Amazon.com

Billed as the "future of fitness" and hawked by numerous celebrities, Billy Blanks's Tae-Bo actually deserves much of the hype it's receiving. A mixture of boxing punches and martial arts kicks, Tae-Bo is fun and easy. One of the best elements of this four-tape set is that the first tape (which is 40 minutes long), Tae-Bo: Instructional, lays out the movements you need to successfully complete a workout. Once you've mastered the steps, you won't have to fast-forward through half the tape to get to the workout, nor will your workout be slowed down by the repeated lessons. After you feel comfortable with the movements (and they're really quite easy to follow; nothing too complicated to trip you up), you're ready to move on to Tae-Bo: Basics, a 27-minute workout (5 minutes of warm-up, 18 minutes of Tae-Bo, and 4 minutes of cool-down) that will have your heart pounding and your body sweating. Next comes Advanced, a 57-minute workout that will have your heart racing, pulse pounding, and sweat glands working overtime. There's razzmatazz on the moves, with slightly more complicated combinations that should be fairly easy to master if you've completed the first two tapes. This video seriously raises the bar on the difficulty factor.

In addition to the short warm-up, the cool-down, and the 30 minutes of Tae-Bo, Advanced Tae-Bo also includes 18 minutes of muscle-crunching floor work. You know you're in trouble when even the guys in the tape have trouble keeping up. Make sure you have truly mastered the first two tapes before attempting this one. The 8-Minute Workout is a highly compacted workout (actually 14 minutes long when you include warm-up and cool-down) for those days when you're too short on time for Basic or Advanced. While the 8-minute idea is compelling, it's not an adequate substitute for the longer workouts. Blanks, a seven-time World Martial Arts champion, is a superb instructor, providing encouragement and careful instruction (if you don't know by the end of the tape to hold in your stomach, that's no one's fault but your own). The only downside to these tapes is the less-than-exciting music. Not only is Tae-Bo great exercise for all levels, but the punches and kicks are wonderful for working out stress and aggression. This is the aerobics exercise video for people who are bored by aerobics. --Jenny Brown ... Read more

Reviews (182)

Literally
Living in New England, my running routine has somewhat gone down the tubes due to the frigid weather. Plus my class schedule has so many 8-5 days in it that I don't have time to hit the gym. SO, I decided just after Thanksgiving to start doing a workout tape regime that would kill less time and still keep me in shape.

My first tape...Callanetics. Great sculpting workout, but no cardio. The immediate first thought...Tae Bo. I have a lot of friends who sang the praises of Billy Blanks, but I had yet to see myself what cardio kickboxing was all about. I bought the DVD version (1) because it was actually cheaper than the tapes and (2) had all the tapes rolled up into one slim package that would probably last longer anyway.

I did what the instructions told me and did the introductory workout first. This teaches you the basics of the moves he likes to incorporate into the routines. Although I feel that he could have explained some of the positions better (i.e., when you do the roundhouse kicks, turn the foot you're standing on OUT...it will help twist your hips down so you can lift your leg as high as possible while working out your gluteal muscles...he doesn't emphasize this, just tells you to keep your hand on your hip and kick to the side), you find out his workout is relatively simple in technique. However, he warns you that he CAN and WILL make it more PHYSICALLY difficult as you progress.

I then advanced to the basics workout. Being an avid runner and gym rat, I found this to be a pretty decent workout. Built up a respectable sweat and felt empowered...just pictured kicking ex-boyfriends in the face. :) Plus, I surprised myself with how fierce I can feel...really lets out stress and remains fun.

The advanced workout...whoa. Not for the faint of heart. 45 minutes of cardio with many many many fast sequences of kicks and jabs that will make you feel like a puppet being yanked in eight different directions...it's great. :) Then, the floor work...you probably have never done so many doggy-lifts in your life! Killer! :) I highly recommend this DVD!

Taebo will get you going!
I have been doing power yoga, jump roping, running, power walking, some martial arts (at studios) and a little weight lifting and I couldn't even get toned. I was still getting slightly depressed and I felt my motivation go down. BUT then I luckily found Taebo. Billy Blanks is this incredible motivator that really gets you going. Before I got to an advanced level I started to see stomach muscle tone and overall lean muscle tone--it's really amazing. Yes, you should spend an extra 15 min of stretching prior and after each workout, but if Billy Blanks were to have included a stretch out in the videos than it would have been boring. Yes, the music [is bad]. However, you can get over those petty concerns if you take your fitness goals seriously. Don't whine, get off your seat and just do it! I'm now doing Taebo 5X a week and cardio 1X a week--despite the fact that I have recently recieved radiation treatment for Grave's disease (and will require a life time of meds). You can transcend any emotional pain in your life by your pure determinism!

They could have picked better music!!!
I love TaeBo, but it's a little difficult to get pumped up to elevator hiphop! Please! Overall, the workout is awesome. I saw results in 2 weeks, and it makes me feel strong, sexy, and empowered (I just picture kicking and punching my ex-husband in the face when I need that extra boost! LOL). This is worth the money. Maybe when you get the moves down, you could crank up some real music to kick-butt to!

ordered and e-bay cancel
I order this DVd for $20 two days later E-bay cancel my order an
said they had no more. Now I look on e-bay they have the same
taebo DVD at a higher cost???Is this a rip off or what?

Yes, It Really Works
I have had to work to control my weight since puberty. I have been working out since I was 16 yrs. old and of all the things I have tried, I have never gotten into shape as fast as I did with Tae-Bo. About a month and a half after I began the workout, people were asking me what I was doing. I was so pleased with the results! And not only do you lose weight quick, but you feel so much better! Strong and energized. I thought what I payed was pretty inexpensive after seeing what it did for me. ... Read more

Product Description

The Walk Away the Pounds Boxed Set from Video Action Sports contains 3 great In-Home Walking workouts that you can squeeze into your busy schedule to help you walk your way to a healthy body. The video includes Get Up and Get Started (1 mile), High Calorie Burn (2 miles) and Super Fat Burning (3 miles). You can trust Leslie Sansone for safe, easy and fun walking programs. ... Read more

Reviews (106)

It works!
I have Leslie's Walk Away The Pounds deluxe set, which comes with the 1 mile walk tape, the 2 mile, the 3 mile, and the weighted balls. I started only 3 weeks ago, and I have been doing the 2 mile video every day, and the 3 mile when I feel more energetic.

This really works! I have lost weight and inches already! These workouts are easy, but they WORK! I have cut back on junk food, so I am not doing a major life changing diet, yet its still working. I am a clutz and get very tired easy, I have no coordination, but I can do these! :)

There is no jumping around and you need very little room, which is a plus. I find Leslie very easy to follow and I don't feel lost with whats going on like with Richard Simmons tapes.

Easy and Effective Workout
I bought the 3 mile walk about 4 months ago. For the first 2 months I used it 5-6 days a week. Since I've started doing this workout (currently mix it in with several other DVD/ VHS workouts), I've lost 15 lbs! That's pretty significant considering that I'm only 5'4"!

I really love this workout. It's not hard on my legs/ knees, it makes me sweat, and it's so easy to follow that I can put my TV on split-screen and watch a TV show on half the screen with sound and still follow along with the muted workout.

There only bad thing I have to say is that the repetitive music and hearing the same old jokes again and again; it's hard to take. That's another reason I'm so glad I can do the split screen workout with the VHS muted!

Another thing: I've managed to hook 4 people that I work with, and several of their friends/ families on the same 3 mile walk! These people all asked how I was losing so much weight and then borrowed the tape for a trial before going and buying it themselves. One person has lost 20lbs in 2 months from doing the workout 3 times a week!

In short, I would say that this program definitely delivers!

Easy to follow, low stress workouts
I started working out with these videos when I was 4-5 months pregnant. I am currently in my 7th month, and still enjoy them immensely. The workouts are easy, and present no jerky or bouncy movements that could cause problems with my already out-of-balance and awkward shape.

I had enjoyed walking regularly before buying these videos, but I was looking for an alternative to my somewhat boring treadmill routine. The miles go very quickly in these videos, and Leslie and her crew are very likeable. I feel as though I'm exercising with friends.

I use the 2-mile tape the most, and the 1-mile tape (approx. 17 minutes) is wonderful for squeezing in an early-morning or while-dinner-is-cooking workout. As my pregnancy progresses, I find the pace of the 3-mile tape somewhat difficult to keep up with. But it's a pace I know I can manage once the baby is born.

I got my doctor's OK before getting into these workouts, and I'm finding that these videos are not only easy, but fun. I believe I will continue to enjoy them throughout the rest of my pregnancy. I look forward to using them to work back into my pre-pregnancy shape.

No-excuses, a no-brainer
If you can walk you can do this workout -- and it works!!! It's especially great on those days when you don't feel like doing a "jump/dance" workout. You'll sweat, burn and tone just the same. Should be included everyones fitness video library.

Great and Easy to do.
My mom and I love these videos. We haven't exercise in years and are out of shape. These videos are easier than others out there and when we are done we feel full of energy and good for doing something for our health. Leslie makes us feel like we are right there exercising with them. I don't mind the music at all. HighLy recommended for those of you that out of shape. ... Read more

Product Description

You don't have to spend hours in the gym to get a leaner, trimmer, stronger you. In fact, you don't have to leave your living room. With Walk Away the Pounds for Abs, you can get a great workout that challenges every muscle in your body, firms those hard-to-tone places, burns fat and works your abs - all at the same time! ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Great tapes
I got this set as a gift and started as part of my New Year's resolution. I have lots of other exercise tapes BUT I use this set. It is hard to get started on a lot of exercise tapes but this set is different. The moves aren't so hard that you never feel like doing the tape again. I have started other tapes and got a few minutes into the tape only to say this is too hard. This is good for people of varying levels of fitness. If you aren't in good shape, you start with the 1 mile and do what you can and build up your endurance. If you are in pretty good shape then you use the 2 & 3 mile tapes most of the time. I have recommended these tapes to friends and would definitely recommend them to anyone who wants to lose weight and improve their body. I have lost 12 pounds in 7 weeks by using these tapes and trying to improve my eating habits. The exercise belt really gives a good upper body & ab workout.

A great low-imact workout!
I have many workout videos on my shelf, but until I discovered Leslie Sansone's Walk Away tapes, they mostly just collected dust. The wonderful thing about Leslie's in-home walking workout is that it is easy (no difficult choreography or quick movement changes to confuse you), fast (you can choose the 15-min:1 mile, 30-min:2 mile, or 45-min:3 mile depending on how much time you have), and effective! Using both Weight Watchers and daily 2 or 3 mile walks, I have managed to lose 15 lbs. in 5 weeks!

While this might not be the best choice for someone looking for a super high-energy workout, it is perfect for those who prefer a no frills way to exercise out some stress and calories. Also nice is the fact that her exercise crew represents all body types - while there a few "perfect" figures, there are also those who may look more like you or me.

I like the walk-away belt; it provides just enough tension to work the muscles of your arms and back without burning you out. I've never had a problem with the belt, though I'm skeptical of Leslie's assertion that it will help tone your abs just by wearing it during the workout...I've yet to see it.

All in all, I will never buy another workout video again, and am getting rid of all the others I own. If a busy stay-at-home mom can finally make the time to exercise daily - and ENJOY it - what other endorsement does it need?!

lost 18 pounds
I really like these videos...by cutting out pop and drinking lots of water and cutting back on my overall eating I lost 18 pounds in 2 months. I do the videos 4-6 times a week (usually the 2 mile tape)..if I do not have much time tho I do the 1 mile tape..it is great tho..just be sensible and cut back and excerise and you WILL see results. also I have NEVER had problems w the belt..tho her voice DOES start to bother me when you have her memorized LOL..so I play the radio over her...HTH...good luck!!

Video shows band that broke! Did you catch it?
As a stay at home parent who has limited time for exercise, these tapes are simply awesome! I just had another baby and wanted to get back into shape slowly. These tapes are perfect. Very easy to follow along and you do feel it working immediately. Finally an exercise series I look forward to doing. Now, about the bands. I'm surprised no one else mentioned this yet. Mine are still in tact but the past reviews here mention the bands breaking. I chuckled since I noticed just the other day that one of the exercisers in the video broke her band! Its on the 2 mile tape, look for the blonde woman in the back row on the right. You see her exercising and then all of a sudden you see her look surprised and then glance down at her hand. She's only holding one unattached handle :) She shrugs as if she doesn't know what to do. Then when they pan back over she is not wearing the belt and shortly later you see her with a whole new belt in tact. Guess they couldn't edit that out but it was amusing to confirm that yes, these bands do break. I use my hand weights which also give a wonderful workout. I highly recommend this video set to anyone who wants to get or stay in shape.

What's with the belt???
I have almost all of Leslie Sansone's tapes. This by far is the poorest one; only because of the belt. I choose to do these workouts without it. The belt hinders my movements. The videos are wonderful and the exercises can be completed without the belt. All of her tapes do a wonderful job of targeting total body fitness. Save your money and put it towards her new series "Walk away the pounds express." ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Richard's a blast!
I popped in these tapes after not having used them for a few years, and found that they are still fun. Great cardio workout, and Richard's attitude is upbeat and infectious. The other background exercisers in the tape seemed to have a lot of fun, too. The dance steps may take a few viewings to get down, but I don't find them difficult. These tapes might make for a good warmup for an intermediate or advanced user.

Top Notch
Ok, I bought these against the advice of people here but I'm a Simmons Groupie and didn't have these 3. I just finished the Latin Blast Off and yes, the moves are hard but they need practice to learn. This video is fun, and fast, and the time just flies. I did the best I could with the moves but after a few times I'm sure I'll get it down. Plus, it's loaded with beautiful people with great costumes and makeup, and they are having such FUN....
If you are used to another Richard video and know his normal moves then get this. It may take awhile to get the moves down but doesn't it always? Plus, it's 40 minutes long. I always thought 1 hour was too much and 30 minutes was too short, this is perfect. The aerobic part was about a half hour and then there was a toning session with "cool weights" that you can order from Richard but they are just wrist weights you can buy at any Wal-Mart, or do without until you build your arm strenth up. Great video set.

Too complicated for the uncordinated
I bought these videos because I enjoyed the Sweatin to the Oldies series, but this was not the same at all. I put the Latin dance tape in and was so confused that I gave up in the first two minutes. I continued to watch the entire tape and felt there was no way I would ever learn all the moves and never put it back in. There was poor cueing, you would need to watch the tapes many times first in order to do a first time work out and follow along. Stick with the Sweatin' series.

So Much Fun, You Actually Want to Exercise!
I disagree with the other reviewers. I found the difference between these videos and Richard's previous videos the exact reason why I love these so much. It looks like Richard hired some real dancers for the videos. Not that I have anything against overweight people (I shouldn't), but it is nice to do the exercises while watching some truly attractive people. The outfits they wear are *fun*. Some things in the Latin workout are hysterically funny, like when a woman sitting at a table in the "club" starts to gyrate and dance against Richard. The look on his face is to die for. Not only will you get fit doing these tapes, you will also laugh a lot...if you have a sense of humor.

The music includes songs by Ricky Martin, Enrique, Madonna, Cher, and others. The music on all 3 tapes is phenomenal. You can't help but feel incredibly happy exercising to this music. The cool down sessions are great. The toning segments WORK. I've gone from "I don't want to exercise" to "I can't wait" because these tapes are so much fun and you will see results! Richard uses much more effective moves in these tapes. His cueing is still terrible. But once you do them a few times, you'll have the moves down. And you'll be having so much fun doing them!

I've lost 10 lbs. and one pants size in 3 weeks with just these tapes. Thank you for making me a "mover" again, Richard! And please, make more videos like these!

Shorter, more intense workouts
The workouts in these videos are shorter and more intense than Richard's normal videos, which can be a plus since I don't always have a whole hour to devote to exercise. The Aerobics last about 30 minutes then there is 10 minutes of toning. When I
bought this set is came with wrist weights, but I have stopped using those and just use small dumbbells now instead. The intensity of these videos might appeal to people who have not found his workouts challenging enough in the past, but may be too intense for his target audience, really overweight people.

There are a couple of things that I object to about these videos. They are a little harder to follow than Richard's other videos, and those of you who have tried his videos before know that he really borders on dance with some of his moves. I gave up all together trying to follow the Latin Blast Off. I also object to the way some of the women are dressed in these videos. Richard usually uses real people in real clothes in his workouts. Many of the women in these look like they are auditioning for an adult film, especially in the Latin video. All in all, though, I enjoy the challenging but shorter workouts offered by this set. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Advanced Tae-Bo enthusiasts will enjoy this set of two 60-minute workouts, both nonstop and intense. There are drills of one move at a fast pace over and over, with up to 40 repetitions. Occasionally, you slow down for half a minute to learn a combination, but then it's back to the fast repetitions. The combinations are never complex, but they're always intense, and Blanks gives technique tips so you can focus on doing the moves for maximum effectiveness and safety. Both workouts are tough and relentless, working the whole body, burning calories, building muscle endurance, and conditioning your heart and lungs. If you do advanced Tae-Bo regularly, this set will give you two new workouts at the high intensity you prefer. --Joan Price ... Read more

Reviews (49)

The Best of Tae Bo
These have to be the best Tae Bo videos yet. I am an aerobics instructor who teaches Kickboxing and I find these tapes to be quite challenging. They have also held my attention longer than some of the other Tae Bo tapes--I tend to get bored very quickly with exercise videos. I have been doing them faithfully for about a week now (I have cut back my teaching schedule because of conflicts with home schedule) and I will tell you--I see a difference in my abs and hips already. Especially the abs!! The Advanced tapes are definitely too much for a beginner--so if you are new to Tae Bo--do the Basic Tae Bo II tapes first. I have been combining this with the focus Abs & Glutes (which is very challenging also but VERY fast paced) and really like the results that I have gotten in such a short time. I highly recommend these tapes to Tae Bo lovers and advanced exercisers.

Tremendous workout
The Tae Bo II Get Ripped tapes are not for beginners. These are far and away the two hardest, most varied workouts I have ever done in my life. The first one in particular is almost unbelievable the first few times you do it, but the feeling of accomplishment once you master these puppies is well worth the pain. An hour of Tae Bo is SO much more effective than an hour of running, spinning or cycling. Your abs and glutes will get worked in ways you never realized were possible.

Two things to remember, though:

1. Tae Bo will not make you look "ripped" unless you are combining the program with weight training, which will give you muscles to ripple. Nothing is a complete exercise program without upper-body resistance work.

2. Don't do these things more than three times a week, and take a couple of days off to rest! Billy advises people about this in his book, and it's really worth repeating. This is too intense a workout to do on a daily basis. You'll end up hurting yourself by not giving your legs, abs and rear enough time to rest and regenerate. Just like with working your arms with weights, you CAN'T work your abs every single day. And believe me: Tae Bo II is the most intense ab work you're likely to find. I put it on par with the best Pilates instruction, as long as you do it correctly.

No Pain, No Gain
I was appalled at some of the "reviews" I saw, like the one saying this workout is horrible and "leaves you tired." NO KIDDING! That's what exercise is supposed to do! And someone else wrote something like "no one really gets ripped with these tapes, and it's all a marketing ploy." What this person doesn't realize is that NO amount of exercise will do you good if you're not following a balanced diet and if you're not putting your all into what you're doing. The reason there's a 95% diet failure rate in America is precisely because of attitudes like this; you have to work hard if you want to be rewarded, and you've got to make the OVERALL effort, and that means doing both aerobic and anaerobic exercise on a consistent basis and combining it with smart eating.

With that being said, Tae-Bo II: Get Ripped! is a very rewarding experience if you do the moves correctly. Billy is always an inspiration and keeps you on your feet the whole time. Trust me, during vigorous workouts like this, it's easy to give up long before the tape is over, but you owe it to yourself to do as much as you can without hurting yourself. I've been doing various Tae-Bo workouts for several months now and I haven't gotten bored with the routine because it WORKS, and I'd rather get bored with something that works for me then get excited with something that really doesn't give me the results I want. I found Tape 1 to have more strength training (particularly a lot of kicks to strengthen thighs), while Tape 2 had more cardio with great routines geared toward abs and glutes.

Have fun!

Excellent workout
I started doing Tae-Bo when the tapes first came out and I've been doing kickboxing for years-- this is definately the most intense workout I've done so far. I've ordered so many other tapes only to find that they moved way too slow and were completely useless. You do have to know your own limits with these tapes though because the tempo can be very fast at times. The music isn't the best, but this is an excellent workout and the time goes by so fast. Larry Lam's XKO is also an excellent workout, but not quite as challenging as this one.

Tae Bo with ADD
I do not like these workouts. I have the original Tae bo workouts, and find them much easier to follow along to. In Tae Bo II Blanks moves so quickly and doesn't spend enough time on each move. It is like watching a person with ADD do a workout. There are also so many people as back up people that it's hard to follow. Too many faces cause much more confusion. If you're new to Tae Bo I highly recommend the originals. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This boxed set contains four 30-minute exercise videos from professional belly dancers Veena and Neena Bidasha:

Bellydance Fitness for Beginners: Hips, Buns, and Thighs: Most of this is a buttock and thigh workout starting with traditional leg lifts and lunges and leading to belly-dance-inspired moves like squeezing one buttock at a time or circling the hips. The fun begins later with "hip drops" and "hip lifts" with added leg and arm positions.

Bellydance Fitness for Beginners: Arms & Abs: This video helps you tone arms and abs with isolations that use smooth, flowing movements. Special motions of the wrists and fingers make the moves look dramatic and fluid, sometimes snakelike. Meanwhile, you're working your abdominals by lifting, shifting, and circling your ribcage. The workout includes some difficult abdominal moves done on the floor.

Bellydance Fitness for Beginners: Fat Burning: This is a belly-dance-inspired cardio workout done barefoot. The routine builds from simple foot movements that establish rhythm to more intense moves with hops and jumps. Don't expect your belly to do the dancing in this video--the legs and feet do all the work here, except for some hip moves during the cool down.

Bellydance Fitness for Beginners: Basic Moves teaches body isolations--head, arms, shoulders, ribcage, and hips--that are incorporated into dance movements later. It's not really an exercise routine as much as a class of basic belly-dancing moves, though your abs and hips will certainly get a workout from all that rib-pushing and hip-rolling action. --Joan Price ... Read more

Reviews (69)

Bellydancing and Fitness with Neena and Veena
I decided to buy the boxed sets of bellydance fitness and dance because I was looking for a way to exercise without being tortured. I was interested in finding a life activity, not just a fitness routine, and found bellydance very alluring. I wanted something which felt good to my body and left me energized, not drained. I read through the reviews about these videos, and based on the overhwhelmingly positive feedback, decided to purchase them.

I have never submitted a review, but I am compelled to do so, in order to offer thanks to those who helped convince me to buy these sets. I wholeheartedly agree with the accolades dedicated to Neena and Veena's work.

First off, I had not been exercising for some time. I do not have previous dance training (of any kind), and hate complicated aerobic videos. I have tried many types of aerobic videos, and perhaps it's my own failing, but I have not stuck with any of them. This changed when I found Neena and Veena.

Their instruction is gentle and fun. Each of the 4 workout videos uses different moves, so each has something new to offer and suits various moods. The fat burning workout was a challenge for me, it was difficult since I had not been working out for a long time. Eventually I built up to it and it is an excellent workout.

These videos make me feel feminine and beautiful, not to mention graceful. They offer the opportunity to try something sensual and daring in the privacy and convenience of your personal space.

I strongly recommend that women considering these videos give them a try; I suggest that you buy the boxed set and take advantage of the great price. You can't do with just one video; best of all--you will want all of them! I have never said that about any other type of fitness activity or fitness personalities. These videos are exciting yet low-key, and are a welcome escape from the usual perky and irritating cheerleader-type fitness divas who in the past made me feel frumpy and guilty about my moves!

Great Tapes!
Good instruction, beautiful settings, well-done camera work. In each of the moves the instructions are clear and easy to follow. The twins are beautiful and fun to watch. I bought both sets - the workout set and the dance set. The first time I did the fat burning tape my calves hurt for 3 days, and I do strength training/weight lifting. Completely different type of workout, completely different type of pain,so watch out for that one. I highly recommend a class along with any of the bellydance video's. It's nice to have someone validate what your doing right and correct what your doing wrong.

Great Package for all around Workouts and Belly Dance Fun
The twins know how to give you a good workout while having fun, and the belly dance moves are explained and practiced well. They give you the best and safest workout and some good basics for belly dance. I'm actually losing weight using the Arms & Abs tape using the Slim Down tape at the end. Great way to spend an one and half hours.

The instruction leaves a little to be desired
I purchased this set because I was interested in varying my fitness routine and was always interested in bellydancing-I figured this would be a great way to combine the two. I do enjoy watching the dancing at the beginning and end of each video and the music is really great. I found the incomplete instruction and lack of transition make the videos hard to follow.

Neena & Veena are performing the exercises but there is another woman narrating and there is no verbal transition from one exercise to the next which makes it hard to follow at first. There is also no real instruction to explain what it is you are supposed to be doing, you just have to figure it out by watching what is going on on your screen. This makes it even harder to follow because you are focusing on what they are doing and not really doing anything yourself. When you are just starting out you may not see any benefit until you really learn the moves.

Love it!
Great if you don't like the regular exercise stuff. Will work those hips and thighs. Be great if you just had a baby. Get those places back. Most women have trouble with their hips and thighs.

Music is great. I'm a beginner dancer myself. Only do it for home and pleasure.

Their dance at the end of the videos are wonderful. I could watch them all day. ... Read more

Description

A place to breathe deeply, strengthen and nourish your body, and awaken your spirit…

Yoga can help reverse the aging process by improving flexibility, massigning the internal organs and glands, sending oxygen to all the body’s tissues, and enhancing a state of serenity.Breathing deeply into certain postures affects the nervous and lymphatic systems. It increases circulation and promotes radiant skin. It helps relieve tight muscles, increases energy, and improves strength. On a deeper level, it’s a tool for observation. It brings us into the present so that we may fully receive what each moment has to offer and teach.

Join Rainbeau Mars and experience yoga in paradise on the breathtaking beaches of Maui.This 4 Volume Gift Boxed Set includes: For Beginners, Pure Sweat, Pure Tranquility, and Pure Power.

This is truly the heart of yoga.Enjoy… ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The Many Colors of Rainbeau's Yoga
This 4 tape set by Rainbeau Mars is a treasure of Yoga Gold with many unique colours. I love this set so much that I'm reviewing it for the second time now that I've gotten to use it for well over a year.

If you only owned one set of Yoga Videos I would say this would be one of my top choices without a doubt (and this opinion is based on my experience with over 70 yoga programs in addition to studying with an amazing teacher). The reason I would choose this particular set is that there is so much variety between these tapes that you can choose one on any given day depending on your level of energy or depending on what you want to focus on.

What is special about this series is that each of these programs is completely unique. Many Sets of Yoga programs are basically the same routine with more poses added (or harder variations) rather than unique programs unto themselves. Rather these programs are completely different from each other. What's nice about this is that you can actually alternate these programs each day or combine them if you have more time without the routines overlapping.

The first two tapes "Beginners" and "Pure Tranquility" are gentle tapes that let you melt into wonderful yoga flows that will make you feel incredible as you open up your body, mind and spirit with movement and breath.

The last two tapes "Pure Power" and "Pure Sweat" will challenge you and push you to new levels of strength, endurance and flexibility while maintaining the true essence of yoga which is awareness and breathing.

Rainbeau Mars is a wonderful and inspiring teacher who comes across with real depth and sincerity. You feel like she's right there with you leading you through the practice. She's a real yoga teacher and not an aerobics teacher who decided to do a yoga video because it's the "in thing" .

Also, these tapes clock in at about 30 minutes so they are very easy to fit into anyone's schedule so there are not reasons to ever skip a day of Yoga.

When your ready to move on to a wonderful intermediate practice I also recommend Sherri Baptiste Freeman's "Power Of Yoga" which is available on Amazon as well (see my detailed review).

Highly recommended!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Namaste

Awesome Awesome Awesome
I just tried out one video from this series, the yoga "Sweat", and I can't say enough about it. As a intermediate yoga'er, I wanted something slightly more challenging, and more of a workout. This is it. This is also one of the few videos that really gives you the mind connection from yoga along with great instruction. This video, however, is NOT FOR BEGINNERS, although please keep in mind that I haven't tried the other tapes from the set, so I'm sure they might be better for beginners, and if so, this set would follow a beginner for a very long time. Definitely worth it.

I definately recommend these videos.
I love these videos! Rainbeau Mars is now one of my two favorite instuctors, (the other being Rodney Yee). She narrates each session, so the flow of the asanas isn't interupted. The first two videos are pretty easy, so they are good for beginners, but also very resorative, so anyone could benefit from them. The second two are more challenging, and build heat, but they are still good for beginners. I can't stop raving about these tapes! I get so absorbed in the workout, that it's over before I know it! I highly recommend this set to anyone who's serious about yoga!

Especially recommended for those new to the practice of Yoga
Sacred Yoga Practice is a "viewer friendly" four volume series of instructional videos where yoga expert Rainbeau Mars celebrates special aspects of the popular form of Vinyasa Flow Yoga, a practice which emphasizes the energizing combinations of breath and movement, awareness and alignment, optimum strength and flexibility. Available individually for $$ each, the 30 minute programs comprising this outstanding Sacred Yoga Practice series include: Vinyasa Flow For Beginners; Vinyasa Flow Pure Power; Vinyasa Flow Pure Sweat; and Vinyasa Flow Pure Tranquility. Ideal for use in the home, this Sacred Yoga Practice series is especially recommended for those new to the practice of Yoga.

The real thing
I have spent a few months trying to find new yoga videos when I heard about Rainbeau. These are keepers. She has a way of inspiring me with her gentle words and she motivates you to be yourself and to let all the negative stuff go. I don't think I could have a bad day after doing her videos. Example, it snowed here and two cars blocked me in at the mall today and I did my yoga breathing and stayed calm and behold I was saved by a kind customer. My point is her tapes help me to stay centered in myself so I don't get upset about trivial things. Plus the tapes may look easy, and I have done them all, but she holds the poses longer so you do get a good workout. Her explanations and instruction are terrific. I am so very happy to have found this tape series. She is young and new to the yoga world I believe (in video) she definetly has been doing yoga for quite a while. You will not be dissapointed in this. Her kindness and inspiration in itself are worth the tapes. This is one bright light I hope shines for a long time in the yoga world.

Maria ... Read more

Amazon.com

Anyone wanting to get in shape like the stars need go no further than Bryan Kest's home-video workouts. Kest teaches wildly popular yoga classes in Santa Monica, California--so popular that stars like Rhea Perlman, David Duchovny, and Elisabeth Shue willingly sweat alongside the hoi polloi in Kest's packed, ancient loft studio. If you don't happen to be in the neighborhood, not to worry: Kest's yoga videos are nearly as good as being there. Volume 1, Energize, is a beginner-level class that nonetheless is smartly designed to provide challenges for all levels of users. Kest's Jersey-boy voice at first seems in contrast to the serene environment and inner-peace objectives, but it gradually becomes soothing and hypnotic in its own right. Stretches and strengthening moves are alternated with just enough repose to keep even first timers on track. After mastering Vol. 1, practitioners can go on to Volume 2, Tone, in which Kest turns up the intensity, holding a variety of twisting poses for long stretches of time. It's OK to take it easy, rest, or modify the routines to your ability, which is part of the reason the tape is so useful. You won't be turned off as a beginner-to-intermediate practitioner, but there's plenty of room to challenge yourself as an advanced athlete, too.

Volume 3, Sweat, is a slightly shorter version of the challenging class Kest teaches in person. There are still all the gentle, firm admonitions to listen to your body, not to feel competitive with anyone else in how you do the pose (and as long as you heed them, you'll do fine). But Kest combines the classic warm-ups and longer-hold poses with a rapid succession of sun salutes, which will be gratifying to the advanced yoga student, but may make a first timer feel as though he dropped in to a Rockettes rehearsal by mistake. But if you keep at it, the workout is very easy to follow, and Kest's gentle, gruff voice is so soothing you find yourself relaxing even as you're pushing your body to its limits. As long as you keep in mind his personal mantra--"If you're doing the best you can, you're doing this class perfectly"--you and Kest should have many satisfying years of workouts together. --Anne Hurley ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Aerobic and spiritual workout
I have tried about 5 different yoga workout tapes, and these are by far the very best. The biggest benefit of Kest's is that he gives you time to stay in the poses, and paces it like a master. Rodney Yee's tapes are so stupid by comparison; he races through the poses like a science nerd who has no patience for dopey beginners. Kest, on the other hand, is very patient and persistent. His comments are encouraging and reassuring. He is a real human. While I agree with most of the other reviewers who say that it is not for beginners, it is not necessary to be Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, either. I had worked with Susan Deason's tapes, which were great preparatory workouts for this, for about 3 months. After that I felt I needed something more powerful and fat-burning (hate that word). You can stop worrying about weight loss and all that bunk that the consumerist gurus obsess about. Kest's approach has a spiritual side that makes you stay involved in the workout from a personal growth point of view; this guy has a wonderful system. My body is going through miraculous changes already, after 3 weeks; my waist is thinner, my torso is lengthening, my breathing and sense of well-being have improved by about 100%. Bravo, Bryan Kest!

The Best yoga workout EVER!
I'm serious, folks - I've tried lots of different yoga tapes and Bryan Kest's series is by far the best of them all. I do think you'd need to have at least some working knowledge of yoga poses (ie: you've taken at least one or two yoga classes in the past or done a Rodney Yee tape or two) to begin with tape 1. But even if you don't, Bryan is a wonderful instructor who puts anyone at ease with his calm reassurances that you can do this at your own pace and take breaks when you need to. As he says repeatedly throughout the series - this is your workout, you do what you need to do.

Tape 2 is my favorite and I've already had to replace it once because it got warped from how much I used it. It's a full 50 minutes of make-you-sweat yoga with challenging poses and variations. At no point do you feel like the workout is too easy. Bryan keeps it flowing throughout from one pose to the next. There are a lot of sun salutations, though, so be forewarned.

I still have to try Tape 3. I love tape 2 so much though that I feel comfortable sticking with it. I highly recommend this series to anyone looking to be challenged and taken out of an easy comfort zone with yoga. Kest is truly a master and makes anyone feel like they can do this too.

My favorite power yoga!
This set was the first set of yoga tapes I purchased several years ago, and it is still a favorite, joined by the Power of Hatha Yoga Ultimate Series with Naader Shagagi. I've been doing yoga for some time now and am still even challenged by the first one, so I can interchange all three. The greatest part is that this doesn't feel like the "fad"-type power yoga -- Kest's soothing voice and reminder to only go as far as you can while remaining equanimous keeps the tone down but makes this a powerful, yet smooth-paced workout. Great for both beginners and those more advanced at yoga!

Erotic power yoga 90s style
The good point about this tape is the price,that you have 3 practices,and that this is REAL Power Yoga..This stuff hurts..I can almost guarantee if you do these tapes daily you will see results...yesterday the UPS man told me I had nice arms,and I am positive I am now leaner as opposed to that bulky weight lifting nautilus look I had.Ok,Level 1 is for Total Newbies,Level 2 is the HARDEST,and Level 3 although hard is NOT as hard as level 3...My butt is sore everytime I do the tapes....I myself as a former fashion student love the lighting and music,but here is the thing I find made it hard for me to concentrate in the beginning...Bryan Kest is a long haired stud muffin and we see 90s video type shots of his lovely face,him in a leather jacket,and him doing handstands half naked in black tights..Wonderful,but nothing to do with the instruction practice...Also,Mr.Kest is perpetually shirtless during the class,showing off a beautiful body (obviously from yoga) wearing strategically sexy yoga attire, and adjusting a cast of women with 6 pack stomachs and gym god men..I do not think I am being immature for noticing this (I am 39)..but it does give the tape am erotic vibe..Now I have gotten past it,because this is a must have for a collection,at a decent price...I would recommend this tape along with Roddney Yees Power Yoga (make sure you get the 75 minute tape) and also watching Steve Ross on Inhale on The Oxygen channel at 6 am,and in 6 months you WILL see a new body as long as youre also watching your diet and adding cardio .

THE BEST!
I used to go to the gym, but after trying Bryan Kest's yoga tapes, the gym just seemed so monotonous. This is one of the best workouts I have ever done. Sweat like crazy, and after only a few times of doing it, I feel more energetic than ever. My muscles are definetely toner too.
Immature people who comment about Bryan's physical appearance or the way he touches his students are so lame! Shouldn't you be focusing on practicing your poses rather than looking at what Bryan's wearing? ... Read more

Amazon.com

There's singing, there's dancing, there's comedy. No, this is not a Broadway spectacle. It's Loretta LaRoche telling you to lighten up, already. This boxed set contains her three hilarious (and enlightening) videos--The Joy of Stress, Humor Your Stress, and How Serious Is This?--which will have you belly laughing, twirling, and tah-dahing! Loretta is a stress-management expert and an adjunct member on the faculty of the Behavior Institute of Medicine, which is anaffiliate of Harvard Medical School. Loretta's message boils down to this: laughter is the best weapon against stress. This set of videos will have you believing as well. An excellent antidote to the hassles of everyday life. --Jenny Brown ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Humor your life
What a wonderful teaching on how not to take yourself so lightly, and how to adapt to the daily stressors that we deal with.

What a riot!
I'm "living" with terminal cancer, and watching "The Joy of Stress" has really made a difference for me. I laughed so hard I thought I'd "broken" something, but the next morning I felt the best I had in months. I suspected I didn't have enough humor in my life when the dog started barking at me when I laughed. She'd better get used to it, as I'm ordering several of Loretta's videos!!!

Great Fun!
She makes the "every day" world so funny. You come away feeling better for having watched her videos.

Humor Your Stress
Envision this - I used this video in my prison classes - Have you ever seen 150 grown men "twirl" when they are mad? She teaches us to keep things simple and funny - a much needed tool in todays living.

Great for heart patients
Loretta is tremendous at making her points. While stress is bad for probably every part of our lives, my expertise is in its affect on heart patients. I have SEEN the program on PBS more than twice and part of it was featured at our Mended Hearts convention in June. I just read somewhere that Amazon is the best site (better than her own) for obtaining the videos. I'm particularly pleased that it is available as the complete set. Now, to go order it! -- Terry Miller, Naples FL ... Read more

Description

An exhilarating journey into the mind and spirit of a remarkable man, a legendary teacher, and a masterful storyteller, conducted by TV journalist Bill Moyers in the acclaimed PBS series. Includes The Hero's Adventure, The Message of the Myth, The First Storytellers, Sacrifice and Bliss, Love and the Goddess, Masks of Eternity.360 minutes. ... Read more

Reviews (98)

Will Add Incredible Depth to Your Views on Religion and God
This series of videos is a true eye-opener and life-changer for anyone who is serious about seeking after the Divine, no matter what religion you may practise. Joseph Campbell examines the sacred symbolic stories that have existed in every culture, all over the world, with respect for all of them and denigrating none. At the same time he also strives to drive home the idea that these links to the Divine are not divine in themselves but are paths to knowledge and enlightenment. One segment, Masks of Eternity, talks about the many ways in which God speaks to us or appears to us-- some of them silly, some of them scary, some of them profound-- all of them simply masks. The mask of God, or our perception of Him, is often the hardest thing of all to get past in a true search to touch the Divine. In a sense it gives us permission and encouragement to study and appreciate all forms of religious practise, without ever asking one to give up one's deeply-held beliefs. Indeed, no matter what where one goes to worship or what label one claims to denote one's religious philosophy, this series will help you appreciate your own beliefs even more. Watch this series and free your mind; remember that God is infinite and none have grasped His Magnificence in all of its myriad forms-- setting your attitudes free will make Him visible in more ways than ever before. Prepare for an incredible journey.

The Power of Myth
In The Power of Myth: The Hero's Adventure the show's host, Bill Moyers, interviews Joseph Campbell in Northern California on the set of George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch. Campbell is considered to be the mastermind of modern mythology. The way he expresses mythology just touches my heart with passion.

The interview is conducted at Skywalker Ranch because of one of the main themes of this movie, which is how George Lucas' Star Wars movies can link to some of the world's oldest mythological accounts. The movie shows many clips from some of the best Star Wars movies. These clips give us examples of the ideas of mythology used to make the Star Wars movies. Campbell does a good job of showing how the myths he told about in the interview relate to the Star Wars Clips.

In the movie, Campbell shows how many religions are very similar. He talks about how Jesus, Moses, Jonah (when he is inside of the whale), and Buddha are very similar because they are all people that have to be proven as heroes through a number of events or tests. He does a good job on the explanation of how religions can be very alike.

The movie is very informative in the educational values of mythology. It shows how Joseph Campbell does very well in knowing and helping others in trying to learn about the key points of mythology. Campbell sounds like he is a man of great knowledge of the mythological perspectives of life.

Over all, the movie seems to be very informative, but boring. It is very repetitive in its information. I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone if they were just going to watch it for pleasure. I would mainly use this movie for educational purposes inside of the school or in any other way possible.

The Greatest Story Ever Told!!!
I believe that Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth was a very insightful tool that has taught me about the needs of and purposes for myths. I never really considered why we had myths and to be true I never really cared. But after I watched Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth, I was stunned by the connections I could draw from the movie to my own life. This movie really opened my eyes in the purpose and course of action of human behavior. The analogies and real life situations Joseph Campbell gave in his explanation of what it is to be a hero showed me that there is a bit of hero in us all.

I am in an honors English class and we were supposed to watch this movie to find out what a true hero really was. I was expecting a dull, boring movie that would make you want to fall asleep. What I got was an amazingly emotional film that made me think about my surroundings and my future.

Mr. Campbell describes the life of a hero as a cycle of going away and coming back. He says that the hero starts his journey with a certain sense of consciousness and at the end of the journey he gains a greater sense of consciousness and understanding. That is what all myths deal with, the transformation of consciousness by trials. The hero shows his purity through his determination and, if necessary, the sacrifice of his life to something bigger than himself.

Joseph Campbell's ability to make people stop and think about the myths on which their lives are composed of is unbelievable. Mr. Campbell is an amazing man, I am very impressed with the unfathomable amount of information on myths he has consumed over his very extensive carrier.

Once again, I would like to salute Joseph Campbell on his beautiful explanation of what it is to be a hero. I am truly a different person after watching his video.

An incredible documentary and interview!!
I watch this program whenever it appears on PBS, it was an incredible program, as one viewer stated it is a movie - that is wrong, this was not a movie. It was documentary/educational exploration of the myths of many cultures. Mythology is humanity's universal method of seeking the transcendental, and "follow your bliss" is the timeless formula for spiritual satisfaction. Campbell himself is the embodiment of these themes, an erudite scholar and quintessential storyteller, recalling a wide spectrum of myths from throughout history (Japanese, Native American, Egyptian, Mayan, and many more) to illustrate humankind's eternal quest to grasp the mysteries of creation. Historical artifacts and illustrations bring these timeless stories to life. Bill Moyers is an excellent, skillful interviewer. I own the DVD and have purchase it for family members, so they may experience new thoughts, new ideas, and also the incredible art of interviewing. Enjoy it and watch if frequently, it does put life and mythology into perspective. It is an aincredible expeience. I highly recommend it.

A profound and beautiful view of existence
In this brilliant series of interviews (vividly illustrated by film footage of rituals and artwork from the world over), Joseph Campbell invites us to transcend ordinary activities motivated by fear, greed, and societal constraints in favor of more heartfelt modes of being and thinking that connect us with the divine, by which he means the awe and mystery of the universe. He has the prodigious breadth of knowledge to see universal themes where many see only bizarre cultural differences. He discusses what the cave paintings at Lascaux have in common with Chartres cathedral, why the paintings of Picasso and Klee, and the writings of Joyce and Mann, serve the same role in society as the rituals of Native Americans and Australian Aborigines, and how western society has become largely estranged from nature and thereby from authentic culture, mythology, and ritual. His central point is that all genuine myths lead us to an understanding of the divine; that the divine is perhaps best defined as the experience available to each one of us of the sheer rapture and existence; and that each moment of consciousness is also an experience of eternity. He doesn't pretend to have all the answers, but he asks the profound questions about human nature and the universe, and discusses them as intelligently as anyone I've ever encountered. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The three-volume set, Total Yoga: The Flow Series,contains three separate workouts, each targeting a different level ofexpertise. Total Yoga: Earth is the most basic workout drawingupon the foundations of Hatha Yoga. This 45-minute program introducesthe fundamentals through detailed instruction on ujjayi breathing andsun salutation. Teachers Tracey Rich and Ganga White keep the asanassimple and demonstrate alternative postures for participants withcompromised backs and necks. The cueing is both informative and clear,with valuable safety information about body alignment and form. This isa strong and thoughtful regimen that will be welcome for the first-timestudent and intermediate practitioner alike.

Total Yoga: Water presents a 45-minute intermediate workout withbasic combinations of standing postures and floor poses. Based in thefoundations of Hatha vinyasa, Water draws on core energy andujjayi breathing to increase focus and flexibility. Rich and Whiteillustrate modifications for most postures and limit the amount ofadvanced asanas. Participants will get a solid workout through a seriesof sun salutations and familiar poses such as triangle and warrior.Spinal rotation and inverted postures are kept to a minimum, but somegreat flexibility-building movements are incorporated that willincrease the students' capacity to work into these poses later in theirdiscipline.

The most rigorous workout is Total Yoga: Fire, which combinesboth classical and contemporary postures in one continuous flow. Theseposes are advanced to begin with, but the difficulty is increased withthe length that each asana (pose) is held and the repetition of eachvinyasa (series of poses). Rich and White silently lead this 60-minutesession with verbal instruction from a narrator, who gives direction inboth traditional yoga terminology and simple directional cues. Thefundamentals of balance, ujjayi breath, and safety are addressed at thebeginning, but the intensity level increases quite vigorously. Rich andWhite exhibit impeccable form and alignment through standing posturesand three series of sun salutations. All of the programs in thisexcellent series end with meditations. --Olivia Voigts ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Great for Beginners to Intermediate/Advanced
I consider myself an advanced beginner and have been practicing 3 times a week for the last year or so. I found this series to be great. The first two tapes are more for beginners and I like how at the beginning of each tape, they took the time to teach you the most important thing about yoga which is ujayii breathing. Most other tapes or even classes hardly spend the time telling u how to breathe which can affect your entire yoga experience.
As an advanced beginner, I only watched the first tape and did the second tape once. After that, I only practiced with the 3rd tape which is a more challenging hatha vinyassa yoga practice lasting a bit over 60 minutes. I disagree with one of the other reviewers saying that it's all about repetitions and nothing new. That's what vinyassa yoga is... lots of sun salutations one after another to get your body warm and to control your breathing well throughout the entire exercise!
I don't know what others expect. The poses in yoga practices are limited in the sense that you cannot really invent a new pose! But variations of each poses are limitless depending on the capability of your body. Plus, I have often done research with books on more advanced variations of certain poses and integrate them into this workout. Furthermore, as the tape demonstrates, while Rich is doing a simpler pose, Ganga will do a more challenging pose. This has helped me tremendously on setting goals.
Compared to the routines by Rodney Yee, I believe the narration is much better as Rich clearly tells u how to coordinate your breathing with your poses to maximize the effects of yoga. Compared to Power Yoga with Bryan Kest, this series seem more "traditional" and is a bit less "fun." Nevertheless, it is still quite challenging. I intermix Power Yoga - Sweat with Fire from this series for my in home practices and go to the yoga classes for additional inspirations and learnings.
As a beginner, I think you should get the whole set as the first two are invaluable in terms of teaching and poses. When you gets better, u can move on to the third tape and maybe give the first two tapes to friends and family to inspire them! Otherwise, just get Fire from this series and the last 2 tapes from Bryan Kest's series to have a challenging yoga experience! Namaste!

Best of All
Best of All!

Finally, a complete series I can highly recommend to my beginner and advanced students. The three tapes break down the original 1989 Vinyasa Yoga, The Flow Series. Beautifully presented in a 360 degree format, Earth, Water and Fire, shot with detailed angles of each pose, successfully resets the benchmark for yoga tapes and DVDS to a higher level. These are the best-detailed yoga videos I have seen, covering classic poses and focussing strong attention to breathing instruction. Not only does Tracey Rich gives clear and easy to follow instructions, which is rare in a yoga tape, but we see added modifications and alternative variations which make Earth and Water more accessible to all levels of students. A series they can truly grow and expand their practice with. All students can learn by watching Tracy and Ganga's beautiful alignment. Fire challenges the experienced yogi, keeping the traditions and familiar asanas of White Lotus Flow. They updated the original in many subtle ways, I particularly like the slower pace of the Sun Salutations. These are the best yoga video's to practice with.

The Best Yoga Flow Video Workout
I bought this video because I couldn't find a hatha or vinyasa flow class in my community and wanted a solid, flexible practice to do at home. I love it for two reasons:

1) The increasing challenges of the Earth, Water and Fire sequences let me vary my practice. So far I have tried Water and Fire, and even though a few of the Fire poses are beyond me, I could modify them and still get a great workout.

2) I found many other yoga videos to be too introductory or not a real flow session. Total Yoga - The Flow Series really provides an everyday workout -- for days when you feel weak or strong. I have also been turned off by videos narrated in overly dreamy, otherworldly voices. Total Yoga includes no-nonsense narration that focuses on posture, focus and safety.

Highly recommended!

Excellent Find
I am a beginner Yoga enthusiast and I found this series perfect for me. I did the beginner earth series for a couple of weeks and then I moved to the water series. I find the videos very soothing and easy to follow, but at the same time I sweat like crazy. Great workout and relaxation in one. Looking forward to the fire tape.

Monotone, mediocre instruction
The level of detail in the instuction varies widely; some asanas are almost painfully dissected, others seemingly glossed over. Also, instruction is delivered in a very serious-sounding monotone. I would recommend the Yoga Zone tapes over these. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Beauty of Ireland
Excellent video. It brought back wonderful memories of my past trip to Ireland. It also gave me new ideas for my next trip. The video has a wonderful blend of lanscape, culture, and history. Unfortunately the video only covers four counties (Donegal, Dublin, Cork, and Kerry), but it covers them very well. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great addition to your workout
I found these tapes to be a great addition to my workout, and am sure you will too. After using them for 2 weeks, I have decided to buy the rest of this series!! Can't wait to get them!!

Great Toning Videos
These are great toning videos. I have them all and love them. I incorporate these with my cardio workouts and have noticed a big difference in the shape & tone of my body! LOVE THEM and highly recommend these along w/ a great cardio workout, great balance!

Hit the Spot Rocks!
I own all of the Hit the Spot Videos and I love using them! Each video has three ten minute workouts that target an area on your body. The ten-minute workouts are easy to commit to,and the workouts are challenging. Because the workouts are targeting specific muscle groups, you will find that your muscles will tire faster, but don't give up! You will really feel how effective the workouts are even after one session. The entire Hit the Spot series is a great supplement to anyone's cardio workout. Denise's perky attidude, the variety of workouts on each tape, and the small time commitment make these tapes a great addition to a fitness library. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

An oldie but goodie!
I started Walk Aerobics with the 2 Mile Walk and love it. My video is worn out so I needed to get something new. I purchased this set because of cost and it looked like it was going to give me a little more to choose from. Though it is "old" in dress and music, it still does what it says it will. I highly recommend Leslie Sansone's Walk Aerobics. Who cares how the people are dressed compared to today? Not me. As long as the workout is helping me accomplish my goal of being healthy with excercise, I'm satisfied!

Older Walking Workout Set with Leslie
This 3-DVD set includes:
- Miracle Mile DVD
- 2-Mile Walk
- 4-Mile Weight Loss Walk

If you are a veteran of the Walk Away The Pounds walking program, you will have no problem completing these walking workouts. It is a do-able supplement to the Walk Away workouts, for days when you don't want to use weights and need a little more variety. These DVDs do not have any strength training, and uses very little in the way of arm movements. They are purely cardio workouts.

However, there are a few things that really date these DVDs. Be aware that they are a re-released old workout from 1992. The music is very dated. Leslie is also continually referring to using a VCR with the workout: "Fast forward to the cool down" or "if you didn't catch this step, rewind and do it again." The clothes and hair styles also really date this DVD, from the "big sock" look to the layered leotards.

The moves themselves are more complicated than her Walk Away workouts. For example, she has you doing several variations on side steps - lots and lots of 80's style grapevines, stepping to the corners at an angle, and even backwards side steps.

The bonus features on all of the DVDs include a short biography of Leslie (non-interactive), and a URL link to Current Video (the manufacturer). For example, The 2-mile DVD features a three-minute introduction, where the walkers themselves are interviewed about the walking workouts and their success with them. Leslie then introduces the walkers (the same walkers as the "Miracle Mile" DVD). What I really appreciate about Leslie's choice of walkers is that they are "real" people. One of the walkers lost over 100 pounds!

While I really appreciate Leslie's Walk Away Workouts, I find this release to still need some tweaking (how about a make over?). I only use it occassionally, to throw some variety into my workouts. If you're bored, and looking for something else to try with Leslie, give this a go.

Excellent Workout
This re-released DVD offers three different DVD's:

The first DVD is the "Miracle Mile". This offers a great workout if you are in a hurry one morning or you just do not have the energy to pursue a two or three mile workout. Yes, the DVD is dated, looks to be early 90's to me, but the workout is just as good as her current releases! As long as I am sweating and I feel good, I do not mind the dated looks, styles, etc.

The second DVD is the Two Mile Challenge. It is not hard at all and takes all of 25 minutes. This is what I do on a regular day and I can DEFINITELY feel AND see a difference-even within just a week. Just between us girls, my legs and the ::gasp:: cellulite is actually going away and firming up! (I've had a big struggle with this, but I do have a small case of it). I feel better and look forward to getting up and working out before even worrying about breakfast!

The third DVD is the Weight Loss 4 Mile Challenge. It contains three segments. The first segment is only 1 mile long in which Leslie walks by herself doing her "common" walkaerobic moves and feels more like a warm up to me. During the second segment, Leslie is joined by two older ladies and one older man. The moves are the same, but longer and more intense if that makes sense. This segment is 20 minutes long which includes a 1.5 mile walk! In the third segment, Leslie is joined by three younger ladies, which is where the challenge really kicks in. After going 2.5 miles, you have to give it everything you've got to make it. This segment is also 20 minutes long with a 1.5 mile walk. Followed by a cool-down, this is my absolute FAVORITE L.S. Walking DVD.

I highly recommend these DVD's for anyone who likes to walk in the comfort of your home, lose weight sensibly, variety of workouts and who do not have alot of time for working out. Leslie is an angel! Her programs are absolutely amazing. Remember, activity before food, and you'll stay healthy always!

Good Luck and God Bless! :)

P.S. One more thing I forgot to mention, when I started segment two of the 4 mile walk, I felt as if I was learning Salsa moves! Leslie wants you to tap, put your hips into it, so on and so forth. Later on, I kinda laughed to myself with Leslie said, "C'mon, it's just like the Mambo". This is why I LOVE Leslie and this DVD--it just does not feel like "working out" but you come out sweating everytime. Have fun!!

This is a great work-out!
The Walk series are absolutely fantastic! I've been a walker for many years, going about 4 miles a day three to four times a week plus. This is great when the weather is bad and the treadmill gets way too boring. Leslie keeps you motivated and makes the workout fun! I also have asthma and have no problems doing this workout, where I have difficulty with any aerobic type routines! Great if you're just starting out or if you exercise regularly!

I absolutely love these DVDs
My sister recomended these DVDs to me a few months ago. She has four kids currently-all in the space of just under six years. When I saw her last, she had lost SIXTY pounds just doing these DVDs a couple of times a week. I just had my second child, and after a dibilitating car accident, well needless to say, I need to loose a lot of weight. So I decided to try these DVDs. I have had them a little over a week and have done both the one mile and the two mile-infact I just finished the two mile a few minutes ago. They are great! They are very low impact-I have bad knees from the car accident, and a plate in my left arm, also from the accident, and I can do the two mile without any pain in my knees, and I can do push ups which I haven't done in almost four years! They are fun and easy, and I can tell already that I am loosing weight. It only takes a half hour to do the two mile, which I can still do with two kids. I also like this because I am so much overweight, I can do this in the comfort of my own living room, without the uncomfortable stares of other people at the gym or the track. Also, you can move around up and back, side to side, but you