The name Jillian Michaels and words "top-rated workout DVDs" go hand and hand. Michaels may have made a name for herself as the tough-as-nails trainer on "The Biggest Loser," but she has also walked the walk as an overweight teen before coming into her own as a fitness expert. Michaels is certified by the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America and the National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association, so she also knows what she is talking about.
Michaels isn't the only player getting high ratings as a workout specialist. With its Latin beats and party atmosphere, the Zumba craze continues to be strong and popular.
Jillian Michaels' Yoga Meltdown
This 2010, 64-minute DVD is the newest offering from this hard-core workout guru. The website Collage Videos had it in its best sellers in July of 2010 and the average viewer rating was a 4.5 out of 5 stars. "A unique fusion of traditional power yoga and hardcore body sculpting," says the product descriptions. "Yoga purists beware--the poses may be familiar, but the goals, sequencing and ... attitude are pure Jillian Michaels." Amazon reviewers gave it an average rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars.
Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred
This 2008 offering from Michaels gets high marks from Amazon.com buyers. This interval training workout video offers total body toning. It has three 27-minute workouts. Nearly 2,000 people reviewed the DVD on Amazon where its average rating was a 4.6 out of 5 stars. It earned a 4.6 rating on Buzzillions and a 4.5 rating on Collage Videos.
Jillian Michaels: No More Trouble Zones
This 2009 DVD received an average rating of 4.8 stars out of 5 on Amazon with close to 350 weighing in with their opinions. The 55-minute video also earned an average 5 out of 5 stars ratings on Collage Videos and a 4.8 on Buzzillions. Another circuit training video from fitness expert Michaels, this product features both upper- and lower-body sculpting exercises.
Zumba Fitness Total Body Transformation System DVD Set
The Zumba craze started out in fitness centers and moved its way into the consumer market in the form of DVDs. This scenario, says Kathy Stevens, AFAA educational director, has made it a strong product. "What we have found in the industry is if it launches in the club and then is released as workout DVDs, it can be popular," she says.
The Zumba Academy certified instructors. "It keeps the professionalism up," says Stevens. "The companies producing these keep the choreography up and the quality up." she says. The Zumba Fitness Total Body Transformation System four-DVD, six-workout fitness set is a bit of an investment so it may be a good idea to test it out at a club or borrow the set from a friend before making the commitment to buy.
Its product description says it is "designed to work your body from head to toe" and touts its "red-hot dance steps, pulsating Latin rhythms, and easy-to-follow routines."
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