Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The nicest tough guy you'll meet, April 17, 2008
The SWAT Workout is led by Tom Stroup, an actual SWAT commander. He has a great personality and a good rapport with the background exercisers. This is an interval workout. It consists of running in place, jumping jacks, "SWAT" thrusts, mountain climbers, boxers and other drils with the SWAT march between each drill to allow your heart rate to come down. It's a good workout for burning fat, increasing endurance and agility. I love drill type workouts, but even if it's not your thing, Tom's personality makes it fun. The SWAT workout isn't such a killer workout that it has a huge dread factor, but it isn't a walk in the park either. It can be modified for a beginner, but an experienced exerciser can get a good workout too.
Here is breakdown of the chapters:
EXTREME WEIGHT LOSS AND FAT BURNING (body weight only)
Chapter one- warm up- 9:30 MINUTES
Chapter two- SWAT fat burning workout - 30 MINUTES
Chapter three- BONUS-6 pack ABS in 6 minutes
Chapter four- cool down - 8:49 MINUTES
If you're short on time, the 30 minute fat burning makes a great stand alone workout. All you really need to add is a quick stretch at the end.
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32 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Solid workout, but has some flaws, May 24, 2008
I purchased this workout since the description made it sound like it would be a high-intensity, interval training (HIIT) workout, and I've been looking for more HIIT DVD workouts to add to my collection since they are hard to find. (I have the Abs Diet and the Women's Body Type workouts, which are very good HIIT workouts.)
Most of this workout does qualify as an interval workout, where you alternate intense sections of cardio for a minute or so, before recovering by marching in place. However, some of the intervals have you using light weights (to do biceps curls, triceps presses, etc.) and doing things like push-ups, which also makes it fall into the category of a circuit workout. I mention this only because it will make it hard to fit into a training program; the weight lifting wasn't hard enough to qualify as a true weight-lifting session, and yet I don't want to lift weights without 48 hours of rest in between my weight sessions.
The workout is fun and moves at a good pace, but the first part of it didn't get my heart rate up very high. To increase the intensity, I ended up modifying the marching in place to light jogging in place. The workout also includes a tough, six-minute ab section, which I really enjoyed. However, what I didn't like was that the cardio section just concluded, without any stretching or proper cool down, before moving into the abs. After doing abs, there is some stretching, but it would have been much better to have included some brief stretching and a cool down *before* doing the abs to give the heart some time to recover.
The last thing I wanted to mention is that the background exercisers are all thin women who are clad in short shorts and tank tops. Several times, Commander Tom mentions that they are all "real people," and yet I would have liked to have seen some men and more people who look like they are just getting started with the workout program.
All in all, it's a good workout, but I don't think I'll be reaching for it that often. Although he had good positive energy, the instructor just doesn't motivate me like other instructors do. Overall, I'd actually give this 3 1/2 stars.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
S.W.A.T. Rocks!, April 18, 2008
I LOVE S.W.A.T.!
These workouts will get you in, get you out and done! These workouts look "easy" if you just view them, but once you try them you will feel it.
I first learned about the S.W.A.T. workouts on a fitness board and was intrigued by the description. When I received my S.W.A.T. workouts I put them in the DVD and fell in love! Let Commander Tom come into your home and you won't regret it.
My favorite workout is the Weight Loss one. I didn't like burpees (aka squat thrusts) and avoided them for years, but after doing them in the Weight Loss workout, I began liking them! I also love the Abs and Core workout! Another to the point workout. All the workouts are great!
Commander Tom cares about you and your success! You do not need a lot of equipment, just your dumbbells, toning bands, DVD Player, water, towel and S.W.A.T.!
I am VERY picky about my workouts and who I like, Commander Tom is one of the few on my "I will buy any and everything they put out" list.
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