Top 10 Exercise Videos, 2002

By Mary Lynn Mitcham

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Let's face it, sometimes you just can't get to the gym. But that's no excuse to pass on exercise — especially when a good workout routine is as close as your VCR. Exercise videos are a great way to burn calories and get fit.

"Fitness videos are good for anyone who wants to exercise on their own but maybe needs a little guidance," says exercise physiologist Liz Neporent. "They're also a great alternative to joining a gym or buying a piece of expensive exercise equipment. You can use them to try out a new workout before you completely invest in it."

But there are hundreds of exercise tapes out there, and they're not created equally. Director of special projects for New York City's Plus One Fitness, coauthor of Fitness for Dummies and Weight Training for Dummies (Hungry Minds, 1999 and 2000), and a fitness columnist for iVillage.com, Neporent is an exercise-video expert — she's seen them all. Here are her favorites:

Basic Yoga Workout for Dummies
Yoga can be a tough activity to break into if you don't have a ton of flexibility or strength. Sara Ivanhoe, the instructor on this 46-minute tape, is good at modifying moves for beginners. She turns 12 common yoga poses into the most simple moves possible. "You don't feel like a yoga idiot," says Neporent. VHS: $9.95. If you buy the DVD ($14.95), you'll get a bonus intermediate yoga workout, too.

Best Abs on Earth
"The cool thing about this ab tape is it's not just crunch, crunch, crunch," says Neporent. Scott Cole and Dr. Thomas Seabourne team up and offer an intense — and unique — ab workout. "Most of the exercises are done from a standing position, and the movements are based on martial arts, dance, tai chi and kickboxing," says Neporent. "I thought it was going to be easy, but I did it and was really sore the day after the workout!" This tape is so new, prices aren't available yet, but Scott Cole tapes typically sell for $19.95.

I Want That Body
Instructor Tamilee Webb created — and leads — this highly charged, total-body-conditioning workout. "She has a master's in exercise science and she gives clear instructions along with easy-to-follow modifications," says Neporent. The 30-minute tape is part of a four-tape series ("I Want That Body," "I Want Those Abs," "I Want Those Buns," "I Want Those Arms"); the set sells for $54.95 and the tape for $14.95. Also available on DVD.

Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds
If you always seem to be the one out of sync in your aerobics class, this 97-minute tape series is for you. With athletic choreography, the moves are straightforward steps — lots of marching and side-to-side moves all based on walking. It's pretty much cardio-oriented, but you can use weighted balls to help tone more. Box set: three tapes for $40; weight balls included.

On the Ball
Karen Voight may be the best video instructor out there. She's a no-nonsense trainer. "She'll have you doing a complicated move, and you don't even realize how complicated it is," says Neporent. In this 23-minute workout, Voight performs on the ball: everything from crunching to stretching to leg lifts. It's a great toning workout. $19.95.

Precision Pilates
Instructor Jennifer Kires takes Pilates and makes it even better by adding dance, yoga and body sculpting. "She makes Pilates more adaptable and accessible to the average person — and definitely more fun," says Neporent. VHS tape sells for $12.95; DVD, $14.95; "Precision Pilates" is part of a three-tape set including "Three-Dimensional Toning" and "The Perfect Mix"; you can buy the whole set for $35.95.

Richard Simmons Blast Off Set
Yes, he's kind of wacky, but his workouts do something that few others do: cater to real beginners. His moves are nonthreatening, and he has the best music (where else would you find "YMCA" and the Macarena in one workout?). "His routine (mostly cardio, light toning) is not super-structured," says Neporent. The point is to just get up and move. Three tapes: $49.95, including required resistance bands.

Scott Cole's Millennium Stretch
"This is the best stretch tape I've ever had," says Neporent. "It combines Eastern mind-body with Western stretches." You'll do stretches that combine tai chi, visualization and meditation. Anyone can do it. If you have trouble with flexibility, this is a great way to limber up. $19.95.

Sensual Art of Belly Dance
Veena and Neena are twin sisters (no joke) who have designed this whole 43-minute workout around belly dancing. Laugh, but "it's one of the best workouts you can do to tone your middle," says Neporent. Also, it's claimed that a 160-pound person can burn eight calories a minute with this tape. That's a lot. Plus, it's fun! $14.95.

7-Day Solution
This 62-minute tape is geared toward weight loss. Stars Tracy York and Michele Dozois have put together a cardio routine that's focused on one thing: burning calories. It's conventional cardio aerobics — kicking, jumping and straightforward dance moves. "You can follow it if you have two left feet," says Neporent. There's also a toning section with squats and crunches. (You'll need a chair and dumbbells.) $14.95.

Looking for a good video source? Try Collagevideo.com (www.collagevideo.com; 800-433-6769). Their in-house experts have actually watched the tapes, so they can answer many of your questions.