Super Fit Bod!

Some reviewers have already given some excellent breakdowns, so I will just add my own impressions.

THE GOOD: This was a pretty tough workout for me. I consider myself high intermediate. I used 12 pound weights throughout the workout, completed all the blasts on two sets of risers, and I was spent! I loved Amy's personality, the fact that there were modifications, most of the exercise choices, and that the moves progressed from basic to more advanced. I am glad that I had done some Cathe work, because most of the blasts reminded me of what Cathe has done in many of her workouts. Moves like flying over the steps, frog hops onto the step, power hops onto the step, etc.

THE BAD: I felt that this dvd moved a bit too fast to really heavy up on the moves. And some moves could get a bit too creative at that speed. For instance, there is a move with a forward lunge off the step , then a knee raise, then a lateral raise, then a squat, then you twist to the side. I suppose if I was holding 5 pound weights the move would not seem so fast. But if I want to work my legs and my shoulders, I need something heavier than 5 pounds for the legs. I did it with 12 pound weights, but I felt like I was rushing a bit.

Additionally, I don't feel as though the warm up was really a warm up. I felt like we jumped right into the cardio portion of the routine without much warning. Also, the dvd had lots of work for back, legs, and shoulders but really skimped out on the chest, biceps, and triceps. There may have been one move for each of them. I didn't really feel the upper body was equally worked. Finally, I didn't really mind the music, but I felt I could have been motivated more if there had been a better selection.

THE VERDICT: I could probably be persuaded to lower my weights and treat this as an AWT workout (if just for Amy's personality, and there are a variety of creative moves), but the chest, biceps, and triceps just aren't worked enough. Too bad, because this is a really tough workout.

Super Fit Bod runs about 1 hour and 11 minutes:

Warm-up ~9 minutes

Main workout ~40 minutes

Abs section ~10 minutes

Cool-down/stretch ~10 minutes

As is, this workout is probably at a medium-to-high-intermediate level, but the moves can be easily modified up or down. The toning and cardio sections progress up from very basic movements to more intense versions of each exercise. So, to modify up, which I had to do for some segments, just don't follow her through the progressions and jump straight to the highest intensity level. (This requires that you've previewed the moves to know in advance what the hardest level is though.) Also, you can use heavier weights and lunge deeper in the toning sections; in the cardio sections, add jumps for an increased plyometric element, ankle weights, and go faster than Amy does.

I was a little disappointed that the abs bonus wasn't that difficult. I felt like she only did half the number of reps that would have been necessary for a full core workout. However, by this point, I was so tired from the main workout that I didn't care too much.

This is a 60ish minute strength & cardio workout led by Amy in a nice open set with hardwood floors, white walls, & white curtains in the background. Amy works out w/ 2 b/g exercisers, one shows beginner modifications. You will need a step bench & a variety of dumbbells for this workout. There is a bonus 12 minute ab routine as well and the dvd is nicely chaptered.

The workout is structured that you learn a base move and build on it to increase intensity. She does a strength set and then a cardio set, both strength & cardio moves build in intensity and some of the cardio got anaerobic- jumping onto and off of the step comes to mind. All the cardio is straight forward & athletic- easy to follow but not boring at all. The strength work starts with a LB move (for example) and then you add in an UB move and often a balance challenge- making this workout challenging and fun. The sequencing of the moves makes this workout totally do-able yet very tough.

Some of the strength work includes: squat with a KB type pull, tricep dips off of the step- lifting 1 arm & 1 leg up at the top, squatting off the step w/ a front raise, push ups off the step, stepping onto the step - off into a lunge w/ bicep work and a knee raise, side lunge-row with a front lunge onto the step-overhead press combo, pliet rotator cuff work, etc.

Some of the cardio work includes: jumping onto & off of the step, a Mt. climbers type move, going accross the step, knee up- hops on the step to a floor touch, etc.

The ab workout includes a lot of work on the step and on the floor- a lot of crunch, V sit and plank variations.

I like Amy & I really liked this workout. Tough but fun, athletic and easy to follow but not boring or repetitive. This is a fantastic workout and while I wasnt lifting heavy- my muscles were worked by the end. I would rate this workout lower advanced. I cant wait to try more from Amy- she is a great instructor with clear & precise instructions!

I absolutely loved this workout. AWT meets basic, heart pumping cardio describes this workout in a nutshell. It was kind of like Jari Love's RTTC with a few old school Cathe blasts tossed in. The AWT moves were pretty creative, and this workout truly flew by. I consider myself the low end of advanced these days, and this one really worked me hard. Not the hardest workout I own, but not an easy day workout either. My only issue is that it placed lots more emphasis on the back and shoulders than it did on the biceps and triceps. I didn't really feel the upper body was equally worked. And the music was kind of blah, nothing recognizable that you could sing along with.