Weider X-Factor St

I''ve tried Supreme 90, which I also like, and I''d say this is a little easier.

Essentially, it''s 8 intermediate-level workouts, each one repeated 3 times a week.On non-workout days, you either come up with at least 20 minutes of ''medium intensity'' cardio on your own or use one of the bonus DVDs. The 7th day is a rest day.

The workout itself is basically 30-40 minutes structured as a total-body circuit you run through twice, a little faster the second time, with a big emphasis on core. Despite coming with the (optional & unnecessary) push-up bars, it uses NO equipment. It''s all bodyweight, so how challenging it is depends a lot on you. I was afraid that ''bodyweight'' would mean 4 kinds of push-ups and 3 kinds of squats, but there''s some nice variety here. (Except for the warm-up: that never changes.) There are 3 exercisers, plus the trainer who does a lot of the workout with you. The female exerciser does the modifications, but despite that, this is NOT for beginners.

The trainer is upbeat and encouraging, and comes off almost like he can''t imagine this not being fun.

On the down side, he sometimes talks a little too fast, and it''s easy to confuse a demo of a move with a workout move. The nutrition guide, workout calendar, etc, are all PDFs. The PDF reader it comes with FoxIt is AWFUL. It''s clunky to use and at least on my copy the navigation menu is in Chinese!) I copied the PDF files to my hard drive and used Acrobat instead.

Overall, I like this but I''d prefer printed guides and no push-up bars. It may not be for everyone, depending on your current fitness level, your goals, etc., but it suits my needs as a precursor to eventually being fit enough to really take on Supreme 90.

P90X and/or Insanity it is not. What it IS however, is a solid, challenging body weight circuit workout for someone who is new to body weight exercises OR someone who is looking to increase their level of fitness without having to buy tons of equipment or isn''t ready for a series of workouts like Insanity. These are also great for people who travel since all you need is YOU.

1 DVD a week 3 or 4 times a week for 8 weeks plus a bonus yoga and bonus abs DVD. On the other days they encourage you to do your own cardio workouts. I did use the other CD with the PDF files on it, but since I use a Mac computer, the PDF files were easy to read and transfer/store on my hard drive for future reference.

Pros:

*Each workout is about 30 minutes, which is perfect if you are short on time or are looking to use this as a finisher (or starter) for other workouts you may be doing.

*Instructor Nahesi Crawford is very motivating and encouraging, which makes the time fly. He is also easy on the eyes (if you''re a woman and are into that kind of thing... I am. And I am.)

*Production quality is very good. No blurry shots or wonky camera angles here. The workouts are also chaptered: warm up workout cool down. There is music but it''s not distracting. If I remember correctly there is a music off option.

* There is the instructor along with three other exercisers, one woman (there are two actually, they change with each workout) and two men (they stay the same). Modifications of the exercises are shown. The exercises are set at :30 :60 and :90 intervals. There are two circuits, a 60 second water break, then the circuits repeat a second time at a faster pace. Each week build on exercises from the previous week.

*No equipment necessary. The DVDs come with those swivel push up stands but I don''t even use them, they aren''t necessary.

*You can modify these workouts up or down to your level of fitness.

Cons

* The instructor can sometimes speak quickly and and stumble over his words a bit, but nothing that I''d consider distracting. It seems he''s speaking quickly because he''s excited about working out and wants you to be as well. :)

* Same warm up and cool down. This doesn''t bother me much, but it may bother someone else. You can always do your own warm up and/or cool down, then just do the workout, since it''s chaptered that way.

*Sometimes it''s difficult to tell whether Nahesi is demonstrating a move or if we''re just beginning the :30, :60 or :90 interval. Since you''re supposed to do each DVD 3 times (sometimes 4) a week, once you''ve done the workout once, this isn''t really an issue.

*One of the exercisers, specifically one of the women, has pretty terrible form while boxing... she DOES kind of look like she''s just flailing around. It''s pretty funny actually. HOWEVER, this is really only in the first week DVD, her form is much better in the later weeks, AND she is incredibly fit, as are the other exercisers in the workouts. Plus you should be working out, not looking at her. If you''re working hard you won''t even notice.

I''m enjoying the series of workouts and just wanted to write a more through review of them so that someone considering these would at least give them a shot. Yes, Insanity is harder. Yes P90X is harder. BUT if you''re not at that level yet, this series of DVDs would certainly get you there.

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I bought this product because it was cheaper than P90X or Insanity, and, to be honest, because I find P90X and Insanity pretty daunting. I hadn''t heard anything about X-Factor ST, but I figured, for the price, it was worth a shot for 12 DVDs. If nothing else, I figured it would at least add to my collection of fitness DVDs.

Currently, I am almost at the end of week 4. Mr. Crawford, the instructor, is very energetic and enthusiastic, and, for me, has truly helped to pull me through the DVDs. While I have exercised throughout my life, I cannot claim to be "advanced". I am perhaps at the early cusps of intermediate, and I find these DVDs challenging, but not heart-breakingly overwhelming either. In fact, I almost miss doing them on the cardio days.

Yes, the warm-up and cool downs are the same for each DVD, but so what? For the price, that''s a very small complaint, especially considering that the warm-up and cool down do the job (at least for me, anyway). I have recently started adding the Yoga DVD into my workout rotation, and I wish I had earlier! It truly does feel like a reward after the workout, and is simple enough for anyone without too much experience (like me) to do.

I can''t make too many comparisons to P90X or Insanity because I haven''t done them. I don''t know. But I can say that my body is getting tighter, my clothes are getting looser, and my body is changing. I am excited by these changes. But more than this, what these DVDs have accomplished for me that none other have, is being excited to stick with it and make it through the program. Each week gets increasingly more challenging, but I am truly facing the challenge with a smile, learning to love exercising.

If you''re like me, someone who was never an athlete, but want to give your all, test your discipline, and make some changes, I truly recommend this series. Again, for a third of the price of other "intense" workouts, you truly can''t go wrong.

These workouts can be as easy or as hard as you make them. I feel like they have taught me to test myself and push through, and I am proud of that.

I will update when I reach the end of the program.

Thanks for taking the time to read this review.

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I have been using exercise videos for twenty years. I have nearly 100. That includes Insanity, Billy Blanks, Supreme 90, lots of Cathe Friedrich, and many more. I was very surprised that I was so sore after doing the Week 1 dvd for the first time. I chose to back off and spend two weeks working up to completing that disk because I don''t like being sore, and there is no shame in taking your time. After that, I was able to work to my maximum on each disk without being sore following it. After completing Week 4, I tried a Cathe routine that had always given me trouble. I blew right through it.

On the surface, this does not seem so cardio-based as most of the videos on the market. Insanity is rush-rush, hurry-hurry. Weider x-factor st is more strength-based, but you will be blowing at the end of each routine. On the off-days, you can pop in your old favorites that you used to think were doing you good.

No equipment needed -no step, no dumbbells, no ball. This is my all-time favorite.

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Purchased this at Walmart for $29.99. I am already physically fit, eat fairly well and a gym-a-holic (elliptical, running, light weights). However, I have been traveling so much lately that I haven''t been able to make it to a gym very often if ever. I bought these DVDs so I would have a good option for a workout that I can do wherever, whenever. Best $29.99 I''ve ever spent.

I am only on week 3 but can already see the changes in my body. This workout is essentially High Intensity Interval Training, which is SO effective for burning fat and building lean muscle. I feel like I get more out of this workout in 40 minutes than I do at the gym in 1.5 hours.

But the BEST part is that it is completely mindless. You don''t have to wander around the gym trying to decide which weight machine to use next, or sit around waiting for a treadmill. It''s like having a personal trainer right there with you. Especially during new exercises, there is a point at which I think to myself "if I was doing this exercise on my own, I would have stopped 10 seconds ago." This workout really pushes you. You''ll feel stronger every time you do it.

One word of caution: KNEES! I have found this workout to be a bit hard on my joints, especially my knees. Please be careful to use proper form and do the modified version if you''re feeling any pain. I am diligent about stretching and hoping that as I get stronger the discomfort will subside.

I am not sure what I will do after week 8. Maybe upgrade to P90x (or similar) or go back through the higher weeks of this set.

$30 is less than one month of a gym membership, or one dinner out at a decent restaurant. Do yourself a favor and TRY IT!

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