Two strength-training, circuit-style workouts, each just under 40 minutes long. Jeanette Jenkins instructs.

Mainly intermediate exercisers, although there are beginner's modifications, and the level of weight can raise the bar on difficulty. You will need one or two pairs of 3 to 10 pound dumbbells, a mat and (optional) 3 to 5 lb. ankle weights.

Like many of you out there, I have a love-hate relationship with exercise DVDs that I know are going to work me hard. While I love that feeling of accomplishment when I'm done — not to mention the results — I kind of dread actually doing the workout. Often, they're a little dull, the instructors tend to be a little stiff and... yeah, there's that hard work you have to do. So to say I was pleasantly surprised by this strength-training, circuit DVD is just scratching the surface. It rocked my world! Yes, Jenkins' workout has all those old school standards you've seen before — the one-legged squats, the flyes, the shoulder presses, the crunches, the athletic-style cardio bursts — but she makes you do each in one long, muscle-fatiguing, 25-rep set (you beginners get off easy with 15 reps), then you're off to the next exercise. And she makes it interesting with a lively personality and great energy. Jenkins is friendly, straightforward and fun — you won't have to suffer through Denise Austin-style mommy-and-me encouragement, or curse under your breath at Jillian Michaels-like bossiness (sorry to those who like either of these two instructors, but they get on my nerves). Jenkins makes the time fly, even if she does confess that personal trainers can't seem to count and always toss in an extra couple of reps, something she is guilty of frequently. There are two routines on this DVD. Both of them are full-body, but focus on different areas. The first workout mainly works your chest, triceps, hamstrings, glutes and abs, while the second focuses on your back, biceps, inner and outer thighs... and more abs. When it comes to building muscle tone in a way that's fun, you can't go wrong with these workouts — this is one of the best exercise DVDs of 2007.

 

 

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