Search - The Perfect Martial Arts Workout on DVD

Not a kicking/strike workout, basic striking info, warm up,

Lena, LMT | Nassau, NY | 06/30/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The menu is circa 1995 computer feel with choices of: Entire DVD, Introduction, Workout, Helpful Ints, Instruction & More Information

Intro: Narrator says JB Burns demonstrates in studio alone a workout that is not an instructional & can cause injury for beginners, shows some handstands & splits as he goes for 2 min.

Helpful Hints: it's a total body workout & use of workout such as swinging of the arms can be used as blocks or punches. Starts at feet & works way up for 2 min.

Instruction: He mostly just explains why he chose the poses & certain movements, how helps in everyday life or help the body in terms of balance, street application, etc. He shows real quick that one pose, then explains at length. He uses a female named Suzanne when a pose can be described for a punch & uses her as an attacker. (The only strike information on this dvd.) 23 min.

More Information: Quick text about workout, JB Berns has 20 years of martial arts & his co-inventions such as the rebounder workouts.

Workout: The studio is basic w/bright green walls & red circle accents. He gives good cues & helps count how many times you'll do it, some punches he even does it slowly first a few times. There's no music until midway which is a calming Asian style. The first 4 min were just stretching, average person can do it until he does deep lunges/half splits & up to squat & back to half splits. The next 10 min is more stretching, strengthening, movements w/breath until he gets to push-up/plank with raised straight leg fast, then downward dog, then back again many times for 3 min (KILLER!), then the squat kick-backs that most male athletes know for 2 min (KILLER!). If that isn't hard enough, there's the squat to plank/push-up position & back again for 1 min & squat & kick vertical into the air. Next is laying down to full crunch & back for abs, sitting to straight leg touch toes to plank & back down, again & again for 2 min (KILLER!). Then the last 4 min is cool down with butterfly stretch, hip opener stretches, side stretches, do split & stretch, then lift up body in that split until doing a handstand, some more breathing & wide horse stance & end in mountain pose.

I would suggest this only for people who are active w/endurance & good strength, with at least mild flexibility, some DVD or class martial arts experience & yoga as well & of course, no joint limitations.

You can see a preview on youtube under "perfect martial arts workout" from GrilInPrintNYC or on Bern's site: perfectmartialartsworkout com"