Chair Dancing Fitness ?Through the Decades?

I have always been an avid exerciser: competitive swimming until my late 40s, step aerobics for 20+ years, and Zumba for the past 3 years. I was desperate, therefore, when I broke my 5th metatarsal bone (completely in two) 7 weeks ago and was told by my podiatrist that I'll be in a wheelchair for at least 16 weeks! I ordered several dvd workouts, all claiming to have aerobic benefits, but did find any of them worth repeating until I found this one. While it does not get my heart rate up to where it needs to be for aerobic conditioning, it still gets me moving and does so safely and with a lot of fun. Yes, the music is terrible (electronic, poorly arranged, and Muzak-like), and some of the people in the video look really out of it. BUt the movements are very good and they actually DO correspond to movements one would do in the various dances represented. I have to modify the movements with my broken leg side in order to prevent pressure on that foot, but this is easily done even with the huge air cast that I have to wear.I also like the use of paper plates for part of the workout. I also have a broken right hand (in a hard cast), and I can hold the paper plates easily. They are great substitutes for clapping my hands together!The workout is silly, corny, and the set is really dated, but I am VERY grateful for this DVD and will use it every day for the next several months!

Nice exercise video of all sitting exercises. Challenging if you work at it but easy enough for nearly anyone. Mom can't stand long and worries about falling. She had a sit and be fit video which she liked but they did a lot of standing stretches she had to skip. This one is all sitting and can be modified to make it easier or harder. Mom barely moves her hands and still gets a better work out than just sitting there. She is getting better too. I did it with her using the advanced moves and couldn't keep up!! Amazing what a workout you can get sitting down. Cuing is clear although not much warning given for changes, you'll have to do it a few times to get the hang of it. Production quality is good. Music is quiet and in the background really. That's bad if you want to hear it and dance but good because it doesn't hide instructor's voice. They use paper plates but you can do it empty handed. Advanced exercisers might even use a one pound weight though I wouldn't try it the first time thru. Nice instructor and mixed class of young, old, pregnant, overweight and 'regular' people.

I had high hopes for this and was so disappointed once I tried it. After becoming disabled, I keep gaining weight due to not being able to move like I used to, let alone exercise. I've tried lots of different things and always made me hurt, so after reading this one hoped it would be different. It was actually worse than most. It didn't make me hurt, except for normal unused muscle soreness, but it was SOOOOOO BORING!I made myself try it three times because I have to exercise and figured I'd just get used to it. But, I just can't. Here's why:* BORING MUSIC - How am I supposed to exercise to elevator music, I ask you? Would anyone want to? NO! So slow and sounds like it's being played by either an according or an old organ. So bad!* The people exercising with her are just distracting! They're supposed to show different levels of the same moves, I suppose, but the older woman (over 60?) was more energetic than the young woman (30?). And the pregnant lady was doing them like she was from the 1950's when they still believed you shouldn't move too much / too hard or you'd hurt yourself or the baby!* Jodi Stolove's talking the entire time - counting - was so loud and so annoying. I don't really know what was worse - the music or the talking. But put them together and you have bad, bad, BAD!!Really, if you want something that is fun, will get you moving because of the beat to the music and the instructor motivates you - this is not it.

Reading some of the other reviews I am wondering if they were referring to another video than Chair Dancing through the Decades as they complained about it being slow and boring--no way! It is pretty fast paced and the music selections are: The Charleston, The Twist, Motown, Disco, Hip Hop, Big Band swing, Rock and Roll and Hand jive. Have arthritis of hip which has kept me sidelined and sedentary for the last year, I can do this routine without pain as you move to your individual capacity. Watch it through the first time, quit if you get too tired, moves are simple to learn and it really was fun.

Jodi Stolove's chair dancing is the prefect workout for seniors or those with compromised mobility. Her backup dancers represent every level of age, weight and ability. I've found this series very helpful when I was recovering from an injury yet still needed to "move". And it's fun.

First, let me say that I am handicapped and in a wheelchair. I was hoping that this DVD would give me a good upper body workout with some fun music.The music is okay, but most of these exercises for the upper body are simply the same arm movements with your fingers pointing or with your hands clapping and waving. There was no effort to focus on anything particular muscle groups of the arms, chest or abdomen; but there are plenty of shoulder rotations and stretching.Half way through most of these routines, I was bored with the lack of arm work and began doing other movements with my arms, just to keep active. There were long periods of just slapping your knees, clapping your hands or hitting paper plates together.I cannot do any of the footwork, but it was obvious that the footwork was also repetitious. How many knee bounces or toe taps make for a good work out?As for the trainer, Jodi speaks rapidly, when giving her initial instructions...as though everyone should know what she is about to do. She seems to have rehearsed her people on the video for the routines, she doesn't give her audience much preparation. I felt like was always one step behind her throughout all of the activities.I will give this DVD away; and I cancelled my other order for one of Jodi's DVDs, because this one was so disappointing.