I haven't done weight training with heavy weights in a while -- I've been doing the light weights, numerous reps routine. So this was a nice change. With my heavier weights, I get a total body workout with 18 exercises, doing 12-15 reps each. Gay has a male instructor who helps with form pointers. The workout takes about an hour, and as an intermediate exerciser, I feel comfortably worked out. Exercises include squats, lunges, and upper body moves such as lat raises, kickbacks and other standards. Gay uses a bench, which I don't own. I just do these exercises on the floor. As I progress, I may invest in an incline bench. One criticism I have is that the abs section is too short, and doesn't include lower ab work. (I compensate by doing it myself.) I don't really care for the music in the strength workout, though I like that it has a strong beat to keep me moving. The second video in the set is a Stretch Routine. It is excellent. It lasts 20 minutes, and begins with standing stretches, then moves to seated stretches, then floor stretches. Gay is good about explaining proper form so you don't hurt yourself. There's nothing difficult in the positions, though if you're not very flexible to start with, you might feel a little frustrated at how limber Gay and her companions are. I bought this set at a sporting goods store for $9.99, and even if it weren't such a bargain, I'd consider it a good addition to my video collection. (The production quality isn't extremely high quality, but the instruction is.) I'd give the set a solid B+.

Instructor Comments:
I love her! She's trim and fit and pretty, but not intimidatingly so. She could be your aerobics instructor at the local Y, but with more knowledge of proper form. Her cuing is excellent. In the Lean Body/Stretch Routine video set, Gay doesn't whoop (although I wouldn't mind if she did). She's giving a serious strength workout in the first video, and a very relaxing flexibility routine in the other.

Lilly Anderson