Blast Away the Pounds - Indoor Walk

Firstly, let me get this out of the way. Denise is still Denise. She is still bubbly and has not toned down her 'effervescent mannerisms', so if this is what bothers you most about Denise, then shoo. Navigate away from this page right now. Don't go looking at the Denise Austin workouts if you don't like her. She is not going to go through a personality change for any of her workouts, and this one is not an exception. Right, now that's cleared up, here's what you get on this DVD. 1. 15 min mile - Easy Walk 2. 15 min mile - Fat Blasting Interval Walk 3. 15 min mile - Power and Tone Walk 4. 10 min Stretch EASY WALK - This is fantastic for those just starting out exercise, or for those who have injuries. At the moment I am using this workout because I have very bad soreness in my lower body and cannot a high impact workout, but I am pleased to say that with a bit of effort on my part (in other words, responding when Denise says, "Pump it out!"), I do get a thin film of sweat over my hands and some parts of my face. Denise uses leg lifts and side steps to keep the workout interesting - it is not just marching in place for 15 minutes - she even does some tweaks to simulate uphill and downhill climbs. FAT BLASTING INTERVAL WALK - This walk alternates short bursts of intesnity with regular walking segments. She'll have you doing your regular marches, sidesteps, leg lifts, knee lifts and arm movements for a short while, and then she'll add a high(er) impact - burst of intensity. In cases where the transition between the walking and intensity intervals is very large, one of the exercises performs a low impact modification which you can follow if you have week knees or are building your fitness level (or heck, even if you're just feeling a bit lazy one day). There are no weights used in this routine, but if you want to increase the intensity, it might be a good idea to add ankle or hand weights if you like. POWER AND TONE WALK - This is my favourite walk, as it uses hand weights to make the routine efficient and effective. Of course you can choose not to use weights if it is difficult on your joints to do so, but for my liking it is the toning combined with the cardio that give this routine its own special flavour. STRETCH - If you have the "Shrink Your Female Fat Zones" book, or are currently subscribed to Denise's "Fit Forever" online plan, you will recognise a lot of these stretches. Denise takes you through stretches for the calves, hamstrings, the achilles, the hips, triceps, inner & outer thighs, quadriceps, and probably a few others in there that I can't remember at this moment. While I do not believe that this stretches you out as thoroughly as the Standing Segment on "Tamilee Webb's Total Body Stretch", it does a good job of stretching the areas of the body that you worked during the walks. The DVD is beautifully produced; filmed on set rather than on location. The walk takes place in what looks to be a ceramic courtyard with archways looking out onto a red sandy desert (well, more like looking out onto a big picture of a red sandy desert). The timing in the first workout is excellent, though in the second and third workouts it can get a bit off-beat here and there, but the advantage with walking over aerobics is that it doesn't really matter too much. I have no excuse for exercise now, I can do these when I am injured and when I am pressed for time. That, and when I hop back on the treadmill for a longer walk, or if I am going on an outdoor walk, I can use some of the toning arm movements that I have picked up from this workout to keep things interesting and boost heartrate and increase my calorie burning potential. I would, however, be very interested in any feedback from someone who can compare this with Leslie Sansone's 'Walk Away The Pounds' series. I cannot compare this with any of Leslie's workouts simply because I have never done them - and I have achieved great results with Denise and find her very motivating, which influenced this purchase more than looking for a perfect indoor walk DVD. Even then, I find myself incredibly pleased with this buy. Cheers! Read more

This is my first walking DVD, I usually get my cardio from step, low impact aerobics or kickboxing but always kind of wanted a walking DVD. This is an excellent choice. Denise Austin and friends lead you through 3 one mile programs. You can choose the easy walk, fat blasting interval walk or power walk and tone where light weights are used for basic toning moves for the arms, each program running 15 minutes long. All three programs are simple but fun, there is no better exercise than walking! Plus you don't just stand there and walk in place, you will walk up and back, to the sides of the room, and do other simple low impact moves such as step touches, knee lifts, etc. The programs are short enough that you can do 2 or even all 3 at once if you want. I usually do my strength training before my cardio and find these are great as add ons. Denise does a good job here, she is pleasant and encouraging, she is still "Denise" but toned down a bit here. If you are looking for a walking DVD, and there are lots out there I would definitely recommend this one. Read more

This is a terrific workout for those who are getting started and who may want a short workout to keep her metabolism going. The workouts get the heart pumping without strain or shortness of breath. This DVD is wonderful. Also it is terrific for walking indoors when walking outdoors isn't possible. Denise Austin is encouraging and pleasant. I find her workouts and I have done many (Fat burning Yoga, Yoga Buns, Pilates, Kickboxing Etc) stimulating and encouraging. The only criticism I have is that she doesn't include women or men in the videos who are "weight challenged" All those shone with her are very fit, slim people. Read more

I wanted to create a quick review of this workout even though I have had this dvd for years. Recently, I got injured pretty badly and have been unable to workout for weeks. During that time, I realized that my workouts were probably too intense and that I needed to slow things down a bit. Enter my old Denise Austin videos! I had forgotten how much fun Denise's workouts are and they are very safe and effective for losing weight and getting fit. I have to admit, after tackling some really intense workouts (TurboFire, Calorie Explosion), this workout seemed like a breath of fresh air, if not a bit silly for one at my advanced level. But you know what? It works. I felt refreshed and energized after doing this and the entire workout is equivalent to a 3 mile walk. That burns a significant amount of calories. I am definitely going to switch up my workouts and incorporate some easier, more fun routines. I'm so glad that I have rediscovered Denise Austin -- I know people complain about her perky attitude, But I love it. She has a new workout coming out and I am def. going to buy it. Read more

This DVD has three, 15-minute one-mile walks. It is an excellent way to fit in a mini cardio workout, or if time permits, to do more than one mile. I particularly like the walk with weights, as your arms get a workout, as well. The stretching segment is an excellent way to end the workout. This video is great for beginners or older people, as it is not too complicated, yet it would work for someone more advanced, as well. A terrific all around workout, which can be used in a variety of ways. As always, Denise's upbeat instruction and encouragement keeps the workout fun. Read more