Kathy Kaehler Fitness System

1992, about 85 minutes total length
50 minutes aerobic step and warm up / cool down
35 minutes toning and stretching

This is a good video for beginners. The routines are divided up into shorter segments, and in each one Kathy Kaeler is working one-on-one with a different "celebrity" - Jami Gertz, Julianne Phillips, etc. This gives the video variety, and keeps you from getting bored. The exercisers share fitness tips and pointers about form while they are working out, which were fairly interesting the first few times, but became tedious after a few viewings.

The step routine is divided into three parts, and begins very simply. Even an absolute beginner could follow along easily. An intermediate section and an advanced section follow, although even the advanced section wasn't too challenging for a more experienced exerciser. The workout was low-impact. I was less impressed with the toning sections - they were effective, but dull. Simple floor work, weight training and stretching.

This video was widely available in video stores like Blockbuster when it came out in 1992, and I've seen it discounted there recently. For a beginner, this video could be a good way to add some variety to your workout.

This video was so bad that I couldn't get past the first 1/2 hr! All she did was step up and down with hand weights. BORING!!! I think I even taped over it. Keep in mind that I am an advanced stepper, and I like a lot of choreography. Therefore, stepping up and down continually, even for just 5 minutes, does not cut the mustard. There has to be more choreography to keep me from getting bored.

If you like the choreography of Cathe Friedrich, Lynn Brick, or Kari Anderson, STAY AWAY FROM THIS VIDEO! Maybe it got better after the first 1/2 hr, but I couldn't even finish it to find out.

I bought this video some time ago due to some good reviews in magazines. I have not done it in a long time, so this review is from memory. There are three step sections, which start out VERY basic. I only did the first section one time. The second section is similar to the first, but a little faster. I'm not sure any benefit comes from using hand weights, as they do in the video. The third section is more interesting, but not really intense. Kathy and Julianne Phillips use weight vests and I believe 10" steps here, which of course I didn't, so maybe that was the problem=:) After that there are various toning sections, pushups, abs, etc., then a stretch. The toning is standard fare, and the banter with the participants gets old fast. (i.e., "Do you know what those side muscles are called?" "Umm, the side muscles?" "Obliques.")
I really expected better; for a beginner this one may be ok but I would definitely rent it first.

This is an older video that I would put a huge CAUTION sign on. DON'T BUY THIS VIDEO UNLESS YOU PREVIEW IT FIRST. The techniques she uses are dated, to say nothing of having "guest" celebrity exercisers who really add nothing to the video, in fact they can be distracting. The woman in the first section is painfully thin (I know some people are naturally thin, and perhaps this fits here), and they talk about how she just had a baby and worked out to keep wt off, this was scary to me. There are 3 step sections that have very very basic moves, they get harder by first adding hand wts and then adding wt vests along with the hand wts. I occasionally like non-thinking tapes, but the moves here are too basic to interest most int or int/adv exercisers, also the last section is done with hand wts, a wt vest on a 10 inch step. Lots and lots of step ups, v-steps, straddles are most complex steps on this tape.

There are some toning sections that are basic and again there are different celebrities in part. The celebrity in the stretch made several distracting comments that disturbed the flow of the video.

This video might be for someone who is truly choreography impaired, and wants to use wts while stepping. But might I suggest a Gilad tape or Candace Copeland's Step Ahead, or even buns of steel instead?

Overall F for safety and fun.