Dance Fitness for Beginners with MaDonna Grimes: African Beat - Latin Heat Review

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(More customer reviews)Although I really enjoy dance workouts, I was a little wary of this one, as I had heard that instructor MaDonna Grimes didn't cue very well and that there was a lot of "take-it-from-the-top" movements, which I dislike. So, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I LOVED this video! The workout basically breaks down into 3 segments: warm-up, dance routine, and cool-down (these are not chaptered on the DVD). The 10-minute warm-up gets right into some basic dance steps such as the merengue, getting your heart rate up right away. MaDonna sometimes fails to fully explain the movements, but my minimal experience with just a few prior dance videos allowed me to follow along with no problems. There are a few small jumps included in this segment, but they don't appear until about 5 minutes into it, when you're already well warmed up; some basic stretches conclude this section.
During the 12-minute dance routine section, MaDonna introduces new moves one at a time, gradually building up to a complete dance routine. When teaching the moves, she did something I'd never seen before that I really liked: instead of teaching one segment with 3 different moves, a second segment with 3 different moves, and then stringing the two segments together (I always find it difficult to remember the first segment), she'll teach 3 moves and then introduce 2 new ones, but she combines the last move from the first 3 with the 2 new ones (I hope this makes sense!). This method makes it very easy to remember the order of the moves, as you're constantly combining the older moves that you've already learned with the new moves. Even more importantly, the moves are FUN--mambos, hops, hip swings, etc.--and the time just flew by!
The workout ends with a brief (4-minute) cool-down. I liked the neck stretches that were included here, although some people might have to be careful with these. The DVD also includes a 10-minute bonus workout for the lower body: MaDonna leads you through 4 different types of squats, performing several sets of each, and she ends with some brief standing and floor abs work. An additional DVD feature is a music-only workout option. Some people might complain that this workout is too short (about 26 minutes overall), but MaDonna packs a lot of both exertion and fun into that time period, making this video perfect for anyone who wants to get in some quick, intense, yet extremely enjoybable cardio work. Highly recommended!

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TaeBo Live Review

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(More customer reviews)Tae-Bo LIVE seems to have been designed mostly for experiencedTae-Bo enthusiasts rather than beginners, because it's a bit morechallenging that the Original version. The basic moves are the same, but many of the new moves require more balance and coordination than anything found on the Original tapes. For that reason, newcomers may want to try the Original version first. Others will find some improvements in LIVE, along with a few drawbacks. The Instructional LIVE tape is far superior to its Original counterpart (it's also almost twice as long). On it, Billy gives you several helpful safety tips and pointers to make you a better Tae-Boer -- like how to kick over the seat of a chair to keep from overextending your knees. Unfortunately, on the tape I have, the sound fluctuates erratically and continuously, forcing me to constantly adjust it with the TV remote. Then, we move from the slow and careful Instructional tape, to the fast and furious Basic tape. The Original Basic may have been too easy, but the LIVE Basic is too hard! Billy throws new moves at you so quickly, that by the time you get in the correct position to execute one move (making sure your knees aren't over your toes), he's on to the next move! I eventually got used to it after doing it several times, and pausing the VCR a lot, but I still mess up some of the steps. Another frustrating sound problem: at the end of my Basic tape, the sound drops to a whisper during Billy's closing speech. Now on to the LIVE Advanced tape, which is especially grueling, mostly due to the agonizing floor work midway through. Billy Blanks proves one thing here: you don't need to buy any of those gimmicky machines to exercise your abdominal muscles! Once you get used to doing the LIVE Advanced workout, you'll be ready for almost anything! I didn't notice any sound problems on this tape, except that some of the music used is extremely irritating -- to MY ears anyway. I like the fact that Billy includes more warm up and cool down exercises this time (the Original Advanced tape lacks these), and I like how he admits at the end of the tape that it's a tough workout (really! ). Plus, LIVE's "double times" seem a bit more realistic than the ones on the Original tape. Also included in the set is an 8-Minute Workout tape (I never used this because I don't believe 8 minutes of exercise is long enough to do much good -- just my opinion). Overall, Tae-Bo LIVE is a pretty good follow-up to Original, but the technical aspects could stand some improvement. I think LIVE works best if you buy "Tae-Bo Gold" (sold separately here at Amazon) and use that tape after the Instructional tape, and then go to the Basic and Advanced tapes. Also recommended: Billy Blanks' Tae-Bo guidebook entitled, "The Tae-Bo Way."

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Billy Blanks, creator of the Platinum Award winning Original TaeBo Video Library, is back to introduce the incredible new evolution of his ultimate total body workout.Billy Blacks' TaeBo Live puts you in the middle of all the explosive action with dozens of TaeBo Heroes just like you.Recorded live in Los Angeles, it's like working out with Billy at his own TaeBo Training Center!You'll experience the amazing power, spirit and energy that has inspired millions of people, including Hollywood's hottest celebrities and superstar athletes to get in shape and feel great.TaeBo has been featured on TV's Oprah, E! Entertainment, Good Morning America, and in People, Vogue, Shape, Allure and Cosmopolitan magazines.Now distributed in over 60 countries, TaeBo is the hottest workout on the planet!

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Lindsay Brin's Pregnancy DVD: Yoga, Cardio & Toning Second Trimester (Moms Into Fitness) (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)I loved this workout series. I did them with my 3rd child that I had 3 days ago and I can tell you there is a big difference with the way I feel this time then with the other 2 that I didn't do the video. I feel great!!! I loved that it kept my arms toned as well as my butt. I recommend this to all my friends who ask me how I kept the major pregnancy weight off. With my first I gained 45 pounds but with my second and 3rd I gained 18 pounds. It was with the help of these DVD's as well as diet. Get these if you want a great pregnancy workout.

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Author of How to Exercise when you're Expecting and Fitness expert for Fit Pregnancy magazine provides a 3-in-1 Workout for Expectant Mothers.
Pregnancy Cardio, Toning and Yoga for Expectant Mothers. Your baby is getting stronger every day and you should be, too! In the 2nd Trimester Pregnancy DVD, Lindsay Brin (author of How to Exercise when Expecting) introduces unique exercises to build lower back and core strength. Your core muscles, specifically the Pelvic Floor and TA, support your baby like a sling so you need to strengthen those muscles! With a focus on posture and total body strength, learn exercises like the Ha-Ha-Ha to prevent swayback. Safe and effective exercises keep your body strong, boost endurance and increase muscle tone. All core work is done on an incline, so your baby is safe while you follow along! Exercises are customized to the second trimester, and all about optimal strength in the abs and back.
This Moms Into Fitness Pregnancy DVD includes 2 workouts, each adapted for Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced levels. Watch Kimbi (27 weeks) for Beginner, Tara (16 weeks) for Intermediate and Lindsay for Advanced.

Cardio & Toning Workout: 35 minutes
Yoga Workout: 20 minutes
*Modifications for Carpal Tunnel and Diastasis Recti.
Lindsay Brin is the creator of Moms Into Fitness and choreographer of 15 DVDs specific to moms bodies.

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LaloFit Review

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(More customer reviews)I just finished Lalofit and my legs are shot! Great workout, led by a very attractive Mr. Lalo Fuentes.
The workout is 54 minutes with good chaptering. I really appreciated Lalo's exceptional form and I felt the freeze technique was the key to making my legs work so hard.
The music is really good...Lalo does Not work out to the beat of the music (something that used to bother me, but I got used to after doing Jillian Michaels's workouts).
My main issues are:
* Lalo really burns out the shoulders/core/legs and to a certain extent, chest, but no weighted bicep/tricep/back work At All. I ended up adding in some biceps and triceps work during a couple of the lunge sequences, and did some pullovers during the 2nd set of pushups to even out the workout. I'm really hoping that Lalo has some reasoning behind doing this, hopefully his next workout will focus heavily on biceps, triceps, and back.
* During the cooldown stretch, Lalo doesn't tell you when you're changing to a different stretch, so if you aren't watching the screen, Lalo will be doing a different stretch than yourself. I found myself about 2 stretches behind on 3 different occasions...I felt that was a little sloppy, considering Lalo is doing all of this on voice over. I don't think it would have killed him to mention that he was going to move on to another stretch.
Overall, a very nice workout that really flew by...easy to bring the workout to the 34 minute mark and stop when you're pressed for time (after 34 minutes, it's mostly pushups and ab work with a couple of sets of burpees).

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55 minutes of high and low intensity exercises designed to get you ripped! Lalo will guide you through a killer workout so you can see results quickly.Using Lalo's unique Freeze Technique, you'll learn how to connect your mind to your muscles for an intense workout and an incredible body! LaloFit is the next best thing to having your own personal trainer in the comfort of your home.Por 55 minutos, Lalo te guiará a través de un efectivo entrenamiento para todo cuerpo que combina ejercicios de alta y baja intensidad, especialmente dise?ados para que consigas rápidamente un cuerpo delgado y marcado. Al utilizar la magnífica Técnia del "Freeze" desarrollada por Lalo, aprenderás cómo conectar tu mente con tus músculos para lograr un entrenamiento intenso y ?un cuerpo incredible!

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Kathy Smith: Latin Rhythm Workout Review

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(More customer reviews)To begin with, in order to be happy with your workout video purchase it is good to know what it is and what it is not. This is a 40 minute LOW IMPACT work-out that is broken into two 20 minute segments to be done together or on their own. What you will be doing is essentially dancing to infectious latin music and having 40 minutes of fun. If you are like me, good music makes working out easy. Have you ever run on the treadmill listening to the radio and suddenly started working out faster and better when your favorite song came on? Well, this work out is a great choice if you love latin music and you love dancing.
I bought it in order to have a fun alternative cardio routine and I'm very happy with it. I cannot say this is the most intense cardio workout on the planet - but it does not have to be. Even for advanced exercisers, there are days when you just cant force yourself to perform to super-human limits and this is a great work-out for that day. For beginners, this is a FUN work-out and you will work up a pretty good sweat just following the moves. To get an idea of how intense the workout is, just imagine dancing non-stop in a club for 40 minutes.
The steps are easy to follow for beginners - although if you find it hard to follow dance moves or hate dancing all together please don't bother picking this video up and then critisizing it. Similarly, if you are an advanced salsa dancer and impress the crowds with your dance moves at clubs, this work-out will be boring for you - unless of course you do your own thing to the music.
This work-out is ideal for beginners who need something simple to get them started, for kids, for people of all fitness levels who just want to have fun dancing. This is NOT a workout for strength and muscle building - you should have a separate routine for that to alternate with this one for good overall fitness. You will learn the basic steps to the cha cha, the merengue and the samba and you do not need any equipment except for a moderate area to dance in.
The setting is in a club with a live band and no-one is even wearing tradional work-out clothes. Kathy is fun and motivational as usual and having lots of fun! I did not think her cueing was bad and she did not struggle with the moves in my opinion. She was not trying to teach an advanced latin dance class - she was just leading an exercise class with simple dance moves for fun and she did that VERY well. A member of the cast was a more advanced dancer and often demonstrated more advanced moves to the dance. But overall, no-one should buy this tape in hopes of learning to become a professional dancer - take it for what is is - a simple cardio work-out with basic moves to latin rhythms and you should be very happy.

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KATHY SMITH:LATIN RHYTHM WORKOUT - DVD Movie

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The New Method 20/20 - Cardio Kick (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)I really like this DVD. However, I bought this after it (and the Cardio Bootcamp DVD) had been out for a while, so I knew there would be some overlap. I opted to get Jab Kick and Burn and this DVD instead of Cardio Bootcamp. (There is no overlap between this and Jab Kick and Burn.) Just want to add that I sympathize with those who have "extra" footage of something they already own- nothing is more annoying than spending your hard-earned dollars on the same thing twice!
As for the workouts themselves, I think they're a great mix. The first workout is more interval style. After a warmup with some yoga and modern dance moves as well as some jabs and punches, we move onto a brief Pilates Standing Sculpting Series using light weights. We hit biceps, triceps, shoulders, back and chest. You are in zero danger of building large muscles or significantly upping your strength, but as with almost all Pilates exercises, it helps you work your powerhouse (as well as target some of your extremities). Then onto punches, kicks and jacks. I didn't take detailed notes, but there were more punches and gallops than kicks.
The next workout has no weights and has more calisthenics: pushups, jacks, lunges, squats and imaginary jump-rope drills. There are some areas of noticeable choreography, but this felt even less dancy than the first workout (and overall, this tape was less dancy than Jab Kick and Burn), so even the choreography-challenged (like myself) won't suffer too much here. However, the impact and lunges are probably going to make your knees talk if they are already so inclined.
The cooldowns focus on Flexibility and Core Strength (a modified Pilates mat workout). I have a regular Pilates and Yoga practice, so I don't do these. Tracey Mallet- it seems like you love her or hate her. I really enjoy her energy, which seems appropriate for a high-intensity cardio workout. But if you didn't like her before, you won't like her better now.
Overall, these are well-done cardio workouts for people who like short bursts of kickboxing and calisthenics tied together with a little dance sensibility. But if you're a very serious kickboxing or "boot camp" enthusiast, these may not be your cup of tea.

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Shows a cardio workout to improve strength and muscle tone and reduce body fat and stress levels.Genre: Exercise/FitnessRating: NRRelease Date: 12-SEP-2002Media Type: DVD

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Island Girl Dance Fitness Workout: Cardio Hula/Hula Abs & Buns - 2 Volume Set Review

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(More customer reviews)I alternate three Island girl workouts, sometimes two in one day and I absolutely love them. I've been doing the workouts for about three weeks and my lower body is toning up nicely. Some of the steps take a couple run throughs to get down and I would recommend getting the feet patterns down before trying to add the arms. It is not a "killer" workout and is perfect for those of us who want to begin working out and for those who want a break in their more strenuous exercise routines. It works and its fun.

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