What makes a workout DVD worth the time and money users will have to invest? Is it the length of the workout, the instructor? The type of workout, the music? Actually, it is the motivation. If that DVD gets you to pop it in and actually perform the workout, then it is money well spent. Everyone has a different motivation, and everyone likes something different, but we all know what ‘it’ is when we find it. Go into any hardcore gym rat’s DVD collection and you will see at least one case that is worn and weathered, and probably empty, since the DVD is in the player…
Fitness enthusiasts have their favorite DVD workouts, and everyone has at least one they swear by. Back in the 90s, Abs of Steel was the top of all lists, prior to that, many Sweated with the Oldies, and today you can’t find someone who hasn’t at least tried P90X.
If you need new recommendations for workout DVDs that will challenge you, if you have hit the wall and can’t lose weight, or are just beginning to build your own home gym, the following “Must Have” DVDs are a good place to start. These DVDs feature some of the best exercises to lose weight. The first thing everyone needs in their workout DVD library is a good, solid yoga DVD. It has been proven that Yoga does many things for your body. Yoga makes your body more flexible, of course, and flexibility has been proven to increase muscle growth. When your muscles stretch, it gives it more room to increase in size—so if you resistance train, Yoga can help you get stronger. In addition, Yoga clears your mind, de-stresses you, and even clears your skin by increasing blood flow and again, reducing your stress. A great Yogi to follow is Rodney Yee. You can’t go wrong with one of his videos, and choosing his total body (Power Yoga Total Body) will give you a workout as well as a stretch.
Next, you should add a Pilates DVD to your home video library. Pilates also provides stretching and lengthening of the muscles, but in addition, you use your body weight to strengthen your body. Pilates will sculpt long, lean muscles. Pilates also helps men or women who want to increase muscle mass, because it helps to strengthen and build the smaller muscles in the body. Smaller muscles are the ‘helper’ muscles to the larger muscles, and this creates a well-rounded, balanced body.
Bernadette Giorgi has slew of Pilates DVDs. You can see her collection by clicking the picture.
Also on every must have list is an abs workout. Everyone loves to work the abdominals, and a DVD that offers several workouts in one is a surefire way to go. Abdominals can get used to any workout you do, so it is important to change the routine up every so often. If you purchase a DVD that has several workouts, then you can easily accomplish this. Cathe Friedrich’s STS Abs offers six different abdominal routines, so you can do a different one every day of the week, incorporating one day of rest. Jay Johnson’s Home Boot Camp Abs is another great choice. This DVD offers three very challenging workouts, and is geared for advanced. Beginners start at one level and progress to Intermediate, and then to Advanced. Of course, you can start with any of the three and alternate.
The next DVD is cardio, and is another one of Cathe Friedrich’s workouts. If you don’t know who she is, Cathe Friedrich is someone you need to get acquainted with. This fitness guru has her own fitness empire, which she has been steadily building for two decades. Cathe is an inspiration to women (and men!) everywhere. This cardio DVD use plyometric training, or jump training, probably the best exercise to lose weight. These short, intense bursts of work get your heart rate up, then bring it down, only to take it right back up again. This type of exercise has been shown to burn nearly three times as many calories as steady state cardio. The DVD is called ‘Cathe Friedrich’sHiiT’ for High Intensity Interval Training. There are three different workouts on the DVD, and all are 30 minutes in length, including the warm-up and stretch.
And finally, the last DVD is a strength training DVD series. Cathe Friedrich’s newest series is called ‘STS.’ STS stands for Shock Training System. It’s a series of 40 discs, each disc used once in a three-month rotation. You’ll do the first set, Endurance, for a month, then take a week off and begin Hypertrophy. After a month of hypertrophy (building muscle), you will take a week off and then begin the Strength phase. After this month, you can then just start all over again if you wish. By the end, you’ll be stronger and will see fabulous results. The beauty of the program is that you never do a DVD twice in that three-month time span, truly a shock for your system. The DVD series is a bit pricey, so if it is out of your budget, check out her ‘Pure Strength’ DVD. This one DVD features three workouts—two upper body and two lower. It uses heavy weights and will definitely get you the results you are looking for.
w recommendations for workout DVDs that will challenge you, if you have hit the wall and can’t lose weight, or are just beginning to build your own home gym, the following “Must Have” DVDs are a good place to start. These DVDs feature some of the best exercises to lose weight. The first thing everyone needs in their workout DVD library is a good, solid yoga DVD. It has been proven that Yoga does many things for your body. Yoga makes your body more flexible, of course, and flexibility has been proven to increase muscle growth. When your muscles stretch, it gives it more room to increase in size—so if you resistance train, Yoga can help you get stronger. In addition, Yoga clears your mind, de-stresses you, and even clears your skin by increasing blood flow and again, reducing your stress. A great Yogi to follow is Rodney Yee. You can’t go wrong with one of his videos, and choosing his total body (Power Yoga Total Body) will give you a workout as well as a stretch.
