Exercise DVDs and equipment I have used – my opinion

[justme]

Of what I have used over the years in my effort to get into or back into shape, lose weight and in some cases simply looking for a quick fix as well as a bit of a statement on how gullible I can be when it comes to television commercials

First I want to say that it is likely my results and opinions of the following programs and machines will likely be different that someone else’s who has tried them. I fully believe that what works for one person will not necessarily work for another. Everyone is different and no two people are built exactly the same and no two people think the same so why would anyone of these programs or pieces of equipment work the same and give the same results or opinions. Basically… your Mileage may vary

Total Gym

I was and am a fan of Chuck Norris so any TV commercial with Chuck apparently I’m sold…
I bought Total Gym 2000 years ago and later gave it away and bought a new Total Gym XLS (for the price of a 2000) because I liked it. I used for awhile, following the routine that came with it in VHS (now you have some idea as to how long ago that was) but I quit using it after a couple of months and went back to free weights. It just lost its appeal and I did not think I was making any great gains but I was exercising and it was helping me maintain.

Fast forward several years, and several injuries and many pounds and I got the Start It Up! Your Personal Training Guide DVD. It is a nice starter program and I followed it and it was helping but I just did not see it as the “only” thing I should be doing. I have to say, in retrospect the Total Gym never really did much for me. Even the last DVD, which was a nice little workout, did not do a heck of a lot for me.
My view of the Total Gym today is that it is a nice supplement to another routine and it is a nice piece of equipment for rehabilitation but it is not something to base ones entire fitness program on. My Total Gym is in my basement and I will likely return to it as part of an exercise routine someday or if I am ever hurt again but it will not be my main focus ever again. But at this point I do not think I would recommend spending $900 to buy one

Bow Flex

This was a combination of things; the TV adds, a friend of mine and my desire for an easy way to get into shape. The result… I bought a Bowflex Xtreme

I tried following the Bow Flex routine a couple of times, more recently in the last year and I have to say it never really did anything for me, I even combined the Bow Flex routine with the Total Gym routine which was a good comparision that, in my opinion the Total Gym came out on top.

But my final thought on the Bow Flex, and this is of course just my opinion, at best it is a rehabilitation machine. However my friend loves it, is in great shape and very healthy. Of course I did not take into account his job. He was a police officer, but not just any police officer, he was one of the bicycle officers, in SWAT and a sniper. So Bow flex was not all he did. Currently my Bow Flex sits in my basement and I am seriously considering selling it... I am of the thought that it was the biggest waste of money I ever bought at about $2000

DVDs

Power90 – Tony Horton (Not P90X)

I liked Power90; it was doing exactly what it claimed to do. I was seeing results, I was losing weight and I was feeling my body get stronger. But I will also add I was not ONLY doing Power90. I was also doing Tony Horton’s Ho Ala Ke Kino and about 20 minutes of stationary bike and a bit Weigh training for strength (dead lift, bench press, military press). However I do feel that if you follow Power90 to the letter, which I didn’t, you would get results. I can’t speak for P90X, I never did it and I do not think I ever will. However those that I know that have done it like it a lot.

Ho Ala Ke Kino - Tony Horton

Nice workout, not the only thing you would do to get into shape but then it is not suppose to be and it is not even implied that it should be. Actually Tony Horton refers to it more as a warm-up. I did this when I was doing Power90 and I tried it again in 2011. It was great back in my Power90 days but in 2011, overweight and coming back from injuries it laid me up with back pain for 2 weeks. I may do this again because I liked it and I do believe it can help you get into shape but I would not do it in my current condition. I will have to be in much better shape before I try it again.

10 minute trainer – Tony Horton

Sucked in by the TV commercial and again, oh gullible me, this was an attempt by me to find a quick fix. And again I feel that if you follow what the program schedule actually says you will get results but I really have to say it is not just a 10 minute a day workout. I truly feel the name of the program and the TV ads are very misleading. Even the 7 day a week schedule that comes with the 10 minute trainer has 6 out of 7 days doing 3 of the 10 minute routines (30 minutes) and only one of the 7 days is a 10 minute routine, so it Is really the 30 minute trainer. But it is set up where you could split it up into 3 workout sessions of 10 minutes each during the day

Various Power Yoga DVD programs – Rodney Yee

These are good but I do not suggest them all for a beginner. AM/PM is ok for a beginner but the rest are hard and I have a little Yoga training in my background but in my current condition I do not think I would use them. Also, I would not depend on them for weight loss. Core strengthening yes, weight loss no. But without any Yoga background with a real live teacher and I can’t stress this enough, BE CAREFUL!!! It is REAL easy to hurt yourself with some of his DVDs.

Quick Fit System by Gilad

This one came as a complete shock to me since I am not, nor have I ever been, an aerobics class kind of guy. But one night I was up late and there was nothing on so I ended up watching Bodies in Motion, Gilad’s TV show. And I will admit right now I was not watching it for the aerobics as much as I was watching it for some of the woman doing aerobics with him. But after watching it I began to think about he does not really seem to be trying to sell anything and he seems to have the Jack LaLanne vide going where he just wants to get people in shape.

So I did a web search and found he actually had DVDs and once again in my attempt to find a quick fix, and prove I am gullible, I bought his Quick Fit System which in reality is not all that quick it is 12 weeks and a lot of hard work with a maintenance program to do after you finish the 12 weeks.

I am doing this one now and rather pleased and getting results but I am following the exercise routine and trying to follow the dirt too. I am however starting to supplement this with some additional core work and dumbbell work but I do honestly feel following the system for 2 weeks got me to a point where I could supplement it.

Assuming I survive the entire 12 weeks I am seriously considering buying another one of his programs but more on that later… assuming I get that far.



I want to end this with you may not get the same results as I did and you may absolutely love a piece of equipment I do not like but I think that has a lot to do with the individual. You may absolutely love the bow flex and follow the routines to the letter and get great results… it bored me to tears and I plateau rather quickly as it applies to any strength gains.

It all comes down to what works best for you and the desire you have to get in shape with a piece of equipment or DVD program and I have learned that there are no short cuts or quick fixes. It all takes time and dedication

[hollee]

I think you are so right some people like this or that exercise equipment better than another but as you say we tend to at times buy because we are sucked in by the Ads.

A lot of people on this site seem to love the elliptical, i feel it seems a good product but not for me yet so I have time to think about it.

Personally in the past I liked the exercise bike and walking.