Advanced, combined Step (17 min) and Floor (21 min.)
Aerobics, 10 min. warm up, 9 min. cool down/stretch.
This is my favorite of all Kari's tapes. It's the one I
reach for whenever I'm tired, down, or in a bad mood. It
never fails to relax me and to improve my spirits. The
split step and floor format makes the workout fly by.
This one *definitely* takes a while to learn, though,
because of the dancy choreography.
Even the warm up is dancy and more fast-paced than
most, but it's very thorough, and gets you ready for
what's to come. The warm up is followed by two long step
combinations, both are challenging and great fun. The
first combines all sorts of interesting,
multi-directional steps (turn steps, pivot turns, over
the tops, walks around step, etc.) with unique arm
movements. The second is more intense, with lots of
"over the tops" (across the full length of the
step) and some fancy footwork. After the 2 step combos
you put away the step and proceed to 2 floor combos. The
first is very fast paced, requires a lot of coordination,
and makes you stay light on your feet. The second floor
section is slower and lower impact, and the
music/choreography have a '70s flavor that's different
and amusing.
In general, the music is very upbeat and the
choreography is perfectly suited to the music. The cool
down is funky and relaxed, the stretch segment is very
uplifting, with an almost Oriental feel to the
choreography and music--a great end to a great video.
It's not as intense as some of Cathe Friedrich's tapes,
for example, but it's definitely a tape that gives
advanced exercisers a good aerobic workout and a change
of pace from more athletic routines.
Wendy Niemi
Kremer
"Kari Anderson's Two the Max" (Advanced-Step
Aerobics, Floor Aerobics)
Once you've conquered
"Fitness Formula", Kari will take you to the
next level with this butt-kicker of back-to-back stepping
and floor aerobics. Fast, dancy, hi-impact - you've been
warned!
Grade: A
Sue Bryant
Kari Anderson's 2 the Max-
This is basically a dancey
workout, especially the floor aerobics portion. Except
for some turns on the floor, I would consider
choreography for the step portion to be moderately
difficult. The floor aerobics section however is complex
and fun. Kari has a cheerful attitude throughout the tape
without being overly bubbly (like Denise Austin is
often).
Tammie Malcolm
This is one of the videos I pull out when I don't really
feel like working out. Kari's choreography is so
different compared to typical step videos, I feel like I
am doing something completely different. I have been
mixing this video in with other videos, so I am only
doing it about once a week, but even though I have done
it about 10 times, I can't say that I have actually
learned all the choreography yet (which IMO is good, it
will take me a while to get bored). I love the floor
section, my daughter does too, she comments on how it
looks like I am really dancing!
Trish Ransom
Two the Max
I like this video a lot, and do it
frequently, even if I break it down into segments (step
in the morning, floor in the afternoon) because of time.
I like the variety of music and choregraphy, and the
great personality of Kari. Also, the class is upbeat and
spirited without constantly whooping and yelling oh boy
as if a repeater was taking them one step closer to
utopia. The best part is the stretch. I think it is
probably the most relaxing and calming, yet almost
spiritually energizing stretch I've seen on video. Its a
great workout, in parts or in entirety. I'd recommend it
to an advanced exerciser who likes dancy step and floor
aerobics.
anonymous
Great! This is a step/floor combo. The first section
is step. I like it that way, because I find if I do floor
aerobics first and then go to step, I have a higher
tendency to trip over the step from tired legs!
Both segments are fun and intense. The floor section
is mostly high-impact. I think it would be difficult to
change many of the moves to low, so you might not like
this if you're not a high-impacter.
The total workout is about an hour. My favorite part
is the last combination of the high-impact section. It's
got a "funky" flavor to it, and it's a pumper.
Kari is having a good time in this class. She laughs
and smiles a lot. Her choreography is some of the best in
the industry. She always adds in dancy moves (as options)
to keep things fun.
This tape definitely gets an A+.
Annie S.
Two the Max is one of the best exercise videos you can
buy. I bought this tape a few years ago and was totally
addicted to it for quite some time. The first section is
step (17 minutes) and since this was one of the first
step routines I have ever done, I could hardly do the
jumps over the top of the bench (first time I have ever
tried this movement). I thought I would die (now of
course it's a snap, especially after doing Cathe
Friedrich tapes). The aerobics segment is the most fun of
any aerobics tape ever. I smile throughout the whole
segment. The moves are so much fun with lots of turns and
pivots. Kari smiles throughout the entire tape and she
looks like she is having a ball. This is contagious and
you will jump around smiling too.
Maryann Parker
I have done this video a few times and I just don't like
it that much. I like the step section and I like the
stretch section. I don't like the floor aerobics portion
though. I think it is because 99.0% of the tapes I do are
step and I just feel like a klutz doing the floor
portion. I find myself jogging in place at times because
I can't get my legs and feet to do what they are doing on
TV. I think this is a good tape if you like more dancier
moves, but it just is not for me. If you don't like dancy
stuff, but still want a great workout try Cathe Friedrich
videos.
Melanie
Higgins
4/97
This review is from the perspective of someone that is
extremely choreographically challenged, so keep that in
mind. I've only done this video twice. The first time
through, I finished with doubts about whether I liked the
tape. I really enjoyed the step portion of the video, but
felt like a total clutz during the hi/lo portion. Before
calling Collage and asking for an exchange, I figured I
should give it one more chance. I really had more fun the
second time, and got more aerobics out of the video. I
think the first time through I had to stop so much to see
what she was doing that I didn't feel like I got a good
workout. And, I haven't done hi/lo in years, so all the
moves seemed so fast and hard to follow. But, I knew I
ordered the tape for change of pace and I went into the
second time with a more open mind, allowing myself to
make mistakes and be on the wrong foot! That really
helped me to enjoy it more the second time through. I am
so used to Firm aerobics which require almost no thought
at all to get it right (well, except for the ballroom
stuff!), that I found the choreography in Two the Max
challenging. Now, I can't wait to get it into my
rotation. I figure, if I get one more move right each
time, I'll eventually get the whole thing down. I think
if you are tired of basic step videos and want to ease
into hi/lo, this is a good way to go. You get the
familiarity of step aerobics, and get a taste of hi/lo,
without the frustration of a complete hi/lo tape.
Lucy Loftin
4/10/97
I was lucky enough to get this video for free from
someone on the Internet who said this tape was too dancy
for her. I've always considered myself pretty good at
picking up choreography, and it still took me about three
times to feel comfortable with this one. I would
definitely *not* recommend it to people who don't feel
co-ordinated - I could picture someone repeatedly
throwing things at the TV screen! The half-step/half
hi-lo is a fun combination that doesn't get used enough
in videos and health clubs. And I don't think I've ever
seen an instructor, either "live" or on tape,
having such a party during the workout as Ms. Anderson
appears to be having! While I love everything else about
this tape, somehow I'm not crazy about the cool-down and
find myself FF through it sometimes and just marching in
place. The only reason I can think of is that by the
point I've had enough fancy stuff and don't want to put
any more effort into learning anything else.
Jen Blaske
3/26/97
This is a fun, challenging but not killer, workout that combines both step and hi/lo. I would call the intensity high intermediate to low advanced, and the choreography is moderate to complex (more complex than Fitness Formula but not as complex as some CIA videos). There is a definite dancy feel to it (especially the hi/lo section), as would be expected from Kari. Kari teaches the moves so that you will have sufficient time to practice them, but not so much that they are too repetitive. If you are used to complex, dancy choreography, you probably will be able to pick most of the steps up the first time or two through. This workout really flies by! I did it again this morning after not having done it for awhile, and I couldn't believe it when the hour was up! I like the format of doing the step before the hi/lo; I think the risk of injury is less if you do the stepping before you are fatigued. I like the step section a lot, but I like the hi-lo even more. And I usually *much* prefer step! Kari seems to be having a great time during the whole routine, but she really comes alive during the hi-lo. There's a fun hi-lo section to the William Tell Overture (Lone Ranger music). This is a great choice for those who prefer step but want a little variety and who like dancy choreography. A warning, though: Kari changes her outfit several times during the routine; her wardrobe is the main thing that dates this video (it was done in 1992). Overall, a winner of a video that does not get boring over time!
Instructor comments: Kari is one of my favorite instructors. She has it all--she's enthusiastic without being overbearing, she's graceful and fun to watch, her cueing is excellent, and she seems like she would be very approachable in person. She makes all of her workouts so enjoyable!
Kristin Aziz
KAziz@prodigy.net
3/23/99
This tape has been out a while and is already a VF favorite. But I am so inspired by this video that I had to add my two cents. This video if FUN, FUN, FUN! I have long considered myself choreographically-challenged, and yet I have managed to pick up on most of the moves (both step and hi-lo) in just a few short workouts. I'm not a real fan of hi-lo, but the more I do the hi-lo on this tape, the more I like it. The music is great, the instructor is wonderful, and the moves are terrific.
As someone else at VF often ends her reviews of tapes, I give this tape an A+ with 10 points extra credit!
Instructor comments: Kari is great. She seems so warm and effervescent. It's obvious that she loves teaching; she is having such a blast on this tape.
Jen B.
bown.6@osu.edu
3/21/00
Kari Anderson makes everything she does look deceptively easy. Her
choreography and routines are well-planned in terms of intensity, logic and
safety. Most of all, they are SUPER-FUN!! This tape is definitely among
her best, and among the best step/hi-lo combos out there.
I generally don't like hi-lo, but I do like the hi-lo on this tape, and on
all of Kari's tapes. Her hi-lo generally requires some space, more than I
have available, but I change directions to accommodate the moves. I really
worked up a nice sweat with this tape, but I didn't feel wiped out. My heart
rate was up there throughout the tape. Even though both the step and hi-lo
portions are pretty intense, you don't really notice it because you are
having too much fun with the moves and the music.
I have a strong dance background and I mesh with Kari's style. Even though
her routines are step and hi-lo, all the moves have a dance flavor, which I
absolutely love. Some of her arm moves might seem a little awkward to people
who are used to doing straight athletic tapes, but they are dance-based and
fun, in my opinion.
Even though this tape is from 1993, I would highly recommend it to anyone who
is looking for an hour workout of step and hi-lo, intermediate to advanced
level. It is possible to modify the higher impact moves to low, and still
get an excellent, intense workout.
Kari is definitely one of the top instructors out there. She exudes warmth,
energy, grace and a positive attitude. I think she is underrated.
Abbe G.
12/26/00