Rating: - Keeps you interested and works up a sweat!
This is a great aerobic workout for a strong intermediate or advanced person when it comes to teh cardio (and abs section). The aerobic circuit is a great challenge but not impossile. I am always sweating profusely after this workout. You have the option of doing teh entire circuit alternating between cardio and weight training for a total of 56 minutes or doing each circuit separately at about half an hour each. I liek doing the full circuit becasue it works almost like interval training, and it keeps the workout from getting boring. I also like the workout because Karen incorporates som moves on the step I have never seen before and she transitions a lot to keep you from getting bored. The abs section is a real toughie becasue it is done on your step at an incline. You definitely feel the burn.

My reason for giving a 4 instead of a 5 is that she doesn't cue very well, so the first time you do it, it is a little challenging to follow. Also, I feel that the weight training portion should be more difficult.

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Rating: - Great Workout!
This workout makes me work hard, which I need. I'm 53 and in pretty good shape. It was hard to follow Karen at first, but the second time around, I was right in step with her. I was already into weights before I got this DVD, so the weight portion wasn't a challenge at first. After raising my weights a bit (she recommends 3-5 and 5-8, so I do 8's and 10's) I saw an immediate difference! If you want to sweat and burn calories, this DVD will do it. Love it.

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Rating: - Overall effective and challenging
This DVD is very similar to Karen Voight's "Burn & Firm: Circuit Training" video content-wise, except the cardio segments in these routines involve a step. I actually prefer the cardio portions of this workout to those on Burn & Firm, as the use of the step offers a greater challenge which actually elevates my heart rate.

The toning segments on this DVD deliver an overall body-toning workout using one set of lighter (3-5 lb) weights and one set of heavier (5-8 lb.) weights, which includes several combination moves (such as doing a bicep curl with one arm while doing a triceps kickback in the other). The lower body toning exercises mostly involves some squats and lunges off the step. However, the abdominal section includes raising the step bench on one side as to create an incline, and while this is supposed to offer a greater challenge by working the lower abdominals against the increased gravity of the legs, I feel it places unnecessary strain on the back. There are just as effective and less strenuous ways of working the lower abdominals than this. The accompanying music and look of the set is nice, but as with a lot of Karen's other exercise DVDs, it somewhat lacks the fun factor in my opinion (her personality doesn't really click with me for some reason). Her cuing also isn't the best (she's already on to the next step before instructing you to follow her lead), and you may have to practice doing the cardio routines several times before finally catching on. However, I do like how you can pick-and-choose which exercise routine, or which combination of exercise routines suites your needs.

Despite a few flaws, I'd recommend "Ultimate Step Circuit" as an effective total body cardio & strength workout overall, though personally I prefer Cathe Friedrich workouts for this sort of routine.

Rating: Good

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Rating: - Fun cardio workout
I love this step workout! It took me a few times to get the hang of all the steps, but now I feel like I know it by heart. As other reviewers have noted, there are a few times where Karen starts a step before she cues the viewer in, but after just a couple times of doing this workout, you get the hang of it.

Personally, I'm not as crazy about the weight segments. The great thing about this DVD, though, is you can select which segments to do. I usually just do the three cardio circuits in a row and then do my own free weights. I also own Elle MacPherson's "Your Personal Best" video which features Karen. I'm familiar with her style of exercises and enjoy her coaching and fun, upbeat workouts.

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Rating: - A little more cardio, please
You can always count on Karen Voight to give you a well-developed workout and Ultimate Step Circuit is no exception. I bought it because I was hoping that I'd get a great step workout from an instructor that brings a lot of positives to the field of video exercise. Unfortunately, there's only about 30 minutes of stepping and even when I chose the option where you do all the step segments at once, I couldn't hit my target heart rate for long enough to make it worthwhile. Likewise when I chose the combo (step segments alternating with toning) option on the DVD. But it's still a good overall workout option (vs. sitting on your couch and eating Cheetos) from one of the best instructors out there.