Sweat Factory

Petra Kolber
Year Released: 1997

Categories: Floor Aerobics/Hi-Lo/Dance



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This is one of the best aerobic videos I have ever done! I try to do a different type of video everyday (step, aerobic, toning) but after doing this video I have a hard time doing any other video. Petra is wonderful! This video is a dance routine not too hard to follow, but challanging (and believe me I am not the most coordinated person). The video is set up in a dance club type atmosphere, with dance club music and dance club "attitude". Anyone who wants to add excitement to their workout should definitely check out this video.

Michaelle Rafalko

11/30/-0001

I enjoy doing this video on "light" workout days. It is about a half hour long, and I find it good to use as a warm-up to a strength video or on days when I don't feel very energetic. Petra is a very likable instructor. Her routines are very dancy and some are more complex, but they are repeated enough so that it is easy to catch on. This video is a good alternative to a "straight" aerobics video, it hardly feels like working out. The music and set is dance club, and the attitude is 'Let's just have a good time.' This is a good fun video for all fitness levels, though it is not a cardiovascular challenge.

Cathy Mark

05/31/1997

It's an easier workout for me, a good warmup in conjunction with a tougher video, or to use on days when I'm not feeling as energetic. I really enjoy this one because it seems like the point is to have fun - Petra makes it feel like more of a dance club party than a workout. It's rated as an intermediate workout, but it's really pretty easy to do. Dancy, but not difficult to follow.

Instructor Comments:
Petra is great - very upbeat without being overly perky She makes the workout seem like a fun get-together, and reminds you to have fun and go at your own pace. Her cuing is very good and easy to follow. I also love her accent.

C. McAdam

01/24/1998

I like Petra but I didn't like this video. It starts off with a 4 minute dancy warmup and then goes into a 23 minute workout. I hated the set with flashing lights and weird hooker type dancers in the background. Really gross. It was hard to concentrate on the instructing because of it. I know it's supposed to be a club type setting but this was like a topless bar with the girls in mini skirts, gogo boots and revealing tops in the background. Yuckeroo. Sometimes they would lay on the ground and act all weird.

The workout itself is really funky like a grapevine with a funky twist to it.

There were two camera angles one close and one far away. On the close up, Petra and her friends ( two other girls) were really sweaty. Where on the far away angle, they weren't. It didn't match.

The workout itself was ok, but I don't think I will do it again since I hated the weird set. The music was ok. Nothing great.

Instructor Comments:
Every video Petra leads is full of smiles and friendly attitude. She does a good job on cueing and teaching the moves. She is having a lot of fun and sometimes clowns around. She also talks with the background exercisers and she calls them her best friends.

Mandy Lee

07/06/1998

When I first previewed this tape I couldn't keep my eyes off of the dancers in the background...the workout takes place in a club-like atmosphere with "sexy" dancers to boot...I wasn't too sure how I would like the video since I found that so silly...

Well, I love this workout! I don't notice the silliness going on the background while I'm working out with Petra and her 2 friends...this workout is a lot of fun...there are dance moves but if I can get them in 2-3 tries then anyone can...

Petra and the 2 women exercising with her seem to have a lot of fun with each other...they have a good rapport but don't say too many silly things to get on your nerves after a while...they concentrate on the workout and having fun...

The music goes well with the club-like atmosphere...normally I am not a fan of music like this but I do happen to like it in this video...

Collage rates this workout as intermediate...I personally think beginners to low intermediates would get the best workout with it...it gets me in my target heartrate zone but it is definitely one of my easier cardio workouts...it's perfect to add with a harder cardio tape, with a strength tape or just to do on one of those days you don't feel too well but want to workout a bit...

Also, I modify some of the moves since I don't have too much room to the front and back of me when I workout...plus you need to be able to do a bit more than a grapevine side to side...all in all this workout doesn't require too much room but if you live in a shoebox dorm room it might not be for you...

Ignoring the stupid background I give this workout an A!

Instructor Comments:
I think Petra is great in Sweat Factory...her cues are better than average and she has a lot of energy...she's a lot of fun...

Kat

07/12/1998

This is a good workout. It still leaves me in a "sweat" (sorry), although not as much as when I first put it in about a month and a half ago. However, I agree with the comments that this is good for a day when you just don't feel like working out or if you want to do it in combination with something else.

I enjoyed the dance tunes, which was a surprise to me - I didn't think I would (loud pounding music usually gives me a headache). But it's very infectious. In fact, one of the things I like about this is that if you don't feel like following the routine, Petra just tells you to "crank up the music" & just dance to it.

As for the set, it actually reminds me (sort of) of a dance club I used to frequent in the early 1980's. As for the background dancers, who cares what they look like? The exercise is the thing, so I can easily tune them out.

This one's an A in my book!

Instructor Comments:
Love her! She doesn't take herself too seriously, which is important to me. She cues pretty well in this video, is always smiling, always encouraging.

NanB

09/04/1998

I'm not sure I'll keep this one - it's short and has decent music but I feel so uncoordinated! It was very frustrating when the camera was busy focusing on Petra's face when what I really wanted to see was what her feet were doing. The first time through took me over 30 minutes to make it through the first 2 dance combinations and I still don't think I have it.... Very frustrating!

Instructor Comments:
Pleasant to watch, she was obviously having a great time

Jeanne

03/11/1999

I used to workout with Petra and Tamilee and Body by Jake on Fit TV but, when my cable courier didn't carry it anymore I wans't too sure as to what I would do. A couple months had gone by and I still kept my routine as to working out but, I still couldn't find as to how I could get Petra back into my regular routine again. I was wondering around a local movie shop were they carried a workout video of Petra Kolber and the Sweat Factory. I instantly bought it went home used and LOVED it. I do it at least 4 times a week. Thank You!!!!!

Instructor Comments:
I think that Petra is the best motivator in the world. For a while I had no urge to workout and suddenly when I saw her video I was so exciting I couldn't wait to use it. I had no doubts that I woudln't like because I know that she is an excellent trainer none the less an inspriration!!

Mindy

03/19/1999

I found this video on sale at a sporting goods store in a 2-pack with Dance Step. As much as I like Petra's personality and cueing, this tape was too dancy for me, and I found it impossible to execute many of the moves on a carpet. I didn't really dislike anything about it, it just doesn't work well for me.

Instructor Comments:
I really like Petra, and I really like her "linking" method of teaching moves where she teaches a few steps at a time and then adds them into the overall routine. Even though there are a lot of people who hate "TIFTing," if you have two left feet like me this method is a blessed relief.

Kate Hedstrom

04/01/2002

Recently, I've started to give away some of my older VHS workouts that have been collecting dust. I've been putting them in the VCR to check and see if I'm REALLY ready to give them up.

Well, I'm not ready to give away Sweat Factory!! I put it in the VCR and the next thing I knew, I was up and dancing away.

The music is terrific, the moves are fun without being too complex and before I knew it, the half hour was over and I was indeed sweating and feeling fine.

This workout is a keeper and has stood the test of time. A real classic.

Instructor Comments:
Petra's cueing is great and she appears to be having a good time.

RuthNYC

11/15/2006