Hi/Lo Workout

The Set - wood floor, layered back walls, beige and blues hues, burgundy door.

The Cast - Heather and 2 students..

Attire - They wear up and down striped black and white shirts seemingly held only by strings on back. they all wear black pants.

Effectiveness - Does this tape live up to it's promises? ... you bet it does! It advertises itself as a hi-lo... the highs, should you choose to them, will take you into your zone effortlessly... the dance steps are simple, easy to follow and fun to do... this tape really sweeps you in... grapevines, scooting and running have never been more fun!

Before you say "oh grapevines" read at how they are mixed in to the workout.

Presentation - Sometimes when you do a hi-lo you might get tired of the sequences after a while. I found this tape refreshingly full of appeal and not boring at all.

Fitness Level - Beginners will find it easy to follow due to the simplicity of it, and Intermediate and Advanced will enjoy a workout to make them sweat...

Equipment - none... but you will need space! In the shape of a U... do a grapevine accross from one side to the other, then at your right and left side of the room do a grapevine sideways forward that should give you an idea of how much room you need.

OR for those who have it.... Christi Taylor's Still Jumping takes about the same amount of space!

Workout Type - This is pure Cardio. Excellent Low impact or high impact. Your choice.

Music - high energy techno! (Cathe CTX style)

Workout Length - Total = 56.25 min ... includes: warmup - 8 min. ; hi-lo - 38 min. ; Abs - 5.40 min. ; Stretch - 4.45min

Warm up: begins marching immediately,

mambo's

then 2 sashee's (skipping) then pivot turn,

hamstring curls, then lifts legs high in back, then hips back and front, dancing to music.

then combines all moves and adds hip rock.

grapevines sideways toward TV.

4 lunges then 2 singles then double.. continues with all these moves..

music - "work your body"

at 6 min. - V steps (exagerated)

Stretches: - at 7 min.

The Workout:

Introduces each element of her first combo, you do one element several times

then she begins next element several times, then puts them together. and so on for each element.

grapevines, then double grapevines, high knee ups,

then toe taps (she calls them front lunges)

easy pivot, double grape, walk forward for 4 (option jog)

pulse hops, walk forward, then jack back.

Combines all moves (optional - jump then hop)

At 14 min. - moving on.

2nd combo elements begin - scoops, then shuffle turn shuffle.

music - is very high energy now...

easy knee lifts, then tap to back, called double knee.

combines double knee with 2 jacks

adds large box step.

(definitely enjoying herself ... gets a big smile every time she does the "walk down stairs")

continues these combos for a while..

(I've rarely seen an instructor get so into it!)

at 21 min 40 sec. - Pulse rate check

3rd combo elements begin: 4 marches then double pump (hop on one foot)

30x double foot hop side to side,

she says "get ready for ski season"

combines jog forward with hops.

triple step side to side, then diagonal forward.

kick as you go back.

then adds optional hop around in circle.

(A lot of moving around the room!)

kick alternating (optional - turn on double)

at 29 min.

begins 4th combo elements: double foot hop,

then high kick to each side. then wax on and wax off with hand,

then takes it from the triple step

at 33min. from the top of 3rd combo.

at 36min. hold alternate high kicks, begins lunging from side to side,

high knee lifts.

at 38 min. combines previous combos with these starting with grapevines.

music - is very fast now...

at 41min. music becomes even faster now.

(This is a real fat-burner at this point!)

at 42 min. Cool down

walk side to side

hips side to side

at 43 min 30 sec. 2 taps slow walks a grapevine

at 46 min. Abs

On mat, in sitting position, lower trunk of body slowly almost to floor then back up.

Do this a few times...

then crunches with legs halfway in air folded 90 degrees!

Do this a few times....

then on side lift trunk and leg.

then still on side 2 legged lifts! then other side.

at 51 min. 40 sec. Stretches

includes runner's stretch.

sitting position - fold front leg in front , extend other in back

and other stretches...

at 56 min. 25 sec. END

It may not sound like much, but this workout is FUN!!! (just my opinion!)

Total Rating - I have made no secret that I think this is the Best cardio hi-lo this year...running neck and neck with Still Jumping. I rate it a 10 out of 10 possible points. (aside from the funny attire which I didn't find funny when I was huffing and puffing!) I find the workout excellent and doable... even the clumsiest people (that's me!) will be able to follow it.

This is one of my all time favorite cardio tapes! along with Kathy Smith's Aerobox, Kari Anderson's Danceworks and 2 the max, Cathe's ... everything, Christi's Still Jumping...

and Gin Millers Intense Moves. and a few others.

Lucy

I was hoping for another good Hi-Lo to add to my growing collection of Hi-Lo videos. Alas this one didn't fit the bill. The workout is approximately 60 minutes and includes a short abs section.

Overall the moves in the workout just didn't flow very well together. It was almost as if they combos were all separate then kind of just squished together. The transitions were bad and choppy at best. The workout is mostly higher impact with moves called a double grapevine that not a double grapevine, but a singe grape and a running move. There are some "funky" moves like "walking down the steps" which is a walking forward stooping move with funky shoulder moves. Then there are a couple of moves with arm motions like you're tooting a horn. One move I did find fun was the shuffle-turning-shuffle-double knee back. This move can really be a space hog. Toward the end of the cardio before the final run through there is a sprint section. You do lots of deep side lunges rather quickly to keep the heart-rate up. She does seem to repeat some of the combos over and over again. Not necessarily lots of from the top but lots of repeating during the combos itself.

On a whole the video really is a space hog. With lots of moving lateral and moving diagonal you really need a tad more space to be able to get into the workout. Heathers style of teaching doesn't really mesh with me. I find her very distracting. Her cutesy comments and gestures and as one VF'er said her Waitress like outfit, are very annoying over the course of this 60 minute workout. There are so many other great videos out there that I think I have to let this video go. I think this video is either you like it or don't kind of feel to it. It just wasn't for me.

I really wanted to like this. I really, really did. But I don't, and in fact, I almost hate it. Heather has some GREAT moves -- very fresh and fun. But they're put together in such an awkward manner. You cannot "think with your feet" as Charlene Prickett would say. The transitions are extremely poor, and to make things worse, Heather doesn't always cue very well. I'd like to see Franny or Christi take these moves and make them into one of their signature "flowing" workouts. In addition to the choreography, there is also another major turnoff for me. Heather seems to be trying to act "cutesy" and she comes across as being a teenage girl trying to impress some boy. I can't really describe what I mean; it's just the way she looks at the camera sometimes and has her hair hanging down over her eyes. If I were her mother, I'd ground her. :)

I really liked Heather Day on 9803 when Greg graciously showcased her talents doing the "fifties" segment. I was happy to see that she kept up the pace with her own hi/lo workout. Very fast-paced, quick moves, taking up lots of space. Music is great - part one is all new instrumental and the second part is the same as Franny's 9905 kickboxing music (one of my favorite soundtracks). She has the same type of personality as Jennifer Mills, and moves just as fast. You may get a little frustrated with her feet (not knowing when to do a tap step) but it's easy to get right back into the moves. Again, CIA goofed on the workout time (not 36 but actually a short 32 minutes). The ab work is only 5 minutes of yucky "core" strength. I would put this in the same category as Jennifer Mills (8003 hi/lo) and Bobby Mellott.