Amy Bendo Kickboxing
- Thread starter candi
- Start date
L Sass
Cathlete
I looked at the clip and I could not get past her form being really bad! I've seen a lot of folks comment on her poor form too. I don't have a lot of kickboxing videos, but I think Cathe's form and Tony Horton's are both good, and from what I hear the Tae Bo's are pretty strong on form as well. I wonder if Amy Bento realizes her form was not good in this video, and if so, why would she release it?
Lorrie
Pain is temporary - quitting lasts forever
Candace Grasso, CC-V-6
Lorrie
Pain is temporary - quitting lasts forever
Candace Grasso, CC-V-6
DarkPhoenix
Member
In short, Amy offered her original set at a special pre-order price that she said would never be lower. However, she recently lowered the price for that set by quite a bit. When a previous purchaser contacted her to request a refund for the difference, Amy refused to give the refund.
Those are the bare bones of the controversy. I don't want to say more as it may involve another forum. I am a big believer that the business of another forum should stay at that forum.
Those are the bare bones of the controversy. I don't want to say more as it may involve another forum. I am a big believer that the business of another forum should stay at that forum.
bestoutwest
Cathlete
I can't view the clip either, for some reason. I have preordered these, just wondering what is wrong with her form? Do you have specific examples? I'm just curious.
My computer won't let me view the clip either, but I do have something to add about her business practice.
When I first rec'd the first set by her and found out they were DVD-R, I emailed her because I found out that she would be making regular pressed DVD's and I wanted those instead of the DVD-R. She sent me a complete set of the pressed ones when released .........no questions asked.
Also, after reading something on her Forum, I had a question and emailed her. She promptly responded.
I enjoy the workouts I have by her, but I can't really learn her Step DVD the way she teaches. She basically just does a complex step and you're supposed to follow. She does not break down....and I'm a bit coreographically challenged. That's the only gripe I have with her. I also don't like the little breaks she tends to take between exercises....but Tony HOrton does this also and I just jog in place or keep moving and it's no problem.
When I first rec'd the first set by her and found out they were DVD-R, I emailed her because I found out that she would be making regular pressed DVD's and I wanted those instead of the DVD-R. She sent me a complete set of the pressed ones when released .........no questions asked.
Also, after reading something on her Forum, I had a question and emailed her. She promptly responded.
I enjoy the workouts I have by her, but I can't really learn her Step DVD the way she teaches. She basically just does a complex step and you're supposed to follow. She does not break down....and I'm a bit coreographically challenged. That's the only gripe I have with her. I also don't like the little breaks she tends to take between exercises....but Tony HOrton does this also and I just jog in place or keep moving and it's no problem.
Conni
Cathlete
I have also preordered the new DVDs and have no qualms about working with Amy. Yes, her form is not as good as Cathe, but her style is different as well. Also, I have a good time watching Cathe in Cardio Kicks, which really shows just how far she has come in her "form". Perhaps Amy deserves the same "curve". She is newer, has made some mistakes, and has owned up to them. The key is whether or not she learns from them. I, for one, am anxious and excited to be a part of her becoming a good influence in the home video exercising community.
maddiesmum
Cathlete
What I read on her nrgfitness.com website is that she now entertains requests for refunds on price differences if they are announced within a 30 day period.
As the poster below says, she is not Cathe yet, she is following a learning curve both in terms of her DVD production and business practices and I have pre-ordered her forthcoming xtreme series through advancedworkouts.com and am prepared to give her the benefit of the doubt as a trial run.
I can't view the clips either. Wonder why?
Clare
As the poster below says, she is not Cathe yet, she is following a learning curve both in terms of her DVD production and business practices and I have pre-ordered her forthcoming xtreme series through advancedworkouts.com and am prepared to give her the benefit of the doubt as a trial run.
I can't view the clips either. Wonder why?
Clare
bestoutwest
Cathlete
I tried again and was able to view the clip. I actually think it looks like it could be a good workout. I'm not going to knock anyone's form, because I'm sure mine gets pretty wild sometimes, too. Heck, I did Cardio Kicks for years before I read on here that Cathe didn't have good form! I don't care! I always got a good workout, because I was swinging and kicking right along with them. With Amy's workout, it looks like she has a lot of very fast combos, which I'm sure makes it harder to maintain good form. JMHO!!
Is the concern about an instructor's form mostly about avoiding injury, or is it more that it's not kickboxing in the "pure" form that a professional kickboxer would use? I wouldn't want to get injured but I guess I don't really care if it's not "professional" kickboxing form - we are just exercising here, we're not trying to actually knock out our opponent! It seems like in all my kickboxing videos, or the "kickboxing-inspired" ones like Turbo Jam, the form is slightly different depending on the instructor, and it doesn't bother me - I'm not planning on competing as a kickboxer and I really just want to get my heart rate up and maybe have some fun along the way.
KillerBiceps
Member
I'm with you, Diane. Most of the kickboxing videos out there are far from perfect in terms of form; and I am also looking for a solid workout with intense choreography so I can burn some calories and have a great time! I am no marshall artist/blackbelt and don't want to have to be one to enjoy the workout. If a move doesn't look safe then I do it my own way. This clip looks like a fun, solid workout and I am excited to try it.
I just pre-ordered her kickboxing and Allpump workout. I am new to Amy Bento, but I love Kickboxing, and am not too concerned with her form, because I've had a good example in Cathe, Tae-bo and Powerstrike, so, I plan to execute my kicks and punches the way I've learned from them.
Just a little note, I had emailed NRG yesterday, with a question, and Amy Bento replied that she expects these workouts will be shipped by the end of this month, which is actually ahead of schedule.
Iris
Just a little note, I had emailed NRG yesterday, with a question, and Amy Bento replied that she expects these workouts will be shipped by the end of this month, which is actually ahead of schedule.
Iris
candi
Cathlete
Thank you all for your input. I didn't realize they weren't expected out until November.
I love kickboxing. I've heard pros and cons about Amy Bento. As far as form, I'll just do my best.
I have to admire that even though she may not have perfect form, she had the guts and resources to provide new workouts. I'm not creative enough to develop my own.
I love kickboxing. I've heard pros and cons about Amy Bento. As far as form, I'll just do my best.
I have to admire that even though she may not have perfect form, she had the guts and resources to provide new workouts. I'm not creative enough to develop my own.
kathryn
Cathlete
>I looked at the clip and I could not get past her form being
>really bad! I've seen a lot of folks comment on her poor form
>too. I don't have a lot of kickboxing videos, but I think
>Cathe's form and Tony Horton's are both good, and from what I
>hear the Tae Bo's are pretty strong on form as well. I wonder
>if Amy Bento realizes her form was not good in this video, and
>if so, why would she release it?
>
A lot of instructors have crappy KB form, and I don't know if they don't realize it, or they just can't do any better at the time (it seems to take some neuromuscular repetition to get it down) and put out the workout anyway: Mindy, Cathe's punches in Cardio Kicks and CTX(it improved a lot in KPC, and is perfect in KM), Amy Bento, Tracey Staehle (from the clips, I still haven't gotten my replacment DVD's from her), Debbie Siebers' kicks, all have iffy form (most often, elbows that flare out, but sometimes rather dangerous-if-imitated moves around the shoulders and knees).
For good form, I think one needs to start with someone like Aaron Lankford, Katalin Zamir (her instructional, not her workouts, which are off beat with the strong-beat music), the Powerstrike instructors, or anyone who actually has some martial arts training to get a good basis in form. Janis Saffel (married to black belt Guillermo Gomez) also has good form, and Kimberley spreen is pretty good, except for her hooks, which are a bit strange and too open.
Those of us who know good kb form can usually just ignore bad form (to some extent!), but I worry about choreography: if there are moves strung together---especially kicks---that are hard to do with good form, or without torquing the knee (Mindy Mylrea's "Jump and Jab II" comes to miind in that respect).
>really bad! I've seen a lot of folks comment on her poor form
>too. I don't have a lot of kickboxing videos, but I think
>Cathe's form and Tony Horton's are both good, and from what I
>hear the Tae Bo's are pretty strong on form as well. I wonder
>if Amy Bento realizes her form was not good in this video, and
>if so, why would she release it?
>
A lot of instructors have crappy KB form, and I don't know if they don't realize it, or they just can't do any better at the time (it seems to take some neuromuscular repetition to get it down) and put out the workout anyway: Mindy, Cathe's punches in Cardio Kicks and CTX(it improved a lot in KPC, and is perfect in KM), Amy Bento, Tracey Staehle (from the clips, I still haven't gotten my replacment DVD's from her), Debbie Siebers' kicks, all have iffy form (most often, elbows that flare out, but sometimes rather dangerous-if-imitated moves around the shoulders and knees).
For good form, I think one needs to start with someone like Aaron Lankford, Katalin Zamir (her instructional, not her workouts, which are off beat with the strong-beat music), the Powerstrike instructors, or anyone who actually has some martial arts training to get a good basis in form. Janis Saffel (married to black belt Guillermo Gomez) also has good form, and Kimberley spreen is pretty good, except for her hooks, which are a bit strange and too open.
Those of us who know good kb form can usually just ignore bad form (to some extent!), but I worry about choreography: if there are moves strung together---especially kicks---that are hard to do with good form, or without torquing the knee (Mindy Mylrea's "Jump and Jab II" comes to miind in that respect).
kathryn
Cathlete
>I can't view the clip either, for some reason. I have
>preordered these, just wondering what is wrong with her form?
>Do you have specific examples? I'm just curious.
I didn't watch it all, but her elbows are flared out (a common mistake), her speed bag arms are very strange (not a circular motion, but a fast jerky move), her chambers for side kicks look more like hamstring curls. I stopped watching after that (I am getting the workout, since I can compensate for bad instructor form).
>preordered these, just wondering what is wrong with her form?
>Do you have specific examples? I'm just curious.
I didn't watch it all, but her elbows are flared out (a common mistake), her speed bag arms are very strange (not a circular motion, but a fast jerky move), her chambers for side kicks look more like hamstring curls. I stopped watching after that (I am getting the workout, since I can compensate for bad instructor form).