World Championship Series Workout 1

The setting: long billowy red, black and yellow (the team knockout colors) curtains that drape from ceiling to floor - a bit sloppy looking, but do not distract from the workout.

The participants: Less than his first video series, but familiar faces. They display good form and all seem to be having fun. You can tell they really love Todd.

The audio: The music is good, but TOO LOUD. At times the music tends to overshadow Todd. I had to turn my volume up to hear him. If you can get past this issue, you won't be disappointed.

The production quality: Similar to his first series. Adequate.

The workout: An excellent intermediate to advanced workout that has some of the most interesting cardio kickboxing combinations I have seen to date. He keeps your heart rate up with a repetitive high impact combination set that is repeated throughout the workout.

The video starts with a long warm-up that is basic, but works. You're heated up by the end and ready to start.

Todd does a 25-minute cardio section with 3 excellent combos that he puts together at the end. They include jabs, kicks and martial arts moves. Todd and a partner demonstrate how these combinations actually work in self-defense (all while you are moving). The combinations flow perfectly. If you are an instructor you will LOVE the choreography. It is well designed and you will be able to teach the combos without any problem. In between the combo segments is a high cardio section to send your heart rate up until the instructional breakdown of the next combo portion. The one thing I didn't like was that when Todd teaches a combo, he breaks it down so your heart rate drops somewhat. You do learn the combo and then put all the pieces together for a fun and successful segment. The high cardio portion comes again and your heart rates goes up. I like to maintain a high heart rate throughout my workout. This is not a "deal breaker" on the video. During one of these high cardio segments, even Todd has to go off screen for a moment to catch his breath. (He's human, do you believe it?) It is still an excellent tape with phenomenal instruction. At the end of the video Todd puts the combos all together and OH MY, ARE THEY FUN! Todd knows how to teach so the participant is a success at learning the combinations.

Todd proceeds to an ab workout that is challenging and a cool-down segment that is basic, but works.

The instructor: Todd is one of the most enthusiastic and fun instructors I have witnessed on video. His form is "perfection" and he delivers unique material in each of his videos. He knows how to break down complex material so even the basic exerciser will be successful at learning it. You will fast become a Todd fan after doing any of his videos.