Julie Upton, Minna Lessig, Nancy Popp
I really like this video and was surprised to see there were no other reviews. The reason I purchased it is that I was frequently neglecting abs due to lack of time. Although I own both Rodney Yee's Yoga for Abs and Ana Caban's Intermediate Pilates Matwork, I don't always have the 20-35 minutes those tapes require, especially after doing other strength training or aerobic activity. Quick Fix Abs--which consists of three separate, 10-minute workouts--has been the perfect solution. Now, I can get an abs workout done in only 10 minutes, or, if I have more time, I can do two or even all three segments.
Here are a few of the things I like best about this tape:
*the small countdown clock in the lower right hand corner helps keep me motivated to finish the workout, even if I'm interrupted;
*there are a few brief moves to warm up/stretch the abs section, but there's no lengthy full-body warm-up or cool-down to cut into the toning time;
*the actual exercises are fairly unique--when there are more traditional crunches, they are usually done with a twist, plus some of the moves seem derived from yoga and Pilates; and
*the original music is great--it actually facilitates the workout while also fading into the background.
After about a month of doing this tape roughly twice a week (just 20 minutes!), my abs are definitely harder and more toned. Plus, an added advantage is that I think my abs are stronger as well, as I now find it easier to do yoga and Pilates abs work. I highly recommend this tape!
Instructor comments:
Julie, someone I've never heard of before, is the main instructor on this tape, as she leads each of the three segments. She offers excellent cuing without a lot of chatter or false encouragement. Minna, who has several of her own videos, says very little. Nancy, of ESPN's The Fitness Pros fame, makes occasional comments about which muscles are being worked. Overall, I found the instructors to be helpful but quite unobstrusive.
Beth Tobey
toaster@bigfoot.com
This tape is divided into 3
different workouts, 10 mins each. I
like them because they are simple,
easy to follow yet you get a good
workout too. They say cheesy things
though, that sounds like it came
from a script. It's still a good
tape though.
Instructor comments:
I like her. She isn't as "happy" as
Denise Austin, which is good.
Elaine
7/26/02
Sometimes I neglect abs work because I don't have time after doing cardio and strength training, so I thought that this video, which is broken into three separate 10-minute abs segments, would fit into my schedule. I previously owned a similar video, Tammilee Webb's Quick Toning for Abs, but each segment contained a separate warmup which ate up a lot of time. The QuickFix programs are different--they get right into the exercises, although there are some brief moves to warm up the abs area specifically at the start of each segment.
The best thing about this tape is that most of the exercises are moves which I've never done or even seen before. There's a great variety of abs moves, but although many of them were new to me, they were doable and not overly complicated. The tape did contain some more traditional crunches, but even those exercises contained new twists to make them more enjoyable and different. I found the second segment to be a little easier than the first and last, but each is challenging in its own way. Other reviewers have said that this tape doesn't always make them "feel the burn," which is true to some extent, but these are very concentrated abs moves, so they don't always bring about that "burn" feeling. However, if you focus on your abs while doing each exercise and really concentrate on keeping the abs tight, you can definitely feel them working.
Julie, the main instructor, was motivating without being too "peppy," and the other two instructors were engaged without being distracting. The original music complimented the exercises very well. One small complaint about this tape is that for a few of the moves, there's no neck support, and my neck became easily fatigued. However, it was simple to just support my neck while performing the moves; I'm gradually trying to stop doing that as I get stronger.
One more great thing about this tape: for each segment, a timer on the lower right of the screen counts down the time left in the workout--it's a great motivator to be able to tell yourself "just 3 more minutes!" I've done the segments separately or 2-3 together if I have more time. I can honestly say that after about 3 weeks of owning this tape and using it 2-3 times per week, my abs definitely appear more toned. I highly recommended this tape to anyone looking to find a way to squeeze additional abs work into their busy workout schedule.
Instructor comments:
Julie can be a bit corny at times, but she provides very good instruction and frequent praise.
Beth C
September 8, 2003
Sometimes I neglect abs work because I don't have time after doing cardio and strength training, so I thought that this video, which is broken into three separate 10-minute abs segments, would fit into my schedule. I previously owned a similar video, Tammilee Webb's Quick Toning for Abs, but each segment contained a separate warmup which ate up a lot of time. The QuickFix programs are different--they get right into the exercises, although there are some brief moves to warm up the abs area specifically at the start of each segment.
The best thing about this tape is that most of the exercises are variations which I've seen before. Although many the moves were new to me, they were doable and not overly complicated. The tape did contain some more traditional crunches, but even those exercises contained new twists to make them more enjoyable and different. I also liked the fact that many of the movements were similar in style to Pilates.
I found the second segment to be a little easier than the first and last, but each is challenging in its own way. Like in Pilates, these are very concentrated abs moves, so you need to focus on your abs while doing each exercise and really concentrate on keeping the abs tight in order to feel them working.
The background music complimented the exercises very well. One small complaint about this tape is that for a few of the moves, there's no neck support, and my neck became easily fatigued. However, it was simple to just support my neck with my hands while performing the moves; I'm gradually trying to stop doing that as I get stronger.
One final great thing about this tape: for each segment, a timer on the lower right of the screen counts down the time left in the workout--it's a great motivator to be able to tell yourself "just 3 more minutes!" I've done the segments separately or 2-3 together if I have more time. When I do this tape a few times a week, my abs definitely feel strong and appear more toned. Definitely recommended as a way to fit in abs work in a short amount of time.
Instructor comments:
Julie Upton is the main instructor, and she is motivating without being too "peppy"--she reminds me of a younger Tammilee Webb. Julie works wiht Minna Lessig and Nancy Popp, both of whom make occasional comments without being distracting.
Beth (aka toaster)
February 2, 2004
