Am I a Prude?

[Rivercat]

Originally Posted by fitmom24

He goes on to say "Sex on the beach is fun!" after the completion of one set.

And anyway, Barry, sex on the beach isn't really all that fun! Chafage, sand in weird places, worrying about people seeing you...

[lindseylu8]

Originally Posted by Rivercat

And anyway, Barry, sex on the beach isn't really all that fun! Chafage, sand in weird places, worrying about people seeing you...

LOL! He also says something about improving your life from the boardroom to the bedroom. Doesnt bother me personally but I can see how it might for others.

[ooty]

I have to say I have gotten desensitized over the years.

But there are several workouts I won't do if my kids are around.

I absolutely hate Yoga DVDs with instructors wearing skimpy clothes.

I didn't like Rodney Yee's speedo appearance, but have made peace with him now.

[Stacey77]

This thread reminds me of those 20 Minute Workouts with Bess Motta. I think those were made just for men to watch.

[sophie kat]

Originally Posted by Eibhinn

Really bad examples that no one has mentioned yet: Namaste Yoga (which I saw a Youtube commenter refer to as "Na-mas-T&A Yoga", and Szusana's Bodyrock.tv, which I think is an intentionally dual-purpose website, despite her impeccable form (exercise form, perverts...). I also could not stand the constant "come hither" sexyface looks that Hemalayaa would shoot directly at the camera in the workouts of hers that I tried. I just found them too embarassing to use. This is also part of the reason that I couldn't handle RaviAna's DVDs.

Part of my problem is also that I live in a small open concept apartment, and my boyfriend already thinks fitness videos are cheesy without hearing completely embarassing comments coming out of instructors mouths. If he hears something particularly salacious, he'll come out of hiding to see exactly what it is that I'm doing. I like to try to avoid that.

namaste yoga is annoying for that reason. since everyone can tell that it's cold outside maybe the girls can wear some more clothing, or move the filming indoors...

i think the intent of bodyrock.tv is so very blatant. i couldn't make it through more than a few seconds of that.

my boyfriend also thinks that fitness videos are cheesy silly. it's taken a long time to get to the point where i don't have to be embarrassed about using them because my results have given them some credibility, but this would get him back to making fun of videos.

[sophie kat]

Originally Posted by Stacey77

This thread reminds me of those 20 Minute Workouts with Bess Motta. I think those were made just for men to watch.

i think there was one call aerobicise that was along those lines too, wasn't there?

[lreidgreen]

Originally Posted by fitmom24

Barry named 2 different exercises, both focusig on the inner thighs, as Sex On The Beach in his latest set. He goes on to say "Sex on the beach is fun!" after the completion of one set. I immediately took the set back to Target. I can't have my 5, 11, 17 or 19 year old boys listening to that!

Michelle

I don't think the OP is a prude for being somewhat bothered by the focus on body parts on CLX, although it did not bother me (full disclosure: I only did Burn Circuit once.) For some reason the shots of body parts do not bother me as much as some of the commentary.

I do not think of myself as a prude BUT the above comment by Barry really got to me. I was about to trade this set before even viewing it because I was feeling overwhelmed by all my DVDs. Then I read the rave thread on the series and decided to preview the fat blaster lower body DVD the other day. I was really turned off by these comments and just couldn't do this with my kids in the room. They are 17 and 10 and while they rarely watch the workout as I am doing it they always listen and have something to say when the instructor says something stupid. I am just afraid of my 10 yo dd asking me "what's sex on the beach?" Even if I do it without her present I think it will drive me crazy because it is just completely inappropriate for a workout video. Too bad because the workout looks decent.

Other gross comments:

Eoin Finn in PYFH " this should feel like someone licking ice cream off your body." That one went straight to the trade pile.

The narrator of Tonique 1 saying these exercises will improve your "intimate lifestyle" Ugh. Lifestyle is the wrong word and the comment is just plain ...wrong. Plus saying "think about how much attention your new butt will get." Love the workout but hate the stupid comments. That is what the mute button is for.

Leslie

[Hej]

Originally Posted by Eibhinn

I don't consider myself a prude -- at all -- but I work out to work out and I really don't want to feel like I am being sexually propositioned by the people on screen. I get wearing form-fitting, or even fairly skimpy, clothing to demonstrate form, but there is a right way and a wrong way to do it. The wrong way is when you have a reasonable idea of their waxer's skill level, when clothing is completely see through, and when the camera-person is constantly focusing in on body parts you don't need to see to understand an exercise. This over-sexualization often actually obscures the exercises - as in all you see is boob or pelvis instead of technique.

Exactly. I think part of the problem is that many directors and camera people shooting female instructors are a) male, and b) shoot these things not thinking of it from the point of view of a (usually female) exerciser who feels motivated by seeing what the instructor is doing rather than being faced with disembodied shots of body parts showing her supposed "results".

That's why, generally speaking, I really like Greg Twombly's productions. CIA started as a way for instructors to get ideas, so he's got a pretty good idea of what a viewer needs to see to pick up a routine. And wardrobe and styling obviously aren't that central to his concept. I believe the instructors choose that themselves.

Interestingly, Cathe seems to be becoming more "beautiful body" focused since she teamed up with that workout equipment company and seems to be trying to go more mainstream, though of course the camera angles are still exercise focused. STS was the first to feature eye candy male "fitness models" as backgrounders (who, let's be frank, had less than impecable form and at times ludicrous weight selection), and then in Shock Cardio we suddenly see "falsies" or whatever, and heavier makeup and obvious false eyelashes on Cathe. She still looks nice, but seems to be going for a slightly different image. Hummmm...





I remember one with Denise Richards where every time she would introduce a new piece of choreography, the shot would be of somebody's smiling face.

[CarlaShanti]

Originally Posted by Eibhinn

I also could not stand the constant "come hither" sexyface looks that Hemalayaa would shoot directly at the camera in the workouts of hers that I tried. I just found them too embarassing to use.

Oh my gosh I forgot about her! She simpers and frisks for the camera so much it makes me feel queasy! Can't do her workouts. Ugh!

[SharonNYC]

Originally Posted by Hej

and heavier makeup and obvious false eyelashes on Cathe. She still looks nice, but seems to be going for a slightly different image. Hummmm...

Except the lashes make it look like she can't fully open her eyes. It's weirdy distaracting.

In general I go with the "cheesy silly" point of view. It's not the sex or lack of clothing or whatever (in themselves), it's just that so much of this stuff is offensive simply because it's "silly", sophomoric, chirpy, superficial... I don't mind if somebody browses my shelves and finds the Marquis de Sade or a collection of some of Robert Mapplethorpe's controversial photographs. I would mind somebody coming across that butt cover from Janis Safell (I wouldn't buy that one either) -- it's the dumbness of it.