printFitness DVD Reviews!
With summer coming and lifestyle demands only-ever increasing, what options are there to change our body shape with time and money restrictions?! Well, if you haven't tried working out in the comfort of your own home with an exercise DVD then you could be missing out on a powerful solution! With a fast-growing fitness industry, there is now more choice, styles and techniques for working out than ever, so here I review some of the latest DVD's to take the guess work out of finding the best choice for you!
Michelle McManus - The Lifeplan Workout
What it's good for: Ideal if you need to overhaul your diet and start exercising for the first time. Good for posture and toning.
How it works: Pop Idol winner Michelle lost a whopping 10 stone in 18 months and credits trainer Dax Moy's Lifeplan for "totally changing" her life. In the DVD the pair present a six-section total body conditioning workout that promotes fitness, burns fat and drives weight loss. The DVD comes with a booklet on the strict elimination diet that worked for Michelle.
My opinion: The exercises are well-chosen and safe, ideal if you have a lot to lose. Michelle presents really well.
Vicky Entwistle - Weight Off Workout
What it's good for: Fat burning and toning. Ideal if you want to lose weight and are new to exercise.
How it works: Vicky Entwistle - aka Corrie's Janice Battersby - lost 2 &frac2; stone (dropping to a dress size 6) in just three months of following this routine. She looks amazing and doing this DVD you can see why. It's a back-to-basics routine and very easy to follow. "I didn't want to do one of those cheesy dancing routines," Vicky says. Fitness trainer Richard Callender - who trained Jordan - puts you through your paces with a 20 minute fat burning routine based on boxing moves, and two 10 minute toning sections.
My opinion: A good old-fashioned workout routine, one that will really have you sweating!
Kym Ryder's Burn and Firm Workout
What it's good for: Weight loss, toning and improving posture. Aimed at busy mums.
How it works: Kym Ryder - former Hear'Say singer and now a Corrie actress - lost 12lb in four weeks of training. Kym and fitness coach Paul Younane promise amazing results in four weeks, with real benefits after three months of following the DVD.The workout includes an aerobic section, boxing, pillow boxing (!), toning exercises and aerobic dance moves.
My opinion: A good pace and easy to follow. It has a realistic approach with Kym using food cans and bottles of water as hand weights and the sofa as a support for resistance work.
If you like exercise that has a dance element to it, with choreographed moves and routines then you may want to consider the following two DVDs:
Jennifer Ellison's West End Workout
What it's good for: Fat burning, toning arms and legs and flexibility
How it works: Jennifer trained at the Royal Ballet and here she shows you some of the dancing skills that landed her a part in the musical Chicago. The DVD is split into three workouts: Upper Body, Bums & Tums and Lower Body. Plus one bonus dance routine.
My opinion: It's a fast-paced high-energy workout and will be a high-calorie burner. Perfect if you like choreographed exercise but you'll need to concentrate! It could prove to be a challenge for less-co-ordinated individuals.
Lilia Kopylova - Latina Size
What it's good for: Burning fat, toning arms, legs and bum and learning to dance.
How it works:Salsa off the pounds with this Latin American dancing workout from Strictly Come Dancing's Lilia Kopylova. It's split into five parts - Red Hot Warm Up, Simply Salsa, Cha Cha Burn, Rumba Tone, Sambasize, Jump 'n' Jive and the Ultra Cool Cool Down. Each section targets a different area of the body, but all the dances will have you sweating. Before each routine Lilia demonstrates the moves.
My opinion: A fun way to work off the weight. Moves are clearly explained and you can see Lilia is passionate about dancing. A 'dance deviser' allows you to create your own workout by selecting dances in advance.
If you are an experienced exerciser and want to try something different or aren't keen on aerobic-style dance routines then the following DVD's are a good option. Also the following are widely used by both men and women.
Suzanne Cox - Boxaerobics
What it's good for: Fat burning and toning, boasts almost instant results!
How it works: Presented by super-fit Suzanne Cox - Vogue from TV show Gladiators - this DVD is good for beginners and serious exercisers alike. You can up the tempo as your fitness improves. Fitness instructor Suzanne credits boxaerobics with shifting the 3½st she piled on while pregnant. The workout is a combination of boxing and aerobics. The moves are well described with good emphasis on safe practice.
My opinion: Choose this DVD if you're serious about getting fit.
Gunnar Peterson's - Core Secrets
What its good for: training your core, sculpting muscle and shifting body fat
How it works: Using the 65cm vinyl fitness ball that accompanies the 3 DVD's, Gunnar Peterson (one of Hollywood's best personal trainers), provides a full-body workout and accelerated core training, together with a training journal and fitness flash cards. The use of a fitness ball means that you can activate more muscle tissue by creating an unstable environment and increases the calories you use! The structure of the workouts mean the exerciser is able to work for longer without fatigue and the heart rate stays elevated for the majority of the workout!
My opinion: With this you get professional guidance at home on one of the leading methods of training in the fitness industry. Fitness ball training is very effective and Gunnar presents it well.
