Rope Sport DVD: Is it worth your time?
THE ROPE SPORT BASIC PROGRAM
It’s Real World meets Baywatch meets a jump rope master I’ve never heard of. This group is like an eHarmony me’nage a` trois: nobody knows each other but they all want the same thing.
THE EXPERTS:
Eric Nies from Real World. Kelly Packard from Baywatch. And Louis Garcia.
Eric has had perfect abs since he tried to woo Julie in the NYC loft. That’s why I will forever welcome him in workout videos. His lean body is a testament to his work ethic and vanity. He loves his body and so do I.
Kelly is bubbly and spry. Eric calls her “bunny” in the video (which is awkward). I can tolerate her as a cheerleader during the workout but it’s hard to take instruction from her during the tutorial sections. She has no credibility other than her ability to run in a swimsuit sans wedgie.
I’ve never heard of Louis Garcia prior to the video so, naturally, I googled him. I only found him on sites promoting this DVD. If you’re the world’s greatest jumper, shouldn’t there be a world of websites raving about you? A you tube video, a personal website perhaps? I’m not questioning his credibility; I’m questioning his PR Teams mojo. Otherwise, he is likable and knowledgable. He didn’t need the b-list celebrity sidekicks.
THE PREMISE: “Feel like a kid again with the RopeSport Jump Rope Basic Video DVD. The RopeSport Basic puts the fun back in jumping rope and delivers a total body workout that can burn up to 1000 calories per hour! ”
THE TRUTH: You will not burn 1000 calories. You might burn 250. If you are un-coordinated or lack tenacity, prepare to be frustrated. But don’t use that impending frustration as a deterrent. The skills you gain-once you master the skills-are far-reaching. You just won’t gain them in this BASIC program.
WHAT IT DID FOR ME: I was successful on the basic drills. But when i had to do foreign jump tricks, I (ahem) struggled. I whipped my legs so many times, I wish I’d worn pants. And when I wasn’t whipping my legs, I was whipping my face. By the end of the DVD, I looked like Freddy Kreuger. I didn’t get my butt kicked but looked like I had.
PROS: It will “teach” you jump skills like the lateral hop, the lunge, the shuffle, etc.
CONS: The DVD liner says 60 minutes run time. I assumed most of it would be spent on kicking my behind. Wrong! The video is 45 minutes instructions and only 15 minutes of exercise. Uh? They spend 45 minutes showing you different jump moves, but don’t incorporate many of them into the workout. What’s the point of teaching me the specifics if I can’t practice them in real-time during the workout?? The workout was fine but when I started to enjoy myself, it was over. I felt cheated and used. I turned off the DVD and took a cold shower.
GRADE: C-. If you want a tutorial on various jump tricks, buy it. If you are looking for an intense workout, don’t.