Looking for a fun strength tape

[Paula N]

For several years now. I have dutifully done 20-30 minutes of weight training two or three times a week (okay, sometimes only once) because I know I "should". Frankly, it's a bit of a chore for me. Nevertheless I have tried kept it up, gradually increasing the amount of weight that I use. However, lately I have been getting into more and more complex step choreography (to the point where I have to force myself to take one or two rest days a week). The upside is I always look forward to using my step and have greatly improved my cardiovascular fitness. The downside is my strength training is seriously neglected these days, to the point where I'm eeking out one set of the same half dozen or so exercises and calling it a day.

I would love to find a strength tape that would enjoy using as much as my step tapes. I am not so much interested in "results" as I am in finding a tape that I would look forward to doing over and over. A few years ago, I owned Kathy Smith's Secrets of a Great Upper Body, but quickly got bored of hearing about where my triceps were located everytime I watched it. I already know the basics of strength training and am looking for something a little less instructional. I have considered a Cathe tape (I love Power Max) but she has so many strenght tapes I don't know where to begin. I have also read several concerns here recently about the safety of some of her moves. Should I give Cathe a try, or is there a tape by another instructor I might enjoy? I really appreciate the help. Thanks.

[ARTmethodfan]

My short list of "fun" strength tapes:

the strength portion of CIA 2104
Crunch Boot Camp (has some cardio moves, I think)
FIRM Maximum Body Shaping
FIRM Super Body Sculpt
Cathe's Pyramid DVD or Muscle Endurance/BootCamp DVD (these would offer you a ton of different options to stave off the boredom factor)


HTH,
Nat

[carol hayward]

I hear what your saying. I used to struggle with weight tapes too. I have now aquired well over 50 weight tapes (don't tell my husband) I say well over because I quit counting at 50 and that was a long time ago. Anyway, I think that the most truly exciting weight workout tape out there (from my point of view anyway) is Bodypump. It's only about 40-45 min. long but is really exciting comparied to the others. I love this tape and always look forward to doing it, it's exhilarating and well, fun. Anyway, hang in there and you'll find your nitch. Good luck.


Carol

[FitBoop]

My favorite for fun is Bodypump. Even my DH liked it (he tried it for the first time with me last week). I also like Firm Strength and Firm Maximum Body Sculpting and Cathe's Maximum Intensity Strength and Power Hour (less fun, but plenty of bang for the buck).

[patrice]

You might try using tapes that combine weights with cardio. That's how I finally start using weights. I love the Firm tapes for the most part. Tapes the Firm classifies as Cardio/Sculpt combine the two. Now of course the choreography will not be complex. Here are some of my favorite Firms:

Total Body Shaping Mix
Firm Cardio
Firm Strength
Firm Cardio Sculpt (infomericial).


The Intensity Series is fantastic! Cathe's new tape Cardio and Weights combine stepping with weights, and the fun factor is high. Boot Camp also combines aerobic intervals with weights. Yet, like I said the whole series is worth trying. Have you tried Body Max? The first part of the tape is FAST stepping, then stepping with lower body weight work combined, and finally a pure upper body section. This tape falls under the category of torture.

Patrice

[KayM]

I second the motion for "circuit training" videos that combine weights and cardio. I got a pretty fun one through the exchange called Breakthru Body Blast, it has moderately complex step moves alternating with weight segments. The weight-lifting segments are short because they're interspersed throughout the workout and that makes it so much more doable!

I am seriously considering switching one of my strength training days per week to a circuit workout, because it seems so much more fun!

One cautionary note on Breakthru Body Blast - it's pretty high-impact, so if you're a low-impacter like me you have to modify it some. There are a couple of steps during the step aerobics portion that you would have to change completely to remain low-impact.

Good luck!

[Peggy T]

Christi Taylor Strength Balance and Flexibility and Gin Miller's Simply Strong

[Kathryn]

I may be strange, but I think that somewhat hard-core strength tapes (ie: Slow and HEavy) ARE fun! I just love the feel of pushing iron and knowing that I'm strong.

But, in answer to YOUR question, I agree with previous posters who suggested some Firm videos. Also, Cathe's new Pyramid tapes are fast moving as well as effective. Boot Camp could be considered a weight tape as well as an interval tape.

I actually found Body Pump to be a bit boring. Maybe it's that there wasn't ENOUGH strength trainig for my tastes.

[Lenore Levine]

Yoga Booty Ballet is a really fun tape because it has very good Indian music and strange but interesting settings.

Aside from the warmup and cooldown, there are four psrts -- the "ballet" section for the legs, a four-limbed aerobics section a la Firm, a yoga section, and an abs section using a squeeze ball. I'd use a chair for balance in the ballet section as needed, skip the awful yoga section, and use a Nerf soccer ball as a squeeze ball.

The exercises could be from a Firm tape. The way they're presented is very different.

[Barb L]

Another vote for Body Pump. The music is fun, the range of exercises is fairly limited. The time goes by fast.

I also enjoy Cory's Get Hard Arms. Not for weight training novices, as she goes very fast, and skimps on the form instruction.