The Charge

Burn, baby, burn!

The Case

Here's another disc from the folks at "Crunch." Place this one alongside with its brethren Cardio Dance Blast and it sounds like you have the attack list for a Yu-Gi-Oh character: Chunky Monster Flame Hippo uses its "fat burning ab attack," but The Elusive Blue-haired Bipedal Eggplant-Wrangler counters with its "cardio dance blast!!!!"

Guiding you through your ab fat burning is super-ripped hostess Catherine Chiarelli, a certified instructor, dancer, and model. Seriously, this woman's abdomen could deflect 9mm slugs.

The set-up is similar to the other Crunch videos, with everything taking place in a bright studio, our instructor flanked by a handful of other worker-outers. The 30-plus minute program is broken down into the following routines:

• Warm Up
• Standing Core/Abs
• Standing Abs/Obliques
• Mat Upper/Lower Abs
• Mat Planks/Lower Back
• Cool Down/ Stretch

The work-out seems to be a nice exhaustive (and exhausting) punishment to the abs and surrounding muscles (I have no idea what planks are, but I'm sure they would be profoundly sore after putting them through this workout).

Actually, the exercises here aren't as high-impact as my hyperbole would make them out to me—they would just demand agility that I do not possess. But for those looking to sculpt your gut, Chiarelli and company should whip you into shape.

The exercises are patiently explained and displayed, and Chiarelli is helpful as the instructor. As far as I can tell, the only accessory you would need would be a mat, or, in my case, a pillow and an XBOX.

It's another well-put-together fitness DVD by Anchor Bay. And if the instructors are your barometer for results, then there should be no worry that these exercises will deliver. Oh, and apparently this DVD was selected as SHAPE Magazine's DVD of the Month, for what it's worth.

The DVD is bare-bones, featuring only the program and the specific work-out selection.

Judge David Johnson's Personal Pain Rating:
7 out of 10 hoagies yearned for while finishing that last crunch

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