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.

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.

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