BarreAmped Bootcamp

I'm a big fan of the barre workout trend. I've used the Ballet Beautiful series, Xtend Barre, the Exhale barre DVD, Leah Sarago's Ballet Body, I've been to Barre3 classes as well as generic barre workout classes. I've taken some regular ballet classes as an adult, and while I love the classical music and French terms and discipline and pink tights while in a real class, when I'm doing a barre "workout" I want something a little peppier. This DVD incorporates the principles of barre work and then takes them up a notch. It's fast-paced with upbeat dance music and (though normally I HATE when people say this and I never believe them) the workouts really do go by quickly . Suzanne is one of the most personable DVD instructors I've seen- she's not sugary sweet or fake or overly bubbly- I feel like the way she speaks in the DVD is the way she speaks in real life. She's definitely encouraging but she's also very quick to offer phrases like "I am shaking like a leaf right now" or "this is tough for me too". It's helpful to know that someone in incredible shape isn't just breezing through the workouts like they're nothing. And speaking of- I love that she is lean and toned and shapely but not unrealistically skinny like some of the other ballet instructors you might see. The way the workouts are divided makes it easy to break them up and do one or two if you don't have a lot of time. The warmup and cooldown/stretch are also separate, which makes it easy to add them on to whatever combination you choose. The workouts are challenging- I workout regularly and am an fairly good shape and though I've used the DVD several times I still find myself having to stop every once in a while to wince and say "whoa". Her line about "shaking to change" isn't just a phrase- she means it! But at the same time I feel like the length of the workouts makes them doable- when I feel like I want to collapse it helps knowing that I only have 5 or 10 minutes left in the segment. One of my favorite things about this DVD (and I don't know if this is offered with every purchase of this title) is that on the back cover there's a code to enter to get a free month of streaming workouts via Suzanne's website. So if you start to get bored with the DVD you can go online and access tons of additional segments taught by Suzanne. I personally love that kind of variety. I've purchased lots of exercise DVDs- ballet, yoga, pilates, aerobics, strength- and this one is definitely the most used of my collection.

Suzanne Bowen's Barreamped Bootcamp was perfectly challenging. It has all the standard barre requisites of tiny pulses with multiple repetitions. The upper body section was nicely choreographed. The moves she selected segued well. I used two pound weights and I felt the burn several times during my routine. I could go up to three pounds at this point in time and I most likely will the next time I do this video. The workout had all the typical ballet type moves for the lower body. It was challenging but Suzanne's encouraging commentary made me want to do more. She is detailed and thorough in her in her instructions. She vaguely reminds me of Karen Voight with her teaching style. I have done Tracy Effinger's Squeeze videos, Tracey Mallett's Booty Barre, The Bar Method videos. Squeeze, Booty Barre, and the Bar Method are all fantastic workouts as well. This particular DVD is good for the days when I want to concentrate on form, technique, and medium paced barre workout. It moves fast enough so that I don't lose interest. The background music does not drown out Suzanne's voice which is nice. The production quality is excellent and that is a big deal for me. I recommend this video for anyone interested in adding more barre workouts to their routine. I am happy that I took a chance and ordered this workout. It exceeded my expectations.

This is a very clear, easy to follow, strengthening workout for the whole body. I'm giving it only 4 stars instead of 5, ONLY because if I can do an entire video the first time through without having to build up to finishing it over time and/or without really getting my heart rate up, it doesn't qualify as being hard enough to call itself "Boot Camp", in my opinion. I know difficulty of workouts is so subjective, so to give you a better idea of my fitness level, here's a bit more info: I don't need to lose weight, but I tend to be very sporadic with my exercising. For example, during the summers I hike/backpack long distances up a lot of elevation in the Rocky Mountains so I tend to get more fit, but in the winters I might get lazy and lose much of my summer progress. Or, I may do exercise videos several times per week for 6 weeks and then nothing for an equal amount of time. So, in other words, I go up and down with my fitness levels and strength. When this video arrived and I used it, I had only started up with videos again that week, after almost 2 months off. So while I have a certain foundation of fitness that beginners wouldn't have, I would not say that I'm in shape enough to be able to make it fully through a tough "Boot Camp" video without having to take breaks. So in other words, if you're in pretty good shape, just look at this as something that will be a good "maintenance" workout, but not one that will push you past where you already are. My one complaint is that I wish the "cardio" segments were actually real cardio that got your heart-rate up more. You basically just do something similar to what you were just doing with the weights, only a bit faster and bigger movements. I was hoping they would be HIIT bursts, which they aren't. But again, for some people they might be. And, the video never says they are, so I can't fault it for that. I was just hoping I'd get a little more cardio in along with the strengthening. Overall, this is a great video. It's just a little on the easy side for anyone who is wanting to be pushed or has a foundation of fitness already. But, I still highly recommend it.

This workout routine yields amazing toning results for a small amount of time invested. I have two children under two. I used to weight lift and I now have zero time for the gym, or really anything I can't do in my living room. I also needed low impact for my joints. The 15 minute segments look like nothing, but the burn and shake are incredible. Essentially, you are working muscles to fatigue as you would with weights, but in stead, isolating with small movements and high reps, and holy balance Batman...it is hard to maintain form, your posture will improve along with it. I shake every single time, and the segments are short enough to get at least 1 done a day. It requires mental grit as well, as there are few breaks. As far as cardio, it is okay. It gets your heart pumping, and I break a sweat, but it's not comparable to an intense cardio session. My legs have more definition from doing this DVD once to twice a week, than they did when I was doing leg press, extensions and curls at high weights/max-out three times a week at the gym! And the seat workout...it works. This picture compares my post baby body and then results after about 3 months of this workout 1-3 times a week. I can't speak for core results, as I just started them 6 months post partum to allow my rectus abdominus muscles to heal.

Admittedly, I just finished this workout for the first time, but I felt compelled to write a review right away. It' so nice to have bought a workout and feel it was the next best thing to taking a real life class. Suzanne really knows what she's doing and is quite encouraging. This video is not gimmicky, but quite straightforward. Her assistant trainers in the background seemed to know the workout very well (I didn't catch anyone cheating!) and offered appropriate modifications the whole time. There are bursts of low impact cardio that kept the workout from getting too dull. The one issue I have with this workout is the music, so after I've done it a few more times with instruction I will most likely do it to my own music. If you are on the fence about this workout, like I was, I think you should take a chance on it. Suzanne is there for you every step of the way, with instruction on proper form and excellent execution of each move. This DVD even comes with a tutorial for the moves!

I gave this DVD 3 stars because it's definitely not the best Barre workout I've ever done. I expected it to be fast paced and similar to being in an actual Barre class. The instructor talks way too much and the workout takes forever to complete because of this. I workout with 4 other ladies as well and they agree that it's not great. We are returning the DVD's because we feel they take way to long to complete, they aren't enjoyable, and they aren't very effective. Jessica Smith TV has great workouts online. They're free, energetic, effective, and she is a very likable instructor. We will be doing those instead.

1.The moves are simple, but I consider them challenging. I honestly thought I wouldn't be shaking or sore. I am a fairly active person & thought this would be a low impact workout (not challenging enough). Since the moves looked so simple to do. 2. I felt the workout in not only the targeted areas, but throughout my whole body! while each workout is targeted towards one area barre works the whole body. 3. The short workout times makes the workouts fun and great for someone pressed for time. The longest workout on the DVD is 18 min and no workout on the DVD is longer than that. Even with short workout times results can be felt. 4. Suzanne Bowen makes the workouts easy to follow and keep up. She is a great video Instructor, and not many video instructors make me forget I am home and not at some gym taking a barre class.

Over a year ago I lost seventy pounds starting with a Martial Arts class. For me mixing it up keeps me sane. I have a spinal fusion and was always told I wasn't strong enough to do many things. As I lost the weight and grew stronger I gained a lot of confidence. I love my martial arts classes but recently added dance. I have two left feet so this was no small task. Then I read about the barre classes. I became interested in several but it was Suzanne Bowen's streaming website that got me hooked. I felt leaner, stronger and noticed mainly a huge improvement in my posture. I then got this and her other DVD's in this series. I do a section from this one everyday. Now, for me, barre is important for my body mind connection as they say. With Suzanne I feel the burn, I shake but always feel good afterwards. She takes great care in cueing and technique. I am not a Barre expert but this one has helped me stand up straight better than my mom ever could. Great Amazon service as well....