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Which are the best fitness DVD's to buy?
Can you please suggest some good exercise dvds that would be useful to
buy. There's such a wide selection on the market at the moment .
Thanks. Jayne
Our expert says...
It can be an exercise DVD minefield out there with so many on the market, so the key to successful buying is knowing what your preferences (with relation to type of exercise styles) are! If you had no preferences and were simply driven to burn as many calories as possible then I would recommend ones that focused on a high-energy aerobic-style component (possibly with boxing-type movements) as well as a 'muscle toning' component.
Here are some reviews for some of the current exercise DVD's:
Davina McCall; 30-Minute Workouts
Good length 30min sessions that are realistic to people's lifestyles but there is poor technique on some exercises, such as press-ups, setting a bad example. There is high-impact exercises that could lead to difficulties for people with joint problems. It does not take account of different fitness levels of potential viewers and could be too challenging for beginners or the unfit. Equally, it may not be challenging enough for people who are reasonably fit.
Debra Stephenson; Busy Life Workout
Not really enough stretches in the warm-up, increasing the risk of pulling muscles. Too many exercises are not explained clearly enough (so may not be suitable if not farmilar with exercise already). Some moves are too high-impact, high-intensity exercises that are done very quickly which may not allow people time to warm up properly. Uses star jumps, likely to put unfit people out of breath very quickly.
Vicky Entwistle's Weight off Workout - Fat burning and toning.
Ideal if you want to lose weight and are new to exercise. Vicky Entwistle - aka Corrie's Janice Battersby - lost 2 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. I actually tried this one myself and would recommend it as its a good old-fashioned workout routine, one that will really have you sweating.
Lady Isabella Hervey; Power Workout
This one is extremely demanding for beginners and using the video could easily over-exert unfit viewers. There are some difficult positions that would be better tried with a trainer present. Most exercises are clearly demonstrated but there isn't enough instruction to help people follow. Shows poor technique in several exercises.
Kelly Holmes; First Steps to Fitness
Some of the stretches that are easy for a world-beating athlete, would be almost impossible for many viewers and could lead to muscle strains. The training routine switches quickly from lying to standing, which can cause dizziness so not advisable to be used by those individuals with hypotension (low blood pressure). It does give good explanations at the start but doesn't keep reinforcing technique and safety so bear that in mind if you purchase this one!
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. If you like dancing then this would be a good option! It will be effective for burning fat, toning arms, legs and bum while learning to dance. Our 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.
Hopefully the small selection above will give you an idea of the kind of
exercise DVD you want and have given you a glimpse at which of the current ones on the market might be suitable to you. Happy exercising!
Kelly
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