My video workout library grew
by 130 DVDs in 2007...
so many different styles...
strength training, step aerobics, hi/lo aerobics,
walking aerobics, Pilates, yoga, fusion, functional fitness...
I tried them all,
using dumbbells, Body Bar, stability ball, Bosu, resistance band,
tubing, foam roller, Ballast ball and more....
Below you'll find some of my
favorites of 2007....
To read about these workouts
in more detail,
and find how how to modify them to suit your fitness needs and
goals, visit VideoFitnessTraining.com where you'll see hundreds of reviews,
in a detailed format with MOPS
Modifications (to adjust individual exercises
to your fitness level), Options
(how to make certain exercises easier/harder), Pointers
(for performing the exercises safely) and Strategy
for using the workout for best results.
Slim, Strong & Sexy Body Sculpt with Michelle Dozois (2007)
Type of
Workout: strength training
Time: 30,
30 minutes
Fitness Level:intermediate/advanced
Rating:
Michelle
Dozois has designed Slim, Strong & Sexy Body Sculpt
to help reshape your entire body in systematic, easy to follow
fashion by mixing a blend of classic dumbbell exercises with
innovative resistance band exercises, and sometimes using dumbbells
and the band together. Two 30-minute workouts allow you to target
upper body one day and lower body another, while simultaneously
challenging your core with Pilates and ab exercises that are
sprinkled throughout both workouts. Balance and coordination
come into play too, since some exercises are done while standing
on one foot, while others require that you follow a progression
of movements, making small changes in the base exercise.
This workout includes a big variety of advanced exercises with
intermediate modifications. Multiple levels can benefit from
this workout. Experienced exercisers who are comfortable with
dumbbell strength training and basic squats, lunges should find
the new twists on basic moves, the combination exercises, and
learning how to use a resistance band fun and challenging. Advanced
can lift as heavy as possible for strength gains or lift lighter
for a maintenance day workout, while intermediates can always
strive toward performing the hardest version of everything. Beginners
to exercise should start elsewhere, since even some of the easy
options still require good core strength, balance and coordination,
and the volume of work could be overwhelming for someone just
starting out.
Time: 77
minutes
15.5 tubing
20.5 dumbbells & step
23.5 body bar & stability ball
17.5 Gliding discs
Fitness
Level:intermediate/advanced
Rating:
Mindy's new workout is all about much
more than arms! The entire upper body gets a thorough
going over with any one of the four short workouts on this DVD.
If you've got the time, putting two or more back-to-back adds
to the intensity with plenty of variety, since each of the four
workouts uses a different type of resistance: tubing, dumbbells,
Body Bar, and body weight with Gliding Discs. Mindy hits all
the upper body muscles in very different ways using a huge variety
of inventive and unique exercises. A set of classic biceps curls
feels so different when you're using tubing, dumbbells, and a
Body Bar. Two options for each exercise are usually show, so
both intermediates and advanced will get a solid workout from
any section.
The four workouts vary in length
from 15 to 23 minutes. They pack a lot of punch individually
and even more when combined. Each includes a brief warm-up and
final stretch except for the Weights workout which launches right
into shoulder exercises. Each workout hits all the upper body
muscle groups with multiple sets. Sometimes the same muscles
are targeted back to back, sometimes two or three muscle groups
are alternated within a long set. Sets vary from 4 to 16 reps.
You can purchase All About
Arms only at Mindy's
site. It's the only website that I know of selling this
workout as of early June 2007. Read the full reviews at VideoFitnessTraining.com
Flexibility for the Inflexible
with Keli Roberts (2007)
While
sitting, kneeling, and lying on a foam roller, you'll roll around
on the floor for half an hour with Keli Roberts to deeply massage
your muscles during this invigorating, and often uncomfortable
(sometimes to the point of painful), Flexibility for the Inflexible
workout. Your muscles should feel rejuvenated afterwards, so
this is an especially good workout to do after a particularly
strenuous workout or sports session.
It might take a bit of practice
before you can perform all the moves in this workout smoothly,
especially if you're very inflexible or don't have much upper
body strength. Some of the positions may feel quite awkward at
first, but perseverance and practice should pay off in the long
run. As you keep practicing you'll get smoother with the moves,
and you may even discover different positioning that works better
for you. You may also find that over time, your range of motion
for certain exercises will increase, and that you will be able
to stretch deeper during the final stretches in other workouts.
One problem: There is a major
editing problem with the second Glutes/Piriformis/Hamstrings
segment. The first side is worked for over 5 minutes, but the
second side gets only 2 minutes, because two exercises are skipped
entirely (for the notoriously tight hams and hip flexors) and
the Hip & IT Band stretch is shortened considerably. Since
you want to stretch both sides evenly, this can be easily fixed
by using your chapter back button to immediately repeat the first
Glutes/Piriformis/Hamstrings before moving onto the Shins.
Drop It in 30! features two styles of well-cued cardio
workouts. Fat-blasting Workout focuses on steady-state
cardio with short combos and TIFTing, while Metabolism-boosting
Workout is an interval workout which alternates higher-impact
cardio steps with lower body toning moves or athletic drills.
The main cardio segments of each workout are about 20 minutes
each, so once you add the warm-up and cool down, it takes just
under half an hour for a single workout -- hence the title Drop
It in 30! (minutes, not days!) If you've got more time, you
can do both cardio segments back to back for a 49-minute calorie
burn.
The choreography in Fat-blasting
is more complicated than Leslie Sansone or a walking style of
cardio, yet still easy to follow because it's so well-cued. Chris
adds a dance flair to standard cardio moves, but does not actually
teach dance steps per se. New moves are introduced one at a time
and practiced a bit, then three steps are combined into a combo
and practiced that way. Four combos are taught, and there is
lots of TIFTing (taking it from the top) as each combo is completed
and added to the others.
Metabolism-boosting Workout is faster paced than Fat-blasting
-- the music tempo is 138 bpms, and while the choreography is
still well-cued and easy to follow, it's often higher impact
too. In Metabolism-boosting, four different intervals
are taught, each is performed twice, and then it's gone...you're
on to the next one...no TIFTing involved. Your heart-rate should
fluctuate up and down as the intensity and impact varies during
the intervals.
Time: 70
minutes
4.5 warm-up
63.5 strength training
2 final stretch
Fitness
Level:advanced
with intermediate options
Rating:
Now this is Serious Strength training:
choose a challenging weight, focus on each muscle group for one
long set, vary the speed of the reps, alternate upper and lower
body exercises for recovery between sets. Gin Miller has designed
an advanced workout that offers three options for most exercises:
hard, harder, and hardest, so you can always work at a level
that's comfortable for you that day. You can focus on increasing
muscle endurance by using lighter weights or build serious strength
by using heavier weights and working to fatigue. Although the
work load is serious, the workout is not, because Gin's sense
of humor peeks through to lighten things up. You should be tired,
but smiling, when you finish. If you're not tired -- heavy up
on the weights. If you're not smiling -- lighten up!
If you look at the list of
exercises on the back cover, you'll the impression that Serious
Strength is a straightforward presentation of basic strength
exercises. Not so. Although many of the exercises are classic,
Gin's presentation is unique. The sets are long and the reps
are performed at various speeds: up-to-tempo 1-1 (1 up, 1 down),
slower 2-2, very slow 4-4, and super slow 8-8. The only exceptions
are the shoulder exercises which are all performed at a 1-1 tempo
and the core exercises which have their own special tempos. No
need to worry about following along with the tempo changes though,
because Gin cues you through them rep by rep.
Michelle
Dozois has designed an excellent circuit training workout by
alternating short, high-energy cardio intervals with slightly
longer strength training supersets. Six cardio/strength circuits
are followed by an ab superset to provide an efficient total
body workout in under an hour, including warm up and stretch.
A second Express workout uses 4 of these circuits for a compact
35-minute total body workout. Michelle encourages the use of
medium to heavy weights so that intermediates and advanced will
challenge themselves enough to effect changes in body composition--i.e.
build muscle to boost metabolism. Whichever version you choose,
you'll find that Michelle's positive energy and inventive circuits
will set you on the road to developing your best body.
The cardio combos are about
2.5 minutes each, and Michelle's novel approach is to split three
combos over six circuits. This means you learn a short, energetic
combo with high and low impact options, TIFT it twice, but don't
repeat it on the second side until the next circuit. Somehow,
taking a break for strength training makes the combo seem new
all over again on the second side.
Michelle sequences the upper
body work in alternating push-pull supersets, working back and
biceps together, then chest and triceps -- twice each. Next,
shoulders are paired with legs, and in the sixth circuit legs
get all the attention. The strength circuits vary from 3 to 4
minutes and include four or more exercises. In sets where heavy
weights are used Michelle often varies the lifting tempo.
The Hollywood Trainer 21 Day Total
Body Circuit Workout
with Jeanette Jenkins (2007)
Type of
Workout: muscle endurance
training
Time: 37.5
minutes, 36 minutes
Fitness Level:intermediate
Rating:
The Hollywood Trainer 21
Day Total Body Circuit Workout
is divided into two complementary circuit training workouts which
can be alternated daily. Each workout includes a warm-up, five
strength circuits, an ab circuit, and a stretch. Each strength
circuit is composed of three exercises performed in this order:
upper body, lower body, fast-paced standing core work. By choosing
classic strength exercises and simple conditioning drills, Jeanette
has made both workouts very easy to follow. Her energetic, entertaining
teaching style keeps motivation high for her large multi-level
class as well as the home exerciser.
Muscle endurance is the focus
of each workout. Most sets are long -- 25 reps. Beginners are
encouraged to stop after 15 reps. Circuit A targets the
chest, shoulders, triceps, quads, hamstrings, glutes, and abs
in 37.5 minutes. Circuit B targets the back, biceps, shoulders,
legs, and abs in 36 minutes. Short conditioning drills close
each circuit to focus on the core with cardio-paced knee lifts.
Both warm-ups use simple steps and are easy to follow.
If
you've been strength training with dumbbells for a while and
are looking for a change of pace, Amy Bento's resistance band
workout will will add a new dimension to your workouts. In typical
10 Minute Solution style, Tone Trouble Zones! offers
five different workouts, four strength and one stretch. By including
a brief warm-up and final stretch in each resistance workout,
Amy has made it possible to target one Trouble Zone any time
you've got ten minutes to spare. If you've got longer, you can
use the Customize Your Workout menu to create up to an hour workout
by arranging up to 6 of the 10-minute segments in any order you'd
like. The ability to repeat segments multiple times is a handy
feature.
This is a great DVD for travel.
The folded band fits right into the DVD case and ta-da -- you've
got all you need for a resistance workout on the go. And if you
don't have a band, don't worry, you'll get a free one with this
workout.
NYC: Body Sculpting Workout
with Kelly Coffey (late in 2006)
Type of
Workout: muscle endurance
training
Time: 54 minutes
Fitness
Level:advanced
Rating:
Kelly's goal with NYC is to help you burn
maximum calories while increasing muscle definition by arranging
many innovative and unique exercises into short supersets and
by constantly switching between upper and lower body exercises.
In just 54 minutes, you'll work your way through 10 upper body
supersets, 11 lower body supersets and 3 ab supersets, alternating
long non-stop sets of upper body sculpting using lighter weights
with long sets of lower body conditioning using only your body
weight.
Excellent instruction and cueing
make the workout very easy to follow. Kelly has a straightforward,
down-to-earth, pleasant demeanor. She's encouraging in a matter-of-fact
way, acknowledging that you're working hard and urging you to
keep it up. Unusual and innovative exercises arranged in supersets
produce plenty of muscle fatigue even with light weights. Four
time-efficient Coffey Mixes offer versatility -- it's
quite easy to fit some or all of this workout into your workout
schedule.
There's sure to be A New
You Coming very quickly if you add this unique workout to
your rotation.
Prevention Fight Cellulite Fast
with Chris Freytag (2007)
Type of
Workout: cardio interval
training, lower body strength training
Time: 37.5
minutes
Fitness Level:intermediate/advanced
Rating:
The
best way to Fight Cellulite is to lose fat and build muscle
through regular exercise. Chris Freytag has combined both methods
in this two-part Prevention workout: cardio interval training
for fat loss followed by exercises to strengthen and tone the
body parts that are most prone to cellulite: the legs and glutes.
Chris undertakes Part One of the cellulite battle by stringing
together six 6-minute variable-intensity cardio intervals to
produce a high-energy, upbeat, calorie-burning workout. Part
Two is shorter, but still intense, as it targets the legs and
glutes with multiple sets of squats and lunges, as well as a
few floor exercises. Chris even sneaks in a few sets of toning
for the upper arms -- that other cellulite-prone area. Fighting
cellulite can be a long process. If cellulite is not disappearing
fast enough for you through exercise alone, remember that
a balanced, healthy, moderate eating plan is an essential ingredient
in reducing the appearance of cellulite too.
Intermediates who can handle
higher impact moves should get a rousing cardio workout from
this interval training format. If your knees can't handle the
jumping and hopping, or don't want to add it, this interval workout
will turn into a steady-state intermediate cardio workout, since
the music tempo is only a moderate 130 bpms. You'll still burn
calories, and hopefully reduce your cellulite, just not as quickly.
Beginners should be able to handle the low impact cardio option,
starting with only an interval or two and gradually adding on
as they get more fit.
The strength training segment
calls for healthy knees, and proficiency with squats and lunges,
because you're doing one or the other nonstop for over 10 minutes.
Although easier modifications are shown, they aren't necessarily
beginner options (i.e. beginners may need to hold onto a chair
for the lunge series, skip the added leg lifts in the curtsies,
skip the stepping plies with leg lifts).
Self Trim & Tone Fast!
with Kimberly Spreen (2007)
Type of
Workout: strength training
Time: 56 minutes
Fitness
Level:intermediate
Rating:
Self Magazine'sTrim and Tone Fast! gets my
vote as one of the best intermediate toning workouts of 2007.
It has so much going for it: beautiful outdoor scenery, inventive
exercises, excellent instruction, and best of all, six short
and effective workouts that can be done individually or combined
in any way you'd like with the programmable menu. Kimberly Spreen
has designed this superset workout for use with light dumbbells
to build muscle endurance.
On those time-crunched days
when you need a focused workout fast, you can arrange, in any
order, the 16-minute total body workout and five target toning
workouts that average about 5.5 minutes. Add just one segment,
or all six, to the separate warm-up and cooldown and you've got
workouts that range from 15.5 minutes if you target just one
body part to 56 minutes if you play every workout once. You can
repeat segments too.
Katina Hunter has created a unique Pump Party
to work your entire body with a variety of classic strength exercises
combined in creative ways. After a thorough warm-up, Katina leads
you smoothly and leisurely through eight strength-building supersets,
followed by a short ab segment and a relaxing final stretch.
The sequencing of the exercises within these supersets is imaginative
and challenging. Each strength segment opens with a compound
exercise that works upper and lower body simultaneously. Next,
this compound exercise is split apart so that upper and lower
body can be worked separately with the same movements. As a bonus,
in five of the eight segments, Katina sneaks in an extra upper
body exercise right before repeating the compound exercise to
close the segment.
The full workout takes over
an hour, but three shorter Party Mixes allow you to spread
the upper body workload over three sessions while still training
the lower body each time. Advanced exercisers will enjoy the
high volume workload of this long Pump Party. However, the shorter
Party Mixes make it immediately doable for intermediates. Getting
tired? Just use your chapter skip button to dance right over
the last compound exercise (and the bonus upper body exercise
too) and move on to a new superset. DVD technology offers easy
ways to work toward completing the entire workout.
The variety of exercises, the
unusual compound exercises, and the splitting of the compound
exercises into isolation exercises within each superset makes
this workout unique and entertaining. Katina works you long and
hard, but does so with a smile and good-natured encouragement.
