Health: Virtually Fit and Toned

July 31, 2006 issue - Bring your next personal trainer home with you ... on your iPod. Fitness gurus predicted that virtual trainers would be the big trend of the summer. But given how fast it's sprinted into the mainstream, podcasting is now on track to replace the workout video. Fortunately, Richard Simmons hasn't jumped aboard. Yet. But former aerobics instructor Marina Kamen has. More than 1 million people have downloaded her 10-minute MP3 clips since they debuted in March of last year. Originally offered free, with soothing music and voices, she now charges 99 cents a workout (marinaonline.com) for body sculpting, aerobics and sitting-in-a-chair exercises. "I don't know if we'll ever replace regular trainers," she says. "But I think this thing is going to grow incredibly."

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Already, the Internet is overflowing with pros who want to help sculpt your abs. The latest trainers move beyond standard audio files that bark a few instructions, like "Run faster!" Instead, they incorporate sound effects, stylized music, trainer personalities (like a drill sergeant), foreign languages and more workout routines?from meditation to ballet. There's also the new option of viewing your workout on a video iPod. Experts credit the surge to the low of cost of downloads?compared with hiring a real trainer?and ease of use. To today's tech-savvy workout buffs who download episodes of "Lost" in batches, watching how to lift barbells on a video iPod seems like the next step. Like real trainers, the best sites know how hard to motivate you, without pushing the limits?of cheesiness. iTrain.com (from 99 cents a workout), from celebrity fitness guru Grace Lazenby, is among the trendiest, with West Hollywood trainers from Equinox gym. Of the 85 audio programs on the site, you might want to try one of the more unique offerings?like hip-hop or boxing. Cardiocoach.com ($14.95 for a full-length workout), with customers in more than 70 countries, also ships full-length CDs of its workouts, though downloads are still more preferred. "Our music is scored from scratch," says the site's founder, Sean O'Malley (it sounds like the soundtrack to "Rocky"). iAmplify.com (prices vary depending on length of training) is like online dating but without the losers. It offers a handful of trainer photos for your choosing.

Video options might be a little harder to maneuver?how many people actually watch an MP3 player at the gym? Still, it's a good option for those who want to work out at home or on the road. Of the few selections available, our favorite is PumpOne.com (from $19 a workout)?and not just because it has the best-looking models (although it does). The site groups its exercises into different long-term workout plans that are easy to follow.

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But with all the options out there, how do you know which trainers are legitimate? It's a good idea if trainers are accredited by the American College of Sports Medicine or the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Also, if you're just starting out, it's a good idea to hire a nonvirtual trainer to teach you safe techniques. "Unless someone's looking and making sure you're doing the exercises properly, there's no way to monitor progress," says Dr. Walt Thompson, professor of exercise physiology at Georgia State. Over several months, you can incorporate more podcasting into your routine. It beats trudging through another episode of "Desperate Housewives" on the treadmill.

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