Walk it Off with George! Express Walk
Reviews from VideoFitness
The video is filmed in "George's Gym." The gym has a wood floor, trophies, lockers in the background.
Goerge wears a polo shirt and sweat pants. The rest are in individual exercise clothes (not matching.)
The moves are very basic, marching, side step, up and back-sometimes with marching at the top and back sometimes without. Very few arm movements are included so this would be good for very beginners who need to get their feet right before adding on. They do go sideways on the 3 steps and tap more than Leslie.
All the exercisers seem to be enjoying themsleves. They are various sizes. None are super skinny. The ages appear to range from the 20s-40s with one grandma looking lady.
This would be good for very beginners or as an easy day for intermediates and above. While I liked it, I wish it had more arm movements.
While the title says "Walk it Off with George", Petra is the leader. George is more for encouragement.George rarely does the the modifications to up the intensity with the background exercisers. Both are encouraging.
Setting - "George's Gym", a large airy space with wooden floors, punching bags, etc.
Petra leads a group of diverse exercisers. George chimes in with motivation and humor. They have a genuinely nice rapport.
This is a simple, 30-minute, low-impact walking workout similar to Leslie Sansone's workouts. Side steps, up and back, marches - the most advanced step is a "knee up".
If you like low-impact walking workouts that actually contain walking steps (unlike some that are more like traditional aerobics videos) you'll like George's workouts. The music is great and he is very motivating.
Petra cues very well and looks like she is really having fun in this workout.
I’m reviewing this workout after previewing and doing it once each.
General workout breakdown: This walking video lasts about 27 minutes. Steps include walking (or marching), side steps, step with a heel in front, the “Foreman shuffle” (three steps and a tap), step knee, and wide march. The video ends with a cool down and stretches for the calf and hamstring. Joanna’s right in assessing these videos: there’s not much in the way of arms, which isn’t a bad thing if you’re brand new to exercise since there’s less to concentrate on. The pace is along the lines of what I would consider a stroll, so it’s not too fast.
Level: I’d recommend this to beginners. Exercisers at the beginner / intermediate crossover point through low intermediate could exaggerate their moves and add light hand weights to make this a decent workout for them, too. I consider myself at least at the high intermediate stage with respect to floor aerobics, and this video is too easy for me, but it was just right when I was sick and wanted to get off the couch.
Class: 1 man and 8 women join George and Petra. One of the exercisers is older, and one is of a plus size frame, but what I love is that the “thin” background exercisers all look realistically fit, not the type of skinny that you only get with genetics. The background exercisers demonstrate variations when there are some. Petra will preview some new moves, and she and George generally will stay with the basic moves when there are options to increase the intensity.
Music: upbeat music with a good beat: some of it’s pop music (recognizable, but nothing I could name), some of it’s standard exercise video stuff.
Set: interior studio space with muted lighting. A big sign in the back proclaims this is “George’s Gym,” and there are various pieces of boxing equipment, lockers, etc., lining the walls.
Production: good picture and sound. The camera shots were more or less helpful, but I wish the camera wouldn’t do so many close ups of people’s upper bodies, since this is a walking video, and I think it’s best if the camera always shows the instructor when there’s a new move.
Equipment: sneakers.
Space Requirements: Ideally you should be able to take two medium-sized steps to each side and forwards and backwards, but if you have less space, just stay in place.
DVD Notes: There are no chapters on this DVD, so have your remote handy to fast forward through the Warnings, GoodTimes logo, Walk it off with George! intro, and George’s description.
Conclusion: This is intended to be the starter video in the Walk it Off with George! infomercial set, and I’d agree that it’s the easiest in terms of intensity and complexity. I’ll pass this along to someone who’d use it more, as there are other videos that suit my current level of fitness and interest in choreography better.
Petra leads the workout. She cues decently, usually given you enough notice of move changes, and mirror cues (i.e. when she says “left,” she means your left). She’ll preview the more complicated moves (like step with a heel), but then she’ll show the less intense variation of a move, too. Her British accent is easy to understand. She’s a bit over the top here in her enthusiasm, but since this is the video aimed at true beginners to exercise her constant encouragement is appropriate. She does remind you that you’re walking it out with George a lot. (Gee, really? I forgot who that big guy standing next to you was in the last two minutes.)
George is primarily here for encouragement, although he occasionally offers tips on posture or cues a move. George also throws in a joke or two about his days as a boxer, picks on some of the background exercisers, and banters back and forth with Petra. For someone who showed such amazing dexterity in the boxing ring, he’s not the most graceful when it comes to the dancier moves, but that’s part of what’s endearing about him.
This is one of my favorite dvds that George and Petra put out(also love circuit walk) but I've only tried 4 total so far. I wish it were about 5 minutes longer to make a full 30 minutes of good cardio but I usually keep moving through the cooldown and credits to do 30 minutes total. One note: I do this one on my urban rebounder for added intensity. If they do more than one step front or side I do a lunge type move or multiple side to side singles. Anways, without the rebounder this would be a truly beginner workout. I also have to add a lot of arm movements. You could do this on the floor but not sure an intermediate would get much out of it that way,e ven with the arms due to the length and simple steps. This workout has no lunges or squats that I can remember (some of his other ones do brief segments of these). It's just walking and the formean shuffle and some side to side stuff..mabye some knee lifts but nothing fancy or overly difficult and you can always go back to walking with George. I like the music on these workouts and I like the fact that he has all shapes and sizes and ages working out with him and is so motivating. He also 'talks' to the people behind him from time to time and talks to 'you' while you're working out. I reach for this and my rebounder on those days/nights I want to do some cardio but just don't feel like doing anything else.
I put Petra as the instructor because she's the one doing all the 'work' really! George mostly talks and acts silly and encouraging while Petra shows what's coming up and does all the cues. Petra laughs but is the more 'serious' of the two showing the 'fitness' version.