Workout Videos For Women:
A Few Of My All-Time Fatburning Faves!

I was recently asked in an interview to name some of my favorite “Oldie but goodie” workout videos from my own line, as well as others. Seems like a simple enough question, but as I took a fun jaunt down memory lane recalling some of my all-time favorite workouts, my head was spinning with possibilities.

We all know that there is no shortage of workout videos for women. Whether you want to step, dance, lift, twist, crunch or stretch it out, you’re barraged with options for working out at home from every possible discipline of fitness. But you know the old adage: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Every once in a while, that applies to workout videos for women. Here are some classics that have only gotten better with time:

The Best In Buns

From step aerobics to Brazilian buttlifts, we’ve been focused on toning our glutes for decades. My friend Tamilee Webb (the glutes goddess) released her legendary workout video “Buns of Steel” in the mid-80s, and it certainly holds up. The music and outfits are retro, but Tamilee’s butt-blasting moves were ahead of the curve in many ways. And I’ve been in the glutes game for some time myself too, of course. When women tell me they’d like to focus on lifting and tightening their assets, I recommend that they break out my “Step Off The Pounds Power Step” which includes the  “Great Buns & Thighs” Step video. The lifting and sculpting aspects of a great step workout provide better butt benefits than anything I’ve ever experienced. I should also give a shout-out here to my friend Gin Miller, the true pioneer of step aerobics. Her step workout videos are infused with infectious energy and fun choreography, and countless women have Gin to thank for their rear ends!

The Core Classics

Another longtime friend and colleague who’s been a fitness trailblazer in the world of workout videos is Candice Copeland Brooks. Candice helped introduce the world to the benefits of BOSU training with workouts like her “Bosu Core Synergy” DVD. BOSU stands for “Both Sides Up,” and if you’ve never used one, it resembles a half-ball: Round one one side, flat on the other. Candice’s amazing instruction teaches you multiple aspects of BOSU training, especially the importance of midsection stabilization (engaging your core muscles). I tackled a similar topic with my “Shaper Ball Workout” video, which uses a stability ball to help you develop core  strength and balance. The “Shaper Ball Workout” is now available as a bonus chapter on my “Lift Weights to Lose Weight 2” DVD.

The Coolest In Kickboxing

Billy Blanks helped us kick, punch and twist our way to fitter bodies with his revolutionary “Tae Bo” workout. And don’t be fooled by the tough-guy aspect of kickboxing: It can be a terrific workout for women of all ages and fitness levels. That’s why I teamed up with martial arts expert Keith Cooke to release my “Kickboxing Workout,” available on the “Cardio Knockout” DVD from my Timeless Collection. And to this day, one of the greatest benefits of a kickboxing workout video for women is the waist-whittling effect. All of those punching, kicking and twisting movements incorporate rotation, helping tone and strengthen those obliques (AKA the dreaded “muffin top”).

Make no mistake about it: My colleagues in this industry continue to release incredible, groundbreaking workouts. There’s nothing like the excitement of a brand new workout video to help women lose weight and get in shape using moves they’ve never tried before. But while it’s important to always keep trying new things, it sure is fun to return to your old favorites and remind yourself why they became “classics” in the first place.