Arthritis RX

THE WORKOUT: Arthritis RX: exercises to keep you active and pain-free.

REVIEWED BY: Sophia

WHO CAN DO THIS: This is designed for people suffering from arthritis, so it is necessarily gentle.

THE BREAKDOWN: Vijay Vad, M.D., who based this program on yoga and Pilates, conducted clinical trials on it and says in the intro that participants had reduced pain in knees and hips and were able to cut down on pain meds. So that's cool.

You can start by watching the tutorial presented by Dr. Vad, but this is the most disappointing segment. While he explains what various movements are good for and generally how to do them, he does not address safety — for example, how to protect your neck during crunches, or the risk in putting sideways pressure on the knee joint in tree pose.

The exercises themselves are a three-part program. The 18-minute beginner segment focuses on flexibility. Done mostly on the floor and very slowly, it includes some twists, lots of arm raises for shoulder mobility and core strength, inner thigh stretches, and very easy standing poses including a tree pose keeping the raised foot lightly on the floor for balance.

The intermediate segment, 20 minutes, is for strength. It also starts on the floor and includes leg raises, gentle abdomen crunches, and back strengtheners interspersed with stretches. Standing poses also include some gentle side leg lifts, and another tree pose, this time with the foot lifted.

The 16-minutes advanced segment aims for endurance. It starts with the Pilates move the hundred, with rests between each 10 arm pumps. Crunches, bicycles, leg circles, one-legged bridge poses, a very gentle chair pose and more, done slowly and deliberately, provide challenge without taxing joints. And yes, I did all three segments and yes, I got a moderate workout on this last one.

A bonus segment includes tutorials for movements to help ease arthritis pain in specific body parts: neck, thumb, toe, shoulder, low back, ankle.

All the exercises are valid, they're gentle, they address all the necessary body parts, and I have no reason to doubt their efficacy. 

THE SWEAT FACTOR: Unless you've been seriously sedentary for a long time, you're unlikely to sweat during the beginner and intermediate segments. You might however get a glow in the advanced segment

BUT IS IT FUN? If you've been severely limited by arthritis pain, the fun should be in regaining mobility, movement, and hopefully, less need for pain pills.

WHEN IT'S OVER: Maybe a little looser, a little stronger? Every day in ever way...

GEAR AND APPAREL: A mat or carpeted floor.

FINAL WORD: Movement is good for arthritis, we know that. But if your arthritis has been limiting or made you fearful, this DVD is a great way to ease slowly into getting your body moving again.

(Oh, and it seems a little unkind for Acadia, the company that distributes this DVD, to load the intro up with clips from all kinds of workouts that people with arthritis can't do. Just skip those.)

Elements of Yoga With Tara Lee

THE WORKOUT:  Elements of Yoga: Earth Foundation; Elements of Yoga: Air & Water Flow; Elements of Yoga: Fire Dynamic, all with Tara Lee. Sold separately. 

REVIEWED BY: Sophia

WHO CAN DO THIS:  These three DVDs (sold separately) can build a yoga practice, as long as you already know the basics, since form is not discussed. Earth is aimed at beginners, Air & Water take it up a notch; Fire is for intermediate and advanced yogis.

THE BREAKDOWN: Each of these three DVDs has three practices to be done one at a time or all together. Earth is basic, with lots of slow, deep stretches; Air & Water requires a little more strength and includes a lot of twists and some balance; Fire requires strength and stamina, with lots of planks and binds.

Tara Lee is calming in voiceover. She doesn’t provide instruction on form as much as yoga talk what opening the body can do for the mind and how fire in the belly can provide strength and motivation.

Earth and Air & Water are in a pretty lakeside setting (a flock of white birds that flies by is a nice touch); Fire in done at night, lit by flaming pots.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: The first practices of Earth and Air & Water are gentle and you probably won’t work up a sweat, but the other practices on each add a little more challenge. Fire starts energetically and just gets harder. I had to throw in several unauthorized child’s poses to catch my breath and give my muscles a break, and at some points all I could do was laugh. You want me to do what?

BUT IS IT FUN? I love Earth and Air & Water and they have gone into heavy rotation. Fire is too challenging to qualify as fun for me, though I might do the first two practices when I feel like working hard.

WHEN IT'S OVER: Doing all three practices of Earth or Air & Water leaves me feeling calm and loose and I sleep well those nights. All three parts of Fire leave me panting and drenched in sweat.

GEAR AND APPAREL: Mat and optional block.

FINAL WORD: Air and Earth are two of my new favorite DVDs. I respect the Fire DVD and it’s every bit as good, but it is a workout to which I can only aspire at the moment.

Ellen Barrett Live Fusion Floor Workout

THE WORKOUT: Ellen Barrett Live Fusion Floor Workout (Buff Girl Fitness, $15)

REVIEWED BY: Sophia

WHO CAN DO THIS: Anyone—provided beginners don’t expect to complete all reps of all movements. It’s not as easy as you might imagine.

THE BREAKDOWN: Just because this entire workout is done on the floor doesn’t mean you won’t work hard. This is an extremely creative 40 minutes—even familiar stuff is given a twist. For example, instead of doing full pushups the regular way, you do them one arm/side at a time, keeping the other side low and working pecs, lats, deltoids and probably more. Moves all work multiple body parts and are flowing and repetitive; they stretch and strengthen simultaneously, and they feel good while they work you out.

Lots of these exercises are done leaning on one or both hands. Pay particular attention to Ellen’s instructions about distributing your weight across your entire hand so you don’t end up with wrist pain.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: Keep up with Ellen—who is cheerful and friendly without being frenetic—and you should sweat.

BUT IS IT FUN? The novelty makes it fun.

WHEN IT'S OVER: You might be surprised by how well worked out you feel.

GEAR AND APPAREL: A mat.

FINAL WORD: Having adopted a standing desk about a year ago, I’m ready to sit down by the end of the day, when I usually work out. This DVD will probably get a lot of use.

Pilates Towel Workout for Strength & Mobility

THE WORKOUT: Pilates Towel Workout for Strength & Mobility

REVIEWED BY: Sophie

WHO CAN DO THIS: You.

THE BREAKDOWN: This is a lot more mobility than strength, unless it’s been a very, very long time since you’ve done anything harder than sitting, in which case you might get a bit of a core workout.

The towel adds extra stability and resistance to side stretches, sit-ups, hip openers, and leg lifts in this very gentle 30-minute workout. Moira Merrithew, who with her husband developed a system called Stott Pilates, talks mostly about working out morning kinks, but I sometimes do it at the end of a long day in front a computer.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: No sweat.

BUT IS IT FUN? Stretching is always fun.

WHEN IT'S OVER: I felt a little looser around the neck and shoulders. How much you feel it will depend on how tight you are and how long it’s been since you’ve moved around like this.

GEAR AND APPAREL: Mat and a towel that’s maybe four feet long.

FINAL WORD: A perfect slow start if you’re fixin’ to start thinking about maybe embarking on a fitness program.

Petra Kolber's Liquid Grooves

THE WORKOUT:  Petra Kolber's Liquid Grooves

REVIEW BY: Kritter

WHO CAN DO THIS: If I can successfully attempt it, anyone can. Petra's encouraging attitude and excellent cuing got me through a blend of modern dance, tai chi and yoga---all movements I've never explored. 

BEFORE YOU START: Make sure you have plenty of space.  There are leg and arm movements in all directions---you don't want to break the flow backing away from a piece of furniture. 

THE BREAKDOWN:  You can do just the warm-up plus one of the sequences, but if you've got the time the four sections really shine as one long workout. Awakening (the 4 minute warm up) flows easily into Sequences 1 and 2 (about 22 minutes per sequence), each section ending in a gathering of energy and a change of music, not a break in movement. It all ends with a 5 minute Moving Meditation of easy flowing moves, just music, no cuing.  I was surprised how much "taking it from the top" this DVD has, though thankfully she doesn't use that phrase and break the mood. New moves combine to make short routines, leading to two rounds of all the moves from both sequences.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: Not fat-burning cardio, but you can work up a light sweat.  The movements are simple, you decide how much energy you're going to put in---how far you'll stretch, how deep you'll bend. Surprise arm toning bonus---by the end you realize you've been waving your arms around for nearly the entire 56 minute workout.

WHEN IT'S OVER: You'll not only be glad you did it, but surprised how quickly the time went by.


GEAR AND APPAREL:  No special props, no special clothes.  

BUT IS IT FUN?  Now it is. I had performance anxiety my first few attempts because dance-y moves and take-it-from-the-top routines are not my strong suit. It became fun once I relaxed and could focus on my breathing and enjoy the movement. 

FINAL WORD: Revitalizing

Leslie Sansone: Walk Off 10 Pounds

THE WORKOUT:   Leslie Sansone: Walk Off 10 Pounds

REVIEW BY: Kritter

 

UPFRONT:  There are LOTS of Leslie Sansone DVDs, and I own plenty of 'em. Leslie on her own, with a group, with weights, with stretch bands, without any props at all---a Leslie DVD for nearly every mood or level of fitness.  No matter how long it's been since my best of exercise intentions have fallen by the wayside, Leslie's always there to help me get back on an exercise program, and lately this DVD, from 2010, is the one I start with

WHO CAN DO THIS: If you can walk, Leslie will get you moving. Beginners can keep it low impact and you can choose a one, two, or three mile walk.  You can get a good aerobic workout without feeling inadequate---no fancy steps and combinations to trip you up.

BEFORE YOU START: Particularly as the pace picks up, focus on making sure your heels hit the ground.  You won't notice you're spending too much time on your toes until you pay the next day with very sore calves.

THE BREAKDOWN: This is Leslie as personal trainer, putting you through a 45-minute "multi-muscle" walk. You get a five-minute warmup of Leslie basics---walk in place, side steps, kicks and knee lifts---then the pace picks up and she leads you through a three-mile workout that includes lower body variations like hamstring curls and grapevines plus plenty of arm movements to up the intensity.

There's a cool down toward the end and a short series of calf and hamstring stretches that you'll probably want to supplement with some favorites of you own (she completely ignores your quadriceps).  Should you have energy to burn, there's a five-minute/five hundred step bonus segment.

Through it all Leslie coaches you through a motivational seminar on physical fitness, spiritual fitness, and "smart" food choices. So, yes, Leslie talks constantly.  If it gets on your nerves there's an option to exercise to music only

THE SWEAT FACTOR: I sweat plenty. As my fitness level improves I just put more effort in.

WHEN IT'S OVER: You'll be glad you got into your workout gear and walked the walk

GEAR AND APPAREL: A little floor space and a decent pair of shoes.  She doesn't use any extra gear, but if you wanna throw in some very light hand weights, no one's gonna stop you

BUT IS IT FUN? It's about as "fun" as a cardio workout's gonna get.

FINAL WORD:  Anything that gets me moving is a "smart choice".

10 Minute Solution Hip Hop Dance Mix

Sophia started out writing these reviews for The Dallas Morning News, and now she's back in there. What goes around comes around or something like that.

Read the review of 10 Minute Solution Hip Hop Dance Mix here.

Don't forget, you can help support this site if you buy your DVDs by clicking through to Amazon from here.

Give a Gift of Fitness 2010

By Sophia

Standard disclaimer: If you’re shopping for a gift, make sure the recipient wants a fitness DVD. Otherwise, it’s like saying, “Happy Holidays, Lardass.”

OK, now that we have that out of the way, here are some suggestions from my 2010 favorites. You can also check my suggestions for 2009 and 2008. Some of my oldest DVDs remain in frequent rotation. And you can never have too many, since staving off boredom is key to staying on the program.

Of course, you’ll want to package this gift with my fabulous Suit Up and Show Up T-shirt.

Cardio

I’m all about Dance Off the Inches: Country Line Dance Party these days. It’s just fun and if I really throw myself into it, I feel reasonably worked out by the end.

I should have known all about Billy Blanks, Jr.—inventor of Tae Bo. But I never did Tae Bo and I didn’t know about Blanks until this year, when his Dance With Me Cardio Fit and his Dance With Me: Groove & Burn crossed my desk. Much fun.

Strength

Though it’s aimed at beginners, done with gusto, intermediates will also benefit from Step-by-Step Strength Training with Petra Kolber. One of the many pluses of this DVD is that also provides sensible balance challenges.

Core Fusion Energy Flow Yoga is not for novices in fitness or yoga. It’s athletic, energetic, challenging and effective. Who knew a ten-minute workout could be so hard? (I also recommend Core Fusion Pure Abs and Arms because good upper body workouts are harder to find than lower.)

If you’re already a hardbody, or close enough to aspire to being one Personal Training With Jackie: Xtreme Timesaver Training is 30 challenging minutes of combined strength and cardio.

Dance Off the Inches: Country Line Dance Party

THE WORKOUT: Dance Off the Inches: Country Line Dance Party

REVIEW BY: Sophia

WHO CAN DO THIS: Beginner friendly—not too taxing, not too tricky.

THE BREAKDOWN: Dressed in Daisy Dukes, cowboy shirt tied to reveal her midriff, straw cowboy hat, and braids, instructor Amy Blackburn looks a little like a refugee from a girly mag. She’s also very low key, at one point emitting what has to be history’s most laconic “Yee-haw.”

No matter, this is a fun little workout: three easy 10-minute dances (plus warm-up and cool-down) with kicks and shuffles and sneaker scoots that feel more dancey than exercise-y. If you can’t pick up the steps right away (and I found most of them pretty easy to get), this series includes a step guide that breaks everything down. Blackburn’s cueing is excellent. This works primarily lower body and core, since most moves are done with thumbs hooked in your waistband, country-style.

The music, as always, is a bland approximation of the theme, which is a pity, as always.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: You sweat out what you put in and I’ve managed to work up a sweat.

BUT IS IT FUN? Yep.

GEAR AND APPAREL: Daisy Dukes and cowboy hat are optional and yes, it’s done in sneakers, not boots. You’ll need enough uncarpeted floor space to go about four steps in every direction.

FINAL WORD: Fun and different enough from other cardio dance routines to make it a great addition to a fitness DVD library.

Don't forget, you can help support this site if you buy your DVDs by clicking through to Amazon from here.

Billy Blanks Jr.: Dance With Me Groove & Burn

THE WORKOUT: Billy Blanks Jr: Dance With Me Groove & Burn

REVIEW BY: Sophia


WHO CAN DO THIS: Easy enough for beginners, fun enough for intermediates. I found a couple of steps a little bit tricky to master, but not terribly.

THE BREAKDOWN: Three 10-minute dances—disco, African, and Latin—with warm-up and cool down. Each dance ends with a short toning “blast.” The DVD is customizable, so you can program the segments you want to do, and the order. You can also turn off Billy Blanks’ instruction if you want and just listen to the music. Not that the music is so great, but options are always nice.

I’ve been enjoying this DVD tremendously—well, most of it, at least. I can do the disco and African segments but things go horribly wrong every time I try the Latin segment, so I’ve been programming that one out. (This is an ongoing problem for me. I just don't have the Latin beat in my blood.) I also stick mostly with the low-impact alternative, to save both my knees and the bric-a-brac, since I can shake the floor with too much leaping around.

The routines are built slowly enough but energetically and the steps are fun. The dancers are much less distracting than they are in the last Billy Blanks workout I reviewed. Blanks has a likeable, happy vibe and his cuing is good. The cardio toning segments are a good touch—arm toning after the disco segment (ouch), lotsa squats after the African segment, thigh toning after the Latin segment.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: I can work up a good sweat.

BUT IS IT FUN? Absolutely.

WHEN IT'S OVER: I’m not in peak condition at the moment, so two segments (done energetically) plus warm-up and cool down leave  me pleasantly wobbly.

GEAR AND APPAREL: Most of the workout can be done on a fairly small area of uncarpeted floor, although parts of the Latin segment takes more floor space than I have to go forward and back.

FINAL WORD: I’ve been doing this one lots and probably will do it lots more.

Suit Up and Walk: The Country Music Mix

Now for something a little different. Sure, I'm a huge fan of the workout DVD, especially since I live in Texas where it's roughly eight million degrees for seven months out of the year. But right now, we are (finally!) starting to feel that delicious fresh autumn air and it's time to get out, get out, get OUT of the house! So instead of working out in front of the TV, I'm plugging into my iPod and taking my workout to the streets.

I've been fitness walking for many years now. (I don't like the term "power walking." It sounds goofy to me.) I started making walking mixes way back when the only available technology for such things was cassette tape. One mix could take an entire weekend of taping and retaping to perfect. I'm glad those days are gone

So in celebration of autumn, I thought I'd toss out a few fun mixes of some of my favorite walking songs. I aim for songs of a pace you can walk along with, bookended with warm-up and cool down songs.

And because I'm That Kind Of Girl, I'm going to start with a country mix. Some cool country, some dorky country, a little classic country. It's all good. (Well, I like it anyway.) You can click through to buy the songs from Amazon if you are so inclined. More mixes to come.

Dance With me Cardio Fit

THE WORKOUT: Dance With Me Cardio Fit

WHO CAN DO THIS: You don’t have to be fit but you do need rhythm.

THE BREAKDOWN: Billy Blanks, Jr., has an abundance of happy, as does his wife, Sharon, who dances next to him in these three fast-paced 10-minute dance workouts—hip-hop, country, and Bollywood—interspersed with two minute faster-paced cardio blasts of jumping jacks, ponies, and such.

The first time I did this DVD, much profanity and hate occurred. The problem is busyness. An overly busy background makes it hard to see what’s happening; overly flava-full dancers confuse the choreography; the sometimes haphazard cueing is hard to hear over the music.

So I tripped over my own feet while I fought to focus on choreography that moves pretty fast, uses feet, arms, head, and chest with flava, and even adds a little vocalizing here and there—a huh in the hip-hop, a yee-haw in the country. I was distracted by the dancers, and then there was Sharon getting all up in my face. I wanted everything and everyone to ratchet back a notch or two.

Often I’ll drop a DVD that frustrates me on the first go-around. But something about this one appealed to me so I gave it another shot, focusing on Billy and the basic steps and ignoring the other dancers. And that time, I got the choreography right and had lots of fun. The steps are fresh and dancey and once I’d mastered them, I got overly flava-ful myself. Well with the hip-hop and country, anyway. My first experience with Bollywood was so humiliatingly awful, I didn’t have the heart to try again yet. Maybe another day. Maybe.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: Pretty sweaty if you do the two-minute cardio blasts. Otherwise, just slightly sweaty.

BUT IS IT FUN? Yep, if you give it a chance.

WHEN IT'S OVER: I felt good, though I probably should work a little longer.

GEAR AND APPAREL: You’ll need enough uncarpeted floor space to go four steps forward, eight grapevines side to side.

FINAL WORD: Thumbs up. And, by the way, if your cable TV offers Video On Demand (Comcast, Time Warner and others) you can try before you buy this workout.

Don't forget, you can help support this site if you buy your DVDs by clicking through the link above.

Aligned and Well: From the Shoulders Up

THE WORKOUT: Aligned and Well: From the Shoulders Up

WHO CAN DO THIS: Anyone can, and it's good for everyone.

THE BREAKDOWN: This isn’t exactly a workout; it’s an educational product. Watch it, learn how to do the stretches and alignments, and then make them part of your life.

This is one of a series of Aligned and Well DVDs by Katy Bowman, M.S., a kinesiologist and biomedical scientist—she studies the engineering of our bodies and how we move. These prescriptive programs target various problems, including diabetes, foot pain, pelvic exercises for men and women, painful hands, balance, and more. (You can see samples of all the DVDs at the Aligned and Well website.)

“From the Shoulders Up” is help for headaches, eye strain, “foggy brain,” and a lot of other things suffered by those of us who hunch over a computer all day. (Or a steering wheel. Or a school desk. Or...?)

Bowman is straightforward and informative, explaining what good alignment looks like, why it helps, and how to get there. She demonstrates the exercises in an exercise studio in heaven: a square of wood floor enclosed by filmy white curtains. Pretty.

The moves are simple, feel good, and seem smart. I like making floor angels, and think everyone needs to learn “head ramping,” to set your head properly atop your neck and shoulders.

Once you view and learn the information and simple exercises you may not need the DVD anymore, but then you can do someone a gooder and pass it on.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: N/A.

BUT IS IT FUN? It’s pleasant and informative.

WHEN IT'S OVER: You’ll be more aware of how your body works.

GEAR AND APPAREL: A bolster or pillow(s).

FINAL WORD: I may check out others in the series, perhaps for feet or hands.

Don't forget, you can help support this site if you buy your DVDs by clicking through the link above.

Step-by-Step Strength Training with Petra Kolber

THE WORKOUT:Step By Step Strength Training with Petra Kolber

REVIEW BY: Sophia

WHO CAN DO THIS: Beginners can do it but, with the right weights and attitude, intermediates will find it useful too.

THE BREAKDOWN: So much going for this DVD. It has four strength and toning workouts: two 20-minute full-body workouts; a ten-minute upper body; a ten-minute lower body, and a bonus five minutes for abs. It's just enough to be effective but short enough to not be as incredibly boring as strength training can be. Plus, I always like Petra Kolber’s workouts. Every one I've tried has been snappy, efficient, and creative.

One full-body workout combines upper and lower body moves—your basic lifts and squats. The other adds balance challenges, which is a useful novelty. Balance is increasingly important as we age, and it can be improved with practice. Here, Kolber has you stand on one and foot and then the other as you lift and squat, and adds some diagonal moves that further challenge balance. Very smart.

The 10-minute segments are nothing earth shaking, but Petra is chipper and helpful and it all goes by quickly and pleasantly. Five-minutes for abs is not a lot, but at least you can feel good about yourself if you tack it on to whatever else you do. Sort of.
THE SWEAT FACTOR: The more segments you do, the more you sweat, of course, But one 20-minute segment, if you really try, can give you a good glow.

BUT IS IT FUN? Fun enough. It’s not not fun.

WHEN IT'S OVER: If you’re hit-or-miss about strength training, as I tend to be, you might feel your muscles for the rest of the day.

GEAR AND APPAREL: Light weights (I used five pounds), a chair, and a mat. And you don’t even really need the chair if your balance is good. Or the mat, actually, if your floor is carpeted.

FINAL WORD: Yay.

Don't forget, you can help support this site if you buy your DVDs by clicking through the link above.

Keeping Fit in Your 50s

THE WORKOUT: Keeping Fit in Your 50s - Aerobics, Keeping Fit in Your 50s - Strength, Keeping Fit in Your 50s - Flexibility

REVIEW BY: Sophia

WHO CAN DO THIS: Anyone

THE BREAKDOWN: I was excited to hear about this three-DVD collection. Like many people in their 50s, I've been working out since the 1980s, when Ken Cooper coined the term “aerobics” and Jane Fonda first put on legwarmers. But, also like many of my peers, I find that programs aimed at people half my age can be rough on some parts of my anatomy--in my case, my knees, which have been doing their job for a long time and are wearing out. So I thought this program would factor in our changing bodies to help us keep active ("Keeping Fit...") while not hurting ourselves.

Well, no. The name for this series should be “Getting Fit in Your 50s,” since it is basic, basic, basic, presented in a Romper Room voice by exercise physiologist Robyn Stuhr. Model Cindy Joseph also demonstrates, but she looks awfully fit. She probably isn't starting from scratch, either.

The workouts, backed by throbbing porn-movie music, are repetitive and tedious. I managed to go into a Zen state during the strength training with weights, but I had to push myself through the aerobics and the flexibility program was so drab, I gave up. If they're trying to inspire couch potatoes, who might benefit from this basic training, shouldn't they have made the workouts a little bit fun? Shouting “Woo!” and “Yeehaw!” doesn't help. And for me, advanced add-ons weren't enough to salvage the workouts.

And perhaps most misguided are all those lunges. Lunges! Even Jane Fonda in her legwarmer days hated those, and here they go on and on and on and on … oy, my aging knees. Of all the standard exercises, that's the one for which I most need a substitute. Besides, after all these years working out, haven’t we earned something less odious?

THE SWEAT FACTOR: Yes, I got sweaty.

BUT IS IT FUN? No, I didn't have fun.

WHEN IT'S OVER: I was pretty sore for a couple of days after all those lunges, lunges, lunges. I have no doubt these workouts would do their job if I ever did them again.

GEAR AND APPAREL: The strength workout requires weights, a strap or towel, a chair.

FINAL WORD: I still think a series tailored to people in their 50s is a great idea.

Don't forget, you can help support this site if you buy your DVDs by clicking through the link above.

Fighting Workout Boredom

 By Sophia

Here's why I love having a library of DVDs, and why I love 10-minute formats.

My workout this week is a little cha-cha warm-up with Dance off the Inches: Dance It off Ballroom. Then I get some upper body with a chapter from 10 Minute Solution: Knockout Body. Then 10 minutes of lower body with 10 Minute Solution: Fat Blasting Dance Mix. That's 30 varied and somewhat vigorous minutes.

It's a beautiful day so I look forward to walking the dog later. (He insists.) That will add another 30 minutes to an hour, depending on my mood and schedule. And if I need to get the kinks out later, I'll try to squeeze in a few yoga poses.

Variety works for me.

For my full reviews of the DVDs:

Dance it Off Ballroom
Knockout Body
Fat Burning Dance Mix

Don't forget, you can help support this site if you buy your DVDs by clicking through the link above.

Dance Off the Inches: Dance it off Ballroom

THE WORKOUT: Dance Off the Inches: Dance it off Ballroom

REVIEW BY: Sophia

WHO CAN DO THIS: This low-impact cardio workout is suitable for beginners who enjoy mastering footwork.
THE BREAKDOWN: Ballroom dancer Kristina Milova starts the workout with a fairly slow cha-cha, moves into a moderately paced salsa and culminates with a brisk jive segment, each about ten minutes long. She builds each routine slowly and if you have experience with dance aerobics you’ll probably be able to master the steps fairly easily. A step guide can help with any steps that give you trouble—which for me was the entire salsa segment. The cooldown ends with a flourish: the ballroom dancer bow. I plan to master that for use in a variety of situations.
My only quibble is with the cueing—it’s always a beat too late and sometimes unclear. Which beginning are we taking it from--the beginning of the entire routine or of the segment she’s teaching? And if we’re going back to the very beginning, a little reminder of where we start would help. I suppose if you do this DVD regularly you’d learn and this would no longer matter.
THE SWEAT FACTOR: If you’re not a rank beginner you’ll want to give it your all and do all three segments to work up a sweat.

BUT IS IT FUN? It is.
WHEN IT'S OVER: You’ll have a glow.
GEAR AND APPAREL: You need enough uncarpeted floor to go about four steps forward and side to side. But you can fudge it in a smaller space.
FINAL WORD: A pleasant little workout for anyone who doesn’t really like working out.

Remember, you can help support this site if you buy DVDs by clicking through the link above.

Yoga Emergency--Arms & Shoulders

THE WORKOUT: Yoga Emergency- The 12 Minute Workout with Kristen Eykel- Arms & Shoulders

REVIEW BY: Sophia

WHO CAN DO THIS: You can.

THE BREAKDOWN: This is one of a series of 12-minute workout DVDs, each focused on a different area. There’s not too much to this DVD--it really is just one 12-minute stretch for the neck, arms, and shoulders. But if you hunch over a computer for hours like I do, it’s just what the yogi ordered.

Kristen Eykel is lean and pretty, she demonstrates the seated workout in front of a fountain while some kind of tubular bells play in the background. The stretches are basic, basic, basic—some head rolls, some twists, some eagle arms. Nothing you can’t do yourself, to be sure, but it’s nice to have someone coaxing you along. You could even keep this at your desk and use your DVD drive to run through it seated, just modifying the twist.

The bonus tracks here are a two-minute tip about reflexology; one about aromatherapy, with a tip for easing a stress headache; and some tips and stretches for easing the physical stress of flying. The five-minute interview with Eykel also is worth a listen, to get a handle on her philosophy.

The meditation segment is nice because once she stops talking, you get just the sound of birds. However, she doesn’t end the relaxation so you’re on your own. After lying quietly for what seemed like a longish time, I opened my eyes and peeked at the TV screen, which displayed directions for returning to the main menu.

Since the workouts are so short, this would be a good series to collect: Back, Full Leg Stretch, and Hips. There’s also Yoga Emergency- The 12 Minute Workout with Kristen Eykel- Pregnancy; Eykel specializes in yoga for pregnancy.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: No sweat.

BUT IS IT FUN? Sure.

WHEN IT'S OVER: I was a little less tight, but it’s going to take more than one 12-minute session to loosen up these hunched-crunched shoulders.

GEAR AND APPAREL: Nothin’ in particular.

FINAL WORD: Easy and nice and I’ll probably pop it in now and then, during work breaks.

Don't forget, you can help support this site if you buy your DVDs by clicking through the link above.

Pick Your Level: Fat to Firm Fast

THE WORKOUT: Pick Your Level: Fat to Firm Fast $12.99 at Amazon

REVIEW BY: Sophia

WHO CAN DO THIS:With three levels of difficulty to choose from, this workout is for anybody. Really.

THE BREAKDOWN: This DVD gets a special gold star because the woman who demonstrates Level 1 actually looks like a level one. She carries a few extra pounds and wears a loose t-shirt and full-length loose workout pants. Level 2 is demonstrated by instructor Michelle Dozois, who wears tighter Capri-length pants, and Level 3 is demonstrated by a taut, gorgeous Amazon in tight shorts.

The full-body workout consists of warm-up, four circuits combining strength and cardio, and a short stretch. Each circuit has a little of this and a little of that—some weights, some mat work, some cardio. The workout really does go quickly, with creative combined weight and cardio moves, short, simple and pain-free cardio blips and no fancy footwork. Level 1 stays low impact and easy, Level 2 uses more arms, more or heavier weights and occasional high-impact, Level 3 uses the heaviest weights and includes lots of high impact and balancing.

Switching among levels is easy. So far, I’m sticking mostly to Level 2—hinky knees preclude much jumping around—but manage a few Level 3s here and there, especially in the mat work.

Of course squats and lunges play a part here—nothing beats ‘em for the butt—but they are done slowly, which makes them easier on aforementioned hinky old knees than the quick-switch lunges many workouts require. Those make me hurt.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: If you don’t cheat and goof around with too low a level, you can work up a sweat.

BUT IS IT FUN? It’s not a rollicking workout but it goes quickly and feels effective and that's a good substitute for fun. Dozois, with her early Florence Henderson hair, is pleasant enough. Music is a repetitive drone and almost unnecessary except for the beat it provides.

WHEN IT'S OVER: You’ll feel worked out but not worn out.

GEAR AND APPAREL: This can be done in a small space--the demo chicks are on round raised platforms. You’ll need two sets of hand weights.

LAST WORD: This has entered my rotation as I work myself back into shape.

10 Minute Solutions Fitness Ball Workouts

THE WORKOUT: 10 Minute Solution Fitness Ball Workout ($9.99 at Amazon)

REVIEW BY: Sophia

WHO CAN DO THIS: Anyone with a fitness ball and a modicum of fitness. And if you’re not fit, you’ll get fit doing it and isn’t that the point?

THE BREAKDOWN: The DVD is the best thing to happen to the home workout since the VCR and the 10-minute workout is the best thing to happen to the DVD workout because it allows so much programming flexibility. Do one, two, or all five 10-minute segments or mix segments up with workouts from other favorite DVDs.

The program features the fitness ball in segments targeting upper body, lower body, abs, cardio and flexibility.

The arms and shoulders workout is perfectly good but least creative; for much of it you sit on the ball and lift light weights—curls, rows, presses. You’ve done it all before, although likable instructor Kimberly Spreen points out that balancing on the ball engages core muscles while you lift, making it a value-added upper body workout.

Other workouts use the ball in more interesting ways. The lower body workout some challenging leg lifts for the glutes, done face-down with the ball under your hips, and the flexibility segment uses the ball as balance to help deepen your lunges. Coordination does come into play here, especially in the cardio sections. Dancing with a giant rubber ball is not as easy as you might think or as Ms. Spreen makes it appear—even keeping it still when you need to can be frustrating. A few safety tips wouldn’t have been out of place.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: This DVD manages to fit plenty of muscle burn into each 10-minute workout.

THE ENERGY LEVEL: The mood is fairly mellow. Ms. Spreen loves her workout but she’s low-key about it. The music, such as it is, won’t compel anyone to get up and boogie.

BUT IS IT FUN? Yes, in that if you enjoy exercising it’s fun and if you don’t enjoy exercising, it’s quick. Except for the ho-hum upper body section, moves are interesting enough to keep you engaged.

WHEN IT'S OVER: You’ll feel it. Today and possibly in days to come.

GEAR AND APPAREL: Light hand weights, a fitness ball and enough space to wave it around--which is a lot of space. Keep in mind, too, that if the ball gets away from you, things can happen.

FINAL WORD: This one made it into frequent rotation.