ExerciseTV Cardio Burn

I picked up this DVD for $1 at my local Dollar Tree store. Although it comes in a simple cardboard sleeve, you are actually getting a pretty high-quality workout for that price! Cardio Burn actually features two separate workouts with two different instructors, "Complete Basic Cardio," a 20-minute workout with Amy Dixon, and "Full Body Cardio Burn," a 10-minute workout with Teri Ann Krefting. The Main Main provides the options of Play All or selecting each workout individually. When you first put in the DVD, there are instructions for how to go to the ExerciseTV web site to download an additional free workout, but this part can be skipped. Because this DVD is produced by ExerciseTV the production values are excellent--similar to what you would see for their TV shows.

For the first workout, Amy explains that she will be leading you through 2 simple combos. For each combo, she introduces the moves one-by-one, adds them together, then repeats the entire combination a few times before moving on to the next one. The first combo is the longest at 9.5 minutes. Amy begins with a step up and back combined with a side-to-side hip shake. Next comes a side step with a rear tap and step out-in. The combination concludes with hamstring curls and side-steps with breaststroke arms. For the second combo, Amy starts with a double side step, moving into a grapevine. She then performs a side mambo and a squat with stirring the pot. This is followed by a scoop step forward and squat back. The last move in this combo is a v-step with side step-tap. This combo was fun but unfortunately short (5 minutes). In the third combination (about 4.5 minutes), you are mostly standing in place, as the emphasis is on the arm movements. Amy beings with a side step and elbow pull. Next comes a step tap with various arm moves, including shoulder raises, arm circles, and arm lifts, ending with a squat. Amy concludes the workout with a quick cool-down consisting of marches, taps, and a spinal roll.

Teri Ann's workout is a core-focused cardio routine which uses a "large ball"--she uses a ball that appears to be an unweighted, inflatable ball, but I just used my smaller, 4-lb. medicine ball (a small dumbbell would probably work fine as well). She begins without the ball for a quick (1 minute) warm-up which includes marches, taps, arm reaches, pivots, lunges, and back/side stretches. Picking up the ball, Teri Ann starts with the arms straight above the head for knee lifts, bringing the arms down to the front and then to the side to work the obliques; she moves very quickly here. Next, she hold the ball straight out in front and brings it from side-to-side to each hip. Bringing the ball back out in front, she then twists from side-to-side, keeping the hips stationary. This is followed by reverse lunges performed while twisting the ball to the opposite hill. The final standing move starts with a simple leg lift to the side, adds the ball pulling in, and finishes with a balance move. Teri Ann the moves to the floor for some additional core moves with the ball, including a reclining partial crunch and a twist from side-to-side (moving the ball to each hip). She flips to the stomach for a brief stretch and then returns to standing for a few final stretches.

This is one of just several titles available in ExerciseTV's 30 Minutes Series. (Some of the others include Weight Loss, Body Toning, Abs, Slim Down, Yoga Fitness--my own Dollar Tree had most, but not all, of these.) Based on trying just this one, I think that they are definitely worth the $1 investment! :)