Amy Bento: Kickbox Xtreme

You've read my opinion of Amy Bento.  However, after reading some good reviews, I decided to give her a second chance.  Her Kickbox Xtreme Workout (2008) arrived from Netflix and I tried it out on a day that I needed some heart-pounding cardio.

I'm not going to break down this video.   You warm-up (for a bit too long) and then you move into kick-boxing.  At the end of each combination is "power-burst" that consists of jumping and jump kicks.  

Because the nature of this workout is kickboxing, it was a little easier to follow than Bento's Hi-Lo Xtreme Workout.  However, my main problem with Bento remains the same.  She doesn't cue well and never demonstrates a move before going into it and expecting you to follow.  For example, while doing a convoluted move, she'll say, "next, we're going to do a jab, punch, block right, block left, kick, and then jack."  W...T....H....  This is not the way to lead a workout.  If you must do a convoluted combination, demonstrate it while we catch our breath.  After a few tries, we'll get it.  When you tell us, it takes twice as long to finally pick something up.  

(She did the same thing in her Hi-Lo Xtreme Workout, but it was even harder to follow, "now, let's do a grapevine, silly cross hook, jack into a twisty turn spin out."  I just rolled my eyes.)

Sigh.  I got a good workout with this video.  If I couldn't get something right way, I substituted my own move.  I kept moving and my heart rate stayed elevated.  

My other problem with Bento is that her moves don't flow well.  She'll be doing something on the right and the next move requires you to do something that feels completely unnatural on the left.  I guess good choreography is a gift and not everyone has it.  Bento does not have it.  

So, basically, if you want to know how to NOT lead a workout, or design a workout, watch Bento's videos.  She creates effective workouts, I give you that, but they're not in any way well-done or well thought-out...or well-cued.  To see a clip, go here. 

Bottom Line:  If you have a telepathic connection to Amy Bento, perhaps you can follow this video.  If not, jab and punch and kick until you can figure out what the heck she's doing.  This is an advanced workout, but on a scale of 1 to 10, it's a 1 as far as level of advanced (if that makes sense).