tf-galYear: 2006
Distributor: Gaiam/GT Media
Instructor(s): Chris Freytag
Welcome to October! I have some big plans in mind for this month, which includes revisiting one of my DVDs that I owned since 2022. But prior I announce the start of a new project, Prevention’s Personal Training is going to be my first DVD review for October since I have been busy with the 28 to Motivate challenge last month. Before I review the Shape: Makeover Your Abs, Butt, and Thighs Fast! 2007 DVD, I have seen some similarities to other DVDs in my collection which I will mention in some parts of this review.
To begin, Chris Freytag is a featured instructor in many of the Prevention Fitness Systems DVDs and has designed a custom workout feature that is similar to the 10 Minute Solution series, which I will get to later. In the introduction of this DVD, she does have Austen Brown as the modifier along with Michele Stanten, who is the fitness director of Prevention Magazine. However, she recommends that you have a mat, a set of light weights (3-5 pounds) and heavier weights (8-10 pounds). For the purpose of this review, I used one set of 3 pound weights and another set of 5 pound weights.
This DVD contains some nine segments that you can mix and match, which include the warm-up, four 5-minute targeted toning segments for specific body parts, a total body toning segment, two 13-minute cardio segments, and a cooldown. Along with this, there are five custom workout plans for specific goals: lose weight, get firm, improve your health, flatten your belly, and slim your hips & thighs, as descibed on both the DVD menu and in the instructional booklet. If you are comfortable with the disc, you can try out the “mix and match components” feature that allows you to create your own customized workout, or even turn off the instructor’s voice which is a common feature in many Natural Journeys DVDs.
The four targeted toning workouts (arms & shoulders, chest & upper back, abs & lower back, legs & butt) last for five minutes each, and Chris has you use your weights for most of these exercises. First of all, two of these segments target the upper body, and both of them feature similar moves from Valerie Bertinelli: Losing It and Keeping Fit! Next, in the segment for the legs & butt, you use a towel for the sliding lunges, but in this case, I used a flat children’s paperback book. The abdominal segment utilizes some traditional Pilates exercises with one weight added for resistance, and there is a reused audio track that plays during the intro of Shape: Makeover Your Abs, Butt, and Thighs Fast!
The 10 minute total body toning segment has you alternate between light and heavy weights to target tone all the major muscle groups in the body. A reused audio track can be heard in Level 3 of Jillian Michaels: 30 Day Shred, which is another DVD that I will be reviewing soon. If I can make any changes to these segments (including the total body toning segment), I would make a separate targeted toning workout for the thighs because Chris focuses more on the upper body than the lower body, which is one of the most important muscle groups to train. The pacing of these segments also need to be a little bit faster so you can get the most out of your time.
The two cardio segments are great and all because Chris provides some creative exercises, but I have a few major issues with them. When I have a strong muscle memory, I can easily recognize which moves are coming up next as they are repeated on both sides. Some of the same moves are repeated in both Cardio A and Cardio B, and the beginning of Cardio A uses the same music as the warm-up. On the flip side, I was able to recognize one of the audio tracks used in the second half of Cardio B, which is called Exhaust by DJ Supreme. As of now, I have noticed that some of the moves in the cardio segments are reminiscent of Debbie Siebers’ Slim in 6 program which I previously reviewed on this blog. With that being said, Cardio B is my favorite out of the two.
Overall, Chris Freytag is a great at-home personal trainer, and I think that Prevention’s Personal Training is a great DVD to use if you are a beginner and/or haven’t been working out in a long time. Additionally, advanced exercisers might find this to be easy, but you can still modify the moves to make them harder. Despite its flaws, the Smart Ways to Live Well segments on the DVD menu are another great bonus feature, so it’s a keeper in my workout DVD collection.
Rating
Instructor(s): 8/10
Sets: 7/10
Outfits: 8/10
Music: 8/10
Production Value: 10/10
Overall Benefits: 9/10
Exertion: 7/10
Ease of Movement: 6/10
Audio/Visual Modifications: 5/10
Special Features: 9/10
Use of Equipment: 8/10
Total Score: 85
Intensity Level: Moderate Intensity
Impact: Mixed Impact