This is a 45-minute total body tape. The body of the workout is 30 minutes long with an additional 15-minute dumbbell toning section as an added bonus. The workout combines 6 circuits alternating strength and cardio. All of the strength segments use only your body weight as resistance and all of the cardio sections are floor, no step is required.

The workout structure is as follows:

Strength 1: This section includes squats and squat pulse, outer thigh leg lifts, and narrow stance squats.

Cardio 1: Fast squats, small plyo squats where only your heels lift from the floor, toes stay grounded, outer thigh leg lifts, knee lifts with side kicks, side lunges. All of the squats and thigh lifts are done faster than they were performed in the Strength section.

Strength 2: Reverse lunges (Dips) and reverse lunge pulses, dips with hamstring curls and leg extensions

Cardio 2: Back taps, grapevine sequence with reverse lunges and front kicks, scissors, and power reverse lunges.

Strength 3: Pile squats

Cardio 3: Plyo jumps, regular jumping jacks, and speed skate slides

Strength 4: 2 count pushups, lying back bend extensions, and rear delt flies

Cardio 4: Pulsing squats, fast squats, and alternating heel digs

Strength 5: Narrow stance piles

Cardio 5: Punches, and simulated jump roping

Strength 6: A move very similar to an elbow strike to work the shoulders and one leg squats

Cardio 6: Side hops, knee lifts and hamstring curls.

A short stretch follows. There is no real cool down. Just a very short sequence of stretches that neglects to stretch most of the muscles used in the workout.

A bonus section of dumbbell toning ends the workout. All of these moves are done with very light weights. You will need dumbbells and a mat for abdominal work. You will do bent leg extension in the table position with a dumbbell supported in the knee bend, back rows in a knee lunge position, triceps extensions, bicep curls, side lateral raises, and crunches, reverse crunches, and oblique work. A very short stretch ends the workout. All of these toning movements are done in a very slow and controlled manner. Making it very easy to increase the weights while still keeping good form.

This tape is labeled as intermediate, but is more suited for high beginners or low intermediates. The strength portions are not very intense and the cardio sections are very basic and not very intense either. You can choose to use weights during the Strength sections and eliminate the arm movements or choose a lighter weight so that you can incorporate the arms movements as well. You can add intensity to the cardio by utilizing more plyos and increase in the range of motion.

The production quality was good, though the music was very bland “quasi latin” canned music. Minna is very rehearsed in this tape. She is not overly hyper nor is she to boring, but I do get the feeling that all of the cues were being read off of cue cards. There is no interaction with the participants.

This would be a good tape for a beginner or someone who is getting back into fitness after an absence. I don’t feel that even with lots of modifications a high intermediate or advanced exerciser would find this tape holding their interest very long, even on a light day.

Susie F.