Fitness DVDs may not be as helpful as they might seem

Replies

  • prettysoul1908
    prettysoul1908 Posts: 200 Member
    My experience has been the complete opposite of what this article states. I love my workout dvd's and YouTube videos. Without them I wouldn't see the progress I have within the past year.

    My only concern with the dvd's are people who don't understand good form using them. I suggest researching good form before jumping into any regimen
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Is this the study where they looked at 10 videos?

    There was a thread on this the other day. There are more than 10 videos to choose from.....like 10's of thousands. There are plenty of other places where people get bombarded with unrealistic body images (leading to false expectations).

    Perhaps we should get rid of advertising too....
  • MarmiteToes
    MarmiteToes Posts: 20 Member
    There was a discussion about this last week:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/35100688

    It's an interesting topic that goes beyond the usual issue of whether it's too easy to injure yourself following those DVDs. Not sure I agree with it, though. I'm sure like most things related to psychology, it all depends on the individual.
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    A person should be as choosy about their dvds (of any kind) as they are the people they choose to spend time with and the messages they expose themselves to in real life. My exercise dvds are safe, feature people of different shapes and sizes, and have positive messages about fitness and life in general.
  • noexcuses0626
    noexcuses0626 Posts: 60 Member
    I think that you have to find the ones that work for you. I personally hate Jillian Michaels and pretty much every Beachbody DVD I've ever tried, but I love Ellen Barrett's fitness methods and have had great success with my collection of her DVDs.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    noexcuses0626 wrote: »
    I think that you have to find the ones that work for you. I personally hate Jillian Michaels and pretty much every Beachbody DVD I've ever tried, but I love Ellen Barrett's fitness methods and have had great success with my collection of her DVDs.

    I love Ellen Barrett!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    edited January 2016
    I've never seen an exercise DVD as hyper-sexualized as Boston's Channel 38 "20 Minute Workout" from back in the 80s. The women on it were slutted up to the point of caricature. I thought it was hilarious.

    What I would find objectionable in exercise DVDs is routines advertised for beginners that were not. For example, P90X's Yoga X is not suitable for those new to yoga.

    I used to have aerobics videos from Kathy Smith, Jane Fonda, and Denise Austin and didn't find any of them objectionable.

    They didn't use negative "motivational" statements like the following from http://www.techtimes.com/articles/123360/20160112/want-to-stay-fit-and-healthy-don-t-use-an-exercise-dvd.htm

    - "You better be sweating."
    - "You should be dying right now."
  • FitGirl0123
    FitGirl0123 Posts: 1,273 Member
    Eh. TurboFire was awesome!
  • FitGirl0123
    FitGirl0123 Posts: 1,273 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »

    What I would find objectionable in exercise DVDs is routines advertised for beginners that were not. For example, P90X's Yoga X is not suitable for those new to yoga.

    .

    Here here. That ish is hard!
  • The_WoIverine
    The_WoIverine Posts: 367 Member
    Fitness DVDs work only if the person follows form, proper nutrition, listens to their body and most importantly starts as a beginner. For someone who doesn't workout, wanting to start right away with programs like P90X, in my opinion it is insane and could lead to injuries.

    I have done more than a few fitness DVD programs and they work very well. I know people who have done it too and they also have experienced different levels of results.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    I don't enjoy DVD-based exercise (my sister loves it, so I'm familiar with a number of them), but I wouldn't find a physically-fit and attractive exercise leader to be damaging at all. In fact, I have found identifying women's bodies I like (especially ones that seem really fit or strong, not just thin) to be somewhat motivating for me on the whole.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    edited January 2016
    Bluejedi79 wrote: »
    Found this rather interesting....Any thoughts??

    upi.com/Health_News/2016/01/08/Fitness-DVDs-may-be-psychologically-harmful-for-users/3501452257990/

    I think there are crappy fitness dvds just like there may be crappy personal trainers or gyms.
    There are a lot of very positive options of each out there for every one that is negative.
    There are videos featuring and aimed at different genders, ages, conditions and styles. It is a choice. If a dvd, personal trainer or gym is not your style or making you feel bad find a different one.
    There are videos I have tried where I didn't like it. There was one where I remember calling the instructor Satan while trying to do their workout and feeling even more inadequate because they had no adaptations for beginners. It was the wrong dvd for me.
    I like workout videos by Leslie Sansone and Jessica Smith. They are positive people who emphasize feeling good, health, strength and working with what you can do. I think they are good for different fitness levels not just already fit people.
  • fat2fit8786
    fat2fit8786 Posts: 2 Member
    I would have to disagree. Now there are some workout DVD's that I find impossible to do, and that is not because they do not work, it is because that is not my fitness level. A lot of those DVD's are for people that are a bit more fit, it is all about finding what works for you. When you are breaking a sweat, heart racing, and feeling the burn, they are working. And you get that with all Workout DVD's. Again, it is about finding the one that is your level of fitness. If you are just starting to workout, I do not suggest you go get Tae-Bo Boot Camp or other hardcore DVD's that you see on TV, because you need something at your level.

    Personally, I do Leslie Sansone DVD's and do her free videos on YouTube, because her program works for me. It is a walking based program and easy to do at any fitness level. She has them in 1 mile, 2 mile, 3 mile, 4 mile, and 5 miles. She is amazing, and it works for me because it is not too intense, but at the same time I have lost weight and feel the burn. So yes, they do work, it just depends on where you are at fitness wise, and if you can stick to it.
  • RetroPolkaDot
    RetroPolkaDot Posts: 83 Member
    I think with exercise videos it's important to be realistic about your fitness level. For instance I'm coming from years of being a couch potato so I can't expect to take on those really intense videos tomorrow; I have to work up to it. I like Leslie Sansone walk at home workouts because right now they are at my current fitness level. They aren't complicated to learn so I don't feel like I am tripping over my own feet all the time like some workouts.
  • punkrockgoth
    punkrockgoth Posts: 534 Member
    I can see a lot of downfalls with DVD's for reasons already mentioned, but this article talks about how they're psychologically harmful because of the attractive instructors wearing revealing clothing yelling "motivational statements" that do more harm than good.

    This is not a lot different from a lot of classes led at the gym.
  • shezza4mobee
    shezza4mobee Posts: 250 Member
    fat2fit8786 wrote: »

    Personally, I do Leslie Sansone DVD's and do her free videos on YouTube, because her program works for me. It is a walking based program and easy to do at any fitness level. She has them in 1 mile, 2 mile, 3 mile, 4 mile, and 5 miles. She is amazing, and it works for me because it is not too intense, but at the same time I have lost weight and feel the burn. So yes, they do work, it just depends on where you are at fitness wise, and if you can stick to it.

    I lost 65 lbs last time around doing nothing but her DVD's. And the 5K and 3-4 miles still get me at a good heart rate and have me sweating! Plus in either too hot or too cold Nebraska, they're a life saver. And now after my spinal surgery, they were the first type of exercise I was OK'ed to start!
  • MJFSH
    MJFSH Posts: 7,252 Member
    to me, if you want to feel bad about yourself, or come up with excuses, you will find ways!
    I have been working out with fitness DVD's for the last 3 years, made up the body of my dreams and feeling better than i ever did before, thanks to those DVDs. Basically, they are tools, it's depending on you how to use it.
  • Smamfa
    Smamfa Posts: 139 Member
    I love my workout DVDs and am much more likely to press play in my living room than go to the gym!
  • shawnashauntia
    shawnashauntia Posts: 8 Member
    I absolutely love workout dvds and youtube workout. Honestly if they did not exist I probably would never workout. My home life doesn't allow me to run to the gym.
  • Bluejedi79
    Bluejedi79 Posts: 28 Member
    My thoughts- I DO see the point that's trying to be made, I do. I do see how many fitness dvds can be intimidating and down right scare some people off.

    And I will agree 100% it comes right down to knowing your physical limitations, knowing how far to push your self and some types of fitness DVD's don't work well....me, I don't like Jillian Michaels Style one bit. I can't physically do the p90x dvds. I enjoy the zumba ones-but some are too fast for me, so I take it slower than how I'm supposed to do them. Billy Banks-eh, I found him challenging but in the end, not my style.

    I love most the 10 minute solution ones, and Denise Austin. Some Yoga dvds I can do, some I can't. Depends on the trainer and style of yoga (my belly gets in the way too much right now.)

    I'm totally turned off by Richard Simmons-the thought of doing one of his videos makes me physically ill. I love his over the top personality, and his workouts are easy enough for me to do while getting my heart rate up. But when my middle school PE teachers got lazy, they'd pop in one of his tapes (which happened probably 6-7 times a year) and we'd do him for 35-40 minutes of PE class. Being a geeky 6/7/8th grader, and the only girl in PE class that weighed close to 200 pounds with a set of DDD boobs, and already the "odd girl" and the least athletic kid in school-seriously, to this day I still can't throw a basket ball anywhere NEAR the basketball hoop, and for me to hit a baseball/softball, I'd need a bat the size of a golden lab to even have a chance of coming close, I'd be the strike out queen-the teachers turning out the lights in the gym so can workout to Richard Simmons= prime time for kids to turn on me and tease me to the point of tears. So...doing Richard Simmons brings back nothing but memories I'd LOVE to bleach out of my mind.
  • Maxematics
    Maxematics Posts: 2,287 Member
    I read the article. If I could roll my eyes any harder, they'd fall out of my head. Some people prefer to use DVDs, some don't. Some people will love Jillian Michaels, Chalene Johnson, Shaun T, Leslie Sansone, Autumn Calabrese, etc. and others won't. It's all about finding what works for you.

    I do ChaLEAN Extreme right now. There are white and black women and men, and one woman who I believe to be Latina in the videos. I'm mixed and it doesn't bring me any extra comfort to see a woman of my own ethnic background in the videos. I would not care if every single person in the video were white. I barely pay attention to the people working out aside from Chalene herself. Chalene wears a sports bra and workout pants. The men wear shorts and tank tops. I'd say that's equally "sexualized". I do not feel inferior to anyone and I'm not comparing my body to anyone. There is one lady in the videos who has killer abs. How does that make me feel? "Hmm, I wonder if I can ever achieve abs like that someday. The only way to find out is to work hard!"

    Chalene says "You should be dying right now" in one of her videos. If I took that literally I could not type this. I take that to mean "You should be near your max heart rate/fatigued. If not, push harder." That's the truth because people often give up at the slightest bit of discomfort instead of pushing. Fit bodies are not unrealistic. What's unrealistic is to expect to acquire a body like that when you're not watching your diet and putting a mediocre effort into working out. Talk about making mountains out of molehills. I'm glad I'm not that weak minded and easily discouraged.
  • SueSueDio
    SueSueDio Posts: 4,796 Member
    fat2fit8786 wrote: »
    Personally, I do Leslie Sansone DVD's and do her free videos on YouTube, because her program works for me. It is a walking based program and easy to do at any fitness level. She has them in 1 mile, 2 mile, 3 mile, 4 mile, and 5 miles. She is amazing, and it works for me because it is not too intense, but at the same time I have lost weight and feel the burn. So yes, they do work, it just depends on where you are at fitness wise, and if you can stick to it.

    Thank you to you and others for mentioning this lady! I'd never heard of her, but I've just skimmed through a couple of her YouTube videos and it looks like something I could attempt at my current level of (un)fitness. Fitness videos in general scare me because they always look to be full of things I couldn't hope to follow, even if allegedly aimed at beginners. But walking, side-stepping and kicking should be achievable even for this here uncoordinated couch potato. :) I'll be clearing some space and trying this tomorrow!
  • jennieo213
    jennieo213 Posts: 19 Member
    synacious wrote: »
    I read the article. If I could roll my eyes any harder, they'd fall out of my head. Some people prefer to use DVDs, some don't. Some people will love Jillian Michaels, Chalene Johnson, Shaun T, Leslie Sansone, Autumn Calabrese, etc. and others won't. It's all about finding what works for you.

    I do ChaLEAN Extreme right now. There are white and black women and men, and one woman who I believe to be Latina in the videos. I'm mixed and it doesn't bring me any extra comfort to see a woman of my own ethnic background in the videos. I would not care if every single person in the video were white. I barely pay attention to the people working out aside from Chalene herself. Chalene wears a sports bra and workout pants. The men wear shorts and tank tops. I'd say that's equally "sexualized". I do not feel inferior to anyone and I'm not comparing my body to anyone. There is one lady in the videos who has killer abs. How does that make me feel? "Hmm, I wonder if I can ever achieve abs like that someday. The only way to find out is to work hard!"

    Chalene says "You should be dying right now" in one of her videos. If I took that literally I could not type this. I take that to mean "You should be near your max heart rate/fatigued. If not, push harder." That's the truth because people often give up at the slightest bit of discomfort instead of pushing. Fit bodies are not unrealistic. What's unrealistic is to expect to acquire a body like that when you're not watching your diet and putting a mediocre effort into working out. Talk about making mountains out of molehills. I'm glad I'm not that weak minded and easily discouraged.

    I thought of Chalene as soon as I read "you should be dying right now." Haha! I do Chalean Extreme too, as well as numerous others of her videos, and I actually think she uses a fairly diverse group of people in her videos -- young, old, black, white, men, women, thin, curvy, etc. so you can find both people that you may identify with as well as people you may aspire to emulate. I also find her very motivational and encouraging personally because she is over 40 and in great shape and full of energy.

    I think most people, like me, would simply move along and find something else if they find a workout instructor or video irritating or unmotivating. That goes for live instructors as well, so it's really not that different. Silly article, in my opinion.
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