Rating: 
Summary: great introduction to cardio work
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: Get this DVD and start getting into shape now!
Review: Kathy Smith's Timesaver Cardio Fat Burner has been a good way to restart my exercise program. I like to work out, and I love being in shape, but I don't like going to the gym because I've never enjoyed the cardio machines. This DVD has brought a fairly easy aerobic workout into my living room. Its format (2 20 minute workouts which can be combined into 1 40 minute workout) worked very well for me when I was trying to make exercise a part of my daily schedule. (It's difficult to find excuses not to work out for just 20 minutes.) Now that I've been exercising regularly for a while, I use this DVD not as my main cardiovascular activity (I use Minna Lessig's Optimizer for that) but just on my light days, when I just want some cardio, or when I'm pressed for time.
The program itself is not too difficult, although it took uncoordinated me a few times to catch on to the movements and the transitions between them. (Watching the entire routine before attempting it helped some.) It is definitely an aerobics routine, with a little bit of dance and aeroboxing thrown in. There isn't much of a warm up, so be sure to stretch out and march in place for a bit before beginning. The first 20 minute routine involves adding on moves to a basic routine. This segment is low impact, and I have found that, while it raises my heart rate, I have to make the movements even bigger than Kathy does in order to really get my heart pumping. The second 20 minute routine involves four circuits of shorter moves added together. Kathy includes an option for "Calorie Bursts," or higher impact modifications, for each circuit. This segment is moderate to high impact, depending on whether or not you do the "Calorie Bursts." The DVD closes with a very good 7 minute stretching routine. In fact, it is a good one to use with any exercise program that doesn't have much of a cool down.
Kathy Smith is an appropriately upbeat and perky aerobics instructor. As you will find with most aerobics DVDs, her friends smile and constantly shout, "Oh yeah! We've got it!"--something I've found easier to block out with time. The music isn't exciting, but again I've found myself able to ignore it. For some reason, the director insisted on using not just different camera angles, which are fine, but different camera effects, many of which blur Kathy and her companions' movements.
In conclusion, this is a good workout for beginners and even lower level intermediate workout enthusiasts. Despite its drawbacks, you could do far worse, and this DVD is less expensive and more convenient than any gym membership. All you need is some space in front of your TV, and you can kiss your excuses not to get in shape goodbye.
Rating: 
Summary: Not as happy with this one
Review: I love Kathy Smith's videos. I have several which I do as often as time allows. I've had this one for a number of years, but since I favor her step tapes I hadn't really given this one a try. Until recently that is and I was disappointed with it. She goes right into the work out and doesn't do a warm up, which is unusual for her. It made a difference for me. I stopped doing the tape and haven't done it since.
Rating:
Summary: A definite purchase for your workout video library
Review: I have read some of the reviews saying the steps are too difficult and all I can say is that you have to be patient. I am very uncoordinated and I love this video. Yes, it did take me several tries to get the steps down but you can always rewind it and go over the steps again. I first purchased this video two years ago and will pop it in the VCR if I can't make it to the gym. The moves are still fresh and the set, music, and clothes are all updated. This isn't like one of those videos from the mid 80's that seem too cheesy to do. If you're a twentysomthing you will truly like it. The video is composed of two 20-minute workouts and then a bonus stretch section. The first workout is a building block. You learn each step and then put it together bit by bit until you have a whole routine that you do several times by the end. The second 20-minute workout is 4 different mini-building block routines. You learn the steps by first doing the low-impact routine and then once you get the moves down you have your choice to do the high-impact option or stick to low-impact. In the second 20-minute workout Kathy has half of the room do low-impact and the other half do high-impact. I was really out of shape when I bought this video and I remember it being very challenging. Now I workout regularly and I find the video to be a lot less difficult but it still gets my heart rate up and I never get sick of the routine. The bonus stretching is a great way to end the workout.
Rating:
Summary: I can't believe I'm doing aerobics
Review: I've always hated exercise, but I was surprised to find that I actually enjoy this video. It's a great workout, and I can feel myself getting a little stronger each time I do it. I liked it so much I just purchased another one of Kathy's videos.
I really like Kathy, although her crew gets a little annoying- some of them are just a little too perky, but I expected that. All of the "uh-huhs" and "oh yeahs" get on my nerves, but I've started blocking them out and concentrating on the moves.
I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually look forward to getting up in the morning and doing this workout. I do work up a sweat, but after the cool-down stretch, I'm relaxed and ready to start my day. Who would've thought?!
Rating:
Summary: Not for real beginners...
Review: ...nor even folks (like me) who have done aerobics before, but not for a number of years.I already work out on cardio machines at the gym 4 days a week and wanted to add some aerobics routines to my home workouts. This seemed like a good program to try with the two different 20 minutes sets to do independantly or together, but I must say I found it more frustrating than calorie-burning. Perhaps if I give it a few more tries to learn the moves, I don't know. My biggest caution is that there is NO warmup so you definitely want to stretch on your own before starting the first workout. This seemed like a bad idea to me. While some of the moves were simple, others I found very difficult to put together and wish she had spent more time demonstrating at a slower pace before piling on all kinds of variations in the routines (perhaps a "bonus" chapter on the DVD to simply illustrate the different moves at a slow speed would have helped?) I ended up spending a lot of time just marching in place to keep my pace up when I'd get completely lost. Also? The fancy camera tricks and stuff was really annoying, especially when you're just trying to figure out what is going on. I will say that the 7-minute cooldown routine is quite good if very standard--seemed exactly like the cooldown I was used to when I'd go to a gym for aerobics years before. All in all, if you're fairly familiar and practiced in aerobics moves and want an at-home workout, this probably isn't too bad. If you're out of practice or a complete newbie to it, I'd say look for something a little slower and more basic first.
Rating:
Summary: Too fast, not enough instruction
Review: I have read great things about Kathy Smiths' workout videos and didn't think twice about ordering Timesaver Cardio Fat Burner DVD. However, I was surprised how fast she went through instruction. I am in pretty good physical shape and thought her cardio was sufficent. The issue I have is that she went so fast through the combos that I spent more time stopping the DVD then the actual workout. This DVD would be better off in the hands of the more coordinated.
Rating:
Summary: Not hard at all
Review: I'm not sure why so many people think the routines on this tape are too hard. They're not! And I'm not the most coordinated person on earth. Just do them a few times, and you'll quickly get the hang of it. The moves are well-choreographed and fun and you'll really get a good workout. The only complaint I have with Kathy is that she has a habit of saying "last time!" and then proceeding to do the routine again. It confuses her crew, since you can see a couple of them actually stop as Kathy keeps going. Other than that, this tape is great!
Rating:
Summary: Not for klutzes
Review: This workout is frustrating if what you want to do is get a good cardio workout. Before you can get to that point you have to learn multiple complex dance moves. Otherwise, you are left flailing and floundering and not getting your heart rate up at all because you are trying to keep up with sambas and cha-cha's. She teaches each move independently to be sure. But she doesn't teach the transition between them. She doesn't cue very well. And then when you think you have you, she changes the number of reps of each move. She piles move on top of move. The counting of the moves is sporatic at best. Sorry, Kathy. I used to be a big fan, but you've really lost me on this (and virtually of your latest stuff). The only thing that she does do right is that when using "right" and "left" she refers to my right and left-- not hers. That is very helpful I want to work out. I don't want to learn how to dance! I want to get a good aerobic workout out of the box. My suggestion would be that for beginners, you do more reps of each move so we can learn the moves. Make the progressions less complex. Then on the next level up, you can do all the fancy footwork.
Rating:
Summary: Fabulous Moves That Really Work You Out!
Review: I think this is a truly great video for exercise enthusiasts at any level! As a busy mom and full time student, I really have to get creative to get my exercise in and this video makes working out easy! Some days when my time is really tight, I just opt to do the first 20 min segment which is a progressive add on routine that I just LOVE! Kathy includes some exciting moves in this routine that really keep me going and she doesn't overdue it with repetitive and boring steps like some videos. Instead of doing a huge chunk of hamstring curls followed by a huge segment of side leg lifts followed by a bunch of jumping jacks etc....she really mixes things up with a creative and fun rountine that you will learn a little bit at a time until you have the whole thing down. Then you will repeat this completed routine 3 times through which really helps me to work up a good sweat! I love the fact that I can do this 20 min routine and walk away feeling like I've really worked out and burned some major calories! Also, she has on wonderful people with her that switch coming up to "help her out" for different segments. I love how positive and upbeat Kathy is and there is some really nice interaction between her and the people working out with her. If you have more time and are feeling up to it, this video offers a fantastic second 20 min segment that includes 4 waves of mini-routines. What's so great about this workout is that within each wave, it is structured so you first learn all the moves of your mini-routine and then you go into the "cardio burst" where you really work it! Kathy gives you the option of keeping things simple the way you've first learned the steps, or kicking it up a notch to a higher impact level during the cardio burst. Half of the people working out with her demonstrate the simple way, and the other half the harder. Awesome! An added bonus is a very relaxing and thorough 7 min stretch. I definitely think this is one of the best stretch routines on any of Kathy's aerobics videos. Sometimes I will just go to this track and do the stretch after other workout videos who's cooldowns just aren't as good. I have been doing this video for 2 years now about 1-2x per week alternating with several other of Kathy's videos and I NEVER GET TIRED OF THIS ONE! This is an absolute must have for your collection- especially for those days when you're short on time. I think anyone can find 20 minutes to fit in one of these great workouts!
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