Jenny Craig's Let's Walk It Off Workout Kit - Beginner/Intermediate

I wanted to post a review on this workout a.s.a.p. because there is barely an information anywhere on the internet about it. However, I'm having some physical problems and can't work out at the moment. I feel that takes something away from the review. I think I'd have a much better picture if I actually did the workout once....but here goes:

Here are the menu options: "Meet Kim," "Meet the Jenny Craig Walkers," "10 Minute Walk," "30 Minute Walk," and "Play All." There is no music only option. I really wish there was!

The best thing about the workouts is the background. This is not the Biggest Loser Power Walk background. It looks like they are on a Caribbean island. It's a clear day, and you can see sail boats on the sea and even a cruise ship or two! It looks like they are up on a hill or mountain overlooking the sea. You don't see sand and people....just the water and what's sailing by. There is a lot of greenery, trees, etc....There are some flowers behind them. There are 4 walkers with Kim: 3 females and 1 male.

As far as the intensity of the walk, I would remove the word "intermediate." This is definitely "beginner." I feel that I can easily tell that just from viewing. I don't think there is much of a difference in intensity between the 10 and 30 minute walks. It's just that they are shorter. Oh, and the length of the walks is not totally accurate. The 10 minute walk is more like 12 minutes. The 30 minute walk is more like 28 minutes. After 24 minutes, she says that it's time for cool down.

The 10 minute walk: I love the music at the very beginning - It's a Latin beat...I wish she incorporated more like it throughout the walk. It returns during the cool down. The warm-up was about 5 minutes and the walking steps was only marching. 5 minutes of marching is a bit much for me, I'd have to throw in some other steps. With the arms there is some stretching, reach & pull, up & down. After about 5 minutes they then do a tap...not a tap out like Leslie...but the kind of tap where you are shifting your weight from side to side, like you are preparing for kickboxing moves. She then goes into simple kickboxing steps like bob & weave, punching from side to side while shifting weight with the tap outs. Then there's side steps, she adds bicep curls (no weights), side lateral extensions working the triceps. Then she moves into cool down. They march in place, stretch their arms while marching including arm circles, rolling of the shoulders. There is no stretch after the cool down.

The 30 Minute Walk: I like the music in the beginning, a little different, up beat. All the music is more techno type of generic music. Nothing super exciting but a little bit of a change if most of your indoor walking is with Leslie. Like I said before, I wish she had more with the Latin beat. It was nice and really added to the nice background. Warm-up is similar to the 10 minute walk - all marching in place with the various arm movements. This time it's about 7 minutes before she goes into the taps (shifts side to side). She then goes into simple kickboxing steps like bob & weave, punching from side to side while shifting weight with the tap outs - just like in the 10 minute walk. Then there's side steps, she adds bicep curls (no weights), for the tricep extensions - this time you move the arms back rather than the side, then shoulder raises (the side steps are still going on), upright rows....then shoulder raises & upright rows (she alternates back and forth at a count of 4)...side steps continue (I wish she would change up the steps as often as she does the arms!!!). At about 24 minutes or so they move into cool down and go back to a march, and repeat the stretching type moves with the arms as during the warm-up. The cool down is only about a minute and then she does stretching for about 3 minutes.

I like that there are a lot of arm movements. I would do these workouts together and I would do them with hand weights/weighted gloves. I think that will give me a decent lighter and enjoyable workout. Very pleased with the arm movements - that is usually lacking in a beginner workout like this. I only wish she would have changed up the steps as much as she did the arms. It's basically marching, then shift from side to side/bob & weave, side steps, and then back to marching. I think if i were doing this workout I would have to throw in a few more steps here and there....and I feel there is too much marching in place at the beginning. 5-7 minutes is just too much for me.

Overall, I don't regret purchasing this. I think I'll really enjoy the scenery - We need more good walking workouts with lovely outdoor scenery!!! I'm just going to have to "make it my own" by varying my footwork here and there and punching it up a little with some weights.

I hope the "Intermediate/Advanced" set kicks it up a notch in intensity. And I hope it has some more variety to the footwork. I'm waiting to receive it.

The music cd: There are 10, 20, and 30 minute walks. These are guided walks. She "coaches" you through it. It doesn't sound like she talks too much. And it's mostly motivation or telling you when you should step it up in pace. The 30 minute walk has some intervals.

The "walking guide" that came with it was nothing exciting. It mostly just describes what's in the kit and gives totally new walkers just a little bit of guidance.

Let me know if you have any questions. I did my best to describe this, considering I haven't actually done the workouts!