Party Off the Pounds

This is a 50-minute low-impact floor cardio workout.

No special equipment is needed. Collage rates it as Beginner, but the intensity is easily upped (watch how some of the background exercisers do just that by exaggerating the moves). I'm an intermediate exerciser and I felt pleasantly challenged.

Party Off the Pounds takes place at the mall (a colorful stylized set). The background exercisers are shoppers walking by -- no conventional workout outfits here. As usual Richard's group includes people of all sizes and ages. They are all high energy and clearly having a blast!

The songs (not performed by the original artists) are upbeat versions of 80's classics: I Wanna Dance With Somebody, Let's Hear It For the Boy, True Colors, Like a Virgin, Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Mickey, If I Could Turn Back Time, Shake It Up, New Attitude, Lean On Me. I can't help singing along (neither can Richard's crew!). The volume is nice and loud, yet you can still hear Richard easily. Richard himself is playful, enthusiastic, funny, and always encouraging.

I'd read in VF reviews of his other workouts that Richard does not cue very well. I find that Richard actually does cue the moves, but he does not teach or break down the steps. Now I am someone easily confused by anything resembling choreography, but the steps are fun and the patterns are repeated enough that I pick up the routines reasonably well, or at least well enough to get aerobic benefit. Besides, Richard constantly assures me that "you'll get it" - and I don't want to let him down LOL! I do find that the routines take up a bit of space, and there are a couple of "slide" steps that I had to modify for carpeting.

My cardio mainstay is Leslie Sansone, where I follow her cues but otherwise can zone out. However, sometimes I just want something different (like today, a cold and foggy Sunday afternoon). Party Off the Pounds is so cheery and positive I can't help smiling all through the workout.

This DVD is readily available online, including Collage and Amazon (there are clips on both sites).