We Tried It: The 'Squeeze It In' Workout DVD

Like many of you, I'm a busy mom who tries hard to balance work, family life and my own priorities. One of my personal goals is to stay healthy and fit. That's not easy, especially on those days when I barely have enough time to brush my teeth, much less find time for a long workout. That's why I was excited to check out the DVD our friends at SqueezeItIn.com sent us to try. It sells for $14.99 and can be purchased on their website.

SqueezeItIn.com is a website full of exercises that you can do anytime, anywhere. The exercises don't require equipment and often use everyday movements to create a workout. For example, countertop push-ups can be done while making dinner, and hot squats can be done while blow drying your hair. The program suggests dividing your workout into three 10-minute segments throughout the day. The DVD contains many of the exercises that are found on the site, as well as a longer workout and more tips for how to fit exercise into a busy day.

The 30-minute workout is broken down into three sections: lower body, upper body and core, and each section also includes some cardio. The routine was easy to follow and the instructor provided good tips for using proper form for safety and effectiveness. I would consider it to be a good workout for beginners.

The DVD also contains lots of bonus features, including six sections of exercises for different parts of the day: at the office, at the grocery store, at the playground with your kids, and more. Some of the exercises were standard suggestions, but there were a number of unique ideas that I never would have considered before. I'm not sure I'd do bicep curls and one-legged squats in the middle of the grocery store, but if a few looks from other shoppers don't bother you, go for it!

Two other members of the SparkPeople staff also tried the SqueezeItIn.com DVD. Here's what Rachel, busy mom of two had to say:

"The DVD has its best elements in the Squeeze It In exercises. There are many examples of exercises for 5-6 parts of a busy day. I think these exercises can realistically be done in the different settings and are difficult enough to provide benefits. I would consider some of the exercises commonplace, but many of them are inventive, especially for the setting. The video quality is very good and the exercise form is clear to the viewer."

Coach Nicole, dailySpark blogger and SparkPeople fitness expert said this about the video:

"I really liked this DVD and the instructor. She provided great cues and instructions for each exercise and I was glad that I could do them at home without any special equipment. Some exercises were harder than others, but overall, I thought the workout was pretty good. I liked that it combined strength training and cardio components into one workout. I did notice that on unilateral (one-sided) exercises, there were a few instances where she did not do the same number of repetitions on each side or that when she said we'd do 12 reps, we only did 10, but knowing that, you can still squeeze out a few extra reps to even things out if you're counting along. Overall, I think this workout is GREAT for beginners to strength training and busy parents in general because it provides them with a full-body routine they can incorporate into their busy lives. Intermediate to advances exercises would not get as much out of this DVD.

"I loved the bonus features, which are the same videos you'll find at SqueezeItIn.com because they show you how to bring exercise into your everyday life. It's so true that you don't need to set aside a block of 30 or 60 minutes at a time to work out, but most people don't know exactly what to do for a few minutes at a time. It provided so many great ideas that I started thinking, 'How else can I squeeze more fitness and activities into my busy days?' I think that's something we could all think about and act on more often and that if we did, we'd really reap the benefits. Even if you don't have time to get to the gym, you DO have time to squeeze exercise into your busy days and this DVD will show you how!"

My viewpoint? Overall, I liked the concept of easily squeezing exercise into your day. I would consider most of these to be beginner-level exercises, so those who are looking for a challenge will eventually have to progress to more advanced workouts. While I appreciate that the instructor did a really great job describing proper form on each exercise, I found the workouts to be slightly boring. However, the SqueezeItIn.com workout DVD is great start to show anyone that exercise doesn't have to take large amounts of time each day in order to be effective.

Will you try this DVD? How do you squeeze exercise in each day?


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