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.

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.

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.

10 Minute Solution Cardio Hip Hip

THE WORKOUT: 10 Minute Solution Cardio Hip Hop

REVIEWED BY: Sophia

WHO CAN DO THIS: Fine for beginners who can handle choreography.

THE BREAKDOWN: I realize that hip hop is a music genre and not a race, but I can’t help but note that lanky, blonde Heather Graham is not the person who pops to mind when I hear “hip hop.”

But never mind.

I enjoy the first two of five segments of this DVD, but Heather lost me in the last three. The problem for me throughout is that the steps that change too quickly. A couple more reps of each step thrown into the complete dances, and some better cueing (which foot, please?), would help. And, I realize, so would having more than one person demonstrating—sometimes tricky steps are easier to grasp out if I see them done by different people with different styles and bodies.

I think what we have here is the classic problem of the professional forgetting how hard some stuff can be for the amateur. Slow this down a little and have a little sympathy for the beginner and it would be lots of fun.

That said, I’m sure if were determined, I could grasp the dances eventually. But the harder the choreography is to get a grip on, the less of a workout I get, so I am not terribly patient.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: I worked up a sweat—from dancing and also from frustration.

BUT IS IT FUN? Parts, yes. And it was a lot more fun when I figured out what the “downbeat” she kept mentioning was.

WHEN IT'S OVER: I have to pop in another DVD to get a full workout.

GEAR AND APPAREL: Nothing but rhythm.

FINAL WORD: Could be better. Wish it were. But I'll keep it around for those first 20 minutes.
--
I have a new book out! It's called The Introvert's Way: Living a Quiet Life in a Noisy World, and it's available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and a bookstore near you. (I hope. And if it's not, ask for it.)

Element Yoga For Energy & Relaxation

THE WORKOUT: Element Yoga For Energy & Relaxation

REVIEW BY: Sophia

WHO CAN DO THIS: Anyone with a modicum of experience and flexibility should be fine with the relaxation segment; the energy segment requires strength and more experience. There is some discussion of form, but probably not enough for a rank beginner.

THE BREAKDOWN: This DVD includes two 30-minute practices in the pretty garden setting that all the element programs use. Yogi Tamal Dodge, who has been practicing since he was a child, demonstrates with his own voice over.

The energy segment manages to pack quite a bit of challenge into a short program, starting easily enough with some half sun salutations but moving quickly into planks, dolphin, crescent lunges and warriors, side angle poses. The most challenging part to me was the duration of each pose. This guy breathes slooooooowly. After explaining each pose, he’d instruct to hold for a number of breaths. By that time, I’m pooped and taking two breaths for every one of his.

The relaxation session is relaxing indeed, starting with upper back and neck stretches. Then a bunch of cat-cows, camel pose, a little down dog, a little sphinx, some half-pigeon and forward folds. It’s all about surrender and nice for the end of a hard day.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: I break a sweat in the energy segment. And I feel it the next day, too.

BUT IS IT FUN? I can’t call the energy program fun—maybe when I get better at it—but it’s nice to get a real challenge in a short program. And relaxation? What’s not to like?

WHEN IT'S OVER: There’s a little bit of groaning as I lift myself from the floor from the savasana after the energy program. The relaxation leaves me properly mellow.

GEAR AND APPAREL: Just a mat.

FINAL WORD: I have other challenging programs I prefer to this one, but will probably use the relaxation segment from time to time, since those are harder to come by.

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

Element Power Yoga

THE WORKOUT: Element: Power Yoga

REVIEW BY: Sophia

WHO CAN DO THIS: Intermediate level yogis.

THE BREAKDOWN: One of a fine collection of yoga DVDs (here’s another I like and you'll find others on this site) , this hour long workout is a workout indeed. Poses that other DVDs work up to—crescent pose, for example—are just the beginning here.

Ashley Turner, working out with a view of  the Pacific Ocean (lucky dog), is pleasant and reassuring, telling us in the voiceover that “Inner power is knowing what we need and giving it to ourselves.” In this case, she’s referring to taking a break in child’s pose whenever necessary.

The pace is not frantic but it is brisk, though one-leg down dogs, lots of planks, breath of fire, warrior three, pushups, an interesting balance challenge done crouching on your toes. There’s a long core segment, including situps into boat pose, and just when you think you’re nearing the end (if you’re not a clock watcher), you’re back in down dog, then chair pose, sidearm planks, more pushups. Turner's instructions are clear and helpful and every now and then she reminds you to smile, which is a nice thought. This is a no-kidding workout. No kidding.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: It’s sweaty all right.

BUT IS IT FUN? It’s not not fun. It’s hard work fun.

WHEN IT'S OVER: You’ll feel it all over your body.

GEAR AND APPAREL: Mat and perseverance.

FINAL WORD: This one requires discipline that I hope to find in myself.

A New Voice, A New Perspective on Ageless With Kathy Smith

My friend Kritter and I have a gold-star system working. I got the idea from my friends Nancy and Sarah. The deal is this: every day that we exercise at least 30 minutes, we get a gold star on our shared online calendar. (We live in different cities.)

That’s all. Just a gold star. No prize at the end, no goal other than seeing the calendar fill up with gold stars. This, oddly enough, is motivation enough.

Consequently, Krit and I talk about exercising a lot. I’ve been working out for decades, she’s just a couple of on-and-off years into having a fitness program. But she has embraced the life. She’s also the Queen of Google and so she’s always feeding me interesting health and fitness related tidbits. She’s one of my fitness buddies, and she knows her way around fitness DVDs.

I give Kritter DVDs I think she’d like, after I review them or if I think I won’t. I wasn’t impressed with the Ageless With Kathy Smith DVD, but Kritter said it sounded like she might like it. And, it turns out, she did. She begged to differ with my review and her emailed explanation makes so much sense, I asked to post it here. And, better yet, she has also agreed to write reviews for Suit Up and Show Up, freshening things up around here with a new perspective. Yay!

Counterpoint: Ageless With Kathy Smith

I got out the Kathy Smith Ageless DVD.  You would have thought I hadn't exercised in years.  I had no balance.  I had no ab/core tone.  I had no nothing.  I kept having to backtrack.   Things I could at least sorta do a couple weeks ago were out of my grasp.  And yet, I persevered.  And for that reason alone I get a gold star.

I'm still mulling why I like the DVD (particularly after today's poor performance).  I really think I'm the target audience.  Older, basically out of shape—but no, you couldn't do much with it having not exercised in 20 years and being 40 pounds overweight.  You're the right age, but you've consistently kept up the exercising, frequently with DVDs, so for you she's just preaching to the choir, same old same old.  But there are lots of women like me out there.

You know she has to keep that body at her age.  When she tells you to lift the weights and do the stretching, you realize she's telling herself the same thing EVERY FUCKING DAY.  Yeah, she likes the sweating and the physicality of working out more than I do and yeah, I know she's fit way beyond anything I'll ever achieve, but I don't think she's pushing unreasonably, nor is she threatening (a la Jillian).  She doesn't go too fast, so even if you're struggling with a move, you stand a chance to get enough repetitions in without starting the segment over.

Basically, I can do some of it fairly well and the rest gives me something to work towards.

Ageless With Kathy Smith: Staying Strong

THE WORKOUT: Ageless With Kathy Smith: Staying Strong

REVIEW BY: Sophia

WHO CAN DO THIS:  Note that it’s staying strong, not getting strong. Not for beginners.

THE BREAKDOWN: Holy cow, Kathy Smith is 60 years old?! She’s looking so good, I’ll forgive the Botox. Certainly her body looks better than mine does—or even did when I was half that age. And oh boy, she did stay strong…this is not a workout for weaklings.

I like Kathy Smith so I feel kinda bad that I don’t like this DVD.

Four 15 minute segments work arms, legs, glutes and core--hard. Weights, squats, lunges, leg lifts, some balance, some jumps. It’s mostly pretty standard stuff with lots of reps; even 15 little minutes get a little tedious. The 12-minute "Bonus Stretch"  is so lackluster I turned it off and freestyled.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: Sweat and lots of it.

BUT IS IT FUN? Do you find broccoli fun? Then you’ll have fun.

WHEN IT'S OVER: Your muscles will tell you that it did the job, no doubt about it.

GEAR AND APPAREL: Light weights.

FINAL WORD: Not bad, just dull. Doubt I’ll do it again.

Note: Check out Kritter's counterpoint review--she likes this workout.

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.

Product Review: Deo-Go

By Sophia

Not that I want everyone thinking about my armpits, but these are the sacrifices I make to serve you better.

I received a press release for a product called Deo-Go, which is supposed to remove deodorant stains from clothes. My husband and I refer to this as a T-shirt getting “pitted out.”

I requested a sample of Deo-Go to see if it could extend the life of my T-shirts/fitness wear. I can tolerate only so much pitting out, even if I’m just working out.

The challenge I presented this product was mighty-- two very old, very beloved souvenir shmattes—a white T-shirt from Cowgirl University that's about six years old, and an eight-year-old gold T-shirt from Skagway, Alaska. Both have been worn to death.

I used Deo-Go on one pit of each shirt, first spraying, then washing in OxiClean, then drying, and repeating.

Deo-Go works.

The results are more obvious on white T-shirt than the gold one, and I strongly recommend (as the directions specify) first testing Deo-Go in an inconspicuous spot on the garment. It did appear to very slightly lighten the color of the gold shirt. But considering the general disgusting factor of an eight-year-old pitted-out T-shirt, that’s no big deal.

I plan to start using Deo-Go on favorite T-shirts before they reach the revolting stage and set records for world’s oldest T-shirts still in frequent rotation.

Pretty obvious which side got the Deo-Go.

Don't forget, you can help support this site if you buy your DVDs and other products by clicking through to Amazon from here. For more information on Deo-Go, click 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: Good Greasy Music Mix

By Sophia

Dipping into my collection of favorite walking mixes, give you one of my all-time favorites--I've used it for years and have yet to tire of it. I call it Good Greasy Walk. Honestly, I don't know what that means. I don't know what I mean by "greasy" or why I consider these songs "greasy" but there it is. I just write this stuff, I'm not responsible for it.

In any case, this is paced for a brisk hour-long walk. So suit up, plug in, and take it outside.

There's Something Going On -- Frida

New Kid in Town -- The Eagles

Steady As She Goes -- The Raconteurs

More Than a Woman -= Bee Gees

Daniel -- Elton John

Shame -- Evelyn "Champagne" King

I've Got to use My Imagination -- Gladys Knight and the Pips

This Will Be -- Natalie Cole

I Wanna Get Next To You -- Rose Royce

Stuck In the Middle With You -- Stealers Wheel

Bang a Gong -- T Rex

Young Pilgrams -- The Shins

Smells Like Teen Spirit -- Nirvana

Carpetbaggers -- Jenny Lewis

Everybody's Talkin' -- Harry Nilsson

Beautiful -- Christina Aguilera

Personal Training With Jackie: Xtreme Timesaver Training

THE WORKOUT: Personal Training With Jackie: Xtreme Timesaver Training

WHO CAN DO THIS: You'll need to know proper form for using light weights.

THE BREAKDOWN: I am not generally Xtreme anything, except maybe hungry, and I tend to be shy about trying DVDs with a seriously ripped trainer on the cover. But despite the Xtremity and Jackie Warner’s intimidating six-pack, I decided that 30 tough minutes might be just the jolt my increasingly complacent workout needed.

Compound moves work the upper and lower body and core simultaneously, which also elevates the heart rate to the fat-burning zone. Each move is done for one minute, and when I say “is done” I mean Warner and her oh-so-fit cohorts Madison and Jericho do it for one minute. I manage 30 seconds before pausing to gasp for a while before gamely trying to rejoin--with varying success.

I used three-pound weights the first time I tried this and had to put them down halfway through each exercise and finish the reps with no weights (as Jericho demonstrates in the modifications). The next time, I used the one-pound weight gloves from 10 Minute Solution Knockout Body! and those worked great. Love those gloves.

Warner is the kind of trainer who exults in making you hate her, which is fine. I prefer that to a trainer who pretends everyone is having fun. The workout is just the right level of tough, for when you want to kick your own ass a little. I particularly like that although it includes lots (and lots and lots and lots) of the dreaded lunges, everything is done at a moderate pace. This gives me time to set up my lunges properly (protecting my wonky knees), and allows me to control my weights rather than flailing.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: Very sweaty.

BUT IS IT FUN? Not fun, exactly, but quick and satisfying.

WHEN IT'S OVER: Endorphins, a sense of accomplishment, and wobbly legs.

GEAR AND APPAREL: Light weights, some floor space, and a mat. Warner wears silly, baggy, low-slung shorts, but I don’t think those are necessary.

FINAL WORD: Very nice; a keeper.

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

Dance and Be Fit: Lower Body Burn

THE WORKOUT: Dance and Be Fit: Lower Body Burn

WHO CAN DO THIS: Some dance training would help, but at the very least you should know how not to pull muscles. And bring all your self confidence.

THE BREAKDOWN: I love the dance style of this DVD—it’s like a mix between modern dance and Dean Martin’s Golddiggers. There’s nothing hip-hoppy about it at all and the challenges are grace and long lines more than attitude and flava.

You know right from the warm-up that you’re not in for a run-of-the-mill workout. The warm up is done seated on the floor and manages to be a dance anyway, with straddles, torso contractions, twists with legs swinging side to side. It’s interesting, challenging and uses muscles in a different way from most workouts. Same with the two 20-minute workouts. Although targeting the lower body, choreography includes head, arms, and hands.

I enjoyed the “Heavenly Hips” segment. I’m not sure it will do much to minimize my maximums, but it’s fun and a decent cardio workout. Things kinda fell apart for me in the “Lovely Legs” segment, though, because it has quite possibly the worst cueing ever. The voiceover of fitness pro Kimberly Miguel Mullen says “get ready to…,” while on screen, she and her crew are already doing whatever you’re supposed to prepare for. Steps change quickly with nothing to hang onto so you can prepare (i.e. “Do this eight more times”). Sometimes the cues are just plain wrong, telling you to change when it’s not yet time. Even the music seems off. It seems the voiceover was simply recorded while Mullen was watching the video—it’s more like play-by-play than cueing.

I’ve done Heavenly Hips a couple of times, but didn't make it through Lovely Legs once. The cool down is cool, if a little tricky to keep up with.

THE SWEAT FACTOR: Not killer, but you’ll sweat.

BUT IS IT FUN? Most of it, yes.

WHEN IT'S OVER: If you’ve done just Heavenly Hips, you might want to pop another DVD in the machine to continue the workout.

GEAR AND APPAREL: The workout is done barefoot. You'll need a fairly large floor space.

FINAL WORD: I like it but wish it were better.

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

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.

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.