Customer Reviews

Ultimate Fat Burner

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This is the 1st DVD I bought from Denise Austin who has a show I watch regularly on Lifetime TV. The Ultimate Fat Burner workout is frankly not a workout for everyone. It's of my opinion that you need to be in pretty decent shape already to do this. Here's why.

Denise incorporates a lot of material into this workout. Not only are you do aerobics but you are also doing weight training (3 lb weights are recommended on the DVD!), step work (I don't own a step so this is a problem!), and some yoga and kickboxing moves. She does a lot and a lot of it is very VERY high impact. However, she does introduce each aerobic move with 3 levels so you can stick to lower levels if you need to. Its a fun workout but challenging and by 1/2 way through I am usually pretty tired. Lots of jumping and jaring on some moves, this is not low impact aerobics folks so for those with bad joint problems may want to look elsewhere.

Overall not a bad DVD but does require a lot of additional equipment and I think would be best served for those who have already done other step work and interval training. Lets hope Artisan will release some more aerobic DVDs from Denise as this is the only one available and it's not for everyone!

This new workout from Denise Austin (2001) features circuit training, mixed with light weights. To do this workout, you need a step and dumbbells (3 pound weight are recommended on the DVD). This DVD uses seven 3.5 minute intervals of cardio vascular exercise mixed with 1.5 minute weight segments. The workout runs for a total of 45 minutes.

The cardio segments are broken down into three "levels": Level One is a light, low-impact move, Level Two includes upper body motion, Level Three is a high-impact cardio intensifier. For example, the first circuit is boxing. For Level One, you are punching. For Level Two, you are doing light jacks between punches, for Level Three, you are doing full jumping jacks between punches on alternating sides. If you have knee problems, you may lose some of the benefits of this workout because you will be limited to Level One or Level Two low-impact exercises.

The weight segments of this workout are very light, and suitable for beginners. Weight exercises include tricep kickbacks, bicep curls, and military presses overhead.

The cooldown has some very light stretching and features predominately Yoga moves. If you have done Yoga before, you will recognize the Exaulted Warrior, Downward Facing Dog, and Brave Warrior postures.

This is a great workout for beginners, but may not be beneficial for intermediate or advanced levels.

Ok, harsh title. I generally love Denise Austin's workouts, but until I came across this DVD it seemed pretty hopeless that I'd find a good Denise cardio-centric workout. Anyway, let's get down to the critique. Denise Austin, if you're not familiar with her, is known to be an extremely perky workout instructor, so if you don't mind energetic and sometimes lame cheers of encouragement, then Denise Austin will work fine for you.

More specifically to this DVD: This is a circuit interval training workout, where you alternate every few minutes between cardio and weight lifting. For this workout, you'll need a step bench and some weights. Denise recommends 3 lb weights, but I say if you're more advanced, or if you've been working out for a while, you can use whatever you feel comfortable with. I started out with 5 lbs but now, after a few months of using this DVD I keep a few different weights handy, 8 - 15 lbs, and use appropriately. That's one of the advantages of this workout, in that if it gets too easy, there are ways to adjust it w/ little inconvenience. In addition to changing your weights, you can also increase the height of your step, do the cardio workouts with ankle or wrist weights or bands (I use Billy bands - they're individual bands for each foot/hand with loopholes at the feet. they work great for the kickboxing segments of this dvd!).

In terms of difficulty: I've been working out regularly for 3 or 4 years now, and I found this to be relatively challenging when I first tried this DVD. Not challenging in the sense that it was hard to keep up with or had difficult moves, but challenging in that the cardio kept my heart rate up, and I felt my muscles getting stronger with the weight lifting. Denise is pretty easy to follow, although her queuing isn't the best. She sometimes says "last one!" when it really isn't, for example. But that's easy to overlook, and with a few goes at it, you fall into step with Denise and her background exercisers.

On the whole, this is one of Denise's better workouts, and definitely one of the better sources of cardio fitness out there, and definitely worth the money. Use it 3-4 times a week and I think you'll see a difference. :)

I truly enjoyed this workout. It is not a compilation of other DVDs like Kathy Smith, it has all original material. I was also on a weight loss plateau (after losing 35 lbs) before this purchase, and thanks to Denise I have finally started to see results on the scale and tape measure again. There are various sections in this DVD including kickboxing, weights, and step aerobics. My roommate started laughing when she heard Denise Austin yelling "burn that butter" during a squat section, but her energy really motivates me. The variations and innovative moves in the routines make this DVD easy to follow without getting bored. I am an intermediate exerciser and I began sweating after about 15 minutes. The arm (weights) section is a little weak (when compared to The Firm) , but my legs and thighs were humming the next day. Overall I feel that this DVD is a good cardio and lower body workout with a little yoga thrown in at the end.

I was not overweight (but could stand to lose a few vanity pounds) when I bought this DVD but I was also in very poor shape. The first time I did this video I could not get through it. Now I have been doing it a month and if you do stick with it three times a week for four weeks, YOU WILL SEE RESULTS. I find that I am now easily able to do the entire routine. I have lost twenty pounds, have energy that I never knew i had, and I have muscle tone...and the only program I followed was this DVD (with a healthy diet of course). Though it is a little tough for beginners, just go slow at first, staying at intensity level one or two, and in a few weeks level three will be really easy. The best part by far about the video is that it is not boring. It is broken up into six sections with brief weight training segments between each one: Boxing, downhill skiing, kickboxing, crosscountry skiing, and basketball drill.

Now the complaints:
Equipement is used, however, I don't think it is really needed. In the beginning I didn't have a step or weights, but even without the items, you still get a really good workout. I used soup cans for weights.

There are four other people on the video besides Denise who do the moves alongside her. They seem somewhat bewildered on the video, as if they didn't go over what they were going to do before filming. Denise often seems bewildered at times, as if she herself does not know what she is doing next and is waiting for someone off camera to show her.

Still, I think it was a great video to start off with because unlike other videos I have tried, I didn't lose interest right away. It is 45 minutes long, but because it is broken up into sections, the time goes really really fast.

I find most of Denise Austin's workouts to be geared to beginners but I have a feeling a beginner would have a hard time with this one. The weight training segments are more beginner orientated but the cardio parts really get your heart pumping! A couple of them (the plyo moves of cross country skiing and the downhill skiing section)have you anxious for the end of the intervals! The weight traing segments are welcome breathers! I really liked the warmup in this workout as it seemed to get you warmed up faster and was more to the point than a lot of other workouts. Denise uses a step for some things, which I can't use as my knee hurts when I do , so I do everything on the floor and still get a great workout. I would consider myself an advanced exerciser, running in the warmer months and working out to videos in colder weather and this is one of my favorite tapes for cardio. It's not filled with a bunch of dance moves that I have a hard time following but just serious moves that get the heart going!

Firstly I must start by admitting I am not a fan of Denise's peppy, constantly chatty delivery but I don't let this get in the way of a good workout - and this is a good workout! It is also not one of Denise's usually EASY workouts, you need to be fairly fit for this one so beginners go for one of her many other workouts.

I do all the cardio segments alone twice and this gives me an excellent interval workout that has knocked heaps of weight off me. The 7 intervals are short enough to be do-able, but long enough to get the heart going. What I love is that she has included lots of lateral (side to side) moves - so many aerobic tapes use the standard up/down vertical movement - the lateral stuff is great for your balance and lower body tone.

Yes there are plyo moves (high impact) but you don't have to do them although they really get results. If you find the weights too easy, up them to 5 pounds. Some of the ab work is tough yoga based (plank and the like) but again, do the bits you can and work up to the rest. I personally don't like to buy a dvd that I can do easily the first time I pop it in - you need a challenge and something to work towards or you have wasted your money as boredom will quickly set in.

If you are looking for another great Denise workout - go for the 'Hit the Spot Pilates' - another great intermediate workout - these are the only 2 Denise workouts I use on a regular basis - all her others are too easy.

I'm sure that other viewers will find flaws with this workout; generally associated with Denise's cueing and the not-being-synched to the music - but hey, its a cheap DVD, I'm not going to expect surround sound and throbbing bass.

I have been out of shape for a long time, and I know that a year ago I probably wouldn't have been able to complete this workout, but after doing Denise Austin's "Power Yoga Plus", "Fat Blasting Yoga", "Personal Training System" and "The Ultimate Metabolism Boosting Workout", I am able to complete this workout rather hap-hazardly.

What was the first thing that impressed me was Denise's attention to a proper warmup. Secondly, it is also evident that she has put a lot of thought into how this workout was designed. She took into consideration the optimal strategies for fat burning - interval training at differing intensities alternating with integrated weight training.

If you have been frustrated by Denise's personality and instruction in the past, don't expect her to transform herself in this workout. She remains her bubbly, enthusiastic self, and does not cease with her catch-phrases that seem to annoy many people but I personally have a giggle to. 'Tight Tushies! No More Jigglies!' The highlight is when Denise instructs one of the guys how to do a deltoid exercise, and she says, "No more bra overhang! ...but not for you guys!" The look on the guy's face was classic.

Only downsides for me is that I find it less fun than some of the other cardio workouts from Denise that I have, and 45 minutes is on the long side for a convenient workout that I can do every day of the week. She recommends that you do the workout three times a week, but I will probably only be able to fit it in once a week due to its length.

her workouts are awesome. I got the DVD yesterday and used it last night. The workout was very intense. I was looking for something different to do besides the same old, same old. And this DVD definately took me to a new level. It's 45 minutes but the time flies because it's broken up into circuits. It has a mixture of kickboxing, plyometrics, basketball drills, weight training, etc with a cool down/stretch consisting of yoga moves. I felt very refreshed afterwards and feel pretty good today. As I said people do think Denise is cheesy but if you stick with her workouts you will see results. I also would recommend her Fat Burning Yoga DVD.

Denise Austin is super-motivating and makes you feel good about yourself. She always reminds you to "do the best that YOU can" and makes sure to point out how to correctly do the moves.

The DVD is composed of ~6 intervals that get your heart rate up and each is followed by an active recovery in which you tone the upper body.

You will need some form of hand weights (soup cans will do if you don't have weights) but I found the workout works without the step if you modify a few moves.

It is fairly challenging even if you have been working out for some time. There are ways you can modify it if you are a beginner or to make it more advanced, but Denise doesn't usually point this out, which is the only downside to this video I can think of.