sharon mann: the works: cardio

[Guest guest]

today i did a step and hi/lo cardio workout with sharon mann. these

segments were, of course, from the cardio disc that comes in the set.

while sharon's weight work is good, i think that her real expertise is in

aerobics. she has a knack for taking simple cardio moves and putting them

together in an interesting way. because the moves are simple and the

combinations are not particularly tricky it is easy for everyone to catch on

quickly and participate fully in the workout.

she has had to do this because these segments were designed for a tv

audience. it is ok to have more difficult choreography in a workout that is

only put out on dvd/video because the user can do it over and over and learn

the moves. however, when you tune into a tv program, you often only see it

once... maybe twice in re-runs... but certainly you dont get the same

program over and over during a week or even a month. while sharon is

canadian and her tv shows have been shown on canadian tv for years, our

american friends are just getting to know her now that her show is on FIT

TV.

anyway, while the steps are easy, the intensity can be set at where you

want... the full spectrum of high/low impact is presented (via 4 background

exercisers and sharon herself) so you can choose what you want to do. i

usually do a mixture... i take it up as high as i can and then back low

again but often center around what sharon is doing at intermediate level.

cardio is not my strong suit! and sharon helps to make it easier for me by

keeping the moves simple. this does not mean easy! just easy to catch

onto so that you can work on intensity instead.

ok, so i find sharon to be quite personable... she has a wonderful

grin/smile and she is in excellent shape. i also dont mind her background

exercisers... there is always one guy included which is a good thing and a

few of the exercisers change from time to time. there is one woman who i

dont particularly like (her name is mary) but she wasnt in any of the

workouts that i selected to do today. the music is ok -- nothing exciting

and is usually the same piece of music played over and over. it is just

some tune that enables us to keep the beat. the set is good although sharon

and her friends workout on raised platforms and she warned one of the guys

to not fall off during cardio today. i guess that the platforms add a bit

of visual interest to the whole thing. ::shrug:: overall, you cant beat

these dvds for variety (which is my middle name and the individual

segments are always harder than i expect them to be.

*~*~*~*~*

Carolyn

---

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[Guest guest]

Wow Carolyn, you should write for a fitness magazine! Thanks for

another marvellous review!

I'm hoping you'll review the Windsor Pilates ones too as they come up

in your rotation? Pretty pleeze *bats eyelashes*

-

-- In , " Cola " <pvisser@o...> wrote:

> today i did a step and hi/lo cardio workout with sharon mann. these

> segments were, of course, from the cardio disc that comes in the set.

>

> while sharon's weight work is good, i think that her real expertise

is in

> aerobics. she has a knack for taking simple cardio moves and

putting them

> together in an interesting way. because the moves are simple and the

> combinations are not particularly tricky it is easy for everyone to

catch on

> quickly and participate fully in the workout.

>

> she has had to do this because these segments were designed for a tv

> audience. it is ok to have more difficult choreography in a workout

that is

> only put out on dvd/video because the user can do it over and over

and learn

> the moves. however, when you tune into a tv program, you often only

see it

> once... maybe twice in re-runs... but certainly you dont get the same

> program over and over during a week or even a month. while sharon is

> canadian and her tv shows have been shown on canadian tv for years, our

> american friends are just getting to know her now that her show is

on FIT

> TV.

>

> anyway, while the steps are easy, the intensity can be set at where you

> want... the full spectrum of high/low impact is presented (via 4

background

> exercisers and sharon herself) so you can choose what you want to

do. i

> usually do a mixture... i take it up as high as i can and then back low

> again but often center around what sharon is doing at intermediate

level.

> cardio is not my strong suit! and sharon helps to make it easier

for me by

> keeping the moves simple. this does not mean easy! just easy to catch

> onto so that you can work on intensity instead.

>

> ok, so i find sharon to be quite personable... she has a wonderful

> grin/smile and she is in excellent shape. i also dont mind her

background

> exercisers... there is always one guy included which is a good

thing and a

> few of the exercisers change from time to time. there is one woman

who i

> dont particularly like (her name is mary) but she wasnt in any of the

> workouts that i selected to do today. the music is ok -- nothing

exciting

> and is usually the same piece of music played over and over. it is just

> some tune that enables us to keep the beat. the set is good

although sharon

> and her friends workout on raised platforms and she warned one of

the guys

> to not fall off during cardio today. i guess that the platforms add

a bit

> of visual interest to the whole thing. ::shrug:: overall, you

cant beat

> these dvds for variety (which is my middle name and the individual

> segments are always harder than i expect them to be.

>

> *~*~*~*~*

> Carolyn

> ---

>

> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).

> Version: 6.0.693 / Virus Database: 454 - Release Date: 5/31/2004

[Guest guest]

> I'm hoping you'll review the Windsor Pilates ones too as they come up

> in your rotation? Pretty pleeze *bats eyelashes*

hiya pink!

hmmmm, well actually i did (very) briefly review 2 of the dvds in the set

(basics and 20 minute workout). i still have the 50 min workout

(accelerated body sculpting) to do and i have it on my schedule for this

week. but this week has been awful for me! i have no energy at all -- i

struggled through easy cardio workouts yesterday and that was after having 3

days off!! ugh! i dont know what is wrong with me. our 5 year old is

complaining of cold symptoms today and has stayed home from school... i hope

that im not getting it too :/ anyway, i will try to get all of my

workouts done and i will definately post here as i do them.

-carolyn.

Winsor Pilates

Mari Winsor

I have done Winsor Pilates before -- I had 'Basics', 'Abs' and 'Butt &

Thigh' and after doing them quite a bit, I traded them away in Spring of

last year. I recently had a renewed interest in pilates after doing Kathy

's Abs and leg series -- so I bought Mari Winsor's 'Basics' again along

with '20 min workout' and 'Accelerated Body Sculpting' (50 mins).

I had no problem doing the basic workout as I had done it alot a year ago.

It is 20 mins and reviews 6 basic pilates moves. I think that all of those

moves are in the 20 min workout, plus a side kick series and one other

rolling move that I hadnt done before. I had done all of the side kick

series back when I had 'Butt & Thigh'. The rolling move is like 'rolling

like a ball' except there are some heel taps while you are rolled back which

reduce the amount of momentum and makes it tougher.

Overall, I enjoyed the workout. I like Mari Winsor and I like how she doesnt

try to instruct while doing the moves. She has her instructors do the moves

and they all have really good form. Her voice is soothing and I actually

found the workout to be relaxing -- in contrast to Kathy who manages

to get loud and excited while doing pilates.

---

Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).

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[Guest guest]

Yes, Carolyn, you're reviews are so thorough! I wish I could remember

detail the way you do!

Donna

>

>Wow Carolyn, you should write for a fitness magazine! Thanks for

>another marvellous review!

>

>I'm hoping you'll review the Windsor Pilates ones too as they come up

>in your rotation? Pretty pleeze *bats eyelashes*

>

>

>

>-

>

>--

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