Search - Joyce Vedral's Cougar Workout ( The Cougar ) on DVD

Good advance from "Fat Meltdown" but not entirely different

Joanna Daneman | Middletown, DE USA | 10/29/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I like Joyce's Speedy Non-Stop Fat Meltdown Workout because for one thing, I can bang it out in 18 minutes in the morning and get out the door AND it makes me feel energized. (And I can do it right in the bedroom.) One can make it more difficult as time goes on, by upping the weights (I just got a set of 10lbs dumbbells in my favorite neoprene style today as I am going to need them.) But what if you want MORE weights and more muscle strength? The "Cougar" workout does more SUPER-DUPER Giant Sets, which are pyramid supersets and then some. After the first Arms workout, I was zonked.

While the Fat-Burning workout has a few pairs of opposing muscle arm exercises (ie, hammer curls versus tricep kickbacks) the "Cougar" has additional pairs working the same grouping (ie, double arm tricep reverse press and concentration curls, single arm kickback and alternating bicep curls, then simultaneous hammer curl and simultaneous tricep kickbacks.) This is three sets on the same group (bicep and opposing tricep) and then you repeat, upping weights and reducing reps. In between are shoulder presses of various types and side lateral raises, front lateral and back lateral ("Pee-Wee") laterals and the evil front lateral (toughest raise for ladies, I think.) The workout finishes with bench work for curls, triceps and flies. This can be done all with dumbbells, but I used to prefer to use a French press bar (no, not a coffee pot in a Seattle espresso spot, it's a bent bar for barbell weights.) Still, dumbbells have their charms; easy to place under the bed and the action of balancing independent weights causes you to use more small muscles in your workout. There is ALWAYS method to Joyce's madness.

Unlike the Fat Meltdown, where a ball substitutes fairly well, a bench would be nice to have (I get away with a capsule-shaped ball instead of a bench.) I was able to use a capsule ball for the lower body workout, but it wasn't as comfortable as a bench would be. My suggestion is to try a ball and see how you feel. Balls fit nicely into small apartments or spaces (can be deflated if need be, though I don't) and benches unless they are the collapsible kind, take up space. Balls require balancing, however, and you may be better off with bench.

Then on to the lower body. Rows, leg raises, back laterals and squats, extensions. Then floor work for thighs. This is very similar to a full gym workout, but done with simple dumbbells and a bench and that's about it. If you were in a gym, you'd use cables for the leg workout or leg machines. Then you finish off with various crunches.

The first half of the lower body workout is like the Fat Meltdown, except with extra squats. For those whose knees cannot take the pressure of squats, Joyce has leg extensions and leg curls for one of the video team. And she herself doesn't do full squats. Neither do I. There is wear and tear on the knees after time, so you must know your limits. I do half squats but if you are overly heavy or have knee damage, the leg extension and curls can be done on a bench and standing.

Here is a criticism; Joyce does not notice that Nina, who is the beginner participant in the video, is not in the correct position while doing the alternate exercise. I think it would be better to have filmed Nina doing the curls and extensions correctly. Her effort also looked half-hearted in some cases. Even if Nina is a beginner, she can achieve correct form for a few reps on film. If you are getting into working out, Joyce Vedral's DVD's are VERY VERY GOOD. Beginners would do great with there. Make no mistake; these are really able to be done by relative beginners and then made more vigorous by simply upping the weights. But correct position is important. In once instance, Nina is doing curls and the exercise announced is leg extension (she's pulling her leg up and behind her, when she should be lifting her leg out in front of her.) This is going to confuse a beginner who needsto employ the variation Nina is doing. This should have been corrected. I don't like confusion on exercise DVD's and this is why I knocked off a point. Especially as a beginner would be apt to do the leg extensions/curls rather than half or full squats to start off. I hope a new edition will correct this.

The leg workout, without the additional thigh work on the floor along with abs, is not all that different from the Fat Meltdown. So if you already have the Meltdown DVD, you might feel a bit disappointed. My recommendation is that if you find the Meltdown has gotten easy, moving on to the "Cougar" (that name!) is a way to up the exercise along with increasing weights. It is a longer workout. Give your Meltdown DVD to a friend or save it for days when instead of a half hour, you only have 18 minutes for a fast workout.

If you want to add a tougher workout to a basic fast-moving dumbbell aerobic weight workout, this is very good. You don't have to buy any additional equipment save heavier weights as you need them. There is no excuse and you need no gym membership. Though, if you've never lifted, I think a few sessions with a trainer, paying him or her to show you how to achieve good form is helpful.

Summary:

Rank beginners may want to start with Speedy Non-Stop Fat Meltdown Workout because it is fast and nearly anyone can do it with light weights or even no weights at all. If you are wanting something longer, stronger and a bit more intense, and if you already have done the Meltdown, this workout is a good intermediate step to more intense working out such as Jillian Michaels or The Firm. I enjoyed it. It would be great for people getting back into exercise, or older ladies who need to get fit again, because this is not viciously difficult. If you are in mediocre shape, you might choose this workout over the Meltdown, as they are similar in many ways. (Actually, most weight workouts have a base that is similar, and you add certain exercises and more weights to make a more intense workout. Most of Joyce Vedral's workouts are quite similar as they are based on weight regimes.)

As always, check with your physician before starting an exercise regime.


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I'm Hooked

Fitness Freak | NJ | 03/06/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Did not know joyce but this sounded different and I was board. MAN, she is a bundle of energy and a sack of fun at the same time! Bought a few others of her DVDs and she's the same in them all! When I want to get a laugh and a workout (which by the time you are done laughing the workout is over and you forgot you were working out) I pop this DVD in. She's great fun."

Great workout!

S. Nakajima | 10/05/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I own all of Joyce DVDs and this one is the best of them. She looks awesome at the age of 65. Very inspiring!"

Great cougar workout

owingsmillsreader | maryland, usa | 05/09/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is an absolutely great workout. had been hearing about joyce for years never tried her workouts. I am 58 and have always worked out but over the past year my arms had started to look a little less toned than I liked. tried several different workouts and nothing seemed to do the trick. I just chalked it up to the aging process. then I got this workout, my arms are back in better conditon than they ever were and I had a 35 y/0 ask me out. I feel great. Joyce has just the right amount of cheeriness and encouragement for us older women. Highly recommended."