Arms And Abs Of Steel

As the name implies, this workout is for arms and abs. You alternate throughout the 40-minute workout. The abs are pretty weak. She doesn't even explain the movements correctly. For example, she tells you to lie on your back with your legs up in the air and squeeze your buns to lift your hips. Obviously, doing so will not work your abs! A beginner who didn't know any better would not see any improvement in their abs doing this. The arm work is okay, but not very interesting. I'm putting this tape in my "waiting for a garage sale" pile. Overall, I give it a C-.

This is a circuit workout where you do 2 minutes of step and 1 minute of toning using light 3-5lb dumbells. The music is upbeat and fun to workout to. Tamilee warms you up using the step. Then she goes into some combinations using the step. Nothing to complicated. There is some high impact for the more advanced. The toning is choreographed so you do two or three toning moves in one minute of scupting. For example you do an side lift, front lift and upright row all together. So you use one weight for all three. One person is always showing the beginner modification using no weights. Tamilee also does tricep dips off the step( pulsing too).The music on Tamilee's section reminds me of Rolling Stones music and other 70's music. I like it! Very upbeat and motivating. Tamilee , Tracy and Donna are all wearing black and white outfits. Donna's cueing is the best of all. She tells you what foot is right and one is left. Great instruction. She does toning for your biceps,shoulders and back and triceps( kickbacks). Tracy's step section has more turns and tricky moves so it might take a beginner stepper a few tries to get it. The cueing ok. Could be better. The music is good in Tracy's section. Tracy's toning is lat rows with a frontal lift so if you use a really heavy weight for lat rows then it won't work for frontal lifts. She also does a lot of work for your triceps too( kickbacks ) and then she does a combo of kickbacks with overhead lifts. So you do get a good upper body toning in this workout.

Tamilee does the toning work without weights on Donna's and Tracy's section.

Then you go down and do some ab toning. Not as intense as Abs of Steel 2000 because you don't do nearly as many reps but it is still good. Tamilee does some turbo crunches where she uses her foot pressed on her other leg for resistance. Then Tamilee does 2 count up crunches with isometric holds and then you do oblique curls. Donna's section is my favorite. Really upbeat music. She even say's, "Let's talk" about your abs as she is crunching away. It feels like a personal trainer.

Tamilee then does a wonderful stretch to some great music. I love it how she say's "Stay Fit" at the end. The set is nice and bright room with carpet. The video quality is very good too.