Review: Core Fusion Cardio – Pure Intensity

Posted on August 28, 2011 by kymarie13

I was lucky enough to get a copy of the Core Fusion Cardio- Pure Intensity DVD. This is the newest DVD of the Core Fusion series. If you read my blog you know that I am a huge fan of Core Fusion, due to lack of funds and living in New York City, I have not been able to take as many Core Fusion classes as I would like. When Core Fusion Cardio came out about a year ago I was one of the first ones to try it at the studio and I loved it! So when I saw they were coming out with a DVD I was ecstatic. Since all New Yorker’s were stuck inside this weekend due to Hurricane Irene, I decided to give this DVD a try this morning and let me tell you I was sweating up a storm inside my own apartment!

Workout DVDs are not my strong suit, it is hard to get myself motivated when there is no one else there pushing me. But once the DVD started I was hooked. It was like I was taking a class at the studio. Some DVDs are very different from the classes that you would take at a studio but this one was just like being in class, I felt like Fred was in my apartment giving me a private session. The DVD is broken up into 6 sections about 10 minutes each. If you don’t have a lot of time you can do one or two sections, or if you want a great workout do the entire DVD which is about 60 minutes.  The 6 sections are:

  1. Energy Moves –  (10:10) Wake up your muscles and get your body warmed up, this was great because I was feeling pretty lazy when the DVD first started but after I got through this I was ready for more
  2. Cardio Flow – (10:53) Sections 2-4 were my favorite, they are all done with light weights or you don’t have  to use weights if you want to modify it. The sections are what they call a cardio flow, each move flows into the next. Each section is different which keeps you engaged the entire time. I tend to get bored with DVDs that make you do the same circuit multiple times but this DVD does not make you do that, you are constantly changing up the toning and cardio moves which is great for your body. The one thing that remains constant in these 3 sections are the mountain climbers. By the end of the 3 sections you will work your way up to 64 mountain climbers! Which sounds like a lot but they do it in a way where it flies by!
  3. Power Flow – (10:36)
  4. Power Sweat – (11:22)
  5. Cardio Curl –  (10:41) Cardio Abs, wow this was hard! It was such a great workout for your core, you are constantly engaging it and you can really feel it changing your core, do this for a couple of weeks and you will have extremely strong abs!
  6. Stretch – (9:23) Having a section dedicated to stretching was great because it makes you take the time to stretch your body after a hard workout
If you have never taken a Core Fusion class, I highly recommend this DVD. It is the perfect blend between cardio and toning. It will keep you engaged the entire hour and you will get an amazing full body workout. This DVD will be in my weekly workouts. You can buy this DVD on Amazon right now for $13.49 which is an amazing deal! Hope everyone in New York and the East coast was safe this weekend! If you haven’t gotten your workout in this weekend, get out there, there is no better time than now.

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Review: Body by Bethenny

Posted on May 28, 2010 by kymarie13

I was very excited to try Body by Bethenny. I am a huge fan of Bethenny Frankel’s books; The Skinny Girl Dish and Naturally Thin. So I knew when her DVD came out I had to try it. Bethenny’s DVD is 55 minutes long with three sections: Yoga (40 minutes), Strength Training (10 minutes), and the Booty Bonus (5 minutes). She teamed up with celebrity trainer, Kristin McGee. Kristin McGee is a certified personal trainer, Pilates master, and yoga instructor. She teaches classes in New York at: Yoga Works, Clay Spa, The Sports Club LA/Reebok Club and Equinox.

The DVD starts with a short introduction by Bethenny, which I found a little funny because it didn’t seem very natural (you can check it out below).  I have to say for an overall workout it’s not too bad. I think the mix of yoga and weight training is a great combination. The yoga starts with three rounds of sun salutations and moves into lunges, warrior, and reverse warrior poses. A sun salutation is a sequence or flow of different yoga poses. During the instruction of the yoga Bethenny adds in her own commentary, which is entertaining and helpful. If you have never done yoga it is possible to do this yoga workout you just might have to moderate some of the poses. (I have to say Bethenny has amazing arms!)

The strength training consisted of two different circuits, of three exercises, and 12 repetitions. They use 5 pound weights, it felt a bit short but I think it was a very nice compliment to the yoga. The 5 minute booty bonus was not the best. It consisted of a series of leg lifts. You can do these leg lifts anywhere, Bethenny pointed out, so if you are bored in the grocery store you can bust these moves out. I don’t think I ever would “Excuse me sir, would you mind stepping back, I have to do my leg lifts.” But it is an option. It was not my favorite and I really didn’t feel anything in my butt, and let’s be honest that is key.

I think it was a good DVD but you won’t break a sweat. The instruction was very good, I would be very interested in taking one of Kristin McGee’s yoga classes in New York . You can get the DVD for $14.99 on Amazon. Would I spend $14.99 on the DVD, that depends. I think it’s a great combination of yoga and weight lifting but it’s not my favorite DVD. But I still love Bethenny and I would love to have her arms!

Image from HollywoodLife.

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Review: Step-by-Step BellyDance with Leilainia

Posted on May 25, 2010 by kymarie13

I recently got the chance to try my first Belly Dance DVD! I tried the Step-by-Step Belly Dance with Leilainia. I was lucky enough to have 3 helpers to do it with me (See the right image, they were rocking it out!). The DVD is broken up into 5 sections: a warm-up, three 15-minute dance combinations, and a cool down. The DVD lasts in total 57 minutes.

I have to say that it was a very interesting experience. I have never taken a Belly Dancing class so I had no idea what to expect. The warm up was a normal warm up except that you had “belly dance” hands waving about while you stretched. I have to say I had some pretty great belly dance hands.

The three 15 minute dance combinations, didn’t vary much. It was a lot of hip shaking, shimmies, snake arms and grapevines. If you hold your stomach the entire time, in the right way, I completely understand how you will get a great ab workout. I could feel my abs while dancing but I couldn’t say I was sweating uncontrollably.

It was a fun workout, had great music, great instruction and an interesting instructor. I think Leilainia was a great instructor if you have never danced before but if you are experienced it won’t be as challenging as you would probably want it. I have to say that it was not my favorite workout but it was very fun to try. If you are interested in trying it, I would suggest seeing if they have it in a library or Netflix and trying it first before you buy it. I would give it 3 stars.

I would love to actually take a class, I feel like that would be a completely different experience.

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Review: Mandy Ingber • Yogalosophy

Posted on May 11, 2010 by kymarie13

Anyone’s who mantra is “I have a great ass” is okay by me.

At Self Workout in the Park, I was fortunate enough to meet Mandy Ingber. Mandy Ingber is Jennifer Aniston’s yoga instructor and recently came out with a new workout DVD. After reading about her DVD and how she introduced Jennifer Aniston to yoga I knew I had to meet her! She was so nice and full of energy. While I was there I picked up a copy of her DVD, Yogalosophy. I have always been skeptical about yoga. I love Bikram because it is so hot that I don’t have much time to think and I just need to keep breathing to get through it. The couple of yoga classes I have taken I was not a fan of. I always thought it moved too slow and I just couldn’t stand it. My mind would constantly travel during class and would not let me stay in the room. After trying her DVD I have fallen in love and this will be the one DVD a take with me anytime I have to travel and want to workout while I am away.

Mandy’s DVD has two 30 minute workouts, one 55 minute workout, a couple of extras and a quick introduction from both her and Jennifer Aniston. The two 30 minute workouts are the same workouts except one is with Mandy’s commentary and one other one is silent. I HIGHLY recommend doing the one with the commentary. The workout is a mix of yoga and toning poses and I have to say I loved it. For a thirty minute workout it covers all the muscle groups: calves, glutes, arms, abs. She does every pose twice for a set of 8 and then pulses at the end. Why 8? Because 8 is the number of power and abundance. The Fully loaded challenge workout is a 55 minute routine, which I also enjoyed. This one is similar to the 30 minute routine with more yoga poses  infused into it.

Now it wasn’t just Mandy’s workout that made me love this DVD, it was Mandy. I have never met anyone so funny! I was literally laughing out loud while doing this DVD. I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a workout DVD this much. Mandy is just so real and down to earth. With her mantra “I have a great ass” how can you possibly go wrong. I can completely understand why people love her and why Jennifer Aniston loves her. I would give anything to be able to take one of her classes in California.

If you are looking for a traditional yoga DVD, this is not the DVD for you. This is a hybrid yoga. I really liked the instruction of the DVD but sometimes you may get a little lost because she is not always telling you what comes next. But even with this said I really enjoyed the DVD, she made yoga enjoyable and fun for me. The DVD costs $29.95 which you can buy on her website. I feel this is expensive, so if you are on a budget check to see if they have it at the library or on Netflix. If you are looking to spice up your yoga routine and have an amazing instructor than the price will be worth it. I thought it was a great, quick, and effective workout. I also could not be more in love with Mandy herself. She made yoga fun!

Images from Mandy Ingber.

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Review: Tracy Anderson Dance Cardio DVD

Posted on February 7, 2010 by kymarie13

Tracy Anderson is who you can give credit to for Madonna’s body. Madonna first met Tracy through Gwyneth Paltrow and for years Tracy only trained Gwyneth and Madonna. Now Tracy has parted ways with Madonna and is business partners with Gwyneth Paltrow. The pair own two studios, a studio in New York and one in Los Angeles. These studios are very exclusive  and the cost is outrageous, “the initiation fee ranges from $790 for a six-month membership to $1,500 for a full year. The monthly fees are $900 a month. She has 50 trainers teaching her Method. So far she has developed 3,000 sequences in both dance aerobics and mat work.” Right now Tracy Anderson “is the most successful celebrity trainer around. Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Hudson and Shakira are just some of her many devoted clients.”  Kate Hudson trained with Tracy to get ready for her latest movie Nine. Tracy says “Whatever your genetic background, whatever your shape, I can change you. I can give you a teeny-tiny dancer’s body.” She has three DVDs that are available to the public: Tracy Anderson Mat Workout, Dance Cardio, and Post Pregnancy Workout. She also has a 6 set DVD series coming out soon called the Perfect Design Series.

I decided to give Tracy’s Dance Cardio DVD a try. First of all I should warn you, her DVDs are very pricey they are $29.99 which I think is a bit ridiculous but I heard good things so I had to try it. Her Dance Cardio is broken down into 5 segments. Each segment she does non stop for 10 minutes and then moves on to the next , so the workout lasts about 50 minutes with a 15 minute warm up in the beginning and a cool down at the end.

The DVD is broken up into 6 different Chapters: Dance Cardio Intro, Dance Combinations, Dance Cardio Routine-Front, Dance Cardio Routine-Back, Gwyneth Interview, Tracy Main Interview. This is strictly a dance workout, it is like learning choreography to a dance. The most important chapter is the Dance Combinations. Dance Combinations is where she teaches you each of the five combinations. She is not a horrible teacher, I picked up her dance sequences easier than I picked up Julianne Hough’s dance sequences. This is not a DVD you can just pop in and go, it will take time to learn each dance segment. The best thing I would recommend is to learn one to two segments a week. It moves pretty fast so rewind will become your best friend. Once you have the dance down this will make you sweat. It’s fast paced and non stop, she is constantly bouncing and moving. It’s a great workout as long as you take the time and effort to learn it all. If you have never danced before this will be hard but not hopeless you will just have to take it slow and take it one segment at a time.

In order to achieve optimal results she suggests doing this 5-6 times a week and you have to do her mat workout along with it. Which means you will be working out 2 hours a day. If you are like me you just don’t have that kind of time in your day. That is crazy! But I am very curious to see if her Method works, I may buy her Perfect Design Series when it comes out and do a challenge to see if it really works. Until then I am going to try to master all five of the dance segments and use this cardio routine to compliment my Core Fusion.

So my advice, if you want a quick routine you can pop in and go this is not it. If you love cardio dance workouts and don’t mind putting in the time this is a great one except for the price, that is a huge downfall.

Here is a clip of Tracy and Gwyneth working out on Oprah.

Image from the Examiner.

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    Hello! My name is Kristine and I live and work in New York City. Since I have been here I have realized how hard it is to maintain a healthy balance while living in the City. Work starts to consume your life and you can get lost in everything around you.

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