Crunch: Supercharged Kickbox Party

This is a 45 minute Crunch video featuring Jeanette Jenkins in a kickbox and dancing fusion aerobic workout. No equipment needed except sneakers and it is all done standing. This is filmed in the usual Crunch studio with the typical 20-something whooping girls (Cat from the Barry Bootcamp and 10 Minute Solution Rapid Results Fat Burner is the beginner modifier), who are all dressed up in "dancy" wear. The music was mostly generic but had a tango dancy theme. I wasn't so sure about the kickboxing and dance fusion (I tend to get confused with dancy choreography) but I really wanted to try out Jeanette Jenkins, who tends to have pricy videos but I got this DVD at a bargain for about $7. And Crunch videos, while they aren't usually challenging, are just so much fun!

Well after doing this workout today, I can say some of my presumptions were true but I was also surprised at this workout. Yes, the choreography was difficult to follow (both the kickbox and dance parts), but not so much so that it was frustrating. Also, it was tough! I was expecting a beginner-intermediate workout, as most Crunch workouts are, but this was tough with lots of high impact, quick transitions, and just an energetic pace! I was thankful to see the cool down at the end! Jeanette would have you do a choreographed kickbox set, then a choreographed dancy set, then a blend of the two for several sets, then the blend for shorter sets. There were three big combos that made up the workout (of which were chaptered and you could choose separately them on the DVD). The dance portions of the second combo were the most confusing, but it was all fun and I was able to follow along. There was quite a bit of boxer shuffle hopping, jumping jacks, and even some jump kicks, so it was fairly high impact although the kicks and punches were mostly kept low impact. There were a lot of both punching and kicking and I wouldn't say Jeanette favored one over the other. There was of course lots of twisting of the torso to work the waist area. The dancing included some pivots, hip gyrating, and lots of big arm movements which kept up the intensity.

I did make the workout tougher by wearing 1# weighted gloves throughout, and chose to keep it all high intensity, and for those reasons it was a TOUGH workout for this high intermediate exerciser. For those interested in pedometer metrics, this workout has over 4,500 steps! I was thrilled to achieve that many steps in barely 45 minutes. This workout wasn't AS fun as Turbo Jam but I think I'll be picking it up frequently for variety. I agree with Bubbles in that I think Crunch was trying to go for a Turbo Jam "feel" (the whooping, the playful feel, etc.) It was a good purchase and I'd recommend it to those in an intermediate range who enjoy kickboxing and dance aerobic workouts. I think a beginner would get too confused with the choreography and might get discouraged with the fast pace, and an advanced exerciser would probably want a more advanced workout. Overall grade B+!

This is a cardio kickboxing workout led by hollywood trainer Jeannette Jenkins. She blends dance moves with kickboxing and punching combos, although not too seamlessly.

Jeannette is very perky. Almost overly so, but not too much. Her background exercisers are all pretty much the same size, but there is one lone older guy in the back who looks hopelessly out of place. Luckily they don't focus on him much. The backgrounders do ham it up, but I found it made the workout fun to get through.

The set is bright with brick walls. The music is good, definitely goes with the workout. The workout starts with a short warm up where you cover most of the punches and kicks that will be seen in the workout. Then you get to the meat of the workout. I can't remember all the combos, but I know the basics were covered (jab, cross, hook, uppercut, roundhouse, etc.).

I really liked the dancing and the kickboxing. What didn't flow too well was when she blended them together, or at least attempted to. The dancing segments, while fine on their own, didn't blend smoothely with the kickboxing. As an intermediate exerciser, I didn't have a problem keeping my heart rate up since I know how to modify (more kicks, weighted gloves, etc.), but someone looking for something advanced will be disappointed.

This workout seems to be trying it's hardest to be like Turbo Jam. The feel, the perkiness, all scream Turbo Jam Lite. It isn't, and any hardcore Turbo Jam fanatic who focuses on that isn't going to enjoy this workout. However, take the workout for what it is, you will enjoy it.

PROS: The length (35 minutes about) was just long enough to get some cardio in and burn calories. I will use it a day I want to work out but don't want to go "all out". Or a day when I want to get in some cardio, but also a short strength session. This workout works you, and you will sweat, but doesn't get you too winded. Jeannette is perky and seems to be having a good time. The dance segments were good, and the kickboxing combos weren't too complicated.

CONS: The dance and kickboxing didn't flow as seamlessly as I would have liked. It wasn't a mish mash, but could have been executed better.

I've done just about all the Crunch videos, and this is the best and most intense so far of the more recent ones. I also think Jeannette Jenkins of Hollywood Trainer fame is at her best here!

Jeannette is backed up by the typical "Crunch girls" - whooping, hamming it up and "stylin'" -- but none of the costumes here were as atrocious as in some other Crunch videos. There is one guy -- the same tall guy who was in her HT kickboxing workout. It was nice to see him.

There are three 10-minute combos that Jeannette cues quite well. One combo includes some danciness -- that sort of "twirl your hip and rotate 360 degrees" move that I've seen in a lot of dance workouts from Prevention or Dance Off the Inches. It fits into a combination that also includes jack and jab, front kicks, double jabs and side punches.

Another combo has high punch, low punch to either side, jab-jab-jab, elbow strike and roundhouse. One combo includes an option for a jumping front kick.

Music is typical Dynamix. The cooldown of mambo cha cha chas has the same music as the last combo of Janis Saffell's Hardcore KB Circuit.

Set is a Crunch-style "basement boxing ring."

I felt I got a solid intermediate workout -- and it was quite fun!!