Hip Hop Abs: DVD review
Okay, I need to start out this review by saying I never EVER would have tried this video if it weren’t for my friend Ashley’s recommendation, because HIP HOP ABS ARE YOU KIDDING ME. She was raving about it, though, and I was trying like hell to rid myself of my post-partum Buddha belly, so I decided to give it a shot.
I am nearly as good of a dancer as I am a nuclear physicist, so I didn’t have high hopes for my ability to follow along with anything with “hip hop” in the title, but to my surprise the moves were easy to copy. I was even more surprised to find that I was actually having fun while doing the workouts — the instructor, Shaun T, is an absolute scream, I really can’t get enough of him. If you haven’t had the pleasure, please enjoy this little clip of his appearance on Ellen a while back:
*happy sigh* Oh, Shaun T.
The Hip Hop Abs Package DVD includes a few different workouts, including a cardio routine, a strength segment, and a segment devoted entirely to abs. All were enjoyable, all gave me an excellent workout. There’s even a “teach you how to dance” bit where you can learn how to put the steps into a more complicated choreography routine, but that was above and beyond my coordination level.
His whole shtick is that you don’t need to do crunches to build ab strength; he’s got this standing ab move called the “tilt, tuck, tighten” (as shown on that Ellen video). It’s actually quite effective, even though it initially doesn’t feel as challenging as crunches, and while I was doing this video I saw a visible improvement in my core strength.
I haven’t been doing Hip Hop Abs lately (in favor of the gym and 30 Day Shred), but I really liked it and plan to mix it back in when I want some variety. It’s fun, you can do it even if you can’t dance, and it’s a good little workout. Oh, and if you’re like me, once you master a few of the moves you’ll find yourself doing them around the house when no one’s looking. Go Linda, go Linda, it’s my birthday, it’s my – ahem. Anyway, two thumbs up for Hip Hop Abs and Shaun T!
December 9th, 2008 at 3:02 am
It’s a very different work out from both Turbo Jam and 30DS – in fact at the time I find it doesn’t seem like you’reexercising. And then you wake up the following morning.
And as you said it’ work buying for Shaun T alone, he’s the cutest little thing.
December 9th, 2008 at 7:33 am
I just ordered my 30DS video off of Amazon, Merry Christmas ME!!!, so let me try that for awhile then I’ll give Shaun a try. Love your new website by the way.
December 9th, 2008 at 7:41 am
Linda – I got hooked on these videos a couple weeks ago. This morning while I was jumping around with Shawn T, I thought to myself, “Ok, today you’re going to step out of lurkerville and tell Linda to check out these videos.”
I guess you beat me to it, but I’ll step out of lurkerville anyway. Your blogs are wonderful!
December 9th, 2008 at 8:55 am
I’d forgotten how much I love Shaun T–I haven’t worked out with him in a while. I have HHA and Rockin’ Body (his follow-up to HHA), so I need to start putting that back in my rotation on my cardio days.
Thanks for the reminder!
December 9th, 2008 at 9:34 am
Thanks for the great review. In the future, could you let us know whether the moves require a lot of room or not? I have a very small space in which to work out and would hate to buy something only to find myself careening into the furniture.
December 9th, 2008 at 9:52 am
KDA: good suggestion! This video definitely doesn’t require much space — when I work out at home, I do it in my teeny tiny front living room, which has like five feet of carpet before I bang into a wall/the TV/the couch.
December 9th, 2008 at 11:18 am
I have a friend who has had great results from HHA. I guess I’ll have to give it a try!
Have you heard or do you have any personal knowledge of the 10 minute Trainer? It’s by Tony Horton, I believe it’s another BeachBody product?
December 10th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
I’ve got this DVD but I don’t find the workouts particularly invigorating (barely break a sweat) and I’m not sure his “signature” ab moves actually do anything. They are kind of fun though and his personality is pleasant. (The two white guys in the back of the class provide some good laughs too.)
Results for me come from doing old fashioned crunches (on the gymnic ball, sometimes using weighted medicine balls), push ups and hand-weight lifting.
December 11th, 2008 at 6:44 am
Does this workout require a lot of jumping? I ask because I have this chronically painful ball-of-foot injury, and I ended up not being able to do 30 Day Shred because of all the damn jumping. But this sounds fun and I want to try it if possible!
July 23rd, 2009 at 7:46 am
[...] got this again because Linda mentioned it. Here’s her formal review. Honestly, I hadn’t seen any of the infomercials for it but she said it looked like fun, so [...]
May 25th, 2012 at 4:40 am
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