Walking Workouts

Prevention Walk Yourself Fit
Chris Freytag
Year Released: 2006

I love this workout as an alternative to Leslie Sansone. This is more choreographed, more energetic, and more varied in the moves.

Each has the same warm up and cool down. No chaptering- hitting the chapter button on your remote will just take you straight to the cool down. The workouts use different footage - some moves are the same from each workout, and some moves are different.

The CARDIO workout is one and a quater miles at a steady state.

The TONING workout alternates weight and walking segments for 1 mile.

The ACCELERATED workout is intervals of 3 minute moderate intesity and 1 minute higher intensity (jogging, skaters, shallow squats, football fast feet, etc.) for 1 mile.

Other moves in the workouts include salsa, kick ball change, basic step, strut, high knee walk, foot stomp, and clock taps (tapping at 12, 3, and 6 o'clock).

Instructor Comments:
I like Chris. She is energetic, motivating, and I didn't have any problems with her cueing.

PeakFitness

06/22/2011


DVD Review:
The DVD has 3 workouts (separate chapters for each workout):
Accelerated workout
Body-shaping workout (uses weights)
Cardio workout

The set is bright and there's 4 cast members, including Michele Stanten. i have a hard time watching Michele because she almost appears a bit uncoordinated. I noticed this in Prevention 3-2-1 workout. Michele is the fitness editor/columnist for Prevention Magazine.

Workout #1:
more like a high-low aerobics workout in that there's more variety in arm-movements (compared with Leslie Sansone). Lots of side to side movements. However, it has more walking than say, Michele Dozois' Walk Yourself Slim which tends to be more of a hi/lo floor workout. Chris tells you how far you've walked (quarter mile intervals); for example, at 7 minutes, it's already a quarter of a mile, and the BPM is 148. Some of it toward the middle is high impact (in out, in out car tires feet). Total distance is 1 mile. I was slightly below the 70% level and next time i think i'll add weighted gloves.

Workout 2:
1) walking warm-up
2) standing movements with light dumbbells
3) walking without weights; There's also messages that indicate the distance you've walked (half mile at the 10-min mark, 132 BPM).
4) standing toning segment (at around the 11 min mark.
5) walking without weights the 4th body shaping segment (at 14 min, she says its 3/4 of a mile.
6) weights with yoga stances are used in the standing position (warrior) for about 2 min.
7) Then walking without weights.
8) At 17 min, she picks up the weights again. The segment ends at 18:44, and she says "you've completed 1 mile" which is about right.
9) Cool Down is about 4 minutes.

Workout 3:
without weights; Chris says in the beginning that you'll go for 1.5 miles for the entire workout (this must include the warm-up and cool down). Mostly the same moves as workout #1 except at a faster pace (140 BPM); quarter mile at around 6:10. My heartrate averaged slightly below the 70% level for this workout - i think next time i'll add weighted gloves. Duration wise, it's slightly longer than the other 2 workouts.

Music on the DVD is fun - pop/dance mostly.


The Audio CD workout:
comes with the DVD workout - both are sold as a set on 2 separate discs in one DVD keep case. The audio workout is not a "rehash" of the DVD workout - it's a completely different workout altogether. durations are shown as mintes:seconds. BPM = beats per minute. Neither the CD cover nor CD label have a description of the tracks; i got the descriptions by listening to Chris's verbal synopsis and tracks by viewing the file structure using Windows Media Player. BPM were determined by tapping my finger and counting the beats.

Track 1, 0:46; Chris describes the program
Track 2, 5:02; 108 BPM warm-up
Track 3, 9:22; 120-128 BPM moderate steady pace walk
Track 4, 9:15; 140-138 (starts at 140, ends at 138 BPM) vigorous steady pace workout
Track 5, 16:11; 124/132 (3 min at 124 BPM, then 1 min at 132 BPM) about 4 cycles
Track 6, 17:04; 138/156 (3 min at 138 BPM, then 1 min at 156 BPM; advanced interval walk
Track 7, 15:33; 108-140-108 Pyramid walk (starts out moderate, gradually increases speed, then back down the pyramid
Track 8, 5:00; cool down

Music on the CD is instrumental and has a variety of styles, but mostly electronica/jazz/rock guitar. in track 3 (?) there is one segment that sounds a little blue-grass, but has a quick beat.

I liked this audio better than Debbie Rocker's audio CDs. My all-time favorite audios are the ones from Kathy Smith, especially her WalkFit 3-CD set and her Steady Strides from Project You.

Chris allows you time to listen to and get into the music. she provides a few cues between the times when the music either speeds up or slows down. I thought Kathy Smith gives a lot more cues on form yet at the same time, wasn't chattering non-stop (Debbie Rocker chatters non-stop). Leslie Sansone's audio, "Walking for Everybody Advanced" surprisingly has very little chattering from Leslie ~ you'd expect the opposite!

For this workout, it's best to play the CD or download it into your MP3 player so that you can skip to the cool down when you're ready.

I liked this set as an alternative to Leslie or even George/Petra.
Instructor Comments:
: DVD: Chris is motivating to me. I can see how some people might be annoyed by her perkiness (not as perky as Denise Austin, though). She is encouraging which is nice. Calls to her cast members every so often while facing the front (as if on cue).

CD: Speaks clearly, provides just enough form tips throughout the workout, but fortunately, does not jabber non-stop. Motivating tone.
bzar

03/12/2007


Am I the only one who thought that the Cardio and the Accelerated workouts on this DVD were too much the same? Okay, so the Accelerated program had 3 minutes low/moderate intensity and 1 minute high intensity. But the four combos were the same in each with the difference being the high intensity (Accelerated workout) vs a TIFT (Cardio workout) to fill that minute or so of space.

Her cueing was lacking in some places, notably the V-step at the end of the 'stroll' walk--sometimes she cued it and sometimes she just completely skipped over it.

Camera angles were annoying at times. I know this is basic choreography, but it would be nice to see her feet when she's teaching a new move.

The Body Shaping was different, but I'm not going to do it because I really don't like compound moves. It seems a little more functional fitness than traditional strength training.

There are positives to the workouts, too, of course. There was quite a bit of walking, but in between it had something more innovative than Leslie's usual basic four. The music is instrumental and pretty good, not exceptional, but you can hear it.

The workouts have more variety than your average Leslie walking workout, but I was definitely disappointed that the cardio workouts were virtually the same thing. I wouldn't have bought the workout if I had known this.

Instructor Comments:
I do like Chris Freytag. She is cheerful and personable without being overly perky. I don't think I would call her 'chatty,' but she does add a little more to the workout than just the cues. She does try to explain most of the exercises she is cueing when they first come up.

Karen (Rhae)

04/20/2006


The DVD has three workouts on it.

CARDIO - Steady state walk aerobics for 1.5 miles, 22 minutes. This DVD has a mile meter at bottom of screen as all three do. More energetic than a Leslie workout. Somewhere between Madeleine Lewis and Tami's Cardio Blast. Good motivating music. This DVD also has an AUDIO SETUP: Music and instruction or Music Only.

ACCELERATED WORKOUT - Very energetic more like Tami's Cardio Blast and Leslie's 4 Mile Super Challenge. It is recommended to wear crosstrainer shoes due to the many lateral moves on this DVD. This workout includes 1 minute intervals of high impact moves. This workout is 1 mile, 20 minutes.

BODY SHAPING - This workout is done in intervals of 1 minute weighted segments. If you are working upper body you are also moving lower body. With the exception of triceps. Chris did not move lower body. This workout is not like Leslie's Power Walking. However Chris keeps the intensity up by doing compound moves. This workout is also not like Madeleine's Get Moving where she does the whole walking and then at the end does the toning segment. It is a little of aero walk and a little of toning w/compound moves. This is a 1 mile workout for 20 minutes.

The choreography is low impact for all three workouts. In the Accelerated workout it has 1 minute hi-impact moves. The choreography for all three workouts is the same but with different changes mixed in. For ex: In the Cardio 1.5 mile workout after the 3/4 mile different choreography is mixed in. Also in the Body Shaping 1 mile workout different choreography is mixed in.

This DVD is chaptered for these 3 workouts and the EXTRAS at bottom of this review. However if you only wanted to do one workout without the warm-up you'd have to click on the workout and forward fast through the warm-up. You'd have to do this for all 3 workouts. When one workout finishes it automatically goes back to original screen for you to pick a new workout or not. Except for the last workout. When it ends the credits come up.

The warm-up and cool-downs are the same for all three workouts.

The Body Shaping workout I would say should not be used as your total toning workout. It only has 1 minute of toning intervals. 1 minute of toning w/light weights for me is not considered a good strength workout. However, it is a different type of interval workout and is good to change up workouts now and then.

The CARDIO & ACCELERATED workouts can be made more intense or they can remain low impact. For the exception of Accelerated which has 1 minute intervals of high impact. Again as we all know from other workouts you get what you put into it. Up the intensity or not your choice. This whole DVD is good for not stressing joints. In the warm-up and Body Shaping portion it does include some lunges for those of you who do not wish to do these.

This DVD includes a TARGETED GOALS SECTION. Which includes the following:
GET STARTED
LOSE WEIGHT
FIRM UP
GET FIT
BLAST OFF A PLATEAU
Which ever you pick it will give you a whole week of what workouts you should be doing from this DVD. So you get a different rotation for each of the above goals.

Also the DVD includes SMART WAYS TO LIVE WELL: BONUS SEGMENTS
INCLUDES: 4 MOVES TO BEAT FOOT PAIN
DO YOU NEED NEW SHOES?
PERFECT YOUR WALKING TECHNIQUE

This DVD also comes with an AUDIO CD which is 77 minutes. It comes in the same package as the DVD not packaged separately. The CD contains additional walking workouts.

This is an outdoor CD. However I guess you could get on your treadmill or elliptical and do this. If I had to compare it I would compare it to a Kathy Smith walking CD. I only own two of Kathy's I can't say about others.

The CD has 3 programs: You can create your won customized workout.

10 MINUTES STEADY PACE (MODERATE & VIGOROUS)
Chris gives tips along the way on your pace and breathing and gives encouragement she does this for all the workouts. This Steady Pace has two workouts within it: A moderate walk and then a vigorous walk. You choose which one you'd like to do or do both. The moderate has jazzy music the moderate has a pump it up feel.

16 MINUTES INTERVAL WALK (BEGINNER & ADVANCED)
The beginner cosists of 3 minutes of moderate walk and 1 minute of higher intensity walking. The advanced consists of 3 minutes of moderate and 1 minute of high vigorous walking. Again jazzy type music.

15 MINUTES PYRAMID WALK
This is the challenge walk. You progressively increase the pace. It speeds up every 2 minutes. Then in fast walk mode you speed up for 1 minute until you reach 4.5 miles/hour. Then you work your way back down in 1 and 2 minute intervals. At this time you can repeat the programs or create your own customized workout. So the CD consists of 5 programs if you played the whole thing and did beginner & advanced, moderate & vigorous workouts together.

COMMENTS:
It is a well structured DVD. It has many uses for many moods. Easy to fit into an existing rotation or use the ones they provide. Very well made and the music is energizing no volume problems in this one. The total workout time for the DVD is 62 minutes.
This workout I would rate as beginner-intermediate. The only sections I will use will be the two cardio ones. I would only use this on a day in which I was unable to do my regular cardio workout. Or I was not feeling well or just needed a lite workout due to soreness. This workout would definitely not help me reach my goals of cardio or strength gains. But I keep it because I feel everyone needs to have a lite workout around for when we are not feeling at our best. This fits that bill.
Instructor Comments:
Chris is a very motivating instructor.

Sundari

04/04/2006

Prevention: Get Moving
Chris Freytag
Year Released: 2006

This workout is similar to Prevention Personal Training, with it's different segments and the option of a premixed weekly rotation on 1 DVD. The segments are cardio, yoga, upper body, and lower body. It's more of a beginner level than Personal Training though. And there's only 1 cardio segment available, so you do the same cardio day after day after day if you're using the premixes. I gave this one away because I prefer Personal Training because of its variety.

Instructor Comments:
Chris is encouraging without being annoying.

PeakFitness

07/14/2011


This dvd has several sections on it which you can choose individually, or do in a pre-set order using a built-in rotation. You can select 20 minutes a day or 30 minutes a day and there is a pre-mix for each day of the week. There is unfortunately no blender feature to make your own combinations (the very similar Personal Training dvd also by Chris Freytag does have that feature). However, you can return to the main menu at any time to choose a new section.

The rotations were very well balanced, and I like that flexibility work was included several times a week. However, as with any dvd of this type, the weakness will be that you won't like all the sections as much so as a proper rotation where you do the prescribed section each day, its usefulness will be hampered. There was only one cardio routine, for example, and it turned up numerous times in the week. I came to dread it. One could sub in something different, of course, but then you would not have the convenience and the benefit of the pre-set plans from one disk.

The cardio section was a fairly standard walking-based hi-lo routine. Chris follows the "take it from the top" teaching style where the moves are taught add-on style: you start with one or two things, add something new, then 'take it from the top' and start the whole thing over again. By the end of the 15-minute routine, you've done the initial sections quite a lot of times, and it does get a little boring. TIFTT works for me when the choreography is hard, but for fairly basic walking-type moves, it was a little much.

The different sections were well put together. The walk was about 15 minutes. It was nice to get some variety after using only Leslie walks in the past. There were three little combos featuring basic moves. You learn a few moves, add on, take it from the top (I know some people hate that!) and then learn a new combo. Then you take it from the top again! On the plus, I did learn the routine very well this way. On the other hand, I learned it maybe too well. By the third day, I knew what was coming at every moment and it just made the walk feel very long and tedious. This would be a nice light day or coming back from illness (as I was) but I don't think I would choose this very often over my other walking video options.

The toning sections (upper body, lower body, core) were eight minutes each and featured a series of moves done for one set each, one after the other. Generally, she started each with two-count up and down, then moved to a faster speed for about 10 reps. One set of ten might not be enough for most people. If you just want to cover the basics or if you are just starting out, it's probably fine. The sections are short enough too that if you want to make your own routines as opposed to following the pre-set plan you could repeat them for a two or three set giant-set format.

The yoga section (10 minutes) was just wonderful, the perfect length for my attention span and abilities. The very flexible will surely find it much too easy, but yoga is hard for me and I found this routine extremely approachable and manageable. I have since used this section as an add-on to other workouts. I can see myself doing it a lot and it alone made this dvd worth it for me.

I don't think that in the future, I will use this dvd the way it is intended as a full rotation. That cardio is just too tedious with all its taking from the top. But I can see it being a nice little split routine: do the warm-up, pick a strength section and do it twice, do the cool-down, then end with some yoga and you'd have a nice little half hour. It would be nice if there was a blender feature to make this a little easier to set up, though.

Overall? The menu with the pre-mixes is a great concept, and Chris does no worse with it than anyone else has. I have yet to find a disk like this that really does meet all my rotation needs. I liked the strength work though, and the yoga was wonderful, so for me, this was a good buy. If you are the type who enjoys mixing and matching multiple quick fix, ten minute solution and other type short workouts, you may enjoy this one.

Instructor Comments:
I liked Chris. She is friendly and has an easy-going teaching style.

Joanna

03/19/2008

Prevention: Walk Your Way Slim
Michelle Dozois
Year Released: 2003

First off, this is NOT a walking video!! Try intermediate hi/lo. I too purchased this from Dollar Tree. I like the way that there are three different levels and it's up to you to choose which you would like to do. I had a lot of fun doing this and got a good workout. I recommend this if you are looking for a video that is fun and gets your heart pumping. I also like that there are no complicated moves. I have never understood why people like moves that are confusing and it takes a long time for you to understand. Please give me simple yet effective moves and that is what this video delivers. It does get high towards the end. Again there is still the split screen of levels 1, 2 and 3. Again this is no walking video but you know what? I am glad it isn't. Walking videos do nothing for me and I stayed sweaty and my heart rate stayed up there. At first I put this back because I thought it was a walking video but I am glad I went back and bought it. I give this two thumbs up and five stars. Great video. I am definitely going to have to visit Dollar Tree more often! LOL

Instructor Comments:
Michelle is a fun instructor. I would be interested in more videos led by her.

Sheba

10/15/2006


I’m reviewing this workout after doing it a number of times since acquiring it a year ago.

General workout breakdown: After a 5 minute warm up with some static stretching, Michelle leads you through 35 minutes of cardio (consisting primarily of basic aerobics moves derived from walking steps); she ends with a 5 minute cool-down and stretch for a total of 45 minutes.

Level: I’d recommend this to a fairly experienced beginner (i.e. someone who’s been working out for a bit but is still at the beginner stage or someone who’s returning to exercising after some time away) through a mid/high intermediate level. This is a great video to grow with. True beginners may find it a bit challenging because of its length, but you could stop at the half-way point and fast forward to the cool-down. If you wanted to increase the intensity of Level 1 (low impact) without adding the jumps, you could just borrow Level 3’s arm movements. I got this when I was a low intermediate exerciser, and I found that the Level 2 was just the right amount of challenge for me. Now that I’m more of a mid/high intermediate, I’ve moved up to Level 3 and get a good but not overly intense workout.
The workout shows low, mid-, or high impact variations of almost every move so you can pick how you want to do each move. There are some shuffles and some pivots, so keep that in mind if you’re on carpet.
The choreography is fairly basic, with most moves based off of walking (or stepping in some direction, such as a step to the side becoming a mini squat).

Class: 2 women work out with Michelle. One shows low impact modifications, one shows high impact modifications, and Michelle demonstrates mid-impact moves. This video is exceptionally well designed, as all three exercisers with their modifications are shown at the same time.

Music / Set / Other Production Notes: The beat-driven instrumental music is typical unexciting workout stuff. The interior set is brightly lit, although the colored (pinks, purples, blue-greens) backdrop is sort of dark. The exercisers are on raised carpeted platforms. I don’t see any problem with the sound or picture quality. I love the camera angles that always show all three modifications at once. (Why haven’t more videos done this?)

Equipment Needed: sneakers

Commets: You don’t need a lot of space for this workout. You need to be able to kick forward, take one large step back, and take two fairly large steps to each side.

DVD Notes: The DVD allows you to select your chapter, or portion of the workout.

Conclusion: This is a keeper for me. I got this expecting it to be a light day’s workout only, but I was wrong. As they say, you get out of it what you put into it. I suspect some people find this workout too repetitive, especially since Michelle’s cueing and phrasing is very consistent. I personally like this, because after doing the workout a few times I’m able to put my energy into my moves rather than figuring out what comes next or when. And it’s nice to have a break from my usual complex choreography (Christi Taylor, etc.).
This is a great routine if you want to learn basic aerobics moves. (In fact, I wish it had been available when I was starting out with exercise videos.) When you feel comfortable with the steps in this video, check out Kathy Smith’s TimeSaver Cardio Fat Burner, which has two short more complex aerobics routines, or her Peak Fat Burning, which has 3 levels and simple aerobic moves just like Walk Your Way Slim. Or look into Michelle’s 10 Minute Solution Carb Burner, which uses many of the same moves.
When you get up to Level 2 and 3, if I understand this concept correctly, you could do this workout as interval-style training by pushing yourself during the “hit your level” moves and letting your heart rate recover during the lead up segments.

Instructor Comments:
Michelle is energetic and enthusiastic but not too hyper or chatty, in my opinion. She mirror cues and clearly announces moves or changes before they happen, although sometimes she cues a little too much in advance.

KathAL79

09/07/2005


This workout has already been broken down by other reviews. There are no step or gadgets required - it is all hi/lo cardio -- the workout is 45 minutes which includes a 5 minute warmup/stretch and 5 minute cooldown/stretch. The DVD is very well-chaptered -- each segment is about 4-5 minutes and stands by itself, so you can shorten your workout easily. The music is fast-paced - I usually follow level 2 and get a good workout (I consider myself at an intermediate level)
It can easily be adapted to a rebounder by following level 3. The workout doesn't take up much space, flows well, and goes by pretty quickly.

Instructor Comments:
Michelle is very encouraging and cues well. She has a very pleasant way about her and I enjoy her workouts.

Jo

06/16/2005


I think a better title for this workout would have been:
Hi/lo for Dummies
This isn't a walking workout like Lesile. There is some marches, but they tend to be inbetween new combos. Most of the moves are mambas, side steps, a little kickboxing moves, and other more traditional hi/lo moves.
You have a few mini combos you learn and you do them each a few times on each side.
There are 3 levels easy, medium, and harder, and they do a good job showing each level.
I liked this workout, and I don't generally like hi/lo stuff. I liked that it didn't take up a lot of space and the moves were simple but got my heartrate up.
Instructor Comments:
Perky, but not to annoying

rhbrand

10/01/2004


The other reviews explained the workout in pretty good detail, so I'll just say what I did and didn't like about it. I worked out at level one and got a really great workout. I'm a beginner who is fairly overweight and it was at the perfect level. It was fun and really raised my heart rate. I actually enjoyed the routine a lot better than my Walk Away The Pounds 2 mile. Michelle goes right in to the workout and ends it with a cooldown and stretch. I really enjoyed this tape, the only complaint I have, and it's a small one was Debbie, the woman who represents level 1. There is something about her that irks me a little, she was also in WATP, and I felt the same way about her in that. But all in all, it's a great workout.

Instructor Comments:
Very upbeat and motivating.

glimmermarielea

09/15/2004


Now this is my first attempt at writing a review, so here goes: now I don't do this kind of stuff if I'm out for a walk, but for an indoor workout it's interesting and versatile. Some have complained about the hi-lo feel to it, but that's the versatility I like about it. The way it's set up, I can see myself jumping between the 3 Levels.
About those three Levels: Level one is shown by Debbie, who might be about my age (51) and wears a yellow tank top, black cropped pants and is on your right. Level 2 is Michelle in front; Level 3 is Anita, younger, in a blue tank top and shorts, on your left. Anita is definitely doing hi-lo!!!
I did Level 1 with Debbie as I'm restarting after a knee injury and with 1# wrist weights and the low/no impact, I was able to get my heart rate up and keep it up.
The camera work isn't tricky, but it does have some excellent shots highlighting what Debbie and Anita are doing. Sometimes there's a split screen so you can see what all three are doing with say their arms.
The music is low-key, but pleasant. The setting same...each exerciser is on her own circular platform...none of the routines take up much space, which I liked
This is a workout I can see myself reaching for a lot. It's one you could do low impact when you don't feel so great, but want to do something. Or kick it into higher impact when you are feeling feisty!

Instructor Comments:
Michelle cues well, very encouraging and she has a pleasant personality. She calls your attention to the modifications frequently, but I kind of wish there was more interaction with the background exercisers. Michelle builds each combo adding arm moves as you get the feet down, but I didn't get any feeling of TIFTTing.

Lydia Jasper

07/27/2004


I read the mixed reviews on this one before I bought it, and I really thought it would be perfect for me. I need low impact, not too complicated workouts right now to help me get restarted. But I was so bored the whole time! The first section with the sambas almost made me quit. I can only handle doing the same move on the same side for so long before it is too much. She went very far past that point for me! I only did level 1, so I can’t say how fun level 2 and 3 would be. They looked like more fun, but they are too much for me right now.

Instructor Comments:
She is a great instructor, has good cuing. But listening to her say repeatedly “hit your level” really drove me nuts!

Michelle (mchellet)

03/08/2004


I think this video is a gem! Being pregnant in my first trimester I was looking for a good low impact video with simple choreography and I definately found it in Walk Your Way Slim.

WYWS is approximately a 45 minute aerobic workout based on walking movements. The movements are simple but effective and they include step touches, step taps, v steps, mambos, and hamstring curls. She does a very short pattern and then moves right on the next pattern. This is great when you are not in the mood for dealing with choreography and just want a straight forward workout.

Michelle shows you a base move and then another move that is broken into 3 levels. One exerciser shows you Level 1 for beginners, Michelle does Level 2, and another exerciser shows Level 3 which is advanced. You do these two moves for a couple of 8 counts then move on to the next pattern.

I really like the flexibility of this workout. I can do Level 1 throughout my pregnancy and then afterwards I can do Level 2 & 3 to get back into shape. It is a great workout to grow with and I would defintely recommend it for beginner and intermediate exercisers. Advanced exercisers can use it for days that they just want a simple yet effective workout.

Instructor Comments:
I have seen various comments about this instructors lack of cueing but I saw no problems with that issue at all in this workout. I found her instructions to be clear and concise. The choreography is very simple which may be a factor. I think she does a great job in this workout!

Tara

01/21/2004


I never understood what makes a video a "walking" video, and more importantly why someone would want to do a "walking" video. I guess I would prefer to walk outside. I certainly would get bored walking back and forth in a room for 45 minutes and I do not think it would be nearly as good a workout as walking outside.
That said, this video does not really resemble walking. It is more a standard, basic hi/lo requiring little space or coordination. I enjoy more challenging choreography from instructors such as Cathe and Kari, but I also enjoy doing the simpler workouts designed by Karen Voight and Kathy Smith.
This workout falls in that camp-- actually, probably simpler. It is set up with a warm up, six blocks of choreography about six minutes in length and then a cool down. I think it moves quickly, and if you follow level three you can work up a decent sweat. Of course, if you want to stay away from any high impact, it might be more difficult to acheive this intensity. The third level, however, is more bursts of high impact rather than relentlessly high impact. There is nothing more complicated than an L turn or a higher impact mambo with bow and arrow arms. The moves may be simple, but you don't stick with anything for too long, so I didn't get bored.
I liked this workout and can see doing it on days when I want something simple and don't want to pull out any equipment.
The set is bright and airy. Each exerciser has their own platform. The music is instrumental. I didn't mind it, but I never really mind generic music in an exercise video.

Instructor Comments:
Well, she certainly looks...different than on her previous videos.

Roz

11/30/-0001

ShapelyGirl: Walking Fit and Fabulous
Debra Mazda
Year Released: 2009

I loved this workout! So nice to have other options besides Leslie for walking workouts. The choreography in this one is VERY basic so it's easy to follow along. I love seeing Quacker Factory Angel as one of the background exercisers. I normally cannot do more than a half hour of Leslie at a time because I get bored, but I did this whole workout and enjoyed it. I think Debra's cueing is a little off at times - when we did front kicks she referred to them as "leg lifts" which made it more difficult to anticipate what move was coming up. She also says "sashay" instead of "chasse", but several instructors have done the same.

Instructor Comments:
Debra is very motivating.

Justypar

06/08/2012


I love this workout! I agree with almost everything the previous reviewer wrote - she did a great job of breaking down the workout.

I just want to add that I didn't notice the music, but I rarely do. I found this a nice change from Leslie, because Debra does do a lot of different steps and combos. I used 1lb weights for this (always wear 1 to 3 lbs with Leslie's) and had my HR in it's target zone for most of the workout.

I enjoyed the standing ab portion, but do agree the cool down and stretch were a wee bit lacking. Definitely a keeper.

Instructor Comments:
Debra was great, very motivating. Her cueing was a bit off, but not a big deal in this type of workout.

glavtx

08/25/2009


This DVD features a low-impact “walking” style cardio workout. The main workout is 42 minutes long. After a brief stretch, seven minutes of standing core work follows, and then the workout concludes with a 10-minute bonus walk.

Debra leads background exercisers Tonya and Angel (familiar faces from her earlier DVDs) plus newcomers Lori and Lisa. The set is clean, bright and pleasant. Music is decent, but a little too soft for my preferences.

Chaptering is as follows: About Shapely Girl, Introduction, Beginner’s Walk, Fit and Fabulous Workout, Pre-mixes, Circle Time, and Credits. The Beginner’s Walk merely presents the first 14 minutes or so of the regular workout, then cuts off abruptly and returns to the DVD menu rather than skipping ahead to the cool-down – not what I would recommend for beginning exercisers! The pre-mixes are “Quick Fit and Fab Walk” (Quick Walk & Cool-Down, 32 minutes), “Bonus Fit & Fab Walk” (Warm-Up, Bonus Walk & Cool-Down, 16 minutes), “Long Fit & Fab Walk” (Full Walk, Bonus Walk & Cool-Down, 50 minutes), and “Fit & Fab Standing Abs” (Warm-Up & Standing Abs, 12 minutes). Circle Time is a 23-minute discussion among the cast about the fitness and nutritional challenges facing plus-size women.

Okay, so how does Debra’s workout compare to Leslie Sansone, the queen of walking workouts? Pretty well, actually. There are of course side-steps, knee-ups, kicks and hamstring curls, just like Leslie. But Debra puts in some different stuff like V-steps, a fun “starburst” move, “quick feet” (think the football drills from Turbo Jam), sashays, and a “wedding march” that was slightly tricky but interesting to try. There were some combos, which Leslie rarely does. Debra also changes the lead leg from time to time, which Leslie doesn’t bother with. Interesting fact: Kelly Coffey-Meyers is co-credited with Debra Mazda for choreography of this workout. I'm an intermediate exerciser, and I felt the overall intensity was nicely challenging and comparable to similar Leslies (i.e. those Leslie workouts that don't feature jogging intervals or upper body resistance).

There are some drawbacks. Debra’s cueing isn’t always the best – she sometimes cues on the move rather than before, and other times she cues waaaay before the change. As previously noted, I thought the music was too soft – but again, at least it was different from Leslie’s familiar library of workout tunes (and the notorious “Everybody” song wasn’t on it LOL!). I didn’t care for Debra's stretch, which concentrated on the upper body rather than the legs. The standing core work was okay but nothing special.

Overall, though, this was a workout I really enjoyed. Low-impact “walking” workouts are my cardio mainstay. I do love Leslie and do her workouts often, but sometimes I just need a change. Debra and her crew are a refreshing alternative. I’m pleased to add Walking Fit and Fabulous to my cardio workout library.

Instructor Comments:
Debra Mazda has an earthy, warm demeanor and is very encouraging to beginners. She believes “fitness comes in all sizes.” Debra herself once weighed over 300 lbs., so she truly understands the challenges of the plus-size exerciser. Her website is www.debramazda.com.

JustSandra

08/23/2009

The Biggest Loser: Power Walk
Bob Harper, Tara Costa, Sione Fa
Year Released: 2010

This is an indoor walking workout led by Biggest Loser trainer Bob Harper along with prior season contestants Sione Fa and Tara Costa. Unlike other BL workouts, this is filmed in a sunny outdoor setting – very pleasant to look at while I walk! Also unlike other BL workouts, there is no separate warm up – there are four chapters, each with a 1-mile walk, and a brief cool down. You have the option to choose one chapter or to play all. (Each mile is chaptered so you can easily use skip to pick and choose miles). Each mile is 16-17 minutes long and the entire workout (the four miles plus the cool down) is 70 minutes. The music is better than other BL workouts that I have tried, techno music which is perfectly synchronized to the steps. Background instructors include the season 10 cast (Ada, Brian, Patrick) and a few familiar faces from season 9 (Sunshine and Ashley…my favorites!) all at various fitness levels. There is always a low impact modifier. Bob promises there will be 2,000 steps per mile, and per my Omron pedometer I have to say he was right on. A caption comes onscreen to announce every quarter mile (so, four times per chapter) which is not distracting and reminds you of your progress! Each mile increases in intensity, with Mile 1 being the easiest and Mile 4 is intended to be the challenging.

I should say that I have never done any walking workouts, until the Wii game Walk It Out came into my life and I LOVED it, which made me reconsider walking workouts, which (shame on me) I always assumed would be too boring and/or too easy. So this is the first workout DVD I have tried, meaning I have never done a Leslie workout, and therefore cannot compare the BL to any other workouts.

Mile 1: Led by Bob Harper. This is the beginner walk, mostly low impact with just a little jogging towards the end. There is a lot of marching in place, but not enough to make it seem redundant. Moves include walking front to back, side steps, double side steps, some repeater knees and knee crunches. Towards the end there is some jogging in place, which by the way it was demonstrated is more like fast feet / football run which was really fun! The time flew by, the workout was easy, but did give me a very light sweat. This workout would be great as a warm up for another workout. I spiced things up by wearing 1# weighted gloves.

Mile 2: Led by Sione Fa and incorporates light (1-3#) dumbbells. Supposed to be a step above the beginner mile and is intensified with the light weights, but does stay entirely low impact (except some fast feet at the end of the mile). I used 3# weights and that was enough for me – Sione leads you through bicep curls, lateral raises, military press, and a variety of punches. There is plenty of rests for the arms while you march in place and step touch. Sione stumbled over his words a little and it was hard to tell (some of the backgrounders stumbled, as did i) on whether we were supposed to step touch or double step touch. But it was a really minor problem and not frustrating. The weights really did get the heart rate up faster than Mile 1 although it’s still easy going.

Mile 3: Led by Bob Harper. Significantly more advanced than Mile 1 (with Bob). This includes speed skaters, lots of jogging in place (both butt kickers and high knees), jumping jacks, several standing crunch type moves, and a “bowling” type move (fun!). I did a lot of the high intensity on the rebounder and this worked great (I also utilized weighted gloves). This one got my heart rate up more but didn’t leave me out of breath – just a gentle sweat similar to an Ellen Barrett workout – great!

Mile 4: Led by Tara Costa and incorporates a small medicine ball (I used a 5# ball but was suspicious that they used a little less, it was hard to tell). True to their promise, I think this was the most intense mile. Tara does a lot of standing core moves, including bowling, a “rainbow” type move, and lots of twisting. There is also some arm engagement by lifting the ball above the head and also laterally in front of you. Around the half mile mark, she uses some higher intensity moves like speed skaters and jumping jacks (Sione demonstrates advanced modifications) which I was inclined to do on the rebounder. All in all I was feeling it in my core by the end! There was one hard move where she wanted you to jog in place while holding the ball all the way out on one arm for a long isometric hold (repeat other arm). That was hard and my arm was burning!

Cool Down: Led by Tara and Sione, with no background instructors. Took place by the poolside. The stretches are all basic and athletic (i.e., no yoga) and are all standing. Hamstring stretch, static lunge to stretch hip flexors, quads, and calves.

In conclusion I have to say that I was really pleased with the workout and can easily see myself using one or two sections as a warm up for another workout, or using several chapters (or all four) for a light cardio day, and to rack up steps on my pedometer. The workout is just really pleasant and fun. Done as is, I would say it is beginner-intermediate (the chapters vary in intensity). The weighted gloves and rebounder help add a little more challenge but it is still no higher than intermediate (I disagree with the Collage rating of intermediate/advanced). Overall grade A.
Instructor Comments:
Bob is a very charismatic lead, as usual. He cues well and reminds you to engage your abs so that you don’t stress your back, reminds you how hard you’re working, and that you’re doing a great job. Sione and Tara have improved as instructors, although I would have preferred to have Bob lead all four miles. Bob was not present in the chapters which were led by Sione and Tara, but the background exercisers (and setting) were the same. All three of them appeared to be having a good time.

Emily B.

02/27/2011

Walking for Weightloss
Debbie Rocker
Year Released: 2006

I've never really been a walking workout person before. I did one Leslie Sansone video long ago (when there were only videos – it was a 2 mile walk) and it was nice for that day, but I never did it again. Since then, I’ve only tried the Prevention one with Michelle Dozios, which didn’t have enough spark for me.

I decided to try Debbie Rocker because I love Gaiam’s production and am looking for more low impact workouts.

Walking for Weight Loss is a 50 minute workout with mainly low impact walking moves, with some higher impact intervals, and segments of squats, front lunges, plie’s and back lunges. For some reason, I didn’t catch the variety in the Collage description (although when I go back and read it now, I can see that they mentioned it). I guess I thought the variety would be in the movements (amidst walking steps) instead of stopping the walking for lower body work here and there. I really enjoyed the change of pace and the work on my thighs (which always seem to need it to keep my knees strong).

I actually did the workout on the rebounder though. I was going to try it on the floor, but the intensity didn’t look like it would be enough plus I’m always looking for fun ways to use my rebounder. It was PERFECT for rebounding. I did step off the rebounder for the leg work and for the ski step. But I did the rest quite happily on the rebounder.

The music was pleasant and kind of playful. Nothing modern, but not boring either. The scenery was classic Gaiam – beautiful Hawaiian background. At one point, Debbie said to imagine we were out walking and then they just showed waterfalls and scenic spots on the beach for a bit. Very nice.

There’s a 30 minute option on this dvd as well. I could tell when that came in the workout because they all lined up and it seemed like Debbie was concluding. Then the intervals began and the pace picked up a bit.

The set also includes a CD for outdoor walking, which I haven’t tried and hope to sometime soon.

I was excited to see in the credits that Phil Scarpaci was the director. He was the director of the infomercial I did w/Beachbody and is really, really great. I see his name from time to time on Gaiam workouts lately. Pattie Kelly was the producer and I got to meet her on my last trip w/Beachbody too. Kind of fun to know that I knew who was involved with this workout!
Instructor Comments:
I liked Debbie’s approach. She seems to be training the athlete more than the weight loss want-a-be. (She's a former professional athlete. Her moves are more athletic -- not dancy at all).

I felt like Debbie knew the body well and knew simple ways to get a good workout for my body. She was clear and pleasant. The only downside was that she would announce an upcoming move and then never count down for it (like say “in 8 counts”) – she’d just say “keep going” or something and you’d keep walking and you weren’t quite sure when the new move was starting. But this wasn’t a big deal since all the steps were so simple. It wasn’t like I was trying to keep the 8 counts of a stepping routine of kickboxing move just right or I’d get lost.

Renee

10/13/2008


This was my first experience with instructor Debbie Rocker. Here Debbie leads the workout in a beautiful outdoor mountain setting with 4 background exercisers (one of whom shows modifications). She does quite a bit of marching throughout the workout, but she adds some more intense moves which help to raise the heart rate further.

The warm-up lasts about 4 minutes and consists entirely on marching. Debbie focuses on gradually encouraging you to pick up the pace, constantly talking to you like a coach or personal trainer. Following the warm-up, the cardio work is broken down into segments. The first is about 6 minutes and adds shuffles (light side-to-side jogs) and side steps to the basic march. The second segment (8 minutes) weaves in some more toning-focused moves such as squats and lunges. The 9-minute section that follows is mostly a basic walk while the scene shifts; although the scenery was beautiful, I found it harder to keep up my heart rate during this segment. However, it does end with some easy jogs. The next cardio segment was probably the toughest, as the intensity goes up with more toning work such as lunges as well as more intense cardio moves such as skiers. The following 9-minute segment alternates walking with short jog segments. An approximately 6-minute cool-down finishes the workout, bringing the total time in right around 51 minutes.

This DVD comes with a bonus CD that is supposed to be for outdoor walking. I didn't find the CD very motivating, however--it is simply Debbie talking, occasionally encouraging you to pick up the pace as the tempo changes, but that's it. Debbie is fairly chatty in the main workout as well, which some might find annoying; also, she does not mirror-cue. Furthermore, she does A LOT of marching, so if you're looking for more varied moves, this might not be the workout for you. The main reason I liked this workout is because I found it to be more intense than some of the other walking workouts I have tried, so I will be keeping it.

Instructor Comments:
As mentioned, Debbie is definitely quite chatty, but I didn't really mind this. What i didn't like is that her cueing isn't very good: not only does she fail to mirror-cue, but also she often tells you a change is coming up way in advance but then fails to cue the new move ON the change.

Beth C (aka toaster)

02/28/2008


I’m reviewing this workout after doing the long segment twice and the shortened one once.

General workout breakdown: This approximately 50-min. walking workout features some light cardio intervals as well as lower body toning. The warm-up (4 min.) just consists of marching in place at a slightly less intense pace than the rest of the workout. Walking remains the base and recovery move for the entire workout. The first song (6.5 min.) has a jog / shuffle, heel dig into jumping robe with heel kicking forward, and side step; the second (7.5 min.) has squats, side squat, rear lunge, front lunge, combo w/ front - side - rear lunge & squat; the third (8.5 min.) is the cardio endurance, with a 5-min. long marching segment (“take yourself out for a walk”) that ends with an intense jogging segment that includes both the shuffle and then lifting your heels; the fourth (9.5 min.) has plie squats, side squats with leg drag, rear lunges into a repeater-type movement with raised knee, and side step into a skater’s movement; the fifth (11 min.) has the jog / shuffle, side step, high knees, jogging with heels lifting up, and a sprint to the finish (i.e. football / basketball feet. There’s a cool-down (1.5 min.) of just walking, and then there’s about 1.5 min. of stretching primarily for the quadriceps, hamstring / calf, and lower back.
The 30 (actually 32) min. version contains the warm-up, the first, second, and fifth songs, and the cool-down + stretch.
The workout moves at a moderate pace. Debbie sets up the workout like this: you march in place, she introduces a move, you intensify that move (by going deeper, adding arm movements, etc.), and then you return to walking (or sometimes side step). You will often repeat that sequence twice before moving onto the next new move. The idea is to vary the moves to change your heartrate, the intensity, and your interest. The moves are very athletic in nature - nothing dancey at all.

Level: I’d recommend this to beginners through low intermediates. I wouldn’t recommend this to absolute beginners (i.e. someone who’s never ever exercised) for the following reasons: 1) Debbie doesn’t mirror cue, 2) the modifications aren’t always clear during this rather long workout with some impact, 3) during one segment the camera cuts away from the exercises, leaving you with only minimal verbal cues, 4) Debbie doesn’t meticulously instruct how to perform squats and lunges, and 5) the transition from walking into jogging but especially from jogging back into walking can be somewhat jarring (I prefer Leslie Sansone’s method of transition). Beginners with a little bit of experience with walking videos should be fine. Intermediates can make this more intense by adding light hand weights (1-2 lbs.), exaggerating movements, adding in impact, substituting other moves, or taking this to the rebounder or Bosu.

Class: 3 women and 1 man join Debbie for a diverse cast of fit “normal-looking” people. 1 woman is in charge of modifications. (For future workouts, I would recommend that the modifier exaggerate the movements so the difference between the modified and full moves is clear. More importantly, Debbie should always describe what the modifier is doing, rather than just point to her.)

Music: typical Gaiam instrumental music. It’s upbeat, but it doesn’t have much of a beat, which is a real problem because Debbie keeps instructing you to follow the rhythm of the music. Honestly, Gaiam, why can’t you realize that what’s OK for the background of Pilates and yoga just doesn’t work for cardio? It’s time to branch out beyond the elevator music company to find someone who specializes in cardio mixes.

Set: an outdoor mountain-top patio in Hawaii. The “take yourself out for a walk” section features a montage of various Hawaiian outdoor shots.

Production: the crisp picture and sound typical of Gaiam productions. There is a shot or two where one of the other cameras or its shadow sneaks in, however.

Equipment: sneakers (and perhaps a jog bra, if applicable).

Space Requirements: You need to be able to take one big step to each side plus forwards and backwards.

DVD Notes: The DVD is chaptered by song. You can choose the Full Length Workout, 30 Minute Workout, or Meet Debbie Rocker (a video interview with Debbie).
A CD for outdoor walking comes with the DVD. It runs just over 50 min., with 9 songs. It begins with a warm-up of almost 4 min. and ends with a cool-down of just over 3. It has much of the same music from the workout, but the beat is maybe a teensy bit stronger.

Comments: This is another good entry into the home walking workout market. Beginners with some experience under their belts, more experienced exercisers of any level who are restarting or recovering, and intermediates who want a lighter day workout will find this rotates well with Leslie Sansone’s many offerings (particularly her 30-minute workouts) and the Walk it Off with George! Series (such as Circuit Walk, which is similar with its lower body toning focus). Debbie isn’t as bubbly as Leslie or as excitable as Petra, but her style and amount of cueing as well as talking while working out is similar.
Yes, there’s a lot of marching in place in this workout. As many wise VFers have pointed out, however, no Workout Police will show up at your house and make you do this workout exactly as is. Feel free to vary the steps as you see fit.
This workout is longer and slightly more intense than the AM & PM Walking DVD released at the same time. It only has one workout, with the shorter premix, in comparison to the other which has two short workouts. The AM Walk to me is the most fun and varied, with the PM being the easiest of all of them; this one falls in between in terms of my rankings.
I should point out that Debbie asks you to bring your mind to the session, mentally focusing on what you’re doing, concentrating on your intentions, etc. This may just cross the line into “New Agey” for some people. I don’t mind it, since this is definitely the type of workout where you get out of it what you put into it.

Instructor Comments:
Debbie is your coach during an efficient and effective weight-loss focused workout; you are her “athlete in training” for the event of life. She does not mirror cue (i.e. when she says left, she means her left, not your left); this wouldn’t be so bad if she didn’t insist on starting on the right. In reality it doesn’t matter which side you’re on, whether you follow what Debbie says or what she does. She gives you plenty of warning when she’s about to move from walking into a move - too much, perhaps. She sometimes gives less to almost no heads-up for changing back to walking. She gives you a decent amount of posture reminders and a few form tips, but there’s little to no instruction. Debbie’s on the low key side. I suspect that with more experience in front of the camera Debbie will come off as more natural and warmer. She spends a lot of time talking, primarily focusing on explaining what you are or are about to do, encouraging you, telling you what a great workout you’re doing, etc., but she (understandably) seems to run out of things to say as time goes by. That said, I find her motivating, especially during the last segment when she inspires you to reach the finish line.

KathAL79

03/02/2007