Jeff Borden and Greg Sims
The videos put out by IFTA featuring Greg
and Jeff are essentially like the best of SCW
videos--nothing fancy in the production
values, at best it's a gym setting with
Dynamix or Music Flex music, and you're
lucky if the sound is anything above home
video level. Yet you get GREAT workout. It's
like a home video taping of a great in-class
workout.
As with other videos, Jeff teaches the
warmup, which becomes the first combo
(grapevines, hamstrings over the step, knee
ups, Vs), then Greg teaches the more athletic
or complex combos (knee up into triple step
and mambo, lots of side to side lunges, more
movement 360 degrees around the step),
and they switch off for about 6 combos.
There are always modifications (which Jeff
and one other exerciser always demonstrate)
and the complexity of Greg's combos are
about the level of say, Cathe. Always more
athletic than complex. I.e. squat-over-the-
tops, across-the steps, tick-tocks and one
fun combo--glute lift, front knee raise, tick
tock off the step, mambo cha cha, go to front
of step, over the top, three knee ups. Greg's
combos are complex more in terms of
putting a lot of moves together, but he cues
them very well.
It's a little rough around the edges; by the
50-minute mark it's unclear when the TIFTT
is going to end (though it does soon). But
again, that's like SCW...at that point, you've
gotten a great workout. I really feel that Jeff
and Greg oughtta be mainstream video stars.
They're competent cuers, have fun moves
(complexity usually around the level of
colleagues Gay Gasper and Kimberly Spreen;
Jeff's moves are intermediate, Greg's have
doses of athletic power) and they ooze
charisma and low-key humor. I'm glad I
discovered IFTA videos and I'm really glad
their new ones are produced by Greg
Twombley. This is a dynamic duo; Jeff in my
mind is an idol for the "senior" workout set
and Greg should be up there with Gilad, Rob
Glick and Patrick G. in terms of reputation.
Instructor comments:
They are as competent as any other instructors
I've worked out to (and I've worked out to a
LOT). Jeff is always inspiring; he's like a regular
person's Jack LaLanne. He provides
intermediate-level fun hi-lo and step moves.
Greg--he just gets cuter and cuter every time I
see him! I don't know why he isn't a big exercise
video star by now ala Gilad, but he may yet well
be.
acey
8/8/06