Customer Reviews

Personal Training System

5 star:		(112)
4 star:		(32)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I bought this because I like the option of short workouts and the programming ability. I am a beginner and this is a DVD I can grow with. This would also be good for intermediate. If you are advanced, it would be good for light days or you could do more of the workouts back to back.

Here is what you get:

2 - 20 min. Cardio (low and high intensity)
3 - 10 min. Upper Body (low, med., and high intensity)
3 - 10 min. Lower Body (low, med., and high intensity)
1 - 10 min. abs section
1 - 10 min stretch section

These are good workouts especially the toning sections for medium and high intensity! The cardio isn't exciting but it gets the job done. These workouts don't require much space. All you need is weights and a chair for the toning.

If you don't take to Denise's personality style then don't buy this. I personally feel she really cares, is sincere and wants to motivate you so she does not annoy me.

This one DVD will add a lot of versatility to your exercise routine!! (and you get alot of different routines for the money!)

Having recently decided to get fit, I searched and searched for an exercise video that could take me from beginner to as advanced as I want to be in just a few short weeks. The custom workout is perfect for gaining not only strength but confidence in the fact that you know you are getting better with each workout. I have only been using this DVD for 5 weeks and can now make it through 95% of the abs workout without missing a beat...and that's after laying on the floor through most of it the first time (I'm 44)!! I highly recommend this for anyone wanting to get fit and stay fit.

I have been doing Denise Austin's Shrink Your Female Fat Zones for 6 weeks, and 2 weeks ago added this DVD to put some variety in the routine. I love it!

What I love most about it is the technology in the DVD, which allows you to customize your routine, choosing from a menu (in most sections with subcategories covering your level of expertise) of arms, legs, abs, stretching & cardio. If you pick one from each category, you'll get an hour long work-out, but you can go as low as 10 or 20 minutes.

Denise is her usual chatty self in these routines, offering you encouragement and explaining what muscles you're working--occasionally piping in late with an essential bit of instruction (like how you're supposed to be breathing during a particular exercise) and on one exercise forgetting a step (which she does perform on the other leg). As with my other Austin tape, I like her and her presentation enough to make allowances for this, but you do need to remember these belatedly mentioned techniques so that you can begin to anticipate them on later use of the DVD. When you're familiar enough with the routine, if you like, you have the option of shutting off Denise's voice and working out to the music alone. Since I can't watch the screen during many of these exercises, I'm not sure that's a route I'll ever go.

The cardio routine seems a little complicated to me. It feels like a slightly frantic line dance, but it does get the pulse going, which is the point. The stretches, arms, legs & ab exercises are nothing too unusual, but as with the other tape I have, Austin presents a good variety to cover all the major muscle groups involved. I find some of the workout here more difficult than on Austin's Shrink Your Female Fat Zones, which moves around from area to area, even though I suspect you're hitting the same muscles with the same intensity. When you group the exercises together as they are here, you really feel it. By the end of the 10-minute arm workout, my muscles are really straining.

Equipment required: 3 to 8 lb. handweights, a towel & a dining room table type chair (I'm using my stability ball).

I ordered this DVD with high expectations after reading all the reviews! I've got to tell you... it met all of them. You can choose an all Low level, Moderate level or high intensity workout (which includes abs and full body stretch) or you can truly customize your workout. The DVD lets you preset what level you want for every specific workout before you even start so that there aren't any interruptions between the chapters. I almost hate to admit it but... I choose the Low intensity workout starting out. I was sweating more than what I thought I would. I even still found some of the Abs and thigh exercises challenging!! I think that Denise is EXTREMEMLY motivational and can really help you keep up your momentum. I know many times I would remember to tighten my Abs while exercising with her catch phrase, "Zip up those Abs!!"
*I would recommend this to everyone at any fitness level because this is a workout that than "grow" with up as you become more fit! 5 stars from me!

I really like how you can customize your workout with this DVD which includes everything in various levels:

Twenty minute cardio, low & high levels
Ten minute Lower body toning, low, medium, & high levels
Ten minute Upper body toning, low, medium, & high levels
Ten minute Abs (only one level)
Ten minute stretch (only one level)

Sometimes I like to incorporate different levels for my workout, like for instance I'll do medium upper body but both low and high level lower body.

If you get this workout, try all three levels. Some levels I liked more than others and my liking of them didn't go by low, medium, and high. For instance, I dislike the medium level lower body using a chair but I love the high level with no equipment needed.

I can do most or the majority of these exercises which I like, and the only equipment needed is a chair and weights which are only used in certain workouts.

My least favorite component is the cardio section. I don't really feel like you get to do enough so that's why I rate this DVD 4/5 stars. However, if you're on a budget crunch and/or are looking for a DVD that includes everything - cardio, toning, and stitching - then I highly recommend this DVD. Plus, you'll get Denise's bubbly personality to go along with your workout, and I enjoy her moreso than any other fitness expert out there.

This is the best fitness concept that I have run across in a very long time. All fads and trends aside, this is a basic necessity for anyone who is trying to get fit, lose weight, or stay fit. Whether you are a beginner or a pro, you can use this DVD. You have your cardiovascular/aerobic workout, upper body toning, lowerbody toning, and ab workout all on one DVD, with different fitness levels included. No more popping in several tapes to get your daily workout. Everything you need is all on this one DVD. Simple as that. What could be better?

There is just so much on this DVD:

Two cardio workouts: one low intensity, one high intensity.

Three workouts each for the lower body and upper body. You can pick from low, medium or high intensity.

One ab workout. Denise incorporates three different levels for many of the ab exercises, so you can stay at one level or step up the intensity as the workout goes along.

There's also a separate "chapter" for cool-down and stretch.

You can customize your workout in many ways. You can choose to have music only or music with Denise talking. You can simply choose "low", "medium" or "high" and it will put you through the cardio and appropriate toning segments or you can go to custom workout and put together your own. Since you pick everything out on the custom workout all at one time, once it's playing, it's seamless...no flipping back and forth to the menu at all.

Because you have so much variety to choose from, I think this is a DVD you can really grow with.

Denise is Denise. If you've never enjoyed working out with her, don't buy this. But for those of us who enjoy her "company," I unhesitatingly give this a strong recommendation.

I love this dvd. It's very easy to use and you can pre-program what workout you want to do, depending on your time constraints, your own physical needs and level.

1. 20 minute cardio workout. I'm doing the low intensity (a high intensity is also available) cardio and I find it very enjoyable to do. I love all the workouts in this segment - those which include the grapevine, shuffle, lunges, rainbow, and almost all the movements. Even my 3-year old daughter loves them, so she imitates me while watching me workout. I went through the high intensity and for me, the low intensity is a lot more fun.
2. 10 minute upper body. I'm also doing the low intensity (but dvd has medium & high too) but instead of the chair, I use the stability ball when I'm doing the weights. I find it's more flexible to do it with a ball than on a chair.
3. 10 minute lower body. I don't consider my lower body a main problem spot, so for now, I skip this section due to time constraints. That's why this dvd is so good, you can choose what you want, depending on your needs! This is also available in low, medium and high intensity. I went through the section, though, and find variety of lower body exercises which I haven't seen some yet. I have to try this when I have the luxury of time. ;-)
4. 10 minute abs. This is my problem spot so I always make it a point to do this all the time. This is tough and you would really feel it working in all sections of your abs. There are a lot of variation in the basic crunches which I find very useful. I hope it works visibly, though! I have a lot of flab hiding my 6-pack. LOL!
5. The last segment is the stretching which is basically the usual stretching we see, but of course, very important in the cool down.

All in all, I give this dvd a 5+ stars for being easy to use and the workouts being doable but effective. I guess I'm fast becomming a Denise fan. I enjoy her workouts and for me her talkies are not distracting. But if you get annoyed with her voice, there's also a function to play music only. Buy this, it is worth it!

When I read the description it mentions being able to personalize your workouts. I thought, "Yeah, right." But you really can pick and chose and combine what you want. You can combine high intensity arms with low intensity abs and medium intensity cardio. It is up to you. Or you can choose from the basic low, medium, or high intesity workouts. This is a great workout DVD and Denise is pretty easy to follow for the most part. I'd recommend it for anyone of any workout level who wants to exercise in the privacy of their own home.

If you are anxious or apprehensive about exercising - then this DVD is for you!

This is a perfect DVD for those of us who have more than 50 lbs. to loose. The segments are only 10 minutes long - not at all overwhelming. You can add as many 10 minute segments to your workout as you want.

You do not need ANY equipment - not even shoes! I did this workout on the first time in my PJ's - without even a brassiere!

The exercises are the same as I did when I was in the Army - basic stuff that even the most uncoordinated - like me - can easily do.

This is a great DVD to build your self-confidence.