Check out these ways to revive your resolution

Last Updated on Friday, 22 January 2010 09:51

Frequently Asked Questions - Reader Services

Research shows that starting an exercise program is the second most popular New Year's resolution. But research also shows that 36% of us break those resolutions after only one month.

Well, since it's been about a month, and we want to help you keep your resolutions to be healthier. PLS staff have sweat through some of our favorite exercise DVD's and offered the following reviews. So read the following and kick, dance or yoga your New Year's resolution back into gear - with a little help from your hometown libraries!

Zumba Fitness DVD series
Reviewer: Mary Sims, Shawnee Public Library

I tried the Zumba Fitness DVDs before Christmas and my son's January 2nd wedding. There are three different DVDs in PLS. I liked two of them: Zumba Fitness--Basics and 20-Minute Workout and Zumba Fitness--Live! and Flat Abs. The 20-Minute Workout portion of the first DVD is perfect for busy gals (and guys). It's a fairly vigorous workout in a short period of time. Religiously working out to the Flat Abs part of the second DVD really pays off. I saw results in about a two weeks--seriously!

Dirty Dancing Official Dance Workout
Reviewer: Jennifer Marshall, Pioneer Service Center

If you enjoy the movie, you will enjoy dancing to the music on this DVD.  I found the steps a little hard to follow at first, but I think with practice it would make for a fun workout.  The male instructor was easier for me to follow than the female, and I felt like they could have spent a little more time on each of the steps in the instruction portion.  I would not recommend this for people with small workout spaces as it does require some room to perform the dance routines. The songs from the movie include: Love Man, Yes, Johnny’s Mambo, Do You Love Me, and Saturday Night Dance Challenge.   Overall, it was a bit challenging, but fun!

Dancing with the Stars Cardio Dance
Reviewer: Caroline Dulworth, Pioneer Service Center

You don't have to be a dancer to have fun with this DVD, but it might help! The popular dancers of one of TV's favorite shows might know all the moves, but it was challenging for me to keep up with. I still got a great cardio workout, though, and had fun laughing at myself while trying. The dances included are the Cha-Cha, Samba, Paso Doble and Jive and really emphasize working out leg muscles. Once nice feature was the ability to turn off the instructions and just dance to the music, which I would appreciate after learning the routines.

5 Day Fit Yoga: with Suzanne Deason & Rod Stryker
Reviewer: Jana Moring, Development Office

This seems to be a useful yoga video, especially if you're looking for some variety in short practices (30 mins); however, these are two different practitioners with styles that seem to speak to different audience needs. Stryker's workouts are labeled "peak performance" - an a.m. and p.m. version - versus Deason's "weight loss" sessions - also an a.m. and p.m. version, along with a "stress relief" workout. Beyond the inability to distinguish night from day yoga in either instructor's workouts (all of which took place in a fabulous outdoor location), I couldn't pick out elements that were particularly designed for "weight loss," "peak performance," or "stress relief." It's all very similar, although Deason's practice seems geared more for beginners and with props and stretches that are held for longer periods of time. Rod Stryker has a beautiful yoga practice, and to me, a more authentic voice; however, he can start to drift into the kind of Anusara yoga jargon that makes me crazy. He does give clear direction, but without on-site adjustments, I'm not sure people new to yoga would understand what "lift from the heart" means, much less "move your attention to the lower belly and just watch." It's almost worth watching first, especially Stryker's practice, to get a sense of correct body alignment.

3 Week Boot Camp
Reviewer: Jamie Hale, Norman Public Library

Well-known fitness instructor Denise Austin is back with a new workout DVD. This one is divided into three workouts. The first two are 20 minute workouts followed by a 6 minute abdominal workout. The first workout is Cardio and Strength Intervals which includes bursts of cardio exercises followed by strength training moves, then back to cardio and so on. The cardio consisted of moves like jump rope (no jump rope is required, you are just pantomiming the moves) and jumping jacks which reminded me of being back in gym class. Light hand weights are needed for the strength training moves. The second workout is Athletic Training which consists of strength training moves. The last workout is the Ab Fat-Blaster and it is listed as a bonus workout since it is only 6 minutes. The hand weights are also used for this workout. The abdominal section featured some moves I had never seen before so that was a nice change of pace.

I liked the interval training aspect of this workout. It will get your heart rate up and the variations kept me from getting bored. It might be a little tough for beginners but Denise does a good job of reminding people to do only what they can do. For most of the cardio exercises she starts at what she calls level one, then amps it up to level two, and then three before going back to level one. If I felt like a move was too tough for me, I would stay at level one or two. So you can modify the workout to fit your needs. There is also a music only option if you do not want to hear Denise.

Bollywood Dance Workout
Reviewer: Caroline Dulworth, Pioneer Service Center

Getting bored with your current workout routine? This program is not like anything you have ever done before! There were some exercises that I had never heard of: "feeding the chickens"? and moves that I am not used to doing: shaking all over…. But I enjoyed laughing at myself trying these moves and afterward I felt amazing relaxed from head to toe. I didn't care for the music, but it became background noise after I got into the routine. I did like that they offer easy skill levels as well as the more advanced.