Senior Surge

Senior Surge is a solid circuit-style workout appropriate for intermediate exercisers. Jeff Borden alternates between low-impact aerobics and strength circuits that use tubing and a chair. The aerobic sections are a mix of athletic and dancy moves put together in quick routines that TIFT several times. Jeff combines typical moves like mambos, ponies, shuffles, grapevines, and lunges with some steps that were new to me: the Charlie Chaplin (a version of riding the horse) and a golf swing. These segments went by quickly and did a great job of elevating my heart rate. The strength sections used the tubing in a variety of seated and standing exercises. Jeff included enough repetitions that my muscles were totally fatigued, especially my quadriceps, inner thighs, and shoulders. The leg exercises were all variants of floorwork and very knee friendly–no lunges or squats here. Unlike most other videos, the ab work comes in the middle of the workout. If necessary, it would be easy to increase the intensity of the strength portions by using different levels of tubing.

Things to consider: This workout was obviously created with seniors in mind. Some of Jeff’s comments and the Charlie Chaplin cater to this audience, as does the soundtrack. Most of the music is reminiscent of the big band sound, but there are a few songs with a more traditional “workout video” vibe. I found most of the music motivating, although one song is a little too cabaret for me (this one is during the shoulder segment). That said, you won’t have heard these songs before.

For me, this workout has a bit of a learning curve. Sometimes it was awkward or difficult to get into position with the tubing. You often sit on the tubing, which can be a little uncomfortable. I also found some of the hi/lo segments a little tricky in terms of “flow,” although the choreography itself was fairly easy. Somehow I kept ending up on the wrong foot–often along with the background exercisers. Jeff’s cuing seems fine; it was more the way the moves were put together. Finally, sometimes I was unsure of what Jeff’s terms meant. He kept referring to a “half grapevine,” which left me scratching my head until I realized he meant we should do a grapevine that took up half the normal space. With practice, however, I think the set up and choreography should become easier.

Final verdict: This video is different in a good way, and it left me feeling energized. I really enjoyed Jeff’s humor and personality. I especially like the fact that Senior Surge has no dread factor yet provides a surprisingly tough workout if the correct resistance is used. Since I’ve had a hard time finding good hi/lo circuit videos, this one will have a permanent place in my collection.