Canadian Gift Guide

The other week I talked about yoga, and it was awesome to see how many of you are digging the ancient practice of mediation meets concentration. Like I said in that post, fitness is a common goal for New Year’s Resolutions…but it’s easier said than done. By mid-February all of those eager beavers that are clogging up the treadmills at the gym have often dropped out. A trick of the trade? Stock up on a few fitness DVDs so you can NEVER make the excuse of traffic / weather / crowds. It’s hard to turn down the TV when it’s but a few feet away from your gym bag. To help you avoid the mid-winter workout slump, I’ve gathered a few workout solutions for EVERYONE on your gift list.

For The Muscle-Bound Mama: Personal Training with Jackie 30 day Fast Start – $7.99 @ Amazon.ca
Let me use the term ‘mama’ here figuratively and explain that what TV trainer Jackie is all about is getting you lean muscle, fast…as you can probably tell by the DVD title. The two 30-minute workouts packed onto this DVD consist of six ‘pyramids’ for your upper and lower body respectively. Each pyramid has a two-part compound move. So you do one rep of the first part, and then one rep of the second part. Then two reps of the first, and two reps of the second. And so on, until you climb the pyramid all the way to ten reps per move. In just 30 minutes you’ll get a workout that’ll leave your muscles screaming for days – but in the best possible way.

For The Kickboxing Cutie: Billy Blanks Tae Bo Cardio Explosion & Power $7.99 – $12.99 @ Future Shop
I know that technically speaking, tae bo isn’t kickboxing…but it is, right? Anyway the god of all things Tae Bo, Billy Blanks, had something of a comeback in the last year with these two kick-butt DVDs. In Cardio Explosion, expect a little far east flavour and a whole lot of intensity as you kick, punch, and jump your way through a 50-minute workout, complete with ‘explosion mode’ where you double up your moves. Power is another single, high-intensity workout, although designed to sculpt more than rev up that heart rate – including fifteen excruciating(ly good?) minutes spent on your abs. Awesome for the gal that loves a good stress outlet after her 9 to 5.

For The Dancing Queen: Hip Hop Body Blast – $8.99 @ Amazon.ca
True fact: the people you see behind the host of whatever workout you’re doing are typically professional dancers. So why not skip the burn and go for a fun, feel-good workout that’ll have you sweating in endorphins? The latest dance-based workout DVD from the Dance Off The Inches series gives you three hip-hop themed dance routines (plus a handy step guide for the rhythmically challenged) that are easy to pick up, plus noticeably working your muscles. Get together with your sister or best friend – as long as you have no shame – and give this a go one weekend!

For The Biggest Winner: Bob Harper’s Total Body Transformation – $12.99 @ HMV
At the beginning of this DVD, TV’s most beloved trainer Bob Harper notes that this will be the hardest workout of your life. And you know what? He’s not kidding. You’ll be hard-pressed to make it through the hour-long, seriously sculpting-intense program (heck, his fellow backup trainers barely do). The good news? There’s a shorter but by no means easier introductory workout to give your body a preview of the pain and suffering – and wonderful results – to come. If your friend is already a diehard about working out but wants to break a plateau, or just super serious about shedding some extra flub, this is an ace choice.