Kim Kardashian Fit in Your Jeans by Friday : Butt Blasting Cardio Step

This isn't the type of workout that I would normally do--not only because of the celebrity instructor, Kim Kardashian, but also because I do usually do step (I actually don't own a full-sized step, so I had to substitute the top portion of my Firm Fanny Lifter). However, I saw this DVD in the library and was curious about it, so I decided to borrow it.

Although Kim does lead this workout, it was choreographed by veteran fitness instructor Patrick Goudeau. However, Patrick never actually appears; instead, Kim is featured with two background exercisers in an apartment-like studio setting. Most of Kim's cuing is performed via voiceover, although she breaks in with live instruction as well. She does not cue right or left, instead expecting the viewer to keep track of which side is up next at any given time.

The Main Menu offers the following options (approximate times added by me):
*Warm-Up (7 minutes)
*Combination 1 (7.5 minutes)
*Combination 2 (9 minutes)
*Combination 3 (10 minutes)
*BONUS Combination (5 minutes)
*Cool-Down (3 minutes)
*Bonus Features (Series Introduction--Interview with Kim--Behind the Scenes--Meet the Trainer)

Here are my brief breakdowns of the segments:

WARM-UP--Kim gets the heart pumping right away with many classic step moves, including basic step, knee ups, and corner steps.

COMBO 1--This combo includes a rock step to each side, a mambo over the top of the step, a cha-cha-cha/straddle step, and a three-knee repeater adding a fun little "woo" turn away from the step.

COMBO 2--I found this combo to have the easiest choreography. It starts with a fun L-step/punch off the side of the step, the goes to a "walk the plank" on the step and lunges off the step, ending with a double knee. For the final two repetitions, Kim does Combos 1 & 2 together.

COMBO 3--This section contains simple moves such as hamstring curls, knee ups, and kicks, but Kim adds A LOT of directional changes, making the choreography more complicated. She concludes by running through Combos 2 and 3 together three times.

BONUS--For the Bonus, Kim performs all three Combos together from beginning to end three times through.

COOL-DOWN--This brief segment is a combination of some flowing movements and then a few held stretches for the hip flexors and hamstrings.

I would rate this as a low intermediate step workout. Because I am not really used to step (and am not particularly good with choreography overall!), I found the choreography to be fairly tricky, but I am guessing that those with more step experience will have no problems here. Kim's cuing is okay, but I did not like the fact that most of the cuing was done via voiceover (virtually every cardio workout I have ever done has featured live cuing), and I especially did not like the combination of voiceover with live comments.

Kim teaches the combinations in an add-on style, meaning that she teaches one part, teaches a bit more, and then has you "take it from the top." In addition, sometimes she will teach you one move, but then she will switch this to a DIFFERENT move later in the combo; this was another thing that I did not like. But these are my own personal dislikes. In the end, someone who likes Kim and is looking for a fun step workout definitely might enjoy this DVD.

Instructor Comments:
Kim is mainly famous for being a celebrity; if you have a problem with that, you probably shouldn't buy this DVD. I don't have any issues with Kim personally, but as noted above, I didn't like the way that she cued this workout (admittedly, however, I have seen professional instructors who have been MUCH WORSE!). I also wasn't crazy about her outfit (a catsuit with boots, although I believe she says that they are Pumas). However, after watching the "Behind the Scenes" segment, which shows how she was genuinely excited about picking the clothes for the workout and how she really wanted to look high fashion because that's simply part of who she is, I could understand a little more.

Finally, although this workout wasn't for me, it did make more much curious about the other two workouts in this series, Ultimate Butt Body Sculpt and Amazing Abs Body Sculpt. Both of those DVDs feature instructor Jennifer Galardi, and unlike in this video, Jennifer actually leads those workouts. So, I guess I haven't given up on Kim Kardashian yet! ;)

Beth C (aka toaster)