpting, and stretching. This is a great idea that doesn't live up to its promises. For starters, the material isn't new. All of the workout segments are excerpts from older Kathy Smith videos. Kathy is a great motivator and has put out some good videos, but this DVD has a cheap "cut and paste" feel to it. It just gives you the sense that they wanted to get a DVD on the market for the sake of putting out a DVD. Kathy's "Kickboxing" DVD is a much better use of the technology. The 20 minute cardio workout (from "Cardio Fat Burner) is way too dancy for my taste, and too short to provide a good workout. The personal advice section from Kathy even suggests that you augment this workout with 20 minutes of walking. The sculpting an toning section (from "Lift Weights to Lose Weight" and "Functionally Fit/Lower Body") is more effective, but you do need a weight bench to do the routine. The yoga routine from "New Yoga Basics" is nice for a change of pace, but not worth the price of the entire DVD. The section that I'll probably keep returning to is the abs and back strenthening section. For 7 minutes, it's a good routine. The "extra" features are pretty worthless, they include Kathy's bio and catalogue of videos. If you're looking for something new, you're not going to find it here. I'd wait until Kathy puts out a DVD workout containing new material.

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy and Fun Workouts, May 22, 2001

By 

Sunhi (East Norriton, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kathy Smith's Personal Trainer (DVD)

Normally, I'm not a fan of workout videos, but since one of my biggest complaints about them is fast forwarding or rewind to specific sections, a DVD seemed like a much better choice. Sure enough, I love this Kathy Smith DVD. I can do only the sections I want or I can follow one of Kathy's training schedules.

The warm up is okay, but it quickly becomes boring after doing it everyday. There's no challenge to it, so it sinply becomes a matter of doing it because one should. It does give a decent warm up, and really prepares one for the Cardio workout.

The Aerobics/Cardio section is more based on dance than I expected, but that thrilled me since I had been bored of the normal jumping jack routines that I expected. It took me about five days to learn the routine to the point where I can do it perfectly, but I liked mastering the moves. The section is a little short and I wished there had been a longer thirty to forty minute Cardio section, in addition, but this one still managed to give me a decent workout. After two weeks of it, however, it's becoming a little too easy.

The same can be said for the leg workout. Short, effective, and fun but a little too easy. However, in this section, Kathy does offer a few hints to make the workout more difficult.

The arm section is difficult to me, but this might be more because I have weak arms than because the workout itself is hard. It offers to distinct levels of challenge which is nice, but I've only tried the easier level.

The abs and back strengthening section is very short (clocking in at about five minutes) but it is difficult. I wish it was a little longer because I doubt that a five minute workout even if done every day would be that effective.

The yoga section is simple and relaxing. It offers a nice amount of stretching for the legs and back. I haven't done it many times, but my mother loves it since the other parts of the workout are too hard or too fast for her. I wouldn't recommend it to someone looking for a yoga workout, but it is a nice way to unwind at night.

The cool down (stretching) section is nicely done and really stretches the legs and spine well. It doesn't work the arms nearly enough, but it's forgiveable considering. I've already felt an adjustment in my flexability and I think it's because Kathy emphasizes holding stretches the correct way for a good amount of time.

Overall, I'd suggest this fun workout to people who like dance aerobics and who are at a beginner or intermediate level of fitness. Those who want a hard, long workout or those who are uncoordinated should probably look elsewhere.

34 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Nothing new!, May 2, 2000

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Kathy Smith's Personal Trainer (DVD)

. . . I looked high and low to get a fitness DVD and I washighly disappointed with this compilation of Kathy Smith's previousworks. Since I am a Kathy Smith fan I already own every workoutsegment that is on this DVD. It is nice being able to forward quickly to the segments that I want to exercise with. But the cardio segment was from her Timesaver series and is definitely not my favorite, too dancy. Too bad they couldn't come up with any new material to add.