As our fall schedules get jammed and the days grow shorter, many North Jersey residents are squeezing in workouts with the multitude of fitness DVDs and exercise video games available on the market. They prefer the flexibility of popping in a DVD when they please, and the privacy of not having to sweat in front of strangers.
The latest in exercise media is not your "Sweatin to the Oldies" VHS tapes of yesteryear, however.
Marie Zagada, 30, a graphic designer from Cliffside Park, dropped 40 pounds in the past year and a half, went off all her prescription medications and improved her diet. She attributes this dramatic turnaround to a series of fitness DVDs by the Beachbody brand. Its most popular title is P90X, a workout program that consists of 12 DVDs, sold through a TV infomercial and online, which has inspired a legion of devotees who check in on message boards, form communities and chug an accompanying line of powdered drinks.
The P90X routine — jumping, yoga, martial arts and strength training — led by fitness guru Tony Horton, is not particularly groundbreaking; it requires working out six days a week, and follows the "muscle confusion" principle — the idea that varying exercises keeps your muscles constantly challenged.
Similarly powerful workouts are available in video-game form, and these are especially popular with parents.
After a summer filled with good food and family trips, Lauren Bielan is ready to buckle down and return to her fitness routine.
In her quest to get in shape, the 46-year-old Hillsdale mom won't hire a personal trainer or drive 10 minutes to the gym every day. Instead, she will walk downstairs to her basement and turn on her sons' Nintendo Wii. Fitness video games like "Gold's Gym Cardio Workout," provide as much of a burn as taking a gym class, she said. "It's a boxing game, and I'm so sore the next day, like I worked out with a personal trainer," Bielan said. "If I'm time crunched, I don't have time for the 20 minutes driving back and forth to the gym."
She also likes the chance to work out with her sons, especially her 12-year-old, who sees it as a game, not a grind. A favorite video, EA Sports Active, has players run, jump and mimic playing basketball. "It works the large muscle groups," she said. "And the kids think it's cool and try and beat their score." For another title, "Just Dance," they imitate the moves of an on-screen dancer, while bopping along to Michael Jackson hits. "You don't realize you're exercising," said Bielan.
Fans of the growing genre of fitness games available for Xbox, Wii and PlayStation say there is more interactivity than in traditional exercise routines. "With a DVD there is no way to track if you're doing it correctly," said Kevin Korzikowski who works at the GameStop in Clifton. "With the games, if you're doing the basics right, you get points. We get a lot of girls coming in who want to do workouts on their boyfriends' Xbox," he said.
Kristin Uszak, 31, of New Milford, is a long-time devotee of fitness videos. She started with classics by Cindy Crawford and Billy Blanks' "Tae Bo." But her recent favorite "10 Minute Solution," comes with five different 10-minute workouts on one DVD, so she treats the routine like an iPod shuffle, creating a tailored playlist. "I can customize what I'm doing," said Uszak.
"And I really like the girl in that one; she's encouraging without being annoying."
Most days of the week, Uszak works from home for an educational company, and fits in workouts in the afternoon when her family is out of the house. She has to move the coffee table aside to create her exercise floor. But she revels in the privacy. "I was always kind of self-conscious in group fitness classes, especially if I was new to the class, "said Uszak. " At home, you can mess up as much as you want."
Adrienne Donofrio, fitness director at the YMHA of North Jersey in Wayne, is concerned that inexperienced exercisers could get hurt with some of these products. "It's very difficult to take a sedentary person, have them look at a video and hope that they do the exercise correctly. It's very complex. It opens people up to injury," she said.
Also, she urges users to check the credentials of the fitness instructor behind the video. You shouldn't be dazzled by a celebrity trainer, if he or she doesn't have some nationally recognized certification," she said. Moves like lunges, squats and push-ups can be dangerous if not taught correctly, she added.
Zagada, who's become a salaried part-time "coach" for Beachbody, enjoys the freedom of scheduling workouts on her own time. On days she's feeling unmotivated, she logs into their site for inspiration. She's such a fan of their products that she started a Sunday morning fitness club at the Maplewood Community Center. "Now that I'm able to take care of myself, I'm able to help others in need," she said. "I love it; it's definitely changed my life."
Here are some popular fitness DVDs and video games:
DVDs
* EXHALE CORE FUSION DVDs
What: Combines Pilates, yoga and the Lotte Berk method for toning with intensity. Divided into five 10-minute sessions.
Who: There are several levels, making these suitable for anyone.
How much: Starts at $14.99
* P90X BY BEACHBODY
What: A 12-disc series in which fitness guru Tony Horton leads workouts with jumping, yoga, martial arts and strength training.
Who: Those at any fitness level. However, it is not for the weak of will; this program requires a six-day-a-week commitment.
How much: $119.95
* KAREN VOIGHT FITNESS DVDs
What: Voight is a Los Angeles Times health columnist with 25 fitness videos and DVDs to her name. Her "Ballet Bodysculpt" was filmed in scenic Montana, and focuses on the arms, abs, thighs and butt by doing graceful ballet dance moves.
Who: Those at any fitness level looking to round out their exercise regime.
How much: $14.95 to $44.95
* PHIL ROSS KETTLEBELL DVDs
What: Native to Russia, kettlebells are a recent fitness trend. These cast-iron weights with a handle are used to work on the body's core. Phil Ross, an expert from Ho-Ho-Kus, offers a series of workouts.
Who: More experienced exercisers.
How much: Starts at $15.99
* PATRICK GOUDEAU DVDs
What: A former collegiate cheerleader, Goudeau has a loyal following; his workouts combine strength training, cardio and dance moves.
Who: Those who are reasonably fit and coordinated. Not for anyone with knee trouble.
How much: Starts at $19.95
For Playstation3, Xbox Kinect and Wii
* UFC PERSONAL TRAINER
What: Designed with support from Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) coaches, it's a fighting/fitness game. Users can also compete in multiplayer mode. Critics have called it among the most intense workouts of the genre.
Who: The experienced exerciser familiar with cardio-kick boxing and martial arts moves.
How much: $49.99
* EA SPORTS ACTIVE
What: Up to 70 different exercises and a virtual "personal trainer" to motivate and guide users.
Who: Anyone.
How much: Starts at $39.99
— Sachi Fujimori
E-mail: fujimori@northjersey.com
