Cheryl BurkeDancing With The Stars: Latin Cardio Dance [DVD]

First, as other reviewers have stated as a negative, this IS a dance video. However, dance IS a form of exercise, so it's a positive issue for me ... and learning latin moves was exactly what I was looking for. Until recently, I've managed to keep in shape by dancing for fun or cleaning the house (not so fun), but a bad back and knees coupled with the weight gain from quitting smoking all caught up to me at once. When I'm in my best physical shape, I look like Cheryl, so watching her is a lot like watching what I used to look like in the mirror ... this is a huge plus for me. Maksim is just the icing on the cake.As this is a dance video, it's probably important to understand that you should wear some sort of dance shoe, preferably something with a bit of a heel (for the ladies) and leather soles (men and women). You need shoes that move on the floor properly, and gym shoes aren't the best for this. I have several pairs of character shoes already, so this wasn't an issue. Unless you're used to dancing in heels, don't wear the narrow heels these professional dancers do!!! Dancing in proper shoes helps the moves form much better than tying to do them in your cross-trainers.I've only had the DVD for two days. Yesterday, I simply watched it (FFWDing as needed) to get a feel for it. So far so good. Today, I moved the coffee table and got started. I only did a bit of each dance to learn the basic movements, but I still feel like I got a complete workout. And, while I got my feet tangled a couple of times, it was great fun and I even found myself laughing. What could be better than that?Tomorrow, I will do the warm-up and ONE of the dance selections ... probably the cha-cha because I had the most fun with it today. If I can keep on track, every day I'll choose a different dance after the warm-up. Hopefully, I'll be able to add a second dance to the line-up soon, and so on and so on until I can do the complete workout at one time. I don't think I'll get bored with this anytime soon!!!I with I could give this a 4.5 star rating. It doesn't deserve the 4 I'm giving it, but I can't quite give it a 5, either. Unfortunately, the music doesn't quite match the tempo of the dancing. I have a very strong sense of rhythm and timing, so this throws me a bit. Of course, it could just be me!

While the cover says "Latin Cardio Dance" , I believe that this is more of a toning video. While some of the dances do raise your heatbeat up , I would say that this is more of a light cardio workout. However while this dvd may lack in some hardcore cardio , I still gave it 4 stars because of the toning in this video. With all these dances you felt your abs,buns, thighs,calfs, and arms working out. That is if you were passionate in your dancing.Now I would conisder myself an intermidate level when it comes to excersizing, however I will admit that their are still some days where I feel lazy and don't want to work out too hard. With this particular dvd , if you work lazily with it then yeah , your not going to sweat, or if your just doing small steps, not working to your full potiental then yeah this workout is going to dissapoint you. However today I did this workout today and I was sweating up a storm for the first time to this dvd. That's because I really got into the moves , instead of making my moves small , I started making them bigger such as twisting my hips more and taking bigger steps when doing front/back breaks. I have done this Dvd about 5 or 6 times and the first few times I wasn't sweating to any of it except on the toning section of this dvd. Today I was sweating up a storm though from beginning to end, because I was really giving it my all when doing the moves. I know this sounds like common sense, but is seems like a lot of reviewers are giving this a bad rep ,and I believe it's because they didn't give it thier all when doing the workout. Which is understandable, because the instructing in this video can be confusing or hard to understand at times (it is easier though then the other dancing with stars dvds )Anyways I wrote this so that the reviewers who gave a bad rating to this would maybe give it another chance, and for those of you who are thinking about getting this , but are getting nervous with all the negitive reviews on here, would be willing to give it a chance still.This dvd includes a customize option which is really nice if your short on time and want to fit in a bit of quickie. It includes a warm up , merangue , cha cha, samba ( which really got my heart rate up the most), mambo , and then a 15 minute routine of toning and sculpting , which really kicks your butt!I hope this review was helpful for those in doubt! have fun!

Product arrived quickly so can't fault the seller but the vid is crap! Maksim is atrocious - which for anyone who's watched him on Dancing with the Stars is a bit of a shocker! His best line is something along like "I can't see you but I'm sure you're doing it very well" - hysterical!

I must admit I bought this dvd because I think Maks is awesome eye candy.However, aside from the fact that he is gorgeous, I am getting a good workout and learning how to do some great Latin dances! There are four dances to learn, plus a warm up prior to dancing, and at the end there's a dancers warm up...which one way the dancers stay in shape.Would I recommend this dvd to friends--youbetcha!!!

Its a fun way to get exercise. I used to be in hip hop so this dance was really simplistic except one step, but I had so much fun with it anyway, especially Maks's dances. So worth buying, even for beginners!!!!

This is a really good workout. I have been taking ballroom dance classes for a number of years. Otherwise it would be difficult to follow the steps. The exercises before the cool-down are very good as well. Don't expect to learn to dance with this DVD - it is strictly a work-out to music.

Product was not purchased for me but shipping was fast and dvd looked exactly as pictured.