Workout Review: 30 Minute Stomach Fat Walking Workout with Brian Syuki

There’s nothing I hate more than getting stuck in a rut. I love my local trail, but if I walk the same trail too many days in a row, I get bored. I need to go somewhere else. Or I need to change up my workout a bit—maybe with a fun walk-at-home video. But I can easily get stuck in a rut with those, too—and I need to keep looking for new videos from new instructors. And after seeing a few recommendations for Brian Syuki, I decided to give one of his videos a try.
The style of Brian Syuki’s 30 Minute Stomach Fat Walking Workout is quite simple—just the instructor in a plain white room with few distractions. But the video’s production comes with a few little extras to help viewers keep up. For those who like to track their progress, there are two different timers here. One shows the percentage of the workout completed, and the other counts down the seconds remaining in the current move. And during the last few seconds of each move, a video pops up in the bottom right corner to show the next move in the workout.
The moves, however, aren’t nearly as simple as the video’s appearance. The steps themselves aren’t especially complicated—usually just steps to the side, to the back, or to the front. But, in an attempt to offer plenty of variety, the steps are arranged in sequences that are often strangely complicated—for example: two steps to the side, two to the back, one forward—with equally confusing arm movements to match. I’ve admitted before that I’m not especially coordinated. I embarrass myself at group fitness classes—which is why I stick with walking or walk-at-home videos like this one. And I spent a lot of these 30 minutes scowling at the screen and staring at the instructor’s feet, just trying to figure out the steps.

Meanwhile, though Brian Syuki seems like a pretty upbeat guy, he doesn’t say a word during the workout. Admittedly, that could be a good thing—because instructors can easily come off as either too bland or too over-the-top as soon as they open their mouths. But I definitely miss the occasional motivation and encouragement—not to mention some spoken explanation of the steps. All that’s left here is some generic workout music—and that probably won’t keep you especially motivated.
I was hoping to Brian Syuki to my collection of walk-at-home favorites—but between the complicated sequences and the generic background music, I struggled to get through the entire 30 minutes of this workout. I appreciated the style and the little extras—but it’s not a video that I’d be eager to try again.
Pros:
– Countdown timers to show progress through both moves and workout
– Picture-in-picture shows next move
– Simple background—nothing flashy or distracting
– Instructor seems upbeat
Cons:
– Generic workout music
– Confusing step/arm sequences
– No spoken explanation of moves
– No spoken encouragement to keep you going
– Spends a high percentage of the workout on stretches (around 20-25%)
You can find Brian Syuki on his YouTube Channel at @BrianSyuki
