Originally published July 31 2005
Journalist claims success with exercise videos; tells consumers what to look for
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Holly Hanson, a writer and copy editor for the Detroit Free Press, has been working out with exercise videos since Jane Fonda's first tape and says they have provided her with numerous health benefits, and, although she doesn't consider herself qualified to recommend certain exercise videos for certain people, she does explain what to look for in a recent article.
It has introduced me to a variety of exercise regimens, from Pilates and yoga to step routines and belly dancing.
Readers often ask me to recommend video programs to suit their specific exercise goals.
I'm not qualified to do that, but I can tell you which ones I've held onto through eight years of reviewing tapes and DVDs each month for the Free Press Body & Mind section.
A thumping beat is great for a hip-hop workout; I want calming sounds (or even silence) for stretching and yoga.
Amazon.com sells an extensive selection of fitness videos, many of them reviewed by regular folks who have posted their comments online.
Dance Regular readers of this column will not be surprised to hear that dance tapes are my favorite.
"Cardio Dance," led by Paula Abdul (she was a dancer and choreographer once, remember?), is a brisk, 39-minute routine with lively steps and an innovative camera technique that provides a back view of Abdul performing the steps so you can copy her steps exactly.
"Red Hot Salsa Made Simple with Lisa Nunnziella" offers 45 minutes of hot, spicy Latin dancing to a syncopated rhythm.
"New York City Ballet Workout 2" is a 51-minute class led in voice-over by ballet master in chief Peter Martins and featuring the company's dancers.
The best part is a separate segment inspired by George Balanchine's choreography for "Tarantella," which you can learn in manageable segments.
"Quickfix: Total Body Toning" is a particularly efficient routine that offers 10 minutes of weight training, 10 minutes of kickboxing and 10 minutes of squats, push-ups and jumping jacks.
Yoga/Pilates Yoga is an ancient discipline and Pilates a newer one, developed in the 1940s by Joseph Pilates, who believed abdominal strength was the key to fitness.
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