P90X vs ChaLean Extreme
I keep hearing people ask which program is better, P90X or ChaLean Extreme? That’s like asking which parent is more influential in a child’s life. Which parent is more influential and which program is better depends on an individual’s unique experiences and views.
I personally believe that any fitness regimen will help you lose weight and improve health, so what you must do is find something that you will do consistently. After over 25 years of gym memberships and putting together a home gym second to none, I finally discovered Beachbody fitness workout programs actually do more to keep me motivated, accountable and consistent (see my story).
I am a P90X graduate and appreciate the discipline it takes to dedicate an average of one hour per day, six days a week to a strenuous fitness routine and follow an eating plan that is almost alien to most American families. Although I have heard people say that Tony Horton’s quirky comments grate on their nerves after a while, I found them to be motivating. By the way, if Tony’s antics get on your nerves, you can turn off his voice prompts. You can even turn off the music and play your own tunes.
As a woman, I think ChaLean Extreme is bringing me better results. With an average of around 35 minutes per workout, Chalene’s routines are easier to fit into a busy lifestyle. The workout schedule is set up for five days out of the week instead of six. That worked better for me. Unlike Turbo Jam, ChaLean Extreme is based on strength training with three days of weight lifting and two days of cardio.
By the end of my second month of P90X, I was starting to get bored. At the 60 day mark of ChaLean Extreme, I was looking forward to starting the Lean Phase. I was already starting to think of how I would continue working out with ChaLean Extreme after my first round was completed.
P90X involves a countless number of pushups and pull ups. I was starting to get good at most of the variations of pushups (even on my toes) but I was only able to get my chin above the bar one time by the end of my P90X journey.
There are no pull ups (zero) in the ChaLean Extreme program. Chalene uses rows and core exercises to strengthen the back muscles. I can see a difference in the definition of my back muscles since using Chalene’s program.
As far as pushups? Yes, you will do push ups in the ChaLean Extreme program, but it is a reasonable amount. The most you will do at one time is twelve. You do them pretty slow, so do not be surprised if you find yourself doing most of them from your knees.
I love talking about the P90X Extreme Home Fitness System and ChaLean Extreme exercise programs. I want you to choose a program that will keep you motivated and working out. If you need a boot camp, train with P90X. That is what I needed to get my butt in gear. If you do not like push ups and pull ups, train with ChaLean Extreme. You questions and comments on either of these programs are welcome.
Doubling Up ChaLean Extreme Workouts
I am sitting here writing this post trying to recover from Chalene the Machine – huh, I mean my ChaLean Extreme workout. I missed a few workout days. I will not make excuses. Sometimes, it is work or family or friends. Sometimes, the weather gives us spring fever. Sometimes, we are sincerely sick or otherwise physically incapacitated. The bottom line is most of us do not work a perfect program.
To get the results we want, we need to push ourselves. We need to follow our fitness plan as closely as possible. If we miss a day, we need to double up and catch up right? Although this may help out with guilt. We may be setting our bodies up for injury and failure by trying to double up workout sessions with programs such as P90X and ChaLean Extreme.
These programs are designed to challenge your capabilities with each sesssion. I was thinking about this today as I moved through my Get Lean Intervals routine. At first, my shoulders burned. Later, my butt and thigh muscles screamed. I thought about doubling up and trying to do Push Circuit 1 after this workout. I came to my senses when as each muscle in my body was pushed without trying to lift heavy on top of it.
Push Circuit 1 has a lot of bicep, tricep and leg exercises in it. Although my arm muscles were not overworked, I am sure my leg muscles need some recover following Get Lean Intervals. My crazy mind then jumped to Push Circuit 2. That would not work either as it focuses on shoulders (ouch!), back, and legs. Ok, you get the picture.
Muscle recovery is crucial for increasing muscle strength and endurance. If the muscle tissue does not have a chance to recovery, it cannot work as hard the next time. If I try to double up on a ChaLean Extreme workout without a recovery period, I will not be able to push myself the way I should to get the results I want.
I do sometimes double up when I have a day off from work. I might do one ChaLean Extreme fitness routine in the morning and another one in the evening. This gives my body a little bit of time to recovery in between.
If you want to double up two workouts together in one day, try to add a cardio from another Beachbody program, take a walk, jump on an elliptical or treadmill in addition to one of the ChaLean Extreme strength training circuits. I do not advise trying to double up on Chalene’s workouts though. The cardio workouts use interval training that incorporates the whole body and works the muscles to increase endurance.
I think a lot of thought went into how the workout sessions are scheduled. I think I will try to follow the program as closely as possible. When I fall off track, I will get back into action. I will try to remember every day to do something to keep myself moving. I will blog to keep my self accountable and maybe even encourage someone else to push play.
What Is Your Favorite ChaLean Extreme Home Fitness Workout?
I am considering the question of what ChaLean Extreme home fitness workout I like the best. I like the feeling of power I get when I am done working my biceps in Push Ciruit 1. I like the relaxed, fully stretched feeling I enjoyed after Dynamic Flow Yoga. I even like the burn in my butt after Push Ciruit 3 but only because I know this home workout program is working!
Since I started using Beachbody fitness programs, I enjoy my workout at home more than ever. I have a lot of workout equipment and machines in our house as we have built a solid home gym over the course of 10+ years. I thought equipment was the answer to my distaste for gyms and lack of results I experienced…primarily due to my own inconsistency and lack of knowledge.
ChaLean Extreme is a great women workout. As a woman, I am seeing better results with ChaLean Extreme than I did with P90X. I struggled with pull ups all the way through P90X. My back looks great now, thanks to Chalene Johnson.
My workout schedule is only five days in length rather than six. The
workout routines are only about thirty five minutes in length rather than about an hour. Sure, I modify my schedule to fit “life”, but I have find I stick to the general essence of the program. I am seeing results and will post a pic sometime around the end of May when I officially complete the whole program.
Oh, by the way, I really like Get Lean Intervals. That could actually be my favorite Chalene Extreme Home fitness workout. I guess I like any routine that challenges me, makes me feel like I am getting closer to my goals, and does not totally tear me up.
I finished Push Circuit 1 just before starting this post. My biceps still have a slight burn. I wonder if my biceps and triceps will be a little sore tomorrow.
Have you started ChaLean Extreme? If you are researching this home exercise video program, I can honestly give it two thumbs up. Contact me with your questions. Save 10% as a club member. Save 25% as a coach. Free account for free fitness tools and a coach to help you along.
Dynamic Flow Yoga
I have a new love hate relationship with one of my Beachbody workouts. It is called Dynamic Flow Yoga. It is one of the additional programs that can be purchased for ChaLean Extreme. It is just under forty minutes, so it is quite a bit shorter than P90X Yoga X. I think Chalene was trying to make this workout as grueling as Yoga X though. She designed it to be done with weighted gloves!
I have never heard of doing yoga with weighted gloves, and I did not know what to expect so I did my first round without the gloves. I think I will actually go through another round without adding the weight.
Chalene combines yoga and pilates. I liked the focus she puts on breathing. This is one of the things that I think was missing in P90X Yoga X. Tony would remind you to breathe, but if you are new to yoga, you have no clue as to when to breathe in or out.
I felt like I was playing my P90X dvd when we starting going from plank, to chattaranga, to upward facing dog, to downward facing dog….move the right foot up between your hands and into warrior 1. That was really the only time I smiled during this routine.
There was one fantastic back stretch that was new to me. You lay face down similar to superman in P90X Synergistics, but you have your arms and legs wide forming an X shape. Then, you pull your arms back like a parchute jumper does in a jump and bend your knees while pulling up your legs and crossing your feet at the ankles. Every muscle in your back is stretched. Nice.
Each exercise seemed to have a standard yoga element (i.e. warrior 1 or warrior 2) modified with pilates breathing and arm movements challenged your shoulder, rotator cuff, and tricep muscles. I felt my shoulders even without the added weight.
If you have P90X but not ChaLean Extreme, I recommend getting this add on routine to supplement or occassionally replace your Yoga X routine. It will give you some additional variety, keep you stretched, and not beat up on you like 92 minutes of Tony style power yoga can do.
This is definitely a tougher routine than the Recharge yoga workout that comes with the basic program. I cannot really compare it Tony’s One on One Patience Hummingbird. The styles are totally different.
I do think that when it comes to yoga, it is a good idea to have a few workouts on hand. Variety in your flexibility routines is as important to consistency and results as having variety in your strength, core, and cardio training.
Lifted Heavy Today – ChaLean Extreme
I lifted heavy today working out with Beachbody’s Chalene Johnson and her awesome Push Circuit 3 strength training routine from ChaLean Extreme. As with all of Chalene’s weight lifting routines in this program, Push Circuit 3 consisted of nine different exercises along with some breakdown sets.
This workout targeted the legs, chest, and back. My back muscles are screaming right now as I write this post. Chalene constantly pushes you to lift heavy enough during this phase to fail between six and eight repetitions. That sounds easy, huh? Well, Chalene’s reps are slower than any I have ever done working out in the gym.
Lifting weights slowly and with purpose causes you to do a few things. First, your mind is totally focused on the muscle that you are lifting. When you pull weights in a rowing exercise for instance, your mind is on the muscles flexing your shoulder blades together. In the past when I have used a pulley system or back machines for rowing, I thought about my hands gripping the weight, my arms pulling the resistence and depending on the rowing machine, I might have even used the momentum of my upper body to force the weight back. Ugh!
That brings to mind the second reason I have learned that lifting slowly is helpful. When you lift slowly, you visualize perfect form in your mind’s eye. You can be your own personal coach and ensure your back is straight and your shoulders are up throughout the pulling movement.
The third reason that just comes to mind without even thinking is your muscle fibers stay engaged (contracted) for a longer period of time. Chalene teaches you to hold at the top of a movement and not to let the weight come all the way to a rest at the bottom of the movement. That means the muscle you are exercising works harder because it stays engaged not only through a single rep but through the entire exercise.
There are many lifting techniques out there. There are numerous exercise programs, exercises, and trainers. Pick up a copy of Muscle and Fitness or Fitness Magazine and you cannot help but agree that the variety in fitness training keeps them publishing new material month after month.
I like Tony Horton’s famous words in P90X. He said that we should keep mixing it up to create muscle confusion. When our muscles adapt to their current workload, they need something to change to continue to get stronger. In ChaLean Extreme, Chalene teaches that “muscle burns fat”. She wants you to go heavy to keep the workload changing as your muscles get stronger.
I love both P90X and ChaLean Extreme. They are so alike and so different. I saw results with Tony Horton. I am seeing results with Chalene Johnson. Muscle does burn fat. Muscle confusion is important. Keep pressing play!
Workouts Mar 28 – Apr 3
I am a little late in posting my workout routine from last week. I guess this is because I had just recently decided to post each workout to keep myself accountable and to show my readers that workout schedules can be modified to fit into your lifestyle. We are not a 9-5 society anymore. Most of either work some sort of shift work or have some in the family who does. Here is what I did last week:
Sunday – ChaLean Extreame Burn Circuit 3 and Tony Horton’s One on One Cardio Confusion: Mason’s Choice
Wednesday – Yard work and ChaLean Extreme Push Circuit 1
Thursday – ChaLean Extreme Get Lean Intervals and Recharge
I started writing my workouts on a wall calendar. I like seeing what I have done so far for the week. It pushes me not to let too many rest days bump into each other.
This past week, I started doing the Push Circuits and moved away from the Burn Circuits. I have thought lately about trying out the cardio intensive Insanity program. I guess I might just like to do it to have that accomplishment under my belt. I guess each challenge becomes like earning a new girl scout badge!
I am waiting to hear more about a new Beachbody workout program with Chalene Johnson as the trainer. It is called Turbo Fire. I have seen a short video clip. I would like to see a little bit more about how she designed the program.
In Turbo Jam, Chalene uses seven signature moves. She combines a little Hip Hop and Kickboxing. As you know, anything that takes coordination in the way of dance is hard for me. If the cardio is more like the Get Lean or Burn Interval workouts in ChaLean Extreme, then bring it! I am ready for the challenge.
I hope you sign up as a coach before you get hooked on Beachbody programs so you can enjoy a 25% discount on all products and programs. I paid full price for my first program. I wish I would have known about the discount ahead of time. I also wish someone would have told me about the Showcase Pack that only coaches can purchase.
It is a complete package of six of Beachbody’s most popular programs. P90X, Power 90, Turbo Jam, Hip Hop Abs, Slim in 6, and Yoga Booty Ballet. A coach can get all this for $200. The price for P90X or ChaLean Extreme alone is $119.85.
ChaLean Extreme Get Lean Intervals
Last night, my ChaLean Extreme workout was Get Lean Intervals followed by Recharge. Recharge is a short yoga routine that is part of the original ChaLean Extreme program. Get Lean Intervals comes with the ChaLean Extreme Deluxe dvds along with Fat Burn Challenge, I’ve Got Abs, Dynamic Flow Yoga, Lower Body Extreme Zone, Extreme Intervals, and Extreme Core Circuit.
Although the ChaLean Extreme program has 15 workouts, I wanted the seven additional workouts to mix up my routine. I am glad that I added them to my library. The Get Lean Intervals workout was awesome. I was out of breath (a good thing in cardio) by the end of the second exercise.
Get Lean Intervals is similar to Burn Intervals in that an exercise is performed for a short time before moving on to something else. You heart rate is brought up and then, you get a recovery period although you are still moving.
This Interval session is significantly different in the fact that no weights, even light weights are used in the session. Only one exercise uses a toning band to work the inner and outer thighs. You can perform the exercise without it, but I like the added challenge.
By the time I finished Get Lean Intervals, I was pumped! I was tired in a good way and sweating like it was August. I decided to follow this routine with the Recharge yoga routine. Recharge is only about twenty minutes so it was a great follow up.
I would not have had the energy to put in my P90X Yoga X workout. That workout is 92 minutes of solid power yoga. When you do Yoga X, it better be the only thing on your workout calendar. Xer’s know what I mean.
Recharge is a yoga routine I think anyone could use. It feels more like good stretching but has more yoga based positions than P90X X Stretch. I think I actually found a good combination and may keep this double routine on my weekly calendar this month.
Tonight’s workout combo will be ChaLean Extreme Push Circuit 2 and I’ve Got Abs. We are taking our motorcycles to Nags Head tomorrow. Part of me wants to take a rest day Saturday because we are leaving so early. The other part of me knows that even a little workout will rev my burning ability for the day, give me energy, and help stretch out my muscles for the ride. I will have to let you know what happens. Keep pressing play!
ChaLean Extreme Ab Burner & Recharge
I had a slower workout tonight. I needed it following the brutal leg routines I did yesterday. I started with ChaLean Extreme’s Ab Burner and followed up with the Recharge routine.
I expected Chalene Johnson, also know as Chalene the Machine at my house, to be a little more challenging in her ab routine. Maybe…just maybe, my abdominal muscles are getting stronger in my quest for flatter abs. I have not tried any of her more advanced ab workouts, yet.
Prior to Beachbody, I tried just about every ab exerciser, machine and piece of equipment I could find in the gym. I have found that the variety of ab exercises in Beachbody workouts simply amazes me and I don’t need to go to the gym or buy any extra home gym stuff.
I think I would probabaly compare Ab Burner to either Ab Ripper 100 or Ab Ripper 200 in Power 90. It is not in the same burn level as the P90X Ab Ripper X. This a beginner level ab routine that lasts just over ten minutes. The next time I do abs, I think I will switch to Extreme Abs or I’ve Got Abs. Maybe I will alternate these two workouts with Extreme Core. I think Chalene has some challenging moves coming up in these workouts. I guess I should be happy that it is time for me to move on to a harder ab program.
Recharge was a short (less than 21 minutes) stretching and yoga combination. How could you not love that? This workout gave a lot of attention to stretching your back and hamstrings. I really enjoyed the stretch. It reminded me somewhat of P90X X Stretch. You know, that day when it just feels so good to work out? (I am not referencing the 92 minute P90X Yoga X. Now, that’s torture! A true love/hate relationship.)
The next time I do a stretching routine with ChaLean Extreme, I may try the Dynamic Flow Yoga. I can see myself staying with this one for a while though. It felt so good to have a nice slow full body stretch. The short duration of the workout also allowed me to fit in abs tonight.
The Recharge workout could be done by any fitness level, including beginner. Chalene does a great job demonstrating how to modify different moves and positions to make the stretch either more challenging or less intensive to fit your current capabilities. I enjoyed the stretch. I think you will, too!
Back to CLX Burn Ciruit 1
I am going back to the beginning of ChaLean Extreme (CLX). I had to stop for several weeks following a back injury. I think I am ready to put myself back into action. Tonight, I pressed play with CLX Burn Circuit 1.
I had forgotten how the post exercise burn of my posterior deltoids (back shoulder muscles) and the deep tissue burn in my butt from lunges and squats felt. It is a good uncomfortable feeling though. I know I had a good workout and was able to break down the muscle tissue to force growth.
Why is muscle growth important? Well, for starters, I am in my mid-forties. As we age, we lose muscle mass. This causes the amount of calories we naturally burn (metabolic burn) during the course of the day to support bodily functions, to decrease.
When our bodies burn less calories, we have to burn more calories through cardio activity or eat less. If not, we suffer from excess calories and weight gain…FAT!
Weight training helps you reverse that trend. When you increase muscle tissue (notice I did not say bulk up), you increase the number of calories needed to get through the day without doing anything extra. Wow!
Cardio is still important because that is the type of exercise that supports heart health and ensures your body can adequately carry the oxygen and nutrients throughout your body. Increasing muscle tissue means I do not have to work out several extra hours each week to create a caloric deficit to lose weight. I like that idea!
It also means that I can eat to fuel my body rather than starve it with a DIE-t. Hey, I admit it…I like to eat. So, what I have found that is important for my body is ensuring I have a solid strength training program.
Strength training has another cool benefit while I am on the subject. It helps you gain and maintain flexibility. Just ask any person suffering from Fibromyalgia or Arthritis how it feels to bend over to tie their shoes and you will get a quick understanding of why flexibility is important.
Tomorrow morning, I plan on doing the Bum Bum workout from Brazil Butt Lift. That is a good cardio workout to start my day. Tomorrow evening, I will unwind with Burn Circuit 2. Find a system that works for you. Then, press play. This one thing I know – it works if you work it, and it won’t if you don’t.
ChaLEAN Extreme Burn Circuit 2
Burn Circuit 2 of Chalene Johnson’s ChaLEAN Extreme workout program burns through nine compoud strenght training exercises. Since this workout is in the “burn” phase of the program, Chalene asks you to use the heaviest weight you can to reach failure between 10 and 12 reps. If you can make it pass 12 repetitions in an exercise, you didn’t lift heavy enough. If you couldn’t make it to 10 reps, you lifted too heavy.
Burn Circuit 2 works the entire body with a concentrates on triceps, back, and biceps. You’ll also hit your legs pretty good with sumo and bowler squats, dead lifts and lunges worked in conjunction with the upper body moves. You naturally work core and abs with this type of a workout, too. And, just so we don’t miss anything….Chalene ends the routine with triple threat push ups.
Triple threat push ups are actually three different forms of push ups done in sequence and repeated until failure. The first push up is a tricep push up. The second one is a stand push up with the hands should width apart. The third and final push up in the sequence is a spider push up where the legs are spread wide.
Triple threat push ups work the triceps, shoulders, chest, abdominals and core muscles. If you do this routine enough, you’ll learn to love push ups. Don’t worry ladies. Chalene allows you to do them on your knees if you need to modify but asks you to keep good form and push through what you can.
I like using the Bowflex SelecTec dumbbells because they don’t take up as much room. They’re also easy to go from one weight another. I’ve found, however, that I like putting my ChaLEAN Extreme (CLX) dvd in my computer rather than watching it on my television set. This makes it easier for me to select pause when I needed to change weights.
I got my SelecTec weights used from someone selling them on Craigslist. I believe you should always buy the best you can afford. When it comes to weights and gym equipment in general, used equipment is perfectly functional and fine as long as it is a quality product in the first place.
I’ve used a generic set of selectable weights in the past. They’re not worth it. The Bowflex brand is definitely the way to go. I don’t make a penny on the new or used sale of any Bowflex products, so this is a from the heart testimonial.
ChaLEAN Extreme moves quickly from one exercise to the next. While I used a standard set of dumbbells when I was doing Tony Horton’s P90X Extreme Home Fitness program, I like being able to adjust quickly in CLX.
I just watched an infomercial for Shaun T’s Insanity program. It looks amazing if you’re looking for high intensity cardio interval training. Let me tell you how you can save 25% on ChaLEAN Extreme, P90X, and Insanity. All you have to do is
Happy Holidays! Get in the best shape of your life in 2010. Shop at the Beachbody store to get started now.
ChaLEAN Extreme Burn Intervals
I’ve written about interval training in several articles on my website because all Beachbody fitness programs incorporate some form of interval training. Why? Because it’s effective at increasing your heart rate and metabolism and brings variety into your workout routine.
I was looking forward to the ChaLEAN Extreme Burn Intervals workout. I expected high intensity cardio intervals mixed with a lower intensity cardio interval to let me catch my breath and recover. Well, I was surprised…
Burn Intervals does use high intensity cardio intervals; however, the recovery interval is resistence training with a new twist. I’m used to doing either 6-8 repetitions with heavy weights or 10-12 with a slightly lighter (but still heavy) weight for resistence training. That’s the regimen for P90X and is the standard in most gyms.
Chalene’s Burn Circuit routines use a rep count of 10-12 with the heaviest weight you can use to get to failure in that range. The Burn Intervals takes you in the opposite direction. Chalene asks you to use a light weight. I used five pounders, and I’m glad I listened to her! My shoulders were screaming and my triceps were shaking because we did so many reps that we didn’t even count them.
By the time your muscles were really burning, it was time to go on to the next high intensity cardio interval. The cardio exercises are plyometric in nature and could easily fit into a P90X program. Both the P90X Extreme Home Fitness and ChaLEAN Extreme workouts put you in the mindset of training like an athlete.
One of the things I liked about Chalene’s program is only one round of each exercise is performed. Tony likes to do two rounds of each exercise, usually in a superset. I really like the variety, and I stay motivated to push a little harder because I know I’m only doing that exercise (no matter how difficult for the moment) one time. When it’s done, it’s done.
ChaLEAN is a positive trainer. Her attention to detail in form is very helpful. She is mindful of the need for proper nutrition and keeping your time, life, and emotional health in balance as well. I think most women will relate better to Chalene than Tony although both are champion trainers in my book.
ChaLEAN Extreme Burn It Off!
At the completion of week 1 of ChaLEAN Extreme, you’ll be introduced to a cardio workout called Burn It Off! Although the workout is only about 30 minutes long, it is comparable to the Plyometrics workout in P90X. Yes! It’s intense and involves jumping. You’ll be breathing hard and your heart will be pumping. I was sweating more than I thought I would with a 30 minute cardio session.
Chalene Johnson shows us a different type of aerobic conditioning with moves far different from her Turbo Jam series. You won’t see one punch, cross, jab, wheel, or kick in this workout. It’s different from the Cardio X and Kenpo X moves that Tony Horton uses in P90X. What is similar is the use of high intensity interval training to get your heart rate up in a short time.
This fitness workout starts with a warm up followed by five back to back exercises approxiamately two minutes each. At the end of the five exercises, you get a one minute break to rest and hydrate. Then, you’ll be back on the floor for six more exercises and a cool down.
This was an intense workout for me. I tried to push myself because I want to get the most out of my workouts. Chalene has two women in her group who perform modified versions of each exercise to demonstrate how to decrease the intensity or impact of a particular move. She also talks to you throughout the video and reminds you to push yourself but only to your level.
The best part about this workout was getting to the end! I mean that in a good way. This was a challenging workout for me. I made it to the end, so I’m thrilled about that. I know that I’m burning fat. I know I’m boosting my metabolism. I know that I made it a little closer to my goals today. Keep pushing play! It works.
