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Old 05-20-02, 11:31 AM  
dixiechickntx
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Dallas
Unhappy videos for people over 50 just starting out

Hello!
I have been reading reviews for videos on here and am not finding what I am looking for. As a very beginer level, 56 year old, what videos would someone recomend. I am not that coordinated and need to lose at least 50 pounds. I do not like Richard Simmons!! I want to lose weight and strengthen my atrophied muscles but find that most workout programs are too difficult for someone my age and condition. I would appreciate any input!!!! Thank you!
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Old 05-20-02, 11:55 AM  
Messe
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
A few suggestions

Leslie Sansone is great for a beginner/re-beginner. She's very encouraging, which is a big help, and her workouts are well-paced. Some specific recommendations: Weight Loss Walk (long, but broken into three segments so you can do one, two or all three parts at a time), 2-Mile Walk, the first Walk Away the Pounds set. If you get the first Walk Away set from QVC, you'll get a short toning video as a fourth video in the set; it uses the weighted balls that come with the 3-video set that's available elsewhere. Her Firm Up Fast is a short toning video (dumbbells optional), and her Miracle Mile is a 1-mile walk with some toning. Walk and Firm for Older Adults is another one that includes both walking and toning with light weights.

Kathy Smith's Moving through Menopause is broken into three segments (aerobics, toning, stretch) that can be done separately or all at once. She also has an older video, Weight Loss Workout, that you might like.

50+ Exercise with Margaret Richard is a well-instructed strength-training workout.

You can see clips of all of these except Kathy Smith's Weight Loss Workout at www.collagevideo.com.

Hope this helps!
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Old 05-20-02, 01:01 PM  
Lenore Levine
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Join Date: Nov 2001
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Some more recommendations.

When I was starting out, I used Idrea's The Larger Woman's Workout. Not her second tape -- the one with Carnie Wilson -- but her first tape.

Another tape I liked was Gilad's New Beginners' Workout. Mixed strength/aerobics.

Leslie's Weight Loss Walk is good because the tape is in sections. You can add sections as your abilities improve. You might also like the Linda Evans/Kari Anderson tape, A New You, which is also in sections. Linda is unintentionally amusing, but that doesn't make the tape bad.

Strength? Donna Richardson's 4 Day Rotation has four fifteen-minute sections, so you don't work too hard every day. When you've done that tape for a while, you could try Kathy Smith's Secrets tapes. As a matter of fact, Kathy Smith has produced many very good beginner or intermediate tapes.

Yoga/stretching? Try Yoga Zone's Yoga for Conditioning and Stress Release.

Relaxation? Just Relax, with David Swenson. Light exercises and a very comfortable guided relaxation.
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Old 05-20-02, 05:34 PM  
redbird
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Join Date: Dec 2001
I'm using Gilad's New Beginner's Workout. It's set on the beach in Hawaii and has a live band! The choreography is easy and the intensity can be modified by eliminating the arm movements. I think it's a great beginner workout. It has a little of everything - warmup, low impact aeorbics (30 min), sculpting (no wts), abs, floorwork, cooldown. All in one hour. And Gilad is very motivating. Good luck!
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Old 05-21-02, 05:29 PM  
Sharon T
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Join Date: Nov 2001
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For aerobics, you might like Fat Burning Workout for Dummies. Don't be put off by the title. Gay Gasper is an excellent instructor and breaks down the steps thoroughly at the beginning of the tape, then puts them together in a short routine. I wish this tape had been around when I was starting out!

For strength training, I think Tamilee Webb's "I Want Those" series, arms, abs, etc. are nice. Each tape gives two workouts of about 15 minutes each for the targeted body part, the first a bit easier than the second. Tamilee gives good form pointers, and is a quietly encouraging instructor. Her stretch tapes are also good.

Kathy Smith is another instructor whose tapes can work for beginners. As previously mentioned, "Moving Through Menopause" offers strength, aerobics, and stretch in 20 minute segments. I think the first two sections can work for a beginner, but I found the yoga stretch a little intimidating. Kathy is very flexible, and no options are shown. Still this is a worthwhile tape, and would probably be even better in DVD. There is quite a bit of discussion about menopause, which is ok, but you probably will want to skip it after the first time though.

Each of these tapes should be easy to find and relatively inexpensive at retail. They also give you room to grow, so they will have value as you progress. Good luck.

Sharon T
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Old 05-23-02, 01:22 AM  
Jane P.
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Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Colorado Springs
I agree with the above suggestions, but wanted to add that in order to workout you have to do a combination of strength training and aerobics. I think it might be best to start with aerobics and establish a pattern of doing it three times a week, and then add in strength training.

I really like Miriam Nelson, PhD's books "Strong Women, Strong Bones, Strong Women Stay Young etc. for information and motivation.

Denise Austin has several good beginning weight training tapes
that are easily available at Target. Some find her overly perky but
her workouts are excellent for someone just starting out.
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Old 06-08-02, 01:19 AM  
SydneyH
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Gardner, MA
Thumbs up

Denise Austin has many videos suitable for beginners, definitely start with her.
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Old 07-03-02, 03:09 PM  
monterey vidiot
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Karen Voight's Ease into Fitness. As it happens, I have it on my trade list.

Cynthia
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Old 08-05-03, 02:39 PM  
toaster
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Just wanted to add to a previous post: I agree that Tamilee Webb is a great instructor for beginners, but I think that the workouts in her "I Want Those..." series would be a bit too challenging for an absolute beginning. Instead, I would recommend that you try her "Quick Toning" workouts--I like Quick Toning for Arms and Abs, which contains 3 workouts of 15 minutes each, complete with warm-up and cool-down.

A great beginning yoga workout is Suzanne Deason's "Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss." She is very gentle, and she works out with three models of various sizes who each demostrate a different modification level. My mom (who is also in her 50s and recent began working out for the first time) has always had back problems, and she likes Rodney Yee's "Back Care Yoga for Beginners"--she has told me that she can't do everything, but she still finds it helpful.

Finally, try doing a search on Collage Video for beginner's workouts--you can even view a clip of the workout to get a sense of whether it's what you are looking for. Good luck!
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Old 08-05-03, 03:56 PM  
DJ-H
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Dixichick:
All the posts here made me chuckle Are you a videot yet?
Just want to wish you the best in your quest for better health. These are all great suggestions!
You'd be welcome at the "Fit 40's & 50's" thread. Some of us are more fit than others. We like to encourage each other.
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