Walk On: 21 Day Weight Loss Plan

Walk On: 21 Day Weight Loss Plan is a workout program from Jessica Smith for beginners. Because I am currently undergoing chemo, I purchased quite a few of Jessica’s Walk On DVDs/programs. I need workouts at this level on hand to get me through the rough days during chemo. And this program worked perfectly for that. Though I am not technically a beginner, I might as well be after a chemo infusion. So with that in mind–this is a great program for those new to exercise or coming back from an injury or illness. On my bad days, it challenged me but didn’t kill me.

This program contains 2 DVDs. Each DVD has two 30 minute workouts and the first disk has a 4 minute intro by Jessica. In the intro she describes each workout, explains how to use them (do one workout a day, 4 days in a row, take a rest day then repeat) and talks about how what you put in your mouth is just as important as exercising. She also discourages extreme dieting.

When I did these workouts I did two of them back to back for an hour long workout. Just like in most of Jessica’s workouts with “walk” somewhere in the title, her mom Debbie is there showing easier versions of the exercises and her friend Beth is there doing the more advanced versions of some of the exercises.

Cardio Core Walk is 31 minutes; 3:30 minute warm up and 1 minute cool down/ stretch. No equipment needed but I wore weighted gloves. This was a moderately intense little cardio core workout. Again, I was already fatigued when I did this workout so that might have something to do with my perception of it, but I was sweating and my heart rate was definitely elevated. I did enjoy it.

1. Alternating knee raises
2. Bob and weave; add front jabs
3. Alternating wide knee pulls
4. Jab-cross; add knee pulls
5. Hamstring curls w/ wood chop arms
6. Side to side lunge w/ figure 8 arms
7. Cha-cha forward then to side
8. Double tap to side, alternate sides
9. Grapevine; add triple knee pulls to each side
10. Side to side cha-chas
11. Step knee, step back, alternating knees
12. Lateral skaters
13. Side taps while pushing arms to side then overhead
14. Lateral skaters
15. Step side to side while reaching one arm overhead then pulling elbow down to hip
16. Alternating knee pulls, bringing same side elbow to knee; changes to bringing elbow across body to opposite knee
17. Reach down and across body toward ground then stand and do a knee pull, bringing elbow to opposite knee
18. Single leg deadlifts w/ arms behind head or crossed over chest
19. Low knee pulls
20. In plie squat, reach hand toward same side knee or ankles, alternate sides

Low Impact HIIT Walk is 31 minutes long; 2:30 minute warm up and 3 minute cool down/stretch. The structure of this workout is five 5 minute intervals; each interval consists of 3 minutes of steady state cardio then you punch up the intensity for the last two minutes. The high intensity interval is always made up of two moves that you alternate between. The 3 minutes of steady state is basic low impact, low intensity cardio moves (lots of marching in place variations) so I am not going to break them down. But I am breaking down the intervals below. I did enjoy this workout. Not the most intense cardio workout I’ve ever done but it worked perfect for me when I wanted a solid workout but I wasn’t at 100%. When I did this workout I followed it immediately with Cardio Core Walk (above).

1. Single leg knee pulls + half jacks or full jacks
2. Low jacks (or step in and out fast) + lateral skaters
3. Fast air squats (or squat jumps) + cross punch downs
4. Fast squats w/ swim arms + lateral shuffles while circling arms
5. Alternating knee pulls + shuffle w/ fast overhead punches

Tred & Shred is 31:30 minutes; 3 minute warm up and 30 second stretch. Equipment: dumbbells 2-8 pounds. This is a great little very active strength workout. Great for beginners and also people who need something lower intensity for whatever reason–illness, in injury, etc. I found this perfect for doing after chemo when I was very fatigued but want some strength work and some cardio. I used 6 pound dumbbells and, for what I used it for, it challenged me plenty. I also used it to gauge when I was feeling better and ready for something more. The second time I did this workout, I felt like I could definitely handle more and I knew it had served it’s purpose (and would again since I will be receiving chemo for several months) and I could start doing more. So this workout is perfect for my needs.

1. Hamstring curls w/ high row (upper back)
2. Wide plie squats with bicep curls to overhead press
3. Pulsing plie squats w/ heel raises
4. Repeat 1-3
5. Cross-over kicks
6. Step side to side while holding arms in goal post and opening and closing arms, bringing DBs/elbows together
7. Lunge side to while doing cross rows
8. Repeat 5-7
9. Cross-over kicks
10. Heel digs while scooping DBs from hips to forehead, keeping elbows bent
11. Step forward while lifting other leg behind you, alternate legs, while doing narrow back rows
12. In wide squat, side step then raise one leg to side, alternate sides
13. Repeat 10-12
14. March in place while doing overhead presses
15. Hammer curl + wide bicep curl while marching in place
16. Pulsing squat w/ tricep kickbacks
17. Repeat 14-16
18. Lateral skaters while holding DBs at shoulders
19. Alternating knee raises while doing a cross crunch, touching elbow to opposite knee
20. Wide heel digs while doing a cross punch
21. Repeat 18-20
22. Pulsing squat; changes to pulsing curtsy lunge; alternate sides w/ pulsing squat in between
23. Continue with #22 but singles–no more pulses, but you will stay low the entire time and you will add upright rows
24. Repeat 22-23
25. Lunge side to side while pushing one DB down toward opposite knee then pulling it back high to shoulder
26. Repeat #25 on other arm
27. Single knee side crunch (raise one knee across body while twisting torso toward it, arms held at shoulder height in front of you) (no DBs for this exercise)
28. Repeat #27 on other side of body
29. Hands behind head w/ elbows out to side, lean side to side, reaching hands down legs

Stride, Stretch & Relax is 31 minutes long. Equipment: chair; you only need the chair for stretch and relax. Stride portion is 15 minutes (#1-4), stretch portion is 13 minutes (#5-12) and relax is 3 minutes (#13). This workout is rather deceptive. It is a recovery day workout, but during the stride portion, Jessica really burned my arms and shoulders out a few times! But overall, it is a nice recovery day workout–also perfect for those days when you aren’t at 100% for whatever reason and still want to do something to take care of your body.

1. Start marching in place; changes to toe taps while opening and closing straight arms in front of you; shoulder rolls while marching in place
2. Side to side step tap; hamstring curls with arm pulls at chest level; alternating toe tap with wide arm circles; march in place and, with hands on shoulders, circle shoulders; open and close hands while reaching them to the sides then overhead while still marching
3. Keeping heels on floor, alternate toe taps; march in place faster; side to side marches; alternating front heel digs w/ tricep kickbacks; alternating knee raises while reaching opposite arm overhead; side to side step tap w/ figure 8 arms; march in place while pressing arms overhead then to sides then down; heel digs w/ bicep curls
4. Double step to side w/ one side kick; swan arms while marching in place; hold arms out straight to side and rotate hands/wrists in and out (sill marching); alternating toe taps while opening and closing straight arms; reach arms from shoulders to overhead while marching in place; alternating kicking feet out in front of you while reaching opposite arm toward foot; changes to reaching opposite arm overhead
5. Stand beside chair, holding chair back for balance, and do crescent knee circles; cross leg in front of the other (both feet on floor) and stretch arm overhead and to side; repeat on other side of body
6. Stand behind chair back, straight leg split stance, and hinge forward with hands on chair back; standing quad stretch, holding chair back for balance; repeat on other leg
7. Seated pigeon: sit on chair and cross one ankle over opposite knee and hinge forward, reaching hands forward, dropping head and arms over crossed leg; sit up and cross top leg completely over bottom leg (knee over knee), reach arm across top knee and twist spine, looking behind you; repeat on other side of body
8. Extend one bent leg out over side of chair and other leg is straight on other side of chair (bottom is on chair, so you are straddling it but one leg is bent and one straight), rest arm on bent leg and reach other arm overhead (supported right angle yoga pose); reverse into supported reverse warrior
9. Still sitting on chair, bent legs spread wide, lean forward, arms pressed against inside of knees to stretch inner thighs; drop hands to floor and hand head down between legs
10. Repeat 8 on other side of body
11. Sit forward on chair, both legs in front of you, one bent w/ foot on ground and other straight with heel on ground, hinge forward, reaching for toe, stretching hamstring and calf; repeat on other leg
12. Sitting normal in chair, do head rolls from side to side; use hand on side of head to stretch head to one side
13. Sit on chair with hands on thighs and close eyes while Jessica has you do visualization exercises; she also has you spreading your toes and relaxing them; ends with a deep breath