Cardio Strength Circuit Strength

Karen Voight
Year Released: 2001

Categories: Circuit Training (cardio and weights)


I clicked on Karen's website the other day and surprised that this video was ready since it was set for a December release. Since it was available, and you can order online, I just had to go ahead and try it. To give you some background, I am 43 and an intermediate exerciser that uses mostly Firms and Cathe videos along with some of Karen's.

This tape starts with an active warm-up and stretch done by Karen and two background exercisers. The video does require a step and two sets of weights- a "light" and "heavy" set. I used 5 and 10lbs, although I may experiment a little more with some heavier weights.

After the warm up, Karen takes you through a cardio segment lasting a little over 9 mins. The choreography for this section is pretty easy to follow if you are experienced with step, but it is fast paced.

After this section you move into a "heavy" weight training session working both upper and lower body. This segment includes: squats, lat rows, bicep curls with calf raises, dead lifts, push ups, pec flys and triceps. The movement for the most part, is slow and controlled and includes some work in the mid range, keeping the muscles contracted the entire time on the dead lifts and pec flys.

Then the next cardio session, lasting almost 7 mins begins. This is followed by a "lighter" weight session with weights. This time, you get triceps and biceps in a combo move, some lunges using the step, rhomboids(sp) and a shoulder segment where you combine rear delt lifts, lateral lifts, front lifts and an overhead press. That shoulder combo IMO is a killer.

Finally, you move into another cardio segment lasting about 7 1/2 mins. Karen then takes you to the floor for ab work on an incline step. The segment isn't super long, but abs are one of the things Karen does best and this segment is no exception. It is different and tough. Karen then finishes with some work for your glutes and thighs. You lie face down on your bench for this. You do have to get positioned just right as far as where your hips hit the bench in order to feel this correctly. The first time I did it, I had too much of my leg on the bench and felt nothing...today was a different story. Karen finishes with a standing stretch that includes a few moves similar to the second part of Streamlined Fitness.

Overall, I like this tape. I think you can have the option of going heavier with the weights if you want, but transitions are fast so you need to keep different poundage close by. The step portions are fun and the choreography is a mix of basic moves and fun, more intricate moves. I don't know if they are all new, since I don't have other step tapes by Karen, but the step work flows really well and moves can be modified to low impact or if you like, allot of jumping/propulsion moves. The step portions include moves like hop turns, pendulums or "tick tocks" Z steps, V steps, L steps and over the top . Overall, the strength segments remind me more of what Cathe calls endurance moves on many of her videos. You will get some strength training, but its not a Heavy muscle building workout.

Karen does give you plenty of opportunities to learn the moves and cues throughout this video. The step portions seem to go by pretty fast and I was able to get 99% of the moves down the second time I did this tape. Part of the music sound familiar-maybe from Cardiokicks? but its a good mix. Karen seems to be enjoying herself and does a good job with this workout. Its a good tape to use when you want to get weights and cardio in an hour but need more cardio than what my Firm tapes offer. Now that school has started and I am back at work, this tape works well for me.

Kathy

09/06/2001