A Couple of Reviews: Deante Dance & Life Force

[Guest guest]

Congrats to all of you who have been working out so hard! Some of

your workouts make me tired just reading them.

My usual schedule has really been screwed up the last couple of weeks

and will be for a while longer. Two weeks ago my husband went out

for a bike ride and while he was crossing on a green light, a car

turned right and hit his bike, knocking him off, and then running

over the front wheel of the bike (not my husband, very

fortunately!!). He has a fractured knee and is in a sports brace and

on crutches for 6 weeks with physio to follow. So I'm doing all the

heavy lifting and hauling that he usually does. He told me it's a

good thing I've been working out. The worst of it is that I'm SO NOT

a morning person and I have to get up early to take our dog, Hamlet,

a 265 lb. Mastiff, for a walk before it starts to heat up (can you

believe I'm praying for morning rain!?!). And of course, my exercise

schedule has been thrown right off; to say nothing of all the junk

I've been eating (I've gotta get a grip here!). Anyway, I thought

I'd report on some of the new videos I've done.

FWIW, I'm very coordination challenged and have no patience stumbling

about trying to learn routines, so I like my cardio REALLY simple

(which is why I'm a big fan of Sansone), but am always on the

lookout for something different. I'll be doing both of these again

for sure for variety. They're both beginner to intermediate

workouts; however, Life Force demonstrates more difficult & some

higher impact options, so it can be made more advanced, whereas with

Deante Dance there isn't much extra you can do to it.

1. DEANTE DANCE

Preview at: http://www.collagevideo.com/workout-video/deante-dance-

7831

This consists of 4 dance workouts (the first one is 30 minutes, and

the others around 40 minutes, give or take a minute or two) and 1

toning workout of around 30 minutes. The dance workouts all follow

the same format. There is a (separate) preview of the steps used in

each one. I always appreciate move previews separate from the actual

workout. The workouts each start with a warmup (pretty much the same

for all, so this could have been put in as one separate chapter),

then move into learning the first step, then adding the next step,

TIFTing it (i.e. taking it from the top), repeating over and over

until all the steps have been added on, and then going through the

whole routine several times a little faster, followed by a cooldown &

stretch. The music is provided by a couple of live musicians, the

moves kind of flow along, and none of it is super fast, just a nice

flowing & swaying pace.

The steps are all very easy to learn and Gayle's cuing is

really excellent, so the workouts are very easy to do. However, they

would have been a little more interesting if during the last couple

of times through the routine, the steps had been mixed up in a

different order for a " challenge " , as it gets pretty repetitious

doing the same sequence over and over (and some of the steps are

repeated in other workouts).

The toning workout, which I feel is more advanced than the other

workouts and to me doesn't quite fit with the tone of the rest of the

DVD, starts by doing some standing twists and stretches and then

moves to the floor and immediately into several pilates roll-ups,

followed by a sequence of crunches, some other leg & ab work, and

ends with teasers (which I think she called by another name that I

didn't quite catch). I think I'll stick to the dance part of this

video for cardio and use Jules Benson's Total Core Pilates for

Pilates moves.

2. LIFE FORCE (A MID-LIFE CARDIO) ONE MINUTE FITNESS

Preview at: http://www.fitnessorganica.com/products/LifeForce.html

Someone on the VideoFitness Forum was very complimentary of this

workout and after checking it out, I decided it looked as if I'd like

it, and I do. The total workout is around an hour, with a warmup &

cooldown/stretch, the main workout consisting of (up to) 50 minutes

of cardio and light toning moves, each move being 1 minute in length,

so there's LOTS of variety. Every 10 minutes, you are reminded how

much time you have done and that you can forward to the cooldown if

you've done enough. The moves are all simple, athletic & functional

fitness type moves. There are two other background exercisers, one

doing easier moves, and one doing more advanced, with Anni Mairs

doing the intermediate version. Optional equipment is light

handweights (1 lb. for the cardio with screen prompt option for 3

lbs. for some toning parts), step, and stick for balance. I just

used 1 lb. weights throughout, no step, and a broomstick with a

rubber tip added a couple of times for balance, and got a pretty good

calorie burn.

A quick comment (not a review) on Attitude Tu – I just did this

(mostly) tonight, but didn't quite finish (I didn't want to miss

Corrie St.) – but can say I like it except for one move, and that

is: Lying on the floor with the ball held between the feet moving

the feet down and up (that part's okay), and then moving the feet

right back up over the head. I shouldn't have even TRIED that part –

I dropped the ball right on my chin – fortunately not my nose or I

could have broken it. That's not something I'm agile enough to do

even without holding a ball between my feet, so I'll just stick to

moving my legs up and down and never mind the fancy stuff next time!

I've got more ballet stuff coming, so one day I'll have to give a

rundown on all that I have.

Anyone else doing any of the above?

Bye for now.

Fiona

[Guest guest]

HI Fiona,

Thanks for the awesome reviews! The life force workout has me intereseted. Deante Dance sounds a bit like the Dance off the Inches workout. Thanks for Attitude Tu Tu, I'd like to get this one and her other workouts, too!Sorry to hear about your husband's accident - thankfully it wasnt more serious! I love, love big dogs. I used to have a Newfoundland. I didn't realize that Mastiffs got sooooo big - wow! Right now I have a medium mix - she is around 45 lbs and is part Shar Pei and part some other stuff - I think there may be Shepherd and Lab/Golden, but it is hard to tell. She is a wonderful family dog, but she is a bit wary of strangers and protective - which is both good and bad, I guess.Take care and thanks so much for the reviews!Donna

Subject: A Couple of Reviews: Deante Dance & Life ForceTo: exercisevideos Date: Tuesday, June 17, 2008, 1:53 AM

Congrats to all of you who have been working out so hard! Some of your workouts make me tired just reading them.My usual schedule has really been screwed up the last couple of weeks and will be for a while longer. Two weeks ago my husband went out for a bike ride and while he was crossing on a green light, a car turned right and hit his bike, knocking him off, and then running over the front wheel of the bike (not my husband, very fortunately! !). He has a fractured knee and is in a sports brace and on crutches for 6 weeks with physio to follow. So I'm doing all the heavy lifting and hauling that he usually does. He told me it's a good thing I've been working out. The worst of it is that I'm SO NOT a morning person and I have to get up early to take our dog, Hamlet, a 265 lb. Mastiff, for a walk before it starts to heat up (can you believe I'm praying for morning rain!?!). And of course, my

exercise schedule has been thrown right off; to say nothing of all the junk I've been eating (I've gotta get a grip here!). Anyway, I thought I'd report on some of the new videos I've done.FWIW, I'm very coordination challenged and have no patience stumbling about trying to learn routines, so I like my cardio REALLY simple (which is why I'm a big fan of Sansone), but am always on the lookout for something different. I'll be doing both of these again for sure for variety. They're both beginner to intermediate workouts; however, Life Force demonstrates more difficult & some higher impact options, so it can be made more advanced, whereas with Deante Dance there isn't much extra you can do to it.1. DEANTE DANCEPreview at: http://www.collagev ideo.com/ workout-video/

deante-dance-7831This consists of 4 dance workouts (the first one is 30 minutes, and the others around 40 minutes, give or take a minute or two) and 1 toning workout of around 30 minutes. The dance workouts all follow the same format. There is a (separate) preview of the steps used in each one. I always appreciate move previews separate from the actual workout. The workouts each start with a warmup (pretty much the same for all, so this could have been put in as one separate chapter), then move into learning the first step, then adding the next step, TIFTing it (i.e. taking it from the top), repeating over and over until all the steps have been added on, and then going through the whole routine several times a little faster, followed by a cooldown & stretch. The music is provided by a couple of live musicians, the moves kind of flow along, and none of it is super fast, just a nice

flowing & swaying pace.The steps are all very easy to learn and Gayle's cuing is really excellent, so the workouts are very easy to do. However, they would have been a little more interesting if during the last couple of times through the routine, the steps had been mixed up in a different order for a "challenge", as it gets pretty repetitious doing the same sequence over and over (and some of the steps are repeated in other workouts).The toning workout, which I feel is more advanced than the other workouts and to me doesn't quite fit with the tone of the rest of the DVD, starts by doing some standing twists and stretches and then moves to the floor and immediately into several pilates roll-ups, followed by a sequence of crunches, some other leg & ab work, and ends with teasers (which I think she called by another name that I didn't quite catch). I think I'll stick to the

dance part of this video for cardio and use Jules Benson's Total Core Pilates for Pilates moves.2. LIFE FORCE (A MID-LIFE CARDIO) ONE MINUTE FITNESSPreview at: http://www.fitnesso rganica.com/ products/ LifeForce. htmlSomeone on the VideoFitness Forum was very complimentary of this workout and after checking it out, I decided it looked as if I'd like it, and I do. The total workout is around an hour, with a warmup & cooldown/stretch, the main workout consisting of (up to) 50 minutes of cardio and light toning moves, each move being 1 minute in length, so there's LOTS of variety. Every 10 minutes, you are reminded how much time you have done and that you can forward to the cooldown if you've done enough. The moves are all simple, athletic & functional fitness type moves. There are two

other background exercisers, one doing easier moves, and one doing more advanced, with Anni Mairs doing the intermediate version. Optional equipment is light handweights (1 lb. for the cardio with screen prompt option for 3 lbs. for some toning parts), step, and stick for balance. I just used 1 lb. weights throughout, no step, and a broomstick with a rubber tip added a couple of times for balance, and got a pretty good calorie burn.A quick comment (not a review) on Attitude Tu – I just did this (mostly) tonight, but didn't quite finish (I didn't want to miss Corrie St.) – but can say I like it except for one move, and that is: Lying on the floor with the ball held between the feet moving the feet down and up (that part's okay), and then moving the feet right back up over the head. I shouldn't have even TRIED that part – I dropped the ball right on my chin – fortunately not my nose or I

could have broken it. That's not something I'm agile enough to do even without holding a ball between my feet, so I'll just stick to moving my legs up and down and never mind the fancy stuff next time! I've got more ballet stuff coming, so one day I'll have to give a rundown on all that I have.Anyone else doing any of the above?Bye for now.Fiona

[Guest guest]

fiona_galbraith wrote:

> a 265 lb. Mastiff

WOW!! is that a typo? LOL

and fabulous reviews, fiona, thankyou!

:*carolyn.

[Guest guest]

Hi, Donna:

I think I'll get more use out of Life Force, myself - I felt more

worked out after it. I like both the Attitude Ballet workouts, and

the Element Ballet one, more than the Balletone ones I've done (but

haven't yet done the newest ones with Fable). I think I'm

going to have to get the Element Pilates one when it comes out.

We used to have a Great Pyrenees at one time - so I know all about

protective! Gorgeous dog, but was he ever territorial and noisy -

well that's a flock guardian for you. Hamlet is our second Mastiff

(lost the first to illness at only 2 years - it was just

devastating). I've put pics of him in a Photo Album called " Hamlet-

Mastiff " . He hasn't met anyone he doesn't like, and expects everyone

to like him. Fantastic disposition, even if he is a " toe squisher "

at times. My husband says if we get another dog it has to be one he

can pick up!

Fiona

>

> HI Fiona,

>

> Thanks for the awesome reviews! & nbsp; The life force workout has me

intereseted. & nbsp; Deante Dance sounds a bit like the Dance off the

Inches workout. & nbsp; Thanks for Attitude Tu Tu, I'd like to get this

one and her other workouts, too!

>

> Sorry to hear about your husband's accident - thankfully it wasnt

more serious! & nbsp; I love, love big dogs. & nbsp; I used to have a

Newfoundland. & nbsp; I didn't realize that Mastiffs got sooooo big -

wow! & nbsp; Right now I have a medium mix - she is around 45 lbs and

is & nbsp; part Shar Pei and part some other stuff - I think there may

be Shepherd and Lab/Golden, but it is hard to tell. & nbsp; She is a

wonderful family dog, but she is a bit wary of strangers and

protective - which is both good and bad, I guess.

>

> Take care and thanks so much for the reviews!

>

> Donna

>

[Guest guest]

Hi!

Thanks for sharing your photos! I'm a sucker for big dogs. I'd love a GP someday, and a St. Bernard, Bernese Mountain Dog and maybe another Newfie and Mastiff! I'll probably stick w/ mutts though! Shenan (my Shar Pei mix) is great very quirky personality which is fun.

I didn't know there was an Element Pilates coming out. Do you have element yoga?

take care,

Donna>> HI Fiona,> > Thanks for the awesome reviews! & nbsp; The life force workout has me intereseted. & nbsp; Deante Dance sounds a bit like the Dance off the Inches workout. & nbsp; Thanks for Attitude Tu Tu, I'd like to get this one and her other workouts, too!> > Sorry to hear about your husband's accident - thankfully it wasnt more serious! & nbsp; I love, love big dogs. & nbsp; I used to have a Newfoundland. & nbsp; I didn't realize that Mastiffs got sooooo big - wow! & nbsp; Right now I have a medium mix - she is around 45 lbs and is & nbsp; part Shar Pei and part some other stuff - I think there may be Shepherd and Lab/Golden, but it is hard to tell. & nbsp; She is a wonderful family dog, but

she is a bit wary of strangers and protective - which is both good and bad, I guess.> > Take care and thanks so much for the reviews!> > Donna>