"Energy" is definitely the name of the game. Total Energy is more cardio-intense than Aaron's previous video (Power Kicks.) And the addition of a team of background exercisers raises the energy level higher still. Things I liked about this video: the instructor, the choreography, a little more intense than most kickboxing videos, the rapport between instructor and exercisers, the design and progression of the exercises. Things I didn't like: the music was not very loud. Which I didn't notice as much while I was doing the workout, but it bothered me a lot during the preview.

This workout actually had me laughing out loud a few times, which is not my usual reaction to kickboxing.

OK, I'm going to give a lot of detail in my review, since this is a new video that most people haven't had a chance to get familiar with yet. So bear with me.

The warm-up is long and pretty intense. You start out punching, and the kicks come in EARLY in the warm-up. I think Aaron says something about doing little teeny kicks, but his teeny kicks look like my high kicks! (My first laugh.) The warm-up includes front, roundhouse, side and back kicks. (The fast back kicks are hard to do without losing your balance. Which I did lose, and then I got another laugh.) There are pulsing squats in this wide-legged spider position. Then you do some pretty athletic stretching and start into the cardio combinations.

These are FUN. One early combo is a front kick/step back and punch down to the ground combination. (Laugh in amazement, cause I could actually do it.) Another tough one that you do right off the bat is a back kick and then a jump into a squat position while you are double-punching forward. Then you do some speed bag work, which always gets my heart rate right up there. There's a 4 kicks up, 4 kicks back combo, which is fun because of the way you don't change lead legs when you change direction. Then a combo with double roundhouse kicks and jabs, then a combo of "round the world" kicks. You kick front, roundhouse, side, back, switch legs and repeat. By now, you're really sweating and breathing hard. So he takes it down a little with some easier jabs and steps. Just when you're starting to relax, he takes the level up again with a grapevine, triple side kick combination. Then you learn crescent kicks, which are similar to a very unnatural thing that my little brother used to do to my Barbie dolls' legs. You do a combo using the crescent kick. Then on to my favorite! Front kick, leap, front kick and jab back. Love that leaping kick! (Laugh for pure joy!) I feel like I am the star of my own martial arts movie! Then a combo where you squat and do fast alternating jabs while you continuously squat down and up. Back to that famous front kick/punch the ground combo. Then he takes it even higher with a series of fast jabs and flurries.

Throughout the workout, Aaron offers good form pointers and lots of encouragement and motivation. After a tough combo, he'll say, "give yourself some energy!" and I clap for myself each and every time. Or he'll tell you to focus on what barrier you want to break down today ... or what your goal is for the day. He told me to find my champion within -- and believe me, I went looking!

The cooldown is a nice change from any other kickboxing video I've done. Essentially, he teaches you some self-defense moves while you're cooling down. So you hold your hands up in front of your face and then you're supposed to look really wide-eyed and innocent and say, "please don't hurt me." And he makes you chant it right along with the other participants. (Many laughs here.) Then you're supposed to surprise your attacker with a quick palm strike or elbow strike to his chin/face/head. For some reason, it is kind of fun to envision yourself surprising some big, bad mugger this way. (As long as it's not real life, it's fun!)

The ab work is short and intense. You come up for a slow count, then alternating jabs while you peak hold, then roll down slowly and repeat. You also do ab stabilization work on your elbows and toes. The stretch is similar to a series of sun salutations, for those who are familiar with yoga. Down dog, up dog, cobra, mountain ...

Aaron and his crew are really polished during the whole workout. They obviously rehearsed a lot and it shows. Aaron is in big black boxers shorts and the 4 women and 1 guy are all dressed mostly in black and white. Diane Lankford is in the back row, and beginners are supposed to follow her. There are 2 or 3 other women in the back with her, a slender, graceful and very beautiful Asian girl; a very pale blonde; and a a girl with tightly braided hair. The front row exercisers have more powerful builds: there are a woman and a man in the front with Aaron and they both just LOOK like boxers, if you know what I mean. Solid, strong and fast. The set is fairly spartan ... a lot of RED in it.

Instructor Comments:
Aaron is a great teacher. I feel like he is my personal coach throughout this workout. Throughout the workout, he emphasizes working at your own level, but challenging yourself. I really like him.

Daphne M