Well guys, Christmas is nearly on us and I’ve been doing my own shopping around Manchester City Centre and The Trafford Centre. Don’t know about you but to me that’s one of the toughest physical tests you can do. All I can say is thank heavens for the Internet!
When I was in HMV there was a whole host of the latest fitness DVD’s being plugged by the rich and famous like the ones below.
If you didn’t know it already, many of these DVD’s are fake and don’t deliver what you think they will when you buy them.
I recall one personal training client that I started with 10 months or so ago who had a dozen or so of these DVD’s and in her own words “really enjoyed one or two of them but they didn’t make any changes to my body”.
What you should realise is that some of the celebrities that endorse these DVD’s are actually training like an athlete in preparation for these shows. By that I mean they will be put through their paces by a trainer several times a week and in some cases more than once a day. They are also on a very restrictive diet plan that is unsustainable in the longer term. You just have to see a couple of these celebrities a few months after and how they have put a lot of weight back on.
So while I advocate “doing something is better than nothing” principle be aware of what these DVD’s are and what they promise and instead have a bit of fun with them and understand what it takes to get results that are sustainable.
One of the DVD’s that may actually be better than the others is The Body Blitz that is endorsed by ex-East Ender Hannah Waterman. I have read the bio on Amazon and it says…
So how’s she done it? To find the very best scientific way to lose weight, Hannah went to Loughborough University – the country’s leading centre for sports science – and worked with their weight-loss expert Martin MacDonald.
The DVD focuses on interval training and is divided into short bursts of intense exercise followed by a rest period. According to Martin MacDonald “All the latest scientific studies show it’s the most efficient way to burn fat. In fact it’s 4-5 times better at burning fat than normal aerobic exercise”.
Cardio Blitz involves short (10 second) bursts of intense exercise i.e. skipping, running on the spot) interspersed with ‘active rest periods’ doing moves like squats and lunges.
Box Blitz includes intense intervals of high speed boxing moves (speed-ball, upper-cuts) broken up with slower toning moves like press-ups and sit-ups.
Tone Blitz mixes up short intervals of high energy burpees (like the old school bunny hops) with toning moves using weights (like lunges and sit-ups).
The DVD also comes with Hannah’s ‘Six Meals a Day Diet’. So as Hannah says “With this DVD you get to exercise less, eat more and still lose weight – can’t be bad!”.
So first off - it is based on the programs of an experienced coach and not someone who calls themselves a “celebrity trainer”. What is that anyway?
The programs delivered are also based on scientific findings which are that metabolic resistance training and interval training are 2 of the most effective forms for fat burning and conditioning and far more effective than what over 90% of people are still doing at home, outside or in the gym. Just like what we do at ABC BootCamp and as part of our Personal Training systems back in Manchester - no aerobic type workouts with crunches to be seen! To target fat loss effectively you must use the muscle tissue and periods of high intensity followed by lower intensity releases the fat tissue form the cells and be prepared to be used as energy.
The nutrition component is based on healthy and nutritious eating and not some silly fad like the golden syrup diet or Atkins. I would guess that it is not dissimilar to The Elimination Plan that is based on removing unnatural foods sources from the diet.
So while some male friends may want you to get The Pussycat Dolls workout, The Body Blitz would be a better alternative if you’re looking for a cheap solution that just may be a lot better than the majority of workouts available.
I’m back on the internet now to complete my shopping!
Mike
