Video workouts have been around for a while…dating as far back as the 80s with Jane Fonda. As a young girl, I remember my parents owning a VHS tape of Jane Fonda’s Workout Challenge (the key word here is “own” because while we had the video, I never actually saw my parents use it). Since then, video workouts have come a long way. There are far more diverse workout offerings on the market, and the videos themselves are more sophisticated.  In fact, there are people who swear by this mode of home-related fitness. I was a little cynical at first. After all, aren't video workouts kind of lame? And just how much of an exercise can you get in the confines of your home while someone screams at you from the TV? Well, when I tried Beach Body for the first time a few years ago, I was proven wrong.

What it is: Beach Body offers up to 17 different types of home fitness programs, each with a unique style that offers a different benefit. You might have heard of Turbo Fire, P90X, or the Insanity workout, which are among the best-selling videos. The one I’ve tried is Turbo Jam, a kickboxing and body-sculpting program that targets abs and thighs. 

What I love: The Turbo Jam workout is a fun cardio workout which really does focus on arms, abs, and thighs. The hot-bod instructor, Chalene Johnson, provides a workout that can be tailored to your fitness level with low- and high-intensity variations and duration of exercise (25-45 minutes). Turbo Jam may not be as high octane as the other Beach Body video workouts, but it provided me with a solid calorie-burning exercise and helped with toning and weight loss.

Currently, Beach Body is developing additional programs to add to its armamentarium this fall: Brazil Butt Lift Master Series, LesMills Combat, and Insanity: The Asylum Volume 2. They all sound pretty dangerous! If given a choice, I would love to try the Les Mills Combat series. According to the website description, Les Mills Combat is based on a “combination of 6 martial arts—boxing, kickboxing/muay thai, taekwondo, capoeira, karate, and jiu jitsu—whose moves are specially combined for the ultimate total body fat loss and body shaping benefits.” Bring it on! This kind of workout sounds very engaging and intense – just the way I like it!

One tip on how to navigate the Beach Body website: If you’re interested in learning about the benefits of all the fitness programs and how they differ from each other, check out the easy-to-follow comparison chart which lays it all out for you here.

  

What I don’t love: In a private setting where it’s just you and the TV, the only person who can encourage and motivate you is yourself. It’s often easier to cheat because you know that no one is looking. So the challenge is to constantly push yourself to the next level so you can reap maximum benefits.

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