Search - The Method: Cardio Boot Camp on DVD

Eclectic and fun workout video

Shannon B Davis | Arlington, MA United States | 01/12/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this video because of the interesting variety it offered. Three 20-minute workouts consisting of boot camp moves (pushups, jump rope, etc), kickboxing, tai chi, and dance. I have run through the video once, doing all three workouts.

The instructor has a cute English accent and gives frequent cues. The set was non-distracting and the background exercisers nearly flawless. The production quality of this DVD is very good.

Buyers frequently want to know "how easy is this video?" Cardiovascularly, it's a challenge. However, the choreography is quite easy to pick up. There is plenty of repetition of the sequences, and I was able to make it through all three segments without any moments of frustration. That said, there is LOTS of repitition. Segment 3 feels like deja-vu of segment 1.

Cardio Boot Camp made this veteran exerciser sweat. Although the warmups at the beginning of each segment did bring down my heart rate, there were plenty of high-intensity segments. Plyometrics were used, increasing power and calorie burn. There were also short segments of strength-training. 3-pound weights are recommended with this video, but I used a Go-Fit rubber tube instead. The weight-lifting segments often use multiple body parts, like doing lunges while also doing shoulder exercises. This kept my heart rate up as I strength-trained.

The frequent jumping and squats could be hard on some people's knees, although my knees didn't complain during this video (and they usually do hurt). On the other hand, I did experience some back pain for the first time. This is definitely a high-intensity video and is recommended for fit people with healthy joints."

Good intermediate, high-impact workout

Online Shopper | Aurora, IL United States | 12/27/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a good workout for people who know how to stretch, warm-up, and cool down on their own. These workouts have minimal warm-up and stretching, then go right into the meat of the aerobics. Most of the routines are high impact--lots of jumping. Don't buy this if you have any knee trouble. An intermediate exerciser will want to do all 3 workouts back to back to get a good workout. Having 3 independent 15 minute segments makes short workouts convenient. I have 20 aerobic and toning tapes and this style is different, which combats boredom. The movement style variations keep the workout interesting, but if you prefer dance-move workouts or popular music beats, this isn't the tape for you. It's more of a good gym class than a night club. The other reviews accurately describe the video format and contents."

Good, solid workout

08/17/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I really enjoyed this workout. Although I consider myself in excellent shape, I get easily frustrated with most areobic videos because they are very "dancey." I just want to veg-out and sweat like crazy when I am working out, rather than pay attention to dancy little moves that make me feel like a clutz and don't get my heart rate up. This work out is very much like good old-fashioned calisthenics: basic moves, easy to follow and physically challenging. The pace is brisk and she never dwells very long on one exercise, which helps keep boredom at bay."

More Like Dance Camp

audrey72 | Boulder, CO USA | 01/05/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"If your looking for a boot camp like workout, go somewhere else right away. This video uses maybe two or three book camp-ish moves the rest is based mostly on modern dance, tae bo (kickboxing) and tai chi. There are three separate workouts. None of them really give a good cardio or a good toning workout. Put a couple of them together and it's decent, but not great. The middle workout is the only one that uses hand weights. There are several sections that are entirely too slow. Mostly these involve learning a dance sequence or doing tai chi. The music is pretty cool; there are some drummers in the background, and the instructor is annoyingly chirpy. I recommend the Crunch boot camp video instead which gives a better overall workout."