<p>I really dislike to exercise, but like to have fun. The menopause weight has crept up on me and it is now time to get rid of 10-15 pounds and tone up a bit. While I do walk the dogs, I would not call that exercise; more like a lot of standing while they sniff everything in site! </p>
<p>Looking for your favorite DVD and if you would say what you do and don’t like about it, that would be helpful. I have weights and such and I am willing to purchase whatever I need to get started. There are a million exercise DVDs out there and it is hard to weed through them all. Looking for real people’s opinions here. </p>
<p>I use cathe friedrich videos. Wide variety, excellent results, fantastic cueing and I like the cathe community a lot, especially the online support and appliations. The advanced are really advanced.</p>
<p>I’m not in good enough shape to keep up with exercise videos. I find the pace of most of them to be generally unrealistic, moving non-stop from one exercise to the next. It’s hard to make a steady diet of that.</p>
<p>The most fun I’ve had with a video program is one that I downloaded. 12 weeks of 20 minute core workouts. You get video of each workout plus iPod MP3 sound tracks, so you can watch it or just listen while you pant.</p>
<p>It’s on my docket to do a second time starting in the next few weeks. Very intensive core training. Kind of expensive right now, though. I think I got it on a $99 introductory deal.</p>
<p>I like to have fun too and that was part of the problem with lots of them- they weren’t fun!!! Got bored real quick. Why is it that it seems they can never use real songs/real music? Dries me nuts!</p>
<p>I have done a good bit of Denise Austin - pretty good workout but her voice can get real annoying. Just bought my D a Julianne Hough dance tape - we did it once and it was pretty hard for me to pick up in the steps the first time. She kept saying “make it sexy!” - I promise the moves I was making were quite awkward and not sexy!!!</p>
<p>OP, have you looked into the Zumba videos? (disclaimer, I’m an instructor). Dance based, tons of fun (well at least my classes are ). I haven’t watched the videos so I’m not sure what they’re like. Some of my students have spoken highly of them. Also not sure if you run into the “canned” music issue…anyhow, perhaps check it out??</p>
<p>abasket, the reason they usually don’t use “real” music is because they would have to pay licensing fees to ASCAP or BMI…$$$$. I find it annoying as well. If I was an “independent” instructor, I’d have to pay a fee, but since I’m an employee of the YMCA (and another company for a class at another site), I rely on the fact that THEY pay the licensing fees.</p>
<p>I know what you mean. As a Zumba instructor I get CD’s each month with music I can use (if I want) in my classes. But it’s usually full of tinny covers of the real songs, so I end up buying the originals from itunes anyway, because I (and my students) feel the same way!</p>
<p>Insanity is insane. 10 minutes in, and I was done. And I do P90X, can run 5 miles, consider myself in decent shape. </p>
<p>That said, I’d love to be able to do it.</p>
<p>I do P90X and P90X2 (Tony Horton) as well as Bob Harper’s DVDs and Jillian’s (both from Biggest Loser). They’re all tough. It took me awhile to work up to them. What I love about Tony is that he’s a great motivator. He knows you won’t be able to do everything (or anything) at first, but he’s always positive and offers “easier” options during certain exercises.</p>
<p>I started with yoga on DVD because I was afraid to go to a class. Kimberly Fowler’s Yoga for Athletes. </p>
<p>I’d love to hear some dance-style exercise DVDs although I’d probably laugh too much at myself if I tried to do them.</p>
<p>Can I put in a plug for local community center classes? D’s dance teacher of many years (hip hop) started offering hip hop exercise for women our age a few years ago. It’s HARD work, but fun and easy enough to keep up-everyone at their own pace. Her current African dance teacher offers classes for all ages, and there’s yoga for 50+, salsa and many more just in the various centers in Seattle. They’re inexpensive-the hip hop one was under $50 a quarter, and you come as you are-no hard bodies laughing at you, no dress code, etc.</p>
<p>I tried the DVD’s but I don’t like the fake music either. It finally occurred to me that I have all of D’s hip hop performances on disc-I’ll just follow them. But I wish her teacher would put out a disc-he’s so great at what he does no matter the age.</p>
<p>I think that it’s still pretty challenging for beginners and there are many moves that may be hard if you have injuries. I believe that Horton either requires or strongly recommends the use of an HRM for his students. That’s not something that you typically see in exercise videos.</p>
<p>You can get individual P90X videos if you use them on Apple iOS devices.</p>
<p>I think too many people buy exercise equipment, exercise books, dvds, or join gyms thinking that that alone will get them more fit physically. Before buying anything more just open your front door and go outside for a walk and work toward jogging, go ride a bike, or shovel some snow or mow your lawn–just get moving and do something instead of buying more stuff like treadmills that end up being used as clothes holders or dvds to watch other people exercise on TV while you sit on the livingroom couch. Just do it!</p>
<p>Another thing my 15 yr old D does is just searches on YouTube for exercise videos. Then she sets her laptop on a table and does 30 mins that way.</p>
<p>Remember doing Richard Simmons aerobics??? I think my oldest was a baby then. He was crazy and maybe a little weird but those were FUN!!</p>
<p>I’ll also mention a series my 24 D thinks is lots of fun - Hip Hop Abs - I forget the guys name but he has a whole series too.</p>
<p>Jillian Michaels–her 30 Day Shred or whatever it’s called is a workout but doesn’t seem like you are working that hard…until you try to walk down the stairs the next morning. It’s a good “get in shape” starter type video to move on to more strenuous work.</p>
). I haven’t watched the videos so I’m not sure what they’re like. Some of my students have spoken highly of them. Also not sure if you run into the “canned” music issue…anyhow, perhaps check it out??</p>