Kathy Smith Timeless: Step Aerobics Workout

Description

Kathy Smith's Timeless Collection - a series of DVDs containing fitness legend Kathy Smith's favorite and most effective workouts from the past. Take a step in the right direction with my Step Workout! Whether you're a new or seasoned stepper, I've designed this program for anyone looking to achieve real results. Mix it up and get the best of both worlds with my calorie-blasting cardio step routine, and my full body weight training workout - a perfect combination to help accelerate your metabolism and define your entire body, especially your butt, hips and thighs. It's simple, effective, easy on your joints, and terrific when you're in a time crunch. Step up to a leaner, healthier you now! Kathy Smith; Cardio Stepping: this high-energy workout is guaranteed to burn calories and increase endurance. Three progressively challenging routines will push you as far as you want to go. Easy-to-follow, results-driven moves will keep you coming back for more! Upper & Lower Body Sculpting: sculpt your body lean with this slimming total body toning routine. Zap belly fat, lift your butt, and define your legs using light hand weights (weights are optional). Perfect Your Technique for Maximum Results: want to get the most out of every move? Kathy offers her secret tips to help you perfect your body positioning and alignment to ensure you see results! Review: one of my all-time favorites - I have had this workout for a very long time. I still have my VHS tape of it -- a tape that is probably close to 15 years old now. But, my VCR recently quit working. Of all the exercise videos I had on VHS, this was one of the few I wanted to repurchase in DVD form. And that is saying something. So yes, first of all, you should know that this is an old (1990s) workout. And you can tell by looking at it -- the hair styles, the colors, the outfits (including men in short and/or tight shorts), the music. But, this is one of my favorite step workouts. There are a few reasons: (1) It's actually a long workout where you're moving the whole time (it is so hard to find good, long cardio workouts these days -- too many try to be "timesavers"). (2) It's suitable for beginners through advanced exercisers (Kathy offers some modifications to make things harder as well as easier, plus you have the option of increasing the step height to make it more difficult and/or stopping after one or two cardio segments (much more convenient, now that this is on DVD, by the way). Even though I pretty much have it memorized, I was challenged the last time I did it because I tried it with a higher step after not stepping for awhile. (3) The arms. Seriously. So many step DVDs have you repeating the same arm movements over and over while you do different things with your legs. But there are actually a lot of different arm movements here. (4) Actual water breaks between segments. No need to pause anything. Also, two heart rate checks and a perceived exertion check. The heart rate checks may be less relevant in an era when heart rate monitors are more common. But if you're low-tech, the option is there. (Or just use the time to get water.) (5) Choreography. I can actually follow what Kathy is doing. She builds up to things in my ideal way -- you learn one move at a time and build up to combinations. But even when you are learning the early moves, you are still working. (I am terrible at following choreography in exercise videos, in general...) There are a couple of different routines in each segment of the DVD. They're generally shorter routines, but that's fine with me. I have gotten lost in more complicated routines from other instructors, but I can remember everything in these. (6) Appropriate warm-up and cool down. Neither feels rushed. (7) Although it's old, the participants seem to be having fun and to know what they're doing. You are not distracted by someone who can't keep time (which is something I've seen in pretty much all Tae Bo workouts and at least one semi-recent Denise Austin DVD). (8) Production value. Yes, it's dated. But the music is at an appropriate volume so you can hear the instructor. The backdrop is pretty basic and clean. The camera work is such that you can always see what the participants are doing (no weird zooms or transitions). Video quality is not astounding for modern equipment, but it gets the job done. The strength/conditioning segment is pretty basic. You do moves like biceps curls, triceps dips, leg lifts, etc. It's not really new or innovative and if you have done more recent workouts, you will likely know more moves. I tend to skip this segment and just do P90X strength DVDs on other days. But, if you are new to strength training, you may find some benefit. If you feel that you need more instruction than you get during the workout itself, there is a tutorial at the end. I never even knew this existed because I would always rewind the VHS tape before I got to this part. But I was fiddling around with the chapter menu on the DVD and saw it. (Also, in DVD form, you can skip the silly skit at the beginning where the woman is looking for her step.) Equipment needed: *step (I recommend one of the longer adjustable ones, similar to what you see in the DVD -- these are a little pricey, but you don't have to modify the routine to use them) *dumbbells if you're going to do the conditioning part (if you're just starting out, try 2 or 3, 5, and 8 as you may find that you can handle different amounts of weight for different exercises; if you're more advanced, feel free to move up -- I can do biceps curls with 15 and sometimes 20 pound weights) *ankle weights (you'll have to stop the DVD to put them on but they can add some difficulty to the conditioning set) *mat (for floor work) Please note that you do not have to have any dumbbells or ankle weights, and you can skip the mat, if you plan to skip the conditioning section. The step Kathy uses is a style that's pretty common so if you find you like step aerobics, you can use the same one for other workouts. Overall, one of my favorite workouts and I'm glad to be able to do it again. Review: Step workout with strength training module after workout. - I'm so happy to see this workout on DVD. It is a safe, effective step workout; easy to follow and fun. I've found some step workouts to be too aggressive or complicated to be safe. This program was easy to follow and I could pick up the moves after a few sessions. The strength training is an added value. Love it!