Rating: Summary: Excellent Review: I have tried MANY workout DVD's and found this to be one of the best. I really like Denise and she knows how to make you work. This DVD switches between cardio and weight lifting intervals. You will see the most results this way and you will definitely sweat during this video. It requires that you have a step and some hand weights for the workout. This is a top DVD, easy to follow and is effective. Everything you could want from a workout DVD.
Rating: Summary: Excellent Review: I have tried MANY workout DVD's and found this to be one of the best. I really like Denise and she knows how to make you work. This DVD switches between cardio and weight lifting intervals. You will see the most results this way and you will definitely sweat during this video. It requires that you have a step and some hand weights for the workout. This is a top DVD, easy to follow and is effective. Everything you could want from a workout DVD.
Rating: Summary: WARNING- do not buy this if you do not have a step Review: I haven't used this DVD because I don't have a step yet. I was disappointed when I bought this DVD because I wasn't aware that you needed a step to do it.
Rating: Summary: FAT Burning for PERKY 20 yr olds..NOT FOR BEGINNERS ! Review: I own and use more than 40 exercise videos and this is currently my least favorite.
I just quit this exercise video in the middle of the first use because my biggest pet peeve is poor queuing. I have never quit a video before like I did this one. I always make it through to some degree depending upon my fitness level. In this one I lost motivation during it because I was constantly trying to catch up.
THE GOOD: she is perky, she is working hard. If you can get through this and memorize each next move, you will probably find this a challenge.
THE BAD: There is no "level 1". I have exercised all of my life and more recently needed to start over at level 1 and I had to make up my level one. She also started doing lunges off of the step with the weights inches away. Knee safety was also not mentioned at all during the warm-up. I want an instructor who can queue me for the next move. I don't want to stumble into it. To me good queuing is difference between an exercise instructor and an excellent fitness instructor. Plainly, this lack quality instruction.
Only buy this if you are already in excellent shape and need someone to torture you with poor queuing.
I recommend the FIRM Basics series especially FAT BURNING. This one is good for beginners and intermediate alike. From there you can move on to the tougher videos. Don't let Perky in Pink ruin your motivation to exercise. This one will definitly scare off the beginner or someone returning to the habit.!!!
If you want perky and well queued, try Tammy Lee Webb. At least you are comfortable that you are getting a safe yet challenging workout.
Rating: Summary: Burn that butter! Review: 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.
Rating: Summary: pretty good Review: 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.
Rating: Summary: GREAT DVD TO REV UP YOUR METABOLISM Review: Rev Up That Metabolism with Ultimate Fat Burner, October 28, 2004
Reviewer: JewelMermaid (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews
I've been working out with DA for over two years. I love her workouts, they are sound, she is motivational and keeps you moving. If you're trying to lose weight this one will definitely do it. It's tough, it's got the best of both worlds, aerobics and strength training. I think she put all her tough moves into this one. I don't mind that she talks during the video. Yes, we all know Denise is perky so if you don't like perkiness then she is not for you. We also know that DA is not good with cueing. However, this workout uses basic steps and athletic moves so I don't mind that she doesn't cue well. Getting the moves down wasn't a major problem with me at all. A lot of people get hurt exercising because they don't know how to perform the moves correctly. DA makes sure you're doing them correctly. That makes the video more effective. I love interval workouts they are the best way to train.
I am really surprised why the negative reviews always focus on her perkiness - we all know she is perky. Most of these "reviewers" have been exercising for quite some time now so I am sure they know all about DA's perkiness and bad cueing. So why are they still doing Denise Austin's workouts knowing all these "negative" factors? Beats me :) Denise Austin has been around for decades and has helped a lot of people lose and maintain weight. She is an inspiration!
Rating: Summary: Fun and Effective Total Body Workout Review: SUPER FUN CARDIO FAT BURNER! I just don't understand the hostile reviews to this video. It's tough-going if you are not as advanced in aerobics as weights. Yet the moves are easy to follow and executed in three progressively harder levels, so who cares that she cues on the move rather than four counts before. Bottom line is that this workout is effective and it covers almost everything. Denise works biceps, triceps, lats, chest,and delts, does lunges and squaqts for the legs, includes lots of planks, pushups and a few yoga moves to work the core and then cool down, and ultimately, leads you through a variety of sports-conditioning circuits that really gets the heart rate up. I don't mind that the strength intervals are rather weak because I consider this a cardio workout. The choreography is basic and athletic with some high impact moves. If you find them high impact, then you can just easily modify. I do this video along with strength training or pilates/yoga for a complete workout.
Rating: Summary: Good for in shape newcomers to group fitness Review: This is a good workout if you are in pretty good shape w/ no back or joint problems and new to group or video workouts. The workouts are very effective which was my main focus in purchasing this video despite Denise's sometimes annoying voice or less than satisfactory cueing. I like the mix of routines including plyometrics, sports conditioning, boxing. This is probably her best tape yet.
Rating: Summary: UFB Workout=High Impact Aerobic conditioning Review: 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!
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