Crunch Step & Sweat

Michelle Dozois
Year Released: 1996

Categories: Step Aerobics


This was one of the early videos that I purchased. At the time, it was a breath of fresh air. As Michelle Nevidomsky says at the beginning of the video, "this is not your usual up-up-down-down routine." It certainly isn't. I would consider the choreography moderately complex (although it might be moderate except for the teaching style). It took me 2 or 3 times through to really get the combos down, and I am a lover of complex choreography; I usually catch on quickly. But I found it quite doable. One reviewer mentioned that her knees hurt while doing this routine. There is a step called "rocking knees" that is like a wide march on the step, except that you kind of knock your knees together as you march. That one bothered my knees a bit, too, until I just modified it to a wide march. Most of the moves are low impact, but you can add power if you want.

I like this video, but I've since discovered the wide, wonderful world of mail order videos (and my workouts got longer). I put this one on the exchange. That said, this is my second favorite of all the Crunch videos that I've done (there's very little, if any, whooping in this one). My favorite is the Joy of Yoga. If you are looking for a short step workout (24 minutes of cardio) with complex choreography, and you're willing to invest a little time to learn it, you will probably like this video.

Instructor Comments:
Michelle Nevidomsky is an enthusiastic instructor, and she seems to have a good rapport with the background exercisers. Her cuing is mediocre and late at times, and her teaching style a bit difficult to learn (instead of using verbal cues and breaking a combo down, she demonstrates it slowly). Maybe it will improve over time, as I like her as an instructor overall. She is also one of the instructors in the NAC Interval Challenge series, as well as Buns of Steel Total Body Fat Burner.

Kristin Aziz

01/04/1999