Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Great mix 'n match targeted workouts
This is a great DVD for toning when you have just a little time before work, before bed, etc. There are some days when I just don't have time for a full 30 to 40 minute workout or run, and this helps me feel like I've at least done some strengthening and toning. The exercises are very easy to follow, and definitely deliver a burn in only 10 minutes. I would highly recommend this for folks (like me) who already have a cardio program, and are looking for an easy way to add some toning and light strength training to their fitness mix.
Rating: - A Fast and Effective Workout that Fits Your Schedule!
I switched to the Quick Fix Total Mix workout DVD after having a disappointing affair with the NYC Ballet Workout DVD. Quick Fix offers a lot more: faster, more vibrant exercises that get your heart rate and motivation moving, clearer descriptions of the exercises and what each individual exercise will do for your body from the instructors, and the option to create your own customized workout that will fit your particular needs and schedule demands. The three sections - abs, buns, and arms/legs offer three different workout routines each, and each routine is only 10 minutes long. There is even a small clock at the bottom of your screen so you can see where you're at in the workout. Very helpful and motivating. The instructors can be a tad annoying at times ("okay, you're doing great!"), but when I'm really focused on the exercise, it doesn't bother me as much. The abs instructor is particularly good at verbally walking you through an exercise in full detail before flinging you into something that might be too complex for you to try with minimal instruction. The instructors also stress safety during the routines by using chairs to keep your balance and showing how to safely do exercises with weights so your back doesn't get strained. You'll need a pair of 3 to 8 pound dumbbells for the arms and arms/legs combo routines and a kitchen chair to help you through some of the buns routines. After the first 30 minute workout, my thighs ached in that nice I've-just-done-something-good-for-my-body way. An hour workout, however, offered a bit more of a muscular aching that bordered on too much, so remember to pace yourself. The exercises seem really simple, but at the end of the day, you really feel it. One of the legs/arms combo routines is a bit much for me at this point in my journey to a healthier body. It's a little too challenging because it involves squats and hammer curls simultaneously, along with other leg and arm combos, and I haven't built up the strength or stamina yet to make it through that one without having to pause, but I've found a very complementary trio of exercises that seem custom-created for me, and before I know it, the workout is over, I've worked up a good, healthy sweat, and I'm ready to hit the shower. Highly recommended for those who are pressed for time but want to get the most out of short spurts of exercise. I recommend doing it daily...even if it's only ten minutes worth of abs exercises. Perhaps we won't all have the "six pack abs" that the instructors have at the end of the day, but the calories you burn and the isolated exercises that work particular muscle groups really offer a nice wake-up call to your day. My only criticisms would be the custom workout option only offers up to three variations of exercise routines. Some days I'd like a more rigorous and lengthier workout, and you have to pause at the end of the first completed 30 minutes and choose which exercise routines you want for your additional 10, 20, or 30 minutes, which can be a motivation killer. Other than that and the flaunting of Minna's tanned jugs as she leads you in arm curls, it's a great workout, and each day I look forward to the challenges it offers.
Rating:  - Great concept, great variety, fun to do
I rarely find exercise fun. I usually think of it as a tolerated necessity that I endure as long and often as I can. QuickFix is a life-saver for people like me.The DVD is very well-chaptered, allowing you to choose among nine 10-minute workouts: three abs workouts, three buns workouts, one legs/arms, one legs, and one arms. The Customize function lets you pick one to three of these nine workouts in any order. It's quick and easy to add more after your first three have finished, if you want. I regularly schedule myself for three, and find I've done four or five before I realize it. The workouts, themselves, are varied and interesting. The count-down timer is great, and the instructors (whom you'll recognize from other DVDs) are entertaining and give good instruction. I'd call myself an intermediate exerciser (long-time FIRM user), and I can't do all three of any one type of exercise -- that is, all three abs or all three buns. It's even challenging to do buns followed by legs, since they're similar exercises in each. I'd like more arm and chest work, although I suppose heavier weights could be used to make up the deficiency. One drawback to these workouts is there isn't really any cool-down and virtually no stretching. They make the point that "flexibility is as important as strength", but that's pretty much it. It's easy enough to add some stretching afterwards, though, so it's not that big a deal. Overall, I highly recommend this DVD for those who crave variety, as well as for anyone who likes the option of doing 10 minutes of exercise, or more as time allows.
|
