The 11 Best Workout DVDs of 2021

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At-home fitness routines have long offered challenge and convenience in equal measure. Sure, very few of us can recreate all the benefits of our monthly gym memberships inside our own homes, but workout DVDs offer a way for us to capture some of the magic.

In addition to offering a flexible take on fitness, workout DVDs provide a generally budget-friendly way to exercise. A workout DVD will rarely run you more than $20—in fact, some cost as little as $3 per routine. That’s far less than what you’d expect to spend on an in-person class. Even better: Once you’ve bought a workout DVD, you have access to it for life.

Whether you want on-demand access to your favorite fitness routine or you’re determined to keep up your workout regimen at home, rest assured knowing there’s likely a workout DVD out there that meets your needs.

We've researched the best workout DVDs for every space, budget, and fitness level so you don't have to.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Circuit Burnout 90 at Amazon

The 90-day challenge forces you to build a habit the way a personal trainer might in-person from the comfort of your home.

Best for Strength Training:

RIPT90 FIT: 90 Day Workout Program at Amazon

It involves 12 30-minute workouts, plus an added stretch routine to make sure you are stretching properly and avoiding injury.

Best Cardio:

High Intensity Cardio & Tone at Amazon

Fans love that the trainers combine simple, straightforward moves to create a workout that's challenging, but approachable.

Best Toning and Flexibility:

Chalene Johnson's PiYo Base Kit at Amazon

Low-impact but high-intensity, the DVD offers a challenging routine that calls for no weights, no equipment, and no jumping.

Best No-Equipment:

Bodyweight 90-Day Challenge at Amazon

The program offers 24 bodyweight workouts that make fitness from home feel totally doable, with three levels of difficulty.

Best Low Equipment:

XTrain Series Hard Strikes at Amazon

Only calling for an optional pair of boxing gloves, the 40-minute boxing workout is veritably at-home-friendly.

Best for Time-Saving:

10-Minute Body Transformation at Walmart

It boasts five 10-minute workouts that range from pilates and calisthenics to cardio and kickboxing.

Best for Seniors:

Chair Exercises for Seniors at Amazon

With five workouts and a bonus video dedicated to reducing pain and inflammation, viewers can build different skill sets.

Best High-Intensity:

MAX:30 Base Kit at Teambeachbody.com

Demanding only 30 minutes of your time each day, it's an excellent choice for those with busy schedules.

Best for the Whole Family:

101 Dance Fitness for Beginners Workout at Amazon

Taught by the creator of Zumba himself, fans appreciate the fun music and clarity of instruction fit for every skill level.

In This Article

Our Picks
What to Look for in a Workout DVD
FAQs
Why Trust Verywell Fit?

Pros

Full-body coverage
Modifications included
10 options

Cons

Long term commitment

If you’re looking for a workout regimen that’s both challenging and efficient, you’ve found it in XTrainFit’s Circuit Burnout 90. The 90-day challenge will demand that you show up day after day for a full three months, forcing you to build a habit the way a personal trainer might in-person.

With your purchase, you get access to 10 workouts, which alternately target your upper body, lower body, core, and full body. The challenge offers both up-tempo circuit training and lower-tempo toning workouts, making it a great pick for those interested in a combination of cardio and strength. Plus, a bonus DVD offers instruction on stretching and injury prevention, so you can rest assured knowing you’re taking care of yourself in more ways than one.

Fans love that the program is tailored to both beginners and experts. The challenge’s trainer, Dr. Monique St. Pierre, routinely offers modifications so viewers can make the exercises as challenging or beginner-friendly as they want them to be.

Pros

Full training program
Total body

Cons

Equipment needed

Strength training is often associated with workouts at a fully-equipped gym rather than the comfort of our own homes. The RIPT90 FIT: 90 Day Workout Program offers a full package to help you tackle strength training at home on your own schedule. This 90 Day program involves 12 30-minute workouts, plus an added stretch routine to make sure you are stretching properly and avoiding injury.

As long as you’re willing to buy some equipment, you can forget paying for that gym membership and commit to this three-month program. The only equipment needed is a light, medium and heavy set of dumbbells or bands. Just remember to take it easy at first. "if it’s training with a range of weights, make sure you don’t start too heavy because it can lead to injuries, if not right away then within a month or two,” says Michelle Triolo, gym owner of Greenwich Fitness and certified personal trainer.

Pros

Toning
Great music
Easy to follow

Cons

The workout is a time commitment

Zumba’s Strong DVD offers 80 minutes of high-intensity, high-cardio fun. Since the workout is so dance-centric, you’ll feel like you’re genuinely having a great time—but not at the expense of fitness. The workout is veritably challenging, making it an excellent choice for those who want to get in some serious cardio and have fun doing it. Fans love that the trainers combine simple, straightforward moves to create a workout that's challenging, but approachable.

Pros

Ideal length
Low-impact

Cons

Expensive
Very challenging

Those who prefer a slow burn will find it in Charlene Johnson’s PiYo base kit, which blends pilates and yoga to create a flexibility- and strength-building workout. Low-impact but high-intensity, the PiYo base kit offers a challenging routine that calls for no weights, no equipment, and no joint-straining jumps.

Every workout in the three-DVD kit is filled with bodyweight exercises, offering you the flexibility to do the program in just about any space—so long as a room is large enough to accommodate you planking, you’re good to go. If you’re not satisfied with the program, you have 60 days to return it for a full refund.

Pros

Extensive workouts
Multiple difficulty levels

Cons

No cardio component

Part of the joy of working out from home is its inherent affordability—you can get fit without spending a ton on equipment (or on a monthly gym membership). Mark Lauren’s 90-Day Challenge program offers 24 bodyweight workouts that make fitness from home feel totally doable. And the exercises call for no equipment at all.

Mark Lauren’s program offers 90 days of scheduled, guided workouts, so you can build the habit of working out, all the while knowing you’re doing each exercise safely and properly. Each workout boasts three levels of difficulty, so you can craft a routine that meets your needs—and you can increase the challenge over time (assuming you don’t start at the most intense level).

The best part? You get all 24 of these workouts for a totally reasonable price.

Pros

Budget-friendly

Cons

No additional resources provided

Boxing seems like the kind of thing you can only do in-person—a misconception Cathe Friedrich challenges with her XTrain Series: Hard Strikes DVD. Her 40-minute boxing workout is veritably at-home-friendly, only calling for an optional pair of boxing gloves. The DVD also offers a five-minute cool-down worth tacking on to the end of your routine, and it boasts four bonus workouts as well.

Though no punching bag is required for this boxing workout, Friedrich includes a bonus section for those who do have access to a punching bag. This workout will be waiting for you if you decide you love boxing so much you want to invest in a punching bag. But those who prefer to keep things simple and equipment-free can just as easily do so.

Jillian Michaels 10-Minute Body Transformation

Pros

Very budget-friendly
Limited equipment needed
Time-efficient

Cons

Intermediate to advanced skill level

On a time crunch? Jillian Michaels’ 10-Minute Body Transformation was designed with you in mind. The DVD boasts five 10-minute workouts that range from pilates and calisthenics to cardio and kickboxing. Plus, the program comes with a warm-up and cool-down you can tack on as time permits. This DVD is one of the most budget-friendly picks around. And it’s an excellent way to make the most of your time—even when you have very little of it.

Pros

No equipment needed
All fitness levels
Easy to follow

Cons

Expensive

Seniors looking to build strength, improve balance, alleviate knee pain, and/or lose weight will find a program that meets their needs in the Grow Young Fitness Exercise DVD for Seniors. Though it may seem pricey for a single DVD, the program offers five workouts that help viewers build different skill sets—plus, a bonus video dedicated to reducing pain and inflammation.

Every single workout in the program is at-home-friendly, and the exercises only call for one piece of equipment: a chair. Fans appreciate the approachable pace and easy-to-follow instructions.

Pros

Realistic workout length
Money back guarantee
No equipment needed

Cons

Expensive
Advanced level only
Lots of jumping

Fans of high-intensity interval training will surely appreciate the Insanity Max: 30 Base Kit, a program that promises to push you harder than you’ve ever been pushed before. The challenge only demands 30 minutes of your time each day, making it an excellent choice for those with busy schedules—as well as those who prefer to go as hard as possible for as little time as necessary (fans of lengthier, lower-impact workouts will not find what they’re looking for here.)

The Insanity Max: 30 Base Kit demands two full months of consistent effort, offering viewers the accountability they might find in a gym or personal trainer. The best part of this program? It comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee. So if you’re not happy with the results—or if you’re not enjoying the workouts as much as you thought you would—you can send the base kit back for a full refund.

Pros

User-friendly
Budget-friendly
For all ages and levels

Cons

Limited modifications

Looking for a workout fit for the whole family? Zumba’s 101 Dance Fitness DVD is fun enough to do as a group and so beginner-friendly no one will feel inappropriately challenged. The DVD drills down on basic steps and foundational rhythms, keeping things incredibly approachable. And it’s taught by Beto Perez, the creator of Zumba, himself!

Purchasers will get two 30-minute workouts. So if your family loves the first one, you’ll have a brand new routine to tackle. Fans appreciate the fun music and clarity of instruction, and they assure it’s suitable for everyone—even the “rhythmically challenged.”

Pros

All fitness levels
Low-impact

Cons

Fast-pace

Ready to begin incorporating exercise into your daily routine? Denise Austin’s Get Fit Daily Dozen will be a fantastic program to get you started. Her DVD offers five 12-minute routines that rotate a different exercise each minute. These quick 12 minute workouts are easy to fit into a busy schedule and can be done individually as you build your endurance or in sequence for a full-body challenge once you feel stronger.

While they may only be 12 minutes in length, Denise offers a combination of cardio and sculpting, giving you a range of exercise tools as you begin exercising. She covers all of the key areas of the body to give you a full-body workout. There's even a routine called “Yoga Stretch” that will help you learn how to stretch properly and soothe your muscles after performing these new workouts.

Final Verdict

The XTrainFit Circuit Burnout 90 (view at Amazon) offers an enjoyable path to reach your fitness goals. The 90-day span of this series creates potential to make long-term change and it is a full package targeting all areas of the body, offering modifications when needed, and a bonus DVD covering injury prevention and stretching.

For those short on time but aiming to still create a consistent routine with their workouts, look no further than Jillian Michaels 10-Minute Body Transformation (view at Walmart). While it may be brief, Michaels’ workouts are easy to commit to during a busy day and still deliver impressive full-body results.

What to Look for in a Workout DVD

Fitness Level

We connected with Michelle Triolo, gym owner of Greenwich Fitness 24/7 and personal trainer, about the important things to look for when buying a workout DVD. “People should know their fitness level. If you buy a program that is either too difficult or too easy, you are probably not going to like it from the start," says Triolo.

It is challenging enough to work out at home on your own, so "it’s really important to pick a workout that suits your current fitness level to avoid injury or burnout while still challenging yourself," says Triolo.

Workout Type

According to Triolo, another incredibly important thing to consider is the type of workout you select. “Finding one that interests you and also aligns with your fitness goals, because there are so many options out there from yoga to cardio toning to kickboxing. Look for one that meets your needs,” she says.

Customizability

After you identify the type of workout, it’s important to look into whether the DVD offers ways to customize or adjust the routine. "Find one that offers adjustments or modifications so it can suit your body and your goals, needs, strengths, and weaknesses," says Triolo. This relates to a workout being appropriate to your fitness level. Adjustments and modifications enable you to avoid potential injury or burnout from a routine.

Price

Workout DVDs range in price point and it’s important to consider what is included in your purchase. DVDs vary in how many workout routines are offered, length of workout, and whether equipment is necessary. When considering the price, consider whether you will need to invest in additional equipment for your home beyond that workout DVD.

FAQs

Are workout DVDs effective?

Yes! Workout DVDs (like many things) have the potential to be incredibly effective, but the progress that you make depends on your commitment level as a user. "If a person has the discipline to commit to doing the workout alone and likes the instructor, then workout DVDs can be extremely effective,” says Michelle.

How many days a week should I workout?

The number of days you should workout each week varies based on your current fitness level and lifestyle. “If someone leads a sedentary lifestyle right now, I would encourage them to start with four days of working out a week but have days in between to rest and repair. However, if someone is already exercising, then I’d say six days a week is what you need,” says Michelle.

The reality is that most of our jobs and lifestyles are not active and require sitting at a desk and/or driving, so it’s important to consider your current lifestyle when beginning a new workout routine.

How long should a workout be?

Consistency is key! In an ideal world, Michelle suggests aiming for a workout that is 40 to 45 minutes long, including stretching at the end. When you go over that amount of time it can be a barrier and people tend to work out fewer days. "Being consistent is more important than longer workouts," she says.

Why Trust Verywell Fit?

As a seasoned health and fitness writer, Lindsey Lanquist understands how vital quality product recommendations can be. She is careful to recommend products that are reliable, comfortable, and genuinely well-reviewed by those who’ve tried them.

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The 11 Best Workout DVDs of 2021

Sweat it out anywhere with these digital classes

Best Overall: Circuit Burnout 90

Best for Strength Training: RIPT90 FIT: 90 Day Workout Program

Best Cardio: High Intensity Cardio & Tone

Best Toning and Flexibility: Chalene Johnson's PiYo Base Kit

Best No-Equipment: Bodyweight 90-Day Challenge

Best Low Equipment: XTrain Series Hard Strikes

Best for Time-Saving: 10-Minute Body Transformation

Best for Seniors: Chair Exercises for Seniors

Best High-Intensity: MAX:30 Base Kit

Best for the Whole Family: 101 Dance Fitness for Beginners Workout

Best for Beginners: Get Fit Daily Dozen