The best Ab workout
KG | 06/26/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is definitely the best Ab workout. Working in a desk job,I kept gaining weight around the Ab area.
After just two days of this DVD, I had results. It was incredible. The fat around my abs just kept shrinking and
shrinking.
I would recomend this to anybody. No matter how fit you are,
there are four levels of difficulty. Practically anybody can
do the first level. I do all four. Already I am seeing results.
I hope he puts out more videos for upper body strength as well.
Cannot stress how fast the results are. You will probably see results within a week."
Four short but challenging abdominal routines
Beth Cholette | Upstate NY USA | 10/08/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"In Total Ab Workout, fitness instructor and physiologist Tom Holland has created four abs routines, each about six minutes in length. Each routine is progressively more difficult, culiminating with the final routine, which adds a dumbbell to increase the challenge. Tom filmed the workout in "real time," meaning that there are no cuts or edits; it's just a smooth, one-on-one abs workout with Tom. In additional to traditional crunches, the routines offer Pilates-like moves as well as back stabilization work to balance out the core.
The DVD Main Menu offers the option to play the entire workout or go to the Routines Menu, which breaks down each of the four routines into 6-7 segments (you need to actuallly click on the first segment to select the routine). The exercises listed on the Routines Menu are as follows:
Routine 1: arm slide crunches/alternate bent knee pulls/crossed leg obliques/plank/four-point bridge/bicycle
Routine 2: bent knee pulls/bent knee oblique lifts/bridge with lift and hold/crunches with legs up/crossed leg raised foot obliques/plank with raised leg
Routine 3: straight leg lowers/corkscrews/bridges with leg pulses/double crunches/the rope climb/two-point bridge
Routine 4: double roll ups/double oblique twists/bridge with leg holds/double butterflies/double press ups/plank
I liked the fourth routine the best, partly because it felt the most Pilates-like and partly because I liked how Tom worked in the use of the dumbbell; on the other hand, the third workout actually felt more challenging to me. Tom does not show modifications for any of the moves, and thus I think these workouts are best suited for experienced beginner to intermediate exercisers. Overall, a very nice series of ab routines that would be great for add-on work."
A good, no frills workout
Constance S. Edwards | Lafayette, CO United States | 11/06/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is a good dvd for those who hate being encouraged, cajoled and lied to by the exercise presenter (i.e. "I know you can do 7000 more obliques in the next 60 seconds!"). Holland is no nonsense, and each workout is about 12 minutes long. It's a great wakeup routine, and abs-olutely fabulous for cardio days.
My only caveat about this is women with generously sized "girls" may find some of the exercises a bit difficult, and anyone with wrist, elbow or shoulder damage will have to skip some routines."
Good Variety-Pleasant Instructor
dusty | Ohio | 10/03/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I thought this was quite good. There are 4 different workouts, each approx. 6 minutes in length, so they are good add-ons to other workouts. Definitely doable with all kinds of variations and he doesn't waste too much time talking and gets started quickly. Also a plus, the DVD doesn't play a lot of useless stuff up-front and gets right to the menu selection. My favorite is the 4th workout where he uses a dumbbell throughout. Feels really good."