Where are the fun cardio routines?

[SueT]

Cybersparkle, are the Pump It Up videos available in this country? I know the video you posted is free on You Tube, but my computer isn't in a workout-friendly area of my house.

This really does look like a lot of fun!

Thanks,
Sue

[carolyn jane]

Hi-Lo Recharge is lots of fun! It has creative - but not too difficult - choreography and Kristin is cheerful throughout the workout.

I agree - cardio has gotten SO boring - endless drills, nothing creative. I keep pulling out my old workouts!

[alikruegs]

Fun for me in the 30min+ range:
Zumba
Patrick Goudeau
Tracy Anderson's Choreographed dvds (which she no longer does!!!)
Addicted to Sweat (both cardio dvds)
Firm Dance Express
Christi Taylor's Totally Hot Cardio
DWTS: Dance of the Pounds (only the Swing and Jive sections are fun for me)
10min Solution Fat Blasting Dance Mix
Amy Bento's Kickbox Surge (though it's a toughie!)
Turbo Jam (although I a bit burned out on it)
Cardio Coach
BBL: Cardio Axe
Fun for me in the 10-15min range (i.e. routines I cobble together):
Fame
5-Day Latin Dance (the bonus feature where each dance is done only twice)
Kari Anderson's Push (only the hi/lo is fun for me)
YYB Advanced, Latin Flavor, and Go Go used to be fun for me, but I burnt out on them.

There are probably a bunch of step dvds that I could include, but those all tend to be better than this drill, drill, drill floor work these days.

I feel like with cardio the emphasis is placed on efficiency far too much. It's like everyone agreed that cardio isn't fun. I think this has been a long time coming -- I think it's derived from the whole bootcamp movement. As soon as bootcamps (and bootcamp style workouts) became popular, I think it spelled doom for 70s style joggin, 80s style dance aerobics, learn-to-dance style workouts, etc. Sure the older trends never die out entirely, but there's definitely fewer mass-production dvd options for that.
ETA: it's thanks to those trends that made Zumba so popular, IMO. People were like: finally, a dance / steady-state workout (old-school style, new-school Latin flair). I think Zumba's done a lot to bring the casual exerciser back into a fitness routine because it's not so killer (in intensity or overall tone).

[AZY]

How timely - I pulled out Kari Anderson's 2 the Max yesterday on VHS (1992) - intense, but what a fun workout. It's a step routine followed by hi/lo, and just seems to be full of joy - it's also a sweatfest. Need to get this one on dvd...

Cheers!
AY

[TinaT]

What a great thread. One of my issues that kept me on the "crazy cycle" with trying to find the perfect fit when it came to routines was cardio needs to be fun for me. This is such a subjective topic b/c what's fun to me, may not be to you.

That being said, I went back to MY tried and true cardios; TheFIRM. USPS will be delivery 6 dvds today that are mainly all cardio based. I feel like Anna produced some of the most fun/creative cardio with great/unique music.

Do you remember what motivated you back in the beginning of your fitness quest? What kept you motivated?

[Yelly]

Originally Posted by alikruegs

Fun for me in the 30min+ range:
Zumba
Patrick Goudeau
Tracy Anderson's Choreographed dvds (which she no longer does!!!)
Addicted to Sweat (both cardio dvds)
Firm Dance Express
Christi Taylor's Totally Hot Cardio
DWTS: Dance of the Pounds (only the Swing and Jive sections are fun for me)
10min Solution Fat Blasting Dance Mix
Amy Bento's Kickbox Surge (though it's a toughie!)
Turbo Jam (although I a bit burned out on it)
Cardio Coach
BBL: Cardio Axe
Fun for me in the 10-15min range (i.e. routines I cobble together):
Fame
5-Day Latin Dance (the bonus feature where each dance is done only twice)
Kari Anderson's Push (only the hi/lo is fun for me)
YYB Advanced, Latin Flavor, and Go Go used to be fun for me, but I burnt out on them.

There are probably a bunch of step dvds that I could include, but those all tend to be better than this drill, drill, drill floor work these days.

I feel like with cardio the emphasis is placed on efficiency far too much. It's like everyone agreed that cardio isn't fun. I think this has been a long time coming -- I think it's derived from the whole bootcamp movement. As soon as bootcamps (and bootcamp style workouts) became popular, I think it spelled doom for 70s style joggin, 80s style dance aerobics, learn-to-dance style workouts, etc. Sure the older trends never die out entirely, but there's definitely fewer mass-production dvd options for that.
ETA: it's thanks to those trends that made Zumba so popular, IMO. People were like: finally, a dance / steady-state workout (old-school style, new-school Latin flair). I think Zumba's done a lot to bring the casual exerciser back into a fitness routine because it's not so killer (in intensity or overall tone).

Ali, what an awesome post!! I agree with so many of your choices. I also agree with you about the whole bootcamp movement spelling death to fun cardio. I've been addicted to fun dance workouts lately, and it's totally revitalized my attitude to exercise, and I must say, I owe that to TA

I also love your signature line!

[Cybersparkle]

Originally Posted by SueT

Cybersparkle, are the Pump It Up videos available in this country? I know the video you posted is free on You Tube, but my computer isn't in a workout-friendly area of my house.

This really does look like a lot of fun!

Thanks,
Sue

I looked it up on Amazon and it is 63$ From some of the reviews, the dvds they bought only worked on their computer, not their dvd player. I really like this workout, but I dont know if I would be willing to pay that much!

But I would be willing to download it from youtube with Real Player and burn it to disc I have heard a lot about Freemake free dvd burner software. I'm not really a techie, but there are soo many vf'rs that are and would be willing to help. Horsemom Barb- she has a wonderful channel that she uploads all her workout stuff with Freemake, if anyone would know, it would be her.

Here is the amazon link I found, maybe other VF'rs would be willing to trade?

http://www.amazon.com/Pump-It-Up-Ult...ews/B0006O9MWW

[TinaT]

I also agree with the OP, that it seems as the fun has been taken out of the equation. I allowed myself to feel like I wasn't doing something good and real for myself b/c I wasn't doing burpies and military this and that.

I miss what kept me wanting to push play every day. I'm so done with bandwagons, ... do what makes you MOVE!!!

[horsemom2]

If you have a windows operating system you can download the Freemake Video Converter at www.freemake.com or from a filemail where I uploaded the setup file:
https://www.filemail.com/dl.aspx?id=MCKNMXNOPBHBKMS

The download will try to get you to accept a couple of other software programs but just refuse the other software unless you want any of them. If you do download any by mistake or to try, you can uninstall/remove them whenever you want.

Freemake Video Converter can download a youtube video by copying the url and choosing to *paste the url*. It can then either convert the video(s) to store on you pc (I usually convert to wmv because Windows friendly) or it can directly burn the downloads to a dvdr. I just finished burning over 5 hours of stored videos of mixed formats (wmv, mp4 and flv) to a single dvdr movie in about one hour .

It also enables trimming and ripping video titles from a dvd. It will also upload a video file to youtube, breaking it down into chapters shorter than 15 minutes.

I have tried the free trials of many programs but none have been as simple, reliable, and fast as this free software. Sometimes it does get alittle stubborn but usually I can get my task done with a second try if I leave all of my laptop's resources available for the task.

Barb S

ETA: I am downloading the 8 parts of PumpItUp with Freemake and will upload them to a filemail for anyone who would like the video files available for a direct download. At first I was using wmv but canceled and changed it to mp4 for apple and window users.

[alikruegs]

Originally Posted by kaia

Ali, what an awesome post!! I agree with so many of your choices. I also agree with you about the whole bootcamp movement spelling death to fun cardio. I've been addicted to fun dance workouts lately, and it's totally revitalized my attitude to exercise, and I must say, I owe that to TA

I also love your signature line!

It's interesting that you say that about TA. She got me back into dance cardio as well. However, now, with her un-choreographed meta and continuity cardio segments, I feel like she's also giving up on cardio-is-fun -- at least for her mass -market clientele. I'm sure her studio classes are more choreographed. I hope more of the TA-former-trainers come out with some actual choreographed stuff like Addicted to Sweat woman.