What tape/DVD turned you into a vidiot and ...

[Valancy]

Leslie's original WATP set. Then I bought her Express set, then some others.

Eventually I realized that there are other fitness instructors. But Leslie will always hold a dear place in my heart for getting me up off the couch.

[caligurl]

tamilee webb's abs workout..... which led to her "i want that body" set..... which led to denise austin and kathy smith and some others.... which led to fitness forums..... which led to cathe.... (i completely skipped the firms) which led to p90x..... which led to.... well.... you get the picture....

[ADoll]

Originally Posted by Usia

Firm Vol I w/Susan Harris bought when in first came out in the '80s. It was a different and innovative way to workout and I was hooked immediately. I subsequently bought all original Firms, and still have them. Paid $50 for each on presale, sight unseen. The anticipation and excitement of each new release has not been matched by any other VHS/DVD since.

Same here! Plus it helped me lose the last 10 lbs I gained after my second pregnancy.

[KayB]

I started with Jane Fonda's exercise tapes then discovered The FIRM! Rented Vol. 1 at a video store then immediately ordered my own copy. Yep, I also paid $50 a tape on pre-order for some of the others.

As for getting turned off of home exercise I think one called "Do It Debbie's Way" by Debbie Reynolds would do it, or the workout by Bubba Smith.

[Dobby]

Well, if I had ever seen the Firm or Callanetics, I am sure those would have done it for me.

I had Jane Fonda in book form, didn't hook me.

I recorded Lilias Yoga classes from my PBS station and did them at night so I liked working out at home, then I found T-Tapp and that totally hooked me!

Pam

[Eibhinn]

When I was a kid my mother would bring my sister and I along to visit a friend, and if her children weren't there we would always get bored and put on either a Richard Simmons or Cher workout video and kill an hour that way.

The first I bought for myself, which I loved - got bored of - traded - missed - bought a new copy of - was Kathy Smith's Latin Rhythm workout.

If I had started with a Pilates video I wouldn't have bought anymore, probably. Every one I've tried has bored me to tears.

[Donna D]

Originally Posted by Karen Walsh

I started with Jane Fonda's New Workout in 1985. I loved that I could exercise in the privacy of my own home and that I could exercise whenever I wanted to. Then I got into Kathy Smith and Deborah Crocker and.......

Karen,
I still use Deborah Crocker's workouts ocassionally. I converted from VHS to DVD.

Esquire Great Body Dynamite Legs
Esquire Great Body Super Stomach
Esquire Upper Body Beautiful

[Rivercat]

Originally Posted by BunnyHop

It's all Jane Fonda's fault. I got the record too.

I had the original Jane Fonda workout video in high school and used it a lot, but I hardly ever listened to the cassette. Fast forward a few years when I got out of college and bought the Kathy Smith Fat Burning workout and Esquire Dance Away the 50's (both of which I still have), along with another Kathy Smith lower body workout and a Nautilius(?) workout that I didn't like. At some point I got a Collage catalog which enlightened me to the fact that not all workouts were aimed at the same level and it wasn't necessarily my fault I couldn't keep up.

A few years later, I was getting more serious about workout options and found both VF and Collage's website. The rest is history.

If I'd only ever tried Richard Simmons, I'd probably hate videos to this day. Much as I admire Richard, I can't follow his cueing to save my life and find his videos intensely frustrating (though I like his walking tapes).

[aunatural]

I think it's a tie between The Firm's Tough Aerobic Mix and Cathe's Power Hour.

[Karen Beckwith]

Originally Posted by Donna D

Karen,
I still use Deborah Crocker's workouts ocassionally. I converted from VHS to DVD.

Esquire Great Body Dynamite Legs
Esquire Great Body Super Stomach
Esquire Upper Body Beautiful

Yes! I think I bought five workouts from the Great Body series (the three you list plus an aerobics workout and a stretch-type workout) and then she had another series called Superbody that had four VHS, I think. I still have them all but haven't used them recently. I should convert mine too.....

Did you ever try the Superbody series? It's not bad, really. ah - memories.