Walk On: 5 Mix and Match Miles DVD Jessica Smith

I tried using cardio DVDs a few years ago and found it impossible to keep up so just kept taking walks for exercise. This past summer I just couldn't get outside early or late enough to walk safely so I went searching for some slower, not-yet-senior cardio and found all the Jessica Smith Walk On DVDs. And was pleasantly surprised that I could mostly get through the routines. I've enjoyed the workouts enough that I've consistently used them four times a week. While the pace is slower than most cardio workouts, the routines are well thought out and based in knowledge of exercise physiology. They have been challenging without overwhelming me which is just what I was looking for. This is my second Walk On DVD and is a bit different from the one I used first. It has five approximately fifteen minutes segments each equating to a mile of walking. I started with the premixed selections: two miles, three miles or four miles plus the warmup and cool down. The five workouts incorporate some familiar moves from other Walk On videos but most are new, especially the ones in Brain Training. Energy Boost is the first selection; it's one of my favorites though I found to be somewhat odd initially. Jessica blends elements of things like pilates and tai chi into her cardio routines so there's quite a departure from the old aerobics people my age did back in the day. I'm about the same age as her mother Debbie who is featured in the workouts modeling the low impact version while twenty-something Raquel models higher impact variations. Jessica stays at a moderate level instructing how to workout at all three levels. The other three segments include a faster paced mile, a surprisingly intense waist workout and the dancey Jog and Jive. There's also a Custom menu that allows you to select your own combination of workouts along with the warmup and cool down. It's quite versatile though there is a few seconds lag between segments where you have to keep walking in place by yourself. I've found the Custom option allows me to vary the two and three miles walks since I'm not ready for the four mile premix. Along with routines that strengthen arms, legs, abs, arms and back while developing some flexibility, this five mile set gives plenty of room to grow. You can intensify to the higher impact version plus you can work up to doing the whole series of routines in one session. Though I find three workouts is just about right for me. I really can't recommend the Walk On DVDs enough. I've toned up, lost some weight and gotten a little more agile from doing these workouts.

I just completed all 5 miles! I really love Jessica Smith. Her workouts inspire me to workout every single day...I rarely take a day off from walking with the exception of Sundays as an active "rest" day. This mix has 5 segments - each are 15 minutes in duration with a countdown clock. There are pre-set walks that you can choose or you can choose which walks you want to do. Love that!! Mile 1 is an Energy Boost walk, Mile 2 is Pumped Up Pace which includes breathing exercises and a faster beat, Mile 3 is Brain Training (wait until you try to do the arm circles!!), Mile 4 is Waistline Work which includes lots of crossover type moves to work the waist and abs, and lastly, Jog and Jive which is a fun combo of jogging and walking with fun dance-type moves. My favorites were the Pumped Up Pace and the Brain Training. But I really liked them all. This is a "true" walking style workout as there are not a lot of difficult moves...I didn't really get up that much of a sweat...but it's perfect for days when you want something a smidge easier or you just want to get some extra miles in. For example, I actually woke up not feeling great and was going to skip working out but thought I would at least try the energy boost...I ended up doing them all and had a smile on my face by the end! This is what I love about Jessica's workouts - they just make you feel good. I would say that if you are looking for a more intense style workout that gets your heart rate up more, go with Walk Strong or any of Jessica's HIIT workouts which are amazing! This one is better for days when you want to get those miles in but you don't want to push too hard.

I wasn't sure how I felt about Jessica Smith at first (my intro was her Walk On 3 DVD Super Set). I've come to love her routines though. This was my 4th or 5th purchase from her selection. I loved the routines. They were all something different than other DVDs. I particularly like the Brain Training. It was fun to focus on other things and ignore the clock while I walked. I do like that you can create your own routines without having to return to the menu after each part. I don't like how they produced this feature though. There is no way to know how many you have selected, or if something was selected. You just have to click, then choose play selected and hope you got it right. Yesterday I tried to select the warm up, (2) 15 min sections and a cool down; I then realized I was short on time, so I cleared it, and selected the warm, 1 section and cool down. Well, as it ran, I realized it never cleared the first routine I had created. I do love the preset routines as well, sometimes I just want to go. I'm not a fan of the production on the DVD. One thing I love about Jessica Smith's DVDs is there is no flufff, it is right to the work out and she's very down to earth. This one had more of a "produced" vibe. There is an intro with music and screen shots of the various routines. It felt more like a Beachbody intro, though fortunately, no ads.

Great video for someone my age.