The Top 5 At Home Fitness Programs Reviewed

Let’s face it. We could all be a little, if not a lot fitter, faster, stronger and more muscly. Most of us are so busy that we simply don’t have time to go to the gym and our memberships sit there charging us monthly whether we go or not. That’s where fitness programs come in, there are thousands out there and most of them claim to be quick, fun and easy. The truth is no honest fitness program is easy and usually not quick but there are a few that do exactly what they say they will without taking over your life or on the flipside, getting bored before you’ve finished.

In this article I review some of the top fitness programs out there, all of which I’ve personally been through and can vouch for the results.

1. P90X

Make no mistake; this is a commitment. The workouts are long, and hard, but they are engaging. No geeky cheesy cheerleader pep talks in the DVD, and no arrogant gym rat jerks either. If I win the lottery, I’ll try to hire Tony as my personal trainer; he has a good positive attitude, and seems to keep the workouts real with a sense of humility and humour.
The segment timer is great. Though the workouts are typically an hour long, he has “chunked” them down into segments, with a “progress bar” on the screen – kind of like the bar on the computer – so you can adjust your pace or your mind-set with the workout.
Tony uses both men and women of differing degrees of flexibility and fitness; there’s always a body on the screen up there to help me with my own form.
I’m a former Marine – and this is used to replace my “daily thirteen.” If only I knew about some of these workouts back in the day… So I give it a thumbs up from the perspective of some really challenging workouts I’ve experienced in the past.
Overall, a good deal. But be warned, it isn’t for the fat couch potato. Like the infomercial says, it’s for folks that want to get in BETTER shape.

2. Insanity

I’m a competitive person by nature. I’ve been an athlete for most of my life, and although I’ve been away for sports for about seven years, that competitive spirit is still within me. The sports drills and general intensity in the Insanity workout were certainly reminiscent of my training days, but since all workouts were done at home, I could focus on performing the moves and pushing myself without fear of embarrassment.
As of my last day on the Insanity workout, I’d lost 7 pounds and decreased my chest, waist and hip measurements by 2 inches each. A week after finishing Insanity (and starting a new round, with a day off between workouts), I’d lost another 4 pounds. Two weeks after finishing Insanity, I am stabilizing at a 12-to-14-pound total weight loss. My obliques are cut, and my overall physique is noticeably slimmed down. I’ve been told that my weight loss looks more like 20 pounds.

3. Tony Horton’s Ten Minute Trainer

I received this last week and have completed all of the workouts..
The enclosed workout schedule offers a mix and match approach from one to three routines matched up daily over 4 weeks with one day off a week. 10 min a day for min results, 2 routines (20 min) for improved results, and 3 routines (30 min) for max results. Bands are optional but included. My doors are old and so I use weights and or omit the bands. This system is perfect for me. I also have his p90x and love it as well, but sometimes don’t have the time to do it.
You can increase or decrease intensity based on your needs and that’s why I like it. For total or lower body, my strength, I push it. For upper body and abs, my weakness, I rest and use his modified moves that he shows you, and I can still feel it. YOU CAN GROW WITH THIS PROGRAM and that’s why it’s pretty cool. Busy, one 10 minute workout and you’ll feel it. More time, and then do two or three.
As usual for most every workout, the warm up and cool down are short, so I always do it twice or just keep going on my own. Also, his Yoga is a combo of simple yoga for stretching and can be done daily as it really improves flexibility. I can’t believe I wrote this much about the program after one week, but it got me off my butt and working out again after I moved and have not worked out in about three months. A+ Tony…and THANKS!

4. TurboFire

Well, I’m reasonably new to this programme, several workouts in but I love it. Yes its high impact and a bit stressful on the knees (but then I am 48!!) BUT it’s fun, its motivating and so far I’m really enjoying the variation of how the workouts are set out. The HIIT workouts are really high impact but are also short and it works for me taking a rest or low impact day the following day. It’s all a bit fast and furious from the outset but as long as you follow the ‘new to workout’ option before starting any of them for the first time it’s not too bad. It is however, definitely not for the Feint Hearted. I’m very fit for my age and have been working out to DVD’s for about 15 years so a lot of the moves and terminology are familiar to me. I bought my box set from the beach body site so I could pay in instalments. You’ve also got the 60 day money back option if purchased direct

5. Body Beast

The workouts are fun, and most all the workouts are 50 minutes or less. Some as short as 30 minutes. It’s based around what’s called Dynamic Set Training. Basically in my terms it means you start with a lighter weight and do 15 reps, then increase weight and do 12 reps, lastly increase weight again and do 8 reps. sometimes you do that non-stop with no break, and other times you’ll add in additional moves to give the muscle a break before increasing the weight. I must say it was a nice change up from P90X, but I do miss it a little. You have very little cardio in Body Beast Which means that you’re not going to burn as many calories, but keep in mind, lifting weights builds muscle, and muscle burns fat 24 hours a day! Cardio may continue to burn 2 to 3 hours after your workout but generally that’s about it.
I CANNOT STRESS this enough. If you want to gain muscle in this workout, you must follow an eating plan. You have got to get the required calories, plus carbs, plus proteins and the right kind of fat. The book will tell you what percentages to do, and will make recommendations on how to eat, when to eat and what to eat. I have pretty much followed it the whole time. You want to make sure your eating correctly. In the Beast Phase you will consume less and start cutting some of the body fat that you have acquired.
Right now, I’m still in the Beast Phase and I am cutting the body fat. My arms have grown about an inch. My chest is definitely bigger and my legs are no longer chicken legs.
As I stated in the beginning, I’m in my last week of Body Beast and I’m very happy with the results that I’ve gotten. I will definitely make this program a part of my workout cycle. I like to rotate programs just for variety. I’m not sure if I will do another round of Body Beast again or go to P90X. I think I may hold on to this muscle for a while, so I’ll probably jump back in for another 12 weeks of the Beast. So if you want to gain some serious muscle, get this program. There’s no guess work, only results!

About The Author

I have been writing and presenting on fitness for more than a decade, becoming one of the leading experts in North America. With a background in magazine journalism and a first class honours degree in physiotherapy, I am able to translate the science behind getting fit and optimising physical performance into accessible, entertaining features and effective workouts. My unique background also enables me to critically evaluate fitness and training regimes and products, and separate fad from fab.