Fitness with the Pros Reviews

• Well done DVD!

  
  By A3RBC2PFQRIWSB on 2007-10-03
  I own both this DVD and its companion teaching DVD. Both are wonderful, with easy to follow instructions. In the fitness DVD, Edyta is your instructor, and she's everything you could ask for in a teacher. There is even a helpful feature where if you have trouble figuring out a movement, you can have it broken down so you can learn at your own pace with just the touch of a button on your remote. I've lost 30 pounds over 4 months with the help of this DVD, and I'm still just on the beginner workout, preparing to advance to the intermediate. I found this DVD easier to follow and complete than the Dancing with the Stars one that features Ashly, Kym, and Maks.
  
  

• Fantastic and Fun!

  
  By A1EIFX3RKRRT1H on 2007-10-08
  Being a fan of the show I ordered the product, not expecting the workout to be much of a challenge as far as cardio goes. Wow, was I wrong! My heart rate was up, and thanks to the setting and wonderful instruction from Edyta...you almost forget you are working out! As a personal trainer, I know that cross training is key to keeping the results coming, and this is something that I will incorporate into my program on a weekly basis. It challenges my body in a completely different way than anything I get at the gym, and I love it! Highly recommended! This proves the theory that trainers have been saying for years....working out IS fun! :)
  
  

• Best workout--hands down!

  
  By ASOIY5CM1ZG73 on 2007-10-27
  This was by far one--if not the best workout DVDs I have ever used. I've tried all different kinds, but this one truly gave me an amazing workout that was fun, easy to follow and slowed down when I had trouble with a step. (thanks to the slow motion feature this DVD has!) Alec and Edyta are very personable and it made it seem like you were working out with friends rather than with an instructor. It goes by quickly as well.....you barely realize you are working out! I recommend this to anyone who wants a fun workout
  
  

• Didn't like it

  
  By A2OLB6ETQYWSRY on 2008-01-13
  I found it pretty hard to follow. Dvd assumes you have more knowledge of dance terms than I do. Everything is at tempo, if you want to see it slow, you have to go to a special help section. Each section felt kind of repetitive too.
  
  
  

• Good dance steps, but almostt no instruction & bad camera angles, stark/stiff/serious feel

  
  By AQF3D0KX5SFCM on 2008-02-27
  Menu Options:
  Beginner - Waltz, Cha Cha, Jive
  Intermediate - Cha Cha, Samba, Jive
  Advanced - Samba, Jive
  All are 10 min each, all have a Help option during the workouts to see a SHORT 30 second slow-mo camera speed with Edyta in voice over telling you how to move your feet. Moves that most never heard of like volta point, step point twists, etc. are all taught this way. All dancers ALWAYS face you, never show their back or side views.
  Stage - large hardwood floor going back a good 40 ft. to tall white, simple backboards with the black ceiling exposed with extra colored lighting. There are 8 men & women behind Edyta & Alec. Everyone looks serious about perfecting their dancing & the idea of fun is the furtherst thing from their minds. Edyta calls out the type of step & counts. Barely any other instruction is given. The camera stays on Edyta's face & other beautiful dancer's faces & rarely shows their feet.
  The direction/teaching style looks more concerned with looking cool/stylish rather then helpful. It does have beautiful production, but I'm not happy it's at the sake of helping one to follow the steps.
  The dancing has many steps I'd never seen & everyone dances well.
  The moves are good overall, it will definitely make anyone break a sweat with it's fast pace & vigorous movements, I just like a more relaxed, fun, body awareness type of dancing or at least fun/centered on burning calories. Not this style on perfection/stiffness.
  I actually found this harder to follow then their Dancing with the Stars workout dvd, since at least that one contained dance steps/moves that are popular & found on other dance workout dvds.
  If they added a 1/2 speed teaching of all the steps instead of a quick slow-mo, more camera work showing the feet even of background dancers, showed some laughing or smiling & had fun, this would be 5 stars.
  This is good for those who can learn with minimal instruction, who are already dancers or have had dance class training or at least an extensive dvd collection.
  
  
• Awesome!
  By A3MFY01K292WE9 on 2008-01-14
  I hate exercise. I love this video. It is so much fun learning all these dance steps, I hardly notice I'm exercising. And that's saying a lot. I go through the beginning and intermediate workouts in about an hour. I've only had the video a week and I'm already noticing more flexibility and toning.
  
  My only complaint is the music, which is very repetitive and tends to get stuck in my head. But that's a small price to pay for the best workout video I've ever seen!
  
  
• Excellent! Very challenging. Love it!
  By A3F1R81CGI5FC8 on 2007-12-31
  This is an excellent ballroom/cardio video. It's fast, fun and very challenging. Having some background in dancing helps.
  
  I love it! Great job. Worth the money.
  
  Thanks Edyta and Alec!
  
  
• KILLER
  By A31ZABE8XJ6JN6 on 2008-02-15
  This is a killer workout. I am really out of shape and it made my legs burn. It was a little hard to keep up at first but after doing it a few times it got easier since I knew what was coming next. I would recommend this video to anyone wanting to get in shape.
  
  
• challenging
  By A1SGVCH54B8MIG on 2008-03-01
  This workout it well structured.
  There are three section:beginner, intermediate and advanced.
  Each section is 30 mins long.
  
  
  I think that it is true what some others have voiced. Yes there seems to be more focus on executing the moves than on having 'fun' while exercising. The majority of communication consists of announcing the moves and getting on with the program. You won't find a friendly back and forth banter betweeb presenters here....Alex Mazo hardly or does not say anything at all. I have to criticize the expanation of moves. Firstly moves are introduced by their dance terms and immediately the move is performed a tempo. This is extremely difficult to follow through with the first few times you watch, you would HAVE to hit the slo motion and pick it up from there (that in itself consists of a brief exhibition with an explanation that is sometimes difficult to follow). I think that perhaps more time to pproperly lead followers step by step into the moves would have helped. I do latin and ballroom dancing for a a little while now, I love it and usually pick up the steps with relative ease, but I admit that initially I had prolems with a few of these steps...with a little bit of practice though I was fine.
  
  
  It is a fair work out, I work up a sweat. Once you have practised through the routine steps it becomes easier. But the choreography is more diverse than that which we saw with the Cardio dance,there are more moves and I like the variety...it also includes a waltz session which I find a brilliant idea, it give some good lunges work outs...(I think it is creative just like the Paso Doble section in the cardio dancea good way to incorporate ballroom and latin dancing into cardio).
  
  If you prefer a more friendly banter with your workout with a fair work out then choose the cardio dance...I have used them both.
  If you want more variety and a bit more of a challenge then choose this.
  
  Bottomline, it is a great work out, challenging in terms of steps and creative choreography but if you are a beginner start with cardio dance then go to this, you will see what i mean when yo get to the intermediate and high intensity. Also if you are an exerciser who needs motivation, then this may not be for you, there are no "you can do it" ' s or "come you're doing well" 's .
  
  I felt that somewarm up stretches should have been done but the stretching done in between dance style changes were good and I could really feel them hitting the muscle groups worked.
  
  Finally I think that the music could have been a little more 'fun' there are so many very nice swing/jive hits that they could have used the music from and perhaps changing the music up and not using the SAME tune for samba and the SAME for each jive would have been fun.
  And also a littl more ethnic variety in the back up team of dancers, just a thought....Maks and Kym did that!
  
  So not a 5 star but if you are looking for a good workout, it delivers.
  
  
  
• good workout, but not much fun!
  By A3SQ88Q69VKAUV on 2008-03-27
  It is a solid workout, relatively easy to master ( dance sequences are not overly complicated, even on the high impact level ) and it will definitely make you sweat. Another plus is that, for a dance workout, it does not require too much space.
  Now some minuses:
  - Edyta is the only one that seems to have some fun doing it. Don't get me wrong, I hate artificially enthusiastic, constantly smiling exercises in the background but this bunch looks really dreadfully serious, if not bored ( especially the blonde girl standing right behind Edyta )
  - camera angles could be better - sometimes you can see Edyta's face or upper body only when she's introducing new steps
  
  

• Dancing Like the Pros
• Dancing With the Stars - Cardio Dance
• Dancing with the Stars: Jive, Samba, and Tango Your Way into the Best Shape of Your Life
• Dance off the Inches: Hip Hop Party
• Element: Ballet Conditioning