Jeanette Jenkins Cardio Dance - DVD Review

I'm always skeptical when a workout video claims to be "for everyone." I mean, how many workouts have ever left you thinking, "Boy, I bet my mom, best friend and little nephew would all enjoy this"? I'll be honest -- it really doesn't happen often for me. Not at all.

And that's why Jeanette Jenkins Cardio Dance was really a pleasant surprise. The video begins with Jeanette introducing herself, and then all of the other participants do a short intro as well -- boy howdy, is there a variety! Women of all shapes are included, from very full-figured to super fit and trim. There's a pregnant woman, a grandmother, and even a couple of kids involved, including a young boy who is the most entertaining person I've ever seen on a workout video. And everybody was able to keep up and have fun!

I like Jeanette's personal story, too. She grew up in public housing in Canada, and fitness was what kept her focused and out of trouble. She's gone on to found her own company, write a book, release numerous fitness DVDs and work with celebrities and pro athletes such as Queen Latifah, Kimora Lee Simmons, Christina Applegate, Taryn Manning, Ian Ziering, Jordana Brewster, Tom Arnold, NFL's Ty Law and Brian Cox.

Level of Difficulty
I can confidently recommend this for beginners, even if you don't have any dance experience.

Next Day Soreness
I didn't experience any. However, if you're just starting to work out, I can imagine you'd have some soreness in your legs the next day. If you're already pretty fit, though, you'll be fine.

Who's It For?
Well, it's a dance video, so if you don't like to dance, you probably won't enjoy it too much. However, if you like moving your body to the beat at all, and you're looking for something low-impact, it's a good choice. I could definitely do this with my mom, and even young children would get into the beat.

Likes
The steps are broken down and cued extremely well -- you don't move on until you've got the newest move down pat. And there's room for improvisation. If you want to shake it up a little more, or if you want to keep it toned down, it's easy! Also, the warm-up, stretching, and cool-down were comprehensive, really stretching all the muscles used.

Dislikes
I wish that there were other dances available on the DVD, because now that I've learned this one, I don't really want to have to go back through and learn each move (and technically, I don't have to -- the video lets you choose sections, but of course, that shortens the workout). And I wouldn't mind if it was a little more physically challenging, but because it's not, it truly is something you can share with just about anyone.

Bottom Line
It's not a terribly hard workout, but over the course of an hour, I worked up a sweat. And, following the 40-minute dance segment, there's a dancer's sculpt and stretch that incorporates ballet moves and more standard strength exercises. I enjoyed it, and found myself smiling quite a bit throughout.