Zumba Fitness Total Body Transformation System DVD Set

Okay, okay, I fell for the infomercial. I was looking for something that was pure cardio and this really seemed to fit the bill. So I gave it a try and I don't have any regrets! Honestly, I had four other dance workout dvds in my Amazon wishlist--after doing the Zumba 20-min workout, I deleted the wishlist. No kidding. What you'll definitely need: WATER!! And plenty of it! Also, a little room to dance around in. Of course, the workouts and the toning sticks are provided for you. What might need: Since the toning sticks are crazy light (1 lb. each ??), you may want to throw on a pair of weighted hand gloves if you have them. I've also tried just using regular hand weights but at the fast pace of this workout and since the toning workout is "dancey," they were a little difficult to handle. Workouts: The basics "workout" isn't really a workout but breaks down the moves using a 3-step process working up to the full dance move. (I'd break it down but there's 20+ moves) This is about an hour but, I feel, well worth the watch, even if you are a seasoned dance dvd phenom. And if not, the moves are super easy. The other actual workouts, of course, use the moves from "basics" but also does variations of these moves (don't worry, they'll give you a heads up.) Some mainstay dance routines are Samba, Merengue, Reggaeton (my fav!), Cumbia, Mambo and Salsa but I was pleasantly surprised that were more styles of dancing included in the workout other than Latin. Cardio Party (my fav!) has an "American Mix" section that features a bit of country dancing and an ode to 1950s Americana. There's also some African steps that are really fun, too (you'll see them in Zumba Sculpt and Tone and in Zumba Live). You'll also see some bellydance (kinda, sort of) ;-) and Flamenco. A few things that might trip you up: 1. The cueing, though not terrible, could be a bit better. 2. During the "basics" workout, Tanya (??), the girl who co-hosts the workout with Beto, says to just keep to beat. This tidbit really comes in handy because there are a few (VERY few but noticable) editing issues. So you might think you're on the wrong foot when in reality, the editor messed up. But no worries, the scene will cut and everything is back to normal. (In other words, just keep in step with the beat of the music and eventually, you and those working out of the dvd will be back in unison.) 3. Beto has a REALLY rich accent so it can be sort of hard to pick what he's saying at first. I found, after doing the workouts a while, my ear has become more apt at understanding him--so maybe it will for you, too. A couple of personal pet-peeves: 1. The toning sticks. They seemed like a great idea but the constant raddling kind of started to get on my nerves. 2. After each routine, there's this pause to introduce the next routine. I'm not really sure about how I feel about this because sometimes I think "thank goodness, I thought I was gonna die." But other times I feel like the breaks just slow down the workout. Jury's still out on that one. Overall: What else can I say that I haven't already. I really dug this workout. 'Nuff said. *Side note: I know there has been some debate over price on this item. I love this workout and bought this from Amazon (only 60 bucks + free shipping at the time), but seriously, it's really not worth spending over $100 for.

Had never heard of Zumba until it was announced on our local news that there was a Zumba party going on---checked into it and it turns out there's 357 classes offered in our city alone! Jumped on Amazon, checked out the reviews, and bought the set. Now, I'm hooked!! There are a total of 6 work-outs: Basics, 20-Minute Express, Cardio Party, Sculpt & Tone, Flat Abs & Zumba Live. You also get a pair of toning sticks plus a booklet that has 3 schedules in it; a beginner's schedule with the Basics broken down, a 10-day accelerated fat-loss program and a 10 day tighten & tone schedule. The booklet schedules start out with two days of the basics to get the steps down, then continues with one week of the 20 minute work-out. There are a lot of moves but they are pretty easy to follow. The moves are then used in the work-outs. Some have slight variations but are still pretty easy to follow. I am alternating the workouts between the two 10 day schedules for maximum results. I also purchased the Zumba book for the diets, and together have already lost eight pounds in just one week! The book also includes three 14 day-diets and one 5 day diet, which I will also be alternating to get the max results. The best thing about all of the diets (even one sample diet listed in the Zumba pamphlet included with the DVD's) is that all the food is pretty "normal." There are no strange ingredients to add like with some other diets, so the diets are pretty easy to incoporate for the whole family without anyone thinking anything is "weird." Other's have mentioned the crazy-light toning sticks, and they are right, the sticks are super light. But, considering I have always had a big frame, they are perfect for me because as a woman, I do not want to end up with a body of a line-backer! So the weight feels perfect for me. I may try weighted gloves later on to get a bit more of a tone going, but I sure won't be going too heavy with them. Beto's accent is very rich but manageable. His assistant Tanya translates almost immediately when it's obvious the words are kind of funky (i.e., he prounces urban as u-ban, so Tanya corrects). Other than that I have no issues with the talking that goes on. There is about a 5 second lull between each of the different moves that target a new area but I don't mind at all because it gives me a chance to get that gulp of water that I need! All in all, I have been very happy with all of the dancing going on, plus the weight I am losing. I am very overweight so if there is a concern out there about being able to do this, you can do it!! Some of the moves are way too fast for me but as I've been going along, it's gotten easier for me. Sweating up a storm and loving every minute of it!!! UPDATE: After almost two months of Zumba, I have lost 15 pounds, and that's because I couldn't work out for about 8 days after coming down with bronchitis! I've gone thru other reviews that critisize Beto but I guarantee, those are the folks who are looking for excuses not to work out. My daughter and I Zumba together, and she doesn't even break a sweat or breathe hard, however, she also doesn't move near as much as I do! When I started scolding her about not moving her entire body, and she started to, she finally broke that sweat and was breathing like Darth Vader! So, put everything you've got into it, let loose, and you WILL get a good work out!

I decided to invest in Zumba post college because I got the freshman 15 and I never could get rid of it. I love to dance; I've done Ballroom dance, Bharatnatyum, Bollywood, and more, and thought this would be the perfect choice for me. I definitely think I made the right choice in this as well. Overall this is a great product for starting to get into shape and learning to live a better life. It tells you about water recommendations (yes you really should be drinking at least 70oz of water a day), good food recipes for having a healthier you, and good ways to stretch post work out. It comes with "free" 1lb weights to use with their sculpt and tone video to help you build muscles to help you burn more calories a day. The instructors are peppy and very encouraging when your working out, especially when your running a little bit low on motivation and they seem to know, and try and make your work out as fun as possible. The positive in this DVD program is that they have different workout plans for the first week your starting to ease you into Zumba so that you learn the dance moves and start to build up your endurance, then you can move onto their "Lose a Pant/Dress Size" or the "Sculpt and Tone" method where for the next 10 days they promise to either help you build muscle or help you get into a smaller size. I'm not sure if this actually works, I'm just starting to seriously follow one of these plans, so we shall see if it is full of crap or not. The negative though is that they really don't break down the moves especially if your newer to the rhythms they are using. Even for myself who have done some of these rhythms for a few years it was hard for me to pick up their moves because I didn't understand what they were doing, buying the game for the 360 Kinect really helped correct this, and because you don't understand the moves your form is off and you aren't getting the full benefits of the moves. If you've just started doing these DVDs the rapid change in the moves can be off putting, one minute your doing cumbia basic and then BAM your doing some other movement with little to know warning and it jars you and takes a little to get back into the groove. EDIT: I have noticed because I'm paying more attention to the DVD that even the people in the background and sometimes Tanya or Beto will be confused with the rapid changes, which makes me question how many takes they got to get things down. So this program is really 50/50 if it is right for you, it was right for me because I love to dance so this is a truly fun workout for me.

I searched through post to find out if what I thought, (that zumba was a great fit for me because I love dancing)was accurate for my size as well as my heart. I love to dance but have not been dancing in so long and although my size does not stop or hinder me in any way I do know that I am a larger woman and know somethings can not work for me. I found only one larger person post and promised to post myself for us beautiful big people who want to get healthy not skinny. Any way I LOVE IT!!!!!! I skipped through all the basics because I knew them all. Not the names of course but the dances. Which if you love music and dancing you will find very easy. If you are not into dancing they teach you the steps slowly and then do it in normal time. My body feels so good after my workouts. Even the 20 minute has you going. Put in some real time like one of the 45-50 minute dvd's and yes the sweat is just popping off you. It's fun and so easy when I begin to get tired it is almost at the end of the dvd which was new for me. Usually if I work out with a dvd I am tired after a couple moves. This is so much fun and they change it so much your body just shifts right along with it. I will tell you this; however, if you haven't danced in a while your calf's will burn but it is so worth it. I read people are having problems incorporating the toning sticks and you do not have to use them until you are comfortable with them but I did not have an issue with them I like them. I think if you use them more as moroccas than weights you will not have a problem. Have fun with them and listen as they shake while you dance. I went from a person who worked out 30-45 minutes everyday for a week then slacked off to when ever I remembered making excuses that I need to do it in the morning so no one will be watching to this zumba fanatic. I do it for 2 hours if I have the time if not I do the 20 minute express 6 days a week and if I do not do it in the morning my kids watch and I do not care. My three year old loves the music and even can do some of the moves. I started off wearing a t-shirt and jogging pants and with in three days I put on some shorts and a bathing suit top which still gets drenched. I have only had this set 2 weeks and lost a pants size and a half. I say half because when I tried on the new pants the waist is a little big but the leg area is the right size. I am now adding more of the toning because I can see it all just coming off and I think if I toned as I lose it would be two sizes instead of the one the new jeans is just that loose. I bought the jeans as a goal and I could barely pull them up around my waist and in 2 weeks they are up and loose. So I say if you love dancing this is for you. Get it now no matter your size!!

At first I was super excited and couldn't wait to zumba more. I actually dreamt about it the first night. However, I ended up returning it because I hurt my knees so much it was difficult to walk around. I have a 2-year old and stairs so that is not a good idea. I might later buy a 1-CD zumba and use it occassionally but doing it everyday is not an option for my poor knees unfortunately so I didn't need a full set of discs and the shakers are just stupid but my daughter enjoyed them for a minute. As a background I do have a history of dancing in heels through my 20s for 3-4 hours at a time multiple nights a week and also doing Tae Bo barefoot and I now run a lot on the treadmill so my kees are most likely my own fault. I am 32, of average healthy weight and exercise regularly if not excessively at times but the Zumba did me in and I couldn't do anything for a week 2X and now its 2 weeks later and it is still giving me some trouble. But, if you enjoy dancing and haven't destroyed your knees then you will probably love this product. Wear good shoes!!

I started taking the Zumba classes and was so in love with them that I wanted to do them at home. After researching the Zumba DVD's, I stumbled across this set and bought it. I loved it- but it wasn't like the Zumba Beginners class that I was taking. The first DVD is a beginners DVD that shows you how to do the steps, and includes a 20 minute workout. I am a fairly fit, active female, and broke a sweat in no time with just the instructional DVD. They break each step down into 'easy', 'medium', and 'hard' so you can learn the steps and be confidant enough with them to move up into the other DVD's. Other reviews thought this was lame- I actually loved it. It was very helpful, here I thought I knew the steps all along and I really didn't. It will also help me with my class. The 20 minute workout is also a good beginners dvd, but I assume would get old after you get good at the moves. The Zumba Live DVD is probably most like the Zumba classes, where there is no instruction, and everyone is just dancing in rows. Surprisingly, you can pick up what they're doing, and I really didn't see them use the moves you learn from the first DVD too much, it was a little more freestyle. Beto, the creator of Zumba is kinda crazy- he's hard to understand, but the other female instructors are great and easy to follow. I also thought this was very different than my classes. I was hoping to hear some of the same music and routines that I see in the live classes I attend, but it's different- not better or worse, just different than I was expecting. The 'weighted dumbells' are kinda lame- they're long, and not real heavy- I haven't used them yet because I find it hard to add yet another dimension to these moves still. You want to make sure you have a good area in front of your TV to do this on, and that you have the ability to jump and move your body weight without having to worry about things falling off bookshelves and such. The reviews that this was cheaply done and put together are false- how could it be cheap? It looks pretty clear from the pictures what you're getting. There were several DVD's and a dumbell set and I thought Amazon.com's price was reasonable for what you get. I don't know what these other people were expecting. I guess this is going to be sold on infomercials, but I have yet to see one yet- it's put together by that Gunthey-Renker brand that touts several other 'as seen on TV' products. In all, I would highly recommend this, and recommend you wear hip-hop shoes (like the Bloch S0538L sneakers), and as few clothes as possible- each time I try to do this in a tshirt, I end up having to put on a tank by the end of the workout. Get ready to sweat and work your butt off- and you'll be well on your way to needing hip replacement surgery after all this latin dancing!!

I have never done Zumba before, so wasn't sure this was going to be easy to learn. I bought this set along with the Exhilirate set to see if it would be possible to pick this up and enjoy it. I love latin music and wanted more fun cardio workouts versus dry bootcamp styles, which I have plenty of already. Reviews of this system seemed mixed, but went ahead and tried it out. I went through the clinic workout showing you the steps. Easy to follow and didn't even finish it. It is one hour and not a real workout, I didn't have time to waste. It is useful, but I skipped the rest and went straight into the express 20 minute workout to burn some calories. Each dance style is divided into its own nugget/ compartment short routine. You learn it as you go with Beto and I believe Tanya. There are background dancers too. The music is lively and the steps are easy to follow. You get it after a couple of tries. Doesn't have to be perfect with the footwork, so do your best and you will burn calories. I have only done express and cardio party so far. Watched the rest...sculpt & tone, abs and live. They all look great and I have been using the maraca sticks for the cardio moves, just for fun. The sticks are light and real weights should be used for the toning to be effective. The workouts are super low impact and should not cause any issues for people that are in decent health, but check with doctor and preview the workouts. This is not a super intense workout either, but it is good to mix up your tempos, for more efficient fat loss. I have done hard programs like Insanity, P90x, ChaLean, TurboFire, Cathe, Jillian Michaels and so on...so, not new to exercise at all, but new to dancing focused workouts and loved this. Can't wait to try out Exhilirate next. This is fun and definitely do not see it as a waste of money at all. Workouts range from 20-45 minutes, not too much of a commitment. In 20 minutes I burned 200 calories, not bad. Highly recommend it.

I will update this review after having used the product a month or so. But after just one time using and viewing the DVD's i just had to send in my review! I did the basic and 20 min express and watched all the other workouts. I am so impressed with this! I am thrilled and excited for two main reasons: 1. I have ALWAYS wanted to learn latin dancing and have even paid to take dance classes that didnt teach me nearly what i learned today. I wasnt even looking to learn how to actually dance i just wanted something fun that would force me to do cardio. 2. I NEED CARDIO - i have a hate, hate relationship with cardio. But it has come to a point where know i wont reach my goals until I incorporate cardio regularly. And i have finally, finally, finally found something that works and that i know i will keep doing. The Basic is priceless normally these type sections in DVD's are so boring and useless but for a beginner that is NOT a skilled dancer these ladies do a FANTASTIC job of explaining the moves. I have a lot of latin friends and non latin friends who are expert latin dancers and they have a hard time explaining the moves because the things that make the moves look so cool come so naturally to them that they dont know how to explain it. Well, the basics teachers are fantastic dancers who are able to break down the steps in a way that ANYONE can learn them. The Cardio workout looks great with the exception of the American style section i didnt like that as much but will still get your heart rate up. Another thing i liked is that you know all throughout the names of the dances that you are doing so you never feel lost. You've already been taught at the beginning the proper names for the dances and how to do them then as the DVD's go along they announce which dance they are about to work with so you know exactly whats coming up. Doing it again and again you should look better and better doing it if you pay attention to form. Awesome! The sculpting section is also good and gives a good burn. If you lift weights regularly like i do you will proably want to use heavier weight but you get your body moving, heart rate up and you are using those muscles. Update: I have been doing Zumba pretty regularly about 3-4 times a week along with weight routines (Jari Love and Cathe Slow and HEavy) I have not been weighing myself but i have lost inches especially in my waist but all over and my legs are strong and shaplier. Also I dropped a size down from 12 to 10 and my goal is 8/6. I just ordered Insanity to see if i can take it to the next level but i will be doing it along with Zumba. Zumba is still LOTS of fun, i also joined a class that I do once a week but still love the DVD. IT does work and it did what i needed from it which was to get me into Cardio. I love Zumba!

I bought this product after seeing the numerous adverts on the shopping channels on Sky and decided against buying from the manufacturer for the simple reason that Amazon offered it a lot cheaper, and being the stingy person I am I wouldn't then lose out on more money than necessary if it wasn't any good ;) This pack is the equivalent one you see on the Zumba website and includes Zumba Basics and 20 minute express, Sculpt and Tone, Cardio Party, Zumba LIVE! and Flat Abs, two toning sticks and the total body transformation guide. To give you more of an idea of what you are getting...the basics part runs for 60 minutes and gives you a step by step (3 parts per move) breakdown of all the main zumba steps you will come across. The is definetely recommended before you start! I have good co-ordination but there are some moves in there that are quite tricky to master, you do the first part and the second and by the time it comes to the third it is sometimes difficult to co-ordinate that fast with the music, but persistence pays off so it is worth sticking with it. The 20 minute express is a full workout to the Zumba music and is ideally suited if you are short on time as it gives a full body workout (in 20 minutes) with each of the different types of Zumba steps, including reggae and samba (for example). The cardio party runs for 50 minutes and is a longer workout that is aimed at burning maximum calories. It also includes a rhythm refresher feature, which allows you to review each Zumba rhythm (as there are quite a few). Sculpt and tone runs for 45 minutes and does what it says on the tin really. This is the workout that requires the toning sticks (if you wish), and is designed to be a fun workout to help target different areas to sculpt and tone. The toning sticks shake like maracas and are not heavy at all, I think this is intentional as you are doing quite a high energy dance routine (would be no good having heavy things to lug around with you!) I know some people have criticised the need for them, but I personally think they are fine. The Zumba LIVE! runs for 55 minutes and is a workout that is shot in front of a live audience (think of these big American things where they go crazy) and gives you a different atmosphere to a workout, can be slightly annoying with the Zumba creator Beto (he gets on my nerves in certain DVD's), but is quite fun to do with other people. The Flat Abs part runs for 20 minutes and has been created to help flatten your abs with a different routine that still gets the heart rate up. You also get a total body transformation guide, which includes a background to the Zumba programme and reasons why it is popular etc, training tips, total body stretch guide - 5 steps (something that is recommended to incorporate into your workout), there are then recommendations as to the best Zumba workouts to do and on what day to fit your needs whether it be to tone up or to lose a dress size. Next is a selection of recipes and food ideas to use in combination with your workout for most effective weight loss, top tips from the Zumba trainers and a profile of each of them and finally the RPE (rate of perceived exertion) chart. This chart is designed so you can assess how hard your body is working and responding to each workout and helps you decide whether it is time to slow down or pick up the pace. So a summary of what I think...I must point out that I did not buy this product with the intention of losing weight, I wanted it to just improve my general fitness (has rather declined since I finished PE lessons at school about 8 years ago) and to tone up a little. However, I must say that it has been successful in helping me achieve this goal, my muscles are toning up slowly and I have more strength in my lower back now (I get regular sciatica). Overall, it really is a fun workout (I absolutely promise you, because I HATE stuff that isn't), I think personally it is better to do it with other people to enhance the experience, but it is certainly fine to do it alone and not have to go to a classs (which obviously adds further expense). I think for what you are getting the price is justified and I would highly recommend it to everyone, even just to have a try as I am sure most would be convinced. And only needing to do 20 minutes a day is achievable for most people and doesn't seem as much of a chore as some other things I have tried. So give it a go, well worth it :D

This is a great set and a good value for the money. I love to use it when I can't get to the gym.

J'adore Zumba Fitness! J'avais acheté le jeu Zumba sur Wii qui était déjà pas mal mais le coffret de DVD est complet et en plus, de voir des vraies personnes bouger, ça motive beaucoup plus! Les 4 DVD font qu'on ne se lasse pas, on peut s'adapter selon le temps que l'on a devant nous, faire les exercices abdos et basiques de 20min quand on a pas trop de temps et faire les cardio & fitness quand on a plus de temps. Personnellement, j'en suis vraiment contente, ça fait bouger, suer et ça muscle vraiment bien les abdos! L'envoi a été rapide, soigné, impeccable. Je recommande à 100%!

I got my Zumba total body transformation system Set today it’s my first time buying from amazon it will be the last was very disappointed two item were missing the Zumba fitness live & Flat ABS (Zumba Fitness El Vivo & Abdominales cover was there but NO DVD inside and Cardio Glutes NO DVD inside

DVD見れなかった ダメだと思う 返品もできませんでした、外国の製品だから？ もう少し配慮して欲しかったです、 まだ家にあります 返品したいです