CIA 9905: Non-Stop Workouts: Two Workouts in One

Franny Benedetto
Year Released: 1999

Categories: Step Aerobics


I have only recently started writing reviews, and I'm not sure I like the effect it has had on my enjoyment of my favorite workouts! I say this because I find myself being much more critical of a tape when I review it than I am when I am just doing it for my own benefit.

That said, CIA 9905 is one of my all-time favorite CIA videos. I especially love the step portion of the workout, but the hi-lo is also among the best that CIA has to offer. If you like intense, sweaty, heart-pounding cardio workouts with lots of complex, innovative choreography, this tape is definitely worth adding to your collection.

The video starts with the hi-lo workout, but I'm going to talk about the step section first. As Chriti Taylor does in 9801, Franny integrates the warm-up choreography into the workout itself (in other words, the warm-up becomes the first combination). I like this approach because it makes the final product longer -- so long, in fact, that I lost track of how many combinations there were! Overall, I think the workout lasts about 40 minutes.

The warm-up is taught to a pretty fast beat, and I find that I feel invigorated even before the stretch. After the stretch the music slows down a little, which I appreciate because the moves quickly become more demanding and complex. A minor complaint about the warm-up is that Franny changes one of the steps (from around the step to across the top) once it becomes part of the work-out, and having learned it one way, I have a hard time remembering the change!

Franny is an excellent instructor, with impeccable cuing and a very upbeat, encouraging attitude. With the exception of the "nightmare" (ably described by other reviewers), I found that I was able to learn most of the moves the first time through, even though Franny uses some descriptions (like "two knees on the step") that for me were not clearly descriptive. Franny gets your heart rate up right away and keeps it there throughout the workout. There is very little time spent in repetetive moves like step-touches; when she does use them, Franny's "filler" moves are more intense (like alternating step-knees). Because she spends less time teaching, Franny is able to spend more time putting all the combinations together at the end of the workout. As a result, this is one of the only CIA workouts that I don't feel compelled to rewind in order to "take it from the top" one more time. At one point, about 30 - 35 minutes into the workout, Franny repeats all the combinations that have been taught up to that point two or three times. If I haven't done the workout for a while, I always think that this is going to be the end, and am astonished when she says, "Okay, we're goin' on!" -- and then proceeds to teach two more combinations.

Those who are familiar with CIA 9704 will find echoes of that workout in both segments of 9905: some similar moves, as well as a similar choreographic structure. Even so, this workout feels completely fresh and new, and for the most part the moves flow beautifully. The one exception to this is in a combination that involves a boxing move, a karate kick, and a hitch kick one after the other -- there is a direction change between the karate kick and the hitch kick that feels unnatural to me.

Compared to Franny, the background exercisers in this portion of the workout seem very serious and somewhat stiff. Franny is so exuberant, her energy would be hard to match; but the contrast here is pretty stark.

The step portion ends with a short abs workout which I never do; as others have mentioned, you're on your own for the stretch.

Now for the hi-lo segment. I am not a big fan of kickboxing, and was not sure how I was going to like the integration of kickboxing moves into a hi-lo workout. As it turns out, the combination that incorporates the most kickboxing moves is my favorite! It's a great leg workout, especially if you have done a strength workout the day before -- it incorporates some very intense squats with alternating kicks, and a series of jump-squats. Much more fun than it sounds, I promise! Franny is great about sweating and working hard right along with you -- she says things like "I know you're feeling it now, because I am," and "come on, this is it!"

As with the step workout, Franny really makes an effort to keep your heart rate up consistently -- in this case, through the use quite a few hi-impact moves. Those who don't like jogging and doing jacks, be forewarned! For me, the moves in the hi-lo workout don't seem to flow together as well as those in the step section. One transition in particular seems abrupt, when an intense kickboxing series (combintion #2) is immediately followed by a mambo cha-cha (combination #3). Still, I really enjoy both of these combinations.

The biggest drawback in this workout is the time pressure, which becomes more and more apparent as the workout goes on. When Franny starts to teach the fourth combination (starts with kick-cross-kick) you can see that she feels rushed: she begins to speak more quickly and explain less clearly; her face is tense; she takes relatively more time to teach the simpler moves (pivot, triple step) and less time to teach the more complex variations; and she makes comments like, "I know this is hard," and "here comes the tricky part" -- all of which make it difficult for me to learn, because I start to feel anxious. As others have commented, there is some pretty obvious editing in the hi-lo section, and I'm guessing that is due in part to the time management issue.

Unlike the step portion of the workout, the hi-lo includes a heart rate check, which I really appreciate -- I wish CIA would do this instead of the "perceived exertion" in all their videos.

The workout ends with a long, fun, relaxing, dancy cool-down, with moves very reminiscent of Petra Kolber's Rhythmic Power -- and again, a minimal stretch. I have not done this workout enough to really pay attention to the music, but I can say that it's Dynamix, and as far as I'm aware, not "recycled" from previous CIA videos. I personally prefer vocal soundtracks (like the one in 9704), but with workouts like these, the music is a secondary consideration. Thanks, Franny -- You've really outdone yourself.

Nancy A

06/05/1999