Buns of Steel Target Toning

The workout is a fun intermediate 'toning' session that lasts 30 minutes long.

In those 30 minutes you workout your lower body using non weighted standing exercises that borrow from in-skating, martial arts and ballet.

This workout didn't work me to exhaustion, but it was a good thing to throw in as an add on for some extra lower body work.

I enjoyed the music track as it had "real songs" (not done by the real artist") from the 80s mostly - Holiday by Madonna, some Gloria Estefan songs.. honestly the songs weren't songs I normally listen to, but I did appreciate the lack of canned muzak.

The moves in the workout were executed well by Robin who seemed to know what she was doing. It was nice to see side kicks executed by someone in a 1997 workout and have them look like they were side kicks (unlike early beachbody workouts where the kicks are distractingly wrong)

For the price, this gets an A. I got it cheaply at DDD. I'll keep it and do it on days I don't feel like anything strenuous.

Instructor Comments:
Robin is a lot of fun. I enjoyed her teaching style greatly. Her cuing could have been better, but she had a lot of charisma.

Michelle Dozois and Dawn Pappas were the background exercisers.

Leela

This is a 30 minute video for "buns" but really is a lower body workout. It is an intermediate level of intensity but you need to have really good balance to perform all the moves without a chair for support.

I'm actually fond of this video as all the exercises are done standing and they are all derived from sports specific moves. (EG- skating/rollerblading, kickboxing, ballet.)

I find that the balance that you have to maintain to do the moves has actually helped me in doing my kick-boxing class and yoga, since a number of stabalizers are worked.

The workout consists of a brief warm-up then a the basic squats, forward/rear lunges and then some plyo lunges. After this there are three 8 minute segments of sport-oriented toning. The first segment is from skating. You squat then push one leg out away from your body lifting it about 7 inches off the floor for one side several times, then the other. It increases by having you do double-skates and then pulsing up for 5. In between these your back is given a rest by doing rear lunges. The second section is kick-boxing oriented. You start in "horse-stance" which is the same as a deep plie, and return to this spot between each kick. First you do side kicks (but in slow mode) and then rear kicks (also in slow mode). It's the slow mode that challenges the balance and muscle a lot. Then the end of this section has faster round-house kicks to shake out your legs. The last section is ballet-oriented and you start with plies, then a plie and dragging a leg in 16 times each leg (this is repeated). Then you maintain the plie and raise your heel on one side and the next. Then you raise both heals and hold this position, and you then rise up and down several times.

After this you do a cool down and stretch.

The music is pretty good, and the production is pretty good as well, much better than previous buns of steel. I definately will keep this one mostly because it is a good short toning workout and it has that added bonus of working stabalizers too.

Instructor Comments:
Upbeat and cues well. Friendly and encouraging. Chats to "you" and co-workouters. Does some form pointers throughout work out, but if you follow her form you would be okay.

Lisa Kucharski

This video consists of 3 segments, based on in-line skating, martial arts, and ballet. Rather than a 'buns' workout, I felt it really works my legs, especially inner thighs. I don't really feel like the in-line skating section is a challenge, but the martial arts and ballet sections make you work. I think this is a great lower body work out, with adequate warm up and cool down. (30 minutes long)

Instructor Comments:
Robin leads this one. She and the other girls are really peppy and keep you motivated; you can tell she is really into the work out. If you can't handle peppiness and smiley happy instructors, don't bother!

Kelli

I just bought this tape last week. I was tired of my old Buns of Steel tape(with Tamilee Webb), so I thought I'd try this new one. The instructer is very energetic. This becomes a bit annoying after a while. By the time she says, "I'm with you, all the way!" for the five millionth time, I just wanted to kick her! But it's a good workout. It's a little hard to follow at first, but after doing it once, it's a cinch. I kind of wish the tape was a little longer, because I like this workout and I feel like I could push myself a little more. Overall, the tape gets an A- and the instructer gets a B-.

Leila