DVD Library

Shelly’s Exercise DVDs

More recently I’ve had to become an at-home exerciser, although I would love to be running folks, running, running, running. Here’s a review of my video collection.

Last edit 5/28/2009.

P90X – by Beach Body with Tony Horton – Never thought I’d buy another Beach Body product after Turbo Jam, but I started this program on 5/25/09, so I’m not ready to fully comment on it. More to come.

Cathe Freidrich

I’ll be adding reviews and commentary on Cathe in the near future. In the meantime, you can read my comparison of Cathe vs. Turbo Jam.

• Butts and Guts – tough, tough video. I must admit, I haven’t done it in a while. But it’s a killer lower body workout. I usually do about 1/2 hour of what I can do and then do some cardio. Very challenging for those who want to work on their butt and abs.
• Body Max – This is an interesting workout. It has a 25 minute step segment followed by a cross training circuit and then an ab routine. There are several different mixes of the material for various workouts. I enjoyed it overall, but I have a foot issue that makes step aerobics very painful. So, I’ve not done this one in a while.
• Muscle Max

– Another tough workout. I love working this one into the rotation. It’s a med-heavy weight workout. Lots of squats and lunges as well as upper body. About 45 minutes on the weight training plus abs. Also some mixes of the material.

Jari Love

• Get Ripped – This is Jari Love’s first DVD in this series. If you’re new to the idea of at-home weight lifting, this is a great place to start. All of the moves are basic – chest press, squats, lunges, bicep curls, inner/outer thighs, deadlifts, triceps, etc. The group of 4 “rippers” present various modifications for different fitness levels. By increasing weight, you can continue to challenge yourself. Ab segment is a bit weak, but the rest is good. Rating: *** and 1/2
• Ripped to the Core – I love this workout. It utilizes compound exercises. You use twice the muscles and burn more calories. It really isn’t that much “harder” than other weight training dvds I have tried. It almost seems like you’re doing nothing much, but sweating like crazy. As usual, Jari features loads of modifications, different types of equipment, and motivation. This is workout where she admits that she doesn’t do abs – which explains why these segments are weak on other workouts. Rating: ****
• Get Ripped Slim and Lean – I’m not sure how to describe this one. Again, it’s a weight training dvd workout. Each segment targets a specific muscle group and sometimes uses pulses and isometric holds to reach exhaustion. It’s a very fun workout and you can really challenge yourself in it. Again, there are loads of modifications demonstrated for the less experienced or those who might have physical issues with certain muscles groups. Rating: ****
• Get Ripped and Chisled – I would have to say this is my favorite workout at the moment of the Ripped series. In this dvd, there are 15 sements targeting 4 muscles groups (legs, chest, back, shoulders/biceps). You will work 3-4 exercises for each muscles group – meaning that most of the workouts, you’ll need to back down a little on weights. I’m still getting broken in on this one, but it has such great potential. 120 reps on the bicep curls (plus the track on hammerheads). There is no new ab segment, but the ab workout from Slim and Lean is included in the bonus tracks section. Rating: **** and 1/2 stars
• Get Ripped 1000
• Get Extremely Ripped

I really enjoy the Ripped series. I’d say the only thing keeping me from giving them higher ratings is the abs tracks. I haven’t found one I like between the four of them. Jari also has a lot of interesting bonus features on some of the physiology and research behind the workouts she does. While the title of the workout and the presentation seems a little gimmicky, everything makes total sense, and I’ve seen results with the little work I’ve done.

Other

Other (More Here)

• Turbo Jam – Beach Body – I have reviewed it here. Rating: * – Would never recommend this video to anyone. Why do I still have it? I feel guilty selling it to anyone or even giving it away.

Over the years, I have tried and owned many different workout videos/dvds. In the last few years, I’ve used Netflix and my local library to preview workout videos. This is a low cost alternative to actually buying them and finding out later that they are not exactly what I would enjoy. These current selections are my personal favorites based on what works for me. What works for you might be something different. I encourage you to read reviews and sample videos from whatever resources that you might have to discover what motivates and encourages you to pursue your exercise goals. And if all else fail, lace up the sneakers and run, run, run (or walk, walk, walk). Remember, you don’t have to break world records – just keep that heart rate elevated for 30 minutes or more!