A YouTube Workout
Follow the Web Craze to Workout Videos, And a Strange New World Opens to You
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Tuesday, April 17, 2007
By now, YouTube's reputation for the wild and just plain weird (cats flushing toilets and a question-answering ninja) is well established. What you may not know is that its stash also includes fitness videos. Which raises the question: If you've grown bored of your regular fitness routine, could this be a source for a new workout?
Well, yes . . . and no.
On days when time's too short for the gym or you're dying for a new routine but don't want to spring for a studio lesson, YouTube might pose an offbeat solution. Assuming you have access to high-speed Internet, JavaScript and Macromedia's Flash Player, you're ready to roll. But you have to be willing to put up with a few drawbacks.
Take video length. Many videos are short -- under three minutes. Like what you see? Hit replay. You say once was more than enough? Move on. Only problem is you have to stop moving, at least briefly, to do so.
Not only does production quality vary, so does the quality of instruction. Some presenting themselves as fitness coaches know what they are doing and offer detailed instructions and safety advice. Others make a conscious parody of conventional fitness videos. But sometimes it is tough to tell the pros from the put-ons.
Although working with a video is usually a one-way experience, via YouTube's internal messaging system you can get feedback, though delayed, from your instructor.
Below, we review a handful of YouTube fitness videos, with the help of three experts: Sarah Camhi, a doctoral candidate in exercise physiology at the University of Maryland; Todd Miller, assistant professor of exercise science at George Washington University and a strength and conditioning specialist certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA); and clinical exercise physiologist Michael Jones, with the Cooper Institute in Dallas. Here's what we found:
Yoga and Pilates on the Fly
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On the Whole When Les Romack crawls to and from his Web cam, getting within inches of the lens, it is jarring. The San Diego resident provides quick snippets of yoga and Pilates moves. Romack's focus on technique and his commentary, like where shoulder blades should be when in plank position, testify to his certification from the American Council on Exercise.
Expert Take Romack generally receives good marks on technique. But, Camhi notes, "his movements are very dynamic and fast, and yoga is typically slow and controlled." Plus, details such as "elbows in or out, palms wide or narrow -- which makes a big difference in the level of difficulty" -- are not fully explained when Romack demonstrates push-ups.
Workouts for Weak Women
