Michelle Dozois: Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn (Review)

I'm loving the Peak 10 workouts by Michelle Dozois.  Her Cardio Interval Burn (2010), as usual, does not disappoint.  

As with all the Peak 10 videos, the workout consists of 5 segments with two peak intervals within them - so, 10 peaks for a total of 50 minutes of crazy cardio.  This is not a negative, but I can tell that this Cardio Interval Burn was the first.  If Michelle's More Cardio Interval Burn is a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10 in difficulty, this first video is a 9.5.  But when you're talking about this level of intensity, that is not a bad thing.

The great thing about this video is that it's the only Peak 10 workout, that I've reviewed so far, that does not go to the floor for burpees, push-ups, etc.  You're on your feet the entire time.  That sounds like a small thing but it's not.  It's a very small relief.  Ha!

Michelle starts with a 5 minute warm-up which consists of some very light cardio and then stretching.  In each interval you have a "basecamp" which is the time to catch your breath.  This flows into a 2-3 minute "ascent" where you may do some punches, some kicks, and low-impact cardio.  Then the tempo increases and you're at the 2-3 minute "climb" - full-out high-impact cardio: jacks, jog with knees up, speed skates, etc.  This all climaxes in the "peak" - one crazy move that you do for a minute and that will leave you breathless: 180 degree lunge jumps, jump with one leg up, etc.  Basically, a jumping move.  The workout ends with a lovely stretch. 

Let me tell you, even after all these videos I've done, I still can't do these moves where you have to bring your knees up and in front of you.  That's just crazy!  So, I substitute that peak move with something else.  

I really like this video.  There's really only one "move" I dread and it's quick feet (jog) into a

plié.  For some reason, I hate it.  

But I love the workout.  It's a real challenge without being exhausting.  Your heart rate will not lower for fifty minutes.  Michelle and her crew are fabulous, as always.  I really have no idea how Michelle keeps coming up with such great workouts.  Hopefully, she keeps them coming!!

Bottom Line: I would definitely do this video before the More Cardio Interval Burn.  It's just a half-step under the later video.  But still advanced. 

The Bronze Horseman

I just finished a book that I loved...  Paulline Simon's The Bronze Horseman.

This was my review:

When I picked up this book, I thought I was going to be reading about the siege of Stalingrad. I did not know I was going to reading one of the most beautifully frustrating love stories of all time.

The first half of this book was incredible; I could not put this book down. Never have I read anything as heartbreaking, poignant, and terrifying as the story of the Metanova family during the siege. Simons definitely has a gift for writing; the reader lives through the siege.

And then came the "honeymoon" time, which was just a bit too much. Suddenly I was reading romance instead of historical fiction. But the characters are thrown back into war and Simons once again flourishes by making the reader FEEL so very much for the characters.

I look forward to reading the rest of the story. 

The Method: Cardio Boot Camp (Review)

Having seen Tracey Mallett lead a fun dance workout, I searched for her other workouts and found this Cardio Boot Camp (1999). I decided to try it, on loan from Netflix, for one of my Monday cardio workouts. 

This video definitely has some negatives to go along with quite a few positives.  Here's a breakdown...

Segment 1: The only warm-up you get is about a minute of breathing and stretching.  Tracey leads you through jacks, kicks, push-ups, one plyometric move, etc.  She gets your heart-rate up and gives you only a few opportunities to bring it down.

Segment 2: This starts off with a few minutes of Tai Chi, which is not easy to follow, but relaxing.  Then on to some kick-boxing: punches and kicks.  At the end, Tracey grabs some light weights (she uses 3 lbs) and you do some arm exercises.

Segment 3: The first time around, I thought this segment was repeating the first.  It isn't, but they're very similar.  A cool-down consists of one move done at the end.  No stretching.

The run-time of actual exercising is forty minutes.

Negatives: This video, as you would imagine, is extremely dated.  (But, as I've said before, the outfits, the setting, the music should not stop you from doing a video.)  Tracey is extremely young and her cuing is not great.  She's also very annoying.  I usually find her adorably chipper but here she's just annoying.  But if this is her first video, I can forgive her.  No explanation is given for the Tai Chi so you just follow along as best you can.  The entire thing could benefit from a good warm-up and cool-down.  Since the first and last segments are so similar, I can see getting bored with this video very quickly.  I was bored the second time around. 

Positives: My heart-rate went up and stayed up.  I felt like I got a good workout, without getting killed in the process.  This is not "a keeper" but if you're on Netflix and need a change for a week or so, try it out.  

Bottom Line: A good, different, moderate cardio workout.

Temple of a Thousand Faces

One of my favorite books of all time is Beneath a Marble Sky by John Shors.  When I saw that Shors had a new historical fiction novel out, I ordered it.  It's about a topic I know nothing about: medieval Cambodia.  

This is the review I posted on Goodreads: 

History, architecture, and historical fiction are some of my favorite things. John Shors frequently, and successfully, combines all three to make beautiful stories. Temple of a Thousand Faces is no exception.

Angkor Wat and the history of Cambodia were both foreign to me, making this book very appealing; I love learning about new places! Shors tells us the story of the Cham invasion of the Khmer kingdom in the 12th century. A Khmer king flees the invaders and must find an army to battle for his kingdom.

Shors does an excellent job of telling the story from several points of view. In this story, you hear about a soldier, a king, a captive, and a family struggling to survive the Cham oppressors. It's a story filled with religion, hope, and history - a great read!

This is why I love historical fiction: you learn a bit of history while reading incredible stories.   

Painkillers

It's been a while since I've had a vacation.  Mr. Higgins and I like to try to space out our three weeks of vacation time throughout the year.  For some reason, this year, we're going from June to December without a vacation.  Oy.  It's tough.  

We've already been thinking about our next cruise, at the beginning of December, where we'll get to visit our favorite place again: St. John, USVI.  After spending the morning on the beach (probably Cinnamon Bay), we'll go into town and shop, visit some of our favorite places, and have a drink at our favorite bar.  

One of my favorite drinks to get on St. John is the Painkiller.  It's deliciously pineapple-y!  Here's the recipe:

2-4 oz of dark rum (we use Cruzan, from the Virgin Islands)
4 oz pineapple juice
1 oz cream of coconut (aka Coco Lopez)
1 oz orange juice
a dash of nutmeg on the top of each drink

Oh, boy.  I can just feel the island breeze as I sip one of these at home.  Enjoy!

Crunch: Fat Burning Pilates (Review)

When I first started working out, I did a lot of Crunch videos, because that's what was on Netflix.  Back then, I really liked dance and pilates workouts.  I stumbled upon trainer Ellen Barrett by doing her pilates workouts, which are a lot of fun.  One of her videos that I own is Crunch's Fat Burning Pilates (2003).

This is a bit unlike traditional pilates.  There is a lot of standing work that doesn't resemble normal pilates.  But some traditional floor work comes next, which also incorporates some nontraditional "fat burning" moves. 

My first impression of this video was "holy cow, this is a lot of pliés!"  Literally - my thighs were burning.  There is a drummer on the set who provides a nice upbeat tempo for the standing work. Again, this is nontraditional pilates - more like fast-paced ballet/pilates combined in a dance-like format. The floor work includes a lot of leg and bum toning. 

Ellen Barrett is a very good instructor.  She's motivating and not at all annoying - except that she really likes pliés in this video.  

After a few years of doing this workout fairly regularly, I no longer go to it very often.  I don't find it very challenging.  But when I need a light workout, like when I don't feel well, I turn to Ellen's pilates.  There's not a lot here to challenge you, outside of the pliés, but you end up feeling nice and refreshed.  For a clip, go here.  

Bottom Line: This is a nice introduction to dance-like pilates.  You can't go wrong with Ellen Barrett and I'd recommend her for good, beginner workouts.

My Workout Schedule

Recently I was a little miffed when Mr. Higgins brought up working out and my dad said, "well, now you need to get Doniamarie working as hard."  Mr. Higgins, to his immense credit, responded, "Doniamarie works out ten times harder than I do.  She's doing long, crazy workouts most days."  I was so proud of him, right then!

But my dad was almost blacklisted for such a comment, especially when he knows I work out all the time.  

I hope my reviews of workout videos have been helpful.  Now, I'll share with you how I put them all together into a weekly workout schedule.  Here it is....

Mondays - random cardio such as The Firm's 500 Calorie Workout,  Star Trainer's Cardio (I workout plus some additional cardio), Shape's Bikini Body Camp Transforming, or a different cardio workout from Netflix.  45-60 minutes.

Tuesdays - Jari Love's GET RIPPED! Slim and Lean or a similar Jari Love workout, interspersed with my own cardio segments. 45-55 minutes.

Wednesdays -  Michelle Dozois' Peak Ten Cardio Interval Burn (review to come) or More Cardio.  I alternate between the two.  50-55 minutes.

Thursdays - Jari Love's GET RIPPED! 1000.  50-55 minutes.

Fridays - rest.  A margarita.

Saturdays -  Michelle Dozois' Peak Ten Cardio Strength or More Cardio Strength.  I alternate them.  45-50 minutes.

Sundays - A Jari Love workout.  I alternate between three, one of which is Get Extremely Ripped.  40-50 minutes.  If I have more time, I may shorten this workout to 35 minutes and add 20-30 minutes of yoga.

Abs....  I'll either do an ab workout video (review to come) on the weekend or be diligent in adding 5 minutes of ab work a day.  The exception is on Wednesdays, when I'm too beat after Michelle Dozois' cardio to attempt anything more afterward.

Notice that I try very hard to not do weights two days in row.  The exception is Saturday and Sunday, but neither of those workouts is a strenuous weight workout.  My hardest workout with weights is on Thursdays, so my Friday day of rest is always nice. 

When to work out....  Monday through Thursday, I work out after a full day of work.  And some days, after working out, I'm completely exhausted.  Sometimes it's all I can do to not just sit and read the rest of the night.  

On Saturdays and Sundays, I tend to work out an hour after a very light breakfast.  This breakfast is usually coffee with toast or a Breakfast Cookie.  Though I do it occasionally, it's a lot harder for me to roll out of bed and work out without anything in my stomach.  I can barely muster the energy to get through a workout, especially a difficult one. But, if I eat something, wait an hour, and then work out, my body has something to burn and is a lot happier.  

This is what works for me.  I'm maintaining the weight I want to be - the lowest my body can get, apparently - and I'm perfectly happy with this.  I hope my routine helps you to find one that works for you.  Everyone is different so be sure to find a schedule that keeps you motivated and happy.

October Page

My October page was both fun and frustrating to put together.  The frustration came from not having any fall or Halloween pictures to choose from.  I had to settle on a sunset picture - albeit a perfect one from Cruz Bay, St. John, USVI.  

The fun came from the papers.  I did this page and then decided that I had too much cute Halloween paper - so a separate Halloween page had to be done.  Ha!  I will show that to you later in the month!

Star Trainers: Ab Blast (Review)

Having really enjoyed Star Trainers: Cardio, I decided to give their Ab Blast (2007) workout a try.  I'm so glad I did!  I purchased this one and have done it consistently now for years.

Just like the cardio video, this has five separate workouts led by five "star" instructors.  Each ab workout is ten minutes long and after those ten minutes, your core will be protesting!  Here's a rundown of each instructor's section, in order of least to most liked.

Gay Gasper.....  This woman just does not do it for me.  But I will admit that her ab workout is tough.  In fact, I didn't do it for the longest time because I didn't like how tough it was!  Just like her cardio, some of her combinations will take a few tries to master.  She has some planks with tricep push-ups that really test you.  

Kendall Hogan's section is interesting because he incorporates weights.  I found this difficult since I only had one weight to choose from.  

Violet Zaki's workout is possibly the least innovative, but still good: a lot of crunch variations and then some planks.  My abs are always happy when the non-stop crunches stop!

Rob Glick's section is a continuous onslaught of crunches and my abs are always hurting after these.  Glick then makes you turn on to your stomach for some back extensions.  He finishes with the toughest round of planks on the video.  You hold these for a long time!

Kimberly Spreen is my favorite.  She somehow manages to lead you through a crazy ab workout without one single crunch.  Your obliques will get quite a workout!  

I usually do one of these workouts a week.  They will definitely make an impact on your core!  However, don't forget that you won't see any changes in your abs until you get rid of your belly fat.  It's depressing, but true.  Don't let that stop you from strengthening your core, though.  Everyone needs a strong core for good posture!

For a clip of this video, go here.  

Bottom Line: This is a great video to have on hand, no matter what your fitness level.  

A Taste of Fall

It's almost, almost beginning to feel like fall here in Texas.  Last weekend we had a taste of it: a cold front came through and temps dropped into the low 60s.  It's been four months since we've seen anything under 70.  Usually, in Texas, we rarely ever drop below 80 for the months of July and August.  Yay, Texas summers.

But last weekend was wonderful.  We opened the windows and left them open all night long.  I don't think this cat left the windows all night.  He didn't touch his dinner or his breakfast because he couldn't bring himself to leave his window.  Days later, he sat in this room and looked at the windows, willing them to open.  I've never seen anything so cute or sad.  Ha!

Christmas Tags

My mother-in-law has really gotten into papercrafting, as I've mentioned here before.  She has started making the most precious gift tags I've ever seen.  I've dabbled in tags but have never been proactive enough to have enough for Christmas presents by the time Christmas rolls around.

This year, because we have another December cruise, I'm forcing myself to start Christmas shopping now.  I've done good so far.  But the other day, I made progress in another area.  For some reason, I sat down at my craft desk and started making Christmas tags.  

I used the leftovers from my October Afternoon December Daily kit from last year.  I love OA's product lines, especially their Christmas lines.  I must say that these tags are not terribly detailed or extravagently embellished but they're cuter than what you get in the store and they'll work great.  So, success!

Jari Love: Get Extremely Ripped! (Review)

I do a lot of Jari Love's workouts and I'm pretty sure they, combined with Michelle Dozois' cardio videos, have changed my body in ways I never thought possible.  I own five of Jari's videos and alternate them frequently.  One that is in my rotation is Get Extremely Ripped! (2009).  (Yes, all of her video titles are very similar and yes, it's very confusing!)

This video contains two 30-minute workouts.  Jari and her crew use a step, light and heavy weights.  As always, I never do the step and still get a great workout.  There is no specified cardio in this video but since you're doing compound exercises with no breaks, your heart rate goes up and stays up.

Each 30-minute workout has a warm-up that includes the basic moves you'll be doing throughout the workout: squats, lunges, bicep curls, overhead presses, etc.  Then you move on to your compound exercises.  

Workout 1: lunge with row and stiff leg deadlift, pulse squats (ouch!) and bicep curl with knee lift, wide squats with round-the-world and overhead presses, curtsy squat with triceps and side squat with anterior raise, knee up to reverse lunge and side squat with shoulder raise.  

Workout 2: clean and press and back lunge with hammer curl, moving side squats and overhead shoulder press with knee lift/squat, back row with squats and knee raises, reverse flies with leg lifts and triceps.

There is also an ab section and a cool down.  

I have to admit, I do not look forward to this video - it's a brutal arm workout.  But I do it because it's a great workout.  No one does high reps like Jari Love.  

The cons...  Jari's form is not great and I have no idea why.  Also, she's way too chatty in this video.  She's usually motivational yet no-nonsense.  This time, she just makes too many annoying comments about her crew.  The lighting on the stage is weird at times, and sometimes too dark.  A few of Jari's videos have a 30-second countdown clock that pops up during an exercise and this is one of them.  It's a bit distracting, especially when you realize that Jari has done an uneven number of reps on your current leg/arm because she realizes the clock is running out.  But don't let these things deter you.  As I've said before, don't use these kinds of excusing to NOT do a workout.  Jari always walks you through a great workout.  For a clip, go here.  

Bottom Line: This is an advanced workout for those wanting real results.  With the high reps, you need to be committed to get through it.

Lace Knitting

Knitting is a lot of fun.  It's also very frustrating.  

I started a new scarf out of a gorgeous purple alpaca I found at our local Fiber Fest.  It's been a while since I've done anything lacy.  It took me a while to remember how to read a lace chart - from bottom right up.    

Off I went, knitting away, but soon had to frog it.  I finally figured out what was going on, started over, and knitted about three inches of scarf.  And then I found dropped stitches.  Sigh.  I frogged it again and started over.  So far, with absolutely no mistakes.  As much as I hate frogging a project, it's better to have a flawless project than a mistake-ridden project. 

I really hope I don't find any more dropped stitches.  My psyche can't handle starting over again!

Dooku has been keeping me company while I knit.  Thankfully, he doesn't chase the yarn or the needles.  He's a good little guy.  

 

The Boar Stone

I finished the Dalriada triology last week.  The final installment, The Boar Stone, was perhaps my very favorite.  It took place 200 years after the last book.  

This is my Goodreads review....

This is the final book in Jules Watson's Alba trilogy - and this last one is my favorite, by far. Though I loved Rhiann, Minna is much more decisive and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her journey.

Watson relies upon Ammianus Marcellinus'- a Roman historian - Res Gestae for her historical details regarding the Romans in Britain. Cahir, king of Dalriada, takes up his ancestor, Eremon's, mission to expel the Romans from Britain. He is aided by Minna, a Roman slave.

I loved these characters. The story was fascinating, well written, and I hated for it to end! 

I hope Jules Watson writes more historical fiction!

Michelle Dozois: Peak 10 More Cardio Strength (Review)

After loving Michelle Dozois' first Cardio Strength video, I decided to buy her More Cardio Strength (2012) workout. This video, like all of hers, did not disappoint!

Once again, there is no warm-up.  You begin with your first peak segment - there are five for a 50-minute workout.  

Like all of the Peak 10 series, there are five 10-minute peaks.  Within that 10 minutes, you'll do a 5-minute segment twice, once on each side.  That five minutes begins with about two minutes of weights.  Then, about 3 minutes of heart-pounding cardio.  You finish with one peak move that will test your limits.  (The first peak does not have a peak move - Michelle's one concession to let your body get a bit warm before testing you.)

The weight segments of this video are more complex that what was in the first video.  Michelle's weight-lifting moves are fun and different (completely different from the first video!)....but they're also a bit more difficult to follow.  She makes some very quick transitions.  Now, after doing the video several times, you'll know what to expect - but just be aware that it may take a few run-throughs for you to get the hang of it all.

The cardio is high-impact but if you've done Michelle's More Cardio Interval Burn, this cardio is easy to follow.  In an effort to make this video unique, Michelle has thrown in some different moves, but none of them are very complex.  I like that it's different; this keeps me from getting bored!  

Finally, you'll have a peak move for about 30-seconds.  This is a squat/jump/touch the floor, squat/leap/touch the floor, jump/knees up....  These peak moves are not as difficult as some of those in her other videos, but they are still challenging.

Michelle then leads you through a nice stretch.  I think this is my least favorite stretching segment of all the Peak 10 videos, but it's still good and different.  

After doing four of Michelle's Peak 10 videos, I'm finding that each video has something I dread.  Ha!  Well, no pain, no gain, right?  In this video, this series of moves comes in the last peak - which means I dread it for the entire workout.  It's a donkey kick to a push-up - with mountain climbers right after it.  Oy.  Sweat just drips off of me.  And at that point, my arms are tired and push-ups are just traumatic.  Thankfully, the standing cardio right after this isn't too bad - or I would be dead!  

All in all, this video is a good follow-up to the original Cardio Strength.  Michelle has developed more complex moves to keep you on your toes.  I truly enjoy switching it out every other week with the original.  For a clip, go here.

Bottom Line: After you master the first Cardio Strength, this will be a new challenge for you - an advanced challenge, for sure!

Cat Toys!

Recently, Mr. Higgins found some new Star Wars cat toys.  I didn't know such things existed - but now they do.  I laughed when he said he wanted to spend money on these - after all, cats rarely like the toys you spend the most money on.  

And so, the toys arrived: a mousy Darth Vader and a Stormtrooper, a feathery Death Star, and a Tie Fighter on a string.  Immediately the cats sniffed them and started rolling around and rubbing on them.  There was no catnip mentioned so this behavior seemed a bit odd.  Next they chased the Tie Fighter as we swung it around.  Sidious caught it and rubbed it against her face.  Dooku went for the string and tried to chew it.   

And so, Sidious and Dooku are greatly enjoying their toys.  They are at peace now that they have Sithly toys to pounce upon.  

Prints and Frames

When I'm faced with a big project at home, I tend to procrastinate.  Usually, I hate to spend the money to get the project done...and sometimes I just don't know how to get the project done.  This does not sit well with Mr. Higgins, who ends up pushing me until I get something done.  I can't really blame him.  

One project that had yet to get done, despite us being in the house fro 2.5 years, was my study wall.  I had tons of prints, most of which were awkward, unstandard sizes, that needed to be framed.  There was no way I could afford custom framing!  I'd be poor!  

And so, for some very odd reason I have yet to name, I went to get frames a few weeks ago.  I found a few frames and then I got stumped: nothing would work for some of my prints.  I asked for help from a sales person who volunteered to cut some matte board for me - I could then mount my prints on the matte board, which would be cut to a standard-frame size.  

It took me two weekends but I got this done: 

Plus, there are two more newly framed prints on the adjacent wall.  Yay!  I know the picture at the top looks a little awkward - but I know I'll gradually add prints to the wall and that top print will be the centerpiece for the new stuff. 

Most of these prints are Rome-focused - either maps of the empire or landmarks.  There are also two prints of French chateaux.

The Firm: The 500 Calorie Workout (Review)

I've tried many Firm workout videos over the years.  I find it ironic and extremely frustrating that so many videos led by so many different instructors can be so badly cued and annoying.  The exception is The 500 Calorie Workout (2008), led by Kelsie Daniels.

The format is simple.  A light cardio section with some stretching starts you off.  Then a light weight section to get you ready.  A real cardio section, followed by weights. Cardio, weights, cardio, weights, etc.  There's a good ab section at the end with both standing and floor work (with weights).  And then a nice stretch.  

The cardio is pretty easy, except for the last section that includes more lunges and jumps.  They are mostly 75% low-impact but with a few high-impact (jacks, jump-rope, squat-jumps) moves that really get your heart rate up.  Outside of some combinations that may require a few tries to get the hang of, this is mostly easy stuff.  

The weight sections are challenging.  Kelsie moves quickly and does a lot of reps.  Expect side lunges down to push-ups, curtsy lunges with challenging weights, and side squats to lunges with overheard presses.  Whew!  Even though I've been doing weights for quite a while now, these sections still get me.  

I like Kelsie's ab segment because she incorporates some moves I've never done before.  It's definitely challenging but, thankfully, not too prolonged. 

Kelsie's cueing is better than most Firm instructors, but it's not perfect.  Be prepared to get a little lost at first.  But the moves are simple and you will be able to follow along in no time!  For a clip, go here.

Bottom Line: I would say this cardio is beginner but borders on intermediate in its complexity. The weight sections are definitely intermediate.  Once you've done some weights and know the basic moves, this is a great video to incorporate into your workouts.

Inferno

I never forgave Dan Brown for comparing the Eiffel tower to a phallus.  And then I was a little miffed by the whole Jesus bloodline thing.  Suffice it to say that I was fine with having read the DaVinci Code and that's it by Dan Brown. 

But my husband likes Dan Brown's novels.  He bought and read Inferno and really liked it.  The fact that it made him interested in Italy - someplace I'd really like to take him some day - made me silently, begrudgingly thank Mr. Brown. 

And so, after Mr. Higgins asked me very nicely, I agreed to read Dan Brown's latest.  Here's the review I posted on Goodreads:

I continue to be torn on my opinion of Dan Brown. He writes for the masses; this is no great work of literature. But he exposes those masses to history, religious concepts, and artwork that most people would never learn about otherwise.

Most people, for instance, have only a basic knowledge of Dante. Brown focuses so much time on the medieval writer that people may become interested in his work, thereby picking up The Divine Comedy one day. A lot of people never get to Florence to learn about her treasures; Brown exposes them to this fabulous city.

Yet the writing is mediocre and Langdon's "symbologist" title is a joke (let's call iconography what it is, please) but... I will say one thing: Brown comes up with great fast-paced story lines filled with action and interspersed with history and art. Ant that's appealing. 

I grudgingly recommend it if you like art and/or Italy - and need a fast read.  

P. S. Mr. Higgins does not agree with my review.   

September Page

 
Though I love fall, September in Texas is still extremely hot and summery.  And so I was a little un-inspired for my framed scrapbook page this month...especially when I looked at the Grapic 45 line and saw only back-to-school related pictures.  I have no kids and will never have kids.  School starting means only that traffic gets worse and there are a bunch of sweaty undergrads clogging up my hallways on campus. 

This page is what I came up with.  The picture reflects my seasonal conundrum - it's from our honeymoon on St. John, USVI.  I'm eagerly looking forward to making the October and November pages.  I may even do a separate Halloween page.  

I'm also contemplating an all-purpose "Happy Birthday" page.  But it would require coming up with a way to switch out the photos depending on whose birthday it is.  Perhaps I'll work on that later this month!  

Star Trainers: Cardio (Review)

I stumbled upon Star Trainers: Cardio (2007) because I had found several workouts by Kimberly Spreen that I enjoyed.  This turned out to be a great buy; I've used this video consistently for several years now. 

There are 5 "star" trainers and each leads you through a thirty minute cardio workout.  Some are good, some not, some great.  Here is a review of each workout, ranked from easiest to hardest.
 
Gay Gasper's cardio is mostly low-impact.  This is a great place to start and a good way to get your heart rate up if you are a beginner.  Some of the choreography is a bit confusing.  I really don't understand why they try to make their moves so bloody complicated.  But I'm sure anyone can get the hang of this after a few tries.  This workout reminds me of old-school aerobics. Beginner.

Rob Glick's workout is also primarily low-impact.  Like Gasper's cardio, this is a good place to start.  I would say, however, that Glick's choreography is more convoluted than Gasper's, especially for a beginner.  All I can say is that there are great instructors....but most of them are just mediocre.  Beginner.

Kendell Hogan provides a great workout that includes both low and high impact moves.  He builds a routine with you and by the end of the workout, you're expected to do the routine three times in a row.  This definitely gets your heart rate up!  In this workout you'll run, do jacks, and lunges.  This is the workout I suggest you do first on this video.  Beginner.

Kimberley Spreen works you through a series of "bursts" - you slowly ramp up to a high-impact move.  This is not nearly as difficult as Michelle Dozois' Peak 10 series but it's still a challenge for a beginner.  The last ten minutes are the toughest with almost non-stop cardio.  Your only break is a series of kicks.  Kimberly is so easy to follow; you'll like her!  Beginner-Intermediate.

Violet Zaki is a martial artist so her workout is definitely the toughest.  It gets progressively harder as you go along.  You'll start with punches and end with a series of moves that has you lunging, squatting, and touching the floor.  Ouch!  You'll really feel your bum the next day.  And Zaki loves squats, so be prepared to do many of them!  You'll also do a cheater burpee and push-ups.  Zaki is so cute and her Australian accent is fun to listen to - she's one of my faves.  This is the only workout on the video that is most definitely an intermediate workout.  All the squats and lunges - wow!

I used to do this video once or twice a week, alternating the workout (only Hogan's, Spreen's, and Zaki's).  Even though I've gotten more advanced in my workouts, I'll still do this now and then when I need some cardio.  This video was a great investment!  For a clip, go here.

Bottom Line: If you're a beginner and in need of short cardio workouts, this is for you.  You will build stamina and get better and better as you work through the harder workouts here.  I highly recommend this!

Fourth Ballband Dishcloth

I'm a bit undecided about what big knitting project to start next.  Now that I've done a sweater (albeit, a baby sweater), I'd really like to try something more advanced.  While in limbo, I decided to make my mom a new Ballband Dishcloth.  She's requested new dishcloths and since they're super quick, I whipped one up.  It was my fourth Ballband - and I still love the pattern.

Pattern: Ballband Dishcloth from Mason-Dixon Knitting by Gardner and Shayne
Yarn:  Lily Sugar n' Cream Solid and Variegated
Needle: US 7
Made for: my mom
Time to completion: about 1.5 - 2 weeks