I’m reviewing this workout after previewing and doing it once.

General workout breakdown: This weights routine of just a hair over 60 min. focuses on high reps and low weights to build endurance; it also features a number of multi-joint / multi-limb moves. The exercises include reverse lunge & side squat, spider & push-ups, chest press w/ hips raised, bent leg deadlift and bicep curl, wide squat and upright row, stiff leg deadlift with lat row, squat w/ lat raise + narrow squat w/ ant raise, step ups w/ overhead press, tricep kickback w/ core work, abs, and stretches for the total body. I believe later editions (I have one of the first issues) have more of a total body warm-up before diving right into weights.
Between each exercise runs a brief clip of a man demonstrating the exercise with a mention of the muscles worked. At the beginning of each exercise appears each exerciser’s weight load, the maximum calories burned, and the average calories burned; Jari usually continues talking about the exercises’ benefits while these show. This leads to a bit of a pause between exercises, a pause for which I was grateful as I selected my equipment, got a drink of water, caught my breath, or wiped the sweat off of my face!

Level: I’d recommend this to experienced intermediate / advanced exercisers and up. Mid- to high intermediates could use the appropriate weights (or not) and rest where needed; more advanced exercises could increase the weights, add balance challenges with equipment like a Bosu, etc., to make this workout appropriately challenging.

Class: 2 women and 1 man join Jari, who instructs live. Often, at least two of the participants show variations, modifications, or substitutions for equipment, level, or area of concern.

Music: standard mostly instrumental exercise fare with a driving beat. I recognized a number of songs from other videos.

Set: somewhat dark interior set with living room furniture off to one side and motivational words (e.g. “results”) on one wall and pictures of muscled body parts on another.

Production: clear picture and sound. The camera angles are usually helpful rather than distracting.

Equipment: Jari presents options for those using barbells with plates or dumbbells. A few exercises use a full-sized step with 2 risers. You may want to have an exercise mat handy, too.

Space Requirements: You should be able to do lunges in each direction and lie down with arms and legs extended plus have room to set aside equipment for some of the exercises.

DVD Notes: The main menu features the choices of Introduction, Full Workout, Exercises (i.e. chapters of each exercise), Bonus Features (Interview with Cory, Preview Slim & Lean, More Ripped Workouts, Bloopers), and Credits.

Comments: I was surprised that I enjoyed RTTC more than Slim & Lean (S&L), as I didn’t think I’d like the multi-joint (or, in common VF parlance, “compound”) moves. The progression from one exercise to another and the variation in tempos are what kept this workout from being Snoresville for me. I’ve moved away from super high reps with super low weights, however, but if I were into that type of training I would probably use this video regularly. (I’m one of those who finds that the original Ripped remains my favorite Jari.)

Instructor Comments:
I like Jari: she’s relatively low key (I’d rather have someone a little more stilted than someone with too much caffeine in her system), and she believes in what she’s doing. At times she veers into motivational speaker territory (e.g. beginning segments with statements like “You are unlimited in your potential.”), which isn’t my cup of tea, and she seems too focused on burning calories and especially carbs for my liking. But I applaud her for pushing weight training and putting out inexpensive DVDs of quality workouts.
Anyway, Jari does include some form instruction and tips, and she mirror cues.

KathAL79