Fitness DVD review thread
It would be helpful to hear what people think about different DVDs before we buy them. What do you think?
Bellydance Fitness for Beginners (Veena and Neena)
-The basic moves section is a good toning and stretching workout. The fatburning section is hard for me as a really out of shape person, because they stay on one side for a long time. It wouldn't be good for people with bad knees, as there is a lot of hopping. It is fun, and I really like that the moves are actual traditional bellydance moves. I just need to work up my endurance a bit from zero.
Kathy Smith Flex Appeal: A Bellydance Workout
I love this. Its slightly cheesy, but a nice overall body workout. I really enjoy it.
The Bollywood Dance Workout with Himalayaa
She can be annoyingly cheesy, but it is a really great workout. I think the warm up section is thorough, and the workout is fun. I think the abs section is too hard for me, but I haven't really worked out for about a year, so eventually I'll get it.
Haha--- I had a Veena and Neena bellydance VHS in high school. It was fun!
Jillian Michaels No More Trouble Zones is pretty hardcore. It's a 40 minute circuit, broken down into 5 minute workouts targeting specific areas. The workout is hard, but having it broken up this way makes it seem more manageable and motivates me to finish the set. All the exercises are pretty basic/straightforward, so you don't have to spend much time learning a routine to get the benefits of it. I recommend getting some 2 lb. weights (though this seems like nothing, you work the same area for the 5 minutes...you WILL be sore, even if it just 2 lb. weights. Congratulations to you, if you're not total weak sauce like myself ;) ) , a yoga mat, and some smaller jeans.
I have used a yoga DVD from Yoga Zone for years now. It only has two half hour work outs on it (one for the upper body and one for the lower body). I've never tired of it. Also, I do the one hour Inhale yoga program on the Oxygen channel every day. I set it to record on my DVR so that I don't actually have to start working out at 6:00 a.m. ;)
Jillian Michaels-The Biggest Winner: Shape up-Front
I just got this=LOVE IT!! It is kind of hard, but short, and you feel you got a good workout afterwards. I was happy I did the whole thing. You are supposed to have weights, and a step-table thingy. But I don't have one of those. I think I'll get a yoga block to use instead.
Anybody gettin' the new Jillian Michaels - Yoga Meltdown or something? I'm curious...
I considered it, but ordered a cookbook instead! I am a fatty at heart.
Haha, I have to admit... I downloaded it. And two others of her workouts. I'm gonna try one of them after the shred!
denie austin shrink your female fat zones easy peasy all over toning in 40 minutes. has some great ab and inner thigh workouts. the tape moves quickly and my arms looked ahmayzing in one week. it could use a little more thigh work. pretty low impact
denise austins yoga body burn great vinyasa yoga thats easy for beginners to learn. has a warm up, followed by a 20 minutes of sun salutations to get the body warmed up, and then has 10 minutes of leg toning, 10 minutes of ab/back strengthening, and then a 10 minute cool down.
sometimes i use mari windsors pilates-pink workout w resistance band the arm series is really hard on my neck, and the ab workout isnt very intense, so i skip those, but the thigh/leg workout is killer! it was only 9 or 10 bucks and came with the band, so i didnt feel bad about hating 2/3rds of the workout.
i also have a gaim yoga for weight loss tape that i found was super difficult for a beginner to follow. i tried it a few times but was "left behind" so to speak. the poses werent spelled out in (feet on the floor, torso in the air, ect) and moved super fast.
i also once had a great denise austin yoga tape that i think came out of a cereal box.... but i think i lost it. oh well :)
i enjoy denise austin tapes, she's super-over-the-top happy, positive, cheer-y ect and the vids flow well. whats funnier yet, is that my mother used to use her tapes back in the early 90s!
I love exercise DVD's!!! They have enabled me to get so fit and enjoy it, too.
I started with Denise Austin Yoga Power Plus and Denise Austin Fat Burning Yoga. I love both of these DVD's very much, I feel amazing afterwards. I also have a good handful of Kundalini and other yoga DVD's.
I love them all but right now I really love the exercise ball (doing pilates or yoga or cardio with it) and dance DVD's. Again, I have two of Denise Austin's dance cardio DVD's and they are fun. I know she is too much for many but I find her positive and sincere.
Oh, just got Shea Rhea's Shakti DVD...can't wait to try that.
I appreciate these reviews a lot. For instance, I've wanted to do Bellydance but I've never been able to move my belly that way so I have not tried it. But maybe I can do it.