I remember a lot of fuss about Cardio Cut F/X a few years ago. Most people said it was a good workout, but the production values left a lot to be desired. To me, this workout is somewhat similar to Chizel-It and Jump Force, though I found it to be less intense than either.

The set is a gym with white walls, a few plants, mirrors and windows. The windows are behind the exercisers. Apparently other people are using the gym, because if you look closely you can see people walking by and even exercising through the window. This isn’t as distracting as it sounds, though.

There were a few points when I could see a cable and maybe even the camera at the left side of the screen. Again, it’s not as distracting as it sounds, but definitely worth mention.

The music is typical CIA, I’ve heard bits of it in other workouts. Diane’s comments about the mirror held true for me—I was confused a couple of times, but the moves are relatively simple, so I caught up quickly.

The workout starts with a 6 minute warm-up, consisting of simple moves done on the floor. Then comes 30 minutes of cardio/weight work. I mostly used 3 lb. weights as you do a lot of reps and move pretty quickly. This is followed by about 7 minutes of abs and a 5 minute stretch.

Philip really hits the whole upper body, though there are many more back and shoulder exercises than anything else. I found that it wasn’t as intense as either Jump Force or Super Chizel-It. You don’t move around enough for it to really be considered cardio. I didn’t feel it in my upper body the next day. Philip includes more variety than you find in Super Chizel-It, but I felt Jump Force is more challenging and gives you a little more room to use heavier weights.

The lower body is worked through lunges, lots of squats, and one set of plyos. You don’t do these constantly, though, so I didn’t really consider it much of a leg workout.

The ab work consists of roll-downs where you start sitting up and then roll down so your shoulders almost touch the floor, then roll back up. He does variations of this, then works the obliques. Next is crunches for the upper and lower abs, and then you put your legs straight up and reach for each heel with the opposite hand. Nothing too unique, but still effective.

The background exercisers are all women. Giselle Roque de Escobar has been in other workouts and I believe has her own DVD out now. She shows modifications, as does one other person so you can do some of the moves in more or less challenging ways.


I have Philip’s CIA 2206 workout, and I like it, but this one was a little boring to me. I prefer Charles Harris’s energy in the Chizel-It workouts, or Anni’s in Jump Force. Cardio Cut F/X is currently available only on VHS. I think it’d be good if you’re looking for a slightly less intense version of Chizel-It or Jump Force. There’s no complex choreography, you don’t HAVE to do any high impact, and all you really need is a pair of light dumbbells.

Instructor Comments:

Pratima