Search - Star Trainers: Abs on DVD

Lots of variety and a few challenges

Red Panda | Australia | 04/19/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Star Trainers Ab Blast" is a programmable DVD with five 10-minute ab workouts from five different instructors. I love the functionality of programmable DVDs - even playing the segments in a different order makes them seem fresh.

"Star Trainers Ab Blast" is filmed in a bright open set with the "Exercise TV" logo displayed on the floor. Most of the segments start with a quick warm up and all finish with a quick stretch. The only downside to "Ab Blast" is that it automatically plays an introduction from the instructor before each segment, complete with a plug for "Propel" water. The introductions obviously do triple-duty for the companion DVDs Star Trainers: Cardio and Star Trainers: Strength, so this could get annoying if you're using the whole set.

Now on to the workouts...

Violet Zaki - "ABSession": Violet introduces herself by saying "I come to you from New York City bringing black belt expertise with a whole lot of Aussie flair". (Naturally, I love this bit!) ABSession blends simple but tough traditional ab exercises with some yoga- and Pilates-inspired moves. It starts with some very slow crunches, then moves into elbow-to-knee crunches, an exercise where you lie flat on your back while scissoring your straight legs up and down and an exercise where, still flat on your back, you reach your hand to the opposite foot. Mercifully, these exercises are interspersed with some quick stretches. Then it's on to "rolling like a ball" from Pilates which transitions into the boat pose from yoga, followed by some "bird dogs" where you bring your elbow to the opposite knee.

Kimberly Spreen - "Core Blast": This is the most Pilates-inspired routine and the most innovative. The routine starts with side crunches on one knee to work the obliques. The next exercise is V-sits where you use your core strength to lean right back. Kimberly demonstrates harder variations of these exercises by "playing with leverage". The routine finishes with side planks with hip lifts, and supine bridges.

Rob Glick - ABSolutely Beautiful: This routine starts with lots of variations on crunches - with one leg out to the side to work the obliques, with both legs raised in the air, crunching up to place your hands between your outstretched legs, and rotational crunches with your legs in tabletop position. This is followed by some isometric work and back extensions. After a quick cat stretch, Rob moves into a long plank sequence.

Kendell Hogan - "Peak Performance Abs": This segment is one of my favourites as it incorporates standing ab work and light weights for added resistance. The routine starts with lunges with a rotational twist while holding the weights; this is one of those exercises that you really feel afterward. Then it's down to the mat for some basic crunches, "full body crunches" (a simultaneous crunch and reverse crunch) and side bridges. This is followed by more weighted work, basic crunches, and planks and Supermans to finish off.

Gay Gaspar - "Espresso Abs": I found this segment the most challenging. After some Pilates-inspired roll-ups, Gay adds some rotational work, moves into some full body crunches, then elbow-to-knee crunches with increasingly difficult modifications. This is followed by bicycles with increasingly difficult modifications. Gay must be the queen of increasingly difficult modifications! She finishes with a plank-pushup combo.

"Star Trainers Ab Blast" provides lots of variety, and a few challenges even for advanced exercisers. Each routine is distinct from the others and each contains some unusual moves. Highly recommended!"

Loving the burn in my abs ;->

Little Miss Cutey | Melbourne, Australia | 12/26/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the second Star Trainers dvd I have and I really love it. It's five trainers, doing five different 10 minute ab routines. There is Rob Glick, Gaye Gasper, Violet Zaki, Kimberly Spreen and Kendell Hogan. They are all terrific and motivating and know what they're talking about.
There are regular types of moves like plank work and crunches etc, but also some good standing work like lunges with rotations. Those may not always feel at the time like they're doing much, but trust me, they are. I tried to do the entire dvd in one go, but I couldn't even do it and I'm fairly experienced and fit. You can easily do two to three at a time and get great benefits. That's another reason I love this dvd; because you can do half an hour of abs in different order than yesterday or tomorrow and that makes it less boring.
If you are going to consider buying this, get their cardio dvd too and put them together. That way, this workout will be much more effective and get better results. I really like this and will keep using it for a long time yet."

5 stars for Zaki!

S. Rutigliano | Brooklyn, New York | 02/21/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am a huge fan of trainer Violet Zaki. Her workout in this video is enough reason to buy it. Your abs will be screaming sore for about a week after this. Her attitude is great and she gives perfect cues. She is very original and her moves are highly effective. Being as she shows many modifications of each exercise this video will work for levels beginner to advanced."

A Must Have Abdominal DVD!!

M. Okiwe | Boston, MA | 04/11/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As a fitness professional who is very conditioned and has been performing and teaching abdominal exercises for several years, I was really happy with this DVD. I can honestly say that this is the best abdominal DVD I have purchased since Tamilee Webb's "I Want Those Abs." I was so impressed with the professionalism and the creativity of the instructors...even advanced exercisers will feel a serious burn during this workout! The best instructors by far are Rob, Gay, and Kimberly. Rob's routine was amazing from start to end. He really hit the abdominal cavity hard from all angles, and he included some fun isometrics for a great burn and he finished strong with back extensions and breast strokes for overall balance. Very nice. Gay was also all business from beginning to end. Her attitude was so fun and encouraging, and she really targets your obliques in her routine. She has some really fun oblique combinations (but they do require some coordination, so if you're not so coordinated beware!) Gay finishes strong too with some triceps push-up's/plank combinations. Perfect. Kimberly's was the toughest by far. She begins with a bent knee/leg extension oblique crunch (ouch!!) Then it's on to some Pilates style roll down's/up's with oblique rotations. It's tough, but she keeps you motivated and moving, she's really great. Violet and Kendell's routines were just mediocre, not impressive but not terrible either. What turned me off about Kendell was that he used weights but did not suggest what poundage to use...not good, especially for beginners. And though he incorporates weights in his workout, the exercises were not challenging enough to utilize the weights to their fullest potential. Violet's routine was just kind of same old, same old for me. Though she's a good instructor, her routine was pretty standard and easy to complete. I would recommend these last two sessions for beginners or on your lighter abdominal workout days. Overall, I was very happy and impressed with this DVD and would recommend it to everyone that I know. I will use this DVD for a very long time.
"