Cardiovascular Workouts

Cardio and aerobics videos

The main objective of a cardio (short for cardiovascular) video or DVD is to raise your heart rate for at least 20 minutes. Modern DVDs are a big departure from the jumping jacks and running in place you might remember from the 80s. Most of today's highest-rated workout DVDs are a combination of cardio moves to raise the heart rate and strength training to help tone your muscles. The emphasis is on working the large muscle groups --  such as those found in the butt, legs, chest and back -- to elevate heart rate, while minimizing high-impact moves that can lead to knee strain or injury. Plus, where previous decades saw limitations in the types of workouts -- traditionally DVDs fell into either the cardio or strength training arena -- modern home fitness routines can range from martial-arts inspired, to dance, to boot camp-style workouts and beyond. In fact, pure-cardio videos are now difficult to come by -- in large part because new standards of health and fitness place more emphasis on muscle strength than ever before.

Perhaps the one trend that emerged in the 1980s that still holds some weight today is that of step aerobics. Step aerobics has lost popularity and cache in the eyes of major health and fitness publications, as they pay little attention to these videos and DVDs, but some users still prefer step videos above the more modern interpretations of home fitness. Gilad's 2005 Step Aerobics (*Est. $12) earns high user feedback from self-proclaimed steppers. Kathy Smith, the fitness video legend who burst onto the scene in the late 80s, is still one of the queens of step aerobics. Her classic Step Aerobics (*Est. $19) still receives surprisingly positive feedback. Mindy Mylrea: Action Packed/Interval Express (*Est. $15) is also a cult favorite. The step-based routine is more intense than other videos.  

For beginners or those who are just getting back into exercising, there are also a few walking-based videos on the market. We found positive reviews for Walk Away the Pounds with Leslie Sansone (*Est. $15). There are several versions of this video, including one, two, three and four-mile workouts based on the long-standing principle that walking is the best workout, especially for beginners. (The newer version is called Leslie Sansone Walk Slim.) The newer Leslie Sansone: Walk at Home -- Walk Away Your Waistline! (*Est. $20) includes a three-mile walk with one-, two- and three-mile markers on one DVD and a walk belt for toning while walking. Amazon.com users give this video good ratings.

Martial arts-inspired routines

Kickboxing and other martial arts-inspired fitness programs first came onto the scene in the 1990s. These workouts combine cardio with kicks and punches to weave together an intense, confidence-boosting routine.

By far, Billy Blanks is the king of martial arts-inspired workout videos and DVDs. Experts like Blanks's opus of videos. His original four-video set, Tae Bo Workout with Billy Blanks (*Est. $30) is a blend of Tae Kwon Do, kickboxing and aerobics including instructional, basic, advanced and eight-minute videos. This set has been phased out to make way for new Billy Blanks Tae Bo workouts, but it can still be found on VHS videotapes.

We also found good reviews for several more recent Billy Blanks exercise videos. Newer videos include the two-DVD set Tae Bo Amped (*Est. $40) and the four-DVD set Boot Camp Elite (*Est. $40), both of which are good for toning and aerobics. Tae Bo Amped is known for stressing conditioning and form, both of which aid against injury. The high-energy routine helps burn calories and adds variety to a ho-hum workout regimen.

In previous incarnations of this report, dating back to April 2008, Billy Blanks's Tae Bo Amped was selected as the best cardio workout on the market. Interestingly, this workout is the only DVD or video out of the five original best-reviewed selections made in 2008 that has maintained its status as a best-reviewed selection. The series continues to be loved by both users and reviewers, and its longevity and ability to compete against newer videos makes it a good option for those who enjoy high-energy workouts.

Dance-inspired fitness DVDs

Like martial arts-inspired workouts, dance-inspired workout DVDs are ideal for those who are looking for a way to mix up a traditional or boring fitness regimen. The increased popularity of dance in pop culture has only brought more attention to these types of videos. Television's "So You Think You Can Dance" and "Dancing with the Stars" and even films like the 2011 Academy Award-winning "Black Swan" feature a bevy of dancers whose beautifully toned and sculpted bodies have sparked an interest in incorporating dance into home fitness DVDs and programs. Perhaps most interestingly, as previously mentioned, has been the emergence of Bollywood-style dance videos, a phenomenon that has gained popularity after the success of the movie "Slumdog Millionaire."

Not only do these unique workouts help to beat boredom, experts say that they also have real health benefits. In addition to the cardio workout, dance-inspired fitness DVDs often help to improve balance and flexibility, build and tone lean muscle and increase endurance. Whatever type of dance interests you, it's likely that there is a home fitness DVD that is either dedicated to it or incorporates core moves.

Belly dancing, which helps tone the stomach and is considered a fun, low-impact regimen, is led by instructor Hemalayaa Behl. We found very positive reviews for many of her DVDs, including Hemalayya: Bollywood Dance Blast (*Est. $13), Hemalayaa: Bollywood Party Workout (*Est. $15) and, with the most reviews, Hemalayaa: Bollywood Booty (*Est. $15). FitBottomedGirls.com named this fun, cardio-intense DVD one of the 10 best workouts for beginners. Of these videos, reviewers say that they are not as challenging as many other fitness options, but are a good option when the goal is switching up your workout. And while it doesn't garner hundreds of user reviews on Amazon.com, more than half of those commenting give this belly-dancing inspired video 4 out of 5 stars, while FitSugar.com readers name it one of their top favorite fitness DVDs. Much of this can be attributed to the Behl's likability, More magazine points out. The calories burned and toning benefits are significantly less than more intense total body workouts (see our section on total-body strength training videos). However, for those looking for a lower-intensity, fun way to be active, these videos are an interesting alternative.

As previously noted, celebrity trainers -- several who have appeared on hit television shows or who have, in fact, trained celebrities -- have garnered the most attention as of late. Cardio routines which incorporate various styles of dance have been particularly popular. Celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson (the guru behind the bodies of Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow) combines both trends in her The Tracy Anderson Method Dance Cardio Workout DVD (*Est. $30).

Anderson is a somewhat polarizing figure. When it first was announced that she was the trainer behind Madonna and Paltrow, her career -- and sales of her DVDs -- skyrocketed. Later, however, critics of both her credentials and workout philosophies emerged. Reviews of her fitness DVDs are mixed. Anderson preaches that her programs create a thin, shapely body with lean muscle tone and no bulk. This, however, requires that women work out with weights of no more than 3 pounds -- ever. Fitness experts question the validity of her method. Plus, several reviewers note that her videos lack instruction, safety tips or appropriate cuing.  

Tracey Mallet, another fitness guru, is also behind several of the more popular dance-inspired fitness DVDs. Her The Booty Barre (*Est. $15) receives positive feedback from both experts and users. The ballet-style moves are designed to tone and shape your lower body and strengthen the core. Mallet also co-choreographed four Dancing with the Stars exercise how-to DVDs. Dancing with the Stars: Ballroom Buns & Abs (*Est. $13) also receives high reviews (though they are few and far between), for offering a fun, dance-heavy and effective workout.

Other workout DVDs associated with "Dancing with the Stars"-- though not a part of the Mallet co-choreographed series -- also earn decent user feedback. Dance with Julianne: Cardio Ballroom (*Est. $10) and Cheryl Burke's three-disc Disco Abs (*Est. $26) are favorites.

For those who are more interested in classical styles, ballet-inspired DVDs are plentiful. Pure Barre is one of the better-known series and uses a hybrid of Pilates and ballet moves to "lift, tone and burn." The second edition, Pure Barre: Pershing Square (*Est. $19), was released in June 2011. While there are no professional reviews of this DVD at the time of this report, the few user reviews we did find say that this DVD is more advanced than Pure Barre's previous offerings and helps to tone the legs, glutes and abs in record time.