Nell McAndrew's Peak Energy [VHS] [2002]

At the end of the workout (nearly an hour and a half if we'd left the fast forward button alone) we were left looking and smelling a little less fresh than we'd hoped and today are finding it difficult to walk. This is a good workout for those who are extremely fit already but for those less so (i.e. us) it will take a lot more practice to get through the whole thing... it just depends if you have the willpower or not and really want a firm bod because this will definitely give you results.

Unlike some other exercise videos I have bought, this one really feels like you are working hard and getting results. The instructor is excellent - pushy and encouraging as instructors should be! However, it can be slightly annoying when he says "8 more" and then you think you're getting to the end and he says "8 more" AGAIN!

The 40 minutes being counted down on the screen with a bar is a good idea. It also meant for me, that when I am short of time, I can do just half the workout out and then move onto the toning sections.

For people VERY short of time, I would recommend doing just the warm up, followed by the 2 toning sections.

And whatever you do, STRETCH your calves out really well at the end, cos boy will they hurt the next day if you don't!

The warm-up is good, although I don't think the instructor spends enough time on the stretches, which are definitely very important for this workout. However, it does get you warm and breaking a sweat, and carries through to the actual 40 minute, gruelling routine. This is very repetitive, simple, and easy-to-follow; as Nell says, no nonsense. It consists of starjumps, jogging with arms, and similar movements throughout the 40 minutes. It may sound a little boring to repeat moves over and over but it's so fast that all you can think about is just keeping your limbs moving in time to the frenzied garage beat! I found the amount I could manage (10-15 minutes first time through) to be exhilarating - I could last longer than I expected. The upper body work is painful if your arm muscles aren't that well developed, and I really recommend caution on this one in particular - my arms are still really aching days after the last time I attempted it. However, the floor workout is excellent, very comprehensive and intense. It starts with pressups, moves on to buttock clenches and then stomach crunches (a large number of each I must add!), before some serious thigh work. This section will really tone your body.

A lot of people below found the instructor too sharp and "army-like" in his manner. This is true, he sounds very much like an army instructor leading a military workout, but I actually liked his style. It wasn't intimidating or obtrusive, and it was clear what you were meant to be doing at all times - often he'd start a step a beat early so that you could see what you'll be changing to. If you're holding a stretch, he'll keep shouting "Hold it!" at you, which I found very motivating. His attitude was very much the "no nonsense" attitude that Nell describes in this workout.

Nell herself is an inspiration, standing by the side of the instructor and barely breaking a sweat to start with! She smiles a lot which is very encouraging, and by the end even she looks tired - still smiling though!

In my opinion this is an effective workout. It's thorough, first burning fat at a high rate, then toning muscles relentlessly, but just be a bit careful - if you've been injured or aren't too fit, don't try and do more than you feel comfortable with, and build up to the full 40 minute routine. Also, have at least one pint glass of water stood near to you, because I guarantee you will need it. Otherwise, do as Nell does, and just "get stuck in"!