As I’ve already shared with everyone, I’m quite the tennis fan. And after watching a rousing bout of Wimbledon (longest tennis match ever, say wha?) I was primed to review the Montenegro Method (MM) workout DVD series. Why, you ask? Because DVD creator Marta Montenegro features tennis cuties in her DVDs! Not one, not two but three tennis superstars—Fernando Verdasco, Feliciano Lopez and Carlos Moya—grace the DVD with their beautifulness. Serious points from me on eye candy alone.

But enough with the beautiful Spanish manliness in the DVDs, let’s talk about the workout and Marta herself. A Venezuelan-born journalist, Marta is the founder, publisher and editor-in-chief of SOBeFiT Magazine. She holds two master’s degrees—one in finance and one in exercise physiology—and is an adjunct professor at Florida International University. She is also a certified fitness trainer and a strength and conditioning coach. Basically, she’s really busy and qualified. Plus, she has a cute accent and serious guns. But that rocking body you see above does come with a price. Girlfriend works out A TON. According to her bio, she does three-hour daily training sessions complete with running, boxing and weight training. Yeowsers. She really must be busy!

Marta has recently taken her approach to training to the masses and created three workout DVDs for the average person (read: someone without three hours to dedicate to the gym—so 99.9 percent of us). The three DVDs are pretty intense and fuse traditional fitness and weight-lifting moves with sports drills and exercises like plyometrics. Plus—and this is really cool—the series offers both Spanish and English options. Below, we review each DVD and give you the fit bottom line, to see if they live up to the hype—or are just eye candy…

MM21: Endurance

Before I get too persnickety in this review, I should mention that my running injury is getting much, much better, but it’s still not healed, so I still have to be very, very careful when doing strenuous leg work to make sure that I don’t tax myself too much and end up back at Dr. Tony’s. (I’ll have a full injury update for you on Monday!) And this cardio workout DVD? Not what the doctor ordered for me, as it includes a lot of lunges, squats and other torturous (for my injury) lower-body moves. To be honest, I spent most of the DVD watching. And cursing Marta for her inability to sweat and breathe hard during mountain climbers.

In each of the three workouts on the DVD, Marta leads you through about 25 minutes (the DVD says 21 minutes, but it’s closer to 25) of three different circuits. Each circuit takes basically the same exercise and changes it just a bit to keep things fresh. All of the workouts include a mix of cardio and body-weight strength exercises—no weights needed. Each of the circuits is pretty darn tough. From jumping lunge-squats (yes, you read that right) to plank variations, girlfriend works you good. While the continual-legwork gave me a sad face, I was also highly disappointed that the DVD had no warm-up or cool down. Injury or no injury, everyone needs a warm-up and cool down.

MM21: Strength

I’m a sucker for a good, quick strength workout and the promise of 21 minutes had my attention with this strength DVD. The DVD includes three 21ish-minute workouts, divided into the upper body, lower body and the core. I say “21ish” because each was a little longer than 21 minutes, which isn’t that big of a deal if you do each on your own, but I drank crazy for breakfast (remember, I’m a quick strength kinda gal) and did them all back to back on morning. The whole workout wasn’t just a touch over an hour like I expected (21+21+21=63); it was 75 minutes! And believe me, after 75 minutes with Marta doing combo moves, you’re ready to call uncle.

While the segments are divided by body part, they’re really more full-body than she leads on. During the upper-body section, you’re constantly lunging and squatting. For the lower-body workout, you’re engaging your core for balance work. And throughout the core workout, you’re getting plenty of shoulder work (read: BURNING!) in. You get your heart rate up in all of the sections because of the leg work, which is nice, but in my humble opinion, the time between exercises is too long. Like so long it gets boring and kind of annoying. Especially when you do the entire DVD because it just drags and drags. My advice? Do one workout at a time. Unless you are a glutton for strength-training punishment, love slow workouts—or are actually a professional tennis player.

MM10: Power

After my rather lengthy experience with the Strength DVD, I was happy to move on to Marta’s Power workout, which includes four 10-minute express workouts. Much like the exercises in the previous DVDs, this one focuses on a lot of legs (oye!)  and a lot of balancing moves with some explosive stuff, too.

I was hoping that these 10-minute bouts would be more exciting than the other routines. After all, they’re only 10 minutes long each! But alas—although the moves are effective and some of them quite unique combos—I was still bored. Marta is cute as a button and ripped like a cavewoman but the techno-y music just drones on and Marta doesn’t really talk that much. There’s no consistent counting, minimal encouragement, and cues on form are few and far between. This is definitely a workout for those who have mastered basic exercises and are well versed in weight-lifting techniques and safety.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):
Instruction: ★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★
Music: ★★
Fun Factor: ★
Meets Expectations: ★★

Overall: ★★1/2

Best for: Advanced exercisers who like a slow, yet tough full-body workout and like moves that are sports-related, Marta just may have your perfect workout DVDs. On the other hand, if you have exercise ADD like me and need some excitement in a workout or if you don’t have a lot of experience lifting weights, check out our other great workout DVD reviews!

FIT BOTTOMED LINE: A TOUGH SERIES OF DVDS THAT IS ONLY FOR THOSE WHO REALLY LIKE TO WORKOUT, DON’T NEED ENTERTAINMENT AND KNOW WHAT THE HECK THEY’RE DOING.

Want to try these yourself? Leave a comment and one lucky random commenter will win the set! U.S. residents only, pretty please. Happy commenting! —Jenn

It’s interesting that so many celebrities are coming out with workout DVDs these days. It’s kind of like getting an inside peek on exactly how they get—and stay—so fit. Granted, they have more hours of the day to dedicate to looking good because their day jobs depend on it, but it’s fun nonetheless. Plus, since they’re not playing a role in the DVD, you get a peek at what they’re “really” like. Well, except for our first DVD review that features a reality TV star…

Regardless, today’s workout DVD head-to-head pits Real Housewife Bethenny Frankel up against “Mona Lisa Vito” Marisa Tomei to see who wins the title of Best Celebrity Workout DVD. Game on, ladies!

Body by Bethenny

I could never really get into The Real Housewives of New York, but the Orange County version has long been a guilty pleasure, and I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t caught a couple of episodes from New Jersey, bizarro as they may be (that Danielle sure does have the crazy eyes). Despite this, I know who Bethenny Frankel is, and I’m familiar with her SkinnyGirl books and outlook on fitness, so I was curious to try her new workout DVD, Body by Bethenny.

First off, let me say that the DVD set was one of the coolest I’ve seen for a workout DVD. Very posh, yet flowy and open. It was like the giant living room you’ve always wanted to do yoga and drink Mai tais in (not at the same time, of course). Thankfully in the DVD, you get a 40-minute yoga session to fulfill that need. You have to do the drinks on your own.

The yoga session is good for 40 minutes of beginner’s yoga—sun salutations, warrior poses, tree pose, nothing crazy. Well, except Bethenny, but I’m getting ahead of myself. The DVD also features a 10-minute sculpting segment that is a solid and quick upper-body workout for beginners, and a 5-minute Booty Bonus session that consists of a few moves that you can do anywhere.

Certified personal trainer and yogi Kristin McGee does much of the instructing, and she does a pretty good job of cuing the moves and explaining proper form, even when Ms. Frankel chimes in with rather, ahem, interesting remarks. “Boobs to thigh” comes to mind. As does, “I can touch easier than you because of my boobs,” and maybe my personal favorite “You don’t have boobs like me.” See a theme?

Nothing is overly intense in any of the segments, and if you’ve been working out regularly for a few months, you probably won’t break much of a sweat. Beginners though? It’s good stuff. And all boobie snarkiness aside, I really did like the yoga.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):

Instruction: ★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★
Music: ★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★

Overall: ★★★

Best for: Bethenny Frankel fans who are just starting out on their workout journeys! (Note: If she annoys you at all, I highly recommend forgoing this purchase. Trust me.)

Marisa Tomei: Core & Curves

I have loved Marisa Tomei ever since My Cousin Vinny. ”Oh yeah, you blend.” Seriously a classic. And, over the years, Ms. Tomei has always seemed kinda tall and graceful to me—flexible yet goofy and normal. A little hippity-dippity, sure, but there’s wrong with that. When we were told that she had a workout DVD— Marisa Tomei: Core & Curves—coming out, the FBGs’ collective ears perked up. And we were not disappointed.

The DVD pairs Marisa with her fitness trainer, Key Son, for an entire 60-minutes of working out, broken down into Body Definition (20 minutes), Best Legs Workout (15 minutes), and Quick 10 (10 minutes). It looks like it was shot in an older urban yoga studio (just a guess), and the lighting is soft and warm, so it’s kinda relaxing and refreshing right from the get-go. Before each segment Marisa runs you through a quick warm-up on her own and takes you through a few stretches for a cool down after the workout.

The moves in all of the workouts aren’t ground-breaking but they’re definitely unique and very focused. There’s some trotting involved in parts (yes, trotting), skipping and baby lunges. The DVD comes with a small green toning band that you put around your ankles to make all of the moves more challenging and give them some resistance. Overall, it’s like a mix of Pilates and highly targeted, physical therapy-type moves (although maybe that’s just because I’ve been doing some of Key Son’s lateral walks with resistance for my running injury rehab). All of the workouts and moves get you to feel the burn some, but like Body By Bethenny, you won’t get your heart rate too high or get sweaty (for me, a good workout equals a little bit of sweat). However, at the end of the Body Definition section you will be AMAZED at what Marisa’s abs can do. She’s like the Energizer Bunny!

What I probably like most about the DVD though is its good instruction by Key Son, plus helpful yet non-interfering comments from Marisa. It’s almost like you are working out with a trainer and a good friend. Marisa wears a pair of regular-looking shorts (like cut-off sweat pants), a normal tank-top and her hair is a bit of a mess. WHICH IS SO REFRESHING! After all, you’re working out, not in a beauty pageant. So, obviously, big points there for me.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):

Instruction: ★★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★★
Music: ★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★★

Overall: ★★★★

Best for: Beginners looking for something more than or different from Pilates. Also good for intermediate exercisers looking to increase their grace, flexibility and core strength!

FIT BOTTOMED LINE: SO WHO WINS THE HEAD-TO-HEAD COMPETITION? I GIVE THIS ONE TO MARISA TOMEI, ALTHOUGH BOTH ARE PRETTY GOOD PICKS FOR BEGINNERS OR THOSE LOOKING TO SWITCH THINGS UP, ESPECIALLY IF YOU’RE A BRAVO TV FAN.

But don’t take our word for it! Leave us a comment in the next week and you could win one of these two workout DVDs! U.S. residents only, please. All winners will be randomly selected and contacted directly by email, so keep an eye on that email! —Jenn

As promised, today we’re reviewing three of Denise Austin’s most recent workout DVDs. Historically, we’ve given Denise’s DVDs high marks, but read on for what we think of her new trio of titles! And if you missed yesterday’s interview with Mrs. Austin, be sure to check it out. She never fails to inspire!

Body Makeover Mix

We’ve said it once, but we’re saying it again. When it comes to needing a solid intermediate workout DVD, nine times out of 10, you can’t go wrong with Denise. She just gets it. And year after year, she produces great workout DVDs. This one is no different. In this no-fuss DVD you get three 15-minute workouts: Upper-Body Sculpt, Lower-Body Sculpt, and Ab and Core Conditioning. Each have a quick warm-up and cool down and all get your burn on without making you scream for your mommy (could be a con for some of you who relish the pain).

I really enjoyed the upper-body section because of how fluid the exercises were. It wasn’t just standing and doing bicep curls and tricep kickbacks but rather graceful and full range-of-motion exercises that hit the muscles in new ways. I can’t tell you the last time I lifted weights and felt graceful. The lower-body segment is similar in its uniqueness. Denise borrows a chair and some ballet moves to target the tush. I didn’t find the ab and core section to be much of a challenge, but you didn’t do crunches the whole time (instead you did planks and some standing work—yahoo!), which was nice. And, as usual, Denise’s cuing was right on. And because this workout was a little more Pilates/ballet and therefore a touch more mind-body, Denise had her perkiness turned down a notch. A total plus for those who don’t do perky workout DVDs.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):
Instruction: ★★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★★★
Music: ★★
Fun Factor: ★★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★★

Overall: ★★★★

Best for: Intermediate exercisers who want to add a softer yet challenging DVD to their workout mix.

3-Week Boot Camp

Before we begin the review of Denise’s 3-Week Boot Camp, I have to be honest about something. I really, really like music. In fact, half of the reason I like to work out is because it gives me a reason to jam to some tunes either in a group exercise class or on my iPod. And while this DVD has a lot going for it, what it does not have going for it is its tunes. The music in this one is B-A-D. Like 90s video game  music bad. Ick. I had a really hard time getting over it during the workout, and if you’re a music snob you might, too.

Once I got over the music, I was impressed with some aspects of the DVD. Denise gives you a 20-minute Cardio and Strength Interval segment, a 20-minute Athletic Training session and a bonus 6-minute Ab Fat-Blaster workout. The intervals were great and got your heart rate up (we heart intervals!) , the athletic training segment used some fun kettlebell-type moves but with a dumbbell (no funky equipment needed, hooray!) and the bonus ab workout hit it quick and hard (errr…that sounded wrong). Denise doesn’t show a whole lot of modifications for beginners, and I was hoping for a bit less perk and aerobics-type cardio in a boot camp DVD, but it’s got good moves nonetheless.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):
Instruction: ★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★
Music: ★
Fun Factor: ★★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★

Overall: ★★★

Best for: Aerobic gals or Denise fans who want to add some interval training to the mix and don’t mind cheesy, outdated tunes.

Best Bun & Leg Shapers

Denise sticks it to your lower half in her Best Bun & Leg Shapers workout DVD. She takes her seven favorite lower-body exercise segments and combines them onto one disc for the ultimate customizable mix-and-match workout. If you’re a huge Denise fan and celebrate her entire collection, this may not be the DVD for you because it includes workouts that can be found on her other DVDs. But because all of the segments come from previous workouts, the result is a good variety of moves to target your lower half.

Almost all of the segments are 10 minutes long except for one that clocks in at 5 minutes and another that’s 15. I will say that my pregnant self found this DVD to be much more challenging than usual. I’d get out of breath during lunges and squats and felt the burn much more quickly; the extra weight is definitely adding some resistance!

The Lower-Body High-Intensity segment really packed a lot into 10 minutes: lunges and side lunges, plies, squats with kicks and standing kicks for the butt. The Hit the Spot Pilates segments toned the buns and hips with mat work, while the Get Fit Fast Legs and Buns workout piled up the basics with squats, lunges, leg lifts and traditional mat work. My two favorite segments were the Power Zone Ultimate Workout, which used a resistance band to add difficulty to the lower-body moves, and the Hit the Spot: Core, which had new moves using the stability ball and weights. (I had to opt out of a few of these because I couldn’t do the belly-on-the-ball positions, but they looked fun and challenging!)

I do wish Denise had thrown a good warm-up segment onto the program though. While some of the workouts include a short stretch at the end for a cool down, they all jump right into the moves without a warm-up.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):
Instruction: ★★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★★
Music: ★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★

Overall: ★★★1/2

Best for: Anyone who likes to mix-and-match their lower-body workouts and who doesn’t already have a massive Denise DVD collection!

FIT BOTTOMED LINE: ALL OF THESE DVDS ARE BEST SUITED FOR INTERMEDIATE EXERCISERS. IF YOU WANT TO ADD SOME FULL-BODY STRENGTH, PICK UP BODY MAKEOVER MIX. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SOME INTERVAL WORK AND DON’T MIND AEROBICS, CHECK OUT 3-WEEK BOOTCAMP. IF YOU LOVE TO POP IN A DVD TO FOCUS ON TARGET-TONING SPECIFIC LOWER-BODY TROUBLE ZONES, BEST BUN & LEG SHAPERS IS YOUR BEST BET.

Are you a Denise fan, too? Leave us a comment in the next week and you could win one of these FBG-approved titles! U.S. residents only please. All winners will be contacted directly by email, so check those inboxes, ladies! —Jenn & Erin

Yesterday we got to know Bob Greene. He gave us some great nuggets of info, the inside scoop on Oprah and fantastic tips for staying healthy. Today we’re giving you more of Mr. Greene with an honest review of his new DVD, Total Body Makeover.

This workout DVD is a full get-started plan—perfect for beginners or those who have fallen off the workout wagon recently and need some help getting their sexy back. There are eight short (8 to 15 minutes on average) workouts included, and they all build on each other for a full 8-week program (you do one workout for a week, then move on to the next). The idea is great for beginners, and each workout includes a mix of upper- and lower-body strength exercises. Bob recommends pairing each workout with a little cardio, like walking, to really round out the program.

Because my rear is still out of commission, I wasn’t able to do each of these workouts in full, but I sure did watch them (while dreaming longingly of my earlier days when squatting was normal and pain-free). I liked the mix of exercises Bob gives you, and I enjoyed the set, which was like being in someone’s home. Each workout features Bob, who stands and gives instructions to a normal-looking gal who is doing the exercises. The girl smiles while curling and squatting, but on the tougher moves, she looks like she’s working. And I like that. We’re all not fitness models after all.

What I could do without in the DVD is the focus on Bob. (Sorry, Bob!) He has fantastic cuing and tips on perfecting your form, but there are so many Bob close-ups that it’s like the camera guy had a crush on him. When you’re trying to master an exercise you want—and need—to see the person doing the exercise, not the sweat-free trainer who’s telling you what to do.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):
Instruction: ★★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★
Music: ★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★★

Overall: ★★★1/2

Best for: Those who need an 8-week jump start!

Giveaway!

Now for the part ya’ll have been waiting for—the big giveaway! The fantastic people over at Best Life and Bob Greene are giving away the following to one very, very lucky reader:

• 30-day free membership to TheBestLife.com
• The Best Life Diet Revised and Updated
• Bob Greene’s Gaiam Total Body Makeover DVD
• Wii Sports Active
• Wii Sports Active More Workouts
• 10 coupons for Smart Balance products
• 1 coupon for Nestle Pure Life 20-pack water
• 1 coupon for Libby’s Pumpkin product
• 2 coupons for Better’n Eggs products
• 2 coupons for Flatout Flatbread produts
• $10 coupon for sporting goods
• A Benefiber pedometer
• A Benefiber powder and fiber drink mix
• Nestle Pure Life notepad and mouse pad
• Silk Soymilk water bottle and Post-It holder
• A Flatout Flatbread lunchbox
• A Flatout Flatbread cutting board and spreading knife

Awesome, huh? Leave a comment with what you’d do with the winnings. Best and most creative answer wins! —Jenn

As we already know, small bits of exercise really do add up! But if you’re someone who would rather lift weights or do yoga than scrub the bathroom for a workout, then we have the answer for you: DVDs with 10-minute workouts! The latest trend in workout DVDs is titles filled with a bunch of mini workouts. Add them up for a longer workout or squeeze 10 minutes in here and there for a quick and workout-A.D.D.-proof exercise session! Find your perfect 10-minute workout DVD below!

Amy Dixon: Give Me 10!

The best part about these types of DVDs is the mix of activities they provide in just one DVD. And Amy Dixon’s Give Me 10! is no different. In this DVD, Amy gives you Fat Blasting Cardio, Upper-Body Sculpt, Lower-Body Firmer, Core Makeover, Yoga Stretch and Flex, and a Bonus KettleBell Tone Up. Something for everyone, for sure. And enough to push everyone to try something new, fo shizzle.

I was a particular fan of the upper-body sculpt (holy burning shoulder exercises) and the cardio sessions. Also, the yoga works well as a longer cool down, as it’s more stretching than yoga really (so skip that one if you really want a workout in your 10 minutes).

The production quality is a little low, but Amy Dixon is a seasoned instructor with excellent (and non-annoying) cues that more than makes up for it. She’s upbeat without being overly perky, and the sessions make you feel like you’re less in Hollywood and more in your local health club. The music isn’t great, but again, the workout more than makes up for it.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):
Instruction: ★★★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★★
Music: ★★
Fun Factor: ★★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★★

Overall: ★★★★

Best for: FBGs who work out a few times a week and need a solid, no-frills DVD to put in their workout mix when they’re short on time!

10 Minute Solution: 5 Day Get Fit Mix

We like most of the 10-Minute Solution DVDs that we’ve reviewed. They’re always just solid, good workout DVDs. Nothing too fancy or special but always reliable for a good workout. And you can add this DVD to that sentiment, too. Instructor Amy Bento is likeable and totally down to earth. She also looks like she could bench me a few times, which a compliment, in my eyes.

In the DVD, you also get a good mix of 10-minute workouts. The DVD is designed for you to do one a day for five days, but I mixed three together for a fun and exciting 30-minute workout. You can choose from Cardio Kickboxing (fun kicks and punches), Fat Blasting Intervals (cardio and strength for maximum calorie burn and time savings), Power Yoga (not a lot of strength-based moves here, but a decent yoga session), Belly Fat Burner (and it does burn) and Lean Body Sculpt (works the upper- and lower-body at the same time—woo woo).

Although the exercises in this DVD are as moderately challenging as Amy Dixon’s DVD above, I feel like this title is more suited to beginners because this Amy is a little friendlier and more newbie-oriented and encouraging. The music is eh, but the 10 minutes just fly by!

FBG Rating (Out of 5):
Instruction: ★★★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★★
Music: ★★
Fun Factor: ★★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★★

Overall: ★★★★

Best for: Beginners looking for a bit of challenge or intermediate exercisers wanting to shake up their workouts with a friendly and encouraging instructor.

The Spark: Fit, Firm & Fired Up in 10 Minutes a Day

Full disclosure: I may not be able to be subjective on this DVD, as I write for SparkPeople and the instructor, Nicole Nichols, is my editor. With that said, I really, really liked this DVD. It is one of the best beginner workout DVDs we’ve reviewed. You get seven 10-minute strength and toning workouts (including a section with crunchless abs—which I loved), training tips and a bonus 15-minute cardio workout. If you’re a newbie, this DVD alone could get you started for at least a few months, especially if you could get outside and walk for extra cardio.

The whole SparkPeople enterprise really gets how to motivate people in a realistic, doable way. Coach Nicole is super likeable and refreshingly normal. And she encourages small changes to get fit, instead of a huge overhaul of your lifestyle. Love that. The production quality on this DVD leaves much to be desired, but what’s in the DVD is so good that you really don’t notice. The moves are effective, and the instruction is dead-on.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):
Instruction: ★★★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★★★
Music: ★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★★★

Overall: ★★★★ 1/2

Best for: Beginners who are ready to make a lifestyle change.

FIT BOTTOMED LINE: ALL OF THE ABOVE DVDS ARE SOLID. IF YOU’RE MORE ADVANCED, GO WITH AMY DIXON’S DVD. IF YOU’RE INTERMEDIATE OR A BEGINNER LOOKING FOR A CHALLENGE, INVEST IN THE 10-MINUTE SOLUTION DVD. AND, IF YOU’RE JUST STARTING OUT, SPARK IT UP!

Want to win any of the above titles? Of course you do! Leave a comment below, and we’ll pick three lucky readers to win a DVD in a week! U.S. residents only, please. G’ luck! —Jenn

Yesterday we had the chance to talk to Tara Costa, former fierce competitor on The Biggest Loser and overall awesome chick. In that interview, we mentioned that she appears in one of BL’s workout DVDs and actually leads  the workout in another recent BL release. Today we put those two BL workout DVDs to the FBG test! (And it’s a tall test because we already loved and reviewed these DVDs and this one as must-owns…) May The Biggest Loser DVD fun begin!

Last Chance Workout

If you regularly watch the show, the phrase “Last Chance Workout” is one that you know and you love (so fun to see what the trainers have them do) and you can only imagine what pain it inflicts on the BL contestants. Well with this DVD you can get a small idea of what they go through for last chance workouts. I’m sure this hour-long DVD isn’t half as tough as what they do on the show, but it ain’t easy.

The DVD is broken down into chapters so that you can easily mix and match workouts (a must-have feature these days). You get an 8-minute warm-up (the DVD says it’s 5 minutes, but they lie!), a 27-minute last chance workout that alternates cardio drills with strength moves, a 10-minute upper-body sculpt, 10-minute lower-body sculpt and a quick 5-minute cool down. If you’re a glutton for punishment, like me, you do all of those segments—back to back.

After some dynamic stretching, you get right into the last chance segment. With basic jacks, jabs and kicks plus rows, bicep curls and raises in a circuit format, it’s not easy, but it’s not terrible. Your heart rate is up but if you work out regularly, it’s doable. Then the final circuit comes with mountain climbers with mean variations. OMG, the terribleness. And that terribleness carried over into the upper-body sculpt when my arms were shaking like leaves. The lower-body section was a little easier, but still had enough versions of lunges to leave my quads tender the next day.

I should not have been surprised though. Jillian is the instructor. And it’s well known that Jillian doesn’t disappoint in the kick-your-ass department. Plus, she’s joined by past cast members Daniel, our Tara (I think we can call her “ours,” right?), Allan and others, which is super fun to watch, and you really get a feel for how much fun these guys have on the show, even though they’re literally working their tails off.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):
Instruction: ★★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★★
Music: ★★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★★

Overall: ★★★★

Best for: Those who love the show—and need a more accessible and doable last-chance workout to do at home.

30-Day Jump Start

Now this DVD is the one that Tara instructs. And for not being a trained fitness professional, girlfriend does a pretty good job. She gives solid  modifications, is encouraging without being annoyingly perky and she really makes you want to do it! Success! Ali Vincent (our other girl) also does some instruction, along with Sione. All good. So of the four people shown on the cover, three of them are actually IN THE VIDEO. Meaning that Bob is not in the DVD. What was that noise? Oh, that was the sound of my heart breaking. Yes, Bob is in the tips, but that ish does not count. Fast tear. Slow tear.

So despite the tears, I really enjoyed this one. Having the BL threesome lead the workouts gives it a very real feeling, and it was refreshing to work out with normal folks versus fitness models. They sweat, they jiggle, they giggle and they’re out of breath. It’s pretty awesome. And with five 10-minute segments of cardio (two of those sections), upper body, lower body, ab/core, it’s easy to mix and match your workout. On this DVD though, you can’t program your workout like you could in past BL DVDs. Sad face.

This is definitely the less-hard of the two BL DVDs we’re reviewing today, but I still really liked it. It’s a solid workout with plenty of good strength and cardio moves, plus a lot of planks. Advanced exercisers will find it pretty easy, but for you beginners and intermediates, it’s juuussst right. Even without Bob.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):
Instruction: ★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★★
Music: ★★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★

Overall: ★★★1/2

Best for: Those who want a workout with normal people in it!

And overall, if you’re a fan of the BL workout DVD series, these are a good addition to your collection! —Jenn

We know that all of you aren’t into dance, aerobics and Pilates/yoga, so today we’re reviewing two harder-hitting, more athletic-type workout DVDs. So lace up those sneakers, get your game face on, and let’s do it!

Cuerpaso Workout

Cuerpaso’s Gift of Health workout combines a basic boot camp with a bit of Latin-flavored hip swiveling to attain your “ultimate body” (the English translation of “cuerpaso”). One-name celebrity trainer Tadeo leads you through the workout, which is infused with hints of another Latin American favorite: soccer.

Tadeo gives the boot camp a Latin flavor by having you “marchando” to recover from the tough stuff, which basically means a march in place with hip swivel. The basics are definitely covered here—lunges, explosive squats, bursts of cardio—but you also incorporate a soccer ball on a lot of the moves for a fun twist. The soccer ball (or a medicine ball or your imagination) is a great workout assistant. You use it as a marker on the ground to jump over or to bounce on your thighs as you high-knee your heiney off. You also use the ball for lunges, which is great for balance, and as a weight for strength work, such as overhead soccer throws.

While the basics of the DVD are good and it definitely got my heart pumping and muscles burning, I had a few complaints. Tadeo refuses to count correctly, ever. At times he says 10 more and then quits after a few more; sometimes he says four more and then quits at 20. There is no rhyme or reason, but it might be his schtick because he does at one point say that his counts don’t mean anything.

Two backup exercisers were also along for the workout. One had perfect form, while the other one was struggling. I wish Tadeo had taken the opportunity to correct her form or bump her down to easier modifications. The lack of direction on form and few modifications would give me pause in recommending this video to someone who didn’t know some exercise basics.

While the video wasn’t perfect, I did love the 20-minute kids’ workout, which is a great reminder of how much fun it should be to work out. A great way to get the family together and active!

FBG Rating (Out of 5):
Instruction: ★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★
Music: ★★
Fun Factor: ★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★
Overall: ★★1/2

Fit bottom line: For an exerciser who knows the basics, this could be a challenging boot camp workout with a sporty Latin twist. But if you expect correct counts, turn off the sound immediately!

Athlekinetix: Fitness Challenge

With the tagline: “No sets, no repetition and no choregraphy,” this DVD set had my attention from the get-go. I love choreographed stuff, but sometimes a girl needs a no-frills workout that gets right to the point and beats your fit bottom the heck up. This whole workout runs you through a series of “challenges,” each one about 5 to 8 minutes long. In each challenge you do three to six exercises that range from functional balancing moves to cardio drills to your normal lower-body mat work. It’s basically like circuit training where the circuit is never repeated. And even for an hour-long workout, the time really does fly. Surprisingly quickly. And all you really need for the workout is a pair of dumbbells and a mat, but if you’re lucky enough to have a Bosu, Gliders and BodyBar, you’ll use ‘em.

Three DVDs come in the set, so you get two hour-long workouts, plus a DVD that allows you to mix and match challenges so that your workout never gets dull. Cool, right? I absolutely loved volume 1. Instructor Christina Leon gives good cues, the exercises are great (yet brutal), and, again, the time flies by which is no easy feat. Volume 2? EH. The exercises seemed ridiculous at times (my hubby joked that if they could ask us to levitate they would), and while Christina joked in DVD uno that she “couldn’t count,” in DVD dos she drove me insane with her inability to count—this appears to be the theme of the day. (Again, my husband and I would joke “okay four more left…20 more….3 more…” And we weren’t that far off in our sarcasm. Seriously.) And the music? Two words come to mind…one is rock, and the other rhymes with, ahem, rock.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):
Instruction: ★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★
Music: ★
Fun Factor: ★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★★
Overall: ★★1/2

Fit bottom line: At less than $25 for the three-DVD set, volume one is worth the price tag. Unless you plan to learn the moves and hit mute, skip volume two. Three is never-get-bored bonus.

If you want to try Athlekinetix and Cuerpaso for yourself, leave a comment! We’ll select two random commenters next week to receive these DVDs! U.S. residents only pretty please! —Jenn & Erin

Yesterday we interviewed Rock & Roll Motorcycle herself, Jillian Michaels. Jillian is most known for her tough yet emotional approach to getting people healthy on The Biggest Loser, and she dished to FBG on her latest venture into nutritional supplements. Today we’re continuing the Jillian content by reviewing two other pieces of her get-fit empire: a book and two of her DVDs. Erin had the opportunity to review Master Your Metabolism, and Jenn was sent her two most recent DVDs to give the once (or 14 times as you’ll see below) over. May the bad-ass Rock & Roll Motorcycling begin!

Master Your Metabolism

If you’ve been battling those extra 15 pounds your entire life and just can’t shake them, Master Your Metabolism may be the book for you. After reader Stephanie P. sent us a detailed email raving about the book, we immediately added it to our to-read list. In the book, Jillian talks about her background and her struggles with keeping her weight down in spite of calorie counting and crazy workouts. She details how she later discovered it was her hormones that were messing up her metabolism. Her testosterone was extremely low, her stress hormones were out of control, and she was also hypothyroid, all of which were wreaking  havoc on her efforts to be as healthy as possible.

In the book, Jillian does an amazing job of breaking down all of the key hormones in the human body, how they can get messed up and what you can do to fix yourself. It’s a very fact-heavy and science-rich book, but Jillian makes it accessible for any reader. She takes a firm stand against processed “Frankenfoods” and recommends whole, organic foods. With meal plans and shopping lists, she makes cleaning up your diet a breeze. As Stephanie said in her email, “It has inspired me to clean up my act…not just to be in better physical shape, but to be in better overall health.” I have to agree that it did the same for me. (Psst! Interested in reading it? Check below for giveaway details!)

Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism

As Bob would say, this workout DVD is no joke. No friggin’ joke. It’s hard. And awesome. Ask my husband. I somehow convinced him to do this with me, and then we were sore together for the two next days. (Kind of my relationship dream, to tell you the truth.) Including a quick warm-up and cool down, Jillian takes you through a 55-minute workout of seven circuits of mostly high-intensity cardio moves that are repeated twice. To get all the way through them, you need a good pair of knees, a lot of energy, a pretty big space to lunge, mountain climb and plank your heart out (including walking planks—OMG the shoulder soreness the next day), and a big towel to soak up your own sweat. Again, it’s no joke. Jillian’s cuing and information is spot-on in this DVD. The only thing left to be desired is the music…it’s not inspiring or special in the least. And, I do not endorse it for beginners unless you’re willing to modify a lot of the moves and hit pause a lot. Definitely a DVD to work up to. And for the intermediate to advanced exercisers (or those who know and love The Shred), add it to your cardio collection stat!

No More Trouble Zones

This workout DVD isn’t as cardiovascularly hard as Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism, but it’s still really tough (read: not for newbies). The 50-minute workout includes a warm-up and cool down and seven full circuits of crazy. With just yourself, a mat and a pair of dumbbells, it’s amazing what pain Jillian can inflict on you. From push-ups to twisting planks to windshield wipers, she brings it. Hawd. And with seven circuits of effective yet unique exercises (you don’t see these moves in every other strength DVD on the market), you get a full-body workout without complicated choreography or perkiness. You get Jillian. Doing her thang. Which is awesome. And she even dogs on her own flexibility—or lack thereof—which filled me with such delight as I am sooo not a bendy person. You rarely get someone making of themselves in a workout DVD. Made me love the DVD even more.

Have we convinced you yet that Jillian is certifiably bad-ass? We thought so! —Jenn & Erin

Want to read Master Your Metabolism? We’re giving away a copy! Leave a comment below telling us why you’d like to win and you’ll be entered! Winners will be notified by email. U.S. residents only, please!

The last time we reviewed one of Jackie Warner’s DVDs, we gave it four stars. Four stars! We rarely give anything four stars. (To see our fave DVDs, click here.) So we had high hopes for Personal Training with Jackie: Power Circuit Training, especially after yesterday’s behind-the-scenes interview. And after doing the DVD a few times, I’m gonna call it love. L-O-V-E. This DVD rocks. Jackie really outdid herself.

In the DVD, you get five workout options: 15-Minute Total Body Circuit, 40-Minute Total-Body Circuit, 15-Minute Abs-Only Circuit, 15-Minute Upper-Body Circuit and 15-Minute Lower-Body Circuit. I love having options, as it you to fully customize your workout to your life no matter how much or little time you have. In each option you also get a quick warm-up and always end with a quick stretch.

Although you get your heart rate up with the DVD’s quick pace, it’s definitely a strength-based workout—and an effective one at that. There are a total of nine circuits on the DVD that are featured in the five different workout options: quads, hamstrings, glutes, chest, back, bicep/triceps/shoulders, upper abs, lower abs and obliques. Each circuit is about four minutes long and includes three moves to work the muscle group. You do each move for about a minute, and then, at the end of the circuit, Jackie combines the three moves for a final one-minute “Power Burn.” And, dear Lord, does the Power Burn burn.

There are two fantastic things about the circuits. Number one: They all feature moves that you rarely see in DVDs. It was so refreshing to do a workout DVD that wasn’t the same old crunches and lunges you’ve seen over and over again. From Sissy Squats (squats with your heels up on your weights) to UFCs (drop down to one knee, then the other knee, then up on one knee, up on the other knee—killer!) to Single Leg Jack Knife (opposite hand touches opposite toe while laying on the floor), you’re challenged in new, innovative ways. Number two: Because you never do an exercise for more than one minute, you never get sick of any exercise or feel like it’s too impossible to complete. Don’t get me wrong; the moves are challenging, but you can do anything for a minute, even if you have to modify it.

Which brings me to my next point: instruction. While Jackie’s first DVD was strong, you can tell that she’s much more confident and comfortable in this second DVD. Her instructions are clear, and she’s hella motivating. She’s not perky, but she is encouraging, and she really does make it fun. In the lower-body portions she shows a lot of modifications for beginners. I wish she did this more in the upper-body section, but that’s about my only complaint. (An easy upper-body modification is to do each exercise just one arm at a time or grab lighter weights.) I could have also used a slightly longer warm-up and cool down, but when you’re short on time, I get it. The music in the DVD isn’t fantastic, but it’s pretty good, and it doesn’t really matter because you’re focused on the instruction anywho. Jackie is joined by a two gals and a guy for most of the sections, one of which I recognized from a previous review.

All in all, workout DVDs are a dime a dozen, but this one is definitely a must-have for your collection!

FBG Rating (Out of 5):
Instruction: ★★★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★★★
Music: ★★★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★★★
Overall: ★★★★★

Fit bottom line: We gave it 5 stars! Need I say more?! BUY IT NOW! —Jenn

Goodness, do these exhale Core Fusion people know how to get the fittest rears for their DVD covers or what? With a rump like that on the cover, and after experiencing the challenge that was Core Fusion Body Sculpt last year (also with bootylicious cover), I had to find out what I had to do to get glutes like that. I think it’s a combination of Core Fusion: Thighs & Glutes and good genetics.

All of the Core Fusion series DVDs I’ve tried follow the same premise: five mix-and-match 10-minute workouts. I love this format because I can throw it in for 10 or 20 minutes of kick-butt toning after a run. Plus, each segment fits in a quickie warm-up and stretch, so you never have to jump right in with cold muscles.

The overall vibe—from the set to the moves themselves—are all very Zen-like and emphasize the mind-body connection. With elements of Pilates and yoga, the moves seem really simple, but you are guaranteed a deep burn before you even hit the 5-minute mark.

The names of each segment seem a little odd until you find out that they really mean exactly what they say. Turned Out Thigh, for instance, involves a series of standing exercises using a chair for balance. With your thighs turned out, and heels together and up, you do pliés until your thighs burn (my quads were sore for two days). Parallel Thigh involves a similar squatting sequence holding the chair for balance, except your legs are together. The Standing Gluteal Toner tortures you with leg lifts to target your buns, and the Kneeling Gluteal Toner segment has you on your knees holding a chair for balance while lifting your bent leg behind you.

In the Pretzel segment, you’re on the floor with your legs twisted like—you guessed it—a pretzel. Getting your back knee off the ground in this position is a challenge—a challenge that works not only your butt but also your waist. This was my least favorite segment, which pretty much guarantees that it was super effective.

If I were to watch these videos without trying them, I would think they would be a cinch—they just don’t look that hard. But it’s amazing that such simple moves with such a limited range of motion can be SO INTENSE. I found this entire workout to be a little hard on the knees with all of the deep bending and pretzeling, but the instructors give variations so that even those with weak knees still get a good workout.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):
Instruction: ★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★
Music: ★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★
Overall: ★★★

Fit Bottom line: I still love Core Fusion Body Sculpt best, but if you’re looking to really firm up the tush, this Pilates and yoga-inspired strength workout will wow you with its intensity. —Erin

Want to fire up your glutes? Comment below or email us at contact@fitbottomedgirls.com by next Thursday for a chance to win a copy of Core Fusion: Thighs & Glutes! (U.S. residents only, please!)

Want a firm rear NOW? Buy Thighs & Glutes at Amazon!