[.ca] Kathy Smith: Power Step Workout

From Amazon.com:
"It's fun, it's exciting, you burn lots of calories and fat, and you tone your hips and legs," Kathy Smith says about aerobic stepping. This workout uses "power stepping," adding jumping and hopping to the regular low-impact step aerobics. You can do the workout without the power moves if you're a beginner, or add in some of the power moves appropriate to your fitness level, or--if you're advanced--use all the power moves for a high-intensity workout. Smith teaches a solid 8-minute warm-up plus three 12-minute aerobic segments, each progressing in difficulty, ending with a 5-minute cool down and stretch. Depending on your time and ability, you can do one, two, or all three aerobic segments. Her assistants demonstrate varying intensities and modifications, so you always have someone to follow, whatever your level. The moves are more athletic than dancey; even in the most difficult segment, there's no super-complex choreography. This is a versatile workout that you can instantly adapt to your own level. It is especially appropriate if you have roommates or family members of different fitness levels who want to do the same workout. --Joan Price

Great but probably not for beginners.:
I used to do step workouts several years back and decided to get back into it. I guess I would say I am back to a beginners level. I think this step work out is great, but extremely challenging for me. If you are a beginner, start out slowly, only doing as much as you can, and eliminate the bounces and jumps. I congratulate myself if I can do the first 20 minutes as I think this is a bit above my current level of fitness. But I know that if I keep at it, I will probably be able to do the entire workout with less difficulty in the months ahead. Kathy instructs very well, and keeps you motivated!

Good workout:
I like Kathy Smith and this is a good workout. Maybe its just me but I found it really confusing when she was doing the segment where the step was vertical and she was facing in the opposite direction from me. I know that is probably necessary, but in that case she needs to explain what she is doing and actually cue the moves. Its hard to just catch on. There was one particular series that I still do not understand what she's doing Other than that, the moves were easy to follow. I particularly like that you could modify it by adding more or less power moves.

Good workout, but can become boring:
This video provides a great workout which will definitely get you sweating. The second segment provides a really good lunge/squatting sequence that leaves you feeling it the next day. On the downside, Kathy's cueing is not the best and I found this frustrating during the first few times of doing this workout. Also, many of the combinations are long (i.e. many moves), and by the time you've built up to the full combo, it feels like you've been doing the same moves forever. Can be pretty boring after a while. The VHS video quality is poor. The picture is grainy and the video actually cuts out at one part. Opt for the DVD instead.

A great workout!:
I'm a total klutz when it comes to exercise videos, but Kathy Smith is my favorite instructor. She doesn't do fancy steps that take multiple viewings to "catch on" to, she doesn't do anything unsafe, and always gives low and higher impact exercise options. This step workout still makes me sweat and my heart beat fast enough for a good aerobic workout, even after working out six times a week for months. The music is innocuous enough that it's not annoying, even though I do the workout about twice a week (I rotate four workout videos). Kathy has a few annoying whoops, but not enough to irritate me. I like that she has you take your pulse twice during the workout, to make sure you're working at your target heartrate. The workout is about 45 minutes long without the cooldown (I confess that I skip it and just walk around for a few minutes instead)

Work up a sweat!:
If you like working out to music, you will love this stepping video. It's just challenging enough that in concentrating on the moves, you forget that you're working up a sweat - and with this video, you definitely will. As I started to master the moves, the workout got better and better as you can then tighten up your muscles, and get a good workout on the legs and arms, and on the core strength as well. I had been running for a couple of months and my weight just wouldn't drop. Within a couple of weeks of doing this video, I dropped five pounds. Kathy Smith is just awesome!