One Day At A Time

Doug Caporrino

Categories: Total Body Workouts


I bought a 4 video set at a close-out store that looks as if it was probably once an infomercial. (I wasn't impressed with the outside of the video but I so badly wanted something new and the price was right.) The set is 4 videos: "Self-Evaluation & Motivation"; "Upper Body"; "Lower Body"; "Abdominals". Self-Eval isn't worth it if you've done any working out before. It references a workbook that didn't come with the tapes and didn't do much of anything for me.
The rest of the videos were pretty good, though. Doug and his 2 work-out partners, Petra and Gay exercise in a room that is decorated in a southwest theme. It's pretty, but not overly showy. The music is bland but there is so much talking that I don't notice after a few minutes. They are constantly tying to encourage and talk often about how it gets easier and the person who starts as a beginner will soon be an intermediate, etc. There is a level system throughout the tapes that is supposedly designed so beginners intermediates and advanced can work together.
The main premise is that of a rainbow. Petra (in the purple) works at the beginner level. Gay is in pink at the intermediate level and Doug is in aqua at the advanced. After the warm-ups (short but reasonable, mainly marching in place) whenever a new excercise is started a rainbow appears at the top of the screen. When the purple part is done, beginners stop, and so on with the other colors and levels. Basically beginners do each excercise for 30 seconds, intermediates for a minute, and advanced for a minute 30.
Most of the excercises are basic. There is no dancing here. Some are done with weights depending on your feelings about that. The cuing is usually good though there are a few problems, and the quality of the tape is not always the best.
I worked at the intermediate level and could definitely feel it in my abs when I was done. The tapes aren't long, I've been using them after running.
If you happen to find them they're not a bad buy for some tapes to plug-in to your normal routine for added spot workouts.

Instructor Comments: When I saw this guy on the front of the videos I thought I was going to hate him. Basically he looks like a heavily muscled man with big teeth and I thought he would talk down on his videos. Much the opposite! His outfit is a little odd, but he's pleasant and encouraging. He talks to you in a manner that lets you believe he is supportive, but which is never demeaning. A few of his jokes are corny, but he's someone I can be comfortable listening to. His videos claim he is "Personal Trainer To The Stars". I don't know about that, but he's nice enough to come into my home a couple of times a week.

Jennifer Pitoniak

06/11/1997