That scuttling sound you hear is the last of your exercise excuses running out. Exercise vet Kathy Smith has introduced her Timesaver: Cardio Fat Burner video, which presents the terminally busy with a 20-minute option as ... more »well as a more well-rounded 40-minute full cardio workout in this complete, varied program. On those days when you can only manage 20 minutes, this will still get you off to a great start. And on days you can go the distance, you'll get a thought-out, well-rounded routine that's easy to follow and broken down into several levels of ability. Through it all, Smith's straightforward, cheerful (but, thankfully, minimally chirpy) delivery is inspiring yet low-key, a winning combination, especially for repeat viewings. --Anne Hurley« less
Actor:Kathy Smith Genres:Documentary, Fitness & Yoga Sub-Genres:Documentary, Aerobics Studio:Sony Wonder (Video) Format:DVD - Color DVD Release Date: 10/30/2001 Original Release Date: 01/01/1998 Theatrical Release Date: 01/01/1998 Release Year: 2001 Run Time: 1hr 0min Screens: Color Number of Discs: 1 SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Total Copies: 0 Members Wishing: 0 MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated) Languages:English
Mary Eileen E. from ALEXANDRIA, VA Reviewed on 11/21/2009...
This DVD made me laugh, and I had to share it with a friend too. She's very good, bouncy, and she'll make you work up a sweat. But she was going left, I was going right, and I ended up crashing into a lot of furniture:) Recommended for those more coordinated!
Movie Reviews
Pumps you up fast, but tricky for beginners...
L J Fox | Falls Church, Virginia USA | 01/09/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"There is a swap table in my apartment complex and a few weeks ago I found this video there. I consider myself in good shape; I workout with weights at the gym twice a week, I do long distance bike rides, I own a treadmill, my flexibility level is excellent, I regularly go on lengthy brisk walks, etc. I used to run but damaged my knees because of it. I have to be careful with exercise because of my knees and the only real pain I have now is when I'm walking up stairs. The last aerobic tape I ever tried was Jane Fonda back in the 1980's and although the workouts were a bit tough I was able to keep up. I figured this Kathy Smith video would be a piece of cake, but it wasn't.I work long hours at my job and the time saver aspect of this video appealed to me the most. During the workweek, if I don't exercise in the morning I won't exercise at all. I've been doing this video for about 3 weeks now, three times a week. I get up at 5:00 am to fit in the exercise, and believe me, I am not a morning person. This video does wake you up fast and gets your heart rate up.I think the tempo of this video is too fast to be considered beginner level, but if you stick with it and don't allow yourself to be discouraged you will pick up the steps in time. I usually only do the first 20 minute video and the 10 minute stretch at the end of the tape. I hardly have any room to work out and it's also not easy to do the quick steps on wall to wall carpeting. I modify the workout so that I'm not jumping up and down on my knees and twisting my knees, as some of the moves seem to do. Even with my modifications I get a good workout and get my heart rate up. When I first started doing the tape I had to stop the tape frequently to drink water. The workout gets you feeling warm fast so have the fan going at the start.After the first workout and stretch I feel incredibly energized and it is a great way to wake up and start the morning. This video is a bit confusing and fast paced for those like me who don't attend aerobics classes or do many aerobics videos, but you will catch on if you keep trying. I find the hard bodies who are doing the class with Kathy a bit fake with their enthusiasm, but their fit bodies are inspiring. Everyone seems like they are on speed, but maybe it's just that I'm half-asleep when I'm starting out! I am definitely wide-awake when the workout is over."
Great introduction to cardio work
L J Fox | 03/29/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is the first cardio video I've ever done, and I really like it. Kathy is a great instructor. She explains and demonstrates the moves with clarity and energy, and always seems pumped up and excited without being intimidating or annoying. The moves are fun, and don't get boring, although if you're very uncoordinated they might be a little tricky. I like the cool-down stretch session at the end of the video, too. It leaves you feeling very loose and energized, ready to go to work or on to a toning or weights video. This is a great video to start exercising with. I started by doing the workouts 5 days a week, sometimes twice a day, and I saw results almost immediately, in terms of stamina, weight loss and even some lower body firming. I never thought I would look forward to working out, and now I do. I have several of her other tapes, and together they really provide a great experience. Another thing I appreciate about this video is that her team is made up of several body types, from slender to fuller-figured, all looking great and very fit. That makes me feel like Kathy's approach to fitness is inclusive and healthy, not about whittling your body down to nothing."
A good quickie pulse raiser
L J Fox | 05/18/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is Kathie Smith on yippie beans! She's definately in a party mood,loud, joking with the other exercisers and having fun. For the home viewer these are two good, short workouts that will raise your heart rate. Workout one focuses on dance-like moves that you add onto throughout the workout.(Think of one long dance routine). Its actually not as hard as it sounds although you can expect to be messing up your steps the first couple of times through. This isn't helped by some of the video's exercisers who take turns moving about the set to dance next to Kathy (one of whom even calls out moves at one point and messes up himself). Workout two is actually my favorite, I've done the first workout enough times that I now find it a little repetitive. Its your choice how hard you want to work your moves in this one, but you'll probably be finding yourself going for the "calorie bursts" as soon as you get the basic moves down. This video is a great one to have around on those days when you're really pressed for time, or to get your heart rate up in conjuntion with your weight work (seriously consider getting the companion weight video). Its all time flaw, however, and one I have to grit my teeth through, is the vocal imput from the cast who are all wearing microphones. Some moron exerciser calls out "doe-si-doe" repetitively throughout each workout. (Is it just me, or is anyone else bothered by this?) If you can work through the whoos, the whoas and the doe-si-does, you've got yourself a pretty good set of workouts."
Decent cardio workout, if you can stand to look at the tape
L J Fox | 11/04/2002
(2 out of 5 stars)
"The only thing I like about Kathy Smith's "Timesaver Cardio Fat Burner" is that it does get your heart rate up and burn lots of calories. It is definitely a workout for the MTV generation, however. There are lots of dancers on this video, many with microphones strapped to their heads, so you can hear them yelling. The camera switches around crazily, with silly special effects that are very distracting, and Kathy banters with them a lot. Although I usually like a little danciness in an exercise video, the moves in this one are much too dancy for me -- way too much hip swinging and quick step changes. The two 20-minute segments do not include a warm-up or a cool-down stretch. The stretch is a separate 7-minute section at the end of the tape, so you have to invent your own warm-up, then do 27 minutes of the tape. By the time you have finished, even if you just do one of the 20-minute segments, it's really more like 35-40 minutes, not 20 minutes. If you warm up, do both segments, then the stretch, it takes closer to an hour.If you want a more down-to-earth workout that is still fun, very effective, and short, with a warm-up and stretch included, "Crunch Cardio Sculpt" (1/2 hour) and Kathy Smith's "Peak Fat Burning Workout" (40 minutes) are much easier to take."
A definite purchase for your workout video library
L J Fox | 06/22/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have read some of the reviews saying the steps are too difficult and all I can say is that you have to be patient. I am very uncoordinated and I love this video. Yes, it did take me several tries to get the steps down but you can always rewind it and go over the steps again. I first purchased this video two years ago and will pop it in the VCR if I can't make it to the gym. The moves are still fresh and the set, music, and clothes are all updated. This isn't like one of those videos from the mid 80's that seem too cheesy to do. If you're a twentysomthing you will truly like it. The video is composed of two 20-minute workouts and then a bonus stretch section. The first workout is a building block. You learn each step and then put it together bit by bit until you have a whole routine that you do several times by the end. The second 20-minute workout is 4 different mini-building block routines. You learn the steps by first doing the low-impact routine and then once you get the moves down you have your choice to do the high-impact option or stick to low-impact. In the second 20-minute workout Kathy has half of the room do low-impact and the other half do high-impact. I was really out of shape when I bought this video and I remember it being very challenging. Now I workout regularly and I find the video to be a lot less difficult but it still gets my heart rate up and I never get sick of the routine. The bonus stretching is a great way to end the workout."