Want to fight the Christmas bulge early this year? Give Santa a big hint by asking for one of these newly released fitness DVDs. Find out which ones are right for your individual fitness needs
- Strictly Come Dancing
- Davina Super Body Workout
- Coleen Nolan's Disco Burn
- Clubland Work It Out
- DanceXtreme
- The Beach Bum Workout
- Pilates unplugged
- Yogalibre
Strictly Come Dancing The Workout with Kelly And Flavia
(1 December 2008)
The Queen of the Quick Step, Flavia Cacace, is joined this year with Strictly celebrity favourite Kelly Brook.
She may have had to make an untimely exit from last year's show, but Brook is back, looking confident, tanned and toned in an array of spangly outfits, in this DVD which promises to have all ages and stages dancing their way to a fitter physique.
This workout will teach you four different dances, each perfect for honing different parts of your body, including Salsa (targets waist, back, shoulders and arms), Jive (guarantees a great backside), Quick Step (for toned arms and legs) and the Tango (tones tummies, legs and lower back).
With easy-to-follow instructions and a funky upbeat soundtrack which includes hits from the likes of Shakira, Gnarls Barkley and Survivor, this DVD promises to teach the fastest and hottest moves from everyone's favourite show.
Style: Sexy choreography for anyone wanting to learn classic dance moves
Best bit: Flavia's impressive six-pack!
Avoid if: You think Tango is a fizzy drink
Get if: You have a secret desire to dance in the arms of Brendan Cole
Click click here to buy
(8 December 2008)
The number one-selling fitness brand Davina is back with her pals Jackie and Mark Wren to bring you this military-inspired workout.
The Big Brother hostess introduces two 40-minute fat-burning routines, alongside warm-up and cool down exercises. These are surprisingly not gimmicky, just really good high-energy workouts.
The first workout, Super Sculpt, is designed to tone the whole body using fat-burning intervals, while the second, Super Fit, uses aerobic kickboxing exercises to achieve overall fitness and fat-burning.
And if that isn't enough of a workout for you, there are three more 50-minute routines which add an extra 10 minutes to focus on specific areas like your abs or legs.
While Davina is her usual high-kicking bubbly bouncing self, Jackie Wren is on hand for the beginners with the less strenuous options. Plus, if you want a bit of a laugh, head to the extras section to see Davina complete a military assault course, complete with a team of uber-tough looking naval officers!
Style: Military-style aerobics workout, with fluffy edges
Best bit: Davina dressed in fatigues
Avoid if: You find the gurning Big Brother hostess a bit annoying
Get if: You really want to burn off those calories
Click click here to buy
(26 December 2008, Universal)
Coleen is back this year, two stone lighter and two dress sizes down, in this uber upbeat disco workout which she admits takes her back to her days as a Nolan Sister.
This year, Rosemary Connolly has been replaced with Nolan's trainer Mikey, who despite having an uncanny resemblance to Peter Andre, keeps up the pace with a variety of disco-themed moves like the 'jiggly squat' or the 'funky pony'.
This DVD is great fun, and has a variety of workouts to suit different levels, including Disco Aerobics and Disco Tone, as well as disco-inspired warm-up and warm down.
It's all glitter balls and John Travolta as Coleen, who smiles throughout, looks like she is really enjoying herself, whether its gyrating her hips against a chair to Disco Inferno, or using water bottles as weights in the toning section.
Style: Camped-up aerobics-style workout
Best bit: The workout selector lets you choose the order you do your routines in
Avoid if: Saturday Night Fever is your least favourite film
Get if: You have a glitter ball anywhere in your home
Click click here to buy
(1 December 2008)
This workout is for clubbers who want to show off their new moves on a podium in Ibiza sometime next summer.
It's an intense workout led by five greased-up hotties who perform each workout in a variety of show-stopping sequinned hot pants and spangly bikini combos. There is aerobics, combat-style training and toning to choose from, all to a backdrop of pumping house music.
It looks like it was filmed in a nightclub and the focus is on high-energy body-popping dance moves paired with fake neon lashes and sexy grinding. For the congregation who worship at the alter of Saturday night, this fun high-octane workout is a must!
Style: Ibiza podium-style dance off
Best bit: The outfits!
Avoid if: You are not into clubbing
Get if:Pacha, Ministry of Sound and Cream are your second homes
Click click here to buy
(Available now)
Featuring dancers from ITV1's Britannia High and winners from BBC1's Dance X, this workout is ideal for anyone who wants to really impress their friends on the dance floor with some serious shape throwing.
Five high-octane ten-minute dance workouts will teach you hip-hop, house, latin, pop and disco modern routines by a team of young, energetic dancers with plenty of whooping and cheering to boot.
The DVD includes warm-up and warm down exercises, and individual conditioning modules that focus on your legs, bums and arms but the main focus of this workout is the choreography, which is presumably why the workouts are, while fun, a little short.
Style: Choreographed routines where the focus is more dance than workout
Best bit: The Extra section has an impressive slam dunk display from dancer Marcquelle
Avoid if: You think Hip Hop is something bunnies do
Get if: You have a secret penchant for leotards and leg warmers
Click click here to buy
(Available now)
If you are planning on jetting off for some winter sun this festive season, or you just want to look hotter in your undies, this workout is for you.
Acclaimed fitness instructor Jackie Diss - known in the industry as the 'go to gal for glutes' - and her team of two, allow you to choose from four motivational ten-minute workouts that mix up calorie-burning cardio work with conditioning exercises.
Plus, as each exercise focuses on a specific region, either bums, tums, arms or legs, you can target your workout to attack the specific problem areas that you want to work on.
Filmed in a lovely sunny beach setting, a great motivator during the winter months, the DVD includes added extras which offer healthy eating tips as well as advice on choosing swimsuits that most suit your body shape.
Style: All-encompassing workout for anyone wanting to look bikini beautiful
Best bit: The added extras offer great advice on how to be more beach confident
Avoid if: You don't like getting sand in your swimmers
Get if: You've already booked your summer holiday
Click click here to buy
Pilates Unplugged with Peter Roberts
Available now
Peter Roberts has been teaching Pilates for over ten years. Following his own experience of spinal injury and MRSA, he understands the importance of Pilates for body conditioning and health.
Filmed in the beautiful setting of the Southern Algarve in Portugal, this workout teaches the fundamental principles of alignment and controlled movement in order to achieve the best from your body.
Although suitable for beginners and advanced Pilates users alike, this DVD is especially suitable for those who are less active or have structural injuries, specifically around the lower back area.
Roberts uses a step-by-step, hands-on approach, teaching how to stabilise the pelvic region and use the correct breathing technique by working directly with his helpers rather than simply doing the exercises himself.
This is a good technique for teaching Pilates as it allows him to point out the specific subtle areas that you need to be focusing on in order to do it correctly. In fact, it feels very much like you are in the class with him.
He has a very relaxed, unscripted manner and goes into enough detail (explaining why, as well as how) to help you to build confidence slowly and ensure that you are doing each move correctly.
Style: As close to a personal Pilates class as you can get from a DVD
Best bit: The detailed explanations
Avoid if: You prefer cardio work
Get if: You have lower back or posture problems
Click click here to buy
29 December 2008
Yogalibre means 'Yoga for Freedom' and this DVD focuses on the principle teachings of Hatha Yoga. Developed by Yoga expert Liz Lark, who Mariella Frostrup describes as 'the best yoga teacher on the planet', this workout offers a good introduction to yoga, while helping to introduce intermediate yoga-fans to the next level.
There are lots of stunning shots of the Cornish scenery where it was filmed, and the relaxing music and gentle voice of Lark really get you in the mood to get bendy with your body.
For people who have never done yoga before there is a good beginners menu which explains in more detail some of the simpler moves and basic principles. Liz Lark is also impressively bendy, and makes it all look very easy - which it isn't, by the way.
Style: Relaxing and energising yoga for people who like to get bendy
Best bit: Seeing Lark putting her body into positions you didn't think existed
Avoid if: You prefer cardio work
Get if: You've always wanted to be able to touch your toes
Click click here to buy