Denise Austin - XtraLite: Beginner's Aerobics

Denise Austin: XTRALite Begnner's Aerobics [VHS]

"Burn that butter!" demands Denise Austin. Austin, looking tanned and trim in a one-piece swimsuit, works out on the beach, with an ocean scene behind her. This is a true beginner's workout, with few moves and plenty of opportunities to catch your breath. The 5-minute warm-up is simple, with lots of low kicks and some stretches. Next is a 20-minute aerobic set, all easy low-impact moves, repeated many times. If you're brand new to exercise and you're fearful of choreography, this video will make it easy to start moving. The first moves are extremely simple, just walking, tapping, and kicking. Then Austin starts adding a few dancier moves, such as the grapevine, mambo, cha-cha, and box step. When she introduces the few moves that you won't catch right away, she unfortunately doesn't slow them down or describe what the feet do. She repeats each move enough that you'll get it with some practice, though. At the end is a 5-minute cool-down with standing stretches. If you like variety in your choreography, this video won't hold your interest, but if you're happy repeating moves that you've learned, this might be a good one to help you get active. --Joan Price

Denise Austin - Xtralite:Beginner's Aerobics [VHS]

Exercisers in search of a basic introduction to cardiovascular fitness will find a straightforward, honest-to-goodness beginner's layout in Denise Austin: Xtralite, Beginner's Aerobics. Austin's simple choreography and enthusiasm create an encouraging and approachable workout that can have real results if done frequently (at least three times a week). This half-hour session includes five minutes of warm-up, 20 minutes of aerobic exercise, and a five- minute cool down. In addition to being an incredibly time-savvy program, this workout illustrates a perfect example of gradually increasing intensity that will aid participants in reaching target heart rate range (not to mention staving off injuries). Safety is central throughout this session as lower back isolations and stretching play a key role in all phases of this workout. The movements within the aerobic portion are easy to follow and incorporate both the upper and lower body through choreography that lengthens and extends the torso and legs. Familiar steps like the grapevine, box step, and mambo are presented as singular moves without combining them or creating routines. This proves to be an accessible and simple approach to learning the basic format for any aerobic class. The music is not very motivational here, but Austin captures the true essence of a beginner's format both effectively and enthusiastically. This is a great place to begin any fitness regimen. --Olivia Voigts