If you don't consistently get at
least twenty minutes of continuous exercise at least 3 times
a week... you're a beginner.
If you run or walk 3 or 4 times a week but have
never lifted a dumbbell ... you're a strength training beginner.
If you can do push ups and easily
rearrange the living room furniture but get out of breath walking
around the block... you're an aerobics beginner.
If you exercised regularly in the
past, but you've turned into a couch potato for the past 10 years,
1 year, 6 months, 2 months... face it, you're starting over...as
a beginner.
Even if you occasionally play golf
on weekends, toss a softball to your kids now and then, work
in your garden once in awhile, or do your own vacuuming and housecleaning...
you're still a beginner to a regular exercise routine.
If you've been sick or injured and
have missed your regular workouts for more than a week, consider
yourself a beginner for the first few workouts when you return
to action.
And if you cross train by alternating
the type and intensity of your workouts, be a beginner on the
day after a high intensity workout.
Beginners need to ease into a fitness regime slowly to avoid
injury and Beginner Burnout. The biggest mistake novices make
is trying to make up for lost time by working too hard in their
first few weeks. They mistakenly think that they haven't really
exercised unless they "feel the burn" during
their first workouts and feel very sore afterwards. Not
true!
And unfortunately, many experienced exercisers think the same
way. They may take a break in their normal routine for injury,
illness or vacation and when they return to their workouts they
start in where they left off -- at their regular intensity --
thinking they can get back into shape faster. Not a smart plan.
No matter how long it's been since you've exercised, whether
it's been ten years or two weeks, take it slow and easy when
you return to action.
Workouts for rookies should always include a thorough warm-up,
cooldown (for aerobics) and final stretch. Every exercise should
be explained well and demonstrated with good technique. Aerobics
routines should be low-impact. Easy and moderate intensity level
modifications should be demonstrated and encouraged. Strength
training workouts should introduce only a few sets of basic exercises
and not use complicated multiple-part exercises or do many back-to-back
sets for the same muscles.
The best beginner workouts can be adapted to grow with you
as your fitness improves. You can increase the intensity of strength
training workouts by adding dumbbells to an exercise and by gradually
increasing the weight as you get stronger. During aerobic workouts
you can increase the intensity by making your arm movements bigger,
lifting your arms overhead more often, lifting your feet and
knees higher or kicking higher.
The beginner aerobics and strength training workouts reviewed
below and on the Floor Aerobics page
will grow with you as your fitness improves. Choose a couple
of workouts and alternate them. Since you're just starting out,
be patient with yourself as you learn to challenge your muscles
and improve your coordination as well as strengthen your heart
and lungs. If you work out regularly, you'll be ready to add
more challenging videos to your rotation within a month or two.
And, don't throw away your favorite beginner videos when they
get too easy! They'll come in handy when you return to your exercise
routine after a break for vacation, illness or injury. Use your
beginner workouts for cross training when you need a change of
intensity. Pop them in the VCR on low-energy days...when you
want to be energized, not exhausted, by your workout.
The reviews below are condensed versions
of the reviews website VideoFitnessTraining.com
Those comprehensive reviews provide a detailed breakdown of each
workout as well as MOPS: Modifications to adjust each workout
for maximum results, Options to make exercises easier/harder,
Pointers about performing the exercises
safely, and Strategies for using the workout effectively.
Daisy Fuentes Totally Fit Workout
(1995) 39 minutes; beginner; floor aerobics, total body toning
gear: dumbbells, chair, floor mat
In this short,
low-intensity aerobic workout with beginner toning, Daisy works
out one-on-one with her trainer Giselle on a basketball court
and at pool side. (They have an odd rapport--Giselle's a bit
fawning while Daisy's a bit aloof. Giselle often turns to watch
and talk to Daisy, instead of facing the camera.) The aerobics
routine is only 18 minutes long and stays low-intensity, because
a lot of time is spent learning seven multi-step combinations.
Each dancy combo is taught step by step in slow-motion, then
up to speed and finally added to the earlier combos and repeated
"from the top" a few times before introducing another
combo. Despite all this repetition, the aerobics is hard to follow.
The combos don't always flow together smoothly, because Giselle
cues some of the moves too late. (Often because she's too concerned
about how Daisy's doing.) The separate toning segment includes:
one set each for back, chest, triceps; two sets each for shoulders
and biceps; and three standing leg exercises. It's an easy beginner
introduction to basic exercises with good instruction. Three
sets of basic ab crunches--upper, lower and oblique--are just
the right amount for a beginner. This workout is an odd combination
of a short, easy-to-follow toning routine with a low intensity
but hard-to-learn aerobic routine. Beginners may find the toning
just right, but the aerobic steps too complicated. Intermediates
may enjoy learning the aerobic combos, but find the toning much
too easy.
FIRM Basics-Background
The three Basics
workouts are excellent introductions to the FIRM's "aerobics
with weights" style of exercise for novices and are useful
to experienced FIRM devotees who need to cross train with an
easier workout or ease back into exercise after a break. FIRM
workouts use many "props" which you switch often, so
you need to have your dumbbells, dowel, chair or step, 2 x 4
board, floor mat and remote control handy. Two of these props
are particularly useful for beginners and should be used with
other videos too: the dowel or mop handle (used for balance while
learning squats and lunges) and the 2 x 4 board (placed under
your heels during squats to keep your knees and toes in proper
alignment). Each Basics video includes a 20-minute Video Coach
segment after the workout. The "Six Steps to FIRM Success"
provides a glossary of strength training terms and tips on how
to use weights generally and the FIRM workouts specifically.
It includes good ideas on motivation, with tips on how to get
started and how to keep going in any exercise program.
FIRM
Basics: Fat Burning Workout (1997) 44 minutes, beginner & intermediate, aerobic &
toning intervals, total body toning
gear: dumbbells, dowel, chair, floor mat
Of the three FIRM
Basics workouts, the Fat Burning Workout offers the least amount
of upper body toning. Two instructors, Jennifer and Stacy, alternate
five low-impact aerobic segments with four lower-body "dowel"
toning segments for 22 minutes of cardio. Aerobic footwork is
previewed in slow motion and then up to tempo with good cuing
and many reminders to be attentive to your posture. The easy-to-follow
steps don't involve traveling, so you don't need much floor space.
Dumbbells are used during the first aerobic routine and later
for six seated upper body toning sets. Abs and glutes are worked
on the floor. This well-rounded, energetic workout keeps you
moving at a good pace with a lot of exercise variety but not
too much intensity. (Unfortunately, this one is out of print,
though you may find it used.)
FIRM Basics: Sculpting with Weights
(1997) 43 minutes, beginner & intermediate, aerobic &
toning intervals, total body toning
gear: dumbbells, dowel, chair, floor mat
This Basics interval
training workout offers the most upper body toning. Tracie Long
leads this terrific introduction to body sculpting with thorough
instruction, right on cuing and excellent form. Four intervals
of faster-paced aerobic routines are alternated with four slower-tempo
upper or lower body toning routines for a 23-minute interval
training segment. As in the Fat burning workout the standing
leg toning uses a dowel for balance support. Seated upper back
exercises, push-ups, ab crunches and floor leg exercises round
out this workout. Short toning sets, slow tempo reps and plenty
of recovery time between sets make this a good choice for beginners
to strength training. These features also allow intermediates
to use heavier weights as they get stronger. (Unfortunately,
this one is out of print, though you may find it used.)
FIRM Basics: Abs, Buns & Thighs
Workout (1997) 45 minutes, beginner &
intermediate, aerobic and toning intervals, total body toning
gear: dumbbells, dowel, chair, floor mat
Although this "dowel"
aerobics and toning workout focuses on the lower body, it does
include some upper body dumbbell toning. Using the dowel (or
a broom handle) for balance and support allows total concentration
on the working leg and glute muscles, thus making the routines
safer and more effective for beginners. The workout begins with
push-ups and floor exercises for abs, legs and glutes. Twenty
minutes of low-intensity aerobic and leg toning intervals includes
lots of squats, lunges and leg lifts. The workout ends with seated
upper body work and ab toning. Straightforward instruction, excellent
form, frequent stretch breaks and the use of the dowel make this
a good choice for beginners. Intermediates can easily progress
to using heavier dumbbells. Advanced can use this workout as
is for an "easy" day, or skip the dowel and add dumbbells
and ankle weights for more intense lower body toning. Stacy cues
well, demonstrates excellent form and keeps the workout lively
with a lot of exercise variety. (Unfortunately, this one is out
of print, though you may find it used.)
Flo-Jo Workout - Mind, Body &
Spirit (1996) 63 minutes, beginner & intermediate, aerobics,
lower back & ab toning
gear: floor mat
Flo-Jo's encouraging
and upbeat style gives a party feel to this easy-to-follow, low-impact,
moderate-intensity aerobics workout that's divided into two 18-minute
sections. As you march in place to the pulsing music, each new
foot pattern, (many with side-to-side and front-to-back traveling)
is explained in advance. These patterns are taught and practiced
one at a time then combined, until a routine of six steps is
learned and repeated a few times. After 18 minutes, a short lower-intensity
song can be used as a cooldown for beginners who can then fast
forward to the floor toning and stretch. Intermediates can continue
onto the second six-step combo. With good cuing and plenty of
repetition, this is an easy-to-learn aerobic workout for beginners
to grow with. Ab crunches, push-ups and lower back exercises
are included before the final stretch. The class is the most
diverse I've seen in an exercise video: both sexes and all ages,
sizes, fitness levels, and races are represented. After the workout
Flo-Jo gathers the class around the kitchen table to discuss
nutrition and share a bit of exercise inspiration.
Geri Fit: The First Workout with Weights for Older
Adults (1996) 48 minutes; beginner, intermediate; total body toning
gear: dumbbells, chair, floor mat, towel
Demonstrating that
it's never too late to gain strength, a class of four over-60
exercisers follows Francesca through a well-balanced muscle toning
workout. Using light weights and short sets, she teaches a large
variety of exercises for all the major muscle groups including
the lower back. All exercises are done lying on the floor, seated
on a chair, or standing and holding a chair for balance. A warm-up
of easy marching in place with rhythmic arms moves is followed
by eight minutes of standing upper body stretches and lying leg
stretches. The workout begins on the floor with ten minutes of
chest, lower back and ab exercises. Eight sets of seated dumbbell
exercises for the shoulders and upper back are followed by seated
ankle and shin exercises. Squats, static lunges and calf raises
are done holding onto the chair. The dumbbell work finishes seated
again, with two sets each for the wrists, triceps and biceps.
The final stretch is done both seated and standing. Francesca
encourages everyone to rest between sets while she explains and
demonstrates the next exercise. She makes it easy to follow along
by lifting at a moderate pace. She also counts the reps aloud
during floor work so you don't need to watch the TV to stay with
the class. No rushing, no fast moves, thorough instruction, lots
of stretching and water drinking and plenty of encouragement
-- what more could you ask for in a tape for beginning seniors?
Gilad New Beginners Workout (1995) 53 minutes, beginner; floor aerobics (136 bpm), lower
body toning, abs
gear: floor mat
Who need tickets to Hawaii when you can work
out at home with Gilad? The time of day or season of the year
doesn't matter...pop this video into your VCR and you can take
a quick tropical vacation on the beach complete with a live band,
palm trees swaying in the breeze, sparkling blue water, bright
sunshine and two colorful toucans posing for the camera.
Targeting those who are just starting an exercise program or
returning after an injury, Gilad makes this workout easy to follow
and fun to do. If you're ready to graduate from Leslie Sansone's
walking workouts, Gilad will ease you into more structured aerobic
combos as he introduces individual steps in sets of eight, then
combines and practices them in sets of four until he builds a
short routine. A veteran instructor, Gilad uses clear instruction
and precision cueing to make the aerobics choreography very easy
for novices to learn. His encouraging, down-to-earth style keeps
you entertained and motivated.
After a thorough 7-minute warm-up and stretch, Gilad teaches
five different aerobic combos using a variety of low-impact steps
like step-touches, mambos, lunges, heel taps, and knee lifts
along with coordinating arm moves that even include a touch of
shadow boxing. For 30 minutes Gilad keeps you moving and burning
calories at a lively walking pace of 136 bpm. You don't need
much space for this workout either. Gilad and his crew never
venture beyond their 5-foot diameter rubber mats on the sand.
No weights are used for the 12-minute toning segment that follows
the aerobics. A long set of plie squats is followed by standing
chest and shoulder exercises. Then it's down onto your knees
and forearms for a long set of glute and hamstring exercises.
Next you roll over to finish with upper and lower ab crunches,
followed by the final stretch.
Jane Fonda's Complete Workout (1989) 70 minutes, beginner & intermediate; aerobics,
total body toning
gear: dumbbells, chair, ankle weights, floor mat
Three distinct
workouts (a 10-minute upper body dumbbell toning routine, a lively
30-minute dance-inspired aerobics workout and a 20-minute lower
body and abs toning routine) can be combined into two 50-minute
complementary workouts by doing upper body and aerobics one day,
aerobics and lower body the next. The upper body toning hits
all the major muscle groups with two sets of 12 reps. All lifting
is done at a smooth, steady tempo as Jane gives posture and form
tips. In the aerobics section half the class demos high-impact
while the other does low-impact. Modifications for increasing
or decreasing the intensity level are well-cued by the instructors.
The music and footwork is very lively, incorporating a variety
of dance styles from rock'n'roll to ballroom. The lower body
section starts with 12 minutes of leg toning: first standing
exercises, then classic floor leg isolations. Six minutes of
crunches follow. Here again, the toning tempo is slow and steady.
In this classic 1989 Fonda video the class wears crazy workout
clothes, laughs, whoops, and sweats -- you'll either love or
hate it. Of all her aerobic workouts from the 80's this one is
your best choice because of its low impact.
Jane Fonda's Personal Trainer Series:
Abs, Buns & Thighs (1995) 28 & 27 minutes, beginner & intermediate,
aerobics, lower body & ab toning
gear: chair, floor mat
Jane and two trainers
present two interval training workouts that are a great introduction
to floor aerobics and lower body toning for beginners. They use
no weights and teach uncomplicated aerobic steps. In each workout
three short aerobic intervals alternate with three toning intervals,
followed by a short ab routine and stretch. Three or four simple
aerobic steps are practiced solo, then smoothly combined into
four- to six-minute aerobic intervals that travel side-to-side
or forward and back (so you do need some room to move). Low-
and high-impact options are always shown on screen. The two-minute
toning intervals of squats, dips and leg lifts use a chair for
support. These short workouts are handy if you're short on time
or want to add floor aerobics to another workout.
Jane Fonda's Personal Trainer Series:
Total Body Sculpting (1995) 25 & 24 minutes, beginner & intermediate,
total body toning
gear: chair, dumbbells, floor mat
You're one-on-one with Jane
for two complementary personal training sessions that can be
alternated daily or done back-to-back for a 45-minute full-body
weight training routine. Workout 1 focuses on three exercises
for the legs (squats, lunges and quad extensions) and seven exercises
for triceps, biceps and upper back. Workout 2 includes six exercises
for glutes, hamstrings, calves, and inner/outer thighs, five
for the shoulders and chest, and two for the lower back. Each
workout has a different warm-up, ab routine and final stretch.
Most exercises get two sets of 12 reps. Two or three exercises
are grouped together and rotated, so there's plenty of time for
muscles to recover between sets. These compact, yet complete,
split workouts are convenient for someone who does aerobics separately
and has limited time for strength training. My only complaint
is that Jane's lifting tempo for some exercises is a bit too
fast to allow the use of heavy weights as you progress. However,
Jane demonstrates excellent form in every exercise and is an
encouraging teacher. Women who need motivation to exercise will
be inspired by her earnest and candid pep talk in the introduction.
Now on DVD with two other Fonda classics: Low Impact Aerobics
& Stretch and Abs, Buns & Thighs...what a
great deal!
Although targeted to sedentary
seniors, this is a great introduction to strength training for
beginners of any age. Karen's a bit more upbeat than usual as
she teaches a large variety of exercises for joint mobility and
strength. With her typical thorough instructions and impeccable
form, she uses a weighted Genie ball (though any cantaloupe-sized
ball would work), resistance bands and light dumbbells for the
upper body work and ankle weights for the legs. Except for wall-push-ups
and holding onto the chair for squats and leg lifts, the workout
is done seated, from the warm-up to the final stretch.
After three minutes of gentle seated warm-up moves for the hips,
glutes and torso, you use the small weighted ball for limbering-up
exercises for the shoulders, arms and wrists. Next you place
the ball on the floor for foot and ankle mobility exercises.
The muscle toning begins with five minutes of seated band (or
tubing) exercises for the back, shoulders and chest. Next you
stand for push-ups against the wall and a triceps press-down
with the band draped over the top of the door. You sit again
for six sets of dumbbell exercises for the shoulders and biceps.
You put on ankle weights to work the quads with seated leg extensions,
then stand for hamstring curls, squats and glute lifts. The final
seated stretch focuses on the lower body, as upper body stretches
are done during the workout.
This safe and easy-to-follow workout is a great choice if
you're a novice to strength training or need to stay seated during
your workouts. The only thing missing is ab exercises. Also,
be sure to follow Karen's excellent form as the three seniors
with her don't always follow her exactly.
Karen Voight Firm Arms and Abs(1991) 40 minutes, all levels, upper body & abs toning
gear: step (or chair & floor mat), dumbbells
A
newcomer to strength training won't find a much better
introduction to upper body toning with dumbbells than this workout.
Karen provides frequent postural tips and demos excellent exercise
execution. Karen's precise instruction, pace of lifting, and
constant cuing make the upper body toning very easy for a beginner
to follow. However, the ab section is quite difficult and beginners
should take it easy--your abs will burn if you try to do every
rep. The 20-minute upper body workout includes 7 seated exercises
for the back, shoulders and biceps and five lying-down exercises
for the chest and triceps. (Karen uses a step, but a chair and
the floor work fine.) Only one set of eight to twelve reps is
performed for each exercise, so beginners can start with light
weight and get a good strength training foundation. If intermediates
and advanced use heavier weight Karen's slow lifting pace will
allow them to work each muscle group to fatigue. The ab section
begins with ab "anchoring" exercises followed by many
sets of slow-motion crunches for upper, lower and oblique abs.
Three lower back exercises finish off this workout--a welcome
bonus as lower back exercises are often skipped. Karen is quite
talkative, but it's always about the exercises and correct form;
she's not into idle chatter. Some may find her too serious, but
she knows her stuff, and she works at a great pace for strength
gains.
Kathy Ireland Total Body Fitness (1994) 66 minutes, beginner & intermediate, floor aerobics,
lower body & ab toning
gear: chair, floor mat
Basic aerobic foot
patterns, gradual building of easy combinations and good instruction
for leg, glute and ab toning make this an easy-to-follow beginner
workout. This is one of the few videos where a beginner is shown
pacing herself by doing only half of the 30-minute aerobic routine
and fewer reps in the 36-minute toning routine. This should encourage
other beginners not push themselves either. For the aerobics
two long combos are built with simple side-to-side, forward-and-back
and zig-zag steps, so a good amount of floor space is needed.
A long routine of standing leg exercises is followed by push-ups
and chair squats. Next it's down to the floor for abs and more
legs. The tape closes with a 15-minute Q&A session where
Kathy addresses questions from the participants about the workout
and other aspects of fitness. Kathy is an ESPN fitness show veteran.
She is very encouraging with a soft-spoken, folksy teaching style.
With its low impact and simple
choreography, this classic Kathy Smith workout is a great introduction
to floor aerobics for beginners. Six aerobic routines, each about
six minutes long, make it easy to lengthen your aerobic workouts
gradually as your fitness improves. With big arm movements and
multi-directional traveling steps, it also has enough variety
and intensity for more experienced exercisers to work up a good
sweat. Each aerobic segment also includes toning exercises for
a specific body part. Eight slightly slower tempo toning reps
alternate with eight faster aerobic steps to keep you in an aerobic
training zone. Although Kathy's instructions are clear, her cuing
is sometimes off, but the footwork is so simple that once you've
done the workout a few times it won't matter. "Body checks"
are flashed on the screen for close-up demos of correct technique
for the toning moves. (But don't follow the one for squats, the
knees are extending forward beyond the toes--poor form!) This
video workout is over ten years old, so the choreography, music,
clothing, hairstyles are showing their age. However, if you're
looking for a long, low-impact aerobic workout with easy-to-follow
foot patterns, this one will burn the fat.
Now on Kathy's DVD Fat Burning Classics along with
Body Basics and Winning Workout
to
are based on the results of my review process.
