Very surprised !!

I bought this having never done aerobics or similar before. Believe me when I say I am the most lazy individual with no willpower whatsoever - but I decided to buck my ideas up for 2008 and get in some sort of shape. I have no classes near me & no one to go with anyway. I was reluctant to get anything containing Davina in it because I find her telly work irritating to say the least, I only got this on reviews found on this page, and I am very pleasantly surprised. Ms McCall is very pleasant, totally none-annoying & very supportive and NORMAL ! The work outs are well structured & the music is fine but you don't notice it really. Sure it's hard work, but exercise isn't meant to be breathless or it won't work. I really enjoy it & plan to continue to use regularly - and that is really saying something coming from me. Well pleased, honestly.

David Kirsch's Ultimate New York Body Plan

I really enjoy exercising and am always up for a challenging workout. I have been trying to find a DVD that would make me feel as though I have worked all parts of my body and yes this one did. Even though I class myself as being a very fit person this did make me ache the next day and I mean ache, my hamstrings and glutes especially - mind you I did do the fitness test 10 mins, core program workout 45 mins, upper body workout 15 mins and also the lower body workout 15 mins and really did enjoy it all. Great workout, great DVD. Any beginners trying out new exercise DVD's be prepared as this one may not be for you, however it is something to work towards (a disadvantage for beginners would be that there is not really anyone showing an easier version of any of the exercise).

Tai Chi For The Mind & Body.

If I remember correctly this is a late 90s production that was once sold on Amazon.com in region 1 VHS format and was titled" David Carradines Tai Chi For The Mind & Body" and received mostly impressive reviews. This long awaited UK DVD version has the added bonus of some nice stuff in the extras menu and also the advantage of being able to choose either the AM (mind) or the PM (body) routine at the push of a button and without any old fashioned fast forewarding.

It is a shame they never kept the Mind & Body title but that does not take away the fact that this is very simple and highly enjoyable and beneficial couple of Tai Chi workouts

The first session is the AM (mind) Tai Chi and fine for any time of day. However if you are looking for a easy and gentle Tai Chi routine to practice before work then this is the perfect choice beacause it does not try to get you to put the individual movements together, which means that you do not need to waste precious time pausing and rewinding and trying to master complete form. The movements are practiced in such a way that you should feel more relaxed without the need to work on the continous form.

This said contrary to other reveiws the complete form is demonstrated by Master Arnolde Tayham over the credits at the end of the PM workout, so the form is there even though there is no pressure put upon you to study it.

The second session is the PM (body) workout which teaches a slightly more energetic form. Dispite what is said in some earlier reviews the complete form is not only demonstrated but the viewer is also shown how to put the movements together into the complete form whilst Carradines narration (and demonstration) explains exactly which way to turn etc.

You are taken through the form perhaps a little too quickly and without enough repeats to be able to go through non stop. Thats OK, that is the idea of having the DVD and being able to use the pause and rewind button but don't expext to finish this second PM session in a relaxed state because for a while at least you will only be feeling the fraustration of failing to keep up with the people demonstrating, but you will finish up with the satisfaction of knowing that you are getting a little better each time you practice.

I would say for learning some Tai Chi and Chi Kung in an unrushed but highly informative yet relaxing manner you really should get"David Carradines Chi Energy Workout". But this PM workout makes an excellent addition even though it is slightly rushed in comparison.
The AM session of this DVD should not be missed either for its simplicity and relaxing tone but I would reccomend buying the"Chi Energy Workout" first and supplimenting it with this DVD at a later date.
It should be noted that Carradines expertise as well as his production methods have come on in leaps and bounds compared with his terrible 80s production titled"David Carradines Introduction To Kung Fu & Tai Chi".
The end.

Excellent - it works!

I have just ordered the DVD, but the video is excellent! It really does work. You must follow the work out and use it regularly, every day if you can for three months, then as you can. At least three times per week. Every day revitalizes you with energy, you lose inches, and gain shape. Very, very good with Radu.

Very clearly demonstrated and explained poses

In this dvd top Yoga experts Louisa Sear and Rachel Zinman very clearly demonstrate and explain 17 beginner and 20 advanced postures. The dvd is very enjoyable to watch, the sound and picture quality is quite high. The benefits of Yoga in general and the specific benefits of each posture, and how the particular parts of the body, the organs and the mind are affected by each posture are clearly explained. Some postures help relieve various discomforts such as insomnia, headaches, intestinal, digestive etc. problems, these are also explained. It is possible to watch each posture separately by selecting from a menu. So to learn a specific posture you don't need to watch the whole dvd.

I play tennis, swim, jog, lift weights and need to stretch before and after each type of exercise. I did Yoga a little many years ago but don't do anymore. I watched this dvd to see if and how I can improve my stretching program. Although Yoga is much more than mere stretching I found the dvd very useful for my stretching program. Even before I watched the dvd I had already been doing some of the poses in my stretching program but not completely correctly as I understand from this dvd. So I shall correct those stretches.

This dvd is interesting not only for people doing or intending to do Yoga but also for people who do other forms of exercise for health and / or competition such as myself.

great workout

Just bought this one, and I think it's a great workout. I have Nell's other 2 DVD's, too, and out of all 3, this one has the easiest Cardio/Interval section...which doesn't mean that it is to easy, just compared to the other 2...but then the Ultimate challenge is a killer.
Don't like the background as much as wiht the others and it was difficult at times to hear the Instructor, but those are my only negative points about this!
The Upper Body section is mighty tough and tougher, imo, then the ones in the other DVD's. Well, I felt like my arms were going to come off.
I can highly recommend this DVD if you want to tone and loose weight.
I prefer easy to follow routines over complicated Dance routines.

Fantastic Production, Excellent Instruction

A five star rating for a product is common and much over-used. This is a pity, as sometimes your come across a rare treat that genuinely does deserve special merit and attention. I have such a feeling about"Learn To Dance - Argentine Tango".

I bought the DVD speculatively, without having read any reviews in advance. Soon after I started watching, it became apparent that this was an infinitely superior offering, compared to other tango videos I have seen previously.

The title distinguishes itself in two very import respects:

1) The production values are excellent. Other videos I've watched have been rather poor quality, sometimes quite dated and shot on low-grade equipment in a rather amateurish fashion. I was highly impressed with the production on this title though. The sound and lighting are very good and the picture very sharp. Also, the use of multiple cameras that track the dancers is a big plus, compared to a single, static camera position. When you're trying to concentrate closely on new instruction in a physical activity, it helps enormously to have such picture and sound quality.

The activities take place in a quirky industrial setting, rather than a traditional studio. This certainly adds to the aesthetic appeal of a work that has an attractive, modern and stylish sensibility.

2) The quality of the instruction really is first rate. It is obvious from the start that you're in the very capable hands of a teacher who really knows their subject. Someone who has such a confident command of its depth and nuance that they can synthesize key learning points in a way that's fresh, vivid and which makes the complex seem simple - or at least not intimidating - for the learner. In this DVD Bianca Vrcan suggests herself to be not only a very accomplished dancer but also a great teacher.

It is also worth mentioning in passing that Bianca gives the instruction in faultless English. For the English speaker, this again compares favourably with other titles, which sometimes have quite dodgy English dubbing over the top of an original Spanish soundtrack.

For a beginner or near beginner, the pace of instruction is just right - you're neither overload with information nor talked down to. The sense of progression holds your interest and the sections are structured in such a way that they bear repeated viewing. I also really appreciated with the way in which a particular technique was demonstrated and then variations upon it were subsequently presented. Seeing the variations is helpful in understanding application of the given technique.

Obviously no DVD could be a substitute for actually getting out there and dancing for oneself. However, if you're contemplating taking up tango,"Learn To Dance - Argentine Tango" will give you an excellent first insight as what to expect and at to why the experience is so addictive. Also if, like me, you've recently taken your first tentative steps, this is likely to be an invaluable resource to refer to before and after you go to classes and practices.

Anyone who does buy this title will likely find themselves looking forward expectantly to the release of other offerings in the series. As you make further progress in tango, additional discs from Bianca Vrcan would likely be a perfect accompaniment.

Brilliant

This DVD is brilliant. It has the children actively doing the whole DVD. It is a good presentation of a ballet class, what happens at an examination and seeing ballet dancers from age 4ish to 16 in the DVD was great as they could see themselves now and where they dream to be. This is our childrens preferred DVD and I dont mind them watching as they dance the whole time.

Really does work

After being thoroughly impressed by The Firm: Ultimate Fat Burning I decided to give a few other Firm DVDs a go and this one certainly did not disappoint. Led by Rebekah Sturkie (a proper instructor and not a celebrity), this DVD contains a 45 minute full body workout that combines cardio and weights designed to shape your body whilst you burn fat.

The cardio sections are in the usual Firm format where you gradually add on moves and really raise your heart rate. Aerobics fans will recognise some of the moves (lunges and hamstring curls)but Rebekah adds on moves which were completely new to me however these were explained well and kept it interesting. Some of the leg and arm combinations may seem confusing the first time but it doesn't take too long to get the hang of them and it's certainly worth sticking at it for the sense of achievement you'll feel at the end of the workout.

The weights section is super effective and really works your muscles. Most of the Firm DVDs advise that you use 3lbs to 8lbs dumbbells or lighter or no weights if you're a beginner. Throughout the weight sections you're told whether you should be using light, medium or heavy weights and also when to combine them. It's down to the individual to decide what they consider to be light, medium and heavy. The moves are easy to follow and explained well. Your arms, back and chest are all worked in the different sections and because you're usually lunging or squatting at the same time, your lower body also has a tremendous workout.

The instructor cues well and I found her to be very motivating and not all patronising. She really does seem to have a genuine love for working out and I felt her enthusiasm transfer to me. Reading other reviews of this DVD I think people either tend to love or loathe Rebekah Sturkie as an instructor, but her sculpted body alone made me want to do her workout. Like the other Firm DVDs chit chat is kept to a minimum with the emphasis being on explaining the moves and cuing.

The DVD ends with an absolutely amazing stomach section. The tricep tummy toner move on this DVD became an instant favourite. You really will feel your stomach firm and tighten.

Throughout the DVD beginner modifications are shown by Emily Welsh (another Firm instructor) and there are frequent reminders to follow Emily if you're new or struggling. There is also a 25 minute Express Workout if you're short on time but still want a good workout.

I found the DVD to be fun, challenging and effective combining aerobics and toning. It's great to see an exercise DVD being led by someone who knows what they're doing instead of a celebrity simply lending their name to a DVD but leaving the instruction down to someone else. The get on with it attitude in the Firm has converted me and I think it's a shame that there's no real equivalent in the UK.

BUY IT

My favourite Yoga DVD is Ali McGraw's, however, now that I have seen this it's equal. One reviewer had a grumble about the length the asanas were being held for, well you are supposed to hold the pose for as long as possible because that's what makes Yoga work. This DVD is thorough, inspirational and full of sound advice and IT GIVES YOU A LIFT. Both presenters are great and Jayne is very human - they really do make you want to get up and do it. I definitely recommend this DVD to anyone who wants to know what real Yoga is all about.

Fun Ab Yoga Workout

I bought this DVD a year ago , done some of it once and forgot about it since I was doing mainly her"Yoga Shakti" &"Fluid Power" and other workout DVD's, then a week ago I've done the whole DVD from start to finish and it was so much fun. The moves are very fluid and free yet you do feel your abs working especially if you focus to move from your core. I tried to do some of the exercises on the balance disc and it was much harder!
There are 3 segments : Water Core (also on Fluid Power) and Spontaneous Core are a little bit similar , most of the work is done on your back , some on your side or while sitting , some exercises similar to traditional crunches but with a little twist like double crunches with your legs in badhakonasana. Fire Core is the longest and the most challenging since it involves a lot of plank work , like doing a running move with your legs while in plank position. It ends with some standing poses which was refreshing. If you want a fun and different core workout then this is it.

Inspiring and positive!

I'd never tried yoga before and bought this DVD about a year ago because Geri had so obviously toned-up her body and looked healthier in general through practicing yoga. Initially, I just wanted to see how she had done it out of curiosity. However, after only a fortnight I could feel the real benefits of yoga myself.

I've since bought the second DVD"Geri Body Yoga" and another from the Gaiam camp. When I'd gained some confidence I then attended a few classes at my local Buddhist Centre.

So, I'm giving this DVD five stars because it has brought about positive changes in my body and in my life in general. I hardly use this DVD now, but it was where it all began for me.

Granted, Geri does interrupt a lot and the direction and editing leaves a lot to be desired, but I now fit yoga into my life every day and feel better in mind, body and spirit, thanks in the main, to Katy Appleton's teaching.

Use this as a starting point and then invest in some more DVD's and classes...you'll see and feel the positive changes.

I love this one :)

This is a very relaxing and slow-paced workout, but the odd thing is, it works! All this is probably due to the resistance band (actually included with the dvd, so you don't have to buy it, brilliant idea!), you can really feel your legs working when you use it. This won't really get your heart rate up, as a lot of it is lying down and stretching your muscles, so I don't think it will help you to lose weight, but if you want to tone up your legs and arms, then I'd certainly recommend it. I have never been bothered to go to a sport shop and buy a resistance band before, so it was fantastic to get it free with the dvd, and you can get down and start exercising, no excuses!!

Easy-peasy workout, absolute beginners only

I've recently had a baby and I bought this workout to help me get rid of all the flab I accrued during nine months of eating a family sized bar of Green and Blacks every day. I already have Power Of Three, and before pregnancy I used to alternate that with Nell McAndrew's Ultimate Challenge, which kept me in reasonable shape at the time.

These workouts feature the same team of instructors as Power Of Three - Mark and Jackie. Presumably they're married, although this is never explicitly stated. There's some kind of weird dynamic going on - I suspect Mark secretly has the hots for Davina (he spends a goodly amount of time checking out her bottom in Power of Three) and Jackie seems rather intimidated by her, so there's a lot of nervous tittering every time Davina makes a rubbish joke, which is a lot. In fact, many of the rubbish jokes Davina made in Power Of Three are simply repeated for your viewing pleasure this time, which is a bit irritating. Thankfully there's a"Mostly Music" option.

My main problem with this DVD is that it's far too easy. I can't see for the life of me how you'd lose any weight or get remotely fit if you follow Davina's advice to do each half hour section only once a week. An hour and a half of weekly exercise is just not going to cut it unless you're also on a strict diet. And, frankly, if that's the case I wouldn't bother with the DVD.

Several times during the exercises, Davina, Mark or Jackie tell you encouragingly that"it's fine to walk through this bit","you can stop now if you like" or"you don't need weights for this, just do the movements". Even better: why not watch the whole thing whilst sitting on the sofa stuffing Doritos into your gob. I understand the need to make these kinds of DVDs accessible for people who haven't done much exercise before and maybe aren't too confident, but the whole point of exercising is that you have to push yourself a little bit at least. It also doesn't help that Davina pretends she's finding the exercises much more challenging than they are - once, even collapsing dramatically on the floor after a set of squats; another time trilling"that's enough now!" halfway through another set, which really puts you off your stride.

Having said all that, Cardio Box is quite fun, even though, as others have said, you stay in one stance for too long. It's easy to adjust that yourself though. And there are some good exercises in Pump - to get the most out of each of these sections, really go for it in the minute long fat burner bits. And don't, please don't"walk it through" with Jackie, unless you still want to be puffing your way up stairs this time next year.

Don't bother.....

After reading the reviews I was really looking forward to trying this but am pretty dissapointed.The workout's not hard enough to get fit/lose weight and the dance moves aren't exactly 'current' so its not like you'll ever use them. The music is overrated and the instructor is super annoying.

A major flaw with the video is that its so repetative. There is like a 20second routine for each track and then you keep on repeating it over and over and over and over again until the track finishes.The workout is just all the songs put together in a different order but there are gaps between each song so you don't sustain a sweat for more than 2minutes.Another problem is that you may want to 'learn the rountines' before doing the workout but the warm up and cool down are only available as part of the workout so you can't learn the routines without warming up which as they constantly remind you is bad for you.

Good workout but lacking some instructions and safety

Having already tried Amira's Bellydance 101 and attended local classes I was looking to supplement these with some aerobic routines and weights based on bellydance moves. This workout is fun and certainly got my heart rate moving. However it falls down on certain points. Some sections are really aerobic routines and require adequate foot wear which is not recommended by the instructors as traditional bellydance requires bare feet. At no point during the DVD did the instructor inform you of the correct bellydance posture or instruct you to not lock out your standing leg. The actual bellydance moves themselves were not taught with full instructions on form - this was quite marked when compared to Amira's DVD.
Sometimes the instructions for the routine itself were lacking - the movement changes from a straight hip drop to a directional one, but if you are not looking you would miss it.
This is a great DVD, but with the omissions mentioned here beginners could be at risk from bad form and therefore injury.

Excellent Tummy Toner

This is a fantastic DVD, it has 5 x 10 minute sections designed to keep boredom at bay and to flatten your abs. They are broken up as follows: 1. Flat belly fast which is Core Based exercises, beginners and advance exercises are offered here, 2.Pilates perfect abs, 3. Belly fat blaster great areobic style ab exercises which are easier on the neck, 4. Ab Ripper and 5. Six Pack Abs, real intense exercises. I highly recommend this DVD.

Yogates is a life changing workout

I have tried all the Louise Soloman Yogalates dvds. I highley recommend them all. I have tried different yoga over the last 7 years. Including Vinyassa, Ashtanga, Hatha etc. Louise Soloman combines Yoga and Pilates, hense 'Yogalates'. This dvd has the best bits from all her previous dvd's, which is probably debatable, thats why the 4 stars.My favouite dvds are Weight Loss and Firm Fit and Flexible. this dvd is very good and an excellent workout. Sticking to the dvd 2/3 times a week you will defenetly see changes within a month.

And dont be frightened with the idea of Yoga. This dvd is defentley a good starting point to Yoga/pilates. You will feel like a different person. On all these dvd there is a beginner on the left and side but it isnt long before you willbe doing the advanced.

Jo

This workout is harsh but saying that it's the best home workout I've ever owned and I have a few!! She really kicks ass and is great at keeping you going. You break out into a sweat in the warm up and results are quick. I recommend this to anyone who is serious about getting fit and toned in a short amount of time.

This DVD is Amazing!!!

Move more and it does get you moving more! A fantastic no nonsense approach to keeping in shape that really works!!!!!!1!

If you are tired of the same old fitness DVDs promising celebrity style weight loss in seconds then this DVD is for you. With all the expert advice of leading weight loss organisation Weight Watchers, you can't fail.

A full 5-stars from me. Perfect for all ages. And I'd recommend to anyone.