The 10 Hottest Workout DVDs of 2013

Peter Ardito/Fitness MagazineBy Karla Walsh and Samantha Shelton

Hit "Play" on any one of these killer routines -- selected after our 100-plus testers sweated through the latest releases. They bring an all-new meaning to the term homebody.

Related: Watch Tons of Free Workout Videos

Melt Your Muffin Top
Denise Austin: Shrink Belly Fat ($9, deniseaustin.com)
Intermediate
What you'll need: A 3- to 8-pound dumbbell, a yoga mat
Calories burned: 198 per 45-minute workout
The skinny: Whether you string together all three 15-minute core workouts -- classic ab exercises, a more advanced routine that includes moving planks and Turkish get-ups, and a cardio calorie blaster -- or do them separately, expect to "feel the burn" and to be "eager to repeat [them] over and over." The "very encouraging" Austin points out modifications being done by the exercisers behind her. Testers said they could easily figure out what level they were on as well as see what goals they could advance toward.

Cinch Your Waist and Shape Your Booty
Pure Barre Mile High: 2 ($20, purebarre.com)
Intermediate
What you'll need: A 5-inch playground ball or a rolled-up towel, a yoga mat, a chair
Calories burned: 153 per 33-minute workout
The skinny: This ballet-inspired workout, led by Carrie Dorr, the founder of Pure Barre, is broken up by body part -- legs, butt, and core -- and each section alternates sculpting sets with stretches. Testers appreciated that their abs "burned by the end" and that their thighs were "shaky all the way through" the tiny pulsing exercises like inner-thigh ball squeezes in plank and while standing. "It felt as if my buns were lifted as soon as I finished!" one reader raved.

Trim Your Thighs
Ellen Barrett Live: Grace + Gusto ($15, ellenbarrett.com)
Beginner
What you'll need: A yoga mat
The skinny: This Pilates-based routine was taped during an actual class, so the "high energy" and "fun, approachable" on-screen exercisers may make you feel you've hit a studio. Expect to crank out more than 100 reps of a move before the session ends. But, instructor Barrett promises, "we mix it up, so you don't notice it." Testers deemed the disc "good for someone who is just getting into Pilates" and the leg work "just what I needed."

Shape Up with Yoga
Kristin McGee's S3: Strong, Sexy, Svelte ($17, kristinmcgee.com)
Intermediate
What you'll need: A pair of 3- to 8-pound dumbbells, a yoga mat
Calories burned: 310 per 80-minute workout
The skinny: Testers liked the sculpting twist on poses, such as warrior II with a weighted biceps curl, in McGee's three 25-minute "interesting, fast-paced" yoga hybrid workouts. Do them back-to-back for a "killer sweat session" that left reviewers "feeling challenged, balanced, and focused." Tack on the bonus five-minute cardio segment included on the disc to bump up your total calorie-burn. "Perfect for those who can't or don't want to go to a studio regularly."

Related: Yoga 101: Poses for Beginners

Get Fit with Dumbbells
SparkPeople Total Body Sculpting with Coach Nicole ($17, amazon.com)
Beginner
What you'll need: A pair of 3- to 8-pound dumbbells, a yoga mat, a chair
Calories burned: 379 per 69-minute workout
The skinny: Not only is instructor Nicole Nichols like "the girl from work who you hit the gym with," but also her backup demonstrators are "refreshingly normal-size." Nichols leads you through three short, effective routines -- strength, barre, and a fat-burning circuit -- totaling about an hour at a pace at which "everyone should be able to keep up." Multitasking moves, like the plié squat with a heel lift, make it feel as if you aren't wasting a second.

Take It Up a Notch with Kettlebells
Amy Bento Ross: Kettlebell Power ($20, amazon.com)
Advanced
What you'll need: A pair of 20- to 31-pound (9- to 14-kilogram) kettlebells, a yoga mat
Calories burned: 484 per 66-minute workout, 145 per 17-minute circuit
The skinny: Grab a kettlebell for this "intense" sculpting routine that left testers "sweating and tired" but never bored. Instructor Ross takes a "realistic approach to kettlebells," moving through three 17-minute workouts full of power moves like lateral swings and jump squats, with one-minute cardio bursts interspersed. But don't let the short duration fool you: One reviewer claimed that the workout was "one of the hardest I've ever experienced in my living room," while another said it's "great for advanced fitness enthusiasts who need an at-home option."

Get Sweaty with Kickboxing
Jeanette Jenkins: Cardio Kickboxing ($20, thehollywoodtrainer.com)
Intermediate
What you'll need: A pair of 3- to 5-pound dumbbells, a yoga mat
Calories burned: 656 per 89-minute workout
The skinny: The spunky celeb trainer, who has whipped Alicia Keys and Pink into shape postbaby, has a new burn-and-firm DVD that lets you choose from five quickie cardio routines and two 15-minute sculpting sessions (total body and abs). It's "simple to mix and match for a different workout every day of the week," a tester said. Each boxing session starts with basic moves like jabs and upper cuts, then adds the more complex moves gradually, so it's "easy to follow for even the most uncoordinated user." The verdict? It "really kicked butt."

Dance Off the Calories
Dance Off the Inches Latin Cardio Party ($15, amazon.com)
Intermediate
What you'll need: Nada
Calories burned: 261 per 44-minute workout, 67 during the 21-minute step guide
The skinny: "It was so fun!" deemed testers of dance pro Emily Naim's "great alternative to Zumba class," which can be done inside your own home. Check out the bonus step guide first to master the hip-shaking samba, cumbia, and reggaeton moves in three "challenging, but not impossible" routines that get more intense and complicated as you progress.

Related: More Dance Exercise Videos for Weight Loss

Melt the Most Calories with Cardio
Amy Dixon's Breathless Body, Volume 2: The Edge ($20, amazon.com)
Advanced
What you'll need: Nada
Calories burned: 409 per 55-minute workout
The skinny: This "no-excuses" high-intensity interval routine had testers pushing to the edge. Sweat-in-place exercises like plank jacks and tuck jumps are highlighted on-screen at the start of the workout, so you know what's coming up. Whether you choose the beginner, intermediate, or advanced level, "it's definitely a challenge, no matter where you are," especially the last six minutes of nonstop 30-second drills.

Grab Weights and Slim Down
Jillian Michaels: Body Revolution ($99, amazon.com)
Beginner to advanced
What you'll need: A resistance tube, a pair each of 3-, 5-, and 10-pound dumbbells, a yoga mat (all optional)
Calories burned: 232 per 30-minute workout
The skinny: "Anyone without a gym membership should own this" 15-disc set, one reviewer said. The "passionate" Biggest Loser pro leads you through a 90-day program designed to burn fat and build muscle in 30 minutes. Expect circuit training that progresses in intensity (a basic squat on disc one turns into a single-leg squat with a reverse fly on a later disc). "No wonder people get results," said one satisfied tester midway through this plan.

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