Customer Reviews

The Kettlebell Goddess Workout: How to Achieve and Maintain a Divine Body with the World's Most Effective Tool for Weight Loss, Strength, Endurance and Flexibility

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

I just completed my first Kettlebell Goddess workout (Odyne -- the Goddess of Pain -- yeah, I'm a masochist) and loved it!

The DVD design is intelligent & user friendly. It's setup as interactive menus which allow freedom of choice. You can choose from the Goddess workouts (which either focus on cardio or strength) or a build-your-own workout by combining different exercises and Goddess workouts. There's even a pdf file that contains examples for your weekly exercise routines which allow you to chose between cardio & strength.

The Goddess workouts are a complete workout which include a warm-up and a cool down/stretch. The build-your-own workouts include elements from all of the workouts, plus there are additional exercises.

Granted, you have to buy the kettlebells, but this is still a great price for the volume of exercises available. Kettlebells are pretty reasonable until you get up to the really heavy ones. I'm starting with a 4 kg/9 lb kettlebell I got at a local sporting goods shop for $20. It's the traditional black iron Russian version, not the colorful, vinyl coated American version.

The instruction is easy to follow, and the exercises are demonstrated well. I just hate when they pan to the pretty smiling model's face and I can't see what she's actually DOING, which is the whole point of the darned thing! That doesn't really happen with this video. One of the things that seperates this from the pack of most workout DVDs is that all three are Kettlebell instructors. One is even a medical doctor. They aren't model/actresses who answered a casting call ad and know little to nothing about the exercises.

Another feature which seperates this DVD from the pack is NO CHEESY MUSIC! Andrea has omitted the usual, generic workout music in favor of simple instruction. Much of the time, there is no speaking either, just breathing. She says once you get the hang of the exercises, feel free to play your own music. I went ahead and played mine and was able to hear her and the music. So much better than that Goddess awful synthesizer music commonly found in workout videos (pardon the pun)! =P

I have been doing KB workouts for about 2 months now. I have Karen Brooks' workout and a couple of Anthony DeLuglio's DVDs (Providence and KB Training Vol. 1).

The workouts on this video are very short and tough. The Goddess workouts are less than 30 minutes, including warm-up and cool down. The add-ons and drills are less than 15 minutes. If you are short on time, these workouts fit the bill. If you want a longer workout, you'll have to get creative with the chapters.

There is a PDF file on the disc that you can print out to ge a better understanding on how to combine the sections to create your own workouts.

The instructors don't talk much. There are no cues as to when to start ("Ready? And,...begin...," etc...) Counting can only be heard as part of the breathing. The lead instructor provides minimal guidance. Some of the basic movements are explained in separate chapters, but other moves you'll have to learn on-the-fly, with no explanation.

One instructor, who is also a doctor, looks a bit panicked some of the time, and her form falters during many of the exercises. She sometimes loses her balance, looks like the KBs are controlling her (rather than the other way around), or just looks like she's struggling to keep up.

Some of the exercises use two KBs - two-handed cleans and swings, for example. Many of the exercises can be done with regular dumbells - renegade pushups (pushups with alternating lat pulls), single leg squats (called 'pistol box squats', I think), back lunges, waiter walk, dragon walk, deadlifts (good mornings), etc.

I think the layout of the chapters is a good idea for someone who is motivated to create their own workouts. However, there needs to be more explanations of the exercises while the exercises are being done. Some motivational words would be helpful too, especially when you're ready to just drop the KB and give up!

There is no music, which did not bother me. The workouts are tough (although a bit short), the talent a bit dull, guidance from the instructor minimal, and the set is simple yet attractive.

I prefer Art of Strength's workouts.

I'm new to the kettlebell craze but not to weight training. I purchased Kettlenetics after seeing an infomercial and loved the workout and results. The Goddess workout is only the second kettlebell routine I've tried. It is a different type of workout than Kettlenetics and therefore I have added it to my weekly routine. I feel sore in the right places the day after I use it.
There are several full workouts on the DVD as well as the option to create your own. They use heavy weights. I only use an 8 pound bell but am getting great results. (I tried the routines with my 4 pound bell but didn't feel it was much of a challenge.) Each workout runs about 30 minutes. It doesn't seem like much time but the routines are intense. You cover a lot of ground in this short time. The prompting is good.
It is worth the price.

I have been doing kettlebells for over 8 years. I found this DVD boring and a waste of time and money. I have Pavel Tsatsouline, Anthony DiLuglio (my favorite), Lauren Brooks, and Mike Mahler DVDs--these all put the Goddess to shame. For women starting out, Lauren Brooks is excellent in that she has good instruction, timing, and music. Even Iron Yoga and Sarah Lurie's "Kettlebells the Iron Core Way" are far better DVDs than the Goddess. I sent my copy back over a year ago so it is a bit tough to recall the exact reasons but the overall reason was it was boring, lacked timing/counting, and music. After using the other instructors DVDs and the great video clips at Art of Strength, it is not hard to put together a routine. (Deciding whether to use reps or interval timing is important.) I wish I could give a better detailed review, but like I said, I sent it back over a year ago. I just remember thinking I could not believe the great reviews this DVD was getting and I was glad Dragon Door had such a liberal return policy. I think a beginner would do much better with Lauren Brooks or Anthony DiLuglio's "Training Clinic". (My daughter gave the DVD a try and told me she just couldn't watch much of it. She has had training from an RKC instructor and has been using kettlebells for at least 7 years.)

I like this DVD because you can customize your own workouts. Be prepared, this is tough and I am only using a ten pound kettlebell! I have not have the nerve to try any of the complete workouts. I usually do a session of abs, arms, and legs..that is plenty! If I can ever get myself to progress to the longer sessions (and I am hoping to do that this winter), I know I will see a difference! This is the only DVD that I have found with the short workouts that you can combine into a customized one for yourself. For that alone, I recommend this DVD! My only complaint is that there is not enough explanation (or even counting) during the workouts. I could use the help because three people are doing the exercises in slightly different ways. In addition, I like to know that how many reps I have done, so that I will not give up!

This DVD is very disappointing. First, the workouts do not have music. Listening to the breathing and grunting is bad enough but add in the counting of the people off camera and it's very enoying. The biggest problem I have with this DVD is the lack of instruction. There is a quick tutorial at the beginning to explain some of the moves and that's it. She does not give any explanation on how to do the moves during the workouts. It's just breating and grunting. NO talking. If you have received prior in depth instruction on kettlebell moves then this DVD may work for you. If you are like me and have used kettlebells some, or not at all, DO NOT waste your money on this DVD. I wish I would not have.

I thought this DVD was well put together. There are a lot of different workouts on it and you can select and combine them as you want. It is good if you are wanting to switch your workout like your supposed to do after 6 weeks to keep losing weight. I did drop lbs with this as other kettle bells workouts. The routines are kinda silent except for breathing. I did buy this based on other customer reviews. The only thing is the workouts are jerky. They are hard on your joints. I really prefer a smooth flowing action from move to move. There are a few softer moves but mostly all the moves are more like a mans heavy weight lift drill. I did like it when I first got it because of all the variety but after a couple of weeks I wasn't really enjoying it. There are very few exercises I really like. Kettle bell is one of those but the presentation has to be right. I really liked the DVD that came with my Bally kettle bell. So I searched for one similar to that and found Kettlenetics. It's smooth and flowing dance types moves that are motivating and kinda fun. And it is a workout! It has got me toned and makes it easy to workout and loose weight. I know a lot of women will really like the Goddess Workout but it's just not for me.

This dvd is such a bargain. You get a ton of premixed workouts, plus the option to mix and match segments to create your own workouts, plus some other bonus add ons.

There's a PDF file on the disc, and I recommend printing it out so you can have a handy reference to the progressions and rotations they suggest.

I find that I don't notice the lack of music, I like being able to observe their breathing patterns, I guess it helps me keep focus on my own.

I'd suggest that you have a range of kettlebell sizes available, to make sure that you're working at the appropriate level of exertion for each move. I have three, 10, 15 and 20 lbs, and so far, get the most use of the 15 lb one. (For example, I'd use a lighter KB in the uppper hand when doing windmills)

I'm a bit mixed on this one. The first two sections I did was upper body and core with a 15 and 10 lb kettlebell. I thought, boy - what a boring workout, no music and I don't even sweat. Also didn't care for the warmup which is the same one in each workout. The pace was a bit too slow as well - for my taste anyway. However, the next day I was quite sore in my upper back and obliques, I couldn't believe it. I've been doing weights for 20 years and don't really get sore much. I will probably do sections from this DVD occasionally (with my own music playing), as an add-on just for something different and I really love kettlebells. I liked that there were 2 or 3 sets per exercise which made it more challenging.

There is so much footage on this DVD that it would be near impossible to describe it all (although another VFer, Carol, has provided some very nice breakdowns of the individual Goddess workouts). Therefore, I'm going to focus on mainly providing an overview of the DVD's format.

The DVD is led by Andrea Du Cane, a Master RKC (Russian Kettlebell Certified) Instructor. She is joined by two other RKC instructors, Nicole Du Cane (who leads the stretch segment) and Kristann Heinz, M.D. The three women are exercising in a rather sparse studio with concrete floors; kettlebells are set about on pedestals. There is NO music during this DVD and very little talking overall--i.e., Du Cane often simply introduces the exercise and the begins the repetitions, with virtually no setup, form pointers, or other information.

The Main Menu of DVD breaks down into MANY different submenu menus, as indicated by ellipses. Here are the options from the Main Menu, with brief comments and times added by me:
*Play All
*Introduction (Andrea provides a 5min overview, including the general layout of the DVD, the option of using 1 or 2 kettlebells, and the importance of wearing flat-soled shoes)
*Quick Start Review...
*Workouts Menu...
*Medical Benefits from Kettlebell Training (Kristann reviews general exercise benefits; 4.5min)
*Pregnancy and Kettlebell Training (Kristann discusses kettlebells and pregnancy; 8min)
*Get the Most Out of Your Kettlebell DVD (this option instructs the viewer to place the disc in a computer drive, which will access a PDF file with additional tips on programming your own workout, breakdowns of the Goddess workouts, and suggestions for workout rotations)
*Contact Information...
*Credits

Quick Start Review brings up a submenu offering tutorials for some of the exercises. These are brief (the entire segment is only 6.5 minutes) but helpful, especially given that few form pointers are offered during the workouts themselves. Here is the submenu listing:
*Play All
*Swing
*Clean
*Military Press
*Front Squat
*Windmills
*Snatches
*Power Breath

The Workouts submenu consists of three options that lead to their own submenus. These are Goddess Workouts - Design-Your-Own-Workout - Bonus Drills.

The Goddess Workouts ALL include the Joint Mobility/Warmup (5.5min) and the Cool Down Stretches (7.5 mins). They range in length from about 20 to 30 minutes, and as noted above, they are described in the downloadable PDF file. They are listed on the menu as follows:
*Artemis: Upper Body
*Athena: Full Body Strength
*Auxesia: Abs & Core
*Callipygus: Legs & Butt
*Nike: Cardio & Endurance
*Odyne: Strength & Cardio Kick-Butt
(Note: I had an odd problem with this particular menu in that while I was viewing it, the DVD kept stopping--not freezing, but acting as if I had hit the "stop" button--which happened several times.)

Choosing "Design-Your-Own-Workout" brings up another submenu with the following options:
*Joint Mobility/Warmup
*Upper Body Drills...
*Lower Body Drill...
*Cardio/Conditioning Drills...
*Abdominal Drills...
*Cool Down Stretches
Selecting any of the "Drills..." leads to yet another submenu which provides pre-set workout options (usually three, A, B, & C, although there are only two for abs) as well as an actual drills option listing ALL of the exercises available.

The final section of the Workouts Menu is the Bonus Drills. These are a series of unique exercises that do not appear elsewhere in the workout, and they can be selected directly off the menu:
*Clean - Press - Overhead Squat
*Clean - Squat - Press
*Turkish Getup
*Bottom Up Cleans
*Farmer/Waiter Walks
*1-Legged Military Press
*1-Legged Lat Pull
*Crush Curl
*Pyramid Deadlift
*Triceps Dip

This DVD would be best suited to experienced kettlebell exercisers who don't need a lot of instruction and who are looking for a no-frills DVD which offers plenty of options. I would give it 3 stars for lack of production values/instruction (I don't mind the lack of music, but I would've liked more cuing/instruction during the workouts themselves) but 4 stars for the quality of the instructors and the plethora of workout options. So, THE KETTLEBELL GODDESS gets 3 1/2 stars from me.