Rating: Summary: Kathy does it again! Review: I own several Kathy Smith videos and think that she is one of the best instructors around. Once again, I was not disappointed. I do step aerobics and weight training, so this tape adds some variety and gives me something different to do on the days that I don't want to do a full-blown 35 or 40-minute step workout. Like many of the other reviewers, I am in my 40s, and have found that the Kathy Smith workouts I have done take all ages and fitness levels into consideration. The presentation is straightforward and informative without being chatty or "cute."This is a very good tape as the two-minute intervals elevate your heart rate to training level and the "functional fitness" segments tone your lower body, and some of the moves help with posture and balance. Also, as several others have mentioned, the time goes by very quickly! Also recommended (by me): Kathy Smith's Step Workout, Kathy Smith's Great Buns and Thighs Step Workout, and Kathy's Lift Weights to Lose Weight.
Rating: Summary: Concentrated Calorie Burning Review: This one is a great day-starter. It's only 40 minutes from start to finish, including a warm-up, cool down, and stretching. The idea is to really push yourself during the intervals and to bring your heart-rate down during an active recovery period focusing on lower body toning. It's an effective combination that produces results. Having only done it about 5 times, I already feel tighter in my hips and thighs- and this was from my cardio workout! Don't make this your only video, but definitely work it into your routine. It might kick-start those last few pounds to come off.
Rating: Summary: This video is easy, fun, and delivers results Review: I am not a fan of exercise videos, but this one is excellent. It takes 40 minutes start to finish. The moves are easy and Kathy is down to earth. No irritating "You can do it!" or "Make it burn!" in this video. The best part is that you feel the results right away. The video is designed to do 2 minutes at a time of interval training. Basically, you do 2 minutes of high impact aroebics and then bring it down to do squats and other exercises for your legs. Its not like you're going 40 minutes solid with high impact aroebics. This video is very easy to do and is good for a beginner or a more experienced person. You can take it as high impact as you like or keep it low.
Rating: Summary: Makes you sweat Review: I am a 48 year old, professional woman with little time to workout. I come home late. If the weather is bad, the time too late, this tape gets my blood moving. I like its options for a low impact routine. I am new to the aerobic scene; It will have taken me under 10 viewings to master the steps to keep up. Ms. Smith is down to earth and is not patronizing to lower abilities. She is respectful to her lower impact models on this tape and they show their enthusiasm throughout it. The only Firm tape I've reviewed had a mildly annoying coach and required too many changes of equipment, handweights, step platforms. As a beginner, the hardest thing to coordinate and learn are the arm movements but its coming alon! I recommend this tape.
Rating: Summary: Incredible workout Review: I love this tape! It's challenging, fun, and very different than your average workout! The time just seems to fly by! Great warm-up, cool-down, and stretch also. This is interval training - you work really hard for 2 minutes followed by a slower (but not necessarily easier)2 minutes that focuses on working your legs. This is one tape I have not gotten tired of, I actually look forward to doing it!
Rating: Summary: I always go back to this tape Review: Kathy's cueing is impeccable in this video. It is easy to get a very intense workout in the two minute intervals. I have a great deal of tapes but I tend to use this one a least once every week and a half for my cardio. I don't particulary care for the music on this tape, however, it never stops me from using it.
Rating: Summary: dissapointing Review: Based on previous recommendations I purchased this tape and I was very dissapointed. I believe if I would jump 15 minutes around the room, I would achieve the same benefit. Instructions are hard to follow, and I am not willing to memorize the tape! This was my first purchase of Kathy Smith video and I believe also my last. I give her some credit for a stretching at the end of the tape, it was nice. Maybe her stretching and yoga videos are much better, but I will stick with The Firm tapes for fitness because they produce real results.
Rating: Summary: Great all-round routine Review: This workout is definitely one of my favorites. It's an excellent mixture of aerobics and toning. The aerobics can be done low or high impact and will get your heart pumping. Smith's cueing is good, and none of the six "intervals," which consist of three complimentary movements, is overly difficult to learn. The music is OK, and the group behind Smith is mercifully quiet. I do have two complaints about this and all the other Smith tapes I own: As a woman with bad knees, I wish Smith would dump the fast left-right knee lifts. It's impossible to do the movements without jerking your body around and putting your knees at risk for straining. Second, I wish Smith would spend the extra bucks to fix obvious mistakes in the audio (like when she tells you twice in the same interval that "this is the last time through"--cruel!). These errors would be very easy to fix in post-production.
Rating: Summary: Excellent! You won't be disappointed! Review: I've done this tape three times a week for a month and I love it! The box reads: "It's Fun. It's Functional. And it's going to get you fit!" This is so true. After just three or four workouts using this tape, and really sitting back in the squats, my husband noticed that my butt was firmer! The six 2 minute intervals really make the time fly! The exercises are great and you won't feel dorky doing them. Kathy Smith changes the exercise moves just enough through the workout so that it doesn't get boring, but not too much so that it's difficult to follow! You just can't go wrong with this workout!
Rating: Summary: Bursts not intense enough Review: Fun, easy to follow, great toning, but some of the 2 minute bursts of aerobics aren't very challenging. After 1 or 2 trys I didn't feel that I was being pushed. Maybe 2 minutes isn't long enough. I wouldn't begin with this video if you're just getting into aerobics because you might get too accustomed to the breaks. Nevertheless, K. Smith is easy to follow, informative, and is the first video instructor to explain the difference between a plie and a squat.
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