NAC (National Aerobic Champions) Interval Challenge
Reviews from VideoFitness
This video hasn't been reviewed in a long time so I thought I'd put in my two cents. This was one of the first videos I purchased and I still like it and use it fairly often. It's a nice length to add on to other workouts or for those days when I don't have a lot of time but still want something intense. I don't think there are a lot of others out there like it. Kathy Smith's has been mentioned and although I only tried it once, I didn't think it was nearly as intense or enjoyable as NAC's.
I liked all of the NAC instructors. They each lead their own interval combos and bring their own styles and personalities in. The variety really helps to keep things interesting.
I swear by the NAC interval tape, so this one was a bit of a letdown, despite my current status as a "moderate" exerciser! This tape is meant to be easier, and it is, but I don't really break much of a sweat with it. Still, the instructors are entertaining and motivational, and the steps are easily memorized after 2 or 3 tries. The instructors ease into the routine and really reinforce it throughout, but rotate their instruction so you're not bored listening to the same person. I agree with other reviews that this is an excellent tape if you're tired or not quite feeling up to par. It's also great if you need to watch your impact level due to joint or muscle strain. The music in this tape is much better than the interval IMHO, and the moves
The NAC "champs" work really well together on this one, but lack a little of the enthusiasm of the interval tape. Giselle and Dave are featured more prominantly here, and I think they make a great combinat
This video has gotten alot of reviews from advanced-level exercisers, and while I respect their opinions and experience, I want to give a beginner/intermediate perspective, which seems rare in some of the reviews. I love this tape, and for right now it's a staple in my workout routine. I do it at least twice a week, and it's a great moderate/intense workout, even for a 35 minute tape, and I can easily control the intensity following these instructors. Interval workouts are my favorite, though they are hard to find, and I've gotten a better workout here than some hour-long tapes I own! I think the instructors give sound advice, including determining what your own pace should be, and the fitness booklet included with the tapes gives good guidelines to follow. I don't find the moves too difficult at all, and coming off a knee injury last year, I don't find unnecessary stress to my joints with this routine. If I ever reach that advanced-level workout, I might be tempted to shelve this one for good, but I highly recommend it for those easing out of the beginner stage.
The instructors all have a different style, and the variety makes for a nice breakup in the workout. If a particular instructor annoys you, they're gone within 5 minutes! I find their conversation a pleasant diversion, and they're positive without being too sickening about it. My personal favorite is Dave; he really motivates me to move, and I wish he had more input in this video, but he's a little outnumbered by t
This video has already been broken down quite well so I'll add my opinion. At first, I didn't like it. One year after, I really gave it a shot & thought it was ok. I think it's because I am kind of klutzy was why I was turned off at first. The other day I wanted a light work out, so I decided to use it. I was really surprized how fun it really is & how I it was actually not hard at all(thanks to Firm & Tae Bo). I stumbled on a couple of moves (due to lack of space & minor klutziness). Over all this an intermediate video, but still fun to do on a light day for an advanced. I might add it goes by really fast & the set is interesting.
They're actually fun- they talk alot but not in a way that's annoying or with any silly whooping. It's actually encouraging, especially the voiceovers. I also feel better about myself when I see their thighs- big but strong.
I was not crazy about this video, and traded it away pretty quickly after getting it. The reasons I did not like the video were: (1) it was not long enough for me - I can't get a good workout in a half-hour; (2) I am an advanced exerciser, and the intensity was a bit low for me, even during the hard intervals; and (3) the video required more space than I have to workout in. I have a very very small workout space - barely large enough to do a full-length Step workout - so I have yet to find a floor aerobics tape that both challenges me AND fits into the space I have. What I did like: the tape was high spirited, fairly well produced, and not boring. I think it is a fine tape for intermediate level exercisers who have a lot of room to work out in. Overall, I'd give the tape a "B".
There are five instructors. I liked three of them, felt neutral about one, and wasn't crazy about one. The instruction was clear and good, and the instructors seemed like fun people. No complaints on instruction.
This video has simple cheorography but not boring. There isn't a move in this video that I dislike. Usually there's at least one thing that I will modify but the only thing I modify in this video is the level of intensity depending on how hard I want to work. I would rate this video as intermediate to advanced, but beginners would enjoy it as well as the intervals don't have to be done at a high impact.
The cueing is great and I really like watching how each one of the champs adds their own style.
I don't care for the set too much. While it is not distracting, the black background is too dark. The filming is okay, but not great. Sometimes they film from the top and it's hard to see what the champs are doing, and once when they started a new move the camera was focused on someone's face. But otherwise, the quality of the tape is good.
Overall, I really enjoy this video, although I do wish it was just a little longer. I feel like I got a treasure in this trade and I will keep this one in my video library. Actually, I really don't like floor aerobics too much and this is one of my favorite floor tapes. B+
I like the NAC instructors. I've tried all three videos and I enjoy this one the most. Their instuction is great, but they aren't too "chatty." They have awesome bodies, but I hate the thongs.
This is a good toning tape to use on a light day - after Tough Tape or any other heavy workout. There are five sections each seven minutes: (1) Legs: consists of squats without weights, and some plyometric squats. (2) Buns: all standing side leg lifts front and back using a chair for balance. (3) Chest and shoulders: good pushups, some back exercises, dumbell flies on the floor. (4) Arms: Mostly biceps and triceps (I used eight pounds for all upper body) with some lateral work. (5) Abs: considering only seven minutes, I feel the ab work was very good. All in all, a good tape for a light day.
The is a new series of videos called the NAC Workout Challenge. This is the first video I've bought, and I seem to like it OK. It is not long enough (only about 25 minutes) so I rewind and do it twice.
The one thing I really do like about this tape is that you switch from 2-3 minute slower-paced sections to a 3 minute interval of really fast-paced moves. The slower sections are meant to be recovery from the high intensity sections. Because it's broken up into sections and a different person leads each section, it really goes by fast. During my non FRIM days I tend to be a clock-watcher, and find that this video is fun and overwith before I realize it.
The recovery sections do not always keep me in an aerobic zone, so I tend to modify the moves a little to keep up a good sweat. As I said though, the moves are very simple so making slight modifications doesn't throw you off track. I probably do this tape once every 2 weeks or so, and I enjoy it when I do. It is probably more geared toward beginning exercisers, but it can be fun for advanced people to. I think I only paid $12 for it at Target and I think it was worth it.
The instructors were all very fit, except one woman who was foreign. She didn't seem to be in really great shape. They are all engaging and keep the mood lighthearted. They don't give much form instruction, but the moves are really simple. Each instructor does 2 sections, one cool down phase and one interval phase. I like the lady that starts out first the best...she smiles a lot and seems to enjoy what she's doing. The short (and short-haired) instructor that does the 2nd to last section would probably annoy some people, but the sections aren't that long so she's tolerable. I know the instructors are all fit and muscle, but they are 'bigger' than, say, a Kathy Smith or a Susan Harris. They have big thighs, most of them, and I like that since I used to be a thunder-thighs myself (FIRM took care of that!). Don't be turned off by the super-buff look they have. I was at first, but after doing the tape 5 or 6 times, I got used to it.
I got this tape through the Exchange (thanks, Amy!) and while I agree with the reviews already submitted, I just wanted to throw in my two cents. It's a fun little tape--as others have pointed out, it could be longer because the aerobic phase is only 26 minutes. But the interval format is great if you have a short attention span. And Interval Challenge is much more interesting than Kathy Smith's Functionally Fit Peak Fat Burning, which is a similar interval workout. There are five interval-recovery combinations; each interval and each recovery period is two minutes long. The choreography is not dancy at all and very easy to follow. There are lunges, plyo hops, and boxing moves. Advanced exercisers won't be challenged, but it's still a good tape to do as a warm up before weight training.
They were all very perky, but not so much that they were annoying or that their banter got in the way of their cuing. Some of the chatter reminds me of a beginner's tape, like "Having fun--that's part of working out too!"
I read the good reviews on this website about the NAC Interval Challenge and decided to try it for myself. I had already worked out to another interval training fitness tape (Kathy Smith's Functionally Fit Peak Fat Burning) which helped me get over a plateau when I was trying to loose weight so I know about the great benefits of interval training. This video is an excellent choice if you want a good interval training workout.
The video features five instructors who are National Aerobic Champions and each one leads an interval for two minutes of very intense training. The moves are more athletic than dance and they are not too complex so it is easy to follow the instructors. Two of the instructors on the video demonstrate a lower impact version of the workout that beginers can follow. I agree with some of the other critics that this video would be even better if it was longer but I think you can still get a good workout from this video.
I found the instructors very upbeat, easy to follow and understand. They also seemed very knowledgeble about fitness.
I got the NAC System's Interval Challenge about four months ago and have been working out to it religiously three times a week. It is by far the best interval tape I have ever done. Then I found the Measured Intensity tape and I now do it two times a week. I take one day off and either run or walk on the remaining day of the week (to get outdoors). I have seen results and feel very energized after every workout because the instructors are very motivating. I have just purchased the Body Parts tape, but I have not done it yet. I will write a review after I complete it - but if it is anything like the other two I am sure it will be great. I am a NAC believer!
The instructors are fun, full of energy and motivating. They know what they are doing and seem like down to earth real instructors. There are five of them and they switch off so you never get tired of hearing or seeing any one of them like you do in other videos.
Wow! EXCELLENT is the only word for this.
This is true interval training, wherein you raise your heart to an anaerobic level for short periods, then bring it back down. The effectiveness is truly amazing. You *will* burn fat with this, and you *will* increase your aerobic capacity (provided you stick to it, of course!).
The length of the aerobic section is 25 minutes. I think another 5 or 10 minutes would be even better, but 25 minutes in this format is enough to burn fat. I've read some comments on the forum about it being too short, but, remember, this is not traditional aerobics. We've been conditioned to think we *have* to be at 80% for 45 minutes (or whatever), but interval training is a whole different puppy and works differently. And the results are proof in and of themselves!
I hope this video is the beginning of a new trend in workout videos. I'd like to see interval workouts by people like Kari Anderson, the FIRM, and all the other "stars."
This workout deserves an A+!
The 5 instructors are all National Aerobic Champions, and they are: David Dixon, Nikki Helt, Sharon Meredith, Michelle Nevidomsky, and Giselle Roque de Escobar. They're all very good. Something about Giselle gets on my nerves a little bit, but I can't put my finger on what it is! But that's okay, she's not a total turn-off or anything like that!
I purchased this tape after reading an excellent review in one of the fitness magazines. After working out to it I became hooked. It is fun, the instructors are great, it is challenging yet achievable, and it has kept me motivated. I work out to it three times a week. I also have the NAC System's Body Parts which I work out with two days a week and I give myself one day off. The Body Parts tape allows me to work on different parts of my body. Sometimes I do the entire tape and on other days I concentrate on one or two "body parts" (abs, legs, arms, etc.). I just love these tapes and would highly recommend them!!!!
This tape is led by five instructors. They are all very motivating and fun to work out with. They seem to be real people who love what they do. It is the first tape that I have not gotten tired of the instructors.
This video has been well described in other reviews, so I won't repeat that. I'll just add that I've tried and discarded many floor aerobics videos looking for one I can handle -- since I haven't done floor aerobics in years. This video has basic moves, but they're put together in intervals so you get the intensity without complicated choreography. Not nearly as intense as Karen Voight's Energy Sprint, but I think it's fun and effective. I just wish it was longer!
These are 4 perky, energetic female champions and one OK male. Unlike the other reviewers, I wasn't irritated by any of them.
I bought this tape because I was looking for a short aerobic workout. On days that I try to pack everything in, I often don't have much more then 30-35 minutes to workout. One of my motto's is any exercise is better than no exercise, so a short workout that makes me work hard is wonderful. This tape does just that. It's not really that hard for me, I could do even more jumping but I still felt I had a very good workout. I would recommend this for anyone who needs a workout and has similiar time constraints.
I really like these instructors. They seem like real people. They are chatting about the workout and making silly little jokes, like we're watching you at home. I think the instuctors have real athletic bodies, these women(4) and men (1) really work out. They make the program easy to follow and having them take turns is a good idea, because at first you have no idea what to expect from each one. I like the idea that each routine is very different from the other, even though they are only 2-4 minutes long.
After working out with the Firm for years I was ready to try something different. After reading some articles about how to jump-start my fitness level, I paged thru Collage video and got this tape. It has 2 minutes of very basic moves done at an anaerobic level followed by a slightly longer recovery. After I did it once, I was amazed by the high energy level I had. I like the idea of really challenging yourself to see how hard you can work out during those 2 minutes. The 5 instructors each take you thru an intense and recovery level and then at the end give you an example of a championship workout which is very motivating. I really recommend this video.
This video has five different instructors, each with their own style. They each do segments of about two minutes and a slightly longer recovery period. If one is too chatty for you, it doesn't take too long before another is on. I liked all of them in this video, but some of them may be a little boring for a whole workout.
Great aerobics video by the National Aerobics Champions. Begins with a warm-up followed by 25 minutes of high/low interspersed with plyometric moves lasting two minutes each. Very intense. Then you get your heartrate down a little and prepare yourself for the next two minutes. The last section is a demonstration of a routine used for their competition events. Fun to watch, awkward to do (for me anyway). Great tape!!!!