Core de Force Week 1: THIS PROGRAM IS AWESOME!!!! Ok, review is over.
Just kidding!!! 😉
Ok, but really, this program is really awesome. No equipment needed means you can do these workouts anywhere (which I am really looking forward to when I travel in a few weeks), and the focus is on cardio and body weight exercises – a nice change of pace from my last few programs. The program is scheduled for 30 days, with different workouts every day and an active recovery day every 7th day, in my case on Sundays. The week 1 schedule looked like this:
Monday- MMA Speed
Tuesday- Dynamic Strength
Wednesday- MMA Speed
Thursday- Power Sculpt
Friday- MMA Shred
Saturday- Dynamic Strength
Sunday- Active Recovery
As for the workouts themselves, I really enjoyed them all. MMA Speed was the first workout and was only 27 minutes, including warm-up and cool down. The entire program is based off of 3 minute rounds, inspired by martial art matches, and MMA Speed had 6 3-minute rounds. Each round is a repetition of a move, or a combo of moves, for 60 seconds followed by a 30 second spike and then repeated. This one was pretty basic, but was a great starter workout. Each of the MMA workouts include a 4 minute “Learn the moves” video which breaks down all of the moves slowly and helps you learn them correctly, so literally anyone can do this. Max heart rate: 173 bpm, Average heart rate: 145 bpm, Calories burned: 226.
Dynamic Strength was less about cardio and more about body weight exercises, including a million variations of push-ups. Ok, not a million, but you get the idea. The workout was 47 minutes starting with a warm-up, 12 3-minute rounds, and a cool down. The first 6 rounds consisted of 3 different 60-second moves each round (some were repeats of the same moves, but on both left and right sides), and the second 6 rounds was a repeat with added difficulty if you are able. As with any other program, every move has a modifier. This was challenging, but definitely doable, and I was still drenched when finished. Max heart rate: 157 bpm, Average heart rate: 112 bpm, Calories burned: 301.
MMA Shred was very similar to MMA Speed, except a little longer and slightly more difficult. 37 minutes beginning with warm-up, 9 3-minute rounds (60 seconds move, 30 seconds spike, 60 seconds move, 30 seconds spike), and then a cool down. The moves in this one included more combos and brought in new elbow strikes and kicks. I really liked this one, because the combos make you feel like a total badass. Max heart rate: 176 bpm, Average heart rate: 151 bpm, Calories burned: 354.
Power Sculpt was very similar to Dynamic Strength and was less cardio, more body weight moves. 36 minutes of warm-up, 9 3-minute rounds, and a cool down. The warm-up and cool down have been the same in all of the workouts – short and sweet. I definitely think the moves in this one were harder than Dynamic Strength, but that is just personal opinion. Don’t worry though, this one includes a million push-ups as well. 😉 Max heart rate: 174 bpm, Average heart rate: 151 bpm, Calories burned: 305.
Core Kinetics was pretty rough for me. I have an issue with my left hip that a lot of these moves really activates so I struggled even to do the modifier for a couple of them. It is 16 minutes long, and DEFINITELY works the core. I should probably see a doc about this issue, but until then, I just do what I can and substitute something different if I have to. I am hoping this will get easier.
Active Recovery was really nice. 21 minutes that was split essentially into 2 halves. The first half was very slowed down versions of most of the moves in the MMA workouts to get more practice, muscle memory, etc. and the second half was light stretching. Amazing. I needed it!!!! 😊 Max heart rate: 142 bpm, Average heart rate: 112 bpm, Calories burned: 134.
There is also a 5 minute Relief workout that you are supposed to do every night before bed (extra stretching I assume), but I have to be honest and admit that I haven’t done it at all. Oops! 🙊
The nutrition part of the program is very similar to all of the others and utilized the container system, featured in 21 Day Fix. From my starting weight, I was put into Plan B, which is the second tier of container amounts. I believe I am supposed to stick to this plan the whole 30 days, even if I start losing weight. It will only take a few pounds of weight loss before I would be put into Plan A, but I plan on sticking with Plan B this round. I am actually finding a renewed sense of good eating habits and have done pretty excellent so far in my choices. I have meal planned and prepped for week 1 and 2, and only deviated from plan a few times. My scale broke after day 1 though (a sign maybe?!?!), so I haven’t been able to weigh myself since then. I can’t decide if it is a good thing or a bad thing, so I am just rolling with it for now and having faith in the program. I feel like my clothes are fitting a little better though, so that is encouraging!
Core de Force recommends in week 2 adding an extra serving of fruit every day, in week 3 keeping that extra fruit and adding an extra healthy fat, and then going back to regular portions and losing the extra fruit/fat in week 4 to prevent a plateau. I am already eating a lot of food and actually feeling pretty good, so I think this will be a little hard for me, but I am going to try to just have some frozen fruit before bed as a treat for the next 2 weeks.
My challenge group is absolutely kicking ass, and I am so proud of the other girls in the group. We are all posting sweaty selfies and sharing recipes and encouraging each other. It is seriously the best environment ever, and honestly is keeping me super accountable. Overall, I absolutely love this program. The trainers, Joel and Jericho, are both super sweet and really good at their jobs. The workouts are fun and literally destroy calories, and actually go by very quickly. I got spoiled after 22 Minute Hard Corps, and sometimes when I see the workout times of over 30 minutes I cringe a little, but it is actually not too bad.
I am already into week 2, and I am really looking forward to finishing this week out strong even though Thanksgiving is on Thursday. I plan on indulging a little that day, but not going overboard. Easier said than done, but I believe I can do it, and I am so thankful for Chris who encourages me to do what is right for me and doesn’t give me hell. More updates to come later.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!