Is a workout video program right for you?

Workout video programs (nowadays mostly on DVD rather than videocassette) make a great way to achieve total body fitness. They're relatively inexpensive and very convenient. You can exercise in rotten weather without leaving your home.

There are a lot of workout video programs to choose from, but that can be a problem. How do you know a great program from a bad one? How can you avoid boredom without compromising on developing good form? What else can make a workout video right or wrong for your needs? Here are some things to consider.

What's your level of fitness? You'll find workout video programs intended for beginners, intermediate exercisers, or advanced exercisers. You're a beginner if you have never exercised at all, or not recently. Advanced programs are aimed at people who have worked out continuously for more than three months.

Besides your recent exercise experience, consider your overall body health. Some exercises may aggravate a condition. For example, if you have bad knees, don't choose a high-impact routine.

What discipline do you want to concentrate on? Total body fitness requires a balance among cardio (aerobic) exercises, which burn the most calories, strength training, and stretching.

Any good workout video program pays attention to all three, but most of them concentrate on either aerobics or strength training. You can also find videos for pilates and yoga. In any case, be sure to choose a program that begins with a warmup, concludes with a cooldown, and includes stretching in one or both.

How much time do you have for a routine? A good workout might take an hour, but if you have only ten minutes at a time, you can't do that one. Look for videos that offer workouts of different lengths.

How much space do you have? A lot of cardio programs require dance moves that take up a lot of room. If you don't have a lot of room, choose carefully!

What kind of equipment is required? Does it come with the program, or must you purchase it separately? Resistance bands may or may not be included. It is more likely that you will have to supply your own barbells. Keep in mind that if you need to buy equipment, you can always use it on your own, apart from the workout video.

Who is the instructor? Anyone can publish videos. Some instructors, perhaps famous in some other area, have more enthusiasm than knowledge. A badly designed workout can do more harm than good. Choose workout videos by acknowledged exercise experts or affiliated with an accredited fitness association.

If possible, try before you buy. Both your local video store and your local library will have some workout video programs available. You may be able to rent others from various web sites.

Read reviews. Simply typing "workout video reviews" or "exercise video reviews" into a search engine will give you lots of sites. Video fitness: consumer guide to exercise videos includes a reader's forum, where you can get the views of satisfied, or dissatisfied, customers. You're looking for a total body fitness workout video program you can use, not one that will gather dust in a corner.