Customer Reviews

TotalMix - The Complete Total Body Workout System

5 star:		(101)
4 star:		(36)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I switched to the Quick Fix Total Mix workout DVD after having a disappointing affair with the NYC Ballet Workout DVD. Quick Fix offers a lot more: faster, more vibrant exercises that get your heart rate and motivation moving, clearer descriptions of the exercises and what each individual exercise will do for your body from the instructors, and the option to create your own customized workout that will fit your particular needs and schedule demands.

The three sections - abs, buns, and arms/legs offer three different workout routines each, and each routine is only 10 minutes long. There is even a small clock at the bottom of your screen so you can see where you're at in the workout. Very helpful and motivating.

The instructors can be a tad annoying at times ("okay, you're doing great!"), but when I'm really focused on the exercise, it doesn't bother me as much. The abs instructor is particularly good at verbally walking you through an exercise in full detail before flinging you into something that might be too complex for you to try with minimal instruction. The instructors also stress safety during the routines by using chairs to keep your balance and showing how to safely do exercises with weights so your back doesn't get strained. You'll need a pair of 3 to 8 pound dumbbells for the arms and arms/legs combo routines and a kitchen chair to help you through some of the buns routines.

After the first 30 minute workout, my thighs ached in that nice I've-just-done-something-good-for-my-body way. An hour workout, however, offered a bit more of a muscular aching that bordered on too much, so remember to pace yourself. The exercises seem really simple, but at the end of the day, you really feel it.

One of the legs/arms combo routines is a bit much for me at this point in my journey to a healthier body. It's a little too challenging because it involves squats and hammer curls simultaneously, along with other leg and arm combos, and I haven't built up the strength or stamina yet to make it through that one without having to pause, but I've found a very complementary trio of exercises that seem custom-created for me, and before I know it, the workout is over, I've worked up a good, healthy sweat, and I'm ready to hit the shower.

Highly recommended for those who are pressed for time but want to get the most out of short spurts of exercise. I recommend doing it daily...even if it's only ten minutes worth of abs exercises. Perhaps we won't all have the "six pack abs" that the instructors have at the end of the day, but the calories you burn and the isolated exercises that work particular muscle groups really offer a nice wake-up call to your day.

My only criticisms would be the custom workout option only offers up to three variations of exercise routines. Some days I'd like a more rigorous and lengthier workout, and you have to pause at the end of the first completed 30 minutes and choose which exercise routines you want for your additional 10, 20, or 30 minutes, which can be a motivation killer. Other than that and the flaunting of Minna's tanned jugs as she leads you in arm curls, it's a great workout, and each day I look forward to the challenges it offers.

I rarely find exercise fun. I usually think of it as a tolerated necessity that I endure as long and often as I can. QuickFix is a life-saver for people like me.

The DVD is very well-chaptered, allowing you to choose among nine 10-minute workouts: three abs workouts, three buns workouts, one legs/arms, one legs, and one arms. The Customize function lets you pick one to three of these nine workouts in any order. It's quick and easy to add more after your first three have finished, if you want. I regularly schedule myself for three, and find I've done four or five before I realize it.

The workouts, themselves, are varied and interesting. The count-down timer is great, and the instructors (whom you'll recognize from other DVDs) are entertaining and give good instruction. I'd call myself an intermediate exerciser (long-time FIRM user), and I can't do all three of any one type of exercise -- that is, all three abs or all three buns. It's even challenging to do buns followed by legs, since they're similar exercises in each. I'd like more arm and chest work, although I suppose heavier weights could be used to make up the deficiency.

One drawback to these workouts is there isn't really any cool-down and virtually no stretching. They make the point that "flexibility is as important as strength", but that's pretty much it. It's easy enough to add some stretching afterwards, though, so it's not that big a deal.

Overall, I highly recommend this DVD for those who crave variety, as well as for anyone who likes the option of doing 10 minutes of exercise, or more as time allows.

I love this dvd! I've tried many other workout videos, and this one is my favorite. It gives you a better workout in just 10 minutes & is fun to do. It contains 9 different toning workout segments, each are 10 minutes for different body parts (abs, arms, legs, buns). You get to pick which segments you want to do to customize your workout, whether you want to do 10 minutes, 20 or 30. In just 10 minutes you get a great workout & can really feel it.

It's fun because you can always do a different combination so it doesn't get boring. And each of the 9 segments are not your typical exercises. For example, if you're tired of doing ordinary crunches, the ab segments have so many different crunch variations as well as other great ab exercises.

The exercises are easy to do. The instructors explain the routines, keep you motivated & are fun to workout with.

The exercises are designed to give you maximum results in minimum time. It's great for people who don't have a lot of time for exercise - who can't spare 10 minutes?

There are 3 different ab workouts, 3 butt workouts, and the last 3 are leg/arm workouts. You can program a well-rounded, varied strength workout or do intensive spot-training. I only gave four stars because I realy wish they had a 10 minute cardio segment to fit some real fat-burning in! I use these most if I don't feel like working out on the weekend - after 10 minutes of moving my body's usually ready for my jog or whatever. Also if I get back from the gym and feel I could have worked out a little more, I'll do a segment or two. Even if you just do one segment a day (anyone can find 10 minutes. ANYONE!)you'll see improvement soon. For some reason, I really like Minna. She's a terrific instructor, very down to earth and motivating. The other 2 are strangely not annoying, either. Any exercise will work as long as you stick with it! Commit to improving yourself, and use this DVD to help get you there!

I bought Minna's Strength and Grace and Fat Eliminator workouts last year and still do them almost every week. I was excited when I found another Minna workout. This is an excellent toning workout. It gives much more varied movements from your traditional squats, lunges, and crunches (which are also on here too) The moves are new and fun to do. There is a clock in the bottom of the screen that is so inspirational. You wouldn't believe how much more you can do when you know it is almost over! Also, the workouts are broken down into 10 minute sections so it can be fit into any schedule because you can do one or all nine at a time in any combination. If you are buying this just for Minna, don't. She only leads in one section of the DVD, but the other instructors are good too. This is strictly a toning exercise, so if that's what you're looking for, I highly recommend it.

This DVD allows you to select from nine different workouts, each lasting 10 minutes. There are three abs, three buns and three arms/legs that you can mix and match to meet your workout style. You can choose one or all of them and arrange them in the order you want. In the lower right hand corner of the screen, you get a 10 minute countdown so you always know how much time you have left in each segment. This is motivating when you're about to give up but you see that you only have three minutes left! The ladies guiding you through it are easy to listen to, unlike some other videos I've watched, and they know their stuff. This is 90% floor exercise - not really what I would consider an aerobic workout. I am not coordinated at all and I am able to do this without falling down! I great buy!

I really like this DVD because the segments are only ten minutes each. On mornings when I can't drag myself out of bed early enough and in evenings when I'm too tired to make it to the gym I just pop in this DVD at home and can pick whichever segments I wish to do (customize my own workout). The best part is, if all I want to do is 10 minutes of abs in the morning before a shower, this gets me to do it. If I'm feeling more like a half hour, I can do 10 minutes of arms, 10 of legs, and 10 of abs. I highly recommend this DVD for those who are time crunched and can't easily make it to the gym and/or have trouble motivating themselves at home to make up a workout (like myself). The instructors in this DVD go at a medium pace and give a great workout to anyone because none of the moves are complicated but they still get you to work! (By the way there's a time counter in each segment to show you how many minutes are left in it and I've never seen this feature on any other exercise video - it really helps me when I'm rushed for time.)

I was disappointed with the abs workout. The instructor spends more time talking and explaining the exercises, than we actually spend doing them. As a result, you are barely warmed up before its over.

Another problem is that the video is not very informative. If you want to know the names of the moves you are doing and why they are beneficial, you are in trouble.

Most of the chatter is not very educational. There's a lot of "great job" "Thanks" and so forth. Unfortunately, there isn't an option to turn off the chatter :-(

The work outs (except for abs) are great for quickies. This video should be used to suppliment something a little more challenging. Don't except body sculpting transformations here. Use only on those days when you know your schedule will be tight and you want to squeeze in a work out.

A great body sculpting video is:
Kathy Smith - TimeSaver series (especially Lift Weights to Lose Weight) And Tamilee Web - I want that body! The Timesavers by Kathy Smith are 20 minutes long and the Tamilee video has 15 minute exercises.

I've been in the home-workout mode for a few months now, so I'm in decent shape, but I'm also constantly looking for ways to liven up my routine. This DVD really is a great idea. The workouts are effective and varied, and definitely different than what's offered in other tapes and DVDs. The ab section includes much more than crunches, including bridge moves and side lifts that actually feel like they're working. I love being able to mix and match.
There are a couple of drawbacks: I don't know if anyone else has had trouble, but I can't get my DVD to program a three-segment workout for me. I have to go in and start each segment individually. But, considering I don't have to fastforward through a tape, that's a small concern.
I agree with other reviewers that a couple of more workouts, such as a cardio workout, would be nice, but the truth is, I rotate between several tapes anyhow, so that's not a problem for me. I've got a great mix going with this DVD, Karen Voigt's pilates workout, the Firm, Minna's Optimizer, and I take a yoga class once a week. This tape really gives me what I was missing.
Also, this is a high-quality tape, unlike Tamilee's Buns, Legs and Abs of Steel tapes, which drive me nuts in their poor sound and image quality. And the instructors here are much easier to take than the weirdos in the Firm.

Purchased this video a few weeks ago and found it real easy to follow. My husband likes it because its not filled with alot of
dance movements like many of the others. These girls really work you for each 10 minute segment. I love this DVD because you can customize your own workouts (10 minutes of abs, 10 minutes legs) depends on what areas you want to work. I was a beginner a few weeks ago and was able to pick this up rather quickly. As a working Mom I only get 30 minutes a day to myself, this DVD lets me make the most of the time I have to exercise. I highly recommend this, for $$$$ its much cheaper and more convenient than joining a Health Club. (PS: Dont forget to buy 3-5lb weights and a floor mat to get the most out of this).