Davina Mccall: My Three 30 Minute Workouts

I had Davina's first workout and have used it a lot so I was looking forward to this one.This DVD is split into three workouts which we are told need only be done once each a week.The first one is a Pump section which combines weights with leg work. This time, instead of doing squats etc then a weights section, we do them together. This one is very good and I can already feel the effects.The second is a Boxing Cardio section which has a series of boxing and kicking moves. This is a fairly intensive section, and quite fun to do.The third is called Core Stability and that has poses like the plank and breathing exercises. Some of it was surprisingly difficult and will take a bit of practice.Each session lasts 30 minutes, but seems to go much faster.However, I do have some quibbles with it.One is that often things aren't explained very well, so in the first section Davina will sometimes move into the next exercise without any warning. This, I suppose, won't matter once you are used to the workout but I found it a bit annoying.The second is that in the boxing section we are not always told which foot or hand to use and it's difficult to tell from what they are doing because the cameraman often changes angles. It is quite confusing.Davina on the back of the DVD tells us we only need to do each section once a week, but during the workout or on the extras she tells us more than once that she had a really hard workout of an hour with either Mark or Jackie - so I think if we wanted a body like Davina's we'd need more than 1.5 hours a week.The recipes that are on the DVD as extras were a bit weak - I thought Davina would be showing us how to make them but the ingredients are just typed up on the screen and very difficult to read.However, I did enjoy it overall and I'm glad I bought it.

Recently I decided to take advantage of a couple of upcoming months freer time and get a little bit fitter. Doing a fair amount of walking and swimming I've generally considered myself 'fairly fit' but have always wanted to do something involving cardio as I find that this is my one area of weakness. This DVD really does cover it.The one, really great advantage of this DVD is that it is designed to be three workouts. You can do then all in a row (but oh, how you will suffer for it!) but doing one is more than enough. There are three sections: Pump, Cardiobox and Core Stability. I found the first, designed around weights and lunges, was a really good workout for muscles. Cardiobox, however, is by far my favourite. It really causes a sweat and challenges but not so much that you're going to pass out. The last section, whilst not my favourite, is probably the most quirky benefit of this DVD - once you do it a couple of times you can appreciate the need for it, and the general lack of this section in other DVDs. But, what is great about the whole DVD is that all of the sections raise a sweat, though I've found Cardiobox the most intensive.As for Davina and her trainers themselves, I thought I might find this the hardest to do. Having tried a couple of home videos in the past I always found quite a few of the exerices dull, or the trainers a bit smarmy, or the host disinterested. Not so in this instance. The trainers are obviously really experienced but since they do all the routines with Davina there's always one who'll be showing the 'easier' option, whilst Davina herself pulls out all the stops and goes for the hardest option all the way through. And you can see she really knows these routines.So, are there any slight niggles with this? The instruction isn't like other exercise DVDs and it does take a few runs to get to know them. However, I've found this quite easy to overcome since one of my main annoyances with other videos was the time spent (or wasted, once you get to know the routine) explaining everything.

Superb work out.

I bought this about a year ago attracted by the 3 different 30 minute workouts and Davina, whom I think is just fab. I have a short attention span and am not a fitness fanatic, but I have to do something! I always come back to this. The music's great, dance classics from the 90s that all us 30 somethings remember, but it doesn't dominate. Davina and her personal trainers offer professional advice throughout but keep it light and "digestable". The workouts are all sufficiently different to keep you motivated. I find it best to do it in the morning, as Davina recommends, and that's a VERY big thing for me to have 30 mins less sleep. It's quite nice waking up with their chirpy chat and music. You do feel refreshed for the rest of the day and quite smug when everyone's tripping off to the gym after work. The only very small thing is that when you're trying to get used to the routines, Davina sometimes jumps on ahead to the next exercise and you see her starting it before it's fully explained. However, it's not rocket science and you get used to the moves quickly. I suppose it keeps the flow going. No special equipment required, she uses an exercise mat sometimes and a set of light dumbbells, which all ladies should invest in for some all-important resistance training.Update August 2012...still using this one to get me back on the wagon after a bout of inactivity. If I need a quick hit to look better in my bikini I do the core stability and 2 days later I can see the difference. Pulled in stomach and abdominal muscles, lats are tight and toned. It's not just good, it's amazing. You have to do it properly and not kid yourself. I'm now 42, no spring chicken, but really think it's enough to do one of each 3 times a week to keep toned. That, along with the good old combo of healthy eating, cut down on the booze and walk every day and my body is quite pleased with that.Thanks Davina :)