Does anyone use fitness videos/DVDs....

[vikegirl]

...almost exclusively to work out? If so, what are your favorites?

Just curious, because aside from walking, it's the only way I can get any exercise in.

:)

[Left Is Write]

1. I use videos nearly every day.

I also do weight training at home with a bench and a set of dumbbells.

I use the Leslie Sansone Walk Away The Pounds videos. I started with this set:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000062XEM/qid=/sr=/ref=cm_lm_asin/104-1525466-4869541?v=glance

That contains a one-mile, a two-mile, and a three-mile walk, all incorporating the use of light weights (which is optional; you can do the workouts without the weights).

I also use these, which do not incorporate weights:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0006213JE/qid%3D1106183046/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/104-1525466-4869541

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0006213IK/qid%3D1106183063/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/104-1525466-4869541 (This one is great for interval training, alternating walking segments with jogging segments)

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00008DDJD/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_f/104-1525466-4869541

I have a power mile DVD also. I really like that one and will sometimes do it two or three times in a row for a variation instead of one of the other extended programs.

These programs are great, in my opinion. The varying walking moves, plus the pace, are great not only for cardio, but for strengthening/building the muscles of the lower body. The upper body moves - with or without the weights - add to the calorie burn and strengthening. Because I do lift weights at a much heavier level three days a week, I like the little extra kick of the light weights in the videos. (And I should add that the WATP videos have done more to help my rear end defy gravity than the previous 10 months of using the elliptical trainer and step climber did!)

I also like these programs because the moves are very easy to follow. Anyone can do them. Some people find Leslie to be too chatty and annoying, but I like her cheerful banter. It makes the workouts speed by, and I feel like I'm really with a group of people.

[H3Dakota]

2. I used to!

My favorites were Billy Blank's Advanced Tae Bo series... yeah, some things are irritating about them, but the workout is fantastic! It really put me ahead of the game when I took up Tae Kwon Do. I still work out to them occasionally for a change of pace.

I also liked Denise Austin's Fat Burner workout. I do not care much for her & it is obvious that she's taking cues from someone throughout the workout - but again, the workout itself is great.

For fun - any of the belly dancing workouts! I like the ones with the twins.

Tamilee's "I Want Those Arms/Abs/Legs" is excellent for some different strength training moves - and you don't *have* to have weights to start off with it.

If you like Cher & can find her old workout videos, get them! I've got one with a step workout followed by an abs section & a leg workout. They are great - and the music makes it more fun! ;)

[supernova]

3. I use The Firm so far

and I like it. It's kind of cardio with free weights. And yes, it's tough.

I have an Upper Body Sculpt one and an Abs workout. The upper body sculpt is about 45 minutes. They abs workout comes in 20 minute segments and you get a basic, indermediate, and advanced workout on one DVD.

[laruemtt]

4. yes, yes yes!

wow, a DU exercise vids/DVDs group - who'd a thunk?

i do the firm and cathe friedrich almost exclusively with some spinning with spinervals thrown in. this morning i did cathe friedrich's boot camp / muscle endurance bonus workout - a killer for me. anybody else here do cathe?

[vikegirl]

5. Cathe!

I don't have her Bootcamp, but I have a majority of her stuff. Did you preorder her Hardcore series? I started to ween myself off her because she started using too much equipment, but the new vids look AWESOME.

Have you (or anyone else) checked out the reviews and forums at http://www.videofitness.com ? It's a great resource!

[laruemtt]

6. muscle max and kick max are

tempting me something awful! we're trying to pay off all bills before moving to st. lucia in august, but i might have to sneak these two in here somehow. have you done the boot camp/muscle endurance bonus workout? excellent! am talking myself into doing it this morning as a matter of fact.

for anybody who doesn't think you can get a kick-ass workout from a video / dvd, go check out cathe: http://www.cathe.com/ and no i don't work for her, just a believer. hubby who works out at the gym says no way when i ask him to do a cathe workout with me!

enjoy!

edited to add: you really need to get the boot camp / muscle endurance dvd - wonderful premixes. no matter what kind of workout you want to get on a particular day, it's all there.

[vikegirl]

7. Cathe's Boot Camp

Does it use a lot of equipment? I really don't want to buy the High Box or a stability ball....not a lot of room. I do have a (Reebok) step, as well as various dumbells and a barbell.

I did pre-order the Hard Core series, but I might sell the Kick Max (I *hate* Cathe's "kickboxing" (more like mega hi-impact with a punch thrown in there now and then).

Do you (or anyone else) do other advanced workouts like Christi Taylor, Mindy Mylrea or the CIAs (http://www.ciavideo.com/ )?

I'll have to check out some of the other videos mentioned on this thread. I'm really curious about Leslie Sansone now!

[laruemtt]

8. christi taylor, mindy and the CIAs in general

are too choreography advanced for me! i can't do dancy.:crazy:

a lot of people on videofitness love them, however.

for boot camp, you'll need a high step, but you can do what i did for years - use a thriftymade toolbox! works great. i think it's about 14" tall. the only other things you'll need are the dumbbells and barbell, which you already have. for the ball, one of the exercisers shows you how to use a dumbbell for the medicine ball, or the step for the stability ball - or you can even do some of the exercises, like the flyes and bench press, from the floor.

btw, if you decide to sell kick max, i'm interested in buying! but i agree with you about the high-impact. hope she throws in a few more kicks in this one.

[vikegirl]

9. Kick Max...

....is yours, if you want it. I was just over at the Cathe website and from the looks of the pictures, waaaayyy too much high impact. I mean, plyo-jacks in kickboxing? :crazy: Anyway, when they start shipping, PM me and let me know if you're still interested.

I may give Boot Camp a try. I think FitTV is showing abbreviated versions of it.

Are you a member of Videofitness.com ? I go by the username ebbhead, but I rarely post there. It's my second favorite forum (after DU, of course), but they talk too much about Wal-Mart bargains. :puke:

[laruemtt]

10. yeah, i know what you mean about the

"walmart bargains" ! i hardly post over there either (laruemt) but sometimes at the firm ya-yas. this is great having a DU'ers exercise video forum. i'll feel more like checking in here than over there :P

btw, when the plyos get ridiculous, i just do squats instead. have you tried that? sometimes i'll just jump on my rebounder - much more knee friendly ;-)

[vikegirl]

11. Ooohhh!!!

You have a rebounder? I want one really bad, but VFers were saying how it works the calves and forefoot, and I have a really bad case of metatarsalgia (ball of the foot pain). After seven years of doing Cathe, I'm looking for lower-impact stuff (the new Gin Miller vids at collagevideo.com look like they'd work). Do you also get the Collage video catalog?

I never thought of doing squats for plyos, though--great modification! :-)

[laruemtt]

12. if you promise not to tell dh, vikegirl, yes,

i still get the collage catalog, even though i've begged them to stop :evilgrin:

if you do get a rebounder, get a good one. it's really worth the money. a couple of summers ago i had a microdiscectomy L5-S1 so i have to be careful too. i had the cheapo sporting goods store kind (about $29 i think) and it hurt my back. the reboudair is great and definitely worth the $. if you make it a habit to land on your heels and concentrate on pushing down when you land rather than bouncing up, you should be okay with your feet. a lot of fun barefoot, too!

i can't take credit for that squat modification - think that was from videofitness or maybe firm ya-yas. but it does work.

[vikegirl]

13. How much...

...do good rebounders go for? I've seen the cheap ones at Gart and was tempted. Also, how do you store them when not in use? (I have a VERY small condo with not much space.)

Hey, this is cool that I've met a fellow DUer/VFer here :-)! I had no idea those two forum paths would cross. (I always mean to sign up for ya-yas, but it requires getting approved or something, and always put it off.)

[laruemtt]

14. i've got the Reboundair --

it was $299 but it folds up in half so you can take it traveling (well, in a car anyway). i think for either $350 or $399 you can get one that folds into quarters so you can fly with it. yeah, kind of pricey, but it's got a lifetime warranty and i think it's a great addition / investment in your health.

"Hey, this is cool that I've met a fellow DUer/VFer here ! I had no idea those two forum paths would cross." - it's wild, isn't it?! wow, i feel more motivated to work out now knowing i sort of need to "check in" and be accountable. :toast:

[musette_sf]

16. could we have a

DU exercise videos group? A whole group, not just a thread? DU is my main hangout place so I'd like this a lot!

Just getting back into a routine after a VERY long time without one. Have to admit that 9/11/01 really threw me into a terrible "Eat Well, Stay Fit, Die Anyway" funk.

I love videos and walking tapes, I am an exercise loner and don't really care to go to a gym.

I am 50+ and pretty much at a beginner level at this point. I am trying to pace myself as I work my way up.

Yesterday was Gaiam Yoga For Weight Loss with Suzanne Deason. This DVD is cool because you can select your modification level. Then I did the "light aerobics" routine on Jane Fonda's Stress and Relaxation video.

I just bought a bunch of cool videos and DVDs from Collage Video - they cost more than Amazon, but they have better reviews and they deserve to be rewarded for this. They also have videos and DVDs that are usually not commercially available.

It would be nice to have a little video fitness group here.

[Longhorn]

17. Here's how you start a group:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=206x10

You might ask Skinner in the Ask the Administrator forum what he thinks about the idea before you go to the trouble of collecting at least ten members who are interested. I suspect he'll suggest that you use this group or your discussions but I'm certainly not Skinner!

Good luck!

[ocean girl]

15. I use the Giaim yoga videos

and they're all great. I've learned every yoga move from them and they allow me to work at my own pace and strength level.