Hit the Spot: 10 5-Minute Target Toners

This dvd has 10 different five minute workouts PLUS a 5 minute warmup and a 5 minute cooldown/ stretch. You can mix and match segments to create your own workout and there are a few preset workouts on the dvd as well (Upper body, lower body, and core). For this workout you will need a variety of dumbbells (she uses only one set, which makes no sense), and she also uses a chair in the thigh segment. I use my stability ball to sit on and my Firm Sculpting Stick for the balance work or just use dumbbells and balance w/out the stick.

I like the fact that each body part has its own segment and each segment gets right down to business and there is no wasted time since the warmup and cooldown segments are seperate. The dvd works nicely to add on a little more work for a specific body part to another workout or you can do all the segments and get in a full body 60 min workout. Though I dont think your muscles would be fatigued even after 60 minutes. Its a great unique format and I use it for addons a lot.

The segments include:

-warmup

-chest

-back

-arms (triceps & biceps)

-shoulders

-buns

-hips

-thighs

-inner thighs

-abs

-waist

-stretch

She moves kind of quickly so its hard to go as heavy as I would like but I can still get in some good reps w/ a pretty heavy poundage. This is an intermediate workout and IMO you cant get an advanced workout out of it no matter what you do-there just isnt enough time for each body part to really fatigue the muslces. Denise's cueing isnt the best in this as she changes the pace and forgets to tell you sometimes but its not hard to pick up.

I should start this review with the full disclosure that Denise Austin is not my favourite instructor ever. She seems nice, but I just never bonded with her instruction style. I got this dvd because the format (numerous mix and matchable short workouts) appealed to me, and it sat on my shelf for two months before I tried it.

That said...I actually plan to keep this one. Some of the sections are much better than the other, and I am not sure any of it is really intense enough or comprehensive enough to be one's sole strength training program. But she has some unique moves in here for things like hip flexors and rotator cuffs that I liked, and a few Callanetics-type tiny movement things for the lower body. These would be nice add-ons to work the body in a slightly different, more 'functional fitness' type of way.

Her cueing leaves something to be desired (she will often start doing a move before saying what it is, so you ave to watch the screen carefully and think on your feet) and I still don't think she will ever be my preferred instructor. But these little mini-routines do have some moves worth keeping, and they'll make some nice add-ons---for now. If I find after a few more months that I am not reaching for it, or that I am but am not getting appreciable results from the work I'm doing, I am not so loyal to Denise that I wouldn't trade or sell this in a heartbeat.

A useful addition to the lexicon of " short on time" weight workouts. Most moves are nothing an experienced exerciser hasn't seen before, but they are brisk and efficiently executed by Denise. There is a definite yoga influence which was nice and added a touch of something different. For instance, you do warrior pose to work the inner thighs.

Leg work includes some ballet moves like the "attitude" and plies, plus balancing work and one-legged squats.

Bicep and tricep work includes compound moves, where your left tricep and right bicep are worked simultaneously, and visa versa. Back work consists of bent over rows and the superman. You also do standing chest flies and shoulder press.

Abwork included planks, side planks and bicycle.

She has two background exercisers who don't particularly seem thrilled to be there, and she doesn't interact with them much. I don't remember much about the set, nothing was striking about it (no great scenery or particularly well-decorated "room.")

Is it a must-have? Not if you already have some similar stuff like 10-Minute Target workouts, 8-minutes or Tight on Time. But if you like Denise, are a true vidiot like me and can never get enough of decent "fast" toning workouts, it's a good addition.