(This review pertains to the DVD edition)

I'm 47 years old and have had trouble being consistent with my workouts for some time. I've been using this DVD for about a month now, and that's about all I can say for my efforts in the fitness area during this time. I haven't been good about getting in my cardio, and I had a lot of leftover Halloween candy that had to be eaten. In spite of myself, I lost two pounds over this period (and not just the Halloween candy pounds--that would bring the total to four) and have noticed muscle development all over, including places where I notice it last, like my chest. Before I did this DVD, I was always suspicious of weight training that didn't require heavy weights. I stand corrected, and I would recommend this DVD to anyone who is trying to get back on the exercise wagon or to anyone who feels time-crunched (doing the complete workout requires about 45 minutes per day) or to anyone who just wants to try something new.

Weight Training Made Easier is a DVD that collects three of Joyce Vedral's videos: Weight Training Made Easier Days 1 and 2 and Workout 101. The chaptering of these videos is fairly simple: the two WTME tapes have chapters for the Introduction, Warm Up, workout for the day's body parts (for Day 1, that's Chest & Triceps and Shoulders & Biceps; for Day 2, that's Back & Lower Body), and workouts for Abs, Hips, and Butt. Workout 101 is just one big chapter. Since the WTME workouts are based on supersets, it wouldn't really be possible to break them down by individual exercise, so I think that the chaptering is adequate. The "Customize Your Workout" feature is the menu.

The videos were produced by Greg Twombley, and CIA fans will recognize the music and the “southwestern” set. Fortunately, Joyce seems to have had control over her wardrobe; she is not attired in silver spandex or army pants.

Workout 101 is a total body workout composed of 12 exercises and one superset. I've only viewed this workout, and I don't think that I'll ever do it. However, if you've never done weight training before, it might be useful.

The WTME workouts are based on three principles: split routine, pyramids, and supersets. Day 1 covers the chest, triceps, shoulders, and biceps, and Day 2 covers the lower body and the back. Both days have different workouts for the abs, hips, and butt.

Supersets are used by pairing exercises for two different body parts and performing one set of each exercise without rest between them. You are allowed 15 seconds of rest between sets, and you pyramid between sets by increasing weight and decreasing reps. Because of the short rest periods, you won't be using a large amount of weight for these exercises.

On Day 1, you'll perform three sets of four supersets for chest and triceps, then three sets of four supersets for shoulders and biceps. The workouts for these body parts total about 25 minutes, and the abs, hips, and butt routine will add another 20 minutes.

On Day 2, you'll perform three sets of six superset for lower body and back and one giant set for the calves (coming to a bit more than 20 minutes), and then twenty minutes of abs, hips, and butt exercises.

The abs, hips, and butt workouts don't use any weights, but do use supersets. You'll do three sets of 15 reps of each exercise.

Both workouts are incredibly efficient, since you spend so little time resting between sets, and because Joyce keeps you moving at a brisk pace. I don't find the pace uncomfortable, but I'm not trying to use heavy weights (I use 3-, 5-, and 8-lb. dumbbells). Joyce says that she usually uses 10-, 15, and 20-lb. dumbbells, so this is definitely not the workout for someone who wants to lift heavy.

The warm-ups on both days are minimal--just some basic stretches. If you've read Joyce's books, that's because the first set of each exercise is the warm-up. Joyce's form occasionally suffers--I suspect that it's because she's using lighter weights than she's used to. She occasionally loses count on the abs, hips, and butt routines, but she has you doing more reps rather than less, so I just call it a bonus.

I have to credit this DVD for the results that I've seen in the last month. Sure, I did the workouts, but they were workouts that I wanted to do. And the shortness of the workouts made it possible for me to do them.

Instructor Comments:
I like Joyce's presentation in this video. She's 57 at the time of filming, and makes no bones about weight training being work. She looks awfully good for 57, but her attitude toward that is terrific: "People say that I'm lucky to have such a great body. I tell them I'm not lucky--I work!" She assures her viewers that "You'll look better than I do." Well, only time will tell on that one, but I find it comforting all the same. Joyce is a native New Yorker, and her accent will tell you that, even if you hadn't read the biography on her web site. She's matter-of-fact, and pulls no punches. I enjoy her persona on her tapes--she cracks me up. And, hey, anyone who would consider bringing her bulldog to a video shoot is probably my kind of exerciser.

Mollie F.