This video has 3 sections: Step Class(38 min),
Abs/back(10), and Lower Body (32 min).
It probably should be classified as a Keli Roberts
video, she teaches the class, not Cher, though Cher is a
real 'prescence' in the class. If you hate Cher, you
won't like this video. She cracks a lot of jokes, some of
them are a little funny the FIRST time you do the video.
Another item worth mentioning is the outfits she wears.
The whole class is wearing black, but Cher is wearing a
weird little outfit, with fishnet hose.
The cueing is okay, but not great. This video feels
more like a dress rehearsal than a final production. Cher
and Keli joke around, Cher teases Keli about how strict
Keli was on form when learning the routine. When it's
time to switch legs while stepping, for the first three
or four times Keli will say "It's time for a
transition", but never teaches the transition (it is
the same transition each time they switch lead legs)
Finally in in a voice over Cher comments that the
transitions "are a little tricky, but you'll get
it" Now I didn't find the transitions at all
difficult, but it would have been nice if Keli had said
at the beginning, "when I say transition, do
this..." Another item worth mentioning is that
during a straddle section, Keli cues left leg/right leg,
and she is not doing mirror image, she is cueing to the
class, not you, so if you are mirroring her, and she says
left, you will be doing the "wrong" leg. It
really doesn't matter whether you mirror her or not, the
choreography is simple, it's just a little confusing, you
have to decide whether to mirror her moves or follow her
verbal cues. I think Keli would do a much better job
cuing without Cher distracting her, but I still don't
find the tape hard to follow (or remember it being hard
to learn, when I first got it).
I would classify this as an intermediate video. The
choreography is pretty basic, athletic moves, no complex
combos. Despite the above criticisms, this is my favorite
intermediate step video. I think this is mostly because
of the music, it has remakes of songs like "Born to
Be Wild", "Missionary Man", that
"Addicted to Love" and others you'll recognize,
plus an original Cher song "Not enough Love"??
I'm not sure I'd still be exercising regularly if I
hadn't bought this video. I do not get bored with it as
fast as other videos. It was a great transitional video
between my more basic Kathy Smith Step video and the more
advanced Energy Sprint.
I really like the ab section of this video. It is
really tough, I think it maybe the toughest ab section of
all the videos I have (and I have about 20). Keli does
variations of basic crunches, but for some reason she
seems to isolate the muscles better than most of the
videos I have done. I can especially feel the work in the
upper section of my abs. Also included in the ab section
is a short back strengthening section. Cher is quieter
during this section, and so the cueing is much better.
Leg and Butt section: Once again, Cher is more quiet
so Keli's cueing and tips on form are much better. This
section has a short warm up and stretch, this video is
structured so that you can do the step class one day, and
the legs section the next. I used to do both the same day
fast forward through the abs, and the warm-up for the
legs, and do the legs as a cool-down.
In this section, they do the traditional squats,
plies, lunges and dips. It is almost all standing work,
any work on the inner and outer thighs is done standing
also, either by moving side to side doing skating type
moves, or by standing on one leg and lifting the other.
The tougher moves, are demonstrated using three levels,
beginning, intermediate and advanced. This section helped
prepare me to do the tougher (using weights) leg work in
Firm videos. I learned the correct form with this video,
so I was ready to add weights later when I started doing
Firm workouts.
Trish Ransom
There are three segments: step, abs, and
hips/buns/thighs. I do the entire thing all at once (1
hr, 20 mins), but you can break it up if you don't have
enough time.
The first part, step aerobics, is an
intermediate-level class with fantastic music. The
choreography is easy to follow -- nothing dancy -- but
you'll find yourself really getting into the music and
wanting to dance! It includes songs like Born to be Wild
and other great rock. Some of Cher's music is included,
too -- all with a great beat that motivates you to move.
The next section, abs, is about 10 minutes and is one
of the best ab workouts I've seen. Keli herself has abs
to die for. (If I had Keli Roberts' abs, Karen Voight's
legs, and Jane Fonda's arms, I'd have it made.)
Finally, the hips/buns/thighs section is 32 minutes
and is TOUGH. It's all done standing, except for a short
inner-thigh segment at the end. You don't use any
weights, but you *will* feel it, especially during the
beginning plie section. Excellent. The great music
continues here, too, and even into the final stretch.
Although the tape is intermediate, I would recommend
it to anyone. Advanced exercisers will be challenged by
the toning sections and will have a blast with the step
part because of the music. Beginners will find the entire
routine challenging, but since the steps aren't
complicated, it can be learned using a lower-height step
and moving up to higher heights as their cardio capacity
increases. I rate this one an A+.
Annie S.
4/97