Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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106 of 112 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Pumps you up fast, but tricky for beginners..., January 9, 2001
There is a swap table in my apartment complex and a few weeks ago I found this video there. I consider myself in good shape; I workout with weights at the gym twice a week, I do long distance bike rides, I own a treadmill, my flexibility level is excellent, I regularly go on lengthy brisk walks, etc. I used to run but damaged my knees because of it. I have to be careful with exercise because of my knees and the only real pain I have now is when I'm walking up stairs. The last aerobic tape I ever tried was Jane Fonda back in the 1980's and although the workouts were a bit tough I was able to keep up. I figured this Kathy Smith video would be a piece of cake, but it wasn't.I work long hours at my job and the time saver aspect of this video appealed to me the most. During the workweek, if I don't exercise in the morning I won't exercise at all. I've been doing this video for about 3 weeks now, three times a week. I get up at 5:00 am to fit in the exercise, and believe me, I am not a morning person. This video does wake you up fast and gets your heart rate up. I think the tempo of this video is too fast to be considered beginner level, but if you stick with it and don't allow yourself to be discouraged you will pick up the steps in time. I usually only do the first 20 minute video and the 10 minute stretch at the end of the tape. I hardly have any room to work out and it's also not easy to do the quick steps on wall to wall carpeting. I modify the workout so that I'm not jumping up and down on my knees and twisting my knees, as some of the moves seem to do. Even with my modifications I get a good workout and get my heart rate up. When I first started doing the tape I had to stop the tape frequently to drink water. The workout gets you feeling warm fast so have the fan going at the start. After the first workout and stretch I feel incredibly energized and it is a great way to wake up and start the morning. This video is a bit confusing and fast paced for those like me who don't attend aerobics classes or do many aerobics videos, but you will catch on if you keep trying. I find the hard bodies who are doing the class with Kathy a bit fake with their enthusiasm, but their fit bodies are inspiring. Everyone seems like they are on speed, but maybe it's just that I'm half-asleep when I'm starting out! I am definitely wide-awake when the workout is over.
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52 of 53 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
great introduction to cardio work, March 28, 2001
By A Customer
This is the first cardio video I've ever done, and I really like it. Kathy is a great instructor. She explains and demonstrates the moves with clarity and energy, and always seems pumped up and excited without being intimidating or annoying. The moves are fun, and don't get boring, although if you're very uncoordinated they might be a little tricky. I like the cool-down stretch session at the end of the video, too. It leaves you feeling very loose and energized, ready to go to work or on to a toning or weights video. This is a great video to start exercising with. I started by doing the workouts 5 days a week, sometimes twice a day, and I saw results almost immediately, in terms of stamina, weight loss and even some lower body firming. I never thought I would look forward to working out, and now I do. I have several of her other tapes, and together they really provide a great experience. Another thing I appreciate about this video is that her team is made up of several body types, from slender to fuller-figured, all looking great and very fit. That makes me feel like Kathy's approach to fitness is inclusive and healthy, not about whittling your body down to nothing.
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47 of 49 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
a good quickie pulse raiser, May 17, 1999
By A Customer
This is Kathie Smith on yippie beans! She's definately in a party mood,loud, joking with the other exercisers and having fun. For the home viewer these are two good, short workouts that will raise your heart rate. Workout one focuses on dance-like moves that you add onto throughout the workout.(Think of one long dance routine). Its actually not as hard as it sounds although you can expect to be messing up your steps the first couple of times through. This isn't helped by some of the video's exercisers who take turns moving about the set to dance next to Kathy (one of whom even calls out moves at one point and messes up himself). Workout two is actually my favorite, I've done the first workout enough times that I now find it a little repetitive. Its your choice how hard you want to work your moves in this one, but you'll probably be finding yourself going for the "calorie bursts" as soon as you get the basic moves down. This video is a great one to have around on those days when you're really pressed for time, or to get your heart rate up in conjuntion with your weight work (seriously consider getting the companion weight video). Its all time flaw, however, and one I have to grit my teeth through, is the vocal imput from the cast who are all wearing microphones. Some moron exerciser calls out "doe-si-doe" repetitively throughout each workout. (Is it just me, or is anyone else bothered by this?) If you can work through the whoos, the whoas and the doe-si-does, you've got yourself a pretty good set of workouts.
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