Workout Review: Basic Ab Workout For Dummies

Today's exercise DVD review is Ab Workout for Dummies. As its name suggests, it is a simple ab routine. Nothing "pilates" or creative here.This is a back-to-basics 40 minute routine that takes you through 10 classic abs exercises.



My biggest critique of this workout is just that it is boring, which is exactly why I don't like working on my abs, and why I needed to be on crutches to get interested in ab training in the first place. Boredom aside, I did like how the instructor basically taught me how to perform well-known exercises and had me do them in a slow, controlled way. I'm one of those perfectionistic Iyengar-loving people, so I appreciated this attention to detail. Also, just like in the Dummies book series, there are these little bullet points they mention throughout the workout that kind of keep your mind occupied. Kind of.

Lower Leg Injury Compatibility: Very
I could do most of this workout without needing to make any adjustments. There are 2 exercises at the end that require use of the lower legs, but by the time I got to those exercises, my abs were pooped and I didn't want to do them anyway. I think probably had I had the will, there would be a way to modify the exercises so I could do them.

Difficulty: Beginner
If you've been doing crunches and scissors in the gym for ages, you will likely gain nothing from this video. If you are brand new to exercise, you will likely gain much. And, for people like me, who are no strangers to the gym but tend to avoid ab work like the plague, it might be a nice refresher on those basic ab exercises.

Bonus: There's a 10 minute quickie workout on this DVD too. I haven't done it yet, but am sure its also compatible with crutches.

UPDATE: 10 min quickie workout is 100% lower leg injury compatible and is pretty challenging.