Step On This

The videos put out by IFTA featuring Greg and Jeff are essentially like the best of SCW videos--nothing fancy in the production values, at best it's a gym setting with Dynamix or Music Flex music, and you're lucky if the sound is anything above home video level. Yet you get GREAT workout. It's like a home video taping of a great in-class workout.

As with other videos, Jeff teaches the warmup, which becomes the first combo (grapevines, hamstrings over the step, knee ups, Vs), then Greg teaches the more athletic or complex combos (knee up into triple step and mambo, lots of side to side lunges, more movement 360 degrees around the step), and they switch off for about 6 combos.

There are always modifications (which Jeff and one other exerciser always demonstrate) and the complexity of Greg's combos are about the level of say, Cathe. Always more athletic than complex. I.e. squat-over-the- tops, across-the steps, tick-tocks and one fun combo--glute lift, front knee raise, tick tock off the step, mambo cha cha, go to front of step, over the top, three knee ups. Greg's combos are complex more in terms of putting a lot of moves together, but he cues them very well.

It's a little rough around the edges; by the 50-minute mark it's unclear when the TIFTT is going to end (though it does soon). But again, that's like SCW...at that point, you've gotten a great workout. I really feel that Jeff and Greg oughtta be mainstream video stars. They're competent cuers, have fun moves (complexity usually around the level of colleagues Gay Gasper and Kimberly Spreen; Jeff's moves are intermediate, Greg's have doses of athletic power) and they ooze charisma and low-key humor. I'm glad I discovered IFTA videos and I'm really glad their new ones are produced by Greg Twombley. This is a dynamic duo; Jeff in my mind is an idol for the "senior" workout set and Greg should be up there with Gilad, Rob Glick and Patrick G. in terms of reputation.