This is only the second workout I have tried by Kari Anderson, who is known for more complex and dancy choreography. She has come up with a great step workout for beginners and intermediates. I would consider myself a solid intermediate in step who simply prefers easier choreography, doesn't want to have to think too hard and just wants to step and burn fat. While the choreography is simple, I wouldn't call it super basic, therefore it is enough to keep beginners/intermediate steppers interested and not bored once their fitness levels increase. Kari is joined by 6 of her students, 2 of them on the right side of the room show easier modifications, whether it be performing some moves on the floor or leaving some of the trickier moves out.
There are 4 segments to the workout, a 5 minute warmup performed mostly on the floor but the step is utilized a little bit. Then you move into the first segment which is 15 minutes, some of the moves you will see here are corner to corner kicks and knee lifts, basic steps, walking around the step, repeaters, hamstring curls, straddles, side leg lifts and stomps.
Segment 2 is also 15 minutes long and slightly more complex, but still easy to pick up. Here you will see more basic steps, alternating knees, T squats w/side leg lifts, V steps, around the world, mambos, corner knees, inner thigh lifts, front back front repeaters, turn steps, turn shuffles, over the tops and rocking horses. Then it's on to the 10 minute cooldown and stretch again which uses the step a little bit.
Kari does a great job choreographing these routines, they are simple and easy to follow thanks to her great cueing. The music selected is very good and fits the workout well. Kari is an excellent instructor, she is encouraging, offers options to increase or decrease the intensity and is good about interacting with her students to make the workout fun for them too. I get the impression that her live classes are a lot of fun, she seems like a very caring and personable individual.
I would recommend this to anyone looking for step workouts with simpler choreography. While it's labeled for beginners and it is fairly simple I still get a great workout from it. Great effort from Kari. Kari Anderson: Go - Step Workout for Beginners
Kari Anderson's "Go: Step Workout For Beginners" is an excellent workout but it is absolutely more advanced than a workout for beginners. If one is foreign to the step workout routine, this dvd should be previewed a couple times in advance before attempting the workout. Also, one flaw I noted is there are no instructions on proper workout form and proper foot placement on the step. I am familiar with step so this was not a problem for me, however for someone unfamiliar with a step workout injury can occur if one does not place the whole foot on the step or maintain form.
The workout is divided into a five minute warm up, two workout sections, and a cool down. Kari calls the first workout a "starter workout" which is 30-minutes long. It is fast-paced and contains many step combinations. Kari suggests doing only the starter workout when starting to familiarize oneself with the routine or use it on days when an easier workout is desired. The second workout is an additional 15-minute calorie-burning workout that, as Kari puts it, "is just slightly more challenging". The dvd is divided into chapters so the user can easily jump from the end of the first workout right to the cool-down.
The workouts are very fast-paced and will make you sweat. However, they contain many advanced step combinations in fast sequence which can trip up a beginner. For example: at one point Kari says "We're going to try `curl, corner-to-corner' then immediately goes into the combination without showing an example. Also, Kari often neglects to give instruction as to which foot is the "lead" foot on a combination. Previewing the dvd helped familiarize me with the routine so it I wasn't caught off guard as much during the workout.
I do like Kari's as an instructor. She is very encouraging, energetic, and has a pleasant speaking voice.
I recommend this dvd for anyone who is already familiar with the step and also knows the proper form and foot placement.
I do not recommend this workout for anyone who is totally new to the step. (Hence four stars instead of five). For the true beginner I would recommend using Gin Miller's "Everybody Steps: A Guide For New Exercisers" until familiarizing oneself with the basics then use Kari Anderson's "Go Step" as an advanced-beginner routine when ready to kick it up a notch.
This workout is formatted pretty simplistically. A 5-minute warmup that goes right into the first 15-minute workout, which is then followed by another 15-minute workout and then a cool down.
I persisted through the whole 45-minutes and found that it was exactly what I needed. At right about the time that I started to become tired and feel a cramp in my side, the instructor began the cool down, which was perfect timing for me. While it's true that this workout could frustrate a true step beginner, with some practice it isn't nearly as difficult to learn as one might initially think. I watched the video the first time, then decided to try it and screwed up and got confused a lot thoughout. A couple of days later I did the workout again and only got a little flustered during the second workout. But by the third time I pretty much had it down. I can now appreciate the fact that it wasn't too easy to learn, or else the workout itself might not be as effective or challenging as it is. My heart-rate stayed up the whole time in spite of the fact this this is low-impact and dubbed "for beginners." I certainly can't think of any low-impact floor aerobic workouts that elevate my heart rate and actually cause me to break a sweat. But this step workout most definitely did!
Kari Anderson is a great instructor, and once you memorize which of her queues are associated with what moves, it's pretty easy to follow along. Her personality is fun and outgoing, but not over-the-top, and I enjoyed the accompanying, mostly techno/electronic music throughout, which suited the moves just perfectly. Kari is accompanied by several other steppers - including one modifier who does many of the moves on the floor - set against a dark blue backdrop.
Although "Go: Step for Beginners" is titled as such, this workout will certainly keep even an intermediate exerciser feeling challenged throughout. Highly recommended!
Rating: Excellent - Fitness - Step Workout - Beginners Guide - Kari Anderson'
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