Search - Kathy Smith: Super Slimdown Circuit on DVD

A Great Addition to Your Rotation

April Blake | Genesee, PA | 09/03/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Finally, "Secrets of a Great Body-Upper Body" and "Secrets of a Great Body-Lower Body" have come to DVD! It's an added bonus that "Functionally Fit- Peak Fat Burning" is thrown into the mix on this DVD, too.

If you're just starting out, this single DVD with these three workouts is really just what you need, because you can do "Upper Body" one day, "Functionally Fit" the next, and "Lower Body" the day after. Then take a rest day, and repeat the sequence. There you have a whole week of workouts that fit easily into your schedule, and you're giving your muscle groups adequate rest so that you keep seeing results.

If you've been exercising for a while, you can still benefit from this DVD. The workout really does grow with you. Just get heavier weights. I started using this workout when I was in college. I used 3, 5, and 8-pound dumbbells and really worked my muscles. Then it started feeling "easy," and besides, I'd gotten a DVD player and so my VHS workouts stayed on the shelf while I rocked out with other workout systems. It's been 4 years since I did this workout, but the minute the DVD came, I put it in and used my current weight range (8 to 15 pounds for upper body and 10 to 25 pounds for lower body) and this workout still packs a wallop. You need to shake up your routine once in a while to keep seeing results, and going back to the low-rep overload method Kathy Smith employs in "Upper Body" and "Lower Body" is a great way to do just that. Also, there are some exercises, such as Calf Raises and especially Center Trap Shrugs, that are fairly rare on exercise videos, but are so important to do, nonetheless.

This DVD is such a great value, with three great workouts for the low price. The workouts will grow with you, and for extra challenge, you could always do the seated work on a ball instead of on a chair, so you can add a little twist on the workouts yourself. It's important for beginners to pay attention to the explanations of each muscle group, so you know just what you're working and why, and more advanced exercisers could use that time to give their muscles a good stretch, get a few more reps in, or choose their weights for the next exercise. Even if you're devoted to another workout system, this is a great DVD to add to your mix to keep your muscles confused so you keep seeing results!"

Exactly what I was looking for.

Nina Vecchi | Westminster, MA USA | 05/20/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was looking for a home work out so I could reclaim a shapely figure without expensive equipment or endless reps. This is it. The lower body work out requires a step and a chair. For the uppper body work out you will need a few small dumbbells and a pillow. Not expensive equipment at all. The exercises are very effective and Kathy gives clear directions and alternate moves for beginners. (like me)"

Compilation of 3 well-done workouts perfect for beginning ho

Beth Cholette | Upstate NY USA | 07/11/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"If you are new to exercising at home and are looking to make a single purchase to meet virtually all of your exercise needs, this DVD set by veteran instructor Kathy Smith just might fit the bill. You get three complete workouts: an interval-style cardio workout, a weighted upper body work, and a lower body workout. Brief descriptions of each are listed below.

Functionally Fit Peak Fat Burning. A well-done, 42-minute aerobic workout for advanced beginner to intermediate exercisers. It uses an interval training strategy, which involves alternating high intensity cardio bursts with slower recovery periods. It offers lower-impact options and plus toning work for the lower body.

Secrets of a Great Upper Body. A solid workout targeting all of the major muscle groups in the entire upper body. Includes detailed instructional portions between each exercise as well as helpful form cues. The entire workout is about 32 minutes long, which includes a 6-minute abs/back portion.

Secrets of a Great Lower Body. This 40-minute workout targets all of the muscles of the lower body using the low-rep overload principle. A chair is used for some of the moves, and ankle weights are optional. As with the upper body workout, there are detailed instructional portions between each exercise as well as helpful form cues.

In all three of the above workouts, the moves are pretty basic, so more experienced exercisers might find them to be boring. However, Kathy is an enthusiastic instructor who is perfect for motivating beginners, and thus I would definitely recommend this DVD set to anyone who is just starting out."

Good multi work-out dvd for Kathy Smith fans

S. Russell | 08/01/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Great upper and lower body workout with an aerobic section also. My only comment is that the upper and lower body workouts do have detailed explanations of each move, so it's not as flowing if you like to keep moving all the way thru the exercises."