Jan-26

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Radius Fitness video service proves the at-home exerciser's dream: Stretching Out

POSTED BY: Alex Isaly in NEWS

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Imagine a video exercise series that never gets old. One that's always fresh, no matter how many times you watch.

Imagine, too, that instead of offering only one trainer, this magic series makes available several personalities suited to a range of styles and abilities.

Imagine no further. This week I encountered just such a program, a Web-based subscription service called Radius Fitness, and found it every bit the in-home exerciser's dream.

It's not without reason Radius likens itself to Netflix. Like that purveyor of digital film and television, Radius ($90, radiusfitness.com) streams a wide variety of workout videos on demand.

Content is viewable on every sort of device from TVs and computers to tablets and smartphones. In my case, I simply toted my laptop down to my basement and went to town.

What I found was a rather staggering array of options. There were body-weight workouts targeting every major muscle group as well as cardio routines, boot camps, and weight programs. Listed alongside every workout were the target body areas and estimations of caloric burn.

I also had my pick of five trainers, none of which did I recognize. Based simply on a hunch, and the apparent novelty of his workout, I opted for Alex Isaly and his three-part "Heavy Kettle" series. My alternatives were Basheerah Ahmad, Nicky Holender, Keoni Hudoba and Natalie Uhling.

It was a good choice. Isaly's routine proved to be just what I wanted. It was short, clear, and immediately effective.

It's hard to go wrong with kettlebell, one of the most underrated and underutilized fitness tools on the planet. Still, Isaly's workout was as poignant as a dagger, hitting my arms, shoulders and abdomen with direct force.

Traditional kettlebell swings, a move that primarily benefits the legs, were just the beginning. Cradling my 20-lb. bell in different manners, I also lifted the weight like a barbell, passed it around my body like a medicine ball, and executed some of the most devilish crunches I've ever known.

A few nuts and bolts. Video quality was excellent, and not once did the stream blur or stop to buffer. Isaly, a specialist in at-home fitness, also made a fine instructor, demonstrating every maneuver slowly and carefully.

My only nitpick? His repeated use of the word "little" to describe the workout. Sure, the routine lasted only 25 minutes, and contained only 10 moves. But in the moment, and for the rest of that day, the effects I felt in my upper body were anything but small.

If that workout was "little," so is the difference Radius stands to make in my exercise life.

Source:

By Zachary Lewis | Cleveland.com | January 23 2015

http://www.cleveland.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/01/radius_fitness_video_service_p.html