Kellys CARDIO/SCULPT!!!!

[Conni]

I did this one for the first time today and I was very surprised. It kind of started out slow for me, and I thought "oh no, this is going to be a really long 70 minutes.." then the cardio seemed to get more fun for me and the rest just flew by. Granted, I was getting tired of the squat section, but there was light at the end of the tunnel with the fun cardio that followed. The music on both of these dvds have been some of the best all year so far, definitely better than Cathe's.
I used 5 and 8 pounds and thought it was challenging without being dangerous.
I do feel that the chest was cheated a bit, now that the subject comes up, but all in all a great circuit. This one is as much fun as Michelle's newest!

[lfcjasp]

Frankly I don't mind that Kelly doesn't work our chest to death! It's back work that helps so much with good posture and also if you do other instructors, esp. Cathe for one, you surely get plenty of chest work. JMHO.

Conni, one thing that still amazes me is how Kelly can make so much time fly by so quickly! And the whole time she has me working like crazy!!!

[Fitstick]

Originally Posted by lfcjasp

Frankly I don't mind that Kelly doesn't work our chest to death! It's back work that helps so much with good posture and also if you do other instructors, esp. Cathe for one, you surely get plenty of chest work. JMHO.

Conni, one thing that still amazes me is how Kelly can make so much time fly by so quickly! And the whole time she has me working like crazy!!!

That's one of the reasons why I love her workouts, the time does fly by!!

[Conni]

I really like Kelly's approach to the home exerciser. She states that she realizes in a one on one situation the boredom factor can be huge, and that home floors are not as condusive to alot of the plyos that instructors use.

Thanks! Finally someone realizes that I don't have a springform floor to jump around on with this bod!

[KathAL79]

I did Cardio / Sculpt again today. I do like this one better the second time around, with even the music assortment not striking me as so odd this time around, but I'm still playing with weights. The back / biceps series is one place where the jump from 5s to 8s is too much; I'll have to try doubling up on my dumbbells to get 6s or 7s next time through. I definitely like the two step-boxing segments better than the other three cardio circuits, but I appreciate that they're interesting athletic combos.
I still say my favorite Kelly circuit is The Shape of Things to Come, then NYC, and then Cardio / Sculpt. So I only like this one rather than love. Still, considering I usually don't care for curcuits at all, saying that I like this one is a big deal for me.

[KathAL79]

Jenmgo, no one's saying Kelly's an ignoramus who's just doing something crazy for the sole sake of being innovative. I saw the credit to the exercise consultant, too. I have more to say about this below.

Originally Posted by gigi

Yea, I like instructors who stay true to what they do best instead of changing their style too much to try and please everyone. When I reach for KCM I'm expecting exactly what I get from her. I like innovative moves, even if there is a learning curve. So many times people are complaining about the same old, same old. Then, when we get something that is somewhat different and innovative we get the complaints about the move isn't safe or I wish instructors wouldn't do innovative moves just to be different. I like the diversity and variety and that different instructors excel at different types of workouts and most of us here can figure out what works for us or what doesn't and modifty accordingly. It doesn't mean that instructor is being unsafe because I feel isn't unsafe or that it's unsafe for everyone else or that that instructor needs to change. I personally, would probably NOT by a strength workout from KCM unless she figured out a way to make it totally fresh and different from what I already have.

Oh, good grief, no one's saying Kelly should change her style at all. Kelly's just about the only instructor who makes me want to do circuit workouts, and that's in no small part due to her ability to mix the same ol' with something new.

As for questioning innovative moves, I have two things to say about that:
1) One should approach everything, old and new, with an open and critical mind. Not all of the traditional moves are safe and effective, just like not all innovative moves are safe effective; conversely, not all of the traditional moves are unsafe and ineffective, and the same goes for the innovative. Yes, there will be some variance depending upon people's own experiences, physical condition, personal ailments, etc. But no one should be criticized for asking if something new - or old - is considered a safe and effective exercise in general. In fact, it's healthy to consider how one's body feels and reacts to each move and to read up on what's behind the exercises. (I run into this all the time in my field, where old theories and new clash.)
2) This is a complaint I have with most instructors, including Kelly, Tracey Staehle, Michelle Dozois, and the TLT crew - and especially with gym instructors: if you're doing to introduce something new, spend a little extra effort explaining EXACTLY what we are supposed to be doing and point out what we're working. A small blurb on why this move is a great one would also be appreciated (e.g. this works an area that's often neglected, this balances out all of the x work we do). I would probably not even blink at Kelly's shoulder sequences in Cardio / Sculpt if she had been more precise about the form, e.g. angle back at 45 degrees (that's all she'd have to add: the degree of the angle), raising no higher than shoulder height, etc. Yes, yes, I know we're supposed to be experienced, advanced, intelligent exercisers, but it never hurts to mention this stuff. In fact, I believe it's necessary.