Rigorous Resolve: Books, Videos Can Start You on Your Way to Improved Fitness

By Joanne Kempinger Demski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Jan. 21–Can you believe that your New Year’s resolution is already three weeks old?

If you vowed to get fit, you may already be looking and feeling better.

Or did you already fall off the wagon?

Or is it possible that you never jumped on the wagon in the first place?

Don’t fret. There’s still time to get started.

And there are plenty of new exercise books and videos to get you motivated and give you a good, safe workout.

But don’t just buy the first book or DVD you see that promises success or features a well-toned body on the cover. A weight training book by Lindsey Lohan or a Pilates DVD by Hulk Hogan probably wouldn’t be the best choices.

What you need is a program by someone with a solid fitness background, a personality you can handle and a program that is realistic for you and that fits your needs.

Here are some options we liked.

Books

–The New Rules of Lifting for Women — Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess ($25.95, Avery / Penguin Group USA)

By: Lou Schuler with Cassandra E. Forsythe; workout by Alwyn Cosgrove

Content: Gives six months of workouts that are geared to help you lose fat and build lean muscles by exercising two to three hours a week. Nutrition program, recipes.

Why buy it: This book explains why women can lift heavier weights yet not look like Hulk Hogan and how heavier weights help burn more fat and tone muscles.

Check out: Advanced versions of the popular core exercise called “the plank.” The book shows it done with feet on a bench and forearms on an exercise ball.

–The Everything Krav Maga for Fitness Book ($14.95, Adams Media)

By: Jeff Levine, Tina Angelotti, Nathan Robert Brown

Content: Shows all the basics of this self-defense/martial arts/fitness workout. Learn how to throw a punch, fighting techniques, bag workouts and exercise to improve muscular strength, stamina and flexibility. Fact boxes cover every aspect of fitness.

Why buy it: You’ll get in shape fast with this advanced workout and learn to defend yourself in the process. If you like the program you can take it a step further and join a Krav Maga center in your area.

Check out: Pyrometric step-ups, pushups and jumping lunges.

–Get Stronger, Feel Younger — The Cardio-and Diet-Free plan to Firm Up and Lose Fat ($25.95, Rodale)

By: Wayne Westcott and Gary Reinl

Content: A beginners program that takes 20 minutes twice a week and an advanced workout that takes 30 minutes three days a week. Programs can be done on machines at a gym or with small equipment at home. Nutritional plan, training logs.

Why buy it: It provides a workout for those with little strength-training experience, as well as for those with experience. Authors say you can lose up to 12 pounds of fat, gain three pounds of muscle and get a 6% increase in your metabolic rate in 10 weeks.

From the book: “The average woman experiences a 5-pound muscle loss, a 5% metabolic rate reduction, and a 15-pound fat gain every decade of adult life.”

–The Abs Diet — Ultimate Nutrition Handbook ($22, Rodale)

By: David Zinczenko

Content: Food guide showing calories, protein, carbs, etc., and information on how they affect your muscle/fat ratio. Exercises for all the body parts, “nutrition secrets,” food and exercise journals, chapter called 100 best foods ever.

Why buy it: Gives tips on the best and worst choices at fast-food chain restaurants. At Starbucks, go for the low-fat blueberry muffin vs. the chocolate chunk cookie. It also spills the beans on “choices that sound good” but aren’t. (If you go to Hardee’s, back away from the third-of-a-pound low-carb Thickburger.)

From the book: “A vending machine is a dieter’s kryptonite — it can make you very weak if you’re exposed to it too long. If you must have a snack from a machine or a convenience store, your best bet is a Pay Day.”

DVDs

–Endurance for Movement ($14.95, www.tracielongtraining.com)

By: Tracie Long

Content: 59-minute interval workout that hits all your muscles, with a focus on core work and functional training. Includes advanced core exercises, kicking cardio routines and strength exercises. Can be used by beginning to advanced exercisers; modifications/enhancements are shown. You’ll need 3- to 10-pound weights, a stability ball and rags that you can use to slide into position.

Why buy it: Lord is a former instructor for “The Firm” workouts, so you know this is not a program for wimps. Her style is straightforward, and she gives lots of tips on good form. If you like the workout you can get more — it’s part of the “Tracie Long Training Series.”

From the DVD: “We don’t shave our legs while standing on two legs so why should we only train on two legs?”

–ABC 2 Workout ($14.99, www.patrickgoudeau.net. Powermusic.com)

By: Patrick Goudeau

Content: ABC means amazing ball choreography. Goudeau calls this 65-minute workout a “cardio ball workout” that keeps your heart rate up and is fun. He bounces sideways on the ball, walks and pivots around it, holds it like a dance partner, rolls over it, does leg lifts on it.

Why buy it: It’s a really fun workout and you’ll get in shape because Goudeau makes you work hard with his unique choreography.He is a former U.S. National Aerobic Champion and earned the “Biggest Diva trophy’ and title in 2004. If you like this DVD, try his other new programs: “Dance Moves — Aerobic Dance Workout” and “Step My Way — Advanced Step Training.”

From the DVD: While he drips sweat, he tells his audience “I never do anything easy,” and asks, “Are you laughing at me from home?”

–Mission: Possible ($19.99, www.taylordfitness.com; www.bayviewent.com)

By: Christi Taylor

Content: A 50-minute workout for beginners to advanced exercisers. Includes step aerobics, multi-impact moves, stretches and a “movemaster” tutorial. She builds on her choreography, which at times moves at a fairly fast pace.

Why buy it: Her choreography is creative, yet manageable even for beginners because it’s repeated. Newbies can do the basics while advanced exercisers can ramp it up quite a bit.

Check out: The “special agents” who join Christi in her workout. All dressed in black, of course.

–Tummy Trimmers — 5 Workouts to Beat the Bulge! ($10.99 to $14.98, Kathysmith.com; Lionsgateshop.com)

By: Kathy Smith

Content: The focus is abs and there are five 10-minute workouts — standing abs, core abs, boot camp abs, stability ball abs and Pilates mat abs. They can be mixed to suit your fitness level and your time window.

Why buy it: Those who already exercise will like the fact that after Smith shows a move, she shows a harder way to do it, then an even harder way. Her exercises are solid, and she gives lots of tips on form. She’s also living proof that her programs work because we all know she’s been in the fitness field for decades, yet she’s got the body of a 20-year-old — including a six-pack.

From the DVD: “This is core training like you’ve never done before.”

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