Elle Macpherson - The Body Workout DVD > Reviews > Heaven and Elle

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Liked it
Educational Value	Good
How good are the presenters?	Mildly irritating
How good is the content?	Good
Value for Money	Good

Advantages:	well - known face (and bod); v . easy to follow, good all - rounder
Disadvantages:	terrifying physiques to live up to; slightly dated

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

There's something god-given about Elle Macpherson's body. She chats to you a little about 'inner beauty' etc at the start of the workout, so you don't feel too bad as she flexes and leaps, smiling winningly at the camera.
Elle's workout has been devised by Karen Voight, a pint-sized pack of muscle with excellent credentials- she was and is a trusted fitness professional with her own line of gyms, as well as academies, in LA. Apparently Elle had to gain weight for the film Sirens (no, I haven't seen it either) and she enlisted Karen to help her lose it after. It's an all-rounder, split into cardio and toning sessions, and lasts about 45 minutes.
It's quite a giggle actually. It's all set in lush settings, with palm fronds, crashing oceans and so on, and Elle and Karen barely break a sweat. There are a lot of flamboyant arm movements and a few starjumps here and there, but the three cardio sections are just long enough to stay interesting. Elle's occasional comments are irritating ("This is one I really need to do"- yeah, right) but Karen ignores her and that's quite funny.
The toning sections are quite hard, especially the stomach one, and you'll need a chair and some weights, although cans of beans will do. Here the random remarks are genuinely infuriating, and you get the feeling throughout that Elle doesn't actually do this very often. There's also a distinct sense that she and Karen had three days rest between each section.
Overall it's a highly effective general workout, and you will know you've done it, yet it won't wipe you out. The music is cheesy but it's to be expected. The amazonian-trainer-and-genetically-advantaged-supermodel-jumping-and-smiling-in-paradise formula is a bit distancing, however; it would be nice to see Elle getting a bit sweaty and tired, then we'd be in it together. If you can take it for the actual exercise program, though, I can recommend it, as it's lacking in gimmicky extras.