Deciding on an Exercise DVD - What to Look for When Getting an Exercise DVD

If you’re looking to buy a workout video but you’re not quite sure which one to choose, then this article is for you. In this article we will look at the benefits of exercise videos, the kinds of exercise, and the top personal trainers to look out for when buying a fitness DVD.



The Benefits of Workout DVDs



· Convenient: you can exercis whenever you want. No need to attend an exercise class at a specific time.

· Less Expensive: once you've got the video, you won't need to pay any more money like you would if you were attending exercise classes every week.



Types of Exercise:



· Weight Training: if you want to build up your muscles and improve your body shape, this is for you.

· Dance Fitness: a great fun way to improve your fitness whilst enjoying yourself.

· Walking: the most natural form of exercise you can do, and best of all, it’s free! If you live in a hilly rural area, this is ideal.

· Aerobics: this type of exxercise combines stretching with rhythmic aerobic exercise, resulting in an improvement to all areas of a person's fitness (muscular strength, cardio-vascular fitness and flexibility).

· Pilates: Joseph Pilates invented this physical fitness system in the early part of the 20th century. This method's goal is to increase strength, flexibility and body control.

· Yoga: an ancient set of physical and mental disciplines originating from India. Many people associate the word "yoga" merely with the stretching and toning exercises, but yoga is much more than this.

· Exercise Ball: an inflatable ball is used as part of the equipment for a variety of exercises, for example athletic training, physical therapy and even weight training. Some people try to tone their abdominal muscles just by replacing their chair with the ball, due to the way this constantly engages the core muscles.

· Stretching: exercises that seek to deliberately elongate a specific skeletal muscle or muscle group so that elasticity and tone are improved.

· Kickboxing: as with Dance Fitness, this is another great fun way to get in shape.

· Pregnancy Workouts: a set of exercises tailored specifically for a pregnant woman, taking into consideration the care of the developing baby and the range of movements that are safe and comfortable for the woman to do.

· Tai Chi Chuan: the name translates literally as "Supreme ultimate Fist". It is an ancient martial art from China which is done for its health benefits as well as defence training.



Number 1 Workout Trainers to Get



Of course, there are many different fitness instructors with their own workout DVDs, but some are better than others. Here is a short list of the biggest names in fitness training. I'm sure you will notice some of the names from seeing them on TV.



· Jillian Michaels: A popular American personal trainer from Los Angeles, California. She is widely known for her appearances on TV shows such as Losing It With Jillian and The Biggest Loser, and she is known for her intense, forceful manner, pushing people to their limits. There are 202 exercise DVDs in her range.

· Bob Harper: Another American fitness instructor, this time from Nashville. Like Jillian Michaels, he has also appeared on the TV show The Biggest Loser. There are 39 videos in his range.

· Jackie Warner: Another American trainer, this time from Fairborn, Ohio. She is most widely known for the TV show Work Out, and she has a total of 38 workout DVDs.

· Leslie Sansone: A health expert who specialises in walking as the main form of exercise. If losing weight and generally getting more in shape are your goals, rather than toning up and developing your muscles, then her videos are ideal. She has 119 exercise videos available.

· Denise Austin: American fitness instructor, author, columnist, and former member of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. She has 86 exercise videos available.



Still not sure which exercise video to get? Check out Exercise DVDs, which has reviews of the best fitness DVDs, including No More Trouble Zones