Fabio Fitness

I've talked this video up in VF a bit and realized there aren't any reviews of it. It is an oldie, but a goodie being made in 93. You can often find this vhs for 75 cents at half.com and is well worth it!

The workout begins with some good stretches. Shoulders start this workout, which I've often read should be done last since they are the smallest muscle. I actually like doing shoulders first because I can really feel it, rather than having my arms already fatigued at that point during other workouts. I'm nit picky on workouts and only keep those that work the shoulder from all angles and she hits every head of the shoulder. You do shoulder presses which works the entire muscle, then medial, frontal and rear delts. Every exercise is repeated with a 2nd set of reps. Fabio usually pushes Brenda to do a few more!

The upper body is a great workout. You do 2 exercises for biceps and triceps and the triceps actually get hit harder if you follow Brenda. She did 2 arms at a time during the French press and Fabio did his arms separately. I liked how she was going to go back to biceps and Fabio shakes his finger at her about her forgetting his other arm. It was cute. She did almost 4 sets of French press to match up with him, but stopped early due to fatigue (I'm sure because I felt it, too!) and spoke about fitness briefly.

The lower body is just lunges, squats and calf work. All are done in 2 sets of reps & I feel it, but wouldn't have minded more. The abs aren't as much as I'd like, but they hit upper, lower & obliques. The end has another great stretching segment each held for 15 seconds.

Fabio adds good tips on when to rotate to add defintion to muscles such as at the top of the move for chest presses. They seem to have a good rapport and he even tries to sneak a kiss from Brenda at the very end of the workout and it either embarrassed her or wows her!

Some 5 years ego I have bought their video tape in a discount store. Didn't know much of what I was buying. It proved to be the best Video on the subject. I have used it since, and as Brenda promesed; following their intensive body shaping program produces great effects. It offers very informative and friendly coaching that my aunt couldn't say no when I have offered her to do it as well. My aunt is 91 years old today. After 3 years of doing it she has rejuvenated her body at list 10 to 15 years. She moved to Europe and can't do it there. My wife and I are using it with some breaks and to bad itsn't a DVD. The tape wears off. In short both instuctors not only are helping us in keeping our body in shape but become, through the video friends of the familly. We miss them when we skipp it.
Some of our friends bought the video as well and they have used it for a long time.

Don't let the celebrity video stereotype keep you from trying this workout! It is one of the best weight lifting tapes I own. I discovered this after reading the forum and found that it is available at half.com for as little as 75 cents! It is best for upper body, since the lower is just squats and lunges. I keep this tape for upper body work mostly.

The workout starts with very little moving during the warmup, so this would be great for those with two left feet. It is mostly stretching. They begin with shoulders, instead of the largest muscle group, but I find I like how the workout is structured. All three heads of the shoulder muscle are worked, and there is always two sets of reps. Each move is slow and controlled.

Next is the chest & back sections. These are separate, but I do not remember which was first. They use a bench and a slant board that must have been available with the video at one time. A step set at an incline would work just fine. There are no pushups-yay! There are bench presses (all with dumbells)and pec flies, some incline, rest flat.

The triceps & biceps are next. Fabio does one arm overhead press at a time, while Brenda does both arms. You could follow Brenda, but do as many sets as Fabio for four sets of burn. This is how I do it, and it is suggested as an option and I really feel it, more than other videos I do.

I usually stop this tape after these sections because I want more than just squats and lunges for the lower body and the ab work is just standard, but done on an incline board. I highly recommend this workout, unless you dislike Fabio. He does seem to flirt with Brenda on occasion and also with the camera. It isn't corny, but close! I did laugh once or twice, but it isn't as hoaky as some videos out there. I rate it an A+ for the upper body sections.