Rejuvenation Walk & Stretch

15:20 running time for this segment.

From the main menu, the "Stretch & Flex with Stretching Strap" is the second option on the menu.

Kathy is alone. This was filmed indoors in one of the familiar Andrea Ambandos studios. Kathy is wearing a tank top that has black and navy blue bands going horizontal and she's wearing charcoal athletic pants. i mention the clothing in case this workout gets repackaged later on. :) there's a roughly 2 min clip of this workout on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23YXxoM7Mv8

She uses the strap that is segmented into 8 to 10 loops. I used a regular strap made by Gaiam that came with my Madeleine Lewis Walking Kit that has just 1 loop on each end. I got this DVD (and its companion weights DVD) from ebay without the accessories. Music - I'd describe it as new Age jazz.

Kathy starts out lying supine on a yoga mat.

Does one side at a time:

*Leg bends in the strap, pulling the 1 leg with hands on the other ends, knee is bent. This stretches the hamstring.

Leg circles.

Flex and point foot.

While still lying on the mat, straight leg, foot in loop, hold leg out to the side, like a half straddle.

Extend same straight leg to the other side keeping shoulders flat on floor, feel stretch on outer hip (iliotibial band, or IT Band).

Does a bent leg over opposite thigh (forms a triangle), pulling toward you, both knees bent - stretches the outer hip.

Side lying series:

Foot in loop, foot flexed, pull strap toward shin, stretching your calf.

Lying prone, foot in loop, quads are flat on floor, bend the knee of the foot in the strap, pull strap toward your back, quad stretch. Switch to other side and repeats from asterisk above*.

Sit up, both legs straight and together, strap around both feet, bend torso forward, stretching hamstrings.

Still seated on floor, move legs into a wider width, feet in loops, bend forward.

Then straps go around 1 flexed foot, lean sideways toward the looped foot; then you face torso toward foot, and bend toward the foot. Do the other leg.

Stand up, hand in loop in front of you, shoulders down, pull strap with other hand, stretching 1 pec and shoulder.

Move looped hands and strap behind you, arm straight, pull strap with other hand. Move head and chin away from arm being stretched.

Then take looped hand (strap is still behind you), straighten elbow, thumb pointed to the ceiling, and with other hand pulling back, feeling the stretch in the pecs and between the shoulder blade of the looped hand. Repeat on other side.

With strap in front of you, both hands on opposite sides of the strap, bend forward to stretch back of shoulder blades.

Move hands closer together, above head, and sway from side to side stretching obliques.

Both hands in loops, hands above head, elbows straight, move both straight arms behind head to stretch shoulders.

While standing, lean over, legs straight, strap around one foot, abs contracted, flex foot and pull on both sides of the strap, stretching calf. Switch to the other foot.

Last stretch:

Hold 1 end of strap in each hand behind back and with straight arms pointing toward floor, lift arms up, feeling chest lift up, working your back into correct posture position. Stretches between the shoulder blades.

the strap really allows you a great range of motion for the stretching moves. i've seen the segmented band sold separately in Walmart (i think it's a Gold's Gym brand). i don't think a "stretchy" (rubber) band would work because a non-stretchy strap gives you an immediate "pull" in the direction of the stretch.

addendum to my review - my review only covers the Stretch segment. sorry i didn't make that clear! :-/

This is just for the walk portion, not the stretch. I don't have a strap to do the stretch with and the towel I used as a sub was just annoying.

I got this at a used book store. I don't know if it is still available in retail.

I feel that new this may have come with hand weights (look like 1 pounders) and a stretching strap.

So I like Kathy Smith. I don't have issues with "whooing," but she doesn't do any in this workout so it is all good. She is by herself in this. It is a "2-mile" walk.

The set is a standard, but attractive, living room/workout area set.

If you have the Matrix Method Power Walk for Weight Loss with Kathy, this is very similar.

You just start into the workout, no obligatory warmup. There is a short cool down and stretch at the end, very much a Leslie cool down.

Kathy holds handweights that probably came with the original set.

The steps are no more difficult than a box step (which trips me up each and every time) and the salsa. The matrix is invoked just once for about five minutes (the matrix is just using the floor as a clock and putting your foot at 9:00, 12:00, etc).

There is a lot of TIFTing, with it being built up, then doing something eight times, then backing off to four then two then one. And then doing it on the other side.

She gets more enthusiastic and throws herself into it more as the workout goes on.

There are some squats thrown in there and there, but fleeting. You can always just walk in place during them.

It goes by quickly, the music is inoffensive.

Kathy is in all black for the walk (not the pink and grey on the cover or the blue and gray on the back). It is easy to see what her legs are doing. She uses her arms a lot in the workout, just following her leg movements. Nonthreatening, not difficult.

Kathy talks encouragingly but doesn't ramble. This is a very easy DVD to do with the sound off.

I like doing walking workouts with Kathy. Her fabulously long legs reach the ground, just as mine do. On some of her workouts (and I have tons) I have to look at a backgrounder to see if I am holding a position correctly since her legs seem to be elastic and bend and stretch in ways my stumps just won't do.

All in all, an enjoyable 30 minutes or so. I am glad I have it in my extensive walking collection. I have at least three Kathy walk workouts and literally 30 plus Leslies so I don't mind having repetition and if I like the instructor/format I enjoy having lots to choose from.

If you are a one-Leslie, one-walking-format, one-yoga-format, one-of-anything-is-good-for-me person, this is not the Kathy walk I would go for because I enjoy a little cheese with my Kathy. If you like cheesy I would look for Matrix Method Power Walk for Weigh Loss or even (VHS only, I think) March to Fitness. If you don't like cheese with your workout, stick with this one. Nary a cheddar in sight.