Prevention: Walk Your Way Slim

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.