Search - Shape: Get Lean in 4 Weeks on DVD

Bernadette M. from MONROE, NY
Reviewed on 9/1/2012...

Just note that the picture on the cover is NOT Yumi Lee for some weird reason since she is the instructor. There is a variety of quick workouts to choose from from strictly fat burning to use of free weights. Yumi Lee provides great instruction and cueing. All routines have one person doing a less intense version and a person doing a more intense version. Yumi is working at the mid level.

Best SHAPE DVD since 2006 !!

nctmac | TX | 12/01/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"SHAPE GET LEAN is a challenging, efficient workout! It exceeded my expectations by far. The DVD contains three 20 minute workouts, plus a bonus ab toner.



Full Length Workouts:

FAT BURNING ROUTINE

TOTAL-BODY INTERVAL SCULPTING WORKOUT (this was around 16 minutes)

METABOLISM BOOST

Bonus: 15 MINUTE AB TONER



Yumi Lee is an awesome instructor. Prior to this, I was unaware of her. She explains proper form in such a thorough manner - no other instructor has had this type of impact on my form. Her cues are right on, personality has to be one of the best. She didn't annoy me at all.

In my breakdown, I will include the number of reps that Yumi does up tempo. She does a few reps slowly while explaining form, so I may be off a few reps. Modifications are available for beginners & advanced. Yumi does level 2 exercises, Maureen - level 1, and Vishira - level 3. I will do my best to note modifications.



1. FAT BURNING ROUTINE BREAKDOWN:

Warm Up - Punch front, punch across, upper cuts, hooks, hip flexor & chest stretch, hamstring stretch

Tap side to side while arms push & pull



Cardio Kickboxing Routine-



This is done on right side & left side - 25 seconds of Cardio is done after each side

JABS - 8

CROSS - 8

JAB/CROSS - 12

CHAMBERS - 8

PUSH KICK - 10

HITCH KICK - 6

Combination: Jab Jab Cross, Knee strike (2x for level 1), Push kick (lvl 2) or Hitch Kick (lvl 3)- combo. is done 12 times each side

Cardio after each side - jumping jacks (lvl 1 - tap side, lvl 3 - air jacks)



SIDE PUSH KICK SET

Pull hip up from obliques (side crunch) - 8

Knee& hip up- 8

Side push kick- 8

Side push kick with squat (lvl 3 - sqt.& touch floor)- 16

Cardio - fast feet/jog

Combination: Jab jab cross, knee strike, push kick, back kick (side kick to back)/squat, hitch kick



After Combination, Cardio - Jumping Jacks

Repeat Side Push Kick Set/Combo

Cardio - Fast Feet/Jog

Cool Down



2. TOTAL BODY STRENGTH BREAKDOWN:

Warm Up - 1 minute

March in place, then alternate heels back/pull elbows back & knees up/push arms out front



Grab weights (looks like 3-5 lbs)

HINGE FORWARD & FLOAT BACK LEG UP (lvl 1-keep back foot on ground)-10 on each leg

on 10th rep - hold & 11 back rows

Talk about a balance check =)



COMBINATION PUSH UPS - 8 sets

Begin in push up position

Pull right leg to chest, then left leg to chest

Pull right knee across towards opposite side, left knee across

Pull right knee to right elbow, left knee to left elbow

Pushup ( lvl 1- stay in pushup position, lvl 2- pushup on knees)



HINGE/ROW COMBO:

2 count hinge down, back row, unfold - 10 each leg

Repeat Combo push ups - 8 sets



SQUATS (hold weights)

Lvl 1 - Plie squats

Lvl 2 - regular squats

Lvl 3 - squat jumps

SHOULDER PRESS

Lvl 1 alternate arms

Lvl 2 both arms

Lvl 3 press up, turn palms in & pull down

REVERSE LUNGES - 10 each side

Lvl 1 stationary lunges

Lvl 2 lunge back, tap in

Lvl 3 lunge back, balance knee up

BICEP CURLS - 16

Lvl 1 alternate arms

Lvl 2 both arms curl

Lvl 3 hammer curl-8 palms up curl-8



COMBINATION - Modify to your level(listed above):

Shoulder Press - 10

Squats - 10

Squats with Shoulder Press - 10

Reverse Lunges with Bicep curl - 10 each leg



Cool Down - tap side to side, shift hips side to side while inhaling/exhaling, palms down & round back/palms up & open chest



3. METABOLISM BOOST:

Warm up - 2 minutes

March in place, alternate one arm up/one arm down, alternate arms in front/arms out to side

Step touch into hamstring curl - elbows moving back, then take arms wide & lift elbows up

Hop side to side



Yumi gets down to business:



Lvl 1 - Right leg planted, touch knee(left leg floats up), stand up tapping left toe

Lvl 2 - Touch right shin, stand up - tapping left toe on ground, then lift left knee

Lvl 3 - Touch right toe, stand up to left knee lift

8 each leg



MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS

Lvl 1 - right knee in, tap toe - left knee in, tap toe

Lvl 2 - right knee in, left knee in (don't tap toe)

Lvl 3 - mountain climbers

I tried to count these but may be off some - 38 (one = right knee & left knee)



JUMPS (lvl 1 - both legs, lvl 2 - one leg with tip toe down, lvl 3 - one leg jumps)

Jump forward & backward - 8 each leg

Jump side to side - 8 each leg

Jump up & down - 8 each leg



Grab weights for Arm work:

Lateral raise, resisting on way down, twist palms to do bicep curl, then twist palms to shoulder press, twist palms & pull lats down, resist biceps down - 12



PULSE SQUATS - 10 each leg

Standing on right leg - pulse 3x, stand

lvl 2 - move left toe front, side, back, stand

lvl 3 - left leg steps front, side, back, balance



SHOULDER/LATS

Push arms up (half of a shoulder press), pull lats down - 10 really quick reps

Push arms wide - slight V, pull arms down to W - 10 fast reps

Elbows in (close to sides of body) - press arms out, pull arms back - 10 fast reps



March/Jog in Place, move into single, single, hold (run, run, hold)

Take single,single, hold & move laterally - 26 or 13 sets



BICEP/TRICEP

Curl arms up, hinge forward, straighten arms back for triceps, stand - 16



LUNGES - 10 each leg

Lvl 1 single leg

Lvl 2 alternate legs

Lvl 3 jump & switch legs



DOWN & OUTS

Squat, hands to floor, jump (lvl 1 walk) back, jump (walk) forward, stand up - 20

Last five are with push ups



CROSS PLANK

In plank position, drop down to right elbow, then left elbow, right hand to starting position, left hand to starting position

Left elbow, right elbow, left hand, right hand - 10 of these - OUCH!!!!!

Lvl 1 on knees



COOL DOWN - Tap side to tside, plies w/ inhale & exhale, stretch back, shoulders, chest and neck.



The Ab Express bonus is crazy - in a good way of course =) Yumi begins it by holding plank position for 1 minute. Push up to inverted V - down dog- to stretch. Back in plank for another minute. Turn over to stomach to work obliques. Lift chest off floor, reach right hand down leg, then switch & repeat left. Progesses to reaching right, open chest up, and touch right arm to left thigh. On back, shoulders up, bicycle legs with feet flexed. All I know is I will feel this one in the morning!!!!



I highly recommend this DVD for all levels. Beginners will enjoy each workout, as it offers quite a challenge while being efficient with time. Intermediate/Advanced exercisers - the Metabolism Boost and Bonus Abs make this DVD worth purchasing!! The first two workouts are not as challenging, but great for easier days =) Balance is challenged throughout the different workouts - for me, that is something I struggle with - so the challenge is more than welcome. Well choreograhphed & instructed workout."

A pretty good workout!

K. Harrell | United States | 12/24/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Shape: Get Lean in 4 Weeks is led by Yumi Lee, an excellent instructor who has a motivating voice - and is not at all annoying. Her form pointers are excellent and helpful even for the advanced exerciser. She really helped me focus so that I could get the most out of the workout. The DVD consists of three separate workouts:Fat- Burning Routine (20 minutes), Total Body Interval Sculpting Workout (15 minutes) and Metabolism Boost. I'll explain each workout in detail below. Overall, I like the workouts. Low impact, beginner and advanced options are shown throughout so that you can personalize the workout. Also, you get a FREE 1-year subscription to Shape Magazine with the purchase of the DVD! I think this workout is mostly for intermediate level due to the balance and stamina



The Fat Burning Routine is 20 minutes long and consists of kickboxing moves with cardio bursts of jumping jacks or jogging in place. You start off with a brief warmup of light punches and side steps then learn a sequence consisting of two jabs, a cross punch, one knee strike, front kick, side kick, squat and side kick - then repeat it on the other side. The sequence is not too complicated to learn, and you learn each individual move and practice it many times before putting the final product together.



Total Body Interval Sculpting Workout is a circuit workout consisting of strength moves with cardio. This workout is supposed to be 20 minutes but my DVD player clocks it at 15. The strength moves use multiple muscle groups at a time and consist of a single-leg deadlift with back row, squats with shoulder press, a plank move with pushups and lunges with biceps curls. Sometimes you perform the upper body move without the lower body move, but it still is quite repetitive. She advises using 3 to 8-lb dumbbells for this section. I used 5 lbs for my first time- and it was not too much of a challenge.



Then there is a 20 minute Metabolism Booster workout designed to test your stamina and agility. You perform moves like squat thrusts, jumping drills, lunges and pulse squats. There are also some upper body strength moves interspersed with the cardio for your biceps, triceps and shoulders.



My main complaint with the workout, and the reason I give it only 4 stars, is that the workouts are simply not varied enough to make it interesting over any period time. You will learn the one kickboxing sequence your first time out and there are really only like four moves in the 2nd workout- so how will you keep from becoming bored? Yes you can increase the weight used and level of impact- but I feel advanced exercisers will quickly find this workout dull. Also, I don't like that you can't program the DVD to play each session back to back. If you want to do more than one workout, you have to go back to the main menu and select it. Overall, a solid workout but could use a little more complexity.



"

Excellent Instructor

Anne M. Murphy | michigan | 01/01/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Yumi Lee is probably the best cue-er in the business. Her form tips are right on, she tells you why you are doing each move and what muscles to feel. Her voice is soothing but motivating. I love the emphasis on balance throughout the 3 workouts. I love that she definitely designed this workout so that we would not injure our knees or other joints (unlike Jilliam Michaels 30 day shred which caused me to tear the miniscus in my knees). The only problem I have with it is that the first 2 workouts are slightly repetitive and not as challenging as I had hoped. However, I find when I do all 3 workouts and the ab booseter, I have done a fantastic workout and by my heart rate monitor, I burned 620 calories in an hour and 15 min. I highly recommend this video over the 30 day shred but you need to do more than 1 20 min segment to see results. Even my husband who usually hates female fitness instructors (Denise Austin is waayy to perky for him) loves Yumi because she "gets down to business". I woud love to see more videos and more Yumi on TV! She's soo much better than Jillian and Denise who seem to be all over the place."