Walk Slim: Fast Start! 1 & 2 Mile Walk

This is the first Leslie workout I've ever reviewed. I'm not a big user of her workouts, and received three of her older workouts (Walk Kick, Walk Jog, 2 Mile Walk) from trades. I found them to be too easy, but good when I just didn't feel like doing anything else. I've preferred yoga and the FIRM with occasional pilates thrown in for diversity.

Well, now that I'm pregnant everything has changed. FIRMing gets my heart rate up too high, and I barely have the energy to walk to the car. So I purchased the latest Leslie series from QVC, Walk Slim, expecting some of the easy stuff I'd used in the past. Boy was I wrong!

I had to modify this one because the Booster sections were just too much for this winded, hormonal momma-to-be. The Fast Start is supposed to ease you into the new series that has 3 and 4 mile walks, and introduces you to interval training the Leslie way. It's fun and reminds me of Kathy Smith with it's non-threatening, all fitness level approach.

This is no mere walk in front of the TV. The pace has been ramped up until you're nearly jogging in place, and the music has been speeded up. It's 35 minutes, and you get some serious work. While I may not use this series much right now, it will be perfect cardio for after the baby is born.

The music starts off with some truly horrid house-style music but gives way (thankfully) to very good covers of classic tunes like "A New Attitude". The songs are speeded up to accommodate the faster pace, and I like that it's not the same old stuff.

The set left me feeling cold; it's draped in black and looks like its under construction. You can see the camera operators in a few shots, which was also disconcerting for someone used to Gaiam/GT perfection. Once the workout got started, I dealt with it, but black sets have never been a hit with me (think FIRM BSS3).

I give this workout an A- because of the set, but it's a great workout.

I’m reviewing this workout after previewing and doing it once each.

General workout breakdown: This approximately 35-minute indoor walking video is the equivalent of 2 miles (based on the bpm). After a warm-up (2.5 min.) comes 29 min. of Leslie’s usual walking steps (walking in place, side steps, kicks, knee lifts, kickbacks / hamstring curls, tap out; optional: jogging and pendulum leg swings), within which time are three 2-min. intervals with the option of “boosted walking,” aka jogging. Mile 1 clocks in at 13 min. and has one interval; mile 2 runs 16 min. and has 2 intervals. After cooling down at the tail end of the last mile, there’s a quick stretch primarily for the lower body (2.5 min.). As with all of Leslie’s programs, you repeat one move until she says to switch. There’s no choreography, etc.

Level: I’d recommend this to beginners through low intermediates. Absolute beginners brand new to exercise might find this a bit daunting, especially with the number of camera angles that don’t show whole people, but anyone who’s done any of Leslie’s programs will have no trouble with it. Intermediates can add boosters like light hand weights to increase the intensity, or switch over to “boosted walking” sooner.

Class: 1 man and 4 women join Leslie. Jo and Jim show the more advanced moves. The other 3 faces, Stephanie, Barb, and Barb, are new; they reveal after the stretch that they have lost 65, 100, and 110 pounds thanks in no small part to Leslie’s walking videos. They’re super inspiring!

Music: alternating between vocal and instrumental music. Songs include “Everybody,” “I’ve Got a New Attitude,” and “I Feel Good.” I’ve heard a good deal of the instrumental music before, on Karen Voight, Shape, Trainer’s Edge, and other workouts.

Set: indoors, with a black curtain behind and a wood floor below.

Production: clear picture and sound. There are a number of funky camera angles, however, including shots of just faces or just feet, and some shots from the side and/or overhead. Also, there are some moments when you catch glimpses of the other cameras and even crew members!

Equipment: sneakers (and maybe a jog bra, if you do the “boosted” walking!)

Space Requirements: If you can take a couple of steps in each direction, you have plenty of space for this. If you have less than that, just stay in place when Leslie moves up and back or side to side.

DVD Notes: The main menu has these choices: Introduction, Fast Start! 1 & 2 Mile Walk, Chapters (Warm up, Mile 1, Mile 2, Stretch, and Meet the Walkers), Music Only Workout, and Credits.

N.B. My DVD, which I got at retail, came in the same case as 3 Fast Miles. Unfortunately, the labels on the DVDs are switched, although everything else is fine with both discs.

Comments: This is the introductory workout for Leslie’s new Walk Slim series, which also includes 3 Fast Miles, 4 Fast Miles, Fast Firming, and Fast & Firm 4 Really Big Miles.

I don’t have too many Leslie workouts and can’t count myself among the Leslie faithful (just yet), but I would say this is more intense than WATP 1 or 2 miles because of the intervals. It’s not as intermediate as Walk & Jog, for example.