10 Minute Solution

10 Minute Solution: Carb Burner Review

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Year: 2004

Distributor: Anchor Bay Entertainment

Instructor(s): Michelle Dozois

On a sunny day in November, I was cleaning out a section in the home office near the front porch when I saw some burnt DVDs in the storage. Most of them were movies and TV shows, but there were a few workout DVDs that were already burned such as a duplicate copy of On the Ball: Yoga Workout for Beginners, the mysterious Danskin Now Mat Workout, and 10 Minute Solution: Carb Burner. I decided to insert the disc into the DVD player and oh man, did it deliver.

Upon inserting the disc, Michelle Dozois* first explains the workouts that are featured on the DVD: Slow & Steady Burn, Carb Killer, Power Blast, Interval Burn, and Metabolism Booster. When going into the main menu, you have the choice to create a custom workout, select an individual workout, or play all five workouts in a row. This, combined with the ability to mix and match the segments to fit your needs, is great when you’re short on time.

*I knew her from the bonus segment of Baby Einstein: Baby’s First Moves. Michelle Dozois is a Pilates instructor and a mom.

Slow & Steady Burn

The first workout uses some aerobic moves to warm up the body and get you prepared to burn some carbs. It’s kind of like a dance fitness workout, but it’s simplified so that beginners can utilize it individually or as a warm-up for another DVD/segment from the selections. There are some moves that might take up a lot of space (and have a similar fashion to Winsor Pilates: Accelerated Fat Burning) along with some jumping, but you may need to modifiy this segment on your own if you’re not coordinated enough. All of the segments provide a short cool-down before moving on to the next one, which is Carb Killer.

“Say goodbye, calories! That’s it!”

Michelle Dozois

Carb Killer

Woah, the music and moves are similar to the Cardio Core! Express* workout!

Michelle leads us through a series of kickboxing moves and combinations that are similar to the kicking and punching segments from the Sweat! Workouts from Power 90, but they are done in tempo with the music and not rushed. A difficult move that she demonstrates in this segment is called the roundhouse kick, which requires more space and movement from the opposing leg. She also incorporates a small bend in the knees (when doing the jabs) and some traveling steps when stringing the punches and kicks together in a combination. Before this segment is over, she does some weaving to cool the body down before moving on.
*from Debbie Siebers’ Slim Series Express (Beachbody)

“Say goodbye, carbs! Goodbye calories!”

Michelle Dozois

Power Blast

This is a high-intensity segment that uses plyometrics for an explosive burn. There are 3 circuits with 4 exercises each in which you first learn the proper form, take a short break, and then rev up the intensity at the end of each circuit. Some moves that she demonstrates here are tire jumps, variations of lunges and squats and the power stride, which is essentially a run lunge but explosive. The most intense move from this segment is the ski jump done to tempo, which was where I really felt the burn. If you are a beginner, you can modify some of the moves or skip this segment altogether.

“Dig in! We don’t have a moment to waste here!”

Michelle Dozois

Interval Burn

The Cardio Core! urge is kicking in… 

This segment is boot camp inspired and has some creative moves like the cherry picker, which is another squat variation. I won’t be going over the rest of the variants since that will be redundant for this review. Next, Michelle does some weird jumping jacks combined with some high knees, but she does provide a modification for those if the move is too intense. It’s really interesting to see the around the world lunge get another variation with the fencer lunges, but usually the lunges are only done once clockwise or counter clockwise. 

Now she does a shuffle with some floor taps before going to the floor to do some burpees, and the mountain climbers are also burning up the butt- and legs. She then proceeds to “crawl through the tunnel,” which is a back exercise that should have been part of the Tantric Toning Workout*. Lying on the back, she then proceeds to do some ab exercises like legs-up crunches, reverse crunches, bicycles, and some scissors, which is a common Pilates move.

*This move should have been part of the Fire Segment, but all the exercises are standing ones.

Metabolism Booster

Michelle’s bonus segment promises to keep burning carbs long after the workout is over, and uses some light hand weights to do so. The squat-overhead press combo tests your balance as you lift up one leg when doing the press. Now comes the plie squat with upright rows and a heel lift, but afterward are more lunges – and oh man, they can test your balance. In this position, you double-fist the weights to do some tricep extensions on either side. Before switching sides, you do some shoulder raises with a small leg lift, and afterwards, you do a shifting plank with some twists. Finally, she does an awkward child’s pose and then a few reps of some push-ups and supermans, ending with some side stretches.

Final Thoughts

This is a great overall cardio workout if you are an advanced beginner or need something short and effective. I liked her laid-back but encouraging attitude throughout the entire program. I would, however, take away some points for the workout being a bit too hard on the lower body for some moves, but overall, these quick workouts can guarantee results!

My rating for this would be an 8/10 because it delivers – fast!

Thanks for reading this quickie review, and see you later!

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