Start Your Engines

I've done this workout several times before but always bailed on it before finishing. Today was the first time I did it in it's entirety and I am very glad I did. It really was an intense cardio workout. The choreography is typical Charlene and the combinations last long enough to build intensity, but don't go on forever. I thought the set was a bit claustrophic initially, but really, for a home exerciser that's a good thing, since most of us have very limited space. The background exercisers were Renee & Christine, two of my favorites. Now that I got over the hump and finished Start Your Engines once, I'll be using it regularly. Charlene is the queen of low impact. I highly recommend this and many others of Charlene's workouts.

I was looking for a low impact, high intense floor tape and I found it. This is a very good and intense low impact workout. I didn't realize until after it was over that I had sweated pretty good and I felt tired afterwards. I love how Charlene gives helpful information about stretching, oxygen expending, etc and I love how her and her friends laugh and joke. I found myself laughing too. It's like we were all a little group working out and I enjoyed it very much. I give it an A. I also like that the cardio is long. I alway time myself when I work out and I logged in little under 50 minutes of pure cardio. For me that's perfect. If you want an intense, low impact but serious workout, this is for you. I am now looking into more of Charlene tapes to purchase.

I order this video from someone on Ebay. I had never heard of Charlene but I tell you thank goodness I did. This video is awesome! After being overweight for three years I made up my mind that the weight has got to go. I googled in low impact videos and Charlene's name came up. I checked ebay and found this video. I got it and got ready for a low impact workout and didn't expect to sweat much. WRONG!!! Maybe 10 minutes into this video I was sweating buckets and my heart was beating like crazy. I loved the interaction between Charlene and her workout buddies. I didn't mind the chatter at all. They look like real friends working out and having fun. Besides I was so pooped I didn't know what the heck they were saying anyway. This is a great video for beginners like me. You may have to pace yourself but I promise you won't be disappointed. You will get an awesome work out and you will sleep well afterwards. LOL. My clothes are already fitting better and my pants are looser. I am going to her site to order more of her videos just from this one video. I highly recommend Charlene. For the first time ever I love working out. LOVE YA CHARLENE!!!

This workout is seriously killer! Those "high knees" had me begging for mercy! And there are lots and lots of them - unfortunately, this can get quite repetitive (and exhausting!). But boy, does it jack your heart rate up! I was interval training throughout! Now that I know there are so many "high knees", I'll have to decrease my range of motion on these so I don't run out of steam early. I think this would be a good cross-training tape for intensity-lovers (there is no choreography to speak of, really), and I recommend it for that purpose.

Others have reviewed this tape in detail, so I will just give my impressions. This workout is not nearly as fun as Low Impact/High Intensity. I really enjoyed the banter between the exercisers in that one. Also, the music and scenery are much better on that tape. This one isn't bad, but it is pretty similar to LI/HI, so I'd recommend getting that one instead.

The first time I did this video, I really didn't like it. Now, after trying it a few more times, I'm glad I kept it. This is a long (45 minute) mostly low impact aerobic workout. Charlene, Renee, and Christine are dressed in racecar themed attire. The workout takes place in a very small room. The music is the same as in most of Charlene's videos and in fact there were several parts of the workout where I couldn't hear it at all. The choreography is athletic and basic: mostly big knees, lunges, hamstring curls, step touches, mambos, grapevines, and a fun skating move. The workout also takes up very little space. I think it's perfect for those days when you're tired and don't feel like thinking about choreography but still want to get your heart rate up. I'm always surprised at what an intense workout I g

Others have given excellent breakdowns of this video. I'll just add my impressions.
I've had this tape for about three months. The miracle is that I was actually able to follow the simple choreography. I am a choreographically challenged intermediate and have a tough time with much more than basic moves. I caught on after two run thrus.
I often like a tape where I am working hard and don't have to strain my limited mental capacity. This one has me sweating buckets.
If you want a tough workout that you can follow - give this one a

As a beginner, I found this tape just a little challenging to get through. It was nice to have a tape that was just a little over my head and that I could grow into. I really appreciate having a nice long, low-impact tape that has no strength work. Its great for when you've done a total-body strength workout the day before, and you're still a little sore.

I have a feeling I will continue to be fairly challenged by this tape for some time. I just wouldn't use it too often because many of the moves are VERY repetitive and you might get bored by the routine.

One of my favorite parts of the routine is where we pretend wer'e ice-skating in the olympics.

I would definately reccomend this tape to a mid-level- or advanced-beginner. Just read the other comments here carefully about the basic choreography and what some people feel are annoying aspects of the instructor.

-Jennine

Charlene is certainly chatty, but I enjoy learning from all the motivating tidbits she provides. She also apprears to be older, as instructors go. Her age helped me feel I could trust her to give good advice.

While doing this workout, I kept wishing I was working out to Franny or Christi. I think I have outgrown Charlene's style of athletic-type aerobics. I found myself looking at the clock wishing it would end. Her movements are mostly high knee ups, some lunges, floor pendulums, and grapevines. They were working out in a small, confined room (Rene, her pal, is one of the exercisers) and I was yearning for my CIA studio. The music is very dated and it's the same as her other videos, which can get quite monotonous. My favorite Charlene videos (I have about ten of them) are two older tapes: "Charlene and the Bench Boys" and "Rev Up the Sequel." I can only recommend this tape for an exerciser who loves athletic workouts using a small workout space.

This is another super workout by Charlene Prickett! After doing step videos for so long (primarily Cathe), I decided that I wanted to get some floor aerobics tapes into my rotation. Even though I love the danciness and complexity of Kari Anderson and some of the CIA workouts, there are just some days when I want an intense but simple-to-do workout. Well, this is where Start Your Engines fits the bill. This workout is challenging....I'd definitely say this is an advanced workout. The choreography is simple....lots of huge knee lifts, lunges, marches, mambos, etc. There are places where you can add some higher impact moves if you'd like, but they're certainly not necessary for this workout to be challenging. People who work out in smaller spaces will be glad to know that this workout does not require a lot of room. The workout is long (46 min. of cardio....about an hour including warmup and cooldown/stretch), which I really like. Charlene is really great about giving you a nice, long stretch at the end, too. I'm so happy that I decided to try some of Charlene's workouts. I now have 4 of her floor aerobics tapes and I'm happy w/all of them. These tapes definitely round out my workout rotation. I'd definitely recommend this tape for anyone looking for a strenuous, long, low impact aerobics workout.

I like this video, and this in spite of the silly costumes (everything is in a car race theme, and the leotards even have checkered and green flag motifs!), strange set (it looks like Charlene cleared out her daughter Xanna's bedroom of all furniture and conducted the taping there!), and music (she uses the same music in all her tapes!). But don't let that put you off. This tape delivers what it promises: high intensity low-impact aerobics. You will burn fat, and you will feel super afterwards. After a four-minute warm-up, it's off to the races with 46 minutes of tough floor aerobics. If you want higher impact, there are some places where you could add plyo movements, but believe me, you'll get a pretty good workout just by sticking to the script. This is not dance choreography, but pure athletic moves, such as lunges and knees and leg lifts and squats. In this video, Charlene has developed new, different, more interesting arm movements. But nothing she does is difficult to learn, and she cues very well. There are periods of higher intensity interspersed throughout, and periods of somewhat lesser intensity in which to catch your breath. After a five-minute cooldown, there's a five-minute stretch. However, you'll still be so hot, it's a good time to pop in a stretch tape (Charlene's Homestretch or Karen Voight's Pure and Simple Stretch) and enjoy.