The Biggest Loser The Workout DVD - Review
Exercise at Home with Personal Trainer Bob Harper
Mar 5, 2009
The Biggest Loser television show takes the old school approach to losing weight by getting back to the basics of diet and intense exercise. There is no quick fix to lose weight, no magic pill. This review will make it clear if the DVD can help viewers get the same weight loss results as the successful contestants on the show.
Workout
The Biggest Loser Workout is set up to be used as a 6 week workout plan, alternating between four workouts. It can be customized to add or drop the warm up, cool down, and any of the four main workouts. Bob Harper is the trainer throughout the DVD.
Warm up
The warm up is the same for each workout. It is about four minutes long and takes place outside, led by six of the Biggest Loser contestants who also are the background exercisers throughout the DVD. There is just enough instruction for each exercise, not too much talking. During the warm up a different person demonstrates each part of the warm up, this is distracting and doesn’t flow as well as if the group were shown in its entirety.
Stretch and Cool Down
The stretch and cool down is held outside after each workout for 10 minutes with all contestants involved. There are basic stretches and yoga moves that are appropriate for all fitness levels. The contestants are on rocks, which is a bit odd and seems like it could be a safety hazard.
Workout One Low Intensity Cardio
The cardio workout takes place inside, with Bob leading the workout and four of the contestants as his background exercisers. One of them demonstrates a no-impact, lower intensity version of the exercises. The workout is basic and easy to follow.
Workout Two High Intensity Cardio
The high intensity cardio workout is made appropriate for those new to exercise by the modifications that Bob gives when appropriate. The intensity in the workout is created by doing bursts of fast exercise drills and sprints such as jumping jacks and simulating jump rope.
Workout Three Strength and Sculpt
This strength and sculpt workout covers each muscle group fairly well. Bob has his exercisers use the same weight of dumbbells for every exercise. The problem with this is that the legs are a much stronger muscle group than the shoulders or arms. For a beginner this is fine, but after a few weeks using heavier weights for the lower body will help the user achieve faster results.
Workout Four Boot Camp
The boot camp workout can be done with or without weights. It starts with upper body then alternates between intervals of strength training and cardiovascular strengthening sessions.
Weight Loss
The Biggest Loser The Workout will be good for beginner exercisers to have in their home workout collection, maybe doing the easier workouts before graduating to the more challenging. Bob does a great job of interacting with the camera and encouraging the viewers.
Major weight loss requires sticking to a healthy, lower calorie diet. There is no mention of this at all in the DVD and that is a failure on the part of the production team. For the average user, information on eating and diet is always helpful. Including details of the Biggest Loser diet used on the show would make an informative and welcome “extra”.
For training by another of the Biggest Loser trainers, see Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred.
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