Cardio Kung Fu
TJ StormYear Released: 2001
Categories: Boxing/Kickboxing/Martial Arts
This is just an overall
impression; I've only done the
workout twice. I'm reviewing the
30-minute cardio workout, not
the fundamentals or
applications (which I was forced
to buy as part of the rather
expensive package, argh).
This workout differs a bit from
Taebo or other cardio kickboxing
workouts; the only workout I can
think of that might have similar
moves (that I've done) is
Ginette's Urban Tai Chi. The
emphasis is not on snap-kicks
or closed-fist punches, but on
open-fisted strikes, blocks,
circular motions and a
tiger-crane-snake-bear (I may
be getting one animal or another
wrong, but there's four)
sequence of arm movements.
The set is hipster dark, kind of
like Larry Lam's XKO, and with
the same glossy, sleek young
hip-hop generation crowd (says
the cranky old Gen X-er from the
80s! :) ) The music is pumping
and motivating and
instrumental.
Some of the moves were hard to
get on the first try--combos of
crouches, compound arm
movements and leg
movements. I don't like these
moves as much as taebo
moves, which are based more
on tae-kwon-do than on kung fu.
That's just me--I'm biased
toward tae kwon do with its
more staccato and to-the-point
punching and kicking.
It's mostly low-impact, stylized
movements. You have to watch
the screen carefully because TJ
doesn't spend a whole lot of
time breaking down the moves
or talking. Among the most
complicated choreography is the
four-animal sequence done
while moving your two feet in a
circle. The first time I did the
workout I was actually pretty
frustrated by the stylized steps
and didn't get such a good
aerobic workout. The second
time, I caught on more quickly
and thus got a better workout. I'd
say it's moderate to
high-moderate if you're used to
advanced cardio, thus good as
an add-on for harder days or
whatever.
I guess the choreography is why
one might take a look at the
basics tape. The tape covers
say CKF burns "an astounding
1000 calories an hour!" Er, I'd be
really surprised if doing the
30-minute video twice equalled
a really tough TaeBo tape or
Cathe's KPC. But it adds nice
variety to your collection if you're
a cardio martial-arts-anything
junkie.
Instructor Comments:
Definitely easy on the eyes.
Looks fit, powerful and serious,
wearing a hip red martial arts
uniform. His instruction is
brusque and pointed; it's more
about watching and following
than about being cued. No
counting here, which can be
good and bad (good--not
repetitious; bad--sometimes you
have no idea how much longer a
certain move is going to go on).