Exercise 2
Crunch: Total Resculpt Rating: ***
This program focuses on toning arms and legs.
Required equipment includes free weights (preferably 2 lb or 5 lb), though a yoga mat might be helpful in the last 5 minutes.
Led by a man I can only describe as Sergeant Cheerleader and with warm-ups that felt torn from the pages of jazzercise and Dance, Dance, Revolution, this was another program I thought I'd hate, but instead enjoyed. He cracked me up with his ridiculous cheer and kept me going; his fine attention to detail, and the fact that each exercise was carefully designed to be progressive, made the program manageable. Honestly, he's the closest I've felt to a personal trainer in all of these videos.
That isn't to say it's easy, though: there were several times I just had to stop as my arms were literally shaking too much to continue. (Legs I held in there - but barely, and I mean barely.) He also moves fast, and particularly in the dancersize warm-up sections, you may get confused. Hang in there, though. This workout is well-balanced and worth the time.
Crunch: Boot Camp Training
Rating: **, possibly *** with practice.
This programs focuses on all-over toning at a fast pace, keeping your heart rate up while you're strength training.
Required equipment is free weights (preferably 2 lb or alb), though a yoga mat might be helpful for some of the floor work (minimal).
With a name like "Boot Camp Training," I wasn't exactly expecting a cake walk, but this completely killed me. Already hurting from Total Resculpt (despite a day off), I had to take rest breaks on even the starter exercises, by the end only doing every other repetition of these intense workout moves. It was frankly far above my skill level, which I could have more easily forgiven if the instructor hadn't moved so fast it was virtually impossible to keep up the first half. I barely got my weights up before we were three reps in; I wondered how I could possibly get anything out of moves so fast it felt like I was flinging the free weights rather than moving them. No wonder all the demonstrators in this video had muscles that made Angela Bassett look like a lightweight. (A couple of them looked like professional weight lifters.)
Admittedly, my frustration with this video could be because we got off on the wrong foot together - pretty much literally. Dance-like warm-ups make their appearance here, too, and are even more confusing than in Total Resculpt, and along with the fast speed, I rapidly devolved into what can only be described as a crazed Charlie Brown-on-meth dance.
What can be said for this video is that the exercises are well balanced, well ordered, and well chosen. I suspect that if I did this workout frequently I might improve my view of it, as familiarity would help a great deal. It's frankly a pity they tried to race the routine along, as this one had real potential. If you do hazard this one, consider just watching it first prior to actually exercising along with it. Charlie Brown meth dances are good for no one.
For the first set of excise video reviews, click here.
This program focuses on toning arms and legs.
Required equipment includes free weights (preferably 2 lb or 5 lb), though a yoga mat might be helpful in the last 5 minutes.
Led by a man I can only describe as Sergeant Cheerleader and with warm-ups that felt torn from the pages of jazzercise and Dance, Dance, Revolution, this was another program I thought I'd hate, but instead enjoyed. He cracked me up with his ridiculous cheer and kept me going; his fine attention to detail, and the fact that each exercise was carefully designed to be progressive, made the program manageable. Honestly, he's the closest I've felt to a personal trainer in all of these videos.
That isn't to say it's easy, though: there were several times I just had to stop as my arms were literally shaking too much to continue. (Legs I held in there - but barely, and I mean barely.) He also moves fast, and particularly in the dancersize warm-up sections, you may get confused. Hang in there, though. This workout is well-balanced and worth the time.
Crunch: Boot Camp Training
Rating: **, possibly *** with practice.
This programs focuses on all-over toning at a fast pace, keeping your heart rate up while you're strength training.
Required equipment is free weights (preferably 2 lb or alb), though a yoga mat might be helpful for some of the floor work (minimal).
With a name like "Boot Camp Training," I wasn't exactly expecting a cake walk, but this completely killed me. Already hurting from Total Resculpt (despite a day off), I had to take rest breaks on even the starter exercises, by the end only doing every other repetition of these intense workout moves. It was frankly far above my skill level, which I could have more easily forgiven if the instructor hadn't moved so fast it was virtually impossible to keep up the first half. I barely got my weights up before we were three reps in; I wondered how I could possibly get anything out of moves so fast it felt like I was flinging the free weights rather than moving them. No wonder all the demonstrators in this video had muscles that made Angela Bassett look like a lightweight. (A couple of them looked like professional weight lifters.)
Admittedly, my frustration with this video could be because we got off on the wrong foot together - pretty much literally. Dance-like warm-ups make their appearance here, too, and are even more confusing than in Total Resculpt, and along with the fast speed, I rapidly devolved into what can only be described as a crazed Charlie Brown-on-meth dance.
What can be said for this video is that the exercises are well balanced, well ordered, and well chosen. I suspect that if I did this workout frequently I might improve my view of it, as familiarity would help a great deal. It's frankly a pity they tried to race the routine along, as this one had real potential. If you do hazard this one, consider just watching it first prior to actually exercising along with it. Charlie Brown meth dances are good for no one.
For the first set of excise video reviews, click here.