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Post by Karla on Aug 8, 2023 22:56:31 GMT
Please leave your Boxing/Kickboxing/Martial Arts here. Don't worry if your review is too short, or inadequate. This is meant to be fun! Some people give detailed breakdowns and others don't. Just letting people know if you like or dislike a workout helps :-)
You can use the search bar at the top of this thread to find specific instructors or workouts.
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Post by Karla on Aug 8, 2023 23:55:16 GMT
Cardio Kickbox Challenge
Tracey Staehle
Year Released: 2010
First, the music in this workout is just awesome. It is really motivating and goes great with the workout. I love how they switch leads, the moves are not too repetitive, and they're fun. I would say this workout is intermediate/advanced (for a non-Insanity-level person like me). However, there are some weird camera angles, and unfortunately, they do get off-beat sometimes. It's not too often or pronounced, except for Josef's speedbag section. It's not enough to make me not like the workout, however. This is one of my best purchases!
Nyx Black
07/19/2010
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Post by Karla on Aug 24, 2023 20:12:45 GMT
Bodystrikes Vol 2
Ilaria Montagnani
Bodystrikes 2 is a 51-minute workout with form pointers, a warmup, 4 different routines of about 10 minutes each, and a brief cool down/stretch. Ilaria works with Omara, Elizabeth, Rocky,and Steven at Equinox with the sun shining in an open window behind them. Each routine is taught in pieces, put together, and then added onto the previous routines. The workout is easy to learn and Ilaria cues well. The routine flowed and was more fun for me than the original Bodystrikes. The music was good but not as driving as in some of her other workouts. Ilaria is having fun, smiles,and cracks a few jokes which always makes me smile. This is an all-low impact workout which differentiates it from a lot of other kickboxing workouts. As with other Ilaria workouts, the goal here is to execute the moves with better form each time. I would rate it as high intermediate to low advanced.
The first routine was a front snap, angled front snap and roundhouse, followed by 3 front pushes and a back kick. The second routine was a side lunge, side lunge with knee up, side lunge front push, back lunge front push. The third routine was ballet leg lifts with straight legs. Four front lifts, four angled lifts, alternating front and angled lifts two times, front and side holds. Ilaria tells you to point and flex your feet if you can, if not, no worries. The fourth routine was the hardest. It was 2 crescents on one leg, a crescent in and out on the other leg, three sidekicks without touching down.
Time break downs are as follows: 3-minute kick form, 6 1/2 minute warm up (with 2 sets of 8 pushups) concluding with 3+ minutes of jingas, routine 1 9 minutes, routine 2 8 1/2 minutes, routine 3 9 minutes,routine 4 13 1/2 minutes including a quick cool down/stretch.
Instructor Comments:
Ilaria is working hard, showing impeccable form, and having fun. I find her very motivating and encouraging.
buffmama
04/11/2014
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Post by Karla on Sept 2, 2023 19:39:22 GMT
Aerobox
Michael Olajide, Kathy Smith
Year Released: 1994
Aerobox is a tough boxing working combined with jump rope drills to up the intensity even further. Although it is designated as a Kathy Smith workout, the workout is actually led by Michael Olajide, a boxer, with Kathy offering only occasional form pointers and encouragement. Prior to the start of the workout, Kathy and Micheal review the moves which will be used during the routine and discuss proper form. In addition to Michael and Kathy, there are 3 other background exercisers.
The workout begins with a warmup lasting just over 7 minutes. In this section, you will perform simple punches combined with side steps and plenty of twists to begin raising the heart rate; the warmup ends with some basic upper and lower body stretches. The next section, standing boxing, is the longest segment at 11 minutes. You will begin concentrating more intensly on the punches here, as Michael introduces some double-time moves. Following this comes "Stick and Move 1," a 4-minute segment which adds some simple footwork--most via boxer's shuffles--to the boxing movements. Although this increases the impact, you could easily modify to keep the workout low-impact (but certainly not low intensity!).
Next comes the first jumprope segment, which lasts 4 minutes. One of the background exercisers does not use the jump rope, and I found it difficult to even imagine being able to keep up with the footwork while using an actual jump rope. Furthermore, even without the jump rope, I felt like I was working pretty hard during these segments. A second "Stick and Move" section follows, this one only 2 minutes but with some quicker footwork. The next jumprope segment last 5 minutes, with the moves becoming a bit more complex. The final "Stick and Move" section is also only 2 minutes and again involves quick footwork. The final jumprope section is performed by only Michael and two of the background exercisers--it seemed like the others were having trouble keeping up! This 4-minute segment ups the intensity and impact even further by adding some jogging a knee raises.
At this point, the workout begins to wind down. First there is an "Aerobic Cool-Down" during which you are still doing punches and some footwork, but at a much slower pace. Next comes 4 minutes of simple stretches, repeating some of the same exercises from the warmup. The total workout time is 50 minutes, but if you watch the video beyond this point, you will see Kathy and the other exercisers goofing around with Michael, as they are all wearing eye patches to match him. Overall, this was an intense aerobic workout which would be perfect for experienced exercisers looking for something new to add to their routine.
Instructor Comments:
I thought Michael instructed very well; he seemed to have some experience in this area, as he offered flawless mirrored cueing and usually did a good job of cueing any movement changes. Kathy herself was a bit annoying at times, but this was tolerable given that she did not lead the workout.
Beth C (aka toaster)
12/23/2004
Michael (Olajide) provides most of the instruction in this video. However, don't expect a boxer trying desperately to give aerobic instruction. He's a natural, and it's hard to believe he's not a professional aerobics instructor!
This is a FUN video. I use muscle toning videos three days a week, and use this about three times a month on one of my two 'cardio' days per week. It's great for a change of pace, not to mention a great workout. The boxing sections are fun, and you don't realize how hard you're working until you stop to think about it. The boxing segments alternate with jumping rope, which may sound easy, but it's not. I've done this video about five times and have yet to use my jump rope. They say the rope increases the intensity, and I'm not ready for that - even though I feel I'm in good shape aerobically. This is a good intermediate video, although I don't think an advanced exerciser would be bored. A good, fun change of pace!
Joni O
11/30/-0001
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Post by Karla on Sept 10, 2023 13:06:46 GMT
30 Minutes to Fitness: Total Body Kickbox
Kelly Coffey-Meyer
Kelly Coffey-Meyer is one of my favorite video fitness instructions, and I particularly enjoy her past DVDs that feature kickboxing and boxing (e.g., 30 Minutes To Fitness: Kickboxing, 30 Minutes To Fitness: Circuit Burn, and Kelly Coffey-Meyer's 30-Minutes to Fitness TLC: Train Like a Contender). Given this, I was excited about Total Body Kickbox. Like all of the DVDs in Kelly's 30 Minutes to Fitness series, Total Body Kickbox features two main workouts (approximately a half-hour each) plus a variety of pre-mix options. Here, the second workouts uses light dumbbells, but that's the only necessary equipment.
The Main Menu for this DVD reads as follows: Introduction - Workout #1-Cardio Kickboxing - Workout #2-Kickbox Sculpting - Combos - Premixes - Credits - Music On/Off. I have broken down the two main workouts in greater detail below.
WORKOUT #1, CARDIO KICKBOXING
Kelly begins this workout by introducing her four background exercisers, Michele, Marcus, Lori, and Samantha. Michele performs modifications for some of the moves, but not necessarily all of the impact (e.g., she performs the single jacks, of which there are MANY in this routine). Kelly begins with a 2.5 minute warm-up. She starts right in with the punches, performing them in counts of eight, and then adding in a pulse squat and a hook/bob. Kelly then jumps right into Combo #1, which is a very short jab-jack-knee inversion sequence. The next combination starts with a step to the side, adding on punches and eventually a squat/front kick. The following sequence begins with a "body shot" (a low uppercut; this is different from what Kelly calls "body shot" in other workouts), high elbow (high uppercut), and eight crosses, adding a jab/jack and knee inversion. Combo #5 includes a single-single-double jab, jack, and knee to side kick (I usually don't have problems following Kelly, but this was confusing to me!). Moving to the fifth combination, Kelly performs a jab-cross-jab-cross, step out/punch down, and shuffle (very basic, and not much fun). The fun factor goes up a notch with a v-step to step/double jab, 1-2-3 punch, and then adding a step to hitch kick. The seventh combination is a simple hook-upper-double jab-knee, and finally, the last combo is a jab right-left and a bob with hook plus knee. Kelly concludes this routine with a brief (1.5 minute) cool-down stretch which includes tap and reach, hamstring stretch, and low back stretch.
WORKOUT #2, KICKBOXING SCULPTING
In her Introduction, Kelly describes this workout as "slower and more controlled." She and her background crew are holding 3-pound dumbbells for this routine. During the 2-minute warm-up, Kelly moves slowly, allowing time to get used to the feel of the weights. As with the first workout, Kelly incorporates short combinations, starting with a knee/side kick/jab, two twists, and four jabs; she performs these moves all on one side then switches to the second side. Next is a knee/front kick followed by a front/side/back lunge. The sequence which follows has punches in series of fours, including uppers, crosses, and hooks, moving forward and back with the punches. Kelly then performs eight crosses, a double uppercut, and a squat pop. The final two combinations involve 1) a step front with a cross, a step corner with a hook, and a back corner kick with a triceps press, and 2) alternating pulse squats with slow punches. Following this, Kelly performs a series of strength-based moves, including holding the dumbbells in one hand for a one-arm lawnmower row, chest press, side triceps press, and upright row. She also performs standing abs/core moves with a standing crunch/knee lift, knee with squat/hook, bent over abs contractions, abs contractions with uppercuts, fast rolling uppercuts, and side bends. The 2.5 minute stretch includes quick stretches for the hamstrings, shoulders, triceps, and neck. Be sure to watch the credits here--Kelly starts them with a few bloopers!
Selecting Premixes off the Main Menu brings up a submenu with the following additional choices:
*Combined Mix (Workout 1 & 2) (54:03)
*Interval Challenge (all combos alternated) (42:45)
*Split Mix (1st half of Workout 1 & 1st half of Workout 2) (34:01)
*Split Mix Two (2nd half of Workout 1 & 2nd half of Workout 2) (34:01)
*Just Punching Combos Mix (both workouts) (34:34)
*Just Kicking Combos Mix (Workouts One & Two) (30:10)
Although I though Kelly always does a nice job--i.e., her workouts are look great, being professionally produced and edited, and are well-cued--I was disappointed in Total Body Kickbox. First, I found that I struggled with getting my heart rate up until about halfway through each workout (for this reason, I did prefer the premix "Split Mix Two" to either of the main workouts). Second, I found that the combos--which were less distinct than in Kelly's other workouts and sometimes blended together--lacked the same "fun factor" that I usually expect from Kelly. And lastly, although I do enjoy Kelly's boxing-only workouts, I found it a huge letdown to discover that Workout #1 contained almost NO kicks. At this point, I will probably keep the DVD for the premixes, but I know I won't use it as often as Kelly's older workouts. I'm sure some people will still like this one, but it won't be one of my favorites.
Instructor Comments:
I do love Kelly and I still think this is a quality DVD; for me, it just lacked the usual fun factor of Kelly's workouts.
Beth C (aka toaster)
08/27/2013
Kelly’s latest kickboxing DVD includes two workouts (cardio & toning), combos, and premixes.
Workout #1 starts with the sort of high energy punches I enjoy: jabs, crosses, hooks, and uppercuts, then squats. She adds hooks to the squats, then moves to knee pulls, shuffles, and jabs & jacks. Then she does something she calls a knee inversion (where you turn your knee in); these didn’t feel comfortable to me, so I followed the modifier doing squats. Next up was tap-outs with a jab, then a hook, then an uppercut; then a combination jab-jab/hook-hook/uppercut-uppercut, followed by squats with knee lifts, then shuffles. This was followed by a combination body shot (which feels like an uppercut to me) and elbow shot move (punching up & over our shoulder) and shuffles; then we add jabs, jacks, and that knee inversion move (again, I just did squats.) The next combination was single jab, double jab, jack, squat, knee lift and side kick; this was repeated several times. This was followed by a jab-cross with a hammer punch down to the floor, then we added a squat and a squat jump (I modified by doing a pulse squat.) Next up was a V-step with a double jab, then a quick triple jab, then a triple knee. This was done several times. The last combination was hook, uppercut, double-jab, knee, then jab-jab, bob-bob, and add hooks and knees. Finally, we did tap-outs and stretches. This was a decent workout, but some of the moves felt awkward to me; however, I was able to modify those moves.
Workout #2 starts with slow punches (crosses, hooks, uppercuts) using 3 to 5 pound weights. I started with 4-pound weights. Next came lunges (front, side, and rear) on one side, then the other. The lunges were a little fast for my taste, so I took out one of the lunges, doing front and side lunges, then rear and side lunges. Knee pulls were next, with added side kicks, then crosses, then quick jabs. My arms were really fried by this time, so I dropped down to 3-pound weights and carried on with alternating reverse lunges, adding a knee, then a kick; then more lunges followed by crosses and uppercuts with squats and jumps. Whew! I needed a breather! Next up was front steps with cross punches, side steps with hooks, and back kicks with tricep extensions. Squats, hooks, and uppercuts were followed by lunges, chest flies, tricep extensions, upright rows, and standing crunches. We did more squats, this time with hooks, uppercuts, and flurries, before ending with some quick stretches. I didn’t really love this workout; I felt the reps were too quick for the weights we were using; but I was able to handle it better once I dropped the poundage.
Instructor Comments:
Kelly is friendly and professional as usual.
Debbie J
06/04/2013
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Post by Karla on Sept 10, 2023 13:10:10 GMT
Kickbox Burn
Patrick Goudeau, Heather Corndorf
Kickboxing workouts make me feel “BAD-A$$” LOL, so I was excited to receive a copy Patrick Goudeau presents Kickbox Burn with Heather Corndorf. Patrick leads the warm-up with marches, jogs, jumping jacks, alternating lunges, and boxer shuffles. He then hands the reigns over to Heather, who takes us through a series of jabs, crosses, knee strikes, and knee lifts (which change into alternating kicks.) Heather works one side first before moving to the other side.
Round One: Moves in this fun, energetic round include jabs and crosses, kicks with crosses, front knee with back kick, front kick with cross punch, cross punches to the front and back of the room, lunges front & back, body shots then add burpees (I HATE burpees, so I added squats.) Repeat everything on the other side. WHEW!
Round Two: Start with side jabs, front jabs with cross punch, side crunches (lift knee to elbow); add an uppercut, knee, roundhouse kick – then combine moves: knee, roundhouse kick, knee, uppercut. Take a “break” (ha-ah) by shuffling forward with jabs, then return, jump and switch sides. Finish with jumping jacks, squats, and uppercuts.
Round Three: Double side-step, add a jab/cross, add jumping jacks. Stay in position for one-armed speedbag, then alternate that with jacks. Combo: speedbags, jab/cross, boxer’s slip. Repeat on other side, then jump rope. Jacks, hooks, knee raises, arm pull – then add all for combo. Two knees, roundhouse kicks, cross punches, repeat. Cross punches only, then crosses high & low. Jog in place, then repeat on the other side.
Round Four: Squat twist, add alternating cross punches then alternating knees. Squat and twist jump, then cross punches and add running in place. Lunge back with a front knee lift, then combine cross punches, running, and lunges for a combination sequence. Knee strikes to low lunge pulses. Jump rope, then burpees. Then other side.
At about 55-minutes long, this was a true fat-burning, cardio kickboxing workout! The music was great, upbeat and energetic; it really put me in the mood to work out! Heather’s instruction was clear and concise, and her personality really shone through. I am looking forward to her next workout!!
Patrick leads the ten-minute Abs Workout, although he did not actually do the workout himself. The exercises included planks, planks with knee-dips, planks with dolphin presses, push-ups, mountain climbers, side planks and crunches. Nice if you want to add on additional abdominal toning, but I was beat (apparently so was Patrick, LOL!)
Debbie J
10/07/2013
This workout has already been broken down extensively, so I will just give my overall impression. Overall, this was an enjoyable, very sweaty workout! I didn't even need my weighted gloves. The combos were not overly complicated, and the time went by quickly. This is definitely a cardio, kickbox type of workout, so those looking for something that is more instructional or true to martial arts may be a bit disappointed. There were burpees, mountain climbers, tuck jumps, and the like dispersed throughout to keep the heart rate up. However, there were still plenty of kicks, jabs, crosses, and the like to keep it true to kickbox. I would say the cardio is even between upper and lower body. There wasn't a lot of instruction on how to do the moves, only cueing what is next (which she did very well), so those new to kickbox probably shouldn't pick this as their first workout.
What I Liked
This workout is broken down into four, 10-minute routines that you can mix and match. I like that, as some of the blocks are a bit easier than others. I also liked that the ab work at the end was a lot of plank work and not a bunch of traditional crunches.
What I Didn't Like
There were a few, nit-picky things I didn't like that may keep me from reaching for this one too often. Or at least, will keep me from doing the entire workout at once.
1. Heather is so enthusiastic sometimes it comes across as really yelling. Good grief. We get it. Kickboxing is awesome.
2. The music, while it has a driving beat and is enjoyable, kind of reminds me of music out of, say, those self-centered reality shows or like I just stepped into Express or Abercrombie and Fitch. One of those places that sells clothes but looks like it could be a club on the outside? I don't know. It was good music, I just wish I didn't have that impression.
3. Oh yea, back to the workout. There was this weird move in block four I believe where she has you in a low back lunge and then you kick up your rear leg, then step up and do a knee up with the opposite leg. What was the point of that, other than to throw you off your balance? There are better ways to get in some glute work and functional fitness.
4. If Patrick says "baby" one more time or makes another inane comment while Heather is trying to instruct. We get it. It's "Patrick Presents". But please. Be silent and pretty.
What You May Want To Be Aware Of
There is some high impact in this one, quite a bit more than expected, so be prepared to modify. She doesn't really demonstrate modifications or has someone show them (I think someone was supposed to, but she forgot), but you can always stick with the previous move. Also, there are some sections for burpees, mountain climbers, and plank work, so if you have sensitive wrists (or just dislike these moves with a deep passion in your soul), they show up here.
Overall, I enjoyed this dvd for the sweaty, sleep inducing effect it gave me. I may not reach for it often, but I will reach for it for days that I want to keep it short. Plus, loved the ab work!
Instructor Comments:
Heather is very motivating and cues well. She also mirror cues (yea!). She yells a bit, but it's not at you, so don't feel bad.
bubbles76
05/10/2015
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Post by Karla on Sept 10, 2023 13:14:20 GMT
30 Minutes to Fitness: Kickboxing Kelly Coffey-Meyer NOTE: I received a free review copy of this video from Kelly Coffey-Meyer. This is another new workout from fitness instructor Kelly Coffey-Meyer's 30 Minutes to Fitness series. Like the other DVDs in this series, 30 Minutes to Fitness Kickboxing offers two separate workouts; when combined with the warm-up, each of these workouts is around 30 minutes long, perfect if you are short on time. However, Kelly also offers plenty of additional options, including a Bonus Core/Abs segment and premixes which allow you to create a longer workout by performing both workouts together, adding on the abs, etc. Kelly works out with four background exercises, one of whom shows modifications for the higher impact moves. Although with a few exceptions (see my notes below), Kelly mostly keeps the choreography relatively basic, she also includes a 13.5 minute Tutorial that breaks down all of the combinations included in both workouts (be advised, though--even the tutorial moves fairly quickly!). The Main Menu of the DVD lists the Warm-Up and each workout as separate options as well as the Bonus Core/Abs segment and the Tutorial. Kelly begins the 3 1/2 minute Warm-up with shoulder circles, shrugs, and shuffles. She adds in knees, kicks, and squats and then introduces the four punches used in the workout (jabs, crosses, hooks, uppercuts). The short warm-up finishes with a quick hip flexor stretch. Without the warm-up, Workout #1 is 27 minutes long, and #2 is 24 1/2 minutes long. Both follow the format of repeating a combination for 2 minutes and then moving on (although sometimes Kelly changes it up and does a short drill-like sequence at the end of a combo). I loved that both workouts really worked the legs with A LOT of kicking; a few of the combos were virtually ALL kicks! In the first workout, I had trouble with the choreography for one combination only, which involved a hitch (jump) kick; I just couldn't seem to get to the correct side on that one. For the second workout, I thought that there was some trickier choreography during the first half, but it seemed to get more basic as the workout continued. There is a little preview of the upcoming sequence which appears for a few seconds in the bottom right-half of the screen, but to be honest, this is more of a distraction than a help. Also, I wish that Kelly had cued the combos a bit more--she's very encouraging and obviously having a great time, but there are times when a little reminder from her to "now hook" or "kick left" would've been extremely helpful. Still, I never got too frustrated with any combination given that none of them lasted longer than two minutes, and for both workouts, the time absolutely FLEW by. Each of the workouts concludes with just a minute or so of brief stretching. The Bonus Core/Abs segment (14 minutes) is a great little addition to this workout. Since the first 4 1/2 minutes of this segment are performed standing, I found that when I added the segment on after the workout, it kept my heart rate up too! The standing portion includes side bends, punches with twists/knees, uppercuts with front crunch, and kicks with twists. Then it's on to the floor for some very different takes on the usual crunches: Kelly starts with a punching sit-up and also performs punches on a decline, twists, leg raises, crunches with leg raises, and explosive scissor sit-ups. The Pre-Mixes on this DVD include the Knockout Mix (both workouts), 53 minutes; Punch Mix, 22 minutes; Kick Mix, 21 minutes; and Punch & Kick Mix, 22 Minutes; the Abs/Core submenu offers additional options. In conclusion, I'm thrilled to have this workout--I already loved kickboxing, but Kelly has made it even more fun, new, and different here. Highly recommended! Instructor Comments: What can I say--I love Kelly!  She has lots of enthusiasm, and I think her workouts are great fun. I am so glad that the choreo here is not nearly as complex as her Step Boxing 2, which was way beyond me, unfortunately. I do think she could do more cueing, but I think I'll pick this workout up more the more I do it. Beth C (aka toaster) 01/14/2009 I think Kelly did a great job on this workout. The combos are short, only 2 mintues and then she moves on to the next combo. I am amazed how fun each combo is. I previewed the workout while I walked on my treadmill and was glad I did. She only cues the first time around on most combos but they are pretty easy so this wasn't a problem. I did not like Cardio Kick Step Boxing for this very reason, the lack of cueing. I found myself just staring at the tv in frustation yhough much of the workout. This dvd is great though, if you are a kickboxing fan I think you will really enjoy it. Instructor Comments: Kelly is her usual inspirational self. I always like working out to her dvds. Joan Otte 02/02/2008 The reviews so far have described the breakdowns, so i'll just provide my brief thoughts. I've always wanted a kickboxing workout that included lots of kicking in it. When i first started using KCM, the cardio workouts i tried focused on boxing (punching), such as TLC, Step Boxing, etc. I received this workout from a generous VFer and am delighted to see more kicking in this one. The combos are interesting and there's little to no TIFTing. i followed the beginner modifier on the right whenever i didn't feel like jumping, which makes up a small percentage of the workout. The abs workout is also really good - unique moves. the first 4 minutes of this routine are done standing. from there she goes to the floor. Instructor Comments: Kelly is professional and motivating at the same time in this video. i own many other KCMs and she is consistently similar in mood and tone, including this one. bzar 01/09/2017 |
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Post by Karla on Sept 17, 2023 15:14:28 GMT
Kickbox Strike Zone
Janis Saffell
Year Released: 2004
ust started kickboxing a few months ago, and since that time, I've had trouble finding kickboxing videos that I really enjoy. Some have been too aerobic-oriented, others have lacked fun variations and kick-punch combos, and still others contained too mainly elements I didn't want (eg, the floor work in most Tae Bo videos). However, with Janis Saffell's Kickbox Strike Zone, I think I have finally found the PERFECT kickboxing video.
What I liked so much about this workout is that it's pure kickboxing: regardless of whether you're warming up, doing cardio, or focusing on toning, you're always combining punches and kicks. In addition, although the video provides an excellent, sustained cardio workout, there is almost no jumping, so it is completely low impact. Furthermore, the workout is great for those (like myself) who have trouble following complicated choreography, as the moves are very simple: most of the time, you are moving either your upper OR your lower body rather than trying to coordinate both together.
The workout begins with a 5 minute warmup. In this section, you move through slower-paced kicks, knee raises, lunges, and just a few push-ups. Next comes the main kickboxing section, which totals about 20 minutes. In this segment, you begin by focusing mainly on punches with a few kicks and knee raises thrown in, but eventually, you concentrate more on kicks, including front, back, side, roundhouse, and hook (which I'd never seen before). Jumping jacks are included inbetween some of the moves, but you can easily substitute marching if you want to keep the workout completely low-impact. This section ends with a few squats to provide additional toning benefits.
The next segment consists of 16 minutes of kickboxing drills. These are performed using a partner who is holding a target; I simply imagined a target, and not having a partner just meant that I repeated each routine. I really enjoyed this section, as it provided a great opportunity to intently focus on my form for both my punches and my kicks (there are no combinations in this section). Following the drills, there is an additional 10 minutes of standing toning work, mainly knee lifts and squats combined with punches and kicks. The workout ends with a 5 minute Tai Chi stretch for a total time of 56 minutes.
Although I think that those new to kickboxing would be able to follow along with this workout, I would recommend starting with a more teaching-oriented video (such as Kathy Smith's Kickboxing Workout) and then moving on to this one as soon as you know the basics. I'm confident that I will continue to use this video frequently over time to provide me with a great cardio AND toning workout. Highly recommended!
Instructor Comments:
I found Janis Saffell to be an excellent instructor. Although she assumes prior familiarity with the basic kickboxing moves, she offers great form reminders and models flawless form herself. She and the 8 background exercisers really look like they are enjoying themselves and getting into the workout. They all use 1-lb. weighted gloves during the workout (with the exception of the warmup, drills, and cool-down sections), and I was able keep up fine wearing my own 1-lb. gloves; I also held 3 lb. hand weights for just a few of the toning exercises in the last segment.
Beth C (aka toaster)
08/19/2004
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Post by Karla on Sept 17, 2023 15:16:40 GMT
10 Minute Solution: Kickbox Bootcamp
Keli Roberts
Year Released: 2005
I'm reviewing this workout after previewing it and doing it once each.
General workout breakdown: This workout combining kickboxing, standard strength training, and bootcamp moves has 5 distinct segments, each lasting 10 minutes and containing a tiny warm up and cool down. Keli moves into the warm ups and cool downs very quickly, so in the future I may march in place before beginning and perhaps skip Keli's stretches to take my pace down on my own. Except for the first segment, Keli ends by telling you that you burned a lot of calories and/or how great your results will be.
The five segments are the following:
*Basic Training begins with dynamic upper body stretches and marches. Then you tap to each side and do a cross punch, first only one and then double, adding a knee thrust to the combination. Keli then builds a jab-cross-bob & weave/duck combination, speeds it up, and repeats it on the other side, with a jump rope / run / single-single-double run combination in between. She repeats the whole series with hook-upper cut-duck combination, adding "running man" to the in between combination and then the jab-cross to the hook-upper combo. She then builds a tap up into a forward chamber (knee up) and finally a front kick. The final stretches are mostly side lunges.
*Ultimate Buns & Thighs requires a pair of dumbbells. Keli starts right off with squats. You then pick up weights and do alternating forward lunges, building up the following combination: forward lunge-tap-back kick-tap-reverse lunge-raise-lunge-stand up with feet together. Next comes a lateral lunge going down in a 3-count; this becomes side lunge-tap-side kick-tap-side lunge-raise-lunge-stand up with feet together. Then Keli works up to alternating front kicks, taking the last part of Basic Training a step further. You put down your weights to do alternating roundhouse kicks from a plie squat; Keli shows a jump kick option at the end. The final stretches are fast shoulder presses while squatting and rounding the back up from that position and standing hamstring stretches.
*Arm & Shoulder Sculpting also requires a pair of dumbbells. It begins with dynamic upper body stretches before picking up weights. The first few moves are standard weights moves: triceps kickbacks with lunges, straight arm pulses for your lats, and biceps curls with lunges. Next come jabs done in a horse stance. Then come slow jabs and crosses on each side; after putting down your weights, you do jabs and crosses at double time. The same thing is done on both sides, and the whole series is repeated with hooks and upper cuts. Keli finished with standard chest, triceps, and shoulder stretches.
*Fat Burning Blast begins with dynamic calf and upper body stretches followed by squats. Keli then builds up a burpee series, which becomes squat down with hands on floor-jump back into plank position-drop knees-lower down-push up-raise knees to plank-lift each leg to side-?jumping jack? (still in plank position)-jump forward-jog (?football?). Next comes a "lateral agility training" combo: step touch (sort of a speed skater move), lateral hop, "one two three" (3 quick side steps with knee raise), shuffle with elbow strike, shuffle with knee up and punch (optional hop), and jab-jab-jab-cross. The final stretches are squats with shoulder and arm circles and then calf stretches with arm movements.
*Washboard Abs is done entirely on the ground. In seated position, you move your spine forward and back, then side to side, and then twist?all at lightning speed. Keli begins with an elbow side plank with a side kick, which is later sped up. She then does a regular elbow plank with leg raises. Next come side crunches, later with legs, and then regular crunches, included lower crunches (sort of). All of this is repeated on the other side before moving on to the Pilates double leg stretch, single leg stretch, and criss cross. Keli ends with stretches for the hamstrings, hips, obliques, and neck.
Level: I think this might be best for an experienced beginner through mid-intermediate. It?d be too intense, particularly with all of those planks, for someone just starting to exercise, but anyone beyond a solid intermediate level would probably find this easy. (Not that it?s a bad thing to have lighter workouts hanging around.) You must have some knowledge of kickboxing and weights; Keli does not break down moves at all or provide modifications or form instruction, although she does include a number of form pointers (many of which don't come until the move is almost finished). I consider myself a high intermediate with respect to cardio but only have kickboxing experience through videos (which I've been doing on and off for the past 1 ½ years or so). I found the moves easy to pick up once I figured out what Keli was doing. I didn't feel that my heartrate was exceptionally high during any of the segments, and the weights work was not sufficient for me to be more than a light day. I did combine this with some Cathe, however, and I sure feel my legs, especially in my hips.
Keli does leave most jumps as an option, but between the shuffles and burpees I wouldn't rate this low impact. It's not particularly high impact, though.
Class: Keli alone, with a different outfit for each segment.
Music / Set / Other Production Notes: The beat-heavy music is nothing special. The room has light colored walls, high windows, and hardwood floors. Yoga mats and dumbbells are stacked in the back, and plants and a stability ball also line the back wall. The picture and sound quality are very good.
Equipment: sneakers. You'll need a pair of dumbbells (I'd recommend something fairly light, like 3 lb.) for the upper and lower body segment. Keli uses a mat for the fat burning segment, but I find it difficult to keep my mat in place while doing burpees. A mat (or equivalent) is good for the abs segment.
Comments: You don't need much space for this workout. You should be able to take a step and kick to each side as well as kick front and back. I like that Keli does some of the side kicks into the center of the space rather than out to the side; it keeps the workout more compact.
DVD Notes: Like all of the 10 Minute Solutions DVDs, the menu allows you to play all five segments in the order I listed above, choose just one segment, or program your own routine.
FYI, there's a short booklet called "7 Day Bootcamp Meal Plan" included with the DVD.
Conclusion: I'm going to have to do this a few more times before I decide if it's staying or going. I was expecting 5 10-minute cardio kickboxing segments that I could use as warm ups or add ons for other workouts or create my own cardio routines. I was hoping for something a notch up in intensity from Janis Saffell's Quick Fix Total Cardio Kick. Alas, neither wish came true, particularly the latter. And this workout dares to have burpees, which neither my knees nor my downstairs neighbor like.
Can I learn to like this workout on its own merits? It'll be hard to work it into my regular rotations, especially since I had assumed it would fit into a cardio slot. The only way I see myself regularly using this video is during a month-long kickboxing rotation, when I'd use it with Janis Saffell's Hardcore Kickbox Circuit to maintain (or at least not lose much of) my muscles until I went back to weights.
That said, someone who wanted to add strength training in but is reluctant to give up cardio (as I was when I first started out) might find this video much more useful.
I know a couple of people want to know how this compares to 10 Minute Solution Carb (& Calorie) Burner. CB has more cardio and less strength and in general is more intense, especially in the Power Blast segment. Overall I'd consider CB an intermediate video while KB BC is a lower intermed. video. Off of the top of my head I seem to remember more high impact moves in CB than in KB BC.
Instructor Comments:
Keli's low key and encouraging, definitely not the typical bootcamp instructor! She mirror cues almost right on the move. Since there are some quick changes and not a lot of breakdown (either physical or verbal) of the moves, you need to be able to pick things up just by watching. She has a soft Australian accent which is easy to understand, especially after one run through. She seems almost out of breath by the end, even though she looks amazing.
There's only one thing that bothers me about Keli, and it could major enough to warrant getting rid of the video. (I think my guilt over not liking her completely due to this one thing would be that breaking point, actually, because she seems so earnest and nice.) And that's her hunched over form during kickboxing moves. Her shoulders round forward. (It doesn't help that the roundness is exaggerated by the microphone box tucked under her shirt on her back.) I remember being puzzled by her form during Kathy Smith's Kickboxing video (she has short, red hair in that one), and it's not much different here. If you're bothered by Kimberly Spreen's aerobics-instructor-turned-kickboxer punches and/or Janis Saffell's tendency to round a little forward in her earlier videos, Keli's form here will probably drive you nuts. (I'm not bothered by Kimberly or Janis, but Keli is obvious.) The good part is I realized just how much I've been rounding forward.
KathAL79
09/09/2005
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Post by Karla on Sept 17, 2023 15:18:58 GMT
30 Minutes to Fitness Body Design
Kelly Coffey-Meyer
Year Released: 2007
I've been curious about this DVD since it was released last spring. Unlike the other workouts in instructor Kelly Coffey-Meyer's "30 Minutes to Fitness" series, which offer two 30-minute routines, Body Design actually has six shorter workouts (varying from about 12 to 17 minutes) designed to be mixed and matched. Of course, combining two of these routines will still yield the 30-minute workout that Kelly fans are used to, but the shorter workouts also allow for longer options as well. Given that I often combine parts of workouts from various DVDs to form my own "Frankenworkouts," Body Design seemed like it might be a perfect fit for me.
As usual, Kelly teaches the workouts on this DVD live. She is joined by background exercisers who have appeared in her prior workouts, including Lori, Noelle, Sami, and Marcus, although they trade places, so for most segments, only two of them appear with Kelly. The Main Menu of the DVD lists Introduction - Play All - Mix and Match - Premixes - Credits - Music On/Off.
The Mix and Match menu brings up individualized chapters with each of the segments. It is not customizable--e.g., if you select something, it will play immediately, and then you will be brought back to the submenu for another selection, if desired. I have listed each segment below, adding times and short descriptions.
Warm Up (4:02) - Kelly states that the warm-up is there "if you want it." It is rather slow and contains moves such as shoulder and arm circles, squats, rear lunges, knees up, and jogs.
Cardio Bootcamp (12:82) - I liked this section more than I had thought I would. Some of the moves are higher impact, like plyos, but easy to modify. There are also kicking and boxing moves.
Kickboxing with Light Dumbbells (12:08) - I usually love Kelly's kickboxing/boxing routines, but I was surprised at how slowly this started and how unimaginative the combos were--e.g., one combo consisted only of upper-upper-upper. Also, other than one front kick sequence towards the end, this was basically a boxing routine, NOT kickboxing.
Light Dumbbell Cardio Sculpting (12:15) - Kelly and crew are holding light weights and doing 4-limb movements, giving this segment a Firm-like feel, although not so perfectly choreographed.
Stronger/Leaner Lower Body (14:40) - This is a nice routine broken into two chapters. Kelly briefly warms up with squats and front/back lunges, then using dumbbells, she moves through squats, rear lunges, deadlifts with knee buckles, three-part plies to alternating sides, pulsing front lunges, and a wide deadlift/plie combo. For the last 6 1/2 minutes, she grabs a chair and ankle weights for barre-type moves. These include first position plies with tempo changes, Figure 4 lifts to the rear, and front knee lift with rear leg raise (like an attitude).
Upper Body Strength (16:47) - This is the longest segment, consistent with Kelly's tendency to spend more time on upper body. The format is three sets of 10 reps, doing alternating arms on each exercise. Here is the list of exercises: 1) bent-over rows, 2) side lateral raise from behind, 3) boxer pledges, 4) one-arm tricep dips, 5) bench press. There is a brief stretch to finish.
Yoga Flow Stretch (13:15) - I am a yoga instructor, so I admit that I am a bit biased against the way Kelly instructs yoga, especially given that she wears athletic shoes while doing it. This segment was okay, but I found it repetitive and boring, and I doubt I'll use it again. Kelly does some initial bouncy stretches and then moves through lunge/twisting lunge, plank, downward dog, one leg downward dog with hip stretch, cobra, crescent lunge, warrior two, side angle pose, and reverse warrior; she repeats this set of poses on both sides approximately five times. At the end, she concludes with a wide squat and wide-legged forward bend.
Three are THREE pages of premixes on this DVD, including five that start with the Cardio Bootcamp workout plus one other; four that start with Kickboxing plus one other; three that start with Cardio Sculpting plus one other; the lower and upper body strength workouts combined; the lower and yoga routines combined; the upper and yoga routines combined; and two routines that add three workouts together, one with all three cardio routines and one with Cardio Sculpting plus the lower and upper strength work.
Although I didn't love all the segments on this DVD, the format truly did suit me. I guess I'm a bit of a control freak--give me the ability to create my own workouts and I will take it! This DVD would have been even better with a programmable feature, but still, the mix and match is easy enough to use. It's a good addition to my personal collection and a nice addition to Kelly's 30 Minutes to Fitness series.
Instructor Comments:
I love Kelly as an instructor--she is probably my favorite. I find her down-to-earth and she mirror cues, a plus! I will say that she seems a bit off in this DVD, although I'm not quite sure why.
Beth C (aka toaster)
11/04/2017
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Post by Karla on Sept 17, 2023 15:20:25 GMT
30 Minutes to Fitness Cardio Pump
Kelly Coffey-Meyer
Year Released: 2015
I'm a big fan of Kelly's (she's from my hometown!), and although I haven't clicked with every single one of her workouts, I love her overall style. I have particularly enjoyed her kickboxing/boxing workouts, so I was mainly interested in Cardio Pump for that reason, although I wound up liking the weight portion better; more on that shortly.
Like all of the workouts in Kelly's 30 Minutes to Fitness series, Cardio Pump offers to main workouts of about 30 minutes in length plus various premixes made up of segments from the primary routines. The Main Menu includes Introduction - Workout One - Workout Two - Premixes - Credits. In both routines, Kelly teaches live to very upbeat music. She is in a modern studio (borrowed from Cathe) with a large group of seven background exercisers, including the return of Lauren showing modifications. I actually did not like this larger group, as they seemed very bunched together, and it was hard to see any one individual person, including the modifier.
Both workouts include the same 4-minute warm-up as part of their total time. The warm-up moves are as follows: alternating overhead reaches – tempo jabs – hooks – uppercuts – forward folds/shoulder rolls – shuffles/jogs/jacks.
***WORKOUT ONE***
The first workout is the cardio boxing routine, and it's 30 minutes long. One of the things I have loved about Kelly's prior boxing choreography is that she has made it intense and interesting yet remaining low-impact and easy-to-follow. While the sequences here are still low impact, I found that they had a more difficult learning curve, in part because Kelly seemed to string more moves together. Some of the combos just seemed to have too much going on, especially #2 (see below).
Combo #1:
To one side: jab-cross-hook-up – add shin block/double jab w/slip
After first side, jabs front and then switch sides
Combo #2:
Double jabs-single jabs – squat x3/click heels – body shot/upper cut – elbow smash/”clear” (side elbow) – finish with series of elbow smashes only
Combo #3:
To one side: shuffle-knee/jab-cross x8 – uppercut x4/speedbag x8
Hip shift to Side 2 and repeat, moving from side to side
Combo #4
Uppercut-hook x2 – bob out to one side/jack x2 – twisting bob & weave in center – switch sides back & forth – add step front jab-cross x2 after jack on each side
Combo #5
Jump rope x8/jack x4 – stomp to alternating sides/add triple hook to stomp – alternating step back/add alternating jabs front x6 – repeat several times
Combo #6
In-out step/add hi-low hook on out step x2 – stay out for double jab hold – add punch down x2/quarter turn – repeat, alternating sides
***WORKOUT TWO***
The second workout is Pump, which comes in at 33 minutes. Pump is designed as a pyramid-style workout, which means that one body part is worked out using three different sets of weights, starting with the heaviest and moving to a progressively lower weight. Unlike a traditional pyramid workout, Kelly does not do the same move for all three sets; instead, she targets the body part with three complementary exercises. Kelly usually states the poundage of the weights that she is using but encourages viewers to lift and the level that is appropriate for the individual. As noted above, the warm-up is the same as in the first workout. The remaining exercises are listed below.
Shoulders: Alternating push press overhead
Upright rows
Alternating lateral raise
Biceps: Alternating supinated front curls
Hammer curls
Alternating side curls
Legs: Deadlifts
Sumo squats, alternating sides
Alternating reverse lunges
Back: Alternating lawnmowers
Squeeze backs (reverse flys)
Run rows
Triceps: Overhead tricep extension
Single-arm alternating kickbacks
Triceps push-ups
Legs: Squats
Alternating front lunges
Plies
Chest: Chest press
Flys
Running alternating wide chest press
2-minute standing stretch (shoulders, Figure 4, body circle)
These are the premixes directly as listed off the premix menu. The cardio premixes include ALL of the cardio combos.
PREMIXES (all include a Warm-Up and a Cool-Down)
*Interval Pump 53
*Cardio Leg Pump 38
*Cardio Shoulders & Arms 41
*Cardio Back & Chest 38
*Pump Shoulders & Arms 18
*Pump Back & Chest 15
Overall, I did like this DVD, although there were a few disappointments. As I said, I wish that the boxing combos had been a bit easier to follow (and even better, I would have preferred kickboxing sequences, but I knew I wasn't getting that). I also would have loved a couple of shorter cardio premixes--e.g., one that offered Combos 1-3 and another that included Combos 4-6. Still, I'm glad to have this addition to my Kelly collection and am looking forward to experimenting with it more.
Instructor Comments:
I really like Kelly's down-to-earth style; she seems extremely genuine, which is one of the qualities I appreciate the most in an instructor. I do miss her cozier set with the real windows. Also, although I'm sure she had good intentions in including such a large background crew, I just found them to be distracting here.
Beth C (aka toaster)
06/05/2017
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She has lots of enthusiasm, and I think her workouts are great fun. I am so glad that the choreo here is not nearly as complex as her Step Boxing 2, which was way beyond me, unfortunately. I do think she could do more cueing, but I think I'll pick this workout up more the more I do it.