The workouts are filled with unrealistic body images, harmful statements, and questionable exercise techniques.
Sometimes it can feel impossible to drag yourself to the gym, so using exercise DVDs at home may seem like a good alternative. Unfortunately, researchers at Oregon State University have found that these fitness DVDs can reinforce unrealistic and hyper-sexualized body images, as well as demotivating statements instead of motivational ones.
The researchers looked at 10 popular commercial exercise DVDs, and found that most of the fitness instructors were slim, white, and female, and typically wore revealing attire. This sends a subtle message about what people who are fit should look like, the researchers say, and largely emphasizes physical appearance as opposed to improved health.
In addition to the hyper-sexualized and unrealistic exercise models, the scientists found that one in every seven motivational statements on the DVDs was actually a demotivating statement — these statements could actually reduce the effectiveness of the workout, reduce the user’s hope, and potentially cause psychological harm, according to lead author Brad Cardinal, a kinesiology professor in the College of Public Health and Human Sciences at OSU.
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For example, some of the negative statements included phrases like, “you better be sweating,” “say hello to your sexy six-pack,” and “you should be dying right now.” Seriously…?
"These findings raise concerns about the value of exercise DVDs in helping people develop and commit to a workout program," said Cardinal, who is a national expert on the benefits of physical activity. "There are a lot of exaggerated claims through the imagery and language of 'do this and you'll look like me.'”
Using these kind of negative statements throughout the workouts not only encourages the comparison of oneself to others, but it blatantly overlooks the individual differences in health and fitness. For instance, some people have more trouble losing weight than others because of their genes, not because they’re lazy or only eat unhealthy foods.
"Buyers should beware when making these purchases," Cardinal said in the press release. "Remember that we all have different body shapes and styles, and our bodies may respond differently to the exercises being shown. Don't expect to get the same results as what you see on the screen or compare yourself to others.”
He says the messages could be particularly harmful for users who are turning to exercise DVDs due to being uncomfortable in a gym or fitness class setting. Since the messages in the DVDs could ultimately make people feel bad about themselves, the likelihood that they’ll continue with the program diminishes.
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What’s more, the videos were marketed to novice exercisers, but the researchers found that the movement skills in the workouts tended to be designed for intermediate or advanced levels of fitness. Not to mention the fact that many of the instructors appear to have little or no credentials in fitness instruction, Cardinal says.
Despite the fact that exercise DVDs are a $250 million annual industry, there’s no scientific evidence about the safety and effectiveness of the workouts or the accuracy of the information in them. The industry is largely unregulated.
These unsettling findings bring the issue with potentially psychologically damaging exercises DVDs to light — Cardinal says there’s a need to further study commercial fitness tapes, and that scientists should consider studying the effectiveness and safety of the exercises and techniques in the workouts.
"We don't think the videos are very psychologically safe," Cardinal said. "There are also questions about some of the exercises, which could lead to injuries and pose a real danger to the user."
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