Power Kicks

Aaron Lankford
Year Released: 1999

Categories: Boxing/Kickboxing/Martial Arts


Overall, I enjoy this workout. The warm-up prepares you well for the punching and kicking. The punches and kicks are taught extremely well and instructor Aaron Lankford incorporates a lot of variety in how he combines the various kicks and punches. The tempo builds nicely, but even at the lowest intensity, Aaron includes enough squats and shuffles that you *know* you are working moderately hard. (I'm a Cathe Friedrich-addicted advanced exerciser, by the way.)

There are quite a few rapid combo sections that leave me literally gasping for air, but I CAN keep up and my form improves each time I do the workout. I particularly like his emphasis on the self-defense aspect of the workout, since I don't care for workouts that are focused on burning calories or getting my butt in shape for a thong bikini this summer. (NOT!!) I also appreciate his constant reminders on form.

I particularly like his strength work at the end. The standing leg work feels like an excellent complement to enhancing my kicks; the ab work is short, but I clench my abs hard and really push them to the limit and I feel my obliques and lower abs burn at the end. I like the ab stabilization exercise on your elbows and toes and I love the way he pyramids his push-ups. The stretch is excellent for the inner thighs, hips and butt.

PICKY STUFF: Okay. It's not a perfect workout. First and foremost, the background exercisers look like they met Aaron for the first time that morning (one of them is his wife, so that's a real guffaw) and have no idea what moves will be coming next. Also, I'll admit that I'm shallow and I'd like a little more glitz - better music, a set that didn't look like where I send my kids for time-out, well, you get the idea. Aaron gives these marvelous form pointers at the outset and then suddenly reverts to this crazed kind of Monday-night football patter, "are you ready for some power kicks? Let's get ready to rumble!" I sure would like to provide him with some synonyms for the word, "baby." And in the final combo of punching and blocking moves, he forgets to switch his stance and it feels very awkward.

For me, the complaints are minor. It's an excellent intermediate/advanced level workout. I'll happily buy the next video he makes. I'm not comparing it to Tae Bo, because I don't have the TB tapes.

Instructor Comments:
I like him. He seems like a big wholesome guy and comes across as a little awkward in the beginning. But by the end of the workout, I'm always amazed by the speed and grace of his kicks. Also, this guy is FLEXIBLE! He was practically doing the splits with a forward bend at the end of the workout. He's some kind of TKD champ and it shows. The background exercisers remind me of girls who never prepared for their final exams, sort of nervous and giggly. They are way out of whack in the warm-up and their punches look half-hearted. However, I'd be thrilled to be able to kick like either one of them -- I noticed their speed and form were pretty darned good. Next video, I hope Aaron and company take a little extra time to rehearse.

Daphne M

03/19/1999