30 Mintues to Fitness: Your Best Body

Kelly Coffey-Meyer
Year Released: 2011

Categories: Total Body Workouts



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For me, this DVD has been a sneaky hit. When listing my absoute favorite workouts that I love, it probably wouldn't occur to me to include this DVD because I just don't FEEL that much love for it. But, at the same time, you couldn't pry it out of my hands, if you tried. That's because it's such a versatile DVD that gives so many options. And, the workouts themselves are pleasant and effective; I enjoy them while I'm doing them. In the end, it really is a favorite. This DVD offers two main 30-minute workouts and a bunch of premixes, many of which I use regularly. Some of her other 30-Minute to Fitness DVDs have premixes that I don't really use because they give options that don't conform to my workout preferences, but these are right up my alley.

This DVD includes her "old crew" of background exercisers, including Lauren who acted as modifier. The two main workouts are structured the same, just with different moves within that structure of sets of moves. In each set, Kelly combines two upper body exercises for the same body part, alternating them for several sets; then she does a lower body move, and you can do it with whatever weight you wish; then she does a "rest" move, a standing abs exercise, although she does do a set of planks here and there.

Kelly recommends having three sets of dumbbells for these workouts (light, medium, and heavy). One of the things that I LOVE about these workouts is that you can make it into the KIND of workout you want - light weights for an endurance workout, heavier weights for a true strength workout, or something in between. Of course, you can do as many reps as you want to make those choices happen.

Here are the premixes Kelly includes on the DVD. Each includes a warm up and a cool down, which is nice given that the main workouts don't include the warm up (a separate item on the DVD main menu). Above, I talked about how Kelly does standing abs work as a "rest" after the moves for legs. Some of these premixes given options for what that rest can be. I use the ones with cardio rests to turn these workouts into an AWT (aerobic weight training) option.

*Workout One with Cardio Rests (37:18)
*Workout Two with Cardio Rests (39:38)
*Workout One with No Rests (30:04)
*Workout Two with No Rests (32:49)
*Workout One - No Legs (27:09)
*Workout Two - No Legs (27:50)
*All Legs and Core (34:55)
*Cardio and Legs (37:13)
*Cardio and Upper Body (56:15)
*Core and Yoga (21:51)

In the end, I really value this DVD and the options it gives. It would be a great "desert island" workout because it gives so many options.

Instructor Comments:
She shines in this workout. Her cueing is clear and she's enthusiastic about what she's doing.

Laura S.

05/13/2015

I have been a fan of instructor Kelly Coffey-Meyer's workouts for a long time now. When this workout was released about a year ago, I was just getting into kettlebells, and I didn't think I really needed another more traditional weights DVD at that time. I am so happy to have acquired this DVD now, however, as it has quickly become a new favorite! Like all of the previous releases in her 30 Minutes to Fitness series (see also 30 Minutes To Fitness: Kickboxing, 30 Minutes To Fitness: Circuit Burn, 30-Minutes to Fitness Start Here, etc.), this DVD offers two main workouts, each about 30 minutes in length, plus plenty of Premix options--all in all, you get a huge bang for your buck with this series!

The Main Menu for Your Best Body is as follows:
*Introduction
*Warm Up
*Workout One
*Workout Two
*Yoga/Stretch
*Premixes
*Chapters
*Credits

Kelly works out on her usual set (windows in the background) and is joined by her usual background exercisers Sam, Lori, and Lauren showing modifications. For the two main workouts, the general format is that Kelly alternates supersets (between 3 and 5 sets) of two upper body exercises (for the same body part), then does a lower body move, the does a "rest" move, generally a standing move to work the core (although she also throws in just a couple of planks). Kelly recommends having three sets of dumbbells for these workouts (light, medium, and heavy). I have provided details for each segment below.

WARM UP (4 minutes)
This has got to be one of my favorite warm-ups of Kelly's, both because it is quick and because it has fun moves that are not repeated--i.e., she runs through the sequence only once. The exercises include side-to-side squat with circle knee, low jacks, pushing up and to the front, marches with kicks to the front, puddle jumps (fun!), side-to-side reaches alternating with heel taps front/wrap arms, jump rope, and step front with triple knee. Kelly concludes with a few very brief stretches for the upper body.

WORKOUT ONE (30.5)
I really enjoyed this workout! Here are the exercises:
*back: row with reverse grip/reverse pec deck, 5 sets
*legs: deadlift to Russian squat
*core: genie squat and twist
*shoulders: reverse grip lateral raise/alternating front raise, 3 sets
*legs: single leg squat with moving leg
*core: stationary lunge with reach and pull
*biceps: half curls/alternating hammer curls, 5 sets
*legs: pull through plie
*core: plank with knee pull
*triceps: triceps kickbacks/lift and click, 4 sets
*legs: moving side lunges, double then single
*core: twist with knee lift
*chest: alternating chest cross/elbow squeeze pec dec, 5 sets
*legs: wide plie with tempo changes
That's it! One thing that I found a little disappointing is that there is NO stretch included in this workout; Kelly usually does at least a quick stretch (as she does in Workout Two on this disc), but here she just notes that you can move on to the Yoga/Stretch portion.

WORKOUT TWO (33.5 minutes)
I didn't find this workout quite as fun as the first, but it was still enjoyable. Here's the breakdown:
*back: back v-row/high pull, 5 sets
*core: front lunge with static lunge
*core: rib shift, bobbing up and down
*shoulders: cheer press/lateral raise with palms up, 5 sets
*legs: single leg deadlift
*core: static lunge with crunch
*biceps: alternating long curl/side curl, 3 sets
*legs: squats
*core: plank with side leg extension
*triceps: overhead extension/alternating kickbakcs, 4 sets
*leg: curtsey with reverse lunge
*core: broomstick twist
(lying on floor)
*chest: alternating flys/chest press, 5 sets
*single leg bridge
*supermans
For this workout, Kelly does end with just a few minutes of quick seated stretches.

YOGA/STRETCH (7 minutes)
One (minor) beef that I've had with Kelly in the past is that when she has offered "yoga" segments on her DVDs, she has always done them in shoes--unfortunately, yoga in shoes is a pet peeve of mine! Therefore, I was glad to see that she actually addressed this issue here, stating that yoga usually IS done barefoot but admitting "I'm not a barefoot kind of girl." So, this time, she has Sam joining her, with Sam doing the stretch barefoot. I thought this was a nice little flowing segment. Kelly starts in chair pose, moving back through plank, down dog, one-legged down dog, knee-to-nose, lunge twist, and high lunge. She then comes back to chair and repeats the entire series on the other side.

Here are the Premixes as Kelly has them listed on the Premix menu; she notes that they all include a Warm-Up and a Cool-Down:
*Workout One with Cardio Rests (37:18)
*Workout Two with Cardio Rests (39:38)
*Workout One with No Rests (30:04)
*Workout Two with No Rests (32:49)
*Workout One - No Legs (27:09)
*Workout Two - No Legs (27:50)
*All Legs and Core (34:55)
*Cardio and Legs (37:13)
*Cardio and Upper Body (56:15)
*Core and Yoga (21:51)

Although most of the Premixes are variations on the main workouts (One & Two) cardio that is included in Premixes #1, 2, 8, and 9 is all new footage. Each cardio move is performed for about a minute or so; some of the exercises are high impact, but Lauren always shows a low-impact option. Here's the list of cardio sequences:
*jogs alternating with puddle jumps
*side jacks/side kicks
*straight jumps to straddle jumps/alternating squats
*triple to single knees with a jog in-between
*jump rope, adding heels and tempo variations
*alternating crescent kicks/frog jumps forward and back
*split jump forward and back/side-to-side skaters
*four jacks/four power quarter turns (a plyo-like move)

Again, I really loved this DVD overall! I especially loved the lower body work, as it seems like sometimes Kelly puts a greater emphasis on the upper body in her workouts, and I thought that the core movements were excellent (as opposed to the standing abs rests in her 30 Minutes To Fitness: Weights Workout, which put a little bit of a strain on my back). I had only a few very minor quibbles with this DVD as follows: 1) as noted above, I wish there had been at least some brief stretches at the end of Workout #1, 2) I wish Kelly would give you a heads up about the number of sets BEFORE so that you can appropriately choose your weights (but now I know!), and 3) since this IS the 30 Minutes to Fitness series, I wish that the actual total time of the main workouts (meaning the workout PLUS the warm-up and stretch) was closer to 30 minutes.

Regardless, I definitely LOVED this DVD, and it's already one of my new favorites. Highly recommended!

Instructor Comments:
As noted, Kelly is one of my favorite--if not my very favorite--instructor. I just really click with her down-to-earth style; I find her motivating and fun without being annoying or over-the-top. In addition, her DVDs work very well for my mid-to-advanced intermediate level. Kelly provides mirrored cuing, and I have never had any problems following her in any of her workouts.

Beth C (aka toaster)

10/28/2012

Reviewed the day after doing the workout for the first time:

Weights (30 Minutes to Fitness Weights) is my favorite resistance training from KCM. It is infact, one of my all time best resistance training DVDs. It has high energy music, short, effective sets of weight training and brilliant "active rest" options between sets. I have never been able to pop in the dvd and stop with one workout. I end up doing both workouts back-to-back and then doing all the floor abs active rests and low-impact-cardio active rests too.

Why am I starting a review of YBB with a description of Weights? Because YBB reminds me of Weights. It has the same non-stop action with active rests between weight training. But KCM does not repeat herself. YBB has enough differences to make it worth getting even if you have other KCM resistance training DVDs.

I did both workouts on YBB back to back yesterday. I have yet to try the premixes and the yoga.

I dont like Body Pump style weight training. Endless reps at various tempos is not my thing. I enjoy Body Pump while working out, but dont see the same results as I would with less reps and heavier weight.

YBB has a bit of a Body Pump feel, but I find it much more intelligent because it has supersetting. For example, Kelly does alternating arm movements immediately following a set where you work both arms together. You get micro rests even when you are supersetting which makes it more intense than endless bilateral reps. You can use a higher weight because of the mico rest.

I absolutely loved the back and shoulder work. The bicep and tricep racks are great.

My initial impression is that the Standing Abs Rests in Weights is better. The Plank sections of active rest in YBB (on both Workout 1 and Workout 2) are fantastic. I really felt the burn. Perhaps I will appreciate the other standing ab rests more, as I do this DVD more and more. What I like about Weights is how much I feel the movement in the wasit. YBB is more functional rather than isolating on the Standing Abs, so I may like it more as I try it again.

I must be a stickler for classic moves. In Workout 1, the exercises for Chest are certainly different from how the Chest is worked in most gym style workouts, but I could not engage my pectoral muscles effectively. Workout 2 has flys and presses supersetted. I think that is a great, if "same old" way to work Chest. The next time I may go slower so I can go heavier, instead of keeping pace with Kelly.

I love to work my legs. There is a lot of leg work in YBB. Every upper body superset is followed by a lower body superset. I like classic lower body training with a controlled pace and heavy weights. KCM tends to move fast rather than heavy in lower body training. I loved the deadlifts on both workouts. For the rest, I like to use a heavier weight and I will do 1 rep for every two by Kelly next time so that I can go heavier.

YBB (like everything else from Coffey Fit) is a smart, efficient way to train.

The premix material is unbelievable. IT makes the DVD amazingly versatile. The two main workouts in themselves are great value for money, and the premixes make this DVD seem like many DVDs.

I feel sore in my lats, shoulders and triceps today. I am strength training regularly so it is rare for me to get post-workout soreness. In both workouts, KCM talks of how she is engaging the lats to give the perception of a slim waist. Today, my back is telling me exactly what she meant.

vee

01/30/2012