No ripping, tearing or shreding, it's Jessica Smith!

[KikiMadeMeDoIt]

Welcome to the Jessica Smith fitness thread, which came about after conversations about a more gentle way to get fit.

Jessica is a fitness instructor who has had her own problems with starting exercise, but thankfully she did get started and kept going. I found her videos when I was desperate to exercise but didn't have a clue how to start, so I feel a special affection for her.

Jessica has videos on her YouTube channel for everyone - she has sections for beginners, pre-natal mothers and those who want to sweat like crazy for 50 minutes, it's all there.

I thought we could share favourite videos here, encourage each other, or join in with our own Peanuts (well, you'll just have to watch!).

To get us started, here's one of my favourites

Rain stopped me running tonight so decided to do a longer Jessica vid.

Chose . Absolutely loved it, perfect mix of cardio but also ab specific stuff at the end. I've got a right sweat on!

Ooh, haven't tried that yet. I did the 40 minute flat abs walk on Friday and that was a toughy, but really good.

Think my abs are getting there now but bum and thighs needing attention!

What's veen nice this weekend is getting to grips with how she structures her exercises now, what to expect, how to do the various moves properly.

BetterFeet I have a FitBit Charge and it's fairly accurate (although it didn't recognise Barre class as a workout even though I was glowing like a horse). I was surprised at the amount of steps in the walking workout (although the title should have given me a tiny clue). I'm going to try and find the insane plié, normal and sumo squat and lunge video - there were hundreds of the things, I can't remember the title, but I'll have a look when I get a couple of paragraphs written.

Barre is super tough - loads of plié squats into relevés - I'm 50 and have never danced in my life, but I still channel my inner ballerina and it's the most fun, proper giggling fun. My walk home starts off with a small hill and I have to encourage my legs step by step - but my legs are geting so strong and toned, it's really worth it.

ItsNice I love this thread because people are doing the Jessicas I can't - I never got to grips with yoga or kickboxing. I might give kickboxing another try as my knees are much stronger than they used to be. I flicked through the video and was just going to say I'd give it a go later, then I saw the sitting down kicky things - I may pass on this one. I did an early morning run today, my first for absolutely ages, so I'm allowed a quiet day now.

Hello, jumping on from a thread in chat, thanks for the invitation Kiki

I did cardio flow workout this morning, worked up a fair sweat as I am quite unfit!

Kiki that sounds like an interesting video! Look forward to seeing it!!

Yesterday I did this one: Lower Body Circuit. I have some heavier dumbells arriving imminently so tomorrow I'm planning on Stepping Strength.

Today I tried Stride & Strength: It's a good one which felt like it covered off the whole body! Need a resistance band.

I will see if I can rig up my DH's old fitbit as I'm intrigued to see how many steps I might do (otherwise I do very few!).

Hello Pixie well done for getting started. I don't think you have to be unfit for that one to make you sweat, it's not the easiest one. Keep going - in case you feel a bit stiff tomorrow there are some nice stretchy videos.

BetterFeet I can't find it. I'm going to have to do what I've always wanted and do every video from the start (obviously asking for help for yoga ones).

In lieu of really hard leg video I offer this one. It's the closest I can see to an actual Barre class Or this one if time is an issue or you're just bored with being able to bend without going, "Oooof,"

Took a quick scan of the Barre one - you are obviously trying to kill me!!

Thanks for the tip! I found a nice stretchy on and bounced out of bed at 6:45 to do it! Unheard of.

I'll try some of this later if I can persuade the toddler to nap!

BetterFeet I'm going to have to do it myself, aren't I? (Then drag my tired body here and prove it's liveable)

Pixie That is amazing! Well done (in lieu of really cool medal). How do you feel today?

Hello Joinourclub Good luck, let us know how you get on.

Tonight's the night, Kiki!

Pixie that's very impressive. Not sure anything could get me up earlier than I need to be. I bet it was nice to have achieved something first off.

BetterFeet sadly not - I had to go out this afternoon (after long walk this moning) and got all hot and annoyed so I just did Armed and Dangerous. I will do it, promise, just not today. Now I feel bad (not bad enough to do it, somewhat bad).

Um, what is happening. I got up and just did her video.

I am enjoying choosing a video or two the night before that I think will work with what else I have to do the next day and not leave me completely banjaxed. So far so good.

What on earth is Armed and Dangerous? It's not JS, is it?

The full length barre was great - so tough though and it's always difficult without a mirror (or someone there) to know if you've got the right form.

Pixie absolutely! I'm kind of enjoying the planning what to do, as much as the actual doing!

I'm going to do later possibly with .

Hello Pixie That looks really interesting - I'm off out now, but will try and have a go when I get home.

BetterFeet It's this one Arms are feeling it today - not sore, just trained. Did you do the barre?? Man, you lot are running rings around me

I did the Barre! I had some coordination issues, let's just leave it at that....

I did a proper laugh at that - only because in Barre class when we're getting to the end of the balances you can hear loads of, "Oops, sorry, don't mind me," where people are wobbling into/onto others' mats. It's perfectly normal

Well done for even attempting it (I still haven't done it - in my defence, I finished my disertation on Monday and I've just got my head down revising for the final exam, so I'm allowing myself some leeway).

I'm certainly nowhere near an athlete, but you really get a sense of how much strength a ballerina must have to have the amount of control to be so graceful, IYSWIM?

Sounds like you've got a good 'excuse' for not getting on with it then! I expect better things after the exam!!

Managed the Stepping Strength - I am going to feel it tomorrow with having got a heavier set of weights - but couldn't do the abs work. I'm going to combine it with a walk tomorrow.

Up again and did a total something. It was good. Light weights, 18 minutes.

Looking for an abs focused workout that is not too hard. My abs are weak and I don't want to hurt my back, and a lot of the 'abs blast' type workouts I see are fairly uncontrolled and go into quite hard work very quickly. 2 c sections and years of illness mean I need to build up gradually!

BetterFeet Let me know how the muscles feel today, that one looks like it's quite hard work. What size weights are you using? I've got 1k for the really light stuff, 3k for most things and 4.5/5k for the big leg moves. I have to spend lots of time practising writing so that I don't get cramp after three hours of it - must do some gentle forearm work

Hi Pixie I love that description, so already so blasé How about some walking abs work? They're designed to get you used to switching the abs on in everyday life - something you don't really get from lying down and doing crunches. Have a look or

Or this one There's a lot of balance work which challenges the core and it helps with posture which I think always makes you feel a bit better.

Not too bad at all, bit achy but I like to think perhaps the last few weeks' of activity have made me a bit more robust?!

I was using 4KG for heavy set and 2KG for light. Nothing major, yet.

You should do that forearm stretch she does, the praying position, side to side! With a bit of a step-tap of course .

Just did the dance walk plus waistline work (where she's by the pool). It was pretty advanced stuff actually. I might give some of the walking abs stuff a go too actually.

Pixie is on it this week!

Hi everyone, just been invited to join this thread, which is really great.
So the videos I have tried are:
The Best Beginner Workout, really like
HIIT for Beginners, again really enjoyed.
30 Minute Power Walk Interval, didn't get on with this one and then, finally
The 12 minute power walk which was ok.
Thanks for this thread guys, I really like her approach and the variety there is to try.

That's interesting, Shameless - what put you off the Power Walk Interval? I haven't tried it but is on my 'Watch Later' list.

Was the HIIT for Beginners challenging on the joints, ie jumping etc? Managed to get a slight injury recently courtesy of some jumping jacks!

Hello all. I was planning on my Firday Barre class but it's been cancelled so I may have to do one of BetterFeet's really hard ones . I've done the Metabolic Conditioning - it's not the easiest video ever