Dove's Bodies Total Body Workout Volume 3
Reviews from VideoFitness
I previewed all of Dove's workouts and chose #3 based on my goals which are to lean out and combine my love of resistance training using body weight/high rep and low impact cardio. While not a "cardio" workout, this DVD reminded me of everything I wish Slim Series would be and more. The emphasis of DVD 3 is leaning out the lower body through a series of exercises and moves that are not new yet proven effective: high rep lunges, squats, plies, variations of kicks and core recruiting crunches. Dove then seamlessly moves from lower body to upper body just as your legs are fatiguing. The upper body movements incorporate lighter weights (I used 3#) and no weights. These moves include variations of biceps curls, overhead presses, bent over rows and arm shaking weightless moves that left me toasty all day. The workout also blends in a cardio segment and floor work for legs and core.
Dove is a competent and skilled instructor. Her cueing is impeccable, always gently reminding you of form and breathing. The choreography is highly intuitive smoothly transitioning from one sequence to the next. The workout feels intelligent.
If you're looking for pure cardio or weight training, then this is not for you. It is a artful infusion of leaning exercises and moves. Dove says it best, "Long and Lean vs. Short and Compact". The set is basic...a small gym style classroom. The crew consists of 3 women and 2 men, one woman showing modifications when indicated. The music is entirely instrumental but masterfully synched to the moves. If you're into high tech sets and productions this will not fill your bill. It is simple, modest and representative of being in Dove's class. I will gladly sacrifice a glitzy set, hip music and state of the art production for the quality and intelligence of this leaning routine.
Workout length is about 60 minutes. While I would classify this as moderate to low advance exercise I would have to warn you that it is high on the afterburn scale.
"Dove is not only a fitness enthusiast, but also a humanitarian. She has taken the position in her community as environmentalist and wellness activist." This statement taken directly from her website rings true in her workout through her exceptional detail to form, education and allusions to total body wellness. This is a new breed of instructor: a fusion of yogi, athlete and dancer.
Well, I'm a sweaty mess. Someone loaned me Dove's Workout #3 and I did a majority of it before quitting, about 45 minutes. A little about me before plunging into what I think. I am a committed intermediate exerciser. Recently, life has been out of control, so I have had to deliberately try to do longer and/or more intense workouts (for me). If I manage a 30-minute workout, that's good. A 45-minute workout is MAJOR. Finally, I have arthritis and the worst joints in my body are my hands and wrists. This precludes many, if not all, moves which require me to support my body weight on my hands.
I am really glad I got to try this workout, after everything I have read on the forum. I think it's a really well-done workout that I don't think I would do often enough, if I were to buy it. It starts with a yoga segment with moves supported on the hands. While they did that, I did planks on my forearms. There are other segments later on supported on the hands, but Dove gives alternate moves for those. And, there's an abs section in the middle of the workout that is hard. I don't enjoy abs all that much, so I did more than I usually do for me and laid and watched some of it. Around those two sections (the yoga and the abs), I really enjoyed the moves and thought the workout flowed really well for me. I stuck with those sections and did all the moves, so I feel well worked out.
The production values of the workout aren't bad, but they may bother some. The set is dark and I had trouble seeing the two guys at the back, both of whom were dressed in black. They just sort of blended into the background. I couldn't tell you a thing about the music because I was concentrating on the moves and it just sort of blended into the background. Music isn't a big thing for me and I just didn't notice it.
Overall, I would recommend this workout for people who are more advanced exercisers than me (which, at this point, is a LOT of people) and who want to do longer workouts and who are not into heavy strength workouts.
She comes across as totally competent and prepared for the workout. She gives a lot of form pointers and effectively explains what she wants you to do and how to do it. She also stresses that you should work out at your level. I'd love to take a live class with her!
I bought all four of Dove's workouts and volume three is definitely my favorite of the four. I particularly enjoyed the music in this workout compared to the other three in this series. I don't know how to describe it except to say that it just went so well, building momentum right along with the workout. The workout flowed seamlessly from one exercise to the next and somehow I felt very motivated to finish each set and ultimately the entire workout. The workout is filmed in Dove's gym. It looks like a live class. Below is a very loose breakdown,
Dove warms you up with some sun salutations, both A & B. I didn't mind them at all. They actually felt like an appropriate warm up for this workout. Then onto the workout:
- a series of static lunges right then left
- squats
- a series of front and side kicks
- heel raises both feet then one legged heel raise while raising the opposite knee
- squats
- alternate lunges
- burpees
- bendovers
- wide squats
- side to side lunges, extending arms down at first and then overhead from left to right
- plie squats arms out front then lift heels and continue plies, then back to flat footed plies
- knee to chest r & l
- front kicks then side kicks
- bendovers, then static hangover to stretch, then round up slowly
- pick up weights, series of biceps curls then add overhead press
- lat rows
- stand on one leg extend the other parallel bend & straighten then switch legs
- biceps again forward than out to the side
- Lateral raises with weights then a whole series of challenging, unweighted upper body work.
- Abs on the floor & glute bridges
- Stand, bends side to side with arms extending down, then standing oblique crunches
- Fun cardio segment. Jog in place, jacks, some hi/lo stuff, etc. Alternatively, for low impact, high knees up
- Bendovers
- Alternates forward lunges then alternate rear lunges
- Front kicks then jump kicks
- Bend side to side, arms extended down thean reach overhead
- One legged squats bending, fully at the hips so that your upper body is parallel to the floor, touching the floor as you squat
- more biceps then add overhead presses
- lateral raises
- bent over rear flies
- pushups
- floor work for glutes & hamstrings
- planks
- more ab work - series of crunches
- sit up hug one leg extend the other and leg raises - very hard!
- boat pose series - with Dove's encouragement I could do a lot more than I thought I could
- Finish with some excellent stretches
I'm sure I didn't do the workout justice with my breakdown, but hopefully you get the general idea. Challenging and unique exercises, very fluid movement. A+
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Dove's presentation skills were outstanding and she cued quite well. Her delivery is somewhat like Karen Voight's in that she is serious but she's definitely not a carbon copy.