Customer Reviews

8 Minute Arms [VHS]

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was trying to figure out before I bought this tape if you need hand-held weights, which you really do. The main description on Amazon doesn't mention this and the description on the box does not mention this either. I have toned arms already, but like to keep up workouts in between trips to the gym. As a woman, I don't like the look of "Big" arms and biceps. Also, I'm petite, so I prefer to do toning exercises as opposed to lifting huge weights. That's why I recommend this video. It's short and to the point. Jaime Brenkus says you can use 2 soup cans as weights, but this wasn't enough for me. I use 8 or 10 pound weights to get a better workout.

You learn from this tape that it is not quanitity but the quaility and technique that creates the definition in your arms. I had lifted weights for about a year and thought my arms were OK. After just 3 weeks with this video, others had mentioned about my arms and how toned they were getting. I credit this tape. It is short and to the point besides showing proper technigue. It is the only tape I do faithfully 3 times a week. Thanks Jaime!

8 Minute Arms is exactly that: 8 minutes of arm exercises with very, very little breaks in between. This is an excellent tape to add to your collection for the days that you really don't feel like working out (but would feel even worse if you don't) or for the days that you want to go easy and just have to do have do a little something.
This tape assumes that the viewer is familiar with the exercises and that you have warmed up beforehand. There is no warmup, Jaime jumps into the program immediately after explaining what types of weight to use. Each exercise lasts for 30 seconds and the triceps, biceps, upper back and shoulders are targeted.
This tape is challenging for beginners, those who have backslid and someone who wants to get a quick workout with out leaving the house.

In the beginning you will be greeted by 3 people. The instructor and 2 others working out with him. 1 is a female and is for beginners (she doesn't have weights). And the second person is a guy and he is for those who have worked out before (he uses weights). The instructor (who is using 2 cans of food not weights) tells you what to do and the name of the movement. The screen shows you the name of the movements and how many minutes and seconds you have left. The left side of the screen has how many minutes you have left (it counts backwards) and on the right side of the screen it shows how many seconds you have left till you finish each movement. This is a straight and to the point workout. There are different movements for your arms, back, chest and shoulders. I needed this because I am trying to get my upper body back into shape. I was surprised, this workout was quick, fast and to the point. There was no breaks, warm ups or a chance to stop. It's good to do a five minute warm up and stretch your arms and back before going in. Be sure to breathe and have some water handy. In the end...I can actually say I had fun. For a workout that came out so long ago, It didn't seem like it. I would recommend this. A+

It's short. But it works. If you don't have much time to do weights or if you have a health challenge or are out of shape or a bit older, this is an excellent choice.

I started a new work out routine in May 2000. I included the eight minute routines in it. It is now Jan 2001 and I have succeeded in losing approximately 75 lbs. (From 200 to 123). Everything together helps out but I feel these tapes were very important. I have recently included a friend in my findings and she has started on the legs tape and is thrilled. She has purchased two more. I need to get the arms to finish my collection. I have recently joined the internet and was thrilled to find the last tape I needed. You need to get these tapes into the stores a little more. Thanks a lot. KImberly

I'd never done any work with weights before I bought this tape, so I thought it'd be a good way to get started. It was that, and even more!

I do this routine EVERY NIGHT after my aerobics workout, and it's beginning to make a difference that I can really feel. (my upper arms are still pretty "plump" right now, so I'll have to lose a bit more weight overall in order to SEE the newly developed definition in my arms) For someone who's new to working with weights, I'm pleasantly surprised at how quickly I've gotten a good result. Talk about positive reinforcement! I started with one-and-a-half-pound weights and have worked my way up to using 3-pound weights. I fully expect to graduate to heavier weights as I continue to get stronger.

As other reviewers have noted, the tape gets right down to business. No nonsense, no wasted time. And that's extremely important to me because I'll have already done anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes of aerobics...AFTER I come home from work and prepared dinner for my family. But eight minutes isn't very long at all, and I can easily devote that little bit of time to my upper arms without feeling worn out, especially since I'm already warmed up from the aerobics anyway. It's far easier to incorporate this into my exercise routine that I'd have ever imagined.

Bottom line, the workout may be short in duration, but it's long on results!

I'm female, in my late 30's, and have had two kids--and I used to weigh over 245 lbs and was a size 24. After a good year of working out at home with tapes, and eating somewhat better (though I still love food too much), I managed to get down to a size 10 and hope to be even smaller by this summer. The 8 Minute tapes, together with a bunch of longer cardio/aerobics tapes that I rotate (because otherwise I get bored), get a lot of credit for my transformation.

The Arm workout actually gave me definition I never thought I'd see in my chubby arms--helped firm up the jiggly areas under the triceps, etc. The way I used the 8 minute series was, I'd use an aerobic tape (like a Crunch Fat Blaster, for example) then while I was warmed up I'd do the 8 minute workout for Arms, then Abs, then I'd stretch. That was every other day. In between, I'd do pretty much the same thing but tacking on the 8 minute Legs & Buns instead of arms & abs. When the exercises got easier, I added weight and/or an extra time through the 8 minute videos. To me that's very important--I've "outgrown" a lot of videos--I won't outgrow these!

I have to say that in order of preference I like the abs, then arms, then buns, then legs videos--but they all are very good. They're short enough that I don't get bored or lazy about using them, and when I'm travelling I remember the moves to do on my own away from the VCR. And as everyone says, ANYBODY can find 8 minutes here & there to squeeze a session in--I've been known to serve my kids lunch, pop in a tape, and be finished before they are--etc.

The only complaints I have: no warm-up, so unless I've already done something else I have to take time to do that; and, with the arm video, the sets CAN be too quick (I'd prefer to work with less speed and more control)--but both of these fall under the price one pays for having the workout only be 8 minutes long. There was a time years ago (before the kids) when I spent more money and time than I care to admit in the gym--I've had better results at home with these tapes as the foundation of my regimen.

Hope you have the same great results!

A couple months ago I got the "8 Minute Abs" video and it totally rocked my world. It was just incredible to get rid of my gut, and all it really took was the commitment to do the darn tape every day, no matter what. I gave myself that like a present for my 38th birthday. And after just a couple months my old lady was so turned on and hot for me again that we started doing this "New Sex Now" and "Goddess Worship" sex stuff off some videos, and it was just radical! My old lady was just so diggin' me, and I was lovin' life! So I said hey, why not get my arms all rockin' cut too? And I got this tape and, for Valentine's day I'm gonna get a red rose tatood on my tricep and give her that instead of a dozen long-stems! Ha!

Instructor goes a little quick between the work outs. He doesnt give a lot of time to change weights between excercises.