Weighing-in on new workout DVD: This "Biggest Loser" is a winner

"The Biggest Loser Workout, Vol. 2" (DVD, $14.98)

Last year, we called "The Biggest Loser Workout: Vol. 1" the best workout video of the year. We loved the tough workouts, the "real" people doing them and the spirit of the instructor.

Volume 2 takes all that and improves on it. The workouts are shorter this time, but there are more of them. And show trainer Kim Lyons joins the show's other trainer, Bob Harper, as instructors this time. The two obviously know their stuff (they are partly responsible for thousands of pounds being lost, after all), and they are fun and enjoyable to watch.

Here's a look at the segments:

• Warm-up: 5 minutes

• Low-intensity cardio: 15 minutes. Just because it's low-intensity doesn't mean it's simple. It just means there's not a whole lot of bouncing around.

• High-intensity cardio for men:

10 minutes. Harper leads the men through jumping and sportslike drills.

• Power-sculpt for men: 10 minutes. Harper focuses almost solely on the upper body.

• High-intensity cardio for women: 10 minutes. Lyons uses lower-body toning moves and adds jumps (think jump lunge) to get your heart rate up.

• Power-sculpt for women: 10 minutes. This is almost entirely for the lower body.

• Boot camp: 15 minutes. In the toughest of the workouts, you'll get cardio and toning at the same time. And good luck finishing this the first time.

• Functional flexibility: 10 minutes. Use a stability ball to stretch out. This is also where you will find the core exercises.

• Cool-down: 5 minutes.

Once again, the best part of this video is the background exercisers — "biggest losers" from Seasons 2 and 3. They are not lean, and they certainly don't have painted smiles on their faces. They groan, they grimace and they cheer when they complete an especially tough segment. But sometimes the workout gets the better of them, and they can't finish. And that's OK, because it will probably happen to you, too, until you get better.