Rating: Summary: Great video to stretch, tone, sweat and make exercising FUN! Review: This is my first Karen Voight workout DVD and I really enjoy doing it! I've done several other workouts and after a while I'd loose interest in them. With Karen though, I have felt and seen immediate results! I look forward to working out every morning and evening! She keeps you moving, focused and motivated!!! I have benefitted greatly from both the AM and PM workouts.
I would definately recommend this to anyone who is tight on time, but wants the benefits of long hours at the gym. Enjoy!!!!!~
Rating: Summary: Great video to stretch, tone, sweat and make exercising FUN! Review: I got this DVD in a Karen Voight combo pack and it quickly became my favorite new video. In the past I've really enjoyed Callanetic's videos (Callan Pickney), but I found this video refreshing and upbeat. I do also recommend Callanetics, but found that she's not very motivating, and it's nice to have Karen be someone to keep you going through the tough moves - but not in an overly cheery or annoying way! I sweat tremendously in this video and feel like it gives me an excellent overall workout. I like to do the am portion in the morning, along with the first 10 minutes of the pm video (abs) for a very complete workout in 35 minutes... I like yoga (the second part of the pm video) but usually do it at a later point, or with friends. It's a wonderful video and highly recommended for anyone who wants a good challenge and wants to feel like you're getting a thorough workout!
Rating: Summary: short, sweet, and tough Review: I just did the a.m. workout and it was challenging. Karen Voight's video, this is my first K.V. video, was professional looking, straightforward, not too perky. It was low key and made me break a sweat for such a short workout! I highly recommend this one and am looking forward to the p.m. workout.
Rating: Summary: Total body workout Review: I was a bit disappointed at first because I was expecting more cardio, but I really like it because it's different. I specifically chose a Karen Vioght DVD because I liked her in Elle McPherson's Personal Best. All parts of your body get a good workout. This DVD introduced me (briefly) to yoga and I didn't know how hard it can be to hold those poses! Some of the exercises are hard to do without the weight balls that Karen uses in the DVD. I gave it four stars instead of five only because if you do the p.m. section on it's own (without doing a.m. first) there is no warm up. I have found that I get a better workout now after doing it for a couple months because I am more familiar with the moves and probably perform them with more accuracy (using better form).
Rating: Summary: I LOVE this video! Review: I've had this video for a while but I never got around to doing it, so yesterday I decided to do it & I must say that it is amazing! The upper body workout with the weights made my arms feel tight, I normally workout with 5 lb. weights but I had to switch to 3 lb. weights after a while. You really don't need the weighted balls that are featured, your hand weights will still give you a great workout. The first workout is about 23 mins. long & it does move pretty fast so watch the video before doing it. If you can, turn your t.v. so that it is facing a mirror & it will help you keep up with the 1st workout. The seond workout is for the abs & back with some yoga. My abs felt so tight after doing this! I've never really tried yoga because I thought it was difficult, but Karen's cuing is perfect & she explains how to do the moves so anyone can do them. You can always do the workouts separately or together for a full body workout. During the yoga segment she has you do some push ups & I kid you not, you will feel the burn! Afterwards though you will feel so relaxed & refreshed.
Rating: Summary: Only if you're a professional dancer Review: If I had to choose my top three exercise tapes to bring to a desert island, this video would definitely make the list. It's a wonderful blend of traditional strength training, pilates-type ab work, and yoga stretches. Instructor Karen Voight--who has an absolutely amazing body--adds unique twists to all of the above, and the end result is a flowing, enjoyable workout.Karen begins with a warm-up that lasts approximately 7 minutes; she effectively stretches and warms both the lower and the upper body. The 23-minute segment that follows is full-body strength training using light weights (Karen uses fitness balls but displays how dumbells can be substituted). Although there are many traditional movements such as bicep curls, squats, and lunges, Karen frequently combines the exercises to make them more interesting and effecient--for example, a bicep curl combined with a plie squat. Most of the moments are very focused and intense, and the number of repetitions is generally low (1-2 sets). Karen finishes out the strength section by using a body bar for balance (a chair can be substituted) to do some targeted thigh and buns work. Finally, there is a brief full-body stretch to end the first half of the tape. Karen removes her shoes for the remainder of the workout. The second half of the video begins with abdominals work. This section is the most challenging abs work I have ever encountered; you will really FEEL the results the next day. Again, Karen utilizes traditional moves such as crunches, but she makes the exercises tougher by adding weights, pulses, and isometric contractions. She follows the abs work with back extensions to ensure that both sides of the body are thoroughly stretched. The last part of the tape is approximately 25 minutes of yoga-type stretches. Karen performs a series of moves on one side of the body, including forward bend, triangle pose, lunge, and proud warrior, and then she repeats the entire series on the other side. A few additional poses are performed on the floor, including table and reverse plank. This workout never fails to leave me feeling wonderfully refreshed. Karen is an excellent instructor who provides flawless mirrored cuing; she is warm and friendly while also being calm and focused. The workout is filmed in three different settings (a studio, a living room, and outdoors) and switches amongst them, and a soft jazz soundtrack plays in the background. I highly recommend this workout for all fitness levels (with the exception of absolute exercise beginners).
Rating: Summary: One of my all time favorite exercises videos! Review: If I had to choose my top three exercise tapes to bring to a desert island, this video would definitely make the list. It's a wonderful blend of traditional strength training, pilates-type ab work, and yoga stretches. Instructor Karen Voight--who has an absolutely amazing body--adds unique twists to all of the above, and the end result is a flowing, enjoyable workout. Karen begins with a warm-up that lasts approximately 7 minutes; she effectively stretches and warms both the lower and the upper body. The 23-minute segment that follows is full-body strength training using light weights (Karen uses fitness balls but displays how dumbells can be substituted). Although there are many traditional movements such as bicep curls, squats, and lunges, Karen frequently combines the exercises to make them more interesting and effecient--for example, a bicep curl combined with a plie squat. Most of the moments are very focused and intense, and the number of repetitions is generally low (1-2 sets). Karen finishes out the strength section by using a body bar for balance (a chair can be substituted) to do some targeted thigh and buns work. Finally, there is a brief full-body stretch to end the first half of the tape. Karen removes her shoes for the remainder of the workout. The second half of the video begins with abdominals work. This section is the most challenging abs work I have ever encountered; you will really FEEL the results the next day. Again, Karen utilizes traditional moves such as crunches, but she makes the exercises tougher by adding weights, pulses, and isometric contractions. She follows the abs work with back extensions to ensure that both sides of the body are thoroughly stretched. The last part of the tape is approximately 25 minutes of yoga-type stretches. Karen performs a series of moves on one side of the body, including forward bend, triangle pose, lunge, and proud warrior, and then she repeats the entire series on the other side. A few additional poses are performed on the floor, including table and reverse plank. This workout never fails to leave me feeling wonderfully refreshed. Karen is an excellent instructor who provides flawless mirrored cuing; she is warm and friendly while also being calm and focused. The workout is filmed in three different settings (a studio, a living room, and outdoors) and switches amongst them, and a soft jazz soundtrack plays in the background. I highly recommend this workout for all fitness levels (with the exception of absolute exercise beginners).
Rating: Summary: Tough but good Review: Man, I was sore the next day. But I know once I'm able to do the whole thing, and all the reps with her, I will be in shape. The steps are kinda tough to get (especially the double punch and kick thing), but I think after trying a few more times I'll get it down. I don't give it the fifth star for the reason of the camera shots. They switch back and forth sometimes which can be visually confusing, and they did this blur thing when I was trying to get one of the steps right... But she vocally cues everything well, especially during the yoga section (I hate it when I'm in the downward facing dog position for too long because the instructor hasn't said to switch - and hi! I can't see you!) Overall a very challenging video - and that's the point right?
Rating: Summary: My favorite KV video! Review: This is my fourth and favorite KV video! Both the AM and PM workouts are wonderful! The AM workout is ultra energizing and leaves you feeling refreshed and ready for the day. The reps are tough but Karen really inspires you to keep going and to feel the burn! The PM video is really my favorite. I sit all day at the office and this video has some truly wonderful stretches that leave my aching body feeling relaxed as well as strong! I recommed this video for anyone - probably intermediate level and above - who needs something quick and effective in the morning and something effective yet relaxing in the evening. I also liked the PM yoga moves a lot more than the straight up yoga videos (I don't have enough balance for those). The PM yoga stretches are a nice intro to yoga, so you might also consider this video, if you are thinking about trying yoga.
Rating: Summary: Quick but tough, thorough, and with nice blend of styles. Review: This was my first Karen Voight video, and I liked it a lot. When I read reviews on other sites, I found that many people complained that the workout wasn't challenging enough, but I found it to be a just-right short workout for my intermediate level. The workout begins with a rather lengthy (7-minute) warm-up that goes quicky from one move to the next. This section raises your heart rate somewhat, although I would have preferred a shorter warm-up with more time devoted to toning. The 17-minute segment of standing toning exercises which follows is definitely tough. Karen uses 3-lb. weighted balls, but she is also shown using dumbells. I started with 5-lb. dumbells and could do the first few exercises okay, but I had to lower the weight. I don't have weighted balls, so I used my 2-lb. ankle weights but held them in my palms similar to the balls. Some of the reviews I read said that the workout moves too fast to use heavier weights, but I think that with practice, I could stick to the 5-lb. dumbells. For most of the exercises, Karen does one slow set and then a second faster set in which she does move quite quickly. I found the upper body portion to be strong on the back and shoulders but less intense for the biceps and triceps. Karen then moves to a few exercises for the legs, including squates, lunges, and leg raises for buttocks. Because the entire toning section lasts only 17 minutes, no one muscle group is worked out particularly hard, but it's great if you're looking for quick overall toning--it reminds me of Tamilee Webb's I Want That Body. You can stop the tape after the toning segment--Karen pauses at this point--or continue on to the next section, for abs. I was surprised to read that the abs section is 17 minutes long, as it went by very quickly. Here Karen combines traditional crunches--some done holding weights--with more Pilates-type abs moves. Each exercise was very intense, but not so difficult that I was unable to perform any moves; I felt like I got a very good abs workout. The tape ends with about 16 minutes of basic yoga poses. This section flowed nicely from the abs work, and it provided a nice stretch at the end of the workout. I found Karen to be an excellent instructor: she is amazingly fit in appearance without being intimidating, and she did a great job cuing and explaining each move. The background music was jazz/R&B (some with vocals) which was pleasant without interfering with the workout. One thing that was a little odd was how the images flashed between different sets. The main set consists of Karen in a studio with her hair down and giving live instruction, but during each exercise, the camera flashed to Karen in the studio with her hair up, Karen in a living room setting, and Karen outdoors. Although this was a bit strange, each set was appealing, and I didn't mind the transitions. Overall, I would recommend this workout to advanced beginners/intermediates looking for a fast, varied toning program that is not too strenuous. I plan to do this workout on alternate weeks with Kathy Smith's Lift Weights to Lose Weight, which is a little more challenging.
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