Did you know that Billy Blanks is still kicking ol’ school? He just released a new series of DVDs and the other night I checked out Billy Blanks Amped ($17.99). I was impressed that the DVD wasn’t over produced and you could tell that the workout was shot in one take with many cameras, so the folks exercising on the DVD were working with you. Billy Blanks does not slow down. He has, however, lost the ability to count and has hired a young, cute but fierce, fitness professional to count on set for him. Together they make quite a team.

The workout is tough and when using the amplifier sculpting bar, an extendable hand weight, it gets even tougher. The amplifier weighs just a little over three pounds (according to my kitchen scale).The workout is shot with only half the class participants using the amplifiers, so if you don’t have one there is still plenty for you to do. The class goes through many kick boxing motions at different speeds, so you're working both your endurance and your speed, your slow muscle fibers as well as the quick twitch. Bouts of straight up kick boxing moves are thrown into the mix ensuring that your heart rate stays in the upper zone of moderate and the lower zone of intense. I wore my trusty heart rate monitor and burned well over 300 calories for my time investment of just under 60 minutes low impact.

I love that you can see everyone sweating. It inspires you to work hard. Blanks likes to get up close to the camera and tell you to push harder and not to give up. It is part Mr. T, part inspiring coach and oddly effective.

To see what the amplifier looks like, just read more

You can order this DVD from Amazon. Or you could go for the entire Amped package for $39.95, which includes 5 DVDs, the amplifier body sculpting bar, and other health perks!