Video Fitness

Core Secrets Training Camp

Gunnar Peterson

Length - 32 minutes
No use of stability ball.

General comments -

The good:
This is fun, and the time flies. Besides a few conventional moves like bicep curls and lunges, the rest are different moves that emphasise the core and functional fitness. Very fun.
He works thru each set of exercises twice. I love that you know what's coming and can sub if you like - because I'm like that!

The bad:

1) The warmup! Since when is stretching a warmup? After a few arm circles both ways, both DVDs move to a series of stretches. Very nice ones, but I don't feel good stretching a cold body. ( I handle this by boogying around my living room to something with a beat for a few minutes before)
2) The cool down - it's ok, but there aren't enough stretches for my taste. No problem really though, as I just do the beginning stretches again.

3)Floor abwork is basically crunches. I hate crunches. I subbed bicycles.
4)Every now and again he encourages the two girls to show some life. I don't moan or groan when I'm working out, and don't want to hear other peope doing so.

One strange thing though besides the WU - the deadlifts. I think of a deadlift as a straight leg bendover with a flat back. He does "deadlifts" combined with hammer curls but they look like squats. Bent knees down and up. ?

However! I may have a long list of bads, b ut I really like this and will use it often. I am using light weights for now - one kilo - till I get used to the moves. But I wouldn't use heavy ones for this kind of workout anyhow. And I don't use heavy weights anyway!

Instructor comments: He's good. Encouraging, gives sporadic form pointers, keeps it interesting. BUT - his clothes! More suited to a hiphop dance video. I want to see his form and positioning. It's true that his female cohorts are typically scantily dressed (not too much, don't get me wrong) and their form is pretty good - but I want to see the finer details of the pose on the pro.

Francesca

7th September

The length of the DVD is 32 minutes - about 5 minute warmup/stretch. The workout is mostly functional type moves that are different from traditional strength training, but not difficult to do -- all in all, a fun workout that hits most muscle groups. There is no stability ball used - I used 3 & 5lb dumbbells and got a good workout. He does 2 sets for each exercise - beginning standing and ending on the floor with crunches and side planks. There is a modifier and another person doing the workout in the background. Some of the moves I remember are: standing wood chops, bicep and hammer curls, one-side weighted squats (he calls them deadlifts!). The workout ends with a few stretches.
At 32 minutes, there is no dread factor, and I feel worked out for days when I'm short on time.

Instructor comments: He explains and demonstrates each move before doing it. Gunnar is low key and has a good sense of humor. I like that he wears a t-shirt and loose pants (I know a lot of complaints about his attire) - but I prefer it to male instructors in tight pants!



June 6, 2006



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