Lose Weight with Kathy Smith Exercise DVDs

Kathy Smith has been putting out high quality exercise videos and DVDs for more than 20 years. Her workouts are safe and effective. Her cueing is clear. She teaches basic, easy to follow exercises that will get you fit. No complex choreography to trip you up. Anyone can work out to Kathy Smith DVDs. Her DVDs are great for beginners just learning how to workout. She also teaches you how to make it more advanced. Her workouts work. And you will want to keep doing them.

Let's take a look at some of my favorite Kathy Smith DVDs.

Kathy Smith: Lift Weights to Lose Weight Vol 1 & 2 is a two DVD set of weight lifting workouts that were previously sold separately.

Between the two, you will get seven different workouts, all less than 20 minutes long. Included are two lower body workouts, two upper body workouts, two for the abs and back, and one stability ball workout. You can mix and match these however you want. The variety is endless!

Disc one has more traditional weight lifting exercises, such as curls, presses, dead lifts, lunges and squats. Kathy is leading a class full of people. Some do less reps of the exercise with heavier weights to build strength. Others do higher reps with a lighter weight to build endurance. She recommends you alternate between the two to keep those muscles guessing.

Disc two focuses on muscle strength, core control and balance. Some moves are performed on one leg for example. The stability ball workout is challenging and a lot of fun. She goes from beginner moves to advanced by the end of this 20 minute set. It is a challenge just to stay on the ball in some parts! Definitely works your balance and coordination.

This DVD features three previously released workouts all on one affordable DVD.

New Yoga Basics is an hour long beginners workout that will teach you basic poses like warrior, downward facing dog and child's pose. I find it to be a very relaxing yoga workout. You start lying on your back where you will practice breathing and completely stretch out your hamstrings, hips and lower back. On to your hands and knees to do some cat poses and lower back strengthening work. Then a few standing poses like warrior. Finish with a long relaxing corpse pose at the end.

New Yoga Challenge is a more advanced, athletic approach to yoga. You will be doing sun salutations and standing poses, then on to floor poses and a nice relaxation at the end. At the end of this workout, I feel like I have worked my arms and abs, and my legs and back feel lengthened. Very nice.

Functionally Fit: Lower Body Firming is one of my favorite lower body workouts. It is all squat, plie and lunge variations. There are two ten minute workouts plus a warm up and cool down. I like this one because you can really vary it. You can do one workout with weights to really challenge your strength and gain muscle. Or you can do both with no weights to work your endurance. Sometimes I do jumping jacks between the moves to make it a cardio workout too. Your legs will get strong with this workout.

This DVD consists of three workouts.

Peak Fat Burning is a 40 minute floor aerobic routine. You will do anaerobic intervals on this one. Two minute power bursts, then low impact for two to slow yourself down. Some of the low moves will work your legs too, like lunges for example.

Secrets of a Great Upper Body is an all strength workout. Kathy uses what she calls "low-rep overload." Each muscle group gets two or three exercises. Do 12 reps, rest then do another set. You will sculpt every muscle in the upper body and your abs and lower back too. Uses two sets of weights.

Secrets of a Great Lower Body is similar, but it works all of your lower body muscles, including your calves and shins. You can do it with no weights at first. Work up to dumbbells and ankle weights to progress.

Here are a couple of great step workouts. Kathy Smith: Step Workout is easy to follow for a beginner. Kathy shows you how to add propulsion if you are more advanced. It starts with a warm up, then there are three twelve minute segments. Do one or more depending on your level of fitness. Next you will work your abs and do an eight minute upper body workout. Then stretch and you're done. A nice total body workout.

Kathy Smith: Great Buns and Thighs Step Workout will deliver what it promises. The aerobic portion is short, only about 20 minutes long. Then you will do a series of standing leg work, then some floor toning. You will feel this the next day!