Jenn and I love to review dance DVDs. Some of them are huge hits, some of them make us feel incompetent, and some of them don’t even wring out a drop of sweat. Given the great disparity when it comes to dance workouts, we’re here to separate the good from the bad. Of the three more dance workouts that have recently hit the market, which ones are worth a hip swivel or two or three? Here’s the dance DVD 411!

Tribal Energy Cardio

No matter how good, bad or ugly a dance workout is, I usually feel incompetent doing it. My hips don’t swivel, and I’m unnaturally awkward. So I was amazed to find that the Tribal Energy Cardio workout didn’t make me feel like a bumbling fool. Even at eight months pregnant! Now that’s a feat.

Suzanne Forbes-Vierling instructs this hour-long video, which adapts Western African dance movements into a total-body workout. Suzanne warms you up, teaches you two dance segments, and then puts them together for the third workout section. There is also a grand finale that is like the third segment, but more of a party with more people. The music is cool—live drummers are beating out a rhythm the whole time—and the moves are simple, yet really fun. Maybe more fun because they’re so simple!

The moves are very tribal feeling and free-flowing, and they have fun names, such as “Life is Good”  (during which you prance side to side), and the drum beats really help you get into the groove. My favorite move was one where you pretend to be lifting a basket over your head while you’re stomping your feet. In another one, you squat low while drawing your elbows out to the sides like a monster—just goofy fun. Suzanne doesn’t always cue perfectly, but as I said before, the moves are so simple that even if you have two or three left feet, you’ll be able to catch on. I promise.

As with any dance workout, the drawback is that once you’ve learned the moves, the workout can seem repetitive. But with the third workout segment and the grand finale, you get a good portion of time to dance your butt off full speed. This dance is genuinely fun, got my heart rate up and even though it might lack some of the sophistication of a high-budget DVD, it proves that simple is sometimes better.

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

Overall: ★★★★

Best for: Those who have a hard time following intricate dance steps but want a fun, unique dance workout experience.

Dance Off the Inches: Cardio Striptease

I know that the sexiest thing on anyone is confidence, but it never hurts to have the moves, too. (‘Cause I may feel awesome about myself, but when it comes to stripping my clothes off and prancing around in little to no clothing, I sorta kinda freak out just thinking about it.) So I was intrigued by this DVD that promised a workout with some, ahem, spice.

The hour-long Dance Off the Inches: Cardio Striptease DVD includes a 22-minute step guide that breaks down each and every move you do in the DVD. So that when “show time” comes, you’re ready and less clumsy. And with names like “Work the Room,” the moves are pretty tongue-in-cheek. (Think a low squat while you pop your booty out or seductively shimmy around a pretend chair.)

Then for the regular workout, you put all of the moves together into three different dance segments: Work It, Too Hot to Handle and Total Tease. All three are pretty corny (the instructor just never seems to stop with the over-the-top sexual clichés) and although they don’t really get your heart rate up high enough to be considered intense or even moderate exercise, they are kinda fun. I wish that there was an option on the DVD to do all three segments back to back for a longer cardio striptease par-tay, but maybe that’s just too much sexiness.

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

Overall: ★★★

Best for: Those who want an easier,  dance-based workout—and some sexy moves to boot!

Stomperobics, Version One: The Nutkracker

With a title like Stomperobics, Version One: The Nutkracker, you’re probably already intrigued and scratching your head, right? I was. But after about 30 seconds of this DVD’s warm-up, I was like WHOA. Very rarely do we get to try a workout so different and so unique that my jaw drops to the floor in awe, but this was one of those DVDs. Yes, the DVD’s production quality was abysmally poor. And at times you couldn’t hear the instructor’s cuing at all, but despite all of these things, the workout and the idea was energizing, fun and intense. Just as any really good DVD should be!

The entire cardio workout is just shy of an hour and includes a warm-up and cool down. Stomperobics creator and instructor Tony Victory leads you through a series of high-intense moves that are based on the college fraternity and sorority dance tradition stepping/stomping. So basically you’re constantly doing a strong march with leg lifts, kicks, punches, claps under your legs and more fun and funky stuff. There are a number of different choreographed moves—the “Nutkracker” being the most famous and hardest of them all. There’s a bit of a learning curve on some of the moves, but it’s one of those things where I know if I did the DVD regularly, I’d be stomping the yard in no time. It’s intense (and fun!) cardio, yo.

My favorite part of it though is the music! Tony composed an original soundtrack for it, and there’s a DJ in the DVD just happily spinning and jamming away to it. It’s hard to describe the music (you can hear and see the Stomperobics DVD here), but it’s uber-aerobics-y with some hip-hop flair and a touch of goofiness. Plus, it has a funny little voice that is constantly counting down how many reps to go. Love it.

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

Overall: ★★★★

Best for: Those who want cardio that’s fresh, funky AND fun!

FIT BOTTOMED LINE: IF YOU WANT A TRIBAL FLARE FOR A UNIQUE CARDIO EXPERIENCE, TRY TRIBAL ENERGY CARDIO. IF YOU WANT TO FIND YOUR INNER SEX KITTEN WHILE DOING EASY CARDIO, HIT UP CARDIO STRIPTEASE. AND, IF YOU WANT TO STOMP IT OUT AND HAVE AN AWESOME TIME BURNING CALORIES, PICK UP STOMPEROBICS.

Get your groove on! —Erin & Jenn

Want to try Cardio Striptease or Stomperobics yourself? Leave a comment, and we’ll randomly select a couple U.S. readers to win! Winners will be notified via email.

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

Throughout the course of my pregnancy, I’ve been testing out pregnancy workout DVDs, reviews of which I’ll start including over at Fit Bottomed Babies once the new site launches (July 12! Mark your calendars, folks!). It’s been interesting to try new DVDs as the belly gets bigger because each workout brings with it interesting challenges. Not only am I tackling a workout I’ve never done before, but I almost feel like I have to re-learn how to do certain exercises to accommodate my belly. Note: Always bring a sense of humor to workouts when you’re pregnant.

But I digress. In addition to trying prenatal pilates, Gabrielle Reece’s pregnancy workout and a few other DVDs, I’ve also taken my workouts to the web. And because I know that SparkPeople rocks it hard and has numerous workout videos on the site (not to mention articles from the great FBG Jenn), I headed over to its BabyFit site to see what it had going on in terms of prenatal fitness videos.

Now, if you’ve worked out prior to pregnancy and are in good shape, doctors generally say you’re fine continuing your normal workout routine throughout your pregnancy. But as I totally fell off the wagon in the first trimester—and because a new-found protective mother-bear instinct has kicked in that makes me want to make sure I’m doing every exercise correctly and safely—I’ve really wanted to stick with pregnancy-specific workouts. (I could never be one of those people who runs a marathon in my third trimester!) And that’s where BabyFit comes into play!

Not only does the site have loads of good pregnancy health info, but it also includes fitness videos with upper- and lower-body workouts, core work and stretches. The instructors, Nicole and Jenn (not FBG Jenn!), are certified prenatal specialists and really know how to coach in terms of form and what to avoid. Plus, Jenn is pregnant, so you can see how to modify the exercises to perfectly accommodate your expanded waistline. The workouts are short and sweet at less than 15 minutes a pop, which makes it super easy to fit in a quick upper-body workout or core-strengthening session if you’re short on time.

Our usual review criteria doesn’t apply here, but BabyFit definitely receives two thumbs up! Have you come across any helpful websites with workout videos for pregnancy? Tell us about them! —Erin

Yesterday we shared an interview with Robin Antin, the mastermind behind the Pussycat Dolls. So today, we thought it’d be fun to share our review of the Pussycat Dolls Workout, along with two other dance-tastic numbers. For being terrible dancers, Jenn and I sure like to review dance workout DVDs. Maybe one day our bodies will catch up with what our hearts are telling us.

Pussycat Dolls Workout

Well, the Pussycat Dolls Workout DVD delivers on one of its promises. I did, in fact, find my inner Pussycat Doll. Granted, she was a tad awkward, tripped a few times, almost hurt her neck from flipping her hair, and had some chafing in her nether region from a burlesque incident with a scarf (really, who has a boa just waiting around?), but she was there in full effect. Gah-rowl. Or, more appropriately, meee-ow.

Lead by Robin herself, the instruction is good, you really do get to learn some of the trademark Dolls moves and because the music is all PCD’s, it’s fun stuff that you can sing along with, if you’re one of those people who can do two things at once, which I’m really not. During the last song, “Buttons,” where you put all the moves together, even Nicole Scherzinger makes an appearance, making it feel like you really are one of the PCD gals, just the least coordinated of the bunch.

What the DVD doesn’t deliver on is its promise of being a workout. Yes, you stand up and move around, but none of the dance moves are overly high energy, and I never really broke a sweat. Also, because you spend so much time learning the moves and so little time putting them together, I think that after you did this DVD a few times you’d be done with it and bored. Never a good thing for a DVD collection. Worth trying at least once via Netflix though? Most def!

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

Overall: ★★★

Best for: Those who like to dance and/or need more sexified moves in their lives. Not for those looking for a killer workout.

Disco Abs

After a less than stellar experience with her other dance workout DVD, I have to admit that I wasn’t, er, jazzed to try Cheryl Burke Presents Disco Abs. (Jazz dance? Get it? Har. Har.) But I’m glad I gave it a shot because I ended up LOVING it! It was like a new version of Richard Simmons’ workouts but with less ‘fro and glitter. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Regardless, this was a fun and funky disco-music dance-athon featuring hits like “Y.M.C.A.,” “Disco Inferno,” and my all-time 80s guilty pleasure “It’s Raining Men” by The Weather Girls. That last song alone probably bumped up my rating by a star I love it so much. There are three DVDs in the set, and each features a warm-up, cool down and about a 40-minute dance session. In my mind, 40-ish minutes is about a perfect length—not too long, not too short.

And talk about high energy! This is a non-stop, no frills, dancing workout that is pretty easy to follow and fun. There’s good instruction, but not too much instruction and even though Cheryl talks about burning calories way too much (it’s like her only motivational phrase), it’s so darn fun that you can ignore that. And you sweat while having a blast. That’s why I’m giving it a whopping four-and-a-half stars!

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

Overall: ★★★★1/2

Best for: If you like Jazzercise or Zumba but have hips that move like mine and Erin’s and an affinity for disco tunes, this might be your DVD.

Fame Dance Workout

The Fame Dance Workout is much like other dance DVDs we’ve tried before in that you learn several dance segments before stringing them all together for one fantastic dance finale. In this case, a Fame-tastic finale.

I started out with Kherington’s modern dance segment. Kherington, of So You Think You Can Dance and Fame fame, does a good job of instructing. Even if her repeated “Yeahs?” and shorts adjusting were a tad annoying, her moves are fun and were relatively easy to learn. Nothing too complicated here, although it doesn’t seem overly simple either. There were some fun hip rolls and some “bend and snap” type of moves—both of which were endlessly entertaining to do with the pregnant belly.

Paul’s jazz dance segment was really fun looking. I say “fun looking” because I never really mastered it. I knew I was in trouble when there were two turns within the first 12 counts. And then more turning later on. I got a little too dizzy for my liking; I’m no pro at spotting or whatever pro dancers do to not get disoriented. (Paul even explains spotting later in his segment—this would have been great info at the start!) Kristy’s African segment was my favorite. The moves were more straightforward than the jazz segment and easier to pick up on. More lunge and squat-based moves and less fancy footwork. Sharper, more precise arm positioning, rather than free-form jazz.

It’s a little repetitive to learn all the moves, but also necessary to get the job done. As you learn, the beat speeds up until you add in the music for the full-speed dance. Once you learn the three dance segments, you put together the routine for the Fame finale, which is 15 minutes of reviewing each segment and then putting them all together with music. It’s a very fun finale and will get your heart rate up. The one drawback is that once you learn and master the moves, the usefulness of the DVD dramatically decreases because you’ll probably only want to do the finale dance.

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

Overall: ★★★

Best for: Those who love the Fame movies and music and want to try three distinctly different dance styles.

FIT BOTTOMED LINE: IF YOU NEED TO FIND YOUR INNER SEX KITTEN, GO WITH THE PUSSYCAT DOLLS WORKOUT. IF YOU MISS 80S AEROBICS CLASSES, INVEST IN ADDING CHERYL’S DISCO ABS DVD TO YOUR COLLECTION. IF YOU CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF DANCE MOVIES, FAME IS YOUR BEST BET.

Leave us a comment in the next week and you could win one of the Pussycat Dolls Workout or the Fame Dance Workout DVDs! U.S. residents only, please. All winners will be randomly selected and contacted directly by email, so check those in-boxes, ladies! —Jenn & Erin

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

There are sooo many yoga DVDs on the market these days! Here are three recently released yoga titles. Whether you want a killer workout (ahem: Jillian), no hippity-dippity stuff or a relaxed time on the mat, we think that you’ll find something that you love below!

Jillian Michaels: Yoga Meltdown

When I first heard that  Jillian Michaels was coming out with a yoga DVD I was a little confused. After all, isn’t yoga Bob’s thing? But all of her other workouts are so darn good that my curiosity was definitely was piqued. Plus, we got A LOT of Twitter requests to review it. So we did! And what did we think, you ask? We likey. We likey a lot.

This DVD has Level 1 and Level 2 workouts on it. The first one is about 34 minutes long, and the second one is just shy of 30 minutes. With no frills or sanskrit (perfect for ya’ll who get freaked by chanting or om-ing in yoga), Jillian delivers one heck of a tough workout. And while Level 2 is harder than Level 1 (they do crow pose, people!), Level 1 is no picnic (she warms you up with planks, if that’s any indication). And while you’re not holding poses for a long time, you are going through challenging sequences quickly with little time for rest.

And at the end of the day, that’s what I like about Jillian. She gets you in, she kicks your ass, and gets you on with your day. There is one strange part where Jillian keeps repeating “Who’s your daddy?” but no DVD is entirely perfect or free of awkward moments, I guess.

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

Overall: ★★★★

Best for: Advanced and intermediate FBGs looking to add some yoga or functional training moves to their day while also burning some cals! Also a good fit for those who think yoga is boring—or not a workout. (You shall be proven wrong!)

The No OM Zone

For some reason, when we got this DVD in the mail, I thought that it would be tough—a true competitor to Jillian in terms of toughness. Well, it’s not. But that’s not exactly a bad thing and after carefully looking at the DVD, I can’t really figure out why I got that impression anyway. The instructor Kim Fowler is a former triathlete so maybe her bad-assness just comes through.

Regardless, the DVD is a no-frills approach to yoga. It’s just Kim, a mat and you, and she leads you through three 15-minute workouts: one for the upper-body, one for the lower-body and one for the core. The workouts aren’t easy, but they aren’t overly challenging either, and they feature familiar poses like down dog, chatarunga, table top, dolphin and plank. Each session features a quick breathing warm-up and a cool down twist followed by corpse pose (my fave!). I was especially smitten with the core workout, which seemed to be more challenging than the others, but that may have more to do with my injury than anything else.

For those of you who aren’t fans of the instructor voiceover (ahem, Erin), this one does that feature. And while the music in the intro sounds like “In the Waiting Line” by Zero 7—one of my FAVE songs—there is no music in the workouts themselves, except for when you cool down. Bummer!

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

Overall: ★★★

Best for: Beginner and intermediate exercisers who want a quick yoga workout that isn’t airy-fairy.

Gentle Vinyasa Flow

This DVD is all about moving, breathing and flowing. And unlike the last couple, it’s totally yoga-y and pretty hippity-dippity. I really, really enjoyed it, but I would consider it more Vinyasa yoga than a true workout.

This DVD has a very gentle and relaxing vibe with moves that increase flexibility and build functional strength through poses timed to breathing. The instructor, Zyrka (now that is the name of a yogi), leads you through six yoga sequences each with their own difficulty level and length: two 30-minute sequences, two 45-minute sequences and two hour-long sequences. There are a lot of options here, which is rare for a DVD, especially yoga where you normally get just a couple of  short segments to combine for a longer workout.

And take note beginning yogis: The DVD also features a unique pose guide section that gives detailed instruction on 23 poses including positioning, common mistakes, pose benefits and contraindications. This allows you to learn the basics of each pose without having to listen to detailed instructions every single time you do the workout. Bonus!

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

Overall: ★★★★

Best for: Beginning and intermediate yogis who want a relaxing, moving DVD with lots of workout options and a tranquil state of mind.

FIT BOTTOMED LINE: EACH DVD BRINGS SOMETHING SPECIAL TO THE TABLE. IF YOU’RE A NEWBIE WHO LIKES THE SPIRITUAL SIDE OF YOGA, GET WITH THE VINYASA FLOW. IF YOU’RE A NEWBIE OR INTERMEDIATE EXERCISER WHO COULD DO WITHOUT THE HIP AND DIP, GO WITH ZONE. AND IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A CHALLENGE WITHOUT THE FLUFF, GO WITH “YOUR DADDY” JILLIAN MICHAELS.

Want to win any of the above titles? Heck yeah 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. —Jenn

Disclosure: All products were provided by their respective manufacturer, but in no way is this post or our review of products sponsored, influenced or paid for by any company. We tell it like it is!

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