Doing a Biggest Loser DVD is pretty much an easy choice. Who wouldn’t want to exercise like they were at The Biggest Loser ranch? Or spend some quality time with Bob Harper? Or look at Dolvett Quince in red? (Because good God he looks drool-worthy in that color.) Or work out with former at-home winners of the show? We knew we would.

The latest in The Biggest Loser DVD line is The Biggest Loser At-Home Challenge, which is pretty much like the rest of The Biggest Loser DVDs on the market. You get a customizable mix-and-match menu with a variety of segments with pretty good instruction, fun music and a “real-person” quality to it since there are no fitness models used. In this one, the trainers are Bob, Dolvett and Anna Kournikova, and the contestants are Heba Salama, Jim Germanakos, Rebecca Meyer and Bernie Salazar. (Poor Jim didn’t make the cover.)

Now, let’s break it down piece by piece. First, you have the Warm-Up. Anna leads this 5-minute section, and it’s pretty basic. There are your basic stretches, pliés and other moves to warm the body up, plus modifications for the more challenging stretches like the runner’s lunge. Next, Anna leads Phase 1 Cardio, which is 10 minutes of sports drills with options to make the movements more (read: hard). From skaters to running man (a really low lunge with a tap back, then a knee and then a hop) to curtesy lunges with kicks, it may be “phase 1,” but it’s no beginner’s picnic. Phase 1 Strength is another 10 minutes of fun, with strength moves that use just your body weight. There are squats to side lunges, planks where you bring your knees to each elbow, balance work and more planks that make you row, twist and side plank. Again, no picnic. But at least Dolvett leads it and has a tight shirt on.

Then you move on to Phase 2 Cardio. This 15-minute workout is more challenging—and Bob is leading it (nothing is easy when Bob is in charge). It’s pretty much a Bob-rific segment that uses dumbbells for kettlebell-inspired moves. There are swings, static squats holding weights, moves where you’re swinging the dumbbell like a bat, squat jumps, jacks with weight—plenty of semi-complicated stuff to get your heart rate up fast and keep it up. Phase 2 Strength with Bob is a touch easier than Phase 2 Cardio because your heart rate doesn’t get as high, but oh-my-goodness do you feel the burn. Using up to 8-pound dumbbells, you do side lunges with a static front raise, knee-ups with a hold and upper-body work, and then there’s the fun combo move of a squat while reaching the dumbbells back behind you and then up and overhead for a tricep press and then back down to a squat again. Oh, and there’s plenty of pulsing and holding, too. There’s not much to write home about in the Cool Down, which is four minutes of your basic stretching and yoga with Anna again.

Although the moves aren’t timed to the music (and, for me, that always makes for a more jazzed workout), the music in this workout DVD is fun. Be warned though that although the sections are labeled as “cardio” and “strength,” all of them have moves that are both cardio and strength. Particularly, your legs and core never get a break in this DVD.

Which leads me to my next point. If you were to do any of the sections on their own, I’d say that each of these are pretty darn good. They’re full-body, burn calories and aren’t the same moves you’re used to seeing time and time again. However, if you were to do all or even some of the segments back to back—week after week—you’d be doing A LOT of squats, lunges and planks. So much so that I think you could mentally get pretty sick of them and that you could put your body at an increased risk of repetitive injury. Use a segment here or there during your week though, and I think you’re golden.

While I really liked that you could always look to Heba for lower-impact and beginner modifications, some of the instruction was hit or miss. The trainers are, on the whole, good with giving form cues and are motivating without being overly up in your grill, but it’s clear that Bob has the most experience with instructing a workout for a DVD (and rightly so!). Dolvett isn’t bad by any means, but it feels like with more practice you’d get to see more of his personality and spunk. ‘Cause I know it’s in there. And then there’s Anna. Honest to goodness, she couldn’t be much cuter in her Lululemon top—she’s almost like a little Russian bunny hopping about. But it’s obvious that it’s her first workout DVD, and she just comes off flat in her sections, almost like she’s reading a teleprompter.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):

Instruction: ★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★
Music: ★★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★★

Overall: ★★★1/2

Fit Bottomed Line: You’ll need more than just this workout DVD in your collection for overall fitness, but for Biggest Loser fans who want more of the show, more of the trainers and more of a challenge than the past Biggest Loser DVDs, it’s a fun addition to the workout rotation.

Want to try this Biggest Loser At-Home Challenge DVD yourself? Leave a comment telling us who your favorite Biggest Loser trainer is, and we’ll select one lucky U.S. reader to win in about a week! —Jenn

Since I’ve been training for a half marathon, I’ve found myself craving workouts that allow me to stretch my running muscles. There’s been a lot of yoga happening in this household, is what I’m saying, and I’ve really slacked off on the strength training.

Core Fusion Power Sculpt just debuted the week of Dec. 6, and, lucky for me, it offers the best of both worlds. It incorporates the fluid, yoga-inspired moves you expect from Core Fusion founders Elisabeth Halfpapp and Fred DeVito, but adds in a bit of strength work with light hand weights. And it’s customizable—there are five 10-minute sessions with a bonus stretch at the end. You select the sections you want to do, or choose to do them all and they will flow seamlessly from one workout to the next.

Halfpapp and DeVito are expert cue-ers—is that a word?—they take turns leading sections, and give clear, easy-to-follow instructions. There are three other exercisers with one showing modifications, although she’s not always shown at times when it would be most helpful. I mean, I don’t think any number of downward dogs and warrior poses are going to give me flexibility like Halfpapp, and I’m definitely never going to be able to keep a smile on my face the way she does. That’s just not right.

As is generally the case with Core Fusion workouts, there were quite a few times when I was quite literally begging the TV to stop, and it was right about that time that they switched to a new move or, in some blessed cases, to child’s pose. However, a couple of the sections felt fairly similar, with lots of downward dogs and Warriors, and I would have loved a little more variation, especially when they were automatically played back to back.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):

Instruction: ★★★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★★1/2
Music: ★★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★★1/2

Overall: ★★★★1/2

Fit Bottomed Line: If you want some extra strength work with your yoga and Pilates, Core Fusion Power Sculpt is the DVD for you!

How do you like your yoga-inspired workouts? Straight up or with a strength-training twist? Tell us in the comments below, and we’ll select one U.S. reader to randomly win this DVD! Winner will be notified via email and in the comments. —Kristen

Man-oh-man we’ve reviewed some good strength workout DVDs lately! A few weeks ago it was Jillian Michaels’ new workout DVD, and today it’s Jackie Warner! We’ve long been Jackie Warner fans (heck, we’ve talked to her not once, not twice, but three times!) for her no-nonsense approach to fitness and working out. And her latest DVD, Personal Training With Jackie: 30 Day Fast Start? Well, it’s like her other DVDs—plus.

As Jackie told us yesterday, this new strength DVD uses the concept of pyramid training, where you do combo-move super-sets (working a couple of muscle groups) and gradually increase your rep counts for each super-set from one to two to three…all the way up to 10 reps. Pyramid training is actually the kind of workout Jackie does when she needs to bust through a plateau—and by the looks of her and her ridic abs—it works.

The DVD has two 25-minute workouts on it. Each features a different two-minute warm-up and three-minute cool down and about 25 minutes of pyramid training moves. The Upper-Body Workout targets pretty much only the upper body, while the Lower-Body Workout brings the burn to your upper body, lower body and core (a little more bang for your buck there for sure). Using the recommended 5- to 8-pound weights, the combo moves Jackie has you do are not for the faint of heart. In the Upper-Body section, she has you do push-ups on your knees (hands on dumbbells) to hammer bicep curls, chest press to seated bicep curls, upright row to standing headbangers (also called overhead tricep presses), and wide row to tricep kickback. In the Lower-Body section, Jackie busts out the squats with front shoulder raises, deadlifts with lateral raises, sumo squats to military overhead presses, crunches to reverse crunches, a double-modification of the crab crunch, and lastly, more ab torture where you reach up to your toes and then open and close your legs like scissors. While not impossible, it’s pretty brutal.

Because you’re always counting reps for the pyramid training, I can see how the continual counting could get repetitive. On the other hand, counting each rep and then each set does help you to stay focused, which is a good thing when you’re doing these more advanced moves. All in all, with pyramid training, you’re always making progress, so most of the exercises go by pretty quickly.

Which leads me to my next point: pacing. I understand the need to move quickly in order to fatigue the muscle and get your heart rate up, but the pace of most of these combo exercises is too fast for my taste. If they were slowed down just a touch, they’d be much easier to do with proper form. Especially because Jackie doesn’t give that many tips on alignment. Sure, she’s enthusiastic and encouraging (without being overly “hard” or perky, which is hard to do), but I really, really wish she gave more form cues, such as keeping the abs in, the lower back flat and the shoulders pulled back and together when doing the Upper Body segment. I can definitely see inexperienced exercisers getting tired and having their form shot to hell after just a few reps. And nobody likes an injury, especially a back one.

Despite all that, I still really like the DVD and would do it again. Jackie is great about telling people that they should expect to be sore after the workouts and she gives lots of prompts to go up in weights if you’re not feeling it. The music in the DVD is techno-y—nothing to write home about but nothing terrible either. So while I wish the pace was slowed down, more cues were given and that the lower-body actually had more lower-body moves, overall this DVD is simple and no nonsense. As long as you’ve lifted weights before and are comfortable with combo moves at a quick pace, it’s one to add to your strength workout DVD rotation!

FBG Rating (Out of 5):
Instruction: ★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★★
Music: ★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★★

Overall: ★★★1/2

Fit Bottomed Line: Personal Training With Jackie: 30 Day Fast Start is a no-nonsense strength DVD for the intermediate or advanced exerciser who is looking to build muscle, get her heart rate up and bust through a plateau or a workout rut!

Have you guys ever tried pyramid training? Jackie’s workout DVDs? Discuss! —Jenn

Just when we think Jillian Michaels can’t top her past workout, just when we think she couldn’t possibly have any more fitness tricks up her sleeve, she goes and creates another DVD that has us begging for mercy. This time it’s Jillian Michaels Extreme Shed & Shred. And it does not—I repeat does not—disappoint.

It’s like Jillian put all of her DVDs—Yoga Meltdown, 30-Day Shred, Ripped in 30, Shred It with Weights, 6 Week Six-Pack, and No More Trouble Zones—together for one master workout DVD to kick your butt and shred your body. With two workouts, the DVDs follow Jillian’s usual formula for booty-kicking: circuit training with weights and cardio. But in this DVD, she combines weights, kettlebell exercises, weight training, plyometrics, yoga poses, balance work and core moves for two workouts that really do shed and shred.

The Level One workout includes a 6-minute warm-up, 29 minutes of drills and a 7-minute cool down (42 minutes total). The workout itself is a challenging mix of burpees, down dogs, punches, kicks, good mornings (like dead lifts—hardly see these in workout DVDs, so I LOVED that she did them!), Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu moves, sun salutations and other moves that will have you saying owie. The 54-minute Level Two workout has the same warm-up and cool down, but a longer and more intense workout section that’s 41 minutes long. Featuring more complicated and advanced moves like plank push-up jacks, weighted reverse crunches, deep warrior poses, kettlebell swings with a dumbbell, and a standing balance and core strength move called “Statue of Liberty,” it is not for the faint of heart. If you’re super workout psycho, you can even put the two levels together for almost an hour-and-a-half of Jillian that might just kill you. In a good way, of course.

I’m just going to say it (and this is a bold statement in the workout DVD world): This is the best workout DVD Jillian has created and one of the best DVDs I’ve ever done. In no other Jillian Michaels workout DVD are her cuing, tips on form and modifications (she shows you how to make most of the moves easier or harder) as spot on as they are in this DVD. It’s like she’s been reading our feedback (and maybe she has since she mentioned us in episode 19 of her podcast!).

The music is good (except for the odd cat screeching in Level Two that’s more hilarious than distracting), the pace is slow and controlled, and you get a lot of what’s great about Jillian Michaels. She’s totally herself in this one: cracking jokes (be sure to check out the blooper reel off the main menu), demanding a lot out of you, and giving everyone a good dose of truth and motivation. In the intro of the DVD she even addresses good nutrition and how it’s essential to getting good results (she also tells you about her free nutrition plan that’s online). I especially enjoyed how she ended the cool down with corpse pose and a little semi hippity-dippity pep talk, saying ”everything is perfect in this moment.” And, really, in this DVD, everything is perfect.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):

Instruction: ★★★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★★★
Music: ★★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★★★

Overall: ★★★★★ (I’m rounding up ’cause it’s that good!)

Fit Bottomed Line: If you’re a Jillian fan, you MUST add Extreme Shed & Shred to your workout DVD collection. Must!

What’s your favorite Jillian Michaels’ workout DVD? Could this one take its top spot? —Jenn

In what could be could be considered serendipitous timing (or not so serendipitous, I guess), we’ve been planning to review Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition: The Workout for a month or so now. And then this crazy whistle-blowing news hit (kind of like when this hit about The Biggest Loser), and we were like hmmm…let’s take a closer look at that workout DVD.

Now, I’ve never watched a single episode of Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition, and I’m not naive enough to think that all (or even most) of what you see on reality TV is actually real. So, I’m no expert on the show, re: what it does or doesn’t promote. I’m sure shady and unhealthy things like dehydration go on behind the scenes, and I have no doubt that losing a bunch of weight in a really short amount of time can cause quite a shock to the system and actually cause health problems. But does any of that show up in this Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition DVD? Nope. Not at all. In fact, I’ll call this one of the better beginner workouts we’ve reviewed.

While not as cute as Bob (who is, though?), trainer Chris Powell is likeable, cues well and has designed three full-body cardio and strength combo workouts (Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3) that build in intensity, and each has its own warm-up and cool down. Level 1 is a good low-impact and slow 15-minute workout for someone who is just starting to work out for the first time or is overweight with limited mobility. Level 2 is a slightly longer (25 minutes) full-body workout that includes a few high-impact aerobic moves, but is still appropriate for beginners. Level 3 takes it to the next level with more challenging strength moves and extra cardio drills.

Nothing but your body weight and a mat is needed for all of the workout DVD sections, and modifications are shown for just about everything. Most of the moves are highly functional and really do boost fitness—not just make you look good or burn tons of calories. Powell is motivational yet gentle, and focuses on improving health above all else. Fans of Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition will recognize LaRhonda, Rachel and Alex (Courtney Crozier’s boyfriend!) in the DVD, and non-fans will appreciate seeing non-fitness models doing the moves. The fact that there are three levels also gives beginners new workouts to progress to.

Overall, the tone of the whole DVD is encouraging, uplifting and supportive. While I can’t vouch for what goes on behind the scenes on Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition, I know one thing: This DVD is perfect for beginners.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):
Instruction: ★★★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★★
Music: ★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★★★

Overall: ★★★★1/2

Fit Bottomed Line: If you have a lot of weight to lose and don’t have a clue as to where to start, this Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition: The Workout can help!

Dying to try this DVD? We’ll select three random U.S. readers to win this beginner workout DVD. So leave a comment with why you want it, and we’ll pick a winner in about a week! —Jenn

I’ll admit it: I’ve gained a few pounds in the last year. So I was intrigued by Tone It Up! One Day Fat Blast when I first picked it up. Gosh knows I could stand to “tone it up” a bit. Although it took me awhile to gear myself up to do the actual workout (starting is always the hardest part!), I did it nonetheless.

There are two 30-ish minute workouts on this workout DVD. I started with the first one, not knowing quite what to expect, but ready to see just how much blasting we could do in a day. Instructors and creators of the Tone It Up! brand, Karena and Katrina (you may recognize them from the new Jane Fonda-inspired workout DVDs) have a very conversational style, as they’re the best of friends. I really liked this dynamic as they positively push each other to do well—very much fits the Fit Bottomed Girl attitude.

The workout begins with a good warm-up and stretch. Both girls take turns demonstrating moves so that the other can give tips on how to correctly do the moves or modify them. I always appreciate the modification tips because I’m not the strongest person in the world, and I can’t always hold up my own body weight. I also tend to have two left feet, so any help I can get is golden. (This is why I usually resort to running…no coordination involved. At least that’s what I tell myself!) During the workout, you have the option to hold 5-pound weights to add intensity to some of the moves, making this workout suited for intermediate exercisers, too. Although for this beginner (*points to self*), the triangle lunges and the burpees were challenging enough. The lunges take some balance and getting used to so the technique is correct.

As I sweated through the first workout, I contemplated even attempting the second workout, but I thought I’d pop it in to see if I could do it. I mean, I can run for an hour, I should be able to do the second workout, right? Wrong. The second workout on the DVD claims it’s only 20 minutes—but it’s a tough 20 minutes with a punch-and-crunch move that reminded me of my P90X days. The other move that can kick your booty at the end of a workout is when they have you lift your leg while sitting on the floor, moving it from side to side to work your core. Definitely a killer.

Instrumental music plays throughout the workouts, mostly as just background so it doesn’t do a whole lot to pump you up or really motivate you. As someone who needs music to keep me going during a workout, it would’ve been nice to have something more upbeat, but for an instructional video, it wasn’t too bad. Once you get the hang of the routines, you could probably pop in those iPod ear buds and jam out to your own fave tunes.

Although I wouldn’t recommend doing both segments back to back unless you’re a more seasoned exerciser, individually they are good to pair with something else—like a short run or elliptical training—if you’re looking for a longer workout. As a single workout though, it’s a good one if you only have 30 minutes.

FBG Rating: (Out of 5)
Instruction: ★★★★
Long-term Likeability: ★★★
Music: ★★
Fun-factor: ★★1/2
Overall: ★★★1/2

Fit Bottomed Line: Mostly cardio with some strength worked in, Tone It Up! One Day Fat Blast is a challenge for beginners. 

Have you tried any of Karena’s and Katrina’s workouts? Do you like them? —Kelsey

I’m not sure what I was thinking when I popped in the Flabs 2 Abs DVD. With two goofy looking dudes (look closely; there are only two guys—not four) on the cover shown lifting weights and pointing at the camera, I clearly knew I was not the target audience for this DVD. But because of said goofy looking dudes (I mean, one has a floppy chef hat on!) and an uncool curiosity in all things Jersey Shore-esque, I pretty much had to watch it. Had to. You know, for work. So I did…

Walking the fine line between douchebaggery and actual hilarious goofiness, brothers Craig and Matt lead you through much more than a workout in this DVD—they give you a full 30-day “body transformation” program. The Flabs 2 Abs program, which involves a rigorous diet plan, cardio and almost daily weight-training exercises, has been tested on none other than Craig and Matt, so they show off their shiny, sleek physiques in much of the video.

While six weight-lifting workouts are included (and they aren’t bad—just pretty boring and guy-a-fied), the majority of this DVD is educational. Craig and Matt explain the program in detail, make funny faces, show off their six-packs and, despite the goof, put together a pretty decent weight-loss program. Sure, it’s highly regimented and there’s a diet involved that restricts carbs, but most of the advice is pretty solid, and they do include maintenance tips for when your 30 days are up.

Although I don’t expect most FBG readers to find this particularly worth the $24.97 price tag, it’s not a bad DVD and can teach you—or the dudes in your life—a lot. If you do invest in it, be sure to watch the outtakes, where Craig and Matt get even goofier, and the bit about the music, where you get to see the brothers jamming out and making the music you hear in the DVD. Fitness experts, musicians and goof balls? Now that’s a unique combination. Pretty sure if I ate dinner with them, I’d want to simultaneously smack them and laugh hysterically with them.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):

Instruction: ★★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★
Music: ★★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★★

Overall: ★★★1/2

Best for: Dudes. (See above: It is what it is.) 

Want to snag Flabs 2 Abs and see if you agree with our review? Or do you have a boyfriend who might dig it? Leave a comment, and we’ll pick a lucky U.S. reader in about a week to win it! —Jenn

The last time we reviewed something of Bob Harper’s I’ll admit that it was a little tumultuous. I was dismayed, bothered and frankly—as a fellow fitness professional—offended. When it comes to losing weight, there’s no easy answer, just a lot of soul-searching and changing of behaviors. There is no one magic bullet, or pill in this case. But, because we have a long history with Bob (oh, how we have gushed over him!), we couldn’t just ignore that he put out a new workout DVD. Especially one that’s geared for beginners. So, we put our past disagreement aside, and decided to give this DVD—as we do with all of our reviews—an objective look.

Don’t be fooled by the word “beginner” in the title. Bob Harper: Beginner’s Weight Loss is not—I repeat NOT—an easy workout designed for someone who hasn’t been off the couch for years. Although not as difficult as his former The Biggest Loser co-star’s approach to workout DVDs or his own workout, it’s still tough for even an intermediate exerciser, let alone a newbie. The DVD features two workouts. First, a 45-minute series of heart-pumpin’ and sweat-drippin’ cardio and weight-lifting drills like push-ups, lunges, and combo upper- and lower-body moves. Second, a 10-minute ab routine that is short but to the point with the burn. Again, not easy.

Bob is quite endearing as an instructor in this workout DVD, and he cues better in this one than in any other DVD of his that we’ve reviewed. The music, set and overall feel of the DVD is still pretty bad-ass—by no means are any of the people in the DVD “beginners.” Despite this, Bob is still encouraging and does address the fact that the workout is tough—even admitting at one point that he just can’t help himself. I’m all for pushing oneself, obviously, but between the intensity of the workout and its length (I really, really wish there was a 30-minute workout option), this is probably best suited to intermediate exercisers. And for them, it. is. awesome.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):

Instruction: ★★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★★
Music: ★★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★
Overall: ★★★1/2

Fit Bottom line: Not really a beginner’s workout, Bob Harper’s new Beginner’s Weight Loss Transformation DVD is a great challenge for intermediate exercisers.

Want to try this workout DVD for yourself? Leave a comment telling us why, and we’ll select one random U.S. reader to win in about a week. The winner will be contacted via email and in the comments, so stay tuned! —Jenn

The barre workout DVD market has exploded lately. It seems like just about every week another ballet-inspired workout DVD comes to FBG HQ. This week? It was Xtend Barre’s Lean & Chiseled DVD, which we popped in for a little bun burn.

A mix of dance, Pilates and old-school standing legwork that makes your legs feel as though they’ll fall off, this DVD combines light resistance work (read: either sans weight or 1- to 3-pound dumbbells) with movement for a ballet-inspired workout that gives you a bit more cardio than most DVDs of this variety. After a short 5-minute warm-up that is actually kind of intense (instructor Andrea Rogers loooves the plié squats!), you have a number of sections to choose from: Upper Body for 11 minutes, Barre (lower-body) for 24 minutes, Core for 10 minutes and a stretch-a-rific 5-minute cool down. There is also a short introduction from Andrea, and a tutorial to learn what all the ballet moves and names are that is super helpful for barre newbies.

Glutton for punishment that I am, I tried them all for one 55-minute workout. The Upper Body section features a combo of traditional exercises with some ballet-inspiration. Andrea leads you through arm circles (this part reminded me of Tracy Anderson’s DVDs…), tricep kickbacks, planks and moving through different ballet positions while holding weights. While not impossible, this section certainly gets your arms burning. The Barre segment is certainly the high-point of the DVD though. Using a chair, you go through tons of lower-body work including the ballet faves with pulses and jumps: first position, second position and, again, the plié. For cardio, you even pair some of these moves together to get the heart rate up. This section concludes with traditional standing glute work à la Cindy Crawford. The Core section is pretty much all Pilates with moves like the Teaser, C-Curve and split-leg crunches.

Overall, I thought this DVD was pretty solid. Despite the fact that Andrea made me have Tracy Anderson flashbacks every time she said “teeny-tiny” (which was a lot—thankfully she used those words to describe movement, NOT her desired body weight), her instruction was good and the music was fantastic. My only real main complaint is that while the sections are divided up and there is an option to play all (which pretty annoyingly also plays the intro and tutorial—good for the first time, but after that pretty pointless), the DVD is sorely missing a mix-and-match option to create your own perfect workout. All in all, not too shabby. (And this is coming from a girl with little rhythm and flexibility!)

FBG Rating (Out of 5):

Instruction: ★★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★★
Music: ★★★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★★
Overall: ★★★★

Fit Bottom line: A solid barre workout that is more cardio than most ballet-inspired DVDs. Good for beginners and intermediate wannabe ballerinas alike! 

Want to try this workout DVD for yourself? Leave a comment with why, and we’ll select one random U.S. reader to win in about a week. The winner will be contacted via email, so keep an eye on that inbox, chickadees! —Jenn

I grew up idolizing Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi. Although I couldn’t skate on ice to save my life (seriously, put any sort of contraption on my feet and the area in your brain that controls coordination just stops firing), watching Kristi effortlessly spin, jump and twirl on a surface that most people try to avoid slipping on, amazed and inspired me as a wee Fit Bottomed Girl tuned in to the Winter Olympics. So when we heard she had a new workout DVD, we were all “Sign me up to try that!” And try we did.

The DVD features three 10-ish-minute circuit workouts, plus an abs and chest segment. The circuit workouts are quick, yet get your heart rate up, with the first five minutes focusing on cardio drills and easy, basic floor choreography (if you’ve ever done a floor aerobics class, you’ll be fine!), and the last five featuring combination upper- and lower-body strength moves. While the first circuit workout on the DVD is easy enough for beginners, the second and third ones are definitely more challenging (and more creative, which I liked), and therefore better suited to intermediate workouters (I just created a new word!) or those who have mastered the first circuit. The bonus segments are a nice add-on to the circuits. While the chest one is somewhat random in my opinion (I’m not sure how many people wake up thinking, man, my chest could sure use some extra work today, but maybe it feels a niche I’m not aware of…), the abs one is a great quick session to get your belly burning. And, hey, if you do them all together you have one heck of a long and pretty challenging workout.

The best parts of this workout DVD though are the equipment (or the lack thereof) and the instruction. All you need for a pretty solid strength and cardio workout are dumbbells (5 to 8 pounds oughta do it), a mat, and a little space to move about for the cardio. Awesome. And the instruction? While Kristi gives some good tips here and there, her trainer Erin O’Brien (now that’s an Irish name) does most of the cuing, and she is spot on. Erin provides great alignment tips, cues like a pro and gives great modifications. The two of them really play off of each other well—being encouraging without being too corny and grunting through the toughest moves, making you feel more bad arse for working alongside an Olympian.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):
Instruction: ★★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★
Music: ★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★★
Overall: ★★★★

Fit Bottomed Line: If you’re a beginner or intermediate exerciser who is short on time and gear, you really can’t go wrong with Kristi Yamaguchi: Power Workout!

Want to try this DVD for yourself? Comment below to enter to win. Winners will be picked randomly in a week! U.S. residents only, pretty please. —Jenn