Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A decent INTERMEDIATE workout, July 9, 2009
This review is from: Power Body: Kettlebell Bootcamp with Angie Miller (kettle bell) (DVD)
I recently bought this video and I feel a *little* let down. Although the quality of the production is good and Angie is excellent at what she does and certainly a professional, I thought some aspects of this video's marketing were misleading. That being said, some aspects of the video are quite good.
The cons:
For one thing, the video is marketed as a good selection for beginners, intermediates, and experts in fitness. This, I feel, is untrue. Angie mentions that beginners should start with a 10lb kettlebell, which I did, although I have been working out for over a year (training for a 10k, doing cardio and some strength training) and I find the video impossible to complete in one session. I can't imagine that a true beginner would find this workout is at all suited to their needs. IF you have a small kettlebell of maybe 5lbs, as a beginner you *might* be able to complete the video in one session.
Also, there is a tutorial of about 5 minutes in length which you can use as a warmup, although it is quite difficult all on its own. It covers some basic kettlebell moves that Angie will use in the duration of the video, specific information about form and technique, and general info about kettlebells. The problem? She ONLY covers about seven individual exercises and the video covers many, many more! I always watch the videos I use first before attempting to do them and I was really surprised that the tutorial did not go through, at least once, all of the maneuvers she will use. I'm totally choreography challenged, so I always choose workouts that are slower and more about proper form than about complicated floorwork. To its credit, the video is not choreography heavy and you can certainly stop the video to repeat any parts you don't get, but to my mind, a good video does a better job at least preparing you to do any steps it expects.
Another issue I have with the video is that I felt like the sections were not organized well. The beginning of the video has several rather brutally difficult portions, then the end has 3 very easy ones. I felt like a better workout would have alternated these a little bit better to give you a brief reprieve and bring your heart rate down some (which is more like intervals and better for fat burning).
The last con I have has nothing to do with the workout itself; rather, it is about Angie's assistant. She smiles and is robotic throughout the WHOLE video which is extremely annoying if you're sensitive to that. She's also about six ft. tall and thin as a rail, which if you're round (like me) is kind of annoying. I think it's refreshing to see someone with a few curves on a video I'm using.
The pros:
You WILL get results with this video. You will. There is no question here. IF you can complete the video (or work yourself up through completing the separate portions of it) you will get nearly immediate results. I have done it in parts four times and I got results after ONE workout. That's it. ONE. I could not believe the muscle definition.
The workout is structured in portioned sections so that you can pick and choose what you can/want to do. I personally mix the harder portions with easier workouts, the easier portions with harder workouts. That's handy. Also, There is an option to just listen to the music of each section and not the cueing, etc, if you don't want to listen to Angie's voice.
The music is a good fit. It's a little overpowering in certain sections but not annoying, I did not think.
Angie is good at cueing for form. Often she reminds you to squeeze your glutes, bicep by the right ear, back straight, push through the heels, etc. Very important for a beginner! It would be WAY too easy to hurt yourself with a heavy kettlebell if you were not cued well and often as to proper form. HOWEVER, that being said, Angie does NOT do a lot of instruction or cueing for proper basic kettlebell two-armed swing form. I actually viewed several different tutorials on youtube just to make sure I had good form and I was definitely not in good form at first. Angie does say something like "your butt should feel like it's touching a piece of glass behind you" as you squat to do the swing, but for me that was not enough info. I personally used the instructional video that came with my kettlebell. That instructor said to envision yourself about to sit in a chair and --bingo!--I totally understood it. I wish Angie had been more clear.
Thanks for bearing with a long review! In short, buy this video if: You want results, you aren't a TOTAL beginner, and you want to get your heart rate WAY up there. Don't buy it if you are a total beginner, or you need lots of tutorial and instruction.
Happy kettlebelling!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
 
|
|
|
|
|
|
26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ay chihuahua!, August 31, 2009
This review is from: Power Body: Kettlebell Bootcamp with Angie Miller (kettle bell) (DVD)
Like some other reviewers here, I thought I was in reasonably good shape. Wrong! I just received the DVD today and tried to do the whole workout. Whew. Background: I am 53, I work out regularly, and I am not overweight. I am "skinny-fat" meaning I look OK, but I can, shall we say, "pinch an inch" here and there. Since it's not going to get any easier, I've decided to get super-fit (zero flab) once and for all. I read in Shape magazine where a marathoner who was also "skinny-fat" worked with a kettlebell trainer and got into great shape, so I decided to give it a try. I got a different dvd, IronCore, from the library because I didn't want to spend $ on yet another exercise dvd that I can't stand/don't use. Well, that one is fine for a beginner. I didn't feel as though I was getting much of a workout with the 10lb bell and I didn't want to injure myself by going to a higher weight too soon. I came here and saw the reviews and ordered this dvd, and I'm so glad I did! It is much more thorough, and functional - meaning you move in ways that you really do move in real life, lifting a suitcase into the overhead bin etc. as Angie states in the introduction. Really true. I have to say, I could not do the entire dvd the first time out. And really, I work hard on the rowing machine which is basically a combo weight/resistance training plus cardio, several times a week. If you are truly a beginner, I would do this dvd with no weights first (yes, you read that right) and then start with a light one, even 5 lbs. Or start with the IronCore dvd (although I think you'd get bored with it quickly, and her tone of voice sounds like she's addressing a 2 year old which I found quite annoying.) Angie on the other hand sounds like a real trainer, or a friend - very pleasant, although you have the option of just choosing the music with no prompts. And I love that Angie and the girl who demos the "easier" versions are super-fit - they are the first video presenters I have seen who look as though they got into shape using the exercises on the video. Their long, lean shape is very motivating. I should also state that I really do not like to exercise per se. I'm fine with activities, but when I want to get in shape I have to negotiate to get myself to do exercises, especially later in the day. Let me just say, I love the kettlebell!!! I typically don't even wait until 4 p.m., my scheduled time. I even feel like doing it on my "day off". This is unprecedented. Seriously. I have a drawer full of exercise videos that I have to force myself to do (so you know they don't get done often) and I am truly excited now to get in shape with the kettlebell. I was sweating like you wouldn't believe, and this continued for 15 - 20 minutes after I was finished. I'm sure I will see results with this. It is probably the best overall workout I have had, and I have been exercising since I was 24. I also think it's a great workout for bone strength, which sure beats taking drugs at some point. Oh, one reviewer states that the sequencing is not good as there are some harder sets up front and easy ones toward the end. Well, yes, ab work and stretching are typically done at the end of a workout, and yes, they feel easier than swinging a lead ball around the room and over your head. This is not poor sequencing, it is good exercise protocol. I otherwise liked that review though, and it is the one that convinced me to get this dvd. This is a super-efficient way to get weight-training plus cardio plus toning plus abs. I couldn't recommend it more. Good luck and fun training!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great introduction to kettlebells, April 2, 2009
This review is from: Power Body: Kettlebell Bootcamp with Angie Miller (kettle bell) (DVD)
I must admit that I bought this workout because I was looking for more traditional kettlebell training. My only experience up to this point was Kettlenetics, which is a good workout, but it's a fusion workout. I was slightly disappointed by the fact that the ab work here did not include Russian Get-Ups, which I have become very good at.... Overall, it's a solid workout, no fusion involved. I really liked the fact that the DVD is broken down into 10 minute segments, which makes it a good "I'm in a time crunch" option. I am currently using an 8 pound kettlebell, and have just purchased a 10 pound because the 8 pound is no longer challenging. If you are looking for a good introduction into kettlebells, this DVD will be a great investment!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
DVD ~ Amy Bento
DVD ~ Gin Miller
DVD ~ Amy Bento
DVD ~ Andrea Du Cane
the Internet Movie Database, which is visited by millions of movie and tv lovers each month.
