Womens Health Perfect Body Workout
Womens Health Perfect Body Workout
Movie DVD
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Great strength and ab exercises!
If you get bored doing just bicep curls, tricep dips, and billions of crunches then this DVD is for you. The cardio is great– long enough to boost your heart rate so you can maximize the following 2 portions (strength and abs). The strength training is tough– and you’re not isolating muscle groups to work on them. Amy has you do things like stand on your toes or stay in a squat or hop so you work multiple groups of muscles at the same time. After the workout you feel like you really worked your butt off. I like that she converses with you and the women around her to make you feel empowered and not some schmuck who let herself go! Outtakes are funny, too. 
I feel like I have a gym partner in her.
4 Stars Holy squats, batman!
This was my first purchase ever of a Women’s Health workout DVD, and I wasn’t disappointed. Amy Dixon is a good instructor, and she’s not annoyingly perky but motivating instead (although she does move a bit fast). She truly tested the extent of my coordination with her combination moves (my husband got a good chuckle watching me try to combine all the sports moves in the cardio workout). However, she does give a solid workout overall. The DVD contains a cardio segment, a strength segment, and a core segment, with a bonus yoga stretch that is nice. The cardio segment didn’t get my heart rate up as much as I would have liked, but that was probably because I was too busy looking like a spaz trying to combine some of the moves. The strength and core segments are very good; however, on the strength segment, they suggest using 5 pound weights. I tried, I really did–but I had to switch to 3 pounds for movements that made you do straight arms. Given the fast pace, there wasn’t much time to make that switch! But she does cue quite nicely, and does let you know when something new is coming up (even if you’re not sure what it is when she just tells you the name of it) so you’re prepared.
The fast pace was not all bad–I loved how she made you repeat a move just enough to give you a burn, and then combined that with another move. The overall workout did go by very fast because of that, and it kept me motivated throughout. I definitely felt the afterburn with this one.
The one huge thing I did notice was ALL THE SQUATS! Having an issue with my right knee, I had to go easy on those after a while. But Amy does instruct you on proper form, and several times reminds you to keep your weight in your heels during squats. Those were nice reminders for me during the workout. And they nicely point out the person behind her who is doing the modified moves, which I took advantage of at times.
Like I said, you will definitely feel the afterburn on this one, and it is a workout I will definitely keep in my rotation. I wasn’t wowed by it, but felt that overall it is a solid workout worth investing in. I also loved the fact that it has the different sections, so you can choose to do the whole video, or just do some cardio, strength, or core work separately if you are short on time. A good buy that I would recommend to others.
Edited to add: I woke up the day after doing this, and my entire body is SORE (the good kind). If you want to shake up your normal routine and try some very different moves, this DVD will do it for you.
4 Stars Great total body workout, but less varied choreography than other Dixon DVDs
I bought this workout when I became bored after years of using Dixon’s “Fat Burn” workout. This is a bit more strenuous with more complicated movements, though not too complicated. However, I just didn’t find the choreography as interesting as this one.
I love the fact that this has three main sections: cardio+cool down followed by strength+cool down and then core. There is also a bonus yoga segment.
Since the entire program is more than an hour long, I can choose to do just two or three of the segments at a time and really get a good workout.
4 Stars Excellent Video
This is another great video from Amy Dixon. Amy is one of the best instructors out there. Her videos are fun to do and typically pretty easy to follow. Amy is motivational and NOT irritating – a very important quality in a fitness instructor!
This video is split into segements: a cardio segment and a weight segment, with optional bonuses of core work and a yoga inspired stretch.
1. The weight segment: Excellent! You’ll use a set of five pound weights, though I sometimes upgrade to 8 pounds for a specific move that I feel like I need more weight for, and you could probably switch to 3 pounds for more difficult moves. All of the moves incorporate more than once muscle group, so you’ll keep your heart rate up after the cardio section. A lot of the moves incorporate balance as well. I love this weight segment. There were a lot of moves that I had never seen before. She keeps it varied and interesting, and tough. You’ll definitely feel like you’re working, but it’s fun. This is one of my favorite weight routines I’ve ever done.
2. The core segment: This is definitely a challenge, though sometimes I find it a little bit easier and other days it totally kicks my butt. Don’t know why. Like the weight section, there are both classic moves and a bunch I’ve never done before. And she doesn’t forget to include some back strengtheners, which I love. Great core segment that you’ll keep going back to.
3. The yoga stretch: I love this stretch segment. It’s awesome! You’ll need a towel to do it, so have one ready.
4. The cardio segment: This is actually the first segment, but I saved it for last because it’s the only section I don’t like, and the reason I gave the video four stars instead of five. The exercises in the cardio section are based on different athletic activites, such as skating, swimming, etc. Some of these moves are fine, but I found most of them confusing and difficult to follow. Also, they require you to have a lot of space. I have a pretty decent sized basement that I work out in, and have a large library of workout dvds that I like to use. This is the only video where I’ve had to turn and try to do it diagonally, and even then I don’t really have as much as room as I’d like to do these moves. For the most part this section leaves me feeling awkward, and even after doing it 2 or 3 times, I have to stop to watch a lot which means I don’t get as much out of it as I’d like. Most of the time I just skip this section and combine the rest of the video with something else. It will get your heart rate up, though, and it’s probably the kind of thing that a lot of people will really enjoy but just wasn’t for me.
Bottom line: One of my favorite work out videos, but for me a subpar cardio segment.
5 Stars Great DVD
Women’s Health: Total Workout in Ten!Women’s Health: Ultimate Fat Burn!
I ordered this DVD after working out with the other two (Total Workout in Ten and Ultimate Fat Burn) and I have increased my flexibility and overall strength/endurance. This DVD has it all cardio, strength training, core work, upper and lower body and STRETCHING! I love this and I often work out to this segment prior to going to bed – it really relaxes me. I highly recommend purchasing this DVD after you’ve worked out to the other two and are comfortable with taking your workout further – it is not for beginners.
