Walk Strong 3: The Complete 8 Week Home Fitness Program for Women Ultimate DVD Collection [20 Workouts on 6 discs, wall calendar included]

I just finished Barefoot Cardio Core (BCC, disk 5) and I am blown away by how good it is! I also have Jessica's Walk the Weight Off 30 Day Plan, but this set takes exercising at home to the next level. I can't wait to complete the 8 week program in preparation for a visit to see my daughter and her family in Texas in June! I will be wearing swimsuits and want to tone up. This is what I love about Jessica in general and the BCC workout in particular: ~Her kind, cheerful personality and professional skills as an instructor ~Encouraging coaching comments ~Modified movements by her mom and a friend who work out with her ~Inspiring, uplifting music ~Beautiful scenery visible through the windows: a bay with boats, sky and beach ~Flowing yet challenging low impact movements ~I have fun while working up a sweat I was a 'gym rat' for about 30 years and finally could not take it any more! As Jessica said in this video, you don't need a treadmill to work up a sweat! I will never rely primarily on gym equipment again after experiencing her versatile and fun workouts! I first started exercising with Jessica with her awesome YouTube videos. She is extremely generous and kind to provide them for free, especially for those who cannot afford to purchase videos. Oh, and her delightful dog Peanut makes frequent guest appearances! However, Jessica's produced DVDs are even more enjoyable and effective. I have worked out consistently over the years with many instructors. Denise Austin, Leslie Sansone, and The Firm are some of my favorites. Jessica is *THE BEST* on all levels. Her DVDs have the highest ratings on Amazon.com among all fitness DVDs for good reason. Thank you, Jessica, for your excellent work!

Jessica has created another fantastic, well rounded, program in the Walk Strong series. But please take heed of her note that it isn't recommended for beginners. It is the next level up in the series and it is challenging. I am a woman in my mid 40s. I consider myself a moderate level exerciser. I don't like extreme workouts but I do like to challenge myself and spike up the intensity when I can. I exercise to keep fit and feel good (a flatter belly is a nice side effect) but I also exercise with a longer range goal in mind. I want to walk tall and strong for as long as possible, and keep my brain fit, as well as my body. So, to that end, I LOVE that Jessica incorporates balance work into nearly every workout, has moves that can challenge the mind, and has a variety of intensities and styles of workouts. I waited to write the review until I had done at least one workout from every DVD, but I have also watched all of them from start to finish. Disc 1: Foundations and Flexibility: I have done the Deep Stretch and I enjoyed it and found it relaxing and a good stretch. I tend to skip these because I average 5 days of exercise a week and don't want to miss a cardio or strength day, but I do need to make it a point to stretch. This is a good one. Foundations looks like it will be great for hitting the proper form and alignment but I'm not sure how often I'll repeat it. I'll do my best with Yoga Strength and Stretch because I find yoga a challenge. Disc 2: Cardio Cross Train: I have done 2 of these. I love cardio. I was suprised that she considered Cardio Step Jam a moderate workout at first because I love step aerobics and it can be vigorous. However, she alternates sections using the step with sections staying on the floor and it did keep it moderate. Cardio Hit! was a fun kickboxing workout and had some intervals in there that kept it challenging. I'll enjoy returning to this one. Boogie IT also is focused on intervals and looks like it will be fun but definitely keep my heart rate up there! Disc 3: Sculpt: I have only done Cardio Interval Sculpt thus far. Wow. It was intense! I had to pause the DVD half way through to catch my breath. Definitely don't do these without being sure your energy is at 100%! The same looks like it will be true for Metabolic Conditioning. Fun, intense, and not for days where my energy is waning. Barre Sculpt is a different kind of workout but I've learned in the past that barre work is no joke and I know my glutes and legs will be screaming. Disc 4: Strength: I did the Total Body workout today and learned where I could increase my weights and where I was just right. The laying down to standing or kneeling exercise at the end was deceptively difficult! What a functional exercise. The Lower Body uses the step if you wish and I can only imagine how tough it's going to be! The only negative that I have to say about the 3 workouts on this disc is that while she tells you about the drop set technique and that it's o.k. to drop down, none of them ever do. I think it would have been helpful to see one of them comment that they needed to and do so... to sort of give us extra permission and reassurance that it's o.k.. Disc 5: Fusion Mix: If you've loved her other fusion workouts, these won't disappoint. I did Tone & Flow and it was a lot of balance work and a good workout. I had tired shoulders and dropped my weights from my usual with her fusion workouts and I'm glad that I did! The Barefoot Cardio Core should be fun with the ball. Pilates & Yoga, I'm glad to alternate with the pilates because yoga usually drives me crazy. It's a goal to do yoga or stretch well at least once a week going forward, Disc 6: 15 Min Mix: These are great! I've done 3 of these so far. I've done the Total Stretch twice, Add On Abs and 1 Mile Motivation once. I think I'll use these quite often. I am a little on the fence about the set, only because I think at times, Jessica looked a tad washed out. But also bear in mind that I don't like to sit in a restaurant facing a window and looking at my companions because the contrast gives me a headache sometimes... so maybe I'm biased against people agaist a window. The ocean and palm tree are pretty. :) It was nice to have Debbie and Beth with microphones so we could hear them comment from time to time. One of my favorite parts of Walk Strong 2 series is hearing the interaction of Debbie and Jessica. I usually do a mix of fllowing Debbie and Jessica but I think that for these, I will be following Debbie a lot, so I'm grateful for her modifications. I will rarely be following Beth but she is inspiring to me and maybe I can amp it up some day! I plan to enjoy this series and get stronger and stronger, because I have a lot of room to grow. I'm grateful for this next step.

I own most of Jessica Smith’s dvds, (including Walk Strong 1 and 2) and this is my new favorite. The variety of workouts in this set is wonderful. The dvd that has 15 minute workouts is great for those days where you don’t have much time, or you don’t feel like doing a longer workout, but also to add on to another workout if you do have more time. The variety and number of workouts is what I like the most though. It keeps me from getting bored with this set. Before I purchased this set I had done the Walk Strong 1 and 2 again and timed it so that I would be finishing them up when I received this one. I was able to jump right into this one and I honestly feel this was the best one yet. I feel it is a progression from the previous sets, but some people will probably disagree with me on that. It’s just my personal opinion. After the eight weeks I do feel that my arms, legs and abdomen are more toned than they were before, even though I workout regularly and had just completed WS 1 & 2. I believe that you get out of a workout what you put into it, so if you really give this your all and do the drop set technique, there’s a good chance you’ll see a difference in strength and toning. I used 5, 8, 10 and 12 pound weights while doing this program. Also I increased my step from 1 riser to 2 about halfway through the program. Jessica also has a new calendar that is 6 weeks long and incorporates this set with her previous dvds that is free to download, so you can continue on after the 8 weeks and continue to utilize her previous releases. There are modifications shown to make the exercises easier or harder, but if you are new to exercising I would start with one of her other dvds first. Also if you have any medical issues you might want to check with your doctor or watch previews before purchasing as there is floor work, lunges and squats in these workouts. I got a lot out of this set and I’m glad I purchased it.

I really enjoy Jessica's workouts and probably have most of them. She is an excellent motivator and she really knows how to bring new moves to so many workouts. All of the other workouts I have of hers are a clear five stars. Oddly this most expensive collection is good but has some disappointing features. One other rater noted that she sometimes works too fast. I have to agree with that. If you're on the floor and have to get up, why not do it more slowly and not like a rabbit. The exerciser end up losing some of the movements when getting up, especially if you are a bit older and slower. Most of the actual workouts are great, however, i think she overuses the flat on the belly position which is awkward at best but can be painful as well. Loved the first disc which had the foundation and the deep stretch, The yoga workout should have a disclaimer as the first part was more on the advanced level. One of the first cardio workouts had Debbie doing high impact alternatives. I thought she was supposed to be the one performing low impact. All in all, I think this set is great with a few minor exceptions. One other rater mentioned that the set came in broken. The cassette on my set does not close and pops open no matter how hard I try to close it. I still really love Jessica's workouts. I just hope she takes some hints on improving some of the moves.

I'm new to Jessica Smith's workouts, but have fallen in love with her upbeat personality and cheery workouts this past year. This new set is fantastic! So far, I've only done two of the workouts, but I've previewed the workouts and already love the set and know I'll use it a lot. Just be warned that although it's called Walk Strong 3, it's actually a program that also includes other types of cardio workouts -- not just walking -- and strength and flexibility sessions. That being said, it's a very inclusive program, and the combination of cardio, strength, and stretching workouts make for a well-rounded and thorough program. As a bit of background on my workout habits, I've always considered myself to be an advanced exerciser (my favorite instructors/workouts have been Cathe Friedrich, Tonique, Dream Body, 21 Day Fix Extreme, etc.), but as I've gotten older those more intense workouts exhaust me, and so I've cut back to doing pilates and walking workouts. Jessica's workouts have been just what I've needed, and I always feel good after doing them. Here are some general things to know about the set: * it comes with an eight-week calendar that breaks down which workouts to do each day * there are two modifiers in most of the workouts -- one (Jessica's mom) who does modified moves and one (Beth) who does more advanced moves * you'll need a mat, a chair, a small ball, and some weights (both heavy, medium, and light) in order to do the workouts * two of the workouts use a half-step, but you can do them without one * there is an on-screen countdown timer for all of the workouts, so you know how much time is remaining * the thirty-minute workouts include the warmup and cool down; each one, though, flows right into the cool down, so you may need to take a bit longer to stretch afterwards since the stretch is pretty brief * the set is bright and cheery, and it's really easy to see all the movements that each exerciser does At the start of each workout, a screen will appear that shows you what equipment you'll need for that workout. For the eight weeks, you're doing one workout a day, with one active rest day. The calendar also notes that you can add on any of the fifteen-minute workouts to your schedule, and also encourages you to add on as many of the stretch workouts as you can throughout the week. Some of the workouts are labeled on the calendar as more moderate to higher intensity, whereas others are listed as moderate intensity. There is also a note on the calendar that you can mix in other Walk Strong workouts to change things up a bit. (I have to say, too, that I love the fact that this set comes with a printed, glossy calendar. I hate that many programs nowadays make you download and then print your own calendar since my printer isn't that great. This one is sleek and large.) If you order the program on DVD here on Amazon, the set comes with six DVDs and twenty workouts: * DISK 1 -- Foundations and Flexibility * Introduction -- Welcome to the Program! * Foundations -- Review of form pointers before jumping into the program (30 minutes) * Deep Stretch -- Focuses on flexibility and increasing range of motion (30 minutes) * Yoga Strength + Stretch -- Focuses on core and yoga moves (30 minutes) * DISK 2 -- Cardio Cross Train * Cardio Step Jam -- Moderate-level cardio workout; Jessica uses a step, but you can do it without one (30 minutes) * Boogie I.T. -- Cardio workout with timed intervals ("I.T." stands for "interval training"); (30 minutes) * Cardio HIIT -- Kickboxing intervals (30 minutes) * DISK 3 -- Sculpt * Metabolic Conditioning -- Uses metabolic intervals; Jessica uses a high step for this one, but you can do the workout without a step (30 minutes) * Cardio Interval Sculpt -- Combines cardio intervals with strength segments (30 minutes) * Barre Sculpt -- Barre-style total-body workout (30 minutes) * DISK 4 -- Strength * Total Body -- Uses compound moves to work the entire body (30 minutes) * Upper Body -- Uses heavier weights to focus on the upper body and core (30 minutes) * Lower Body -- Uses heavier weights to focus on the legs and core (30 minutes) * DISK 5 -- Fusion Mix * Barefoot Cardio Core -- low-impact cardio (30 minutes); this one uses the playground ball with low-impact moves to really target your abs/core * Tone + Flow -- barefoot workout that uses lighter weights (30 minutes) * Pilates + Yoga -- mix of yoga and pilates moves (30 minutes) DISK 6 -- 15-Minute Fix (each of these workouts is 15 minutes long) * 1-Mile of Motivation -- one-mile walk * Total Body Training -- total-body strength workout * Streamline Sculpt -- uses one dumbbell to work the entire body, but with an emphasis on the core * Add on Abs -- focuses on the core * Total Stretch -- a total-body stretch workout I really appreciate that Jessica is still putting out DVDs for those of us who prefer them over streaming workouts or downloads. The DVDs come shipped in a case that holds them all, and little square pieces of foam are even put in between each element to make sure that the DVDs don't slip out in transit. As mentioned earlier, this new program is really well-rounded, and incorporates all of the elements of a complete program. I'll update my review with results as I get farther into the program, but, for now, I'll just say that this is another fantastic set by Jessica. She's a kind, motivating instructor, and doing one of her workouts is always enough to get me out of a funk and brighten my day! Happy exercising!

I love this set, it's a great moderate-to-moderately challenging series that you can make more challenging with the add-ons. Jessica Smith is an excellent instructor as well as being a trainer and it shows as she is very good at reminding viewers how to maintain form, what positions they should be in and these DVDs demonstrate three levels of fitness instruction at once. It's all joint friendly and is working well within lighter weight ranges, so all of the workouts are appropriate for a wide age-range. For all that the exercises are largely low-impact in the different programs, it's plenty challenging. I do a huge variety of workouts and have followed Jessica on FB and youtube for years. I bought these thinking I wouldn't get a lot of use out of them and just trying to support her endeavors, however, I was wrong, these are fun and definitely have a place in my workout routine. The Metabolic Conditioning workout is particularly challenging for higher levels of fitness. There's a lot of variety represented in these workouts so there's something for everyone and despite the name, these are not merely walking workouts.

First I want to say, I think this is one of, if not THE best system Jessica has put together. The workouts I was able to access I enjoyed, thought were effective & definitely I had room for growth/advancement. With that said, my DVD's don't always work. I can do a workout on a particular disc one day & the next day it comes up, "Cannot play this disc". By the time I discovered this, I couldn't send it back for a refund or replacement. I tried SEVERAL other DVD's & they all worked, so it's not the player. I've had the same issues with her DVD's before....not all, some. I even got an email once about how it was recorded/format etc that they weren't working. If anyone from her company is reading this.....I'd love to get a set that works properly ALL the time.

This is an amazing workout series. It has a little of everything, cardio, strength, barre, yoga, pilates, fusion... The quality is great. The set is beautiful, and Jessica picked really good music. The workouts are effective and fun. Those 30 minutes pack a punch, when you are done, you feel worked out. And another plus is that she doesn't forget the core and incorporates it into every workout. There is zero dread factor. Here is a more thorough breakdown of how I felt about each workout: Cardio Step Jam - Really like it. The moves aren't complicated, and doing the workout with 2 risers gives me a good workout...my legs feel it! Boogie I.T. - This is the only workout I'm not a fan of. The moves feel awkward to me. But 1 out of 20 is not bad! Cardio Hit! - I love this one. The music is good. The kickboxing is great, as always great form! Metabolic Conditioning - This one is tough! It kicks my butt, but in a good way. It's the best combination of cardio and strength. Cardio Interval Sculpt - This one is sneaky. It doesn't feel too hard when doing it, but my whole body feels it for a couple of days. I really like it. Barre Sculpt - I liked this one a lot. It was very unique. The moves were quite different...fresh, and I got a good workout. Total Body - This is a very effective and thorough workout. It hits every muscle group...in 30 minutes! Lower Body - I love this one. The time flies by, and I'm able to go really heavy, because she keeps the moves slower. She also gives active recoveries with no weights, which allows me to stretch out my hands. Upper Body - Excellent workout! There are some new moves/combos. Things are a bit different from other workouts, one of them is we start on the floor with chest work. I would say it’s not just effective, it’s fresh. The music was awesome. Loved it! Barefoot Cardio Core - This one is quite nice. I feel like it gives a good core workout. Tone + Flow - Excellent workout! I used a couple of sets of dumbbells, but I stayed light (5 - 8 lbs). Compound moves done as a barefoot fusion flow. Pilates + Yoga - Really liked this one as well. It incorporated some of the best moves from Yoga and Pilates. Foundations - I didn’t do this one, I watched it. It’s a great introduction for a beginner, showing form and tips for various exercises. Deep Stretch - Really enjoy this one. It’s not rushed, we just go from move to move, using a pillow/rolled up towel to assist us. Yoga Strength + Stretch - Really good yoga practice - deep and relaxing. I really enjoy it. The 15-minute videos include: 1-Mile of Motivation, Total Body Training, Streamline Sculpt, Add on Abs, Total Stretch. These are really good. I like to do these as a 2nd workout in the afternoon.