I'm back -- what have I missed?

Redhead · 01-04-10, 09:24 PM

Wow! It feels so weird to post here!

It is dimly possible that some of you might remember me ... I attended some of the first VF Road Trips in the 90's, to both Firm studios. You can still read some of my old reviews here, although I am embarrassed by many of them.

Over the past decade, I've been busy having babies .... oh, and then I got Lupus, went bald, needed a cane to walk, gained 90 pounds, had a Pulmonary Embolism and nearly died, ha ha!

No. Really.

A few years later, I am now doing great. I am in remission and having started pulling out the old videos that I hadn't done in years. I consider myself fortunate that I can work out at all, so it hasn't bothered me for a while that I'm just doing old tapes.

I am way out of date. You guys will laugh when I tell you what videos I do lately:

Cathe F - Step Jam and Mega Step Blast
The Firm -- Super Cardio?? Eh, I can never keep track of Firm videos ... it has Allie, Dale, and Jennifer in it
All the Jennifer Mills videos

I have tried to revive my Christi Taylors, but they are driving me crazy. I just tried Step Heaven ... or Stepping Zone, I can't keep track ... and finally turned it off in frustration. I just couldn't keep up.

Anyway, I wanted to pop back in and say hello. It's amazing to me that I started doing videos in 1996 and am still doing them!

Also ... well, I guess this is impossible to answer in one post: But what do you recommend that is new? I have not purchased a video in about seven years. I was disappointed to see that Jennifer Mills has nothing new out.

Anything new and great? Does Christi have any videos I could actually understand? What's CIA up to? Has The Firm taken a new direction? What do people love -- or love to hate -- these days?

Thanks!
Jen
Redhead1

ADoll · 01-05-10, 01:21 AM

Welcome back! Glad you're doing and feeling better.
Right now, I think people are liking Insanity, CLX, barre workouts, and Brazil Butt Lift.
Also new is Cathe's Shock Cardio and Tracey Long's new dvds. I know I'm missing more.
Maybe you can see previous postings.

Arleen

KarenJo · 01-05-10, 03:27 AM

Also check out all the stuff Ellen Barett's been up to with fusion workouts. Fusion is a growing niche. Pilates took off and Lotte Burke/barre/Callanetics style workouts follwed soon after. Now Classical Stretch/Essentrics has heated up. Instructors keep popping up with one or a small series of indie-produced non-impact/fusion/tribal/etc cardio.

CIA is still doing stuff but they get so much less chat due to all the competition and I've been absent so much that I have no idea what they've done lately. Greg is filming a lot of other people's videos, though. There are now dozens of 10Minute Solution titles in almost every genre of workout style. Cathe's doing insanely large sets that take over a year longer to ship than she promised when you pre-ordered and she still hasn't worked out issues with flaws from what I read but she still has a following who love her workouts and order them all.

Tracey Long is on her own and filming sets with some of the other old Firm instructors in them. She's had a series of business issues and also problems with buggy DVDs but still has a big following, too. She's done a lot of functional-style workouts.

Anna also put out a couple of new series with some Firm instructors after selling off the Firm franchise to cover costs of a lawsuit. She did FitPrime workouts with marginal production values and a solo instructor, then redid them and added a second series for the FitPrime/KickButts produced by her sister and filmed more like the old Firm. Anna died last month.

The Firm titles now come from Gaiam, are very mainstream and tend to require a new prop for every set of three, or even singles, and you often can't get the DVD without another ball or band or something, but you can buy them at Barnes and Noble and in the grocery store. They have a distinctive style but a very different one from the old Firm.

Beach Body is the thing people love to hate. They make you buy whole sets, take forever to ship, and often start sending you monthly subscriptions and charging your card out of the blue but people love their stuff. They do P90X, Slim in 6 and Insanity that you may have seen on infomercials. Also Turbo Jam and it's new incarnation CLX. Brazilian Butt Lift is their latest series.

There's also a new favorite on-line video source - totalfitnessdvds.com - with great service and sales from a one-woman show. VFers get a 10% discount wwith the code 10OFF.

A lot has change, some stayed the same, and the whole market has gotten much bigger. Enjoy.

kbehymer · 01-05-10, 08:23 AM

Welcome back! So glad you are feeling better. Check out the threads about kettlebells!
Krista

Lucky Star · 01-05-10, 08:46 AM

Hi Jen and welcome back - and how wonderful that you're in remission!!

So many (too many?) new styles, choices and instructors to choose from. You'll have a blast learning about them. Go to Total Fitness DVDs: http://www.totalfitnessdvds.com/Defa...p?Redirected=Y to meet a wonderful merchant who is tops around here, Mary Crowder, and see lengthy clips of exercise videos. (If/when you are ready to order, use the code "10off" to get an additional 10% off everything.)

Enjoy the process and post here often.

QueenBee · 01-05-10, 08:51 AM

Wow! I'm totally blown away by your story. It totally made my morning. I don't post here very often but want to throw my 2 cents in.
A lot of Cathe's step now has insane choreography so if you buy any be patient. But her kickboxing workouts are intense. Her Cross-Train Express (an older workout) and 4-Day Split are approx 30 min cardio & about 15-20 min lifting.
Turbo Jam is fun, period. You sweat your patoot off and have a blast doing it.
Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred is three 20 minute workouts that if you can get past her constant talking will put the fear of God & a few other things in you.

Being a veteran, you already know, take it slow, you don't want to burn out.

Diana

horsemom2 · 01-05-10, 08:59 AM

Welcome back to consistent movement and hope all your health problems become just a short memory from now on.

While at TotalFitness, you may want to check out the Force dvds by Anni Mairs. Simple to follow AWT moves done for one minute and many with a step option. Just think from what you seem to like doing, these may be just right.
http://www.totalfitnessdvds.com/category-s/179.htm

Barb S

KathAL79 · 01-05-10, 09:51 AM

Welcome back! Wow, you've sure packed a lot in during the past few years. Glad to hear that you're feeling better.

Christi Taylor announced somewhat quietly that she retired from in front of the camera to concentrate on her teacher training and work behind the camera (she started her own filming company several years ago and no longer works with Greg and CIA). That said, her last few sets of releases were noticeably less complex and intense than her previous offering. Mission: Possible was aimed at beginners (to her, that is) and is half step, half hi/lo. The companion slightly more complex and intense Cardio Collectibles isn't that bad, either. She then made a few step + weights routines: Ultimate Core Cardio uses a small, light weighted ball (think Karen Voight's Green Genie), and is OK if you have a huge TIFT tolerance. Fit to Dance has light dumbbells and seems to be a bigger hit. In fact, rumor has it Christi might pull a Michael Jordan / Brett Favre and unretire to film Fit to Dance 2 soon. You should be able to handle these both in terms of complexity and level of intensity. You can view clips at Collage and Total Fitness DVDs.

Janga · 01-05-10, 09:57 AM

I am a new poster here (lurked previously) so haven't met you before but that is great news about your health and glad you are back to exercise.

I have no recommendations about new stuff DVD-wise as I like old ones better.

Have a blessed day.

JulieWW · 01-05-10, 10:06 AM

Welcome Back!

After severe problems with my cervical spine, I used Leslie Sansone's workouts for rehab. Amazon.com has some good prices and I would recommend 5 Day Slim Down as an easy starting point. Her Walk Slim series is very good and has some more intense miles. Search this forum for info on Leslie's many, many workouts and try one. They helped me return to more vigorous exercise. I still use her workouts in my rotations with the Firm, Cathe, etc.

Best wishes.

Support VF
VF Membership Subscription
Shop These Vendors
Activa	Collage Video
Amazon.com	eBay.com
Amazon.ca (Canada)	Half.com
Amazon.co.uk (UK)	Junonia
Amazon.fr (France)	Onehanesplace.com
BN.com	Overstock.com
Buy.com	Road Runner Sports
CenturyFitness.com	Sierra Trading Post

01-04-10, 09:24 PM
Redhead Join Date: Jul 2007	I'm back -- what have I missed? Wow! It feels so weird to post here! It is dimly possible that some of you might remember me ... I attended some of the first VF Road Trips in the 90's, to both Firm studios. You can still read some of my old reviews here, although I am embarrassed by many of them. Over the past decade, I've been busy having babies .... oh, and then I got Lupus, went bald, needed a cane to walk, gained 90 pounds, had a Pulmonary Embolism and nearly died, ha ha! No. Really. A few years later, I am now doing great. I am in remission and having started pulling out the old videos that I hadn't done in years. I consider myself fortunate that I can work out at all, so it hasn't bothered me for a while that I'm just doing old tapes. I am way out of date. You guys will laugh when I tell you what videos I do lately: Cathe F - Step Jam and Mega Step Blast The Firm -- Super Cardio?? Eh, I can never keep track of Firm videos ... it has Allie, Dale, and Jennifer in it All the Jennifer Mills videos I have tried to revive my Christi Taylors, but they are driving me crazy. I just tried Step Heaven ... or Stepping Zone, I can't keep track ... and finally turned it off in frustration. I just couldn't keep up. Anyway, I wanted to pop back in and say hello. It's amazing to me that I started doing videos in 1996 and am still doing them! Also ... well, I guess this is impossible to answer in one post: But what do you recommend that is new? I have not purchased a video in about seven years. I was disappointed to see that Jennifer Mills has nothing new out. Anything new and great? Does Christi have any videos I could actually understand? What's CIA up to? Has The Firm taken a new direction? What do people love -- or love to hate -- these days? Thanks! Jen Redhead1

01-05-10, 01:21 AM
ADoll Join Date: Jul 2008	Welcome back! Glad you're doing and feeling better. Right now, I think people are liking Insanity, CLX, barre workouts, and Brazil Butt Lift. Also new is Cathe's Shock Cardio and Tracey Long's new dvds. I know I'm missing more. Maybe you can see previous postings. Arleen

01-05-10, 03:27 AM
KarenJo VF Supporter Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Central Valley, California	Also check out all the stuff Ellen Barett's been up to with fusion workouts. Fusion is a growing niche. Pilates took off and Lotte Burke/barre/Callanetics style workouts follwed soon after. Now Classical Stretch/Essentrics has heated up. Instructors keep popping up with one or a small series of indie-produced non-impact/fusion/tribal/etc cardio. CIA is still doing stuff but they get so much less chat due to all the competition and I've been absent so much that I have no idea what they've done lately. Greg is filming a lot of other people's videos, though. There are now dozens of 10Minute Solution titles in almost every genre of workout style. Cathe's doing insanely large sets that take over a year longer to ship than she promised when you pre-ordered and she still hasn't worked out issues with flaws from what I read but she still has a following who love her workouts and order them all. Tracey Long is on her own and filming sets with some of the other old Firm instructors in them. She's had a series of business issues and also problems with buggy DVDs but still has a big following, too. She's done a lot of functional-style workouts. Anna also put out a couple of new series with some Firm instructors after selling off the Firm franchise to cover costs of a lawsuit. She did FitPrime workouts with marginal production values and a solo instructor, then redid them and added a second series for the FitPrime/KickButts produced by her sister and filmed more like the old Firm. Anna died last month. The Firm titles now come from Gaiam, are very mainstream and tend to require a new prop for every set of three, or even singles, and you often can't get the DVD without another ball or band or something, but you can buy them at Barnes and Noble and in the grocery store. They have a distinctive style but a very different one from the old Firm. Beach Body is the thing people love to hate. They make you buy whole sets, take forever to ship, and often start sending you monthly subscriptions and charging your card out of the blue but people love their stuff. They do P90X, Slim in 6 and Insanity that you may have seen on infomercials. Also Turbo Jam and it's new incarnation CLX. Brazilian Butt Lift is their latest series. There's also a new favorite on-line video source - totalfitnessdvds.com - with great service and sales from a one-woman show. VFers get a 10% discount wwith the code 10OFF. A lot has change, some stayed the same, and the whole market has gotten much bigger. Enjoy. __________________ Karen Jo I now have a doctor's order to never again do push ups (yippee!)

01-05-10, 08:23 AM
kbehymer Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Massachusetts	Welcome back! So glad you are feeling better. Check out the threads about kettlebells! Krista

01-05-10, 08:46 AM
Lucky Star VF Supporter Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: A helluva town	Hi Jen and welcome back - and how wonderful that you're in remission!! So many (too many?) new styles, choices and instructors to choose from. You'll have a blast learning about them. Go to Total Fitness DVDs: http://www.totalfitnessdvds.com/Defa...p?Redirected=Y to meet a wonderful merchant who is tops around here, Mary Crowder, and see lengthy clips of exercise videos. (If/when you are ready to order, use the code "10off" to get an additional 10% off everything.) Enjoy the process and post here often. __________________ ~ Gina ~ "Remain cheerful, for nothing destructive can pierce through the solid wall of cheerfulness." ~Sri Chinmoy "We are so fortunate that we get to exercise!" ~Erin O'Brien

01-05-10, 08:51 AM
QueenBee Join Date: Mar 2005	Wow! I'm totally blown away by your story. It totally made my morning. I don't post here very often but want to throw my 2 cents in. A lot of Cathe's step now has insane choreography so if you buy any be patient. But her kickboxing workouts are intense. Her Cross-Train Express (an older workout) and 4-Day Split are approx 30 min cardio & about 15-20 min lifting. Turbo Jam is fun, period. You sweat your patoot off and have a blast doing it. Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred is three 20 minute workouts that if you can get past her constant talking will put the fear of God & a few other things in you. Being a veteran, you already know, take it slow, you don't want to burn out. Diana

01-05-10, 08:59 AM
horsemom2 Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NJ	Welcome back to consistent movement and hope all your health problems become just a short memory from now on. While at TotalFitness, you may want to check out the Force dvds by Anni Mairs. Simple to follow AWT moves done for one minute and many with a step option. Just think from what you seem to like doing, these may be just right. http://www.totalfitnessdvds.com/category-s/179.htm Barb S __________________ Barb S Visit my blog for info about various video sites including tips for downloading or streaming video files: neverendingplateau.blogspot.com

01-05-10, 09:51 AM
KathAL79 Join Date: Jul 2004	Welcome back! Wow, you've sure packed a lot in during the past few years. Glad to hear that you're feeling better. Christi Taylor announced somewhat quietly that she retired from in front of the camera to concentrate on her teacher training and work behind the camera (she started her own filming company several years ago and no longer works with Greg and CIA). That said, her last few sets of releases were noticeably less complex and intense than her previous offering. Mission: Possible was aimed at beginners (to her, that is) and is half step, half hi/lo. The companion slightly more complex and intense Cardio Collectibles isn't that bad, either. She then made a few step + weights routines: Ultimate Core Cardio uses a small, light weighted ball (think Karen Voight's Green Genie), and is OK if you have a huge TIFT tolerance. Fit to Dance has light dumbbells and seems to be a bigger hit. In fact, rumor has it Christi might pull a Michael Jordan / Brett Favre and unretire to film Fit to Dance 2 soon. You should be able to handle these both in terms of complexity and level of intensity. You can view clips at Collage and Total Fitness DVDs. __________________ Kath I listen to my body and respond compassionately. - sankalpa from Jill Miller's Yoga at Home level 1, month 5 practice Note: I have had a professional relationship with a vendor of health and fitness books and media. For details please see my profile.

01-05-10, 09:57 AM
Janga Join Date: Jan 2006	I am a new poster here (lurked previously) so haven't met you before but that is great news about your health and glad you are back to exercise. I have no recommendations about new stuff DVD-wise as I like old ones better. Have a blessed day.

01-05-10, 10:06 AM
JulieWW Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia	Welcome Back! After severe problems with my cervical spine, I used Leslie Sansone's workouts for rehab. Amazon.com has some good prices and I would recommend 5 Day Slim Down as an easy starting point. Her Walk Slim series is very good and has some more intense miles. Search this forum for info on Leslie's many, many workouts and try one. They helped me return to more vigorous exercise. I still use her workouts in my rotations with the Firm, Cathe, etc. Best wishes.