Review of Leslie Sansone 5 Really Big Miles DVD

I'm fortunate that my local library has several Leslie Sansone workout videos, either at my local branch or elsewhere in Ohio where I can take advantage of an inter-library loan.  The second video that I borrowed in her Walk at Home series was Walk Slim: 5 Really Big Miles.

This DVD proved to be a little more challenging for me than the first one I reviewed the other day.  None of the movements are difficult, but after the five minute warmup period, it picks up the pace with the first mile, and each of the four subsequent miles.  Leslie adds a toning band into the routine to work the arms in mile two (included with the original video), but I just did the arm movements without the band and it was fine; my arms did get a workout.

Those of you who are in good shape already will probably really enjoy this workout session.  I am old and overweight, and trying to move my feet fast enough to keep up with this routine puts me at risk for tripping over myself, so I didn't even try after the first few minutes.  The first mile after the warmup is said to be a 4 mph pace (15 minute mile) and while I can manage that and more in a forward motion on the road or treadmill, adding footwork into the mix was too much for me as she got into faster routines.  Mile 3 steps it up to a 12 minute mile pace (5 mph) and I did keep moving through all of it, but it was not as much fun since I couldn't follow the beat, and I obviously didn't get the workout that this session intended.

Leslie includes a nice cool down period after the five miles, with a couple of minutes of stretching to end the workout session.

One thing I've noticed in all of her videos is that Ms Sansone uses real people as her 'walkers'.  Men and women, young and old, slender and the more voluptuous perform the routines with her, showing that it doesn't matter where you are on your walk towards fitness, you can do it, even if you have to slow down or go with a modified movement.

Is it a fun video?  Yes!  Just too much for me at this stage of my life after having been lax for so long.  I won't be buying this one, but if you want a brisk workout that increases in speed and intensity, this could be just the thing for you.

You can find Leslie Sansone's 5 Really Big Miles on both amazon.com and eBay.

~ Marie Anne

Review of Leslie Sansone Video: Mix & Match Walk Blasters

© Marie Anne St. Jean

As mentioned in a previous post, I've decided to add some video workouts to my routine instead of just running.  Since Leslie Sansone is the queen of walking videos and she has loads of them to choose from, I figured that would be a good place to start.  I picked up two of her DVDS last week, one being Just Walk: Mix & Match Walk Blasters, which I'll share my opinion of here.

Mix & Match Walk Blasters was released in 2014 and is a series of 10 different mini walks, starting off with a very slow and simple routine, with a slight increase in pace or type of movement in the subsequent sessions.  Since I'm just starting out and old, overweight, and not nearly as coordinated as I was in decades past, I was concerned that I would be able to keep up, but my fears were unfounded.  Breaking this down into 10 sessions allows you to fit in a short workout during most any part of your day.

The first 10 minute session - Light Walk - was the perfect routine to be used as a warmup before any workout, and was just basic walking movements that anyone should be able to follow without getting winded.  Brisk & Steady followed that, and while the pace was increased slightly, I didn't have any trouble keeping up.  All of the 10 sessions were comprised of the same basic steps, with slight variations in speed and/or intensity, with some adding arm movements or a little trunk-twisting to work more than just your legs in an aerobic activity.  There is no equipment necessary to do this workout from beginning to end, just a decent pair of shoes, comfortable clothes, and a small area in front of your TV.

The Mix & Match Mini Walks are broken down into these 10 minute sessions:

Light Walk

Brisk & Steady

Interval Walk

Short & Sweaty

Walk, Kick & Jab

Dance Walk

Tummy Trimmer

Lower Body Blast

Upper Body Blast

Flexibility Walk

Don't let the names of the sessions intimidate you!  Leslie's choreography is easy to follow since she uses the same basic steps throughout, yet she changes from one step movement to another often enough to not be boring.  She might start off with a single side step, then move to the double, further transitioning to a grape vine.  If you find that you can't do a particular step, it's easy to step in place or perform another movement until you get in sync with her again. Getting back on track is easy since you already know the steps, and I never found myself getting frustrated or feeling lost, even though this was the first exercise video I'd tried in decades.

I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to get through this whole video with little trouble, changing to a walk only a few times when certain areas of my body were slightly overtaxed and needed to be stretched in a different direction for a bit.  It wasn't that the exercises were hard, but I'm overweight and have certain muscles that haven't been used in a long time.  Each time I did some of those movements, it became easier, and I'm confident that the next time I do this video, I'll match her step for step.

I found Ms Sansone's voice to be pleasant, and both her verbal and physical instructions easy to follow.  She's not pushy, but more like a friend coaxing you along, but not obnoxious at all - no military drill instructors here!

All in all, I liked this Mix & Match DVD enough that it's going on my short list to purchase as soon as I return this one to my library.

~ Marie Anne

NOTE:  While this video should be able to be completed by even those who are out of shape, always consult with your health care professional before starting any exercise program.

You can find Just Walk: Mix & Match Walk Blasters on both eBay and amazon.com.

Walking and Workout Videos ... What Works for You?

In my quest to get back in shape and lose some weight (again), I've decided to try some workout videos.  I've watched a couple of them here and there in years past, but I never stuck with any of them because they were either too fast or required footwork that was too fancy for me to keep up with and I'd end up tripping over my own feet.  I'm one who focuses on running more than anything, so the thought of doing other types of workouts in a gym or similar setting never appealed to me.  Still, I know that working other areas of the body is important to overall fitness, and of course does help with running too ... strengthening core and all that.

Enter Leslie Sansone.

My first association with Leslie was back in the early 90s.  She had cassette tapes that you could play in your Walkman or similar device and walk to the beat, with a couple of different cadences available. You'd hear her talk as well as the beat of the music and walk at that pace for a mile.  I believe the other side of the tape was just the beat without her voice.  I can still hear that beat ... tap, tap, tap of the drumstick on the wood block.  It was pretty popular concept back in the day ... and yes, I'm dating myself!

A friend has a couple of her walking DVDs and swears by them, and she put the bug in my ear about looking into them again.  Since she's been around for decades, Leslie Sansone has created numerous walking/fitness programs and has a huge following.  As of this week, I guess you count me as one of them.

I poked around on eBay and amazon to see what was out there, and was surprised at the number of Leslie Sansome walking DVDs that are available.  Being the cheap person that I am, I wasn't keen on buying a bunch of videos only to find that they weren't a good fit for me.  I checked with my local library system and they have several available, either at my branch or other branches that will do an interlibrary loan, so I picked up two the other day, and have two more that are in transit.  I might or might not have gone just a wee-bit overboard and completed both DVDs in two days, and also did one that I found on YouTube ... no trouble getting my Fitbit steps in this week!

So ... I'm sold.  I think Leslie will be my go-to gal for workouts other than running, and I'm going to try these other two videos and decide which of them I like best before committing to purchasing.  I noticed there are some available  through Amazon Prime Video, so I might go that route too and just stream them rather than mess with an actual disc that I have to insert into my DVD player, deal with another remote, etc.  She also has intro versions on her YouTube channel, so I can check those out too.

I'll be reviewing the videos that I try in upcoming blog posts, but in the meantime, I'd be interested in knowing if you're a fan of any particular Leslie Sansone's walking/workout videos, and what you did/did not like about any that you've tried.  Let me know in the comments, please!

~ Marie Anne