Anyway, I started off with the Fat Burning Cardio. It was pretty good and refreshing. I like hip hop dancing so it works for me. I had to stop a few times, take a short break and then continue because it’s pretty intense for the beginner. I am sweating like a pig and I am not a sweater.

I am really looking forward to seeing the results. I don’t have a really high percentage of body fat but my midsection does not look attractive to me. For the first time in my life, I will get that midsection that I have always wanted. Even after I lost 32 pounds 7 years ago, I still didn’t get the toned abs.

I highly recommend this program for those who need a change.

I really liked the instructor. He was enthusiastic, encouraging, and a great dancer. He was motivating and fun. He’s a little ‘drag queen’ at times, but he was an amazing dancer, and he does make you want to try harder. It was because of him, and him alone, that I didn’t give up right away. I actually tried this DVD 4 or 5 times before giving up and going back to my Turbo Jam.

My problem was that I just couldn’t get the routines, and I felt really dumb trying to do this workout. He goes slowly at first, and I would learn the routine, but when we tried to do the dance in “real time”, I got lost. Since I am not a dancer, it was very hard to integrate the ’tilt, tuck, and tighten’ technique. I’d realize right at the end that even though I was starting to barely grasp the routine, I hadn’t been doing the ’tilt, tuck, and tighten’ because I’d been concentrating so hard on the arm and leg moves. So this workout didn’t make me sore, nor did it work my abs. I did break a sweat, but I think that was more from frustration than the exercise moves.

These also aren’t moves I would ever want to use at a club, even if I could dance. These aren’t real hip hop dance moves (and I would know as my sister is a dancer and choreographer), these are watered down workout video dance moves. Even though the music wasn’t actual hip hop, I still liked it and the set seemed like a classy version of a dance club rather than the usual workout video standard ‘dance studio set’ or ‘nicer-house-than-I-will-ever-own set’. Overall, this DVD had very polished production values. The set was really cool, the other instructors (more on them later) were beautiful and cool, the costumes/lighting/music were all top quality. I got an overall feeling, though, that this DVD was a lighter, fluffier version of a real hip hop workout, which made it all the more frustrating that I couldn’t get the moves down.

Getting back to he other instructors – they were beautiful, cool and well dressed, but they looked really awkward at times doing the routines. Seeing their awkwardness, I kept thinking that if they looked uncoordinated and silly doing these moves, and they’re beautiful, how stupid do I look? But I pressed on, and kept on trying to get the routines, and the DVD went fairly fast as each routine was well sequenced, and overall, there was good flow.

This DVD wasn’t a good fit for me. If you’re a pretty good dancer, appreciate good production values, don’t mind feeling a little silly doing these moves, and want a DVD that’s a cute, fun dance workout, this may be the DVD for you. It certainly wasn’t for me.

However, the very first time I watched it the cd began skipping about 15 minutes into the workout. I choose Amazon due to past experiences and am very disappointed. I cannot even watch the cd and am very frustrated with the turnout and waste of money.

Celeste

“Any kind of safety modifications for beginners is glaringly absent.”

Not true at all. One of the people on the video named “Tanya” is always next to Shaun T showing the modified versions (e.g., plyometric exercises that don’t really leave the floor.) At the begining of the exercises, she is specifically introduced as the person who will be showing those modified versions. The only way a reviewer could fail to see her is if that reviewer never saw the videos in the first place.

Anyway, I personally thought the videos were great. I lost weight quickly and the only equipment you need is a yoga mat for some of the floor exercises. Weighted gloves are a big help, but they are really optional…especially for beginners. Make sure you watch the “Tilt, Tuck, Tighten” explanation in the first video and use it in every exercise. One morning I woke up and found that my abs had *much* more power and I was using them more often.

If you want a harder workout though, he recently released his “Insanity” set of videos (I recently got my copy.) Now *THAT* is a hardcore set of workouts! If you need a real challenge, THAT is the set of videos to get. It is like an entire gym in a box. Absolutely no equipment is required at all…but it *is* very likely one of the most challenging workouts put on video (The athletes and aerobics instructors demonstrating the video were pausing in exhaustion.)

Why is it so challenging?

“Insanity” uses something designed by Shaun T called “Max Interval Training” where you work out to *your* maximum for 3 minutes, rest for 30 seconds, and back to working out to your max for 3 minutes, etc. It seems to be self-regulating because your max changes as you get more fit…so the workout gets harder as you work harder.

Alot of plyometrics are involved, so the workout is not low-impact. If you are a bodybuilder and heavy like me (250 lbs.), then you will need to protect your knees by using good running shoes (and a plyo mat for absorbing more shock.) Alot of pushups are also used in “Insanity,” so your upper body is developed too.

Great video sets.