Rockin LEGS n' ABS with Cleo The Hurricane - A Review

Three days ago I decided I should actually ‘do’ the Rockin Legs n’ Abs with Cleo The Hurricane DVD if I wanted to review it properly. 

The DVD Cover

Three days ago I had no muscular aches, tenderness, or soreness whatsoever. Three days ago I could not distinguish between my hamstring muscles, my adductors, or my glutes. Three days ago I was a normal, reasonably healthy, though not as fit as I used to be (through injury), pole dancing blogger.

Today, three days AFTER doing Cleo The Hurricane’s Rockin Legs n’ Abs DVD, I’m reminded of my own mortality with every bend, twist, turn, step, squat, or sneeze. I’m reminded how good it is to be alive. I’m reminded that I have muscles for a reason. And I am reminded I should use them more, push them harder, and the ache I’m feeling now really does hurt so damn good. 

Cleo left me destroyed, for a while anyway, but in a good way.

Rockin Legs n’ Abs with Cleo The Hurricane is a one hour fitness DVD broken on to nine chapters. Each chapter addresses specific muscle groups or activities:

Chapter 1 – Warm-up, Chapter 2 – Rockin’ Legs, Chapter 3 – Abs of Steel, Chapter 4 - Bangin’ Buns, Chapter 5 – Kick Ass Quads, Chapter 6 – Lunges and High Kicks, Chapter 7 – Advanced Leg Holds, Chapter 8 – Maximum Flexibility - Middle Splits, and Chapter 9 – Maximum Flexibility – Front Splits.

It’s not a necessity to do the full one hour program, as I did for the review, to obtain benefit. Cleo suggests selecting the warm up chapter plus four chapters per session, then doing them four times per week. I agree the benefits will be incredible in doing just that and as your strength, flexibility, or time available allows, you can do more.

Now the DVD itself is free from distraction, high quality, and thoughtful in its use of multi angle coverage. It’s easy to see how the moves and sequences should be done even if it is challenging to do them when you’re as out of shape as I am. There is minimal and basic instruction on positioning, angling, or corrections, it’s pretty much follow what Cleo does and listen when she speaks. Common sense prevails as always – work at your own pace, push to your limit, if it hurts pull back or stop.

I will confess I cannot get my feet up near my ears as the women on the DVD could, but I got them as high as I was able and held them as long as I could, as instructed. I struggled with the fan kick in the Lunges and High Kicks sequences, I just couldn’t co-ordinate them so I repeated the side kick. I know with time I’ll have the fitness, co-ordination, and skill to be able to do them as the DVD ladies do.

There is no shame in using the remote control to repeat, pause, or see how much longer you have to go. Likewise having a neighbour, loved one, or ambulance on speed dial… just in case.

Oh, it needs to be said this is not a pole dancing DVD or pole fitness DVD. You don’t need a pole at all in fact, you don’t wear heels, and there is no dance moves to learn. There is a section where a chair is used for balance, but if you do have a pole accessible you can use that. 

The ladies using chairs... and giving you a shot of flexibility to aim for.

Rockin Legs n’ Abs is a fitness DVD focusing on strength and flexibility. Cleo’s background includes ballet, fitness training, pole dancing, teaching, winning championships, and being awesome. She is one of my Australian pole crushes and I will admit her DVD kicked my arse and gave me the motivational wakeup call I needed to get on with it.  

Yes, I will definitely be doing Rockin LEGS n' ABS with Cleo The Hurricane DVD again and I’m looking forward to her new DVD to see her progression as a fitness educator and producer of quality fitness DVD’s.