Video Fitness Forum  

Go Back   Video Fitness Forum > Video Fitness Reader Forum > General Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 08-01-21, 12:44 PM  
FirmDancer
VF Supporter
 
FirmDancer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Quote:
Originally Posted by bubbles76 View Post
Firmdancer if I did that I would never buy anything, I mean where's the fun on that lol!
Plus ... I'm 65. I hope to live to a ripe old age. But you never know. ... I really don't want to die and have my siblings clean out all my stuff and say: "Geez, look at all these workout DVDs she never even opened!" So that keeps me motivated not to buy anything new yet.
__________________
“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!” -- Hunter S. Thompson

Current Rotations:
JSmith: STRENGTHEN
ManFlowYoga: morning sessions & Strength Foundations
YogaGlo & MFML: easy, morning classes
FirmDancer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-21, 03:00 PM  
monterey vidiot
VF Supporter
 
monterey vidiot's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Monterey County, California
Quote:
Originally Posted by monterey vidiot View Post
I have the DVDs, a gift from an incredibly generous VFer.
Haven't done them all. The yoga and barre are very good.
I think Denise offers a week free trial.

Correction: at deniseaustin.com there's a link to 30-day free trial.
__________________
"It takes work to change the shape of this muscle." Susan Harris in The Firm Vol. 1, talking about the triceps, in 1986
Still working on my triceps after all these years.
~Cynthia
monterey vidiot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-21, 03:11 PM  
fanofladyvols
 
fanofladyvols's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Modify City, State of Fierce
Observations on this set:

Sample rotation
Week 1
M Cardio Walk with me
T Toning Shape up with me
W Cardio Fat Burning Cardio
Th Toning Total Body Toning
F Cardio Walk with me
Super Saturday Fat Blasting Cardio

Week 10
M Cardio Walk with me
T Toning Total Body Toning
W Cardio Super Charged Cardio Burn
Th Toning Barre Toning
F Cardio High Energy Fat Blasting
Super Saturday Yoga

DENISE AUSTIN
10 Week, 360° Plan
13 w/outs and 1 bonus
Six DVDs with Title/Time/Level

DVD #1
Shape Up With Me 36m Lev 1
Total Body Toning 36m Lev 1,2

DVD #2
Total Body Toning 50m Lev 1,2,3
Fit, Firm & Fabulous 33m Lev 2
DVD #3
Lean, Toned & Totally Fit 36m Lev 3
Barre Toning 31m Lev 1,2,3
Mother & Daughter Dance Workout 10m Bonus

DVD #4
Walk With Me Workout 36m Lev 1,2,3
Fat Blasting Cardio 36m Lev 1,2
Super Charged Cardio Burn 31m Lev 1,2

DVD#5
Ultimate Fat Blasting Cardio 36m Lev 2,3
High Energy Fat Blasting Cardio 50m Lev 2,3

DVD#6
Beachy Bootcamp 50m Lev 2,3
Yoga 50m Lev 1,2,3


(I'm going to post the notes I took on the previews of this set. )
__________________
Don't just work hard, work smart....Pat Head Summitt

Never give up on your body!-- Miranda Esmonde-White

Word/Guiding Principle for 2024: Embrace: embrace my faith, my family, my friends, myself, the process, the progress, the hard work, the strength program I choose, the recovery methods and rest I need, my life, the good times, and the memories of good people.
fanofladyvols is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-21, 05:27 PM  
MariC
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Thank you everyone
Linda Thank you. I can’t wait to read you review
MariC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-21, 06:01 PM  
fanofladyvols
 
fanofladyvols's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Modify City, State of Fierce
My notes:

General observations: if you know Denise then you should know you're going to hear her talk constantly. Denisque phrases like "Squeeze that tushy, if you don't squeeze it, no one else will." During cardio "We're burning that butter!" And during kickboxing "Fight the fat!"

No workout chapters or music off option.

This set seems geared towards helping a person progress from beginner to solid intermediate. Denise only takes a few breaks from exercising to demonstrate something with the background exercisers and usually happened during cardio intervals, lol. Cardio is more athletic in nature. Music is forgettable. Strength varies from pilates and yoga inspired to metabolic and compound athletic moves. It's a shame these strength workouts aren't chaptered because they clearly have segments or sections that are themed. Maybe only one or two workouts showed a variance of an exercise for modifications. Mostly everyone is demonstrating at the same level of intensity. Usually the workouts have background exercisers, but not always. There are three sets used: a studio, a loft like area with a nice view and a beach (only DVD #6) The studio and loft are VERY white and a bit overlit.

D#1 "Stretching and Toning"

This DVD is toning...not sure about any stretching.

Shape Up With Me Studio set. definitely beginner pacing. Denise Solo. She advised 3#/5# weights and a pillow for head during crunches. Reps are between 10-12 for standard weightlifting exercises. Fair warning: the ab crunches are on the floor and were several variations of 25 reps each

Total Body Toning Lev 1,2
Studio set. Cherise (sp?) from 21DFX and another background. This is light weight workout that has standing pilates inspired exercises and other compound strength exercises. It is a bump up in difficulty from Shape up.


D#2 "Toning"

Total Body Toning 50m Lev 1,2,3 Loft with view setting. Denise is ready to make you work and is solo. She goes through 4 outfit changes and the view goes from morning to nighttime in the windows. The pushups start out on knees but she keeps going varying hand position until she has you do 4 on toes. There's a standing abs section, some pilates inspired exercises and although same traditional exercises from other DVD she varies pulses, tempo and hand position.


Fit, Firm & Fabulous 33m Lev 2
Studio set. Pilates inspired with Samantha sometimes doing a few more advanced moves while Denise stays lower Intensity. Definitely more difficult than the second workout on D#1

D#3 "Toning, Barre, Dance"

Lean, Toned & Totally Fit 36m Lev 3 studio setting with Lindsey and Chad that Denise calls a cute couple. This workout moves too quickly to switch out dumbbells so this is one where you're using the same weight for shoulders as bicep curls. The types of exercises are all over the place: yoga inspired, pilates inspired, athletic like mountain climbers and renegade rows. Denise is done with taking it easy on you.

Barre Toning 31m Lev 1,2,3
studio setting. Denise with two dancers. This may be the only Barre workout I ever do. It is mostly standing with some light weights used and a chair. There is some floor work at the end. She doesn't stay long with any one exercise and each one looks like it flows without looking grueling. There is a section where she has the tempo at a faster pace but looks energizing.

Mother & Daughter Dance Workout 10m Bonus
studio setting. Denise is over the moon to be with her daughter who is indeed beautiful. However, I couldn't share the enthusiasm in a boring routine led by her otherwise sweet daughter. Sorry Denise.



D#4 "Cardio and Dance"
(Nothing seemed very dancy in this DVD)

Walk With Me Workout 36m Lev 1,2,3
Studio set
background exercisers and Denise do an uncomplicated routine at a very moderate tempo.

Fat Blasting Cardio 36m Lev 1,2
studio set
Cherise is back with another background and they use a small dumbbell to increase intensity and made the moves interesting. There are also several 20 second athletic intervals in the latter part of the workout which don't use very difficult moves (fast feet, etc. ) The rest in between the intervals isn't timed but it looked to be about 10 seconds.

Super Charged Cardio Burn 31m Lev 1,2 Studio set. Denise and 2 backgrounders use 1 heavy and 2 lighter dumbbells to increase intensity. Wood chops, skaters, pseudo jump roping and kickboxing inspired cardio. 20 second intervals with maybe 10 second rest happen in the late in the workout.
I wouldn't consider this a beginner workout.

D#5 "Cardio and Dance"
Ultimate Fat Blasting Cardio 36m Lev 2,3
studio set
Denise seems determined to exhaust the cute couple backgrounders. You need a moderate dumbbell to increase intensity. There are planks, hip dips for active recovery. Denise hops in between power jacks and tuck jumps and I'm gonna try them that way. Real jump roping, split lunges, tuck jumps and kickboxing inspired cardio. 20 second intervals appear with a vengeance at the end but Denise stops to demonstrate to let the cardio cutie couple take over.

High Energy Fat Blasting Cardio 50m Lev 2,3 Loft with a view. Denise with 2 backgrounders with Stephanie showing lower impact/intensity. I consider this a beginner workout.
Not high energy and not difficult looking at all. 1st part is old school aerobics, then a kickbox fake jump roping, followed by some Latin dance inspired. This is the first time I can say I saw some dance besides the mother daughter workout.


D#6 "Cardio, Toning and Stretching"

Beachy Bootcamp 50m Lev 2,3 Beach setting
The DVD artwork says this workout is 36m. It is actually two distinct workouts (not chaptered ) totalling 50 minutes. First 30 minute uses 1 set of dumbbells for all exercises. Second 20 minutes uses resistance bands with handles and is mostly upper body.

Yoga 50m Lev 1,2,3 Beach setting.
So this workout really should be chaptered! You have three distinct yoga routines which I loved doing all together. Rarely does she mention modifications and no props are mentioned.
1st 20 Is quite gentle but you'll have to keep looking up to figure out what she's doing sometimes. I loved her downward dog demo/modification.
2nd 20 She has you do chataranga with knees down and modifies crescent with knee down. Feels relaxing by the end.
Last 10 minute segment is abs focused. She uses terms like baby touches and knee kisses to the floor. How can you be tired when you're just kissing the floor with your knee?? Denise shines in this workout.
__________________
Don't just work hard, work smart....Pat Head Summitt

Never give up on your body!-- Miranda Esmonde-White

Word/Guiding Principle for 2024: Embrace: embrace my faith, my family, my friends, myself, the process, the progress, the hard work, the strength program I choose, the recovery methods and rest I need, my life, the good times, and the memories of good people.
fanofladyvols is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-21, 06:02 PM  
sugar rose
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gams View Post
I like Denise, but most of her workouts annoy the crap out of me. There are a handful I have kept, though.
Gams, if you like Denise, what is it about her workouts that annoys you?

Also - which ones have you kept?

Thanks!
__________________

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

William Shakespeare, Hamlet
sugar rose is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-21, 06:21 PM  
fanofladyvols
 
fanofladyvols's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Modify City, State of Fierce
Quote:
Originally Posted by sugar rose View Post
Gams, if you like Denise, what is it about her workouts that annoys you?

Also - which ones have you kept?

Thanks!
I like Denise. She's such a ray of positivity. Listened to her on a podcast and wanted to drop everything and go exercise.

But this set is the only workouts of hers that I have kept.

I think it's perfectly possible to like Denise but not want her as your trainer. Just like it's perfectly possible to not like a trainer but still use them to exercise/train.
__________________
Don't just work hard, work smart....Pat Head Summitt

Never give up on your body!-- Miranda Esmonde-White

Word/Guiding Principle for 2024: Embrace: embrace my faith, my family, my friends, myself, the process, the progress, the hard work, the strength program I choose, the recovery methods and rest I need, my life, the good times, and the memories of good people.
fanofladyvols is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-21, 06:32 PM  
Gams
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
I think Denise’s cueing is horrible. Her idea of telling you what the next move is, is to say “Here we go!” She doesn’t keep time to the music in some of the workouts. (Someone posted there may be a reason for that, but she’s the only instructor I’ve noticed this with.). I’m not home, but will check later on the DVDs of hers that I have held on to. Oddly enough, as many times as I’ve seen people here complain about her voice, I actually think she has a nice voice. (Still laugh about the workout where she does the swimming move and says, “You’re drowning! You’re drowning!”)
Gams is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-02-21, 08:25 AM  
donnamp
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Maryland, USA
If you sign up for her newsletter she does offer several free challenges throughout the year and does sprinkle in some of these workouts so you can try w/out buying. The 30 day free trial is also good!

I have looked at this set and her site on and off for years...

Donna
donnamp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-02-21, 10:28 AM  
Leonana
 
Leonana's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Arizona
Linda, that was a great review. Informative, and I love your sense of humor. Cutie cardio couple, lol. However, after reading it, this set isn't for me. But Denise does seem like a really nice person.
__________________
Sherry
Leonana is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
denise austin, denise austin 360, denise austin lifefit, lifefit 360

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:57 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
© 2009 Video Fitness