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.)

Zayna Gold Healing Through Movement

Today I have a guest post from my friend (and first editor) Nancy Kruh. I sent Nancy this DVD because she maintains a regular fitness program but also has had health problems that made her a perfect candidate to test this out. Thanks Nancy!

THE WORKOUT: Zayna Gold Healing Through Movement (Boston Body, $19.95)

REVIEWED BY: Nancy Kruh

WHO CAN DO THIS: Anybody, but it's tailored for people suffering from irritable bowel disorder (IBD) and other chronic digestive disorders.

THE BREAKDOWN: An IBD sufferer herself, Zayna is a Pilates instructor with studios in Boston and other DVDs to her credit. She created this video for people who may not feel like exercising but want to anyway, and for that alone, it's a creative and much-needed product. I've battled gastrointestinal distresses over the years, but -- full disclosure -- I tried out the video when I was feeling fine, so I had to keep a mindset about its purpose as I exercised. What I found was a good balance between caution and challenge. I felt like I'd had a workout, but it definitely didn't do me in, which is the sort of exercise I'm looking for if I don't feel well. It's also the sort of exercise that can help me feel better.

The 45-minute program is divided into four parts: upper body, lower body, full body (which combines the movements of the first two), and a core workout. The movements are mostly traditional exercises -- bicep curls, presses, squats, lunges. Because doing exercises while lying down can be painful for IBD sufferers, you're standing for all the exercises in the first three parts.

Zayna offers a calming, healing presence during the exercises, and she places a huge emphasis on breathing, which definitely helps the body relax and get the full benefit of the movements. This video is touted as Pilates-based, and it works the core, but if you're expecting any attention to flexibility, you'll be disappointed. In her intro, she stresses the importance of keeping the spine "supple and flexible," but there is no stretching in the entire video and only one exercise that requires even the slightest twist of the spine.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: A light glow. More if you choose to repeat any of the parts, as she suggests you do.

BUT IS IT FUN? Only in an "it's good for you" way.

WHEN IT'S OVER: You feel like you've accomplished something, which is a good feeling if you're feeling bad.

GEAR AND APPAREL: Comfortable clothes. Optional: hand weights (you pick the poundage) and mat or towel (for the core workout).

FINAL WORD: You'll probably get the most out of it if you're not feeling well. Otherwise, pick something with more spunk to it.

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.

Keeping Fit 3 Pack

THE WORKOUT: Keeping Fit 3 Pack

WHO CAN DO THIS: Intermediate and advanced exercisers who don't need to enjoy their workout.

THE BREAKDOWN: Three DVDs—Strength, Cardio, Pilates—with 10 five-minute workouts each. The series is designed, according to the package, to help you stay fit through your 40s, 50s, and 60s. Being one of those types of people, I’m interested in workouts targeting our Very Special Needs. And fitness pro Andrea Metcalf is cut and not 20 years old, which is cool. I was rooting for these workouts.

But I hated them so much, I assumed I’d missed the point. Although I don't always watch intro segments, which often are just blah-blah, I watched one of these specifically hoping Metcalf would express a philosophy that would explain why these workouts were better than I thought. But it was just blah-blah, and she lost me entirely when she said each five-minute workouts provides “simple motions that incorporate both upper and lower body and target the midsection” while demonstrating a move combining rows, lateral lifts, and deep curtsies. All at once. Nothing simple about that. Every limb is going in a different direction. With hand weights.

Each five-minute segment tries to pack a full workout into a frenetic pace. I flailed around, missing my nose with my three-pound weights, twisting knees, tripping on my own feet. I’m usually pretty good at picking up workouts quickly but I'm getting to the age where I worry about hurting myself. This program seems like an injury waiting to happen.

And when you think about it (I grumbled to myself as I bumbled and shvitzed), why would anyone want to do a five-minute workout, anyway? If you’ve bothered to suit up and show up, you’re gonna wanna put in more than five minutes. But the workouts are so frenetic, doing more than one five-minute segment isn’t much fun. I suppose you could mix and match from the three DVDs, but that’s a lot of changing DVDs.

FWIW, the Pilates DVD is OK, but you can't buy just that one. and will be sold separately, though there are better ones out there.

With all due respect to good intentions…fail.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: Yeah.

BUT IS IT FUN? No.

WHEN IT'S OVER: My knees hurt.

GEAR AND APPAREL: Light weights, mat, floor. Whatever.

FINAL WORD: Feh.

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

Element: Pilates Weight Loss for Beginners

THE WORKOUT: Element: Pilates Weight Loss for Beginners

WHO CAN DO THIS: Beginners to Pilates, not beginners to exercising.

THE BREAKDOWN: About 20 minutes of Pilates-based cardio and 20 minutes of mat work add up to a just-hard-enough workout by Brooke Siler, who owns the AB Pilates Studio in New York City and has trained Kristen Dunst, Lauren Hutton, Madonna, blablabla.

Pilates is like being beaten bloody with soft pillows. It looks so easy, hurts so bad…good...bad. The cardio workout is done standing, with big but highly controlled twists, bends, squats and lunges. Although I have done only a smattering of Pilates, the mat work seems straightforward and traditional—the hundred, roll ups, leg circles and stretches, sawing and rocking, a few push-ups. It’s relatively painless, in an exhausting way—it goes quickly and, best of all, feels effective.

Siler’s movements (done silently with voiceover and mildly irritating music) are mercilessly precise, but the high bar she sets is motivating. Her instructions are clear and expressive; at various times you draw circles on the ceiling, crash like wave, and brush crumbs from your thigh.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: Plenty of exertion, plenty of sweat. Surprisingly. But then again, I live in Dallas and it’s summer. I’d be sweating anyway.

BUT IS IT FUN? Sure, why not.

WHEN IT'S OVER: Your muscles will be talkin' to you.

GEAR AND APPAREL: A mat or carpeted floor.

FINAL WORD: Like it a lot.

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

Give a Gift of Fitness '09

By Sophia

First, my standing disclaimer when it comes to buying fitness videos as gifts: Be sure the recipient actually, actively wants a fitness DVD. Otherwise, it’s just an ugly hint.

That said, here’s a gift list of DVDs that I’ve tried this year (or that I tried too late to put on last year’s list) and would recommend. And since a good workout never goes out of style (not so the fashions), check out last year’s list as well.

Just starting out

Nobody cues better than Petra Colber which makes Cardio for Beginners that much better for beginners. Broken into two ten-minute segments (one dance, one “athletic”) and two 20-minute segments (ditto), the workout is fun and useful.

Hemalayaa is one of the more appealing fitness pros out there and her Bollywood Booty is just a silly fun way to get the heart going.

Dance Off the Inches Dance it off Ballroom also makes the workout more frolic than work for the dance-friendly.

Needs new motivation

I love Ten Minute Solution Knockout Body. You get to punch out some aggression, the weighted gloves are a fun gizmo, and it’s a good upper body workout. Because the gloves are included, this is a gift with a little extra flash.

Fat Burning Fusion is an interesting Pilates flow that melds strength, stretch and cardio. Familiarity with Pilates and yoga are a plus.

I don’t know about you but, for me, lifting weights is tedious. But brisk and efficient Kathy Smith: Total Body Lift makes the job less onerous.

Only the strong survive


Jeanette Jenkins will charm the pants off you while kicking your butt. Jeanette Jenkins Sexy Arms, Abs & Legs is a full hour of smiling through the pain. “How do you think Madonna got so hot?” Jeanette taunts amiably.

I can’t finish all the reps of anything in the excruciatingly subtle Core Fusion Pure Abs and Arms, but I keep trying. This is not only a tough workout, but you need to know how your muscles work to do it justice.

Element: Yoga for Weight Loss is not my favorite-ever yoga DVD, but it’s a sensible, brisk flow that would surely live up to its promise if you stick to the program.

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

Fat Burning Fusion

THE WORKOUT: Fat Burning Fusion

REVIEW BY: Sophia

WHO CAN DO THIS: At least advanced beginner in Pilates or yoga.

THE BREAKDOWN: Ellen Barrett is a Hollywood trainer. She’s trained a few stars (Christina Ricci and Justine Bateman); taught at CRUNCH, a famous studio that has produced one of my favorite lines of videos; has a studio called The Studio; and a DVD series. This DVD has been sitting around the house for a long time because I’ve never heard of Ellen Barrett and the one-off DVDs I get (I do get free review copies, in case you’re wondering) are often not so great. But every now and then, I find a good one, so I try to at least take a look at most of them.

This is one of the good ones. It’s a Pilates flow, very low-impact, done barefoot. It might look easy if you were to just sit on your couch and watch it. But just try it.

This workout form is entirely new to me. The entire 40-minute flow fits on an exercise mat, though most of it is done standing. The plie is a big player and many of the moves are done in a wide, bent-leg stance. Hello, inner thighs. The arms are held out at shoulder height through much of the workout as well, which is gently brutal. I had to rest mine frequently. Moves also involve lots of twists, back extensions and squats, and the goal is grace, good form and muscle extension. It’s almost like ballet, but more Pilates-y. It's strength, stretch and cardio all in one.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: Buckets.

BUT IS IT FUN? Yeah, it kind of is. It’s hard work but without battering the body.

WHEN IT'S OVER: My legs were wobbly immediately after I did it the first time and my whole body, especially my core, was a little sore. I was still a little sore when I did the workout a second time three days later.

GEAR AND APPAREL: Nuthin’.

FINAL WORD: I might hunker down with this workout for a while and see what happens. Maybe alternate with the punching one.

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

Jeanette Jenkins Sexy Arms, Abs & Legs

THE WORKOUT: Jeanette Jenkins Sexy Arms, Abs & Legs

REVIEW BY: Sophia

WHO CAN DO THIS: This isn’t suitable for beginners. It’s a taxing workout and requires good form and balance.

THE BREAKDOWN: The hour-long workout is sort of broken into eight chapters. You can do segments one at a time, although starts and endings are a little abrupt that way because they’re designed to do together. There’s a little bit of dance, lots and lots and lots of squats and lunges, some weights, some yoga, some pushups, some leg lifts. The resting segments, interspersed with sculpting segments, are an easy little anyone-can dance.

It’s a little bit of a lot of things that add up to a challenging workout.

"Sexy Sculpt Part 1” starts with a full body workout: weights for the arms and shoulders, lunges for the lower body, rotations for the midsection—all at once. Getting through the segment is a goal rather than a given for me. “Sexy Sculpt Part 2” starts with a leg kick/lift/twist move that combines cardio, strength and balance, then moves onto squats, rotations and shoulder presses. Even the yoga segment is unusually challenging. (“Why do you think Madonna’s so hot?” Jenkins asks.) The floor work includes 16 tough pushups (down to a two-count followed by two quick down ups, then reverse the pattern). And I can only dream of completing the abs workout someday.

If you’re experienced enough to do this workout, you also know that the high-speed stretch at the end is inadequate. Turn it off and take a leisurely stretch. You earned it.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: I predict sweat even if you’re in moderately good shape.

BUT IS IT FUN? It’s not fun-fun but it’s challenging without being grim. I like Jeanette Jenkins—she’s fun and giggly and personable. She’s helped out here by a typical crowd of cuties. The music…not so much. I thought the generic rock guitar was irritating, then they pull out the harmonica, which doesn’t improve matters.

WHEN IT'S OVER: You will limp and groan with pride.

GEAR AND APPAREL: Room to move about four steps side to side, mat and light weights

FINAL WORD: I’ll keep this around, along with Jenkins’ circuit-training workout, for days when I need my butt kicked.

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

10 Minute Solution: Pilates Perfect Body

THE WORKOUT: 10 Minute Solution Pilates Perfect Body ($12.99 at Amazon.)

REVIEW BY: Sophia

WHO CAN DO THIS: A rank beginner to fitness might have a hard time with the concepts but anyone else should be able to make it work.

THE BREAKDOWN: Holy sadist, Batman. Who knew 10 minutes could feel like such a long time?

OK, just kidding about the sadist. But this workout is tough enough to make me feel OK about myself if I manage just one 10-minute workout in a day.

I’m a Pilates neophyte. I’ve done a DVD here and there but haven’t yet taken a class, so I can’t tell you how this measures up to a real class. However, I know enough to keep my muscles fully engaged through this DVD, which has five chapters: Arms, Belly, Buns & Thighs, Stretch and Silhouette, which is a full-body workout.

None of the chapters was a cakewalk for me (mmm, cake…). Even the arms segment using piss-ant one-pound weights had me gritting my teeth to finish up, since the weights are held shoulder height for a fairly long stretch without a break. There were a few “you must be kidding” moves, such as a reverse push-up with one leg held straight up in the air. Ha ha. No thanks. In some places, a demonstration of a reasonable modification for weaklings like me would have been appreciated.

I can’t come close to even approximating the exactness with which instructor Suzanne Bowen executes the moves but the exercise is in the trying, yes? Maybe someday. I also found her pacing a little annoying in spots—I’d want to keep going and she’d be going through a whole “ready, set, go” between sets. But that’s nitpicking. Generally, this is a solid 50 minutes of ouch.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: I work up a nice glow even doing just one 10-minute chapter and I’m soggy after the full DVD.

BUT IS IT FUN? Not fun in the traditional sense of the word, but any program that can make me feel the burn in 10 minutes is happiness inducing.

WHEN IT'S OVER: You will be aware of your muscles.

GEAR AND APPAREL: Mat and light weights.

FINAL WORD: I keep this one handy for quickie workouts--usually at least two chapters--on busy days or as an adjunct to the day’s power walk or cardio.

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

Abs Diet for Women Workout

THE WORKOUT: The Abs Diet for Women Workout $12.99 at Amazon

REVIEW BY: Sophia

WHO CAN DO THIS: You’ll want workout experience since no time is spent on proper form-—an oversight especially noticeable in the pilates and yoga chapters.

THE BREAKDOWN: This peculiar but likable DVD does a little bit of a lot of things—it may be just a teaser lure you into the online interactive Abs Diet program, which presumably is more in-depth.

Exquisitely taut-bodied Jessica, Kat and Madison lead us through the quick menu of workouts. Jessica leads the workout, blond ponytail a-bobbing, and she's low key and pleasant.

The first of two five-minute abs segments is traditional crunches, the second is more challenging and creative, using weights and balance. Both wisely include back strengthening.

The 20-minute cardio interval segment is straightforward almost to a fault, with intervals of easy jogging alternating with intervals of increasing (up to 90 seconds) and then decreasing durations of jumping jacks, high-knee runs, jumping jack squats and other no-brainer but heart-pumping moves. (Bring on the cast-iron sports bra for this one.) It’s not a gripping workout but it’s definitely effective, with no learning curve.

The 16-minute strength segment is my favorite. I find weight lifting tedious and am always happy to find a quick, efficient program. The combo moves here work all body parts in a short time.

The four-and-a-half minute pilates segment is hard work for the core, although because I don’t practice pilates I can’t judge whether I’m doing the moves effectively. The yoga segment is a big honkin' waste of four minutes. If you practice yoga, it’s unsatisfying and if you don’t, you won’t know what to do. Skip it.

The final segment touches on the "diet" part of the abs diet, and any diet that recommends peanut butter is OK by me.

A quibble: Why did they tag the warm-up on to several segments? If you do more than one segment, you only need the warm-up once. You can skip it with the push of a button, but it’s annoying.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: The cardio interval and strength segments should get you glowing, at the very least. The others, not so much, although the abs workouts definitely burned.

BUT IS IT FUN? Not exactly fun. But not grueling, either. Let’s call it “benign.”

WHEN IT'S OVER: Depending on what and how many segments you’ve done, you’ll either be sore and sweaty or ready to move on to another DVD to complete your workout. Or kidding yourself. Five minutes doth not a workout make.

GEAR AND APPAREL: Mat, aerobic shoes and hand weights.

FINAL WORD: I’ll probably never do the cardio interval, pilates or yoga segments again, but the others will enter my rotation.