30 Minutes to Fitness: L.I.F.T.

Kelly Coffey-Meyer
Year Released: 2010

Categories: Total Body Workouts



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This is one of my favorite 30 Minutes to Fitness DVDs and I only do half of the DVD. It contains two very different workouts - Olympic Lifting and Powersculpting. Unlike most of the other 30 Minutes to Fitness DVDs, these workouts are not combined together into premixes. Rather, each workout has it’s own menu with it’s own premixes. I can see why this decision was made; the two main workouts are so different from each other and aren't complementary.

I sort of watched the first few minutes of the Olympic Lifting workout once and decided that it wasn't for me. I'm just not interested in that type of strength workouts. For those that are, it's a 31-minute explosive strength workout using a barbell.

The second workout, Powersculting, is one of my favorite workouts. It's a metabolic strength training workout designed to give you a full-body strength workout with a cardio effect.The workout is set up in circuits - you do a move for 1 minute, do a transitional move, and then repeat the first move.Then, you move to on to the next set doing a move, a transitional move and then the first move in the circuit again. For some reason, I hate doing a workout and then repeating it, but I don't mind this structure and repeating a move pretty much immediately. Kelly uses 10 and 7 pound dumbbells; I used 8 pounders to start and then dropped to 5 pounds and then ended with three. To me, this workout works the shoulders hard and that is why I drop the amount of weight by the end of the workout.

I always think that the workout is starting slow and then it really picks up and the rest flies by for me. The music is really good with vocals and the set is probably one of my favorite sets with big windows behind the exercisers. Kelly is backed up by 4 background exercisers, one of whom is Lauren who modifies the moves.

At the end of this workout, I'm always a sweaty mess and I feel strong. This is one workout I will definitely keep for the long term.

Instructor Comments:
She is encouraging and motivating. Right at the part where I usually would quit early, she says that I can't quit, so I finish the workout.

Laura S.

06/18/2015

I love instructor Kelly Coffey-Meyer, and I have tried most of the DVDs in her 30 Minutes to Fitness series. L.I.F.T.: Lift in Full Throttle actually came out several years ago (in 2010), and I admit, I had been reluctant to try it. Although I heard raves about the second workout on the DVD, "Powersculpting," I wasn't sure that that I was up for the first routine, "Olympic Lifting," in part because it uses a barbell (although modifications with a dumbbells are shown). However, I recently had a chance to acquire this video, so I decided to go for it.

As with all of her DVDs, Kelly teaches live. Here she is accompanied by two background exercisers, Jen and Lauren, who is the modifier. The Main Menu lists the following options:
*Introduction
*Workout One - Olympic Lifting
*Workout Two - Powersculpting
*Quick Body Reformer
*Credits
*Music On/Off
Each of the two workouts has its own submenu. I have provided detailed information for each below.

WORKOUT ONE - OLYMPIC LIFTING
The submenu for this segment includes Tutorial - Warm-Up - Workout - Total Body Mix (17 Min) (Warm-Up, Full Cleans, 2 Sets of Clean & Press, 2 Sets of Clean & Split Jerk, and Stretch). The Tutorial is quick, with Kelly providing an overview of each move for the main workout via voiceover. Although she states that you MUST watch the Tutorial first (which I did), I found that she gave plenty of form pointers during the actual workout. The 5-minute Warm-Up (used for both the full workout and the premix) uses light weights to prep for the moves included in the routine: exercises include hang squats, shoulder shrugs, upright rows, high pulls, deadlifts, elbow cleans, overhead press, and overhead lunge, with the series repeated once. The moves for the full workout were as follows:
*deadlifts
*cleans from hip
*combine deadlift with cleans from hip
*power cleans
*military press
*power cleans combined with military press
*front squat
*full clean
*push press
*clean (full) and press, 2 sets
*split jerk
*full clean to split jerk, 2 sets
*final set of clean & press and clean to split jerk, 4 each
*quick stretch (about 1.5 minutes)
For this workout (and the premix), Kelly and Jen use a 30-pound barbell, and Lauren modifies with 12-pound dumbbells. The total time for this workout (with warm-up and cool-down) is about 30.5 minutes.

WORKOUT TWO - POWERSCULPTING
The submenu options for this section are Warm-Up - Workout - Core & Legs Mix (13 Min) - Timesaver Mix (24 Min) (One Round of Each Exercise). The 3.5 minute Warm-Up includes marches, squats with arm wraps, toe taps with front lunge, and side taps. The strength moves are continuous without breaks; as noted below, Kelly cues either single or double dumbbells. The exercises are grouped into triple sets as divided below:
-
*1 dumbbell for side-to-side step, moving dumbbell in arc overhead
*crunch side-to-side while holding 1 dumbbell
*repeat 1 dumbbell arc
-
*2 dumbbells for R-L uppercut with curtsey and double hammer punch down
*continue to hold 2 dumbbells: alternate front leg lift, touch with opposite hand
*repeat R-L uppercut
-
*2 dumbbells for squat to plank and alternate renegade row
*1 dumbbell for standing "throw" (swing) dumbbell from hip to hip
*repeat squat with renegade row
-
*2 dumbbells for alternate leg raises to the side with side body block
*triple pulse squat
*repeat alternate leg raises
-
*lunges R-L, touching 2 dumbbells under-over-under
*crescent kicks
*lunges R-L
-
*2 side steps, push 2 dumbbells to front and to side
*step out for 3 rocking lunges
*repeat 2 side steps
-
*rear lunge with 2 dumbbells for triceps overhead extension
*2 dumbbells for alternating 1-leg squat with side delt raise
*repeat rear lunge
-
The cool-down stretch for this section is about 2 minutes, making the total Powersculpting workout approximately 33 minutes.

BODY REFINER
This 8-minute all-floor premix features Kelly and Lauren only. Kelly is using the bar, and Lauren is again modifying with dumbbells. Kelly goes through just four moves but then repeats for a second round (with some slightly different variations). The moves are as follows: roll outs (hands on bar or floor), triangle jumps (ditto), crunches (feet over bar), and feet in & out (feet on bar or floor).

Now that I've tried it, I'm not sure why I waited so long to try this DVD! Olympic Lifting is a tough but extremely doable workout and perfect for those who want to work up to lifting heavier and/or to try a different style of strength training. I felt thoroughly worked out from using 10-pound dumbbells with this one and had soreness in my legs, particularly the inner thighs, the next day (even from the shorter premix, which is "just the lifts," so more intense!), but more advanced exercisers than myself (I'm high intermediate) could go even heavier. Powersculpting is non-stop, with fun moves and providing a great cardio effect in addition to the weight training. I am looking forward to trying the premixes in this section as well. Another creative, versatile DVD from Kelly--definitely recommended!

Instructor Comments:
As I said, I love Kelly! However, that does not mean that I own EVERY workout she owns, as I don't always click with everything she puts out. This DVD worked for me though. Her cuing was excellent as always, particularly all of the form details she gave for Olympic Lifting. I also prefer the older set used here, the one with the windows in the background.

Beth C (aka toaster)

10/20/2014

Just did this for the first time this morning and thought it was tough and good! I was looking for something different(doing lots of Cathe lately) and this was totally different than anything I own.

I walked my dogs for my warmup and started right in on the Olympic lift section.

This is certainly an endurance workout..by the end of the workout I was very glad to be done. A squat-fest for sure. I used 40lbs instead of KCM's 30, and was very challenged. I don't know Olympic form that well, but she seemed to explain the form well enough and I felt safe doing the moves since the barbell wasn't that heavy.

It is repetitive, but I like Tonique so I don't mind repetitive. It didn't feel boring to me at all because it is pretty short and the reps were easy to cout down. This will be an easy workout to grow with, as you can add weight to make it tougher.

The workout was actually only 23 minutes instead of 30 if you subtract the stretchy cooldown which I did because I followed it up with the Powersculpt section.


The Powersculpt part of the workout felt tough because I was pretty fried by the Lift portion. This part is 27 min, using lighter weights. I used 8"s and 10's. I think that was what Kelly used too. This is a gem of a workout if you want to hit your whole body at once including your core.

If you add the two together, I'd put this workout in the same category as a KB workout....kind of functional, kind of squat heavy, strenuous with a bit of a cardio effect, plus some upper body too.

It clocked in at 50 min without warmup and cooldown.

Totally worth the $15 I spent on it!:) As always YMMV.

Instructor Comments:
Kelly is strong, encouraging and straight forward.

frostyjan

11/05/2013

This DVD includes two 30 minute workouts - Olympic Lifting and Powersculpting. It also includes one very short workout called Body Refiner. This review is only for Powersculpting, since it's the only one I've done so far.

DVD Menu:
Introduction
Workout One - Olympic Lifting
Workout Two - Powersculpting
Quick Body Refiner
Credits
Music On/Off

Workout Two (Powersculpting) Menu Options -
Warmup
Workout
Core & Legs Mix (13 min)
Time Saver Mix (24 min) - one round of each exercise
Main Menu

Workout Two Breakdown - (Kelly uses 10 lb. and 7 lb. dumbbells)
Wide side to side steps, then add a dumbbell arc overhead (circle it overhead from hip to hip)
Zig zag side to side, holding dumbbell
Repeat wide side to side steps w/dumbbell arc

Upper cuts right and left, curtsy dip left and right w/sort of a half biceps curl at top
Straight leg lifts to front, reach hand to opposite toe holding dumbbells
Repeat upper cut/curtsy dip combo

Wide squats, then go down into plank and renegade row, walk feet up and stand
Standing, swing dumbbell fom hip to chest level and around to other hip, using hips
Repeat squat/renegade row combo

Side chamber knee, then add body block with arm (kinda a triceps kickback), holding dumbbells
Close pulsing squats
Repeat side chamber knee/body block combo

Alternating front lunges, touch dumbbells together under the leg at bottom, and then together at chest level at the top
Crescent kicks
Repeat front lunge/dumbbell touch combo

Double step touch side to side, push dumbbells front and then side
3 alternating side lunges side to side
Repeat double step touch/push combo

Alternating dips with hold w/overhead triceps extension during the hold
Touch toe out in front, deadlift down and shoulder fly, alternate
Repeat dips/triceps extension combo

Workout was about 27.5 minutes (not coungint WU/CD). When I first previewed this workout, I wasn't sure about it. I liked the music, but she said each move is done for a minute, and the moves are very simple, AND you repeat them, so I thought this might be pretty repetitive. I then did the workout, and although it is a bit repetitive, I actually didn't find it overly so. I think I am starting to like the idea of doing each move for a minute. Although it isn't going to be a party in a box, I think I could really stand to increase my endurance in that respect. I sometimes feel like weight workouts that move very quickly from one thing to another don't improve that part of my fitness. I also like how she works the arms without doing a ton of traditional isolation moves like biceps curls. Even if there are some in there, they don't feel like the norm.


Nyx Black

08/04/2010