Three Fitness Icons

The names Leslie Sansone, Denise Austin and Kathy Smith are synonymous with fitness.  These ladies have been producing fitness DVDs and books for decades.  Denise and Leslie are now in their fifties, and Kathy is 61!  Even so, none of them are slowing down.  Let their longevity inspire you to try one of their  books or DVDs.

Leslie is the queen of in-home walking.  Perfect for the person just getting off the couch, Leslie has an upbeat, encouraging personality.  Her DVDs are based on walking a 15 minute mile, but in addition to walking, you will perform moves such as knee lifts and “side-to-sides.”  If walking is your passion, then Leslie will give you the workout you’ll love.  Her latest DVD gives you 5 days of easy-to-follow workouts.  Each day you'll walk from 1 to 5 miles, and a short toning sequence will tone a specific muscle group.

You may remember Denise from her long-running exercise show on ESPN.  Denise has a more diverse range of workouts, from boot camp to Pilates to cardio.  She has that “girl next door” quality that will make you feel as if you are working out with a friend.  Her "3 Week Boot Camp" will put you through intervals of toning and cardiovascular training.  It includes two workouts to alternate during your three weeks of training.  Each workout is around 20 minutes, so can fit into your busy schedule.

Kathy Smith is an awesome example that remaining fit can also help you maintain a youthful appearance.   Kathy is meticulous about demonstrating proper form.  Try Kathy if you want a good foundation for working out with weights.  You will learn form as well as the function of the exercises you are performing.  Her newest is a kettlebell workout.  With her twenty-five minute tutorial, you'll learn everything you need to work out safely and successfully with this piece of equipment.

These three ladies prove that we can stay fit as we get older.  There are many "one hit wonders" in the fitness industry, but these ladies have stood the test of time.