Exercise DVDs, Videos and More - How do you know they work?

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

21 May 2006 04:00 PM

When it comes to choosing a fitness program, we've discussed different exercise DVDs, videos and even television programs here in our fitness blog. We've talked about Yourself!Fitness, Kinetics and more that are available for the Xbox and Playstation 2 machines. It's great to talk about these items, but how do you know if they are the right thing for you?

Some exercise DVDs and exercises are very good at what they do and provide you with a great workout and others are just campy, goofy fun that don't offer you much more than some serious laughs. So how can you decide which one is which? How do you answer the question of whether the video or DVD workout you are looking at?

Answer the following questions and they will give you a good idea of whether you are a good candidate for exercise videos and whether these videos are a good choice for you.

An exercise video or DVD might be a good choice for your fitness options if you are:

• On a limited budget - most exercise videos do not require a lot of heavy equipment or high financial investment
• You prefer to exercise in the privacy of your own home and on your own schedule rather than that of a fitness club
• Limited on the amount of space in your home for exercise equipment
• House bound caring for an aging parent or very young child
• Living in an area too far from a fitness club

If you've decided that exercise videos or DVDs are the right way to go for you - you should do your research. Most exercise DVDs and videos only cost about $15 to $20 so your financial investment is low. However, it's a good idea to know what you are buying.

Begin by:

• Identifying the type of exercise video you want - whether it is yoga, tai chi or aerobics
• Research the different videos on the net - look for what other users have said about it - read the reviews carefully
• Check out what your friends or family members have used
• Talking to an expert source such as a personal trainer or fitness instructor at a school

If you have a chance to rent an exercise video before purchasing it, do so. See if it offers multiple kinds of workouts - one flaw in the exercise video is the repetitive nature of a workout that it offers. If you do the same exercise over and over - you will either be bored by the monotony but also limiting the amount of development you'll get from the workout. Renting workout videos may also increase your options and you can always check out Netflix and Blockbuster mailing services that would deliver the exercise DVDs straight to your mailbox and you can return it the same way.

Good luck with your exercise video hunting and keep an eye out here - I'll be reviewing a handful of options over the next few weeks. What exercise videos have you tried out? Which ones have you found to be useful? And which ones not so much?

Learn more about Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago.

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