The Skinny on Exercise Videos & Weight Loss

Companies like Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig handle the nutrition/dieting part, but tell you basically to design your own program or join a gym. Perhaps this is a logistical and liability issue. They may not have the space in a retail storefront for exercise machines, and they don't want people filing lawsuits against them if they injure themselves while working out. So, they leave it up to you.

They skirt the issue. They'll sell you exercise balls, pedometers, exercise tapes, exercise books, mats, clothing, and they'll give you exercise information and tips online or even via the phone. But, that's about as far as most go.  Some companies, such as Jenny Craig, go a little further, since their counselors are now trained and certified by The Cooper Institute, a well-known and respected fitness organization. 

Consequently, if you are trying to lose weight or get in shape, chances are you'll be buying probably a dozen or so various exercise videos to use at home. There is not shortage. Not only can you find exercise tapes at local mass merchants, but you can buy them online or from mail order catalogs. They are affordable and convenient. You can use them again and again, in the comfort of your home, when YOUR schedule permits, unlike a structured health club or personal training program--and they are a lot less expensive.

Who Are The Top Names In Exercise Videos?

Most exercise video gurus are female, with a few celebrity men sprinkled in (Billy Blanks, Richard Simmons). The cast of experts includes Hollywood celebrities (Jane Fonda, Paula Abdul, others), and more than a few women from the ranks of the bodybuilding profession (Cory Everson, Rachel McLish, others). Here are some personal profiles of some of the biggest selling names.

Kathy Smith... Has taught fitness for 15 years. Has starred in over two dozen exercise videos. Received IDEA's Lifetime Achievement award for 2003. Her philosophy is that you need to integrate exercise with stress reduction, weight maintenance and emotional well-being to obtain a total healthy lifestyle.

Denise Austin... Denise was a consultant to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. She is also the author of two books on the subject of good nutrition and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. After graduation from college with a degree in exercise physiology, she started her own company setting up fitness programs at corporations and health clubs. With a background in gymnastics, she took to aerobics quickly. Her early days on TV began with the Jack LaLanne show, and shortly after that she landed her own fitness program on KABC in Los Angeles. This later brought her to her successful national TV Show on ESPN, Getting Fit With Denise Austin. Her workout philosophy is to try to encourage people to feel good about themselves, to improve their self-esteem, to believe in their abilities and to take action and control of their lives.

Billy Banks...  This man is a 5-time A.A.U. Karate Champion. Captain of the 1980 US Olympic Karate team. He has a 7th degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Billy was the 4th child of 15 kids from a hard-working but poor African-American family. He opened my own studio in Rockland, MA and gave demonstrations in public schools speaking about his belief that karate teaches discipline, focus and self-reliance. In 1998 he moved to LA were he worked in security and got a staring role in the movie "Bloodfist." The next year, he opened his World Training Center in Sherman Oaks, California. Billy Blank's philosophy is that true fitness, excellence and human value come from the inside. Physical exercise is a tool to reach that inner state of grace.

Jane Fonda... Aside from being an actress and activist, Jane became a legend in the home video industry by starring in and producing over 20 exercise tapes. Jane Fonda was inducted into the Video Hall of Fame in 1986 and has won numerous consumer and industry awards for fitness videos. Her Philosophy is that exercise helps you look and feel healthier. When you look better and feel good physically, you have a greater sense of self-esteem. A conscious and disciplined fitness path helps you take control of your life.

Richard Simmons...  Richard, aside from being funny and entertaining, has taught aerobics and exercise and weight loss for 27 years, traveling nationwide regularly. He was overweight during his entire childhood--topping out at 268 lbs. in college. Richard's obesity initially pushed him to drastic measures -- diet pills, laxatives and self-imposed starvation. In 1973 he was introduced to aerobic dance and he finally prevailed over his weight problem. Since then I've set out to bring health to the people who need it most. Richard's workout philosophy is to eat better, exercise and most importantly, feel good about yourself.

Karen Voight...  Karen Voight was an IDEA Instructor of the Year and Business Person of the Year by IDEA. Certified Group Fitness Leader by ACE. She is on the Family Advisory Board for ACE and Jump Magazine, and is an IDEA's 5 Star Presenter. Her background is in Classical Ballet, Tap Dance and Yoga. In 1978, she began teaching exercise to dancers and opened the Voight Fitness and Dance Center in 1980. There she combined her love of dance with her knowledge in exercise instruction. Karen trained other fitness enthusiasts of all ages and fitness levels, creating a movement to music approach that she claims transcends all language.

Joyce Vedral...  ISSA Certified. Best selling author of several fitness books (over 3 million sold). Joyce did some research and soon realized that champion bodybuilders had the secret to body shaping. She applied the principles to herself, modifying them to get feminine muscularity. She found that within 12 weeks she was able to transform her body.

Leslie Sansone... Certified by ACSM and Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research. Member of IDEA and ACSM..

Donna Richardson... AFAA and ACE certified. National Aerobic Champion Silver Medallist.

The Main Categories of Exercise Videos

If you are concerned about weight loss and toning, there is an exercise video for virtually every part of the body you want to firm up and every possible exercise. These include: aerobics (to burn fat and reduce stress), spinning/stationary bike, stairstepper tapes, swimming pool exercises, ski machines, muscle toning workouts, aerobics and toning, stretch, yoga & tai chi, and "specialty" videos (for kids, seniors, pregnancy, back pain).

Tae-bo was recently popularized by international martial arts champion Billy Blanks, who has been teaching cardio-kick boxing for more than a decade.

Spinning is one of the most intensive workouts around, burning about 900 calories in a 60-minute class. Spinning is basically glorified stationary bike riding, led by a motivational instructor and loud, high-energy music.

Yoga was developed over 5,000 years ago in India to increase strength, flexibility and balance. Almost all forms of yoga in the West are varieties of hatha yoga.

Pilates was an exercise developed by Joseph Pilates, a European fitness guru in the 1920s. Pilates is an offshoot of yoga that strengthens your muscles with various exercises performed on mats and specially designed equipment.

Tai-Chi is an exercise performed mainly while standing and moving very slowly and methodically, twisting your body and raising and lowering your limbs. Participants focus on the center of their body and concentrate on executing all movements outward from there.

Resources - Companies That Review and/or Sell Exercise Videos

One of the best companies we've discovered, that sells the most comprehensive line of exercise videos, is Collage Video, based in Minneapolis (800-433-6769). You can get a print catalog that reviews 700+ videos, or online at www.collagevideo.com. Their reviewers actually DO the workouts and they have ACE-certified instructors on staff (ACE is The American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit workout watchdog group). Collage has been reviewing tapes since 1987. Many of their videos can ONLY be found at their company--not your local store. Collage rates the tapes by level too--beginner, intermediate, and advanced. They also let you know the duration of each tape and how long each segment lasts (warm-up, aerobics, toning, cooldown, stretch, etc.).

Other companies that review exercise videos include various women's magazines, such as: Shape, Fitness, Self, Fit, Health, Oxygen, and Better Homes & Gardens.