Rating: Summary: Great Workout! Review: I have no time to workout as a stay at home mom of two kids - 27 and 9 months old. I bought this DVD to try to get a little weight training in and in only 20 minutes I get a great workout! I love it! If I can find 20 minutes to do it anyone can. The DVD is easy to follow and Kathy is not annoying at all. I was able to find the bonus routines quite easily, you need to go to the next screen(there is a little arrow on the bottom). I like that I can do a 10 min. segment on arms and a 10 mins segment on legs and I'm done, or I can do all arms or all legs. Either way it is only 20 mins!
Rating: Summary: Immediate Staple to my workout video collection Review: I have the first volume of TimeSaver Lift Weights and I thought it was okay. I wasn't overly impressed with it, but I still use it. But with this second volume, I was immediately impressed and happy with it. It's become one of my favorite staples already. In this volume, Kathy includes a warmup as well as an abs workout section. The workout is broken down into two sections: first is the upper body with 10 minutes focused on squats and 10 minutes focused on glutes, second is the lower body with first 10 minutes standing leg work and the remaining 10 minutes done on the floor. The people in class aren't annoyingly cheery and the videography is cut nicely. There are even some inserts from Kathy where she demonstrates proper form to ensure an effective workout. There are some new techniques here you will not find in other tapes, especially in the abs section. Great for veriety and staving off boredom. One move I really liked is going down in a squat and then shifting to one leg and then raising squat back up. I am an avid exerciser and this tape made me feel sore in areas I haven't been concentrating. I liked Kathy Smith just fine before, but this tape made me a fan of hers now. Worth the $$.
Rating: Summary: Disappointed Review: I have used Volume 1 for two years and have been very pleased with the weight program presented. Volume 2 is very short on exercises using weights so I feel that the video is misnamed and misrepresented. The few exercises that utilized weights are excellent, but they are very scarce.
Rating: Summary: Okay to Add to One's Exercise Library; However, Not the Best Review: I really needed to add some variety to my weight workouts, so I thought this VHS would be a welcomed addition to "Lift Weights...Volume 1." Personally, I prefer Volume 1; however, this is not a review of Volume 1...It's Volume 2, the VHS version. I have and enjoy several of K.S.'s videos/DVD's. This one has somewhat different exercises than Volume 1, which is obviously good, but Kathy just does not seem to be up to par physically as she usually is. She does not appear to be in the best shape, her facial features are somewhat odd when she speaks, and she sometimes acts "forced," "winded," and "unsteady." Personally, I find all of this distracting. Additionally, it is distracting because the first half of video is "lower" body, the second half is "upper" body, and then as others have pointed out, there is a rather overdrawn, detailed abdomen section. For me, it is my preference to work "upper" and "lower" body...yes, I can forward the tape and then rewind it to exercise in that order, but that is just a hassle! Again, as mentioned, there is really not much stretching. Between the "lower" and "upper" body sections, there is minute or two of a rather whimsical Kathy filmed in black and white perfoming the body stretches on a mat on a beach.
As for the exercises...the lower body section is not nearly as intense as on her Volume 1 video, but if one uses the heavy weights and leg weights, one will probably receive a good workout. The same may be said for the upper body. I do not know what the "unique rotational twist" is supposed to add to the standing upper body routines other than assisting one who has contortional aspirations, but again, if one uses the heaviest weights one can stand without hurting oneself, a good workout may occur. There are probably eight people working out with Kathy, and there are options for the less advanced exerciser (doing the workout sitting/leaning on a chair and lighter weights), but quite frankly, while I find the video to do its job if done to the maximum, it is really not a very impressive workout. I rotate the video with my other weight routine workouts, and it is my least favorite. It seems to be put together quickly, the routines seem re-hashed, yet described as being "more effective" than previous routines, especially the upper body and the "unique rotational twist" explanation. There really is not much of a variety of exercises regardless of the fact that it is supposed to be a "quick" routine. With all of the fancy props, the avante garde black and white stretch segments, and the unique rotational twist, this tape is more hype than work.
Rating: Summary: Ow my glutes! Review: I wasn't a fan of volume 1 of Lift Weights to Lose Weight, so I bought this as an impulse purchase (I know, I know). This was the first time I'd bought at DVD version of a workout, so it made things interesting. I must say, not watching the timer tick down made things go a lot faster. I liked the fact that you could pick and choose your work out (no more fast fowarding!) and one of these day's I'll learn the random feature of my DVD player. I have a feeling this one's going to get used quite a bit!
Rating: Summary: Another Kathy Smith Fan Review: I've been doing Kathy's Lift Weights to Lose Weight for a year now and love it. So, as soon as the second one came out, I knew I had to get it and I'm glad I did. I like the creative techniques she demonstrates about the core which helps with one's balance. For example, succeeding in standing on one leg, with the other one crossed in front without touching the ground, and doing bicep curls without losing balance. That was just one example. I notice with all the new techniques you wouldn't find in any other workout video, made me sore for a few days. It's a newly, innovative way to develope muscles and balance at the same time!! And another great thing is there is a warmup at the beginning, and cooldowns for each section like after the upper and lower body! I'm not suprised that Kathy created this remarkable workout. Evidentally, she's done it again!! It would be really cool if ther would be a Cardio Fatburner 2 video!
Rating: Summary: The DVD extras are there!! Review: If anyone is having trouble finding the DVD extras - including the ball workout - hit the right hand arrow on the bottom right of the first menu screen. That brings you to the 2nd page of the main menu, which contains the rest of the main workout chapters, the abs workout, and the bonus features. The ball workout is a bonus feature - it's not part of the main workout. It's a great workout!
Rating: Summary: The extras on DVD ARE there! Review: In response to a viewer from Milwaukee, the extras are there on a seperate screen. If you go to the bottom of the first menu, there are two buttons. Click on the one to the right and you will enter the second screen. Here you will find the options for building your own workout (you can sequence the different sections any way you want), the ball workout and other extras. The ball workout is great as is the rest of the work out. It's not a super challenging work out but nice for those "I don't want to kill myself days."
Rating: Summary: Muscles Have Love/Hate Relationship with this DVD Review: Kathy Smith is one of my favorites. I like that this video challenges my muscles to the point where I can feel them the next day. If you don't enjoy the next day "good" hurt, you can use lighter weights or no weights at all. In spite of the fact that the DVD cover boasts of a non existent 20-minute stability ball workout, I highly recommend this workout DVD.
Rating: Summary: Great Workout! Review: Kathy Smith is one of my favorites. I like that this video challenges my muscles to the point where I can feel them the next day. If you don't enjoy the next day "good" hurt, you can use lighter weights or no weights at all. In spite of the fact that the DVD cover boasts of a non existent 20-minute stability ball workout, I highly recommend this workout DVD.
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