I'm not a beginner, but I bought this video for the following reasons: (1) It has 20 minutes of low-impact aerobics, and that's what I wanted on my strength/toning days, and (2) it only cost $6.99 at Kroger. The video gives me a nonstressful, mildly cardio workout that's fun to do. I like the beach setting; the trend toward using outdoor sets is great. But if I were someone who had never done aerobics, which seems to be the target market considering the packaging and selling it in grocery stores, I'd have a Big Problem. Denise's cuing is terrible, and she goes right into moves without any explanation or slow-mo instruction: mambas, grapevines, kick-ball-changes, and box steps. But if the novice is truly motivated, she can always rewind and after doing the video a few times know the moves. For beginners, I'd give this video a C+. (But for $6.99, it's worth trying.)

Instructor Comments:
Denise has mellowed a bit over the years, and isn't quite as obnoxiously perky. She still chatters nonstop, and when she runs out of cues says, "I'm Proud Of You!", "You're Doing Great!", and my personal favorite, "You'll Have A Great Rear View!" It's easy to make fun of Denise, but I really like her. She's in good shape and looks prettier at 40 than when she started way long ago. Her cuing isn't very good; you have to watch her to see what to do.

Lilly Anderson