Rating: 
Summary: Good workout, good variety
Review: There seems to be a wide range of opinions on this one, but I've been very happy with this video for the most part. I rented it and I have done it a few times now and am about to buy it. Yes, it's true that during the cardio segment there are a lot of whoops and cheers going on which is definitely a bit much, but I've gotten over it. It also involves fairly complicated steps that frustrated me the first time, but already on the third go, I've gotten it down, and now I'm enjoying it. I do agree with someone else who said that the video would be even better if she had at least included one or two other cardio workouts on here. I like different sections offered, though, and that's what makes this DVD worth buying. You can do cardio one day, arm strenghtening another day, legs another day, yoga, etc. The strength training for upper and lower body are definitely strenuous and you can really feel it working (man, was I sore the day after my first time doing the arms!). Be aware that you need free weights for the arm portion - they recommend three different pairs of varying weights, but two would probably do. I use three pairs of 3, 5, & 8 pounds each. I actually had to work up to doing the entire leg portion because, as short as it is, I couldn't finish it all the first time. That's good, though. I don't want a video to be a piece of cake the first time. I want something to work up to. I haven't tried the yoga yet, but everyting else is definitely recommended if you're not a total beginner (it would probably be too tough for someone new to workout videos). I actually don't think Kathy Smith is that annoying as someone else has suggested here. She's encouraging and upbeat, but it's not as if she has that girly, feel-good demeanor that Denise Austin has. (I actually like Denise Austin anyway--her little comments provide some comic relief, even if that's not how she intends it), but I think I prefer Kathy Smith's style because she seems more truly athletic and less girly than Austin, she doesn't blab so much about random things, and I think she gives a bit more info about the proper form of the moves, etc. I recommend this video as well as Kathy Smith's Kickboxing DVD and her Functionally Fit Fat Burner. Those are both great cardio workouts (in fact, based on the cardio section alone, they are better), but this one includes more (with the strength training and yoga, etc) so it's worth having. I'm getting all three to keep things interesting...
Rating:
Summary: Great idea
Review: This DVD has one of the best formats I've seen yet. Unlike some reviewers, I don't mind that the segments are a hodge-podge of other Kathy Smith videos, because I don't have any others by her. This was my introduction. I really like the mix-and-match ability you get with this DVD. It's really using the format to its fullest.Overall, the workouts are pretty good. Kathy indeed is one of those perky, whooping women, which is grating. I'm used to Minna, Karen Voigt, Tamilee ... much more subdued instructors. Once I got past that, though, I couldn't deny that the workouts themselves are pretty effective. The cardio ticked me off at first because it's quite dancy, and I'm not very coordinated. By the second try, though, I had most of the moves down and got a good workout in 20 minutes. The upper-body workout was pretty intense. I really like how this one lets you do higher reps with lighter weights, or do fewer reps with heavier weights. That option alone will keep me coming back to that segment. The lower-body workout is NOT 20 minutes, like the Amazon description and the catalogue on the DVD says. It's 10 minutes. Luckily, it's a very effective 10 minutes. I can feel it today from yesterday's workout. The yoga's good, too, though it stops pretty abruptly as it's pulled off another, longer video. The warm-up and cool downs are OK. I usually don't use them, though; I usually start with another tape (maybe TotalMix's Quick Fix) and cool down with Tamilee's Stretch for Beginners. But it's nice to have them as an option on the same DVD. That way, you don't HAVE to go from one workout tape to another if you don't want to. It would have been nice to have another cardio segment on this tape. I'm sure Kathy knows that variety is key, and we're supposed to do cardio more often than the other exercises. But, all in all, this was a good introduction to Kathy Smith's cheerleader brand of instruction, and it's definitely a good workout.
Rating: 
Summary: Terrific Total Body Trainer!
Review: This DVD is excellent for getting in a little bit of everything: cardio, toning, and stretching. The program is a compilation of some of Kathy's more popular previously released videos: Timesaver Cardio Fat-Burning, Timesaver Lift Weights to Lose Weight, Functionally Fit Lower Body Toning, and New Yoga Basics. There is a 20 min cardio workout, an upper body routine, lower body routine, and abs and back routine, as well as a 30 min yoga workout. A warm-up from Functionally Fit Peak Fat Burning and cool-down from Timesaver Lift Weights to Lose Weight are included for the cardio and toning wokouts.
Rating:
Summary: Helps you loose weight without the power of a gym
Review: This helped me loose fifty pounds at an average of 1 to 2 pounds a week, and toned my body. It helps you strength train beginning at your level and incorporates different ways to do the exercises to avoid plateaus. The cardio is fun and the yoga is very relaxing. It also has a warm up and cool down session. You can encorporate other exercise activity with this video, because you can choose what you do. It is exactly what it is suppose to do, personal train.
Rating: 
Summary: Too confusing!
Review: This is the second Kathy Smith exercise tape I had ever bought. The first was Kathy Smith's Latin Rhythm Workout. I found the steps too complicated which made it unenjoyable so I never used it again after a few tries. But I thought it was just me not picking up on the dance steps. So I gave this dvd a try. Well!! I'm not a total spaz and it takes me time to pick up on certain more complicated moves, but I've been working out with exercise tapes for years so I am familiar with a lot of the steps and timing. But I got confused during the warm-up! Then I knew I was in trouble. I found the cardio portion way too complicated and hard to follow along. When your time is precious and you are trying to squeeze in a workout, it's a waste of time if you are stumbling around confused the entire time. I like Denise Austin's exercise tapes much better.
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