Collage Video -- Most complete source for Fitness Videos

Long ago (well, let's think -- probably 13 years ago), I was at a friend's house and was thumbing through her Fitness magazine. I'd started doing Denise Austin videos at the time (a few from her Hit the Spot series that I'd found at K-Mart) and found that I was loving doing exercise videos at home. I saw a full page ad near the back for Collage Video, a catalog specifically for exercise videos. There was no internet at this time (that I knew about anyway), no websites for mail ordering. Catalogs were the way to go. This catalog claimed to have videos by fitness experts that never made it to the big chain stores like K-Mart. At the time, the only videos I'd seen at the store were Denise Austin, Kathy Smith, The FIRM (which looked intriguing, but they cost twice as much and my funds were minimal), and some by models like Cindy Crawford and Kathy Ireland.

I asked my friend if I could tear out that page and later called Collage to request a catalog. I've been "in the know" of fitness videos ever since! The catalog rated videos by level of intensity, choreography difficulty, and gave precise details on length and style. They also tell you which are their staff favorites. No more guessing about what the video was like before breaking open that plastic wrap. And Collage had a guarantee that if you didn't like a video, you could return it (I only had to do that once).

Immediately I latched onto the success stories featured in each catalog. I loved seeing the before and after pictures, hearing which videos they used (now they don't mention that specifically) and how working out to videos helped them. I decided right there that I'd be a Collage Success Story. Only weeks before, I'd come to grips with the fact that I'd had 4 babies and my body would just look "like a mom" with the lower belly fat and all that. But the stories in Collage gave me hope that I could break out of that mold. And I did!

I continued on with the videos I had and added a few more to the mix as months went on (Donna Richardson's Donna-Mite, and Karen Voight's Streamline Fitness, still 2 of my favorite videos ever -- truly, these videos are timeless). Eventually I lost that baby weight, took some pictures, sent them in and became a Collage Video Success Story (which not only gets your picture and story in the catalog, but also gives you $100 in free videos). After my next baby was born, I took before and after pictures again and was featured this time on the cover (which got me $200 in credit -- very fun). (If I can get our scanner working again, I'll post the before and afters from those catalogs).

I still get their catalogs (and actually have a Rubbermaid box with all the Collage catalogs I've ever received because they're a great reference for workout details and video fitness history -- plus their just fun to keep). And I frequent the Collage Video website often. Now they have video previews which are great because you can see the set, hear the music and see the style of workout for yourself before even buying. Click on this clip for one of my favorite dvds by Cathe Friedrich if you want to see a sample IMAX2 & Cardio & Weights. If you are ever shopping for fitness videos, Collage is a GREAT place to go.