I was a bit skeptical when I previewed this tape. I read all the reviews and it sounded great. But the workout itself did not seem very challenging during the preview. Boy, was I wrong! Aside from the cheesy set (someone else called it "PBS-style"--that pretty much nails it!), the so-so production quality, and the strange warm-up/cool-down (more on that later), this is a great workout.

I think the reason the workout doesn't seem tough when you preview it or even when you first start doing it is because it is very low-key. By that I mean that the music is very soft, there is no whooping or hollering or talking about how sexy we'll look in a tank top on the beach, or any of that other junk to get you pumped up (yes, some people need that--I don't, though) before or during the workout. Fran just starts the workout, and before you realize it, you're huffing and puffing as you lift those weights.

The pace of the workout is fairly fast, but it's not warp-speed, like Cory's GHAS (I love that workout, but her pace just annoys me in that tape!). Fran keeps you moving the entire time; you don't get much opportunity for rest. If you use heavy weights (depending on your fitness level, of course), you will get a good pump in every muscle group. I was surprised to be mildly sore in all my muscles the next day. My quads weren't really sore, but that little area right under the glutes (between the cheek part and the hamstrings on your leg) was nice and sore--I think it was those super slow (4 counts up, 4 counts down) squats!

This tape also features a great abs/chest superset section. Wow! I loved it. She has you do all kinds of pushups, and some interesting circle flyes. They were unique but I really felt them!

About the warm up and cool down....they should have been switched! The warm up is very long and incorporates some long, thorough stretches, while the cool down is pretty short and only has some brief stretches. Also, in the warm up, she only does some very slow side-to-side touches and marhcing in place. This did not seem to be sufficient before all those long stretches. Then, after all that hard work, I felt cheated by the short cool-down stretch. In the future, I'll do a warm-up from another tape, do the weight work from this tape, and then rewind the tape and do the long stretch section from the warm up AFTER I'm done with the workout, skipping the chintzy cool-down stretch altogether.

A word of caution: if you are interested in any of Fran's tapes, I would recommend either getting them off the exchange or buying them from e-bay (I have read several posts stating they are being sold there as well) for no more than $15. Because of the production quality and the bare-bones set, I don't think they're really worth the $25 (including S&H) price they sell for on flexcity.com. I think many VFers will be sorely disappointed in the tapes if they pay that much for them. That said, I don't regret paying full price for them at flexcity.com, because I really enjoy them and things like production and set don't really bother me.

Instructor Comments:
She is friendly and likeable and cues well. However, she did not strike me as an oustanding or dynamic instructor. No problems with her instruction, though; and she cracks me up when she says (during bicep curls) "No! Don't answer that phone! You're doing double curls!"

Renae Brock