Streamline Fitness

Karen Voight
Year Released: 1997

Categories: Total Body Workouts


This workout is one of Karen’s older titles and is now available on dvd. There are at least 3 versions of the dvd that I know of---the one that I have also features her Strong & Smooth Moves workout. It is very well-chaptered and there are menus to allow you to mix and match the sections.

Production-wise, it was kind of interesting in that it flipped between Karen working out in a studio, on a set, outdoors, in a living room etc. in both black and white and colour. You'’ start a move in one venue, then periodically skip to a new one. It was an odd filming choice, but kind of fun. The music varied by section, but I liked it and have no complaints.

The first section of the workout is a warm-up that features lots of large-muscle movement with squat-type moves, side to sides, toe touches etc. with arm add-ons. It was a great warm-up and the choreography was not too hard to follow.

Following this was a weight section using Karen’s weighted balls. She says you’re only doing one set per exercise so make it count, yet she uses these little tiny weighted balls with it. I have always been confused by Karen’s weight work because most of it contains some interesting moves (and I do like the little green balls) but is very low-rep and does not work every body part equally. This routine has the same flaws. I know she is aiming for time-efficient work here, but I can think of half a dozen routines of equal or shorter length that pack more of a punch than this. I think this might be one section of this tape that does not quite pass the test of time and has been eclipsed by newer and better techniques.

Following this section is an ab routine which seems to be fairly well-regarded by others. I am not a huge ab work fan, but I suppose it was okay.

The final section is a yoga-inspired stretch that was very nice. I think Karen’s best genre is her stretchy stuff, and this one felt great. She spends a lot of time on back stretches, including an unusually long cat/cow sequence that felt very nice.

Overall---this is a nice routine, but I’m not really sure how to use it. I’ve got better strength work than this, and if I want a stretch I have other options too. Periodically I will pull this workout out and do it and enjoy it, but it is not a mainstay in my rotation.

Joanna

05/27/2004