Customer Reviews

Walk Away the Pounds for Abs [with belt]

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

If you enjoyed Leslie Sansone's Walk Away The Pounds workouts, here is a new variation for you.

The kit includes a Walk Away Belt, and a DVD. The DVD has three workouts on it:
- 1 mile
- 2 mile
- 3 mile
Each of the workouts includes the same basic steps that were used in the Walk Away The Pounds set:
- kick backs
- knee lifts
- kicks
- side steps
- and of course, walking
There are no new steps introduced. If you have done the Walk Away workouts, you can do these workouts. They are not much different. The people walking with Leslie are mostly new. For example, in the 3-mile walk, you'll see Randy (who was in the old workouts). The music is new, and updated for today. This is not a recycled, older product like the Miracle Mile and 4-Mile Walk.

The 3-mile workout uses the belt only minimally. For an "ab" workout, I was shocked not to have crunches and sit-ups. Leslie uses the belt to work the upper body, but does not explain what this belt does for your abs, or how to use the belt. How is it supposed to be worn? Sitting on your hips or on your waist? How can the same upper body moves we used in the old workouts work the abs?

The 3-mile walk is a good variation on the Walk Away The Pounds 3-mile walk. If you're bored with the old set, give this one a try. It is not necessary to use the belt, you can always go without it.

I have used several of Leslie Sansone's walking programs, with weighted balls, stretchie, and the 4 mile power walk. They are all wonderfully invigorating, but I love the abs program the best. I never feel exhausted after completing the workout, and my whole body feels the blood flowing and the energy level rising. For years, I walked for 45 minutes a day outside, and on a treadmill in the long New England winter, listening to books on tape to keep the boredom away. But these workouts utilize the upper body as well as the lower, and really do get the endorphins flowing. Of course, being able to keep it up during the winter, and to vary the level among the the 1,2,3, and 4 mile walks is very helpful in terms of sustaining motivation. I am 57 years old, mother of three grown kids, and a bit overweight. This workout is helping with weight loss, but more importantly, my whole mind set has been improved by the exercise regimen, and I actually look forward to my workout session each day. I can't praise Leslie highly enough for her style-minimal chit chat, pleasant and sincere in her manner. Particularly for those who have had a hard time finding a program that sustains the will on a long term basis, this is the best!!

Even with its quirks, WATP for the Abs still works!


Ok, I've read a lot of the reviews, so I thought that my "2 cents" might help someone make the decision to invest or not invest in this set.

I bought the set-2 DVDs, one with the 1 and 2-mile and the other with the 3-mile. No belt came with my DVD set, but that was what I wanted since the other reviews discussed the belt's drawbacks and short lifespan.

Leslie's still her cute, talkative, and happy self. She keeps me motivated. The routines are simple, like everyone else has said, and my boy Randy is doing his thing in the back! The crew is mostly new to me, and they are not the most coordinated bunch. People, including Leslie, get offbeat or off of the correct foot. It is easy to get back in time, though.

I love the fact that with these DVDs I don't feel unpleasant cramps in my calves at the end from the lunge stretches that we do with the regular WATP videos. The squats are a great addition.

Now on to this belt. I use the 2-lb. weights from the original videos. They are heavier, but I'm fairly strong so I use them when Leslie uses the belt. People have talked about the belt breaking and everything. Check this out on the 2-mile DVD. Go to just before the 1/2-mile point. Look at the lady in the back on the right. Her name is Jo. Watch her. Does her belt break? I just noticed this today, and I use the 2-mile DVD on the regular! It was so funny. I was tempted to stop the DVD and watch it, but I figured that that would not be good for my body. SO, I went back and viewed it. A long piece of resistance cord hangs by her left side. It is so pitiful. She fumbles and fidgets with the belt and looks so defeated. Jo gets off beat and tries to adjust the stupid thing. At one point, she fakes it with one handle! Sometimes she uses both of them, with no cords. Then she pulls a Randy and just does the arm movement without the handles at all. By the time the full mile is reached, it looks as if she has a new belt. Oh and let's not talk about Wendy and the belt that engulfs her like a hula-hoop!

Alright, with all of that said, I still do the videos because I see and feel the results. Although other people may not notice, I notice and that's all that matters to me. I can feel when I haven't done the videos for a few days. My thighs feel like they get wider or something, and my stomach seems like it loses its firmness.

Check these videos out for yourself. If there's a way to borrow them from the library, try them at no cost to you. Even with its quirks, WATP for the Abs still works!

Leslie is the queen of walking workouts. Her tapes leave you with no excuse not to exercise. They are simple, you can do them at home rain or shine and they are quick.
I enjoy many of Leslie's tapes but found the Walk Away The Pounds for Abs tape to be less than her best.
The walks are Leslie's usual walks with easy movements, sidesteps, marches etc. This particular set includes a l mile, 2 mile or 3 mile walk on one DVD. A resistance belt, recipe cards and a small booklet with a suggested walking workout schedule. The problem is with the WATP's belt.
The tapes are marketed as walks that work your abs. You put a velcro belt around your waist and pull on the resistance bands attached to the belt. One band per arm. This does not work your abs at all. It works your arms. Sadly it also strains the muscles in your back. Not a good thing.
The ab belts are not well made and many folks have been sad to discover theirs have broken with just a few uses. To rectify this the manufacturer of the belt now makes them so the bands have a very light resistance. This way there is not a lot of tension on the bands, so they are less likely to break. Naturally, this also means your arms are not going to get a workout either.
You could do the workouts without the bands and just use light weights but why would you when Leslie offers so many other workouts to choose from.
Unless you want a sore back skip these tapes and select something else.

I PURCHASED THIS BOXED SET THINKING THAT THIS IS THE NEW "WALK AWAY THE POUNDS FOR ABS" SET -IT SAYS SO IN THE TITLE ANYWAY. I GOT THIS BOX WHICH CONTAINS ONLY 1 DVD AND 1 AB BELT. BUYER BEWARE! THE 1 DVD CONTAINS ALL OF THE WORKOUTS BUT THEY ARE ACTUALLY THE ORIGINAL WALK AWAY THE POUNDS SET! SO IF YOU ALREADY HAVE THE ORIGINAL WATP THEN DO NOT BUY THIS BOXED SET! IF YOU WANT TO BUY "WATP FOR ABS DVDS" - JUST BUY THE 2 SEPARATE DVDS (WHICH YOU WILL ALSO FIND HERE IN AMAZON) BECAUSE THOSE 2 SEPARATE DVDS ARE THE NEW WATP-ABS. THE BOX TITLE IS WRONG! IT SHOULD BE NAMED "WALK AWAY THE POUNDS-ORIGINAL EDITION" BECAUSE OF THIS BLUNDER, I GIVE IT 1 STAR!

I first discovered Leslie Sansone's workout videos at the local library. I tried them all and liked the walk away the pounds for abs the best. She does not incorporate any intensely difficult steps and she is a gentle but uplifting instructor. She has a fit but not perfect body and the music is "canned" but with good beats. Her laughter is infectious and her smile is warm. All these elements help me to put my DVD in and ENJOY the workout. My husband bought me the 3 DVD set with belt as a Valentine present - and I really like them. The ONLY regret I have is that the DVDs are not set up by chapters - I can't jump ahead to the cool down by clicking to it, I have to "fast forward" just like a video. That's unfortunate. Other than that, I like having all three "videos" on DVD so I can choose whatever I feel like doing. The belt is an easy way to add variety to the workout and I also use 1.5 lb hand weights when I'm feeling super strong. I have gone from 210 lbs to 177 eating healthy (NOT the Atkin's diet), smaller portions and exercising. Leslie Sansone's DVDs are a great investment for a beginner or a moderate exerciser. Good luck to everyone!

I've only been using her program for three weeks with no previous exercise and I love it. I've already lost 6 pounds and and a number of inches off my waist and feel firmer all over. I can do all of the steps with no modification and I was able to work my way up from the 1 mile to the 3 mile quickly. Now I sometimes will do the 1 mile with Walk The Walk for firming. Walk the Walk is not quite enough for me already.
I recommend this for anyone who is intimidated by exercise and wants to start off slow. The group of people she has with her are off all ages and sizes. Of course they are firm and not excessively overweight but not all are size 2 and look like models.

I have one problem with the set. I don't know how to use the belt and there were no instructions. I thought I bought a box that had been opened already and someone had taken the book (I bought it a year ago) and I could not take it back. As I read the other reviews I see that there are no instructions and she does not use the belt in her video. Buy the set with the Weighted Balls not the belt. Or you could do what I do and buy a an inexpensive set of 1,2,and 3 pound weights and interchange them and use them all the way through the program. ...

To all the beginners out there good luck and don't give up. I know how you feel.

Please note that some of the other reviews may be misleading because they got the wrong DVD. This was probably a manufacturer's error, so please do not base your decision on those mistakes, which have nothing to do with the video.

Mine has the correct DVD, in which Leslie shows you how to use the belt. My only complaint is the actual belt. Leslie goes on about how the fact that the belt is tight around your waist (yes, your waist, not your hips-- she makes that clear, I think) is enough to work your abs. Now I don't feel like I got an ab workout from this video. I also had a problem (please don't hate me) with the way the belt fits-- it is way too big for me! I am not a model, but I have a smaller than usual waist, and I have to pull it as tight the Velcro will close it and then tuck the slack in, which gets a little scratchy at times. Other than those complaints, though, the belt is great for arms. I never did the video with the weight ball, so I have nothing to compare it to, but I like the elastics.

Otherwise, I like this DVD a lot! I have not yet done the 3-mile (frankly, I don't have the time), but I LOVE the 2-mile workout. The 1-mile is good if you are out of shape, but for those who are slightly athletic, it is too easy. If you only have time to do a mile (15 minutes), then do the 1st or 2nd half of the 2-mile workout. The 2-mile workout is 30 minutes (and the 3-mile follows suit at 45 minutes), and it goes SO fast! Today I planned on doing half of the 2-mile and ended up doing the whole thing because it went so fast. This video has NO FANCY STEPS, I promise! If you can walk and do small kicks and knee lifts (which Leslie demonstrates), you can do this video. She never even does the "grapevine," a normal aerobic workout staple. This DVD is really great for those of us who have done boring and/or torturous workout videos only to retire them all too quickly.

As you may notice, I have reviewed a lot of Denise Austin tapes. I love Denise, but Leslie is a great change from her. So, Denise Austin haters, rejoice! Leslie is motivational without being overly enthusiastic or annoying. I like that there are a lot of other people (big change from Denise) of many shapes and sizes and that Leslie actually talks to them as opposed to their being decoration for the star of the show. She keeps the banter to a minimum, though, so as not to detract from the workout at hand. Leslie asks them how they feel as the video goes on, so you almost feel like you are in the room with them. It truly motivates me to put it back in and do it again the next day.

So even though I have my issues with the belt, some of which are due to my body type, I really think this is a great workout for both the upper and lower body. If you really want great abs, then I recommend any of Denise Austin's ab videos (10 minute segments are great).

ADDITION... I have since been doing the 3-mile segment daily for the past two weeks. I love it! It works so much more muscle than even the two-mile segment. Awesome, awesome awesome.

This is the fourth Leslie Sansone video I have bought and it is tough! I like how it combines aerobic-style exercise (but it is still walking!) with tummy toning. I noticed some people have reported some problems with the belt, but I haven't had any. I also noticed that my belt seems a little different than the one they are using in the video, so perhaps they have improved it.

Checkout my advice on how to make a resistance belt on the review for WATP for ABS 1 & 2 Mile DVD - it has worked fantastically over the 6 months or so since I bought WATP for Abs DVD's only . Being in Australia I was unable to buy the resistance belt so I had to make my own . Mine is so good that (a) it doesn't move , full stop , when you pull on the cords (b)have medium strength resistance cords give me a much better workout (c)won't break unless I cut the cords . This WATP for the ABs is my favourite workout as I like the music on it and I like working with the resistance cords - I prefer the resistance cords to the stretchie band thing . And I just love Leslie Sansone - all her workouts are so easy to follow that even a klutz like me ( I almost tripped whilst attempting a "grapevine" move) can keep up with it . Her DVDs are the only exercise ones that I do 3 to 5 times a week - I've just about given up on all the others like Kathy Smith who is just too fast for me .