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.

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 wanted to incorporate some aerobic exercise into my workout routine and I came across this products. After reading the reviews and watching some You Tube videos of Zumba workout, I was sold. I tried it for about two weeks now, and tried all the workout except for "Zumba Fitness Live!". Here are some good things about this workout: -It is FUN! The music is lively and makes you want to move your body. I also like that they vary the music from one DVD to another, and they also incorporates different music and dance styles across the world (Belly Dancing, Flamenco, African etc.). -The steps are easy enough for you to follow. I have never taken any Zumba class before, so this DVD was my first time doing Zumba. When I first tried the basic step section, everything seemed a bit complicated, but as I tried the actual workout, I realized that the each steps are actually very simple. One of the instructors, Tanya, is really good with breaking down the steps and she will walk you through the workout. -The DVD has breaks in between the music, so you can pause for a drink, or stop if you had enough for the day. -This workout really works your ab/hip areas, and gets your heart pumping! Here are not so good things about this workout: -While it is fun and aerobic, this alone would not be enough to lose weight and build muscle. You still need circuit training. I use Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30 in conjunction. Since Jillian's workout is about 30 minutes, I usually go straight doing Zumba either 20 minutes "Zumba Express" or 46 minutes "Zumba Cardio Party". For those who has tried Jillian's workouts, Zumba is not as challenging, but still a good supplemental workout. -The toning sticks are basically 0.5lb weight with maraca on both ends. While it is a lot of fun shaking it when you are doing "Sculpt and Tone" Zumba workout I really did not feel much benefit of using it. After 40-minutes workout, I did sweat, but did not feel toning of my muscles. Next time I will use 2lb weights and see how well this works. -This is a minor point, but I wish if there was a menu option for selecting different sections of the workout. They only have the menu for starting the entire workout, so if you want to do it only some sections, you have to fast forward the DVD manually. -Again, this is another minor point: sometimes, the camera angle is too close to the instructor that I wasn't 100% sure of which steps they are taking. If they would have a small caption of the name of the steps at the corner of the screen, it would be helpful. I give 4 stars for this products because it is a lot of fun and really gets you moving, but fails to deliver on their claim on "total body transformation". Like I mentioned earlier, this is a great supplemental workout, especially during the winter when the weather is not quite perfect for outdoor activity. -----UPDATE------ Now I have tried all the workouts in the DVD set. I would still give 4-star rating. I found "Flat Abs" workout really effective, though I found 17-minutes workout to be way too short. "Zumba Fitness Live" is my least favorite. I like the intensity of the program and the energy I feel from the audience, but there is very little to no instruction, graphic is rather grainy, and not as well composed compared to the other workouts. As far as the "Sculpt and Tone" workout, I did try once with 2lb weights, but eventually switched to 3lb dumbbell and very pleased to feel my muscles working. Zumba website sells heavier toning sticks (2.5lb...not sure if it is 2.5lb per stick or for both), but not sure if I want to invest $24.95 for the pair right now. I still highly recommend this workout DVD set. Though it is not a silver bullet that would give you the "Total Body Transformation", it is a fun and relatively easy workout that anyone can enjoy.

When I bought this Zumba fitness workout program, I certainly didn't have any great expectations of becoming another Alberto "Beto" Perez, but just keeping fit through the winter months. The music associated with Zumba is totally infectious and if you've been on YouTube to watch some of the dancers, you're going to want in. The first few times I watched the instructional DVDs it was ... nope, this is not for me and I'll never learn it. What I did was throw in some of my own moves, but kept moving. The steps are broken out and are very easy to understand, but implementing them in a smooth manner is quite another thing. Remember when you learned to type on a keyboard? Same thing ... everything just takes time. The twenty-minute workout is just that ... a workout. I danced with a much younger friend, who is a dancer, and she loved it. She claimed, "this really is quite a workout." If you are looking for this as a means to lose weight (I was not), there are some tips and recipes included. Keep in mind this is a lifestyle change and the decision is up to you. Simply by buying this program you aren't going to lose weight, shape up, and having everyone complimenting you next week. This takes time and commitment. And so what do I think? I think this program is a lot of fun and well worth the money. Zumba fitness is a great way to get fit, or at least moving. Keep in mind, it does take time to learn the basics, but when you do you'll have a lot of fun. I certainly did and don't regret purchasing Zumba!

The Zumba Total transformation DVD set is one of the best fitness investments you could make. I had seen the infomercials and having been burned by infomercials before, was reluctant to order. I read a number of Amazon reviews for this product and decided to try it. I got this Friday night and by today, (Monday morning), I have done all the workouts and LOVED them all. I have been working out regularly since 1994, doing everything from kickboxing, step, weight training to yoga. This is the most fun I have ever had doing a workout. What I found: I was sweating - a lot I was actually having fun and smiling during the workout, and sorry it was over (even after doing the 50 minute live and 15 minute ab workout) Drink a lot of water - one reviewer said the short transitions from one style to another were annoying, I look on them as a water break :) It doesn't matter if you get all the steps right - as long as you keep moving at the right intensity, you will still get a great workout (and sweat a lot) and you will catch on to the steps The Sculpting DVD: The toning sticks are fun, but light. I bought a set of 2.5 lb wrist weights and got more from the sculpting DVD this morning than I did on Saturday with the toning sticks For people who want to seriously build muscle, this workout will not do it for you. It's probably the most fun I have ever had doing toning though, and I was definitely sweating when the 45 mins were up. It is pretty much a cardio/toning workout. The toning sticks are loud - if you work out before everyone in your house is awake, they will be woken up if you use the sticks - Your kids will love running around shaking them :) There is a lot of twisting - choose your footwear wisely Do not expect this to be like a regular workout - the cuing is not regimented (pretty much non-existent in the live concert part), there are more visual cues to what is going to happen, so watch closely. Some people may find this frustrating, some won't The quality of the DVD's was good, everything worked very well right out of the box I plan to put the Zumba Exhiliration set on my Christmas list :)

Back in the late 90's Zumba creator Beto started a fitness revolution with his live classes. The motto is " Ditch the workout, join the party." The classes featured an instructor on a raised platform/stage (often complete with stage lighting and lower lights in the area where the students are to feel more like a club) taking the class through 45 minute cardio dance class using no or limited verbal cueing. The idea is the take the fun of a dance club and format it into a cardio dance class. If you have ever take a liven class you know just how much fun it is while still burning loads of calories. With the exception of the bonus dvd of a live class, this package is really the anti-Zumba. Beto has taken his format and turned it into just another dance aerobic class. People who have never been exposed to Zumba before viewing this dvd are probably wondering what all the fuss is about since this is basically the same old stuff we have all seen since the 80's with some Latin dance moves thrown in. Vice a versa, if you love these dvds and decide to attend a live class you might be little thrown off by the cueless classes. Now that I have that out of my system, I want to point out that although it is pricey this is really not a bad set of dvds. The tutorials, zumba sticks and live dvd are worth the price alone. The tutorials can really help you nail down the steps. After viewing the tutorial move on to the 20-Minute Express Workout. This is a cued workout with some break down of the moves and Tonya repeatedly refers back to instruction and tips she gave you in the tutorial. Cardio Party Workout is a longer cued dvd that gives a nice cardio work out and again Tonya gives instructions so it helps you learn the moves. Zumba Fitness Sculpt is the same format but adds in some light toning moves with the sticks and squats for legs. There is a short ab routine that looks like it was filmed at same time as the Cardio Party. These routines are all fine bor a beginner or low intermediate exerciser and they do help you learn the basic moves but I think the average person will get bored real fast with the limited amount of actual dance class that your get in this package. In summary, I think this is a great learning tool to really help you reinforce the basic moves and dances that comprise the Zumba routines but I think the average exerciser will not use this as a stand alone fitness program. I suggest if you really want to Zumba your way to fitness at home that you buy either of the video games. With the games you get hours and hours of different routines and they also have tutorials included. You might also want to try Christi Taylor's Pure Spice: Cinnamon which is a zumba inspired cardio dvd that ironically feels more like a real Zumba class that what you get on these dvds.

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.

Zumba Fitness is fun and works up a sweat. The package I recieved was prompt and in good condition. The first DVD is just a step-bystep "how to" on how to do the basic Zumba moves, and lasts about an hour. I really appreciate That they did that sense I'm not good at just looking and doing. The Zumba instuctors break each move into three steps. I feel some moves could have used 4 or 5 steps, but I realize after a certain point you really need someone with you pointing out what YOU'RE doing wrong personally and I appreciate that they didn't make it 5 hours long trying to break down each move. Another pet peeve was that their pants were so long it was hard to see the feet, which I feel would have helped me understand what they were doing better. All of the DvDs are really fun ranging from a 20 minute work-out to an hour long. I enjoy the Instructors upbeat additudes and the fact that they are so fit makes me want to really get into it like they do. One thing I did not like was that sometimes the camera would zoom in to an irrelevant spot right when the are switching moves. Even if it wasn't at a crucial point, I would still rather the camera almost always stay at one spot so I can keep track (hey, I'm white and can't dance) As far as price goes, it may seem expensive but if you figure on paying 60 dollars to get in shape over hundreds of dollars in doctor bills later in life, I think it would be worth it. Even if not, I figure 60 (and even 100) dollars is a good deal to have fun while getting in shape. beats the 150 I spent on a total body machine. I have so much fun doing cardio this way. I'm just going to point out a couple things before I finish: 1. I work out in socks on carpet to move (because it needs your feet to slide) and that works but it IS hard on the knees. 2. You could get just as good a workout just dancing in your room for an hour, but I like to have moves and motivation to not take breaks between 3 minute songs 3. I also Zumba in a very small space, and it's very hard because you swing your legs alot and are moving from side to side. If you change it just a little though, and don't do some of the things they are doing you can make it work 4. If you pay attendtion to the instructors while dancing, they will give you little hints on how to do the moves, and if you heed those words you start really mastering the moves. They really helped me when the "Basic" wasn't quite enough to understand. All in all I really enjoyed Zumba and while I'm not sure if I'll get the new one, I would recomend this to most people. Best "fitness" oriented money I ever spent.

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