30 Minutes to Fitness

with Kelly Coffey-Meyer (2008)

On this versatile DVD, packed with bonus premixes, Kelly Coffey-Meyer has designed two complementary weight training workouts that can be alternated daily or done back to back on the same day when you've got an hour to spare. Workout 1 targets the back, legs and chest while Workout 2 focuses on biceps, triceps and shoulders in a unique and time-efficient format. The strong beat of the music drives each 30-minute workout, as Kelly moves quickly from one exercise to the next, circuit training style. You'll recognize most of the exercises, although Kelly adds her own flavor to old standards, tweaking them just a bit to keep things interesting.

In each workout, each muscle group gets 6 sets -- 2 sets of three different exercises. The exercises are arranged in three-set circuits, moving from muscle group to the next within in each circuit. Each three-set circuit is performed twice, immediately followed by two minutes of active rest -- standing ab exercises in the main workouts. Sets are either 8 or 16 reps, so you can go heavier for strength, or lighter for muscle endurance, but keep your dumbbells close by because there's not much time to change weights within a circuit unless you're really fast.

The best part of 30 Minutes to Fitness is Kelly's creativity with premixes. First she offers the option of doing each workout with different active rests. Instead of doing 2 minutes of standing abs between circuits, you have the choice of doing either 2 minutes of low-impact cardio, or 2 minutes of floor abs. This gives you six different workouts to choose from. But there's more. If you want a total body workout, one premix plays each strength circuit once, separated by all 6 standing ab active rests. Two other premixes offer total body strength workouts without any active rests; one includes all 12 circuits, the other only 8. You also have the option of doing a longer warm-up, (7.5 minutes, using the low-impact cardio rests from the Workout 2 premix), and a tough 12-minute floor ab routine (using all the active rests from the premixes).

Who's it for?
Experienced weight trainers will enjoy the novelty of the format, the unique sequencing of the exercises, and the variety of premixes. Intermediates and advanced who choose their dumbbells wisely can get a tough workout. Beginners should start elsewhere, as many of the exercises are advanced, especially the ab work,

Many of the standing ab active rests involve fast twisting of the torso in both vertical and bent over positions, and some of these moves could be problematic for someone with lower back issues. However there are plenty of premixes that don't include the standing ab exercises, so don't let this caution stop you from trying this unique workout.

Equipment & FLoor Space
multiple sets of dumbbells, floor mat, small hand towel for the standing abs

Kelly does all the exercises with 15 pound dumbbells. She advises that weight for advanced, 10 pounds for intermediates and 7 for beginners. However, this guideline won't work for everyone, because it's It's rare that every upper body muscle group can handle the same amount of weight for every exercise since a lot depends on lifting tempo, and lever length. Keep multiple sets lined up in your workout space, so you can lighten up or heavy up quickly as needed.

This workout doesn't take much space. You need enough room for forward lunges, and to spread out your workout mat if you're doing the bonus floor abs. Even the warm-up and cardio intervals are compact.

Best features
Kelly gets a lot of work done in half an hour and offers a varied selection of bonus premixes.

What needs improvement?
Kelly sometimes tells you what to do, then doesn't do it herself, especially in the standing abs where she tells you to keep your lower body still, use only your upper body, and yet she's flexing her knees so she's bouncing up and down. The background exercisers demo better form.

Allowing a few seconds more between exercises would allow you to choose the optimal weight for each exercise, instead of being locked into doing three different exercises with the same weight.

Some standing ab exercises involve a lot of fast torso twisting, and although an alternative is usually shown, more instruction about protecting the lower back during these moves should be offered.

How's the instruction?
Kelly's no nonsense, straight forward, let's work hard teaching style is refreshing. She often does a quick demo rep in the first circuit, especially if she's tweaking standard technique for a strength exercise. She offers occasional pointers during the sets, and plenty of low-keyed encouragement.

Two women work out with Kelly, Lauren on screen right shows modifications of many exercises. She usually does less torso twisting and uses a smaller range of motion.

Rating

Workout Details

Warm-up - 3 min.
Low-impact 4-limb cardio using a variety of vigorous moves that include dynamic stretching, previews of moves used in the workout. (130 bpms)

Workout 1 - Back, Legs, Chest - 29.5 min.

Strength Circuit 1 - 6 min.
Back: reverse rear fly 16x
Legs: alternating forward lunges with hesitation 8x each side
Chest push-ups - with brief one-arm plank hold at top 8x
repeat all

Active rest 1 - abs - 3 min.
figure 8 holding 1 dumbbell
close the door (hold dumbbell vertically, hand on top & bottom, sweep dumbbell L to R across body 3x, switch hand position and sweep R to L)

Strength Circuit 2 - 6 min.
Back: double-arm lat row 16x
Legs: squats 4x, one-legged squat R with toe taps L 8x, 4 squats, one-legged squat L with toe taps R, 4 squats
Chest: push-ups (3 down, 1 up tempo) 8x
repeat all

Active rest 2 - abs - 2.5 min.
standing with towel behind neck
two knee crunches, two sides bends on same side for 1 minute, switch sides

Strength Circuit 3 - 7.5 min.
Back: one-arm lat row with torso twist 16x
Legs: one-legged deadlift 8x each leg
Chest: nose-chest-hips (dynamic yoga flow between downward dog and upward dog poses) 8x
repeat all with change of Legs exercise: deadlift with torso turned toward R leg 8x, switch leg

Active rest 3 - abs - 2 min.
Plie squat with towel pick up (towel on floor between legs, pick up towel and sweep to L, drop towel lift both arms to opposite side) switch sides after 1 minute

Stretch - 1.5 min.
stretch upper back, chest, inner thigh, hamstrings, side torso

Workout 2 - Biceps, Triceps, Shoulders - 27 min.

Strength Circuit 1 - 5.5 min.
Biceps: hesitation hammer curl with hesitation squats 8x (hesitation is one half-rep in the middle of a full rep)
Triceps: wide-angle triceps kickbacks 8x each arm, 8x both arms
Shoulders: alternating one-arm front & lateral raises 4x each side, double-arm alternating front and lateral raises 8x
repeat all

Active rest 1 - abs - 2 min.
side knee crunch & oblique twist alternated on same side for a minute, switch sides

Strength Circuit 2 - 5.5 min.
Biceps: half lift & push away (stop biceps curl at waist level, straighten arms to press bells away) 8x
Triceps: triceps overhead extension, (alternating behind head & in front of face) 16x
Shoulders: lateral raise (torso tilted forward so it's like a rear delt fly) 16x
repeat all

Active rest 2 - abs - 2.5
standing, towel behind neck
lateral bend & torso twist alternated with forward crunch for 1 minute, switch sides

Strength Circuit 3 - 6.5 min.
Biceps: one-arm biceps curl (slow 2-2 count) 8x each arm
Triceps: one-arm triceps kickback, 8x each arm
Shoulders: one-arm overhead press (1 up, 3 down count), 8x each arm
repeat all

Active rest 3 - standing abs - 2.5
reach & drop (pick up towel on floor by R foot, sweep it overhead with a lateral bend, drop towel & repeat, etc.) 1 minute each side

Stretch - 1.5+ min.
stretch shoulder, triceps, biceps

Bonus segments

Active Warm-up - 7.5 min. (access from Workout Sections on Main Menu)
three cardio segments from the Premix Workout 2 with Low-cardio Active Rests are performed nonstop
#1: 2 slow squats, 4 fast squats; ham curls 4x; double-knee lifts 2x
#2: tap front, side, back each leg; 4 alternating side lunges; rear lunges - 2 slow, 4 fast
#3: 2 slow squats, 4 fast squats; ham curls 4x; rear lunges - 2 slow, 4 fast
stretch of shoulders, triceps, biceps, hams (1.5 min.)

Abdominals - 12 min. on floor (only accessed from Workout Sections on Main Menu)
#1: seated; lean back, twist side, return torso to vertical, alternating sides for each twist (2 min.)
#2: lower ab crunch with slight twist of knees to opposite elbow (1 min.)
lower ab crunch pulling knees into center (1 min.)
#3: sit-ups: both legs on floor, arms in T position on floor, lift R, L arms center while lifting torso off floor, roll down (2 min.)
#4: frog leg crunches: legs point to ceiling, upper crunch while pulling knees down & in towards shoulders (1 min.)
upper/lower combo crunch (1 min.)
#5: oblique crunch with legs turned to side, torso facing ceiling (1 min. each side)
Stretch (1 min.) full body stretch lying face up, then face down, cobra, child's pose (1 min.)

Stretch (1 min.) same stretch as end of Abdominals
floor: full body stretch face up & face down, cobra, child's pose

Low-cardio Active Rests (from Premix Workout 1 with Low-cardio Active Rests) (2 min. each)
#1: v-step 2x, angle step-tap 2x, alternating knees 2x, triple knee
#2: squat R, L, step-touches 4x, arrow pullback, double rock back
#3: angle step-tap 2x, alternating knees 2x, step-touches 4x, double rock back

DVD features

Main Menu has 6 choices and Audio Options

Introduction - (1 min) Kelly explains the format and theory behind the workout
Warm-up
Workout 1 - Back, Legs & Chest
Workout 2 - Biceps, Triceps & Shoulders
Workout Sections - takes you to a new menu where you can go directly to:
Warm-up, Active Warm-up, Workout 1, Workout 2, Abdominals, Stretch
PreMixes - takes you to 2 menus with 7 choices (see below)
Audio Options: Full Mix (music & instructions) or Kelly's Voice Only

Premix Menus:

Page 1:
Workout 1 with Abdominal Active Rests (30 min.) (includes warm-up, floor Abdominals 1, 2, 3, & floor Stretch)
Workout 1 with Low-cardio Active Rests (30 min.) (includes warm-up, 3 cardio combos & standing Stretch)
Workout 2 with Abdominal Active Rests (29 min.) (includes warm-up, floor Abdominals 3, 4, 5 & floor Stretch)
Workout 2 with Low-cardio Active Rests (29 min.) (includes warm-up, Active Warm-up Cardio & standing Stretch)

Page 2:
Full Body (1 rotation of each exercise) (38 min.) (includes warm-up, 2nd circuit of each strength segment, alternated with all 6 standing Abdominal Active rests, standing stretch)
Mixed Full Body Blast (no active rests) (includes warm-up, all weight supersets, standing stretch) (41 min.)
Time-Saver Full Body (Kelly's favorite 2 exercises each body part with no rest) (31 min.) (includes warm-up, Workout 1 Rounds 2 & 3, Workout 2, Rounds 1 & 3, standing stretch)

Workout 1

push-ups
Since all three sets of push-ups are done with a 4-count tempo, you can easily substitute chest presses or flies with a heavy dumbbells for these short 8-rep sets. Or, use lighter dumbbells, lie on top of a stability ball and do 16 faster-paced reps. Alternating arms will challenge your core even more.

A good way to work up to full body push-ups (and work your core stability at the same time) is to do them lying face down on a stability ball. Adjust the intensity by walking your hands further forward away from the ball, so that the ball gets closer and closer to your feet.

deadlifts
If deadlifts don't agree with your lower back, you can work the hams and glutes by subbing step-ups onto a 8 to 10-inch step.

If you have lower back issues, be cautious with the second set of deadlifts where your torso is turned turned sideways. Stick with Lauren's version.

one-arm lat row with torso twist (lawnmower pull)
Adding the twist to these lat rows works more muscles of the torso, especially the oblique abs. Since this is exercise is performed pretty fast, be careful with the amount of weight you choose, especially if you have lower back issues. Start light and gradually add more weight if your back doesn't complain. If it does, take the twist out and do a standard lat row.

Kelly doesn't mention this, but you want to hold your abs in tight throughout every twisting rep to help you maintain the natural curve in your lower back. You don't want your lower back to be rounded over or excessively arched. Pull navel into spine and be cautious.

standing abs with towel behind neck
The towel is used to stabilize your upper torso and arms so you move them as a unit. Try not to tug too hard on your neck though. You don't want to use the towel to pull your head forward.

Floor Abdominals
seated lean back, twist side, return torso to vertical
This exercise can be done seated on top of your stability ball.

sit-ups
Sit-ups are an advanced exercise for those with no lower back issues. Don't worry if you can't lift your torso all the way up to vertical. Just lift your torso off the floor as high as feels comfortable. Substituting a standard upper crunch is just fine. You can also do this exercise on top of your stability ball. Your lower back presses against the soft ball rather than the hard floor, so you'll work your abs without the discomfort.