Review: Leslie Sansone’s 5K With A Twist DVD

It's been about a week now since I received Leslie Sansone's 5K With A Twist DVD. I've done it several times, and I feel as though I give it a review. I have just two of Leslie Sansone's Walk At Home DVDs, and I enjoy them both. The first one I got was her 5 Mile Fat Burning Walk. I enjoy that DVD, however it got to be a little redundant and old quick. Not the exercise part, her commentary and conversations. The problem with that DVD is during miles 2, 3, and 4 she has a group of people doing the workout with her. She chats back and forth with them, which is fine, but it did get old. On that same DVD, she is by herself for miles 1 and 5. I prefer those miles since she devotes all her attention towards you, the viewer. It's still a great DVD, and I recommend it to anyone.

Now for the 5K With A Twist DVD. I love this DVD, and I'll be using it pretty much every day I workout. It's about 45 minutes long including the cool down. You can break it up, and do just one mile at a time. You don't have to do the whole thing all at once. She's by herself the entire time with no breaks in between the miles. So you can see that she's actually working up a sweat herself. Which I love in exercise videos. You actually see that the instructors sweat too. Normally in exercise videos they take breaks and let everyone cool down before they start filming again.

The exercise routine is the same as in the 5 Mile Fat Burning Walk, and she uses some of the same music. I think all of her DVDs are like this, so I don't know how many more I'll get. She uses the same moves. Side steps, front kicks, knee lifts, kick backs, and tap outs, and of course walking in place between each movement. There's also a two minute “boost” at the end of each mile where she goes into a “power walk” or a “gentle jog”. Gives the heart rate a boost for a better calorie burn. She does suggest that you stay low impact if there's a reason you can't or shouldn't jog in place.

One of the main things I like about any of her DVDs is the fact you “can't do it wrong”. If she's kicking with her left foot, and you're kicking with your right, it doesn't matter. If she springs a move on you (which she does often, like the tap outs during the second mile), just start when you're ready. The main thing is to keep moving. Don't stop moving the feet. If you have to go slower than the beat of the music, that's OK.

It's a very casual workout, but it does make you sweat. So, it's casual but powerful. I've read from a few advanced exercisers that her DVDs aren't hard enough. Then again, these exercisers are runners and not walkers. They run half marathons and that sort of thing. I can imagine for anyone at the level that the DVDs wouldn't be a challenge for them. But, if you're just beginning to exercise, or you have any type of injury or you just want to move your body, they're great.

I intend to keep doing both of the DVDs, but I think for the next foreseeable future I'll strictly be using the 5K With A Twist. And jump on my elliptical after that for another mile.

I give a thumbs up for Leslie Sansone and her Walk At Home program.