Triplets’ DVD not triple good

LITTLE ROCK — The Dahm triplets — Jaclyn, Erica and Nicole — have a new fitness DVD out that will have you seeing triple. The DVD is the first for the identical trio, who’ve appeared on Dr. Phil and other shows talking fitness. It’s geared to new mothers. But the women, who all have children under 18 months, say it will also benefit anyone who’s trying to get back into the fitness grind. (It’s available at 321getyourbodyback. com for $9.99.)

One of the DVD’s saving graces: The triplets leave the baby talk at home. Many a DVD geared toward new moms treats them like children, baby talk and all. The triplets don’t do that.

The downside: Those who stayed pretty active during pregnancy may feel like they’re being babied.

The toning sessions, in which you use hand weights or your body weight, are a mere three minutes. The workouts run just 10 minutes.

Put them together and you’ll get a 50-minute workout, sure. But those who are already well on their way to getting their body back might not find them challenging enough. Since the DVD isn’t geared to triathletes, but home athletes, that’s probably just fine for many.

Aside from the three 10-minute sessions and the warm-up and cool-down, there’s also a core workout that includes planks and bridges among other moves. All that’s needed is a mat and some dumbbells.

The DVD is a bit of a throwback. The moves are aerobics-based, even cheerleading- and dance-oriented (these are their descriptions). There are few moves that could be considered high-impact. There’s lots of bouncing, little jumping.

While other DVDs might mimic boot camps with plyometrics and push-ups, this one seems to mimic a cheerleading camp, circa 1985. Again, for those easing back into

exercise that may be fine, but even so, a few more lunges or squats seem in order.

The women’s outfits are also a throwback, brightly colored leotards with highcut legs and leg warmers. It’s all a bit ’80s-tastic.

The triplets take turns leading the routines. Jaclyn’s the first up — even though she’s the youngest, she notes — with a warm-up and a 10-minute workout. She does plenty of high kicks and arm movements. There are “power squats” toward the end and some basic weightlifting moves, including biceps curls.

Erica’s sequence includes the Charleston, some jump-rope-style bouncing and a number of classic aerobics moves. “Bring out that inner cheerleader,” she says at one point. She does have exercisers do a move common among football players, too, one that calls for holding a squat while running in place.

Nicole — aka “the sassy sister” — does more dance moves, even at one point encouraging the exercisers to freestyle along.

She proves even a bevy of blond bombshells can look somewhat silly busting a move. Maybe it’s the leotards.

Assistant Editor Katherine Benenati is also a certified personal trainer.