TurboFire Tone 30 B-Line Resistance Bands at Work
When I first started TurboFire, I had just completed ChaLean Extreme and loved using my Bowflex Selectec dumbbells. I was surprised that I would come to love using Beachbody’s B-Line resistance bands in TurboFire. Yes, I miss using weights but I am learning so much about the use of resistance bands.
Chalene Johnson uses resistence bands in both her Sculpt 30 and Tone 30 Turbo Fire classes. They were optional in ChaLean Extreme, and I opted not to use them. There are several advantages to using resistance bands instead of weights.
First, resistance bands are inexpensive and take up little space. You can easily put them in a drawer or closet, hang them on a hook, or throw them in a suitcase. You really only need one band because you can control the tension and resistance by how you position the band. To increase the resistence, you shorten the band. To reduce resistence, you lengthen the band. It is that simple.
Second, for a beginner, bands cannot be beat. Not only are they inexpensive and take up little space but they are easy to use. You can start with very little tension and increase gradually as your strength increases.
Third, if you are not a beginner, bands are good for lengthening your muscles. When you work out with dumbbells, sometimes we do not have great form throughout the set. This causes us to incorporate other muscles than the ones we are targeting which can make the exercise less effective and increase the risk of injuries.
Bands maintain resistance on the targeted muscle throughout the whole movement. This increased muscle tension works the whole muscle. You can really feel the tension which keeps your mind focused on the muscle you are working.
Finally, bands are great for traveling. Once you learn some basic movements, you will no longer have an excuse for not working out when you go on a trip or take a few days of vacation. It does not take long to get a full body workout with bands once you learn a few basic moves.
That is what I really like about the Tone 30 TurboFire class. Chalene teaches you how to use resistence bands to work all the muscles in your body. It is not too hard to figure how to do bicep curls with a band, but now I can work my quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes with bands. I know how to do pectorial fly and a few variations of a row for my back. I even know a new tricep and abdominal move. Thanks to TurboFire, I am ready to take my workouts on the road! Keep pressing play. You are awesome.
How to Keep the Fire in Your TurboFire Program
As with any workout program, there comes a time when you may have trouble sticking your plans. You might feel guilty because you have missed a workout or you are not on the workout that is outlined on your calendar. Maybe you are discouraged because you gained two pounds this week instead of taking one pound off. Maybe you are stressed because you have had company all week and have strayed from your eating plan. What should you do now? How can you keep the fire in your TurboFire, P90X, ChaLean Extreme or other home fitness workout dvd program?
First and foremost, never give up. Never given in. You are the most important reason for this post. You have the desire to gain and sustain a healthy weight and fit lifestyle. You have the desire to build up your immune system, strengthen your body, and help stave off injuries and disease. You are the example for your family, friends, and associates to help them live a more fit and fulfilling lifestyle. So, quitting is never an option. The key is to find balance by listening to your body and mind, pressing play, doing your best and forgetting the rest.
Finding balance is a difficult endeavor for most of us, especially if we are trying to lose weight and keep it off. The TurboFire program has a calendar of workouts that consists of working out six days per week. Although I know my progress would be further ahead if I consistently worked out six days a week, I know that I must also balance other things in my life. I set a goal of working out everyday but when something gets me off plan, I just get right back on plan.
Have you ever noticed how many minor adjustments you make while you are steering a car? Rarely do you drive straight ahead without making any adjustments to keep your car traveling on the path that will get you to your destination. Think of your workout and nutrition plan in the same way. Your program will require many small adjustments along the way. The important thing is to maintain balance and keep your focus on the end game.
I like to weigh in once a week to see how I am doing. I know that my body naturally gains 2-5 pounds during my pre-menstration and menstrating days. I often times feel like I am going backwards during this period, but I also know that my body has special needs during this process and my job is to listen to and understand my body not to get defiant and give up my program all together.
One thing I like to do if I feel like I have put on a pound is adjust my eating plan right away before one pound grows into a set back. The first two things I look at are my water intake and whether I am using my Shakeology. Surprised? I have found that the better I keep my body hydrated, the better it performs and the less I retain water. Water retention is a sure way to watch the scale climb.
The use of Shakeology has also helped me manage my weight. I think this is due to two factors. The first is the obvious…it only has 140 calories. When I replace breakfast with a shake, I save about 160-210 calories on average. The other factor is it helps keep my digestive system flowing smoothly. Nope, no Metamucil is in my cabinet. Shakeology does it for me. It also gives my body a ton of nutrients that would take a lot of pills or a lot of eating to get. When my body gets the nutrients it needs, my body fights less with cravings.
The bottom line? Learn to listen to your body. How does your body respond when you eat certain things? How does it respond when you have enough water or when you do not? How does it respond when you have a regular intake of high quality nutrition such as that found in Shakeology? Make adjustments as needed to support the health of your body.
Push play everyday…but if you miss a day, make sure it is a balanced choice that you have made to support your overall healthy lifestyle. Perhaps a day in the park with your four year old daughter prevents you from doing your TurboFire workout. There does not have to be a conflict here. For today, be here now with your daughter. Push play later – even for the Stretch 10 workout.
Balance will help keep you on track to meet your goals. Allow yourself to adjust through the process of a total lifestyle change. For most of us, it is a slow process that requires a lot of minor adjustments along the way.
TurboFire Results and Review: Week 8
Wow! I’m finishing up week 8 of TurboFire. I am still on track to reach my weight loss goal. I have steadily lost an average of one pound per week. My overall goal is to lose a total of 21 pounds over the twenty week program. When I reach this goal, I’ll be back at my high school weight…not bad for a 44 year old!
When I started using Beachbody home workout dvd fitness programs, I weighed 167 pounds. I guess that was my turning point. There was something mental about getting so close to surpassing 170 pounds that I knew I had to make changes. If I did not make changes, my weight would continue to climb and my health would continue to go down hill.
I started the TurboFire program at 150 pounds. I had just finished the ChaLean Extreme program and set my goals high because I knew Chalene Johnson could push me to perform at my best. So, my goal for Turbo Fire was set at 129 pounds. I know once I get there, I will probably want to take off another two pounds just to make it an official 40 pounds lost from my Beachbody experience. My goal after that? Prove to myself and those I love that I can keep it off for more than a year! Yep, it is going to happen. It can happen for you, too.
TurboFire Day 41 Results and Review
Day 41. TurboFire still rocks! Weeks 5-8 have workout schedules that do not include high intensity interval (HIIT) workouts. I never thought I would say this, but I miss those crazy heart pounding workouts!
I did sneak in one HIIT 15 workout this week for a friend. I had talked to her about the HIIT workouts so much that she wanted to try one. It was kind of special because this friend has asthma.
She has trouble doing cardio workouts because of her physical condition. Let me paint you a better picture. This is a person who would live at the gym if she could. She is an avid weight lifter and makes sure she gets in some form of cardio a coiuple of times per week.
I remember going for a walk with my friend some ten odd years ago. She had trouble making it around a two mile track because of her asthma. Over the years, she has increased her cardio endurance and can now go about 30 minutes on a trail or teadmill.
I challenged her to try the HIIT 15 workout for two reasons. First, she has a little layer of belly fat that she cannot seem to lose. She works hard to get the muscles she has – stored fat just hides her hard work. It is a frustration felt by many gym rats who know how to pump iron but seem to struggle on the cardio side.
The second reason I wanted her to try it is the way HIIT workouts are designed. I told her that she would learn a sequence of drills like you would see on an athletic field or high school gym. The trainer, Chalene Johnson, would go through them slowly. Then, she would hear a siren and perform the sequence of exercises with as much intensity as she could push out.
The catch? The drills only last for about a minute. Then, she would get a one minute break. This pattern would continue until the cool down period. The whole workout is only 15 minutes.
It worked! Because of the short duration of the high intensity cardio, my friend was able to push herself and then, recovery in the minute that followed. HIIT workouts are supposed to burn up to 9X more fat than the traditional cardio she was trying to do despite her asthmatic condition. Maybe this is the answer to shredding out the belly fat for my friend? Maybe I can give you an update in the months to come. She is a new fan of Chalene Johnson’s TurboFire HIIT workouts.
I am sharing this experience because I am thrilled to see one of my friends benefiting from the Beachbody workouts I love so much. I must advise each and every reader to check with their doctor before starting this or any workout program. This article is not intended to suggest that if you have asthma or a similar condition that HIIT workouts are suitable for you.
TurboFire – What to Expect in the Beginning
I am in my seventh week of TurboFire, but I wanted to back up just a bit to talk about what to expect when you start TurboFire. First, you will need to read everything that comes with the program and watch the first dvd. This will give you a good overview of what to expect as you progress through the program.
Ok, where do you start? It depends upon your current fitness goals. There are four workout schedules available: Prep, 20 Week TurboFire schedule, TurboFire and ChaLean Extreme Hybrid schedule, and the Inferno Plan.
Watch a couple of “new to class” workouts to help decide where to begin. The 5 day Inferno Plan is designed to kickstart your TurboFire program, but it is hard from the start in my opinion since you are seeing these workouts for the first time. I started with the Inferno Plan and managed to make it through. If you want to start here, just be prepared to work and willing to step back for a little while if needed.
If you are not a ChaLean Extreme graduate, you probably will not want to do the hybrid program even if you have the ChaLean program. Focus on one program at a time and then, combine them for maintenance and variety.
On to the basic 20 week TurboFire workout schedule…you might find that the workouts are difficult in the beginning. You are not familiar with the sequence of moves. You may feel behind. You may feel frustrated because everyone on dvd seems to get it perfect. Trust me, no one gets it perfect in the beginning.
That is one of the beautiful things about work at home fitness dvds and Beachbody workouts – you do not have to get it perfect. No one is watching. You can modify as needed to fit your current fitness level. If you try to modify and still feel uncomfortable, try the Prep schedule. The Prep schedule focuses on just a few classes. The routine of performing the workouts for a while will help build your confidence and skill level.
Always remember that you can learn new things. Have fun with your TurboFire workouts. If you feel discouraged, find a workout buddy or talk to your coach. You can also get a lot of support online at Team Beachbody. You can get a free account with or without a Beachbody program. I highly encourage getting an account so you can take advantage of the chat rooms, calorie calculators, etc. It is free, so why not?
TurboFire Day 32 Results and Review
I am half way through week 5 of TurboFire. This program is going by so fast! When I first looked at the program, I was concerned that 20 weeks was a huge challenge and huge commitment. TurboFire certainly is a challenge, and it is a commitment. Here’s the cold hard truth…commitment brings results!
I have lost a total of seven pounds so far, so I am a little ahead of my 20 pound weight loss goal. Yeah!!! By the time I am done, I will be the weight I was in high school – not bad for someone who is celebrating her 45th birthday in December.
I have had trouble sticking strictly to the workout schedule this past week. That is because I have been working two part-time jobs in the evening following my full time day job. This situation is only going to exist until about mid-month. Then, I will continue to have one small part-time job in the evening but nothing that will totally consume my energies.
So, instead of six workouts in a week. I am currently getting in about four of them. I am not beating up on myself because I know that this is temporary. I am still adjusting my nutrition to support my workout and weight loss goals. I am still on track to reach my goals. And, I am getting additional cardio from the part-time work.
I am sharing this experience with my readers because some of us are “all or nothing” people. We tend to quit when we cannot do something exactly as planned. Listen to Chalene Johnson. Listen to Tony Horton. They will both tell you to push yourself, to do your best and forget the rest.
Yes, you have to show up. You have to do the work to get the results. But as long as you stay commited, as long as you keep showing up, you will see results. Even though I have not been able to do every workout as scheduled this past week, I did show up for TurboFire class on the days that I could. I practiced good nutrition. I continued to lose weight.
While on the subject of nutrition, I have a cold glass of Shakeology every day. Sometimes, I have it for breakfast. Most of the time, I have it for an evening snack or after dinner dessert. I have tried mixing in various things – my own creations and those from Beachbody food guides or other members. I am thinking about starting a Shakeology Recipe post to add recipes as I see or taste new ones. Maybe I will do that this weekend when I have a little more time to write. Until then, keep pressing play. Show up. Do the work. Enjoy the results!
Cheap Beach Body Workout DVDs
Beachbody produces some of the best workout dvds available, including Tony Horton’s infamous P90X, Chalene Johnson’s Turbo Jam and TurboFire, Debbie Seibers’ Slim in 6 series, and Shaun T’s 60 day high intensity Insanity cardio training. They spend millions of dollars each year in producing and marketing complete fitness packages with the goal of fighting obesity in the United States and promoting better health through exercise and proper nutrition.
You know you have a great product when counterfeiters attempt to capitalize (or should I say steal money from or infringe on the patents of Beachbody) by reproducing cheap beach body workout dvds. Recently, a woman in Santa Monica, CA was convicted in a Federal jury for piracy and now faces up to 90 years in prison and fines up to $12.5 million dollars.
Why should you care as a consumer if you can get a pirated copy of the best workout dvd program at a lower price? Well, besides aiding an illegal activity, you will probably be short changing yourself. When you find cheap beach body workout dvds on the internet, you may be risking the quality and completeness of the program.
Each beach body dvd fitness program comes as a complete package which generally includes an exercise guide, workout schedule, food guide, and 30 day money back guarantee. Beachbody programs often come with accessorie(s) like fitness bands, weight gloves, fat tester, or fitness tracker. You get the benefit of many Free Fitness Tools and a Team Beachbody Coach who can help you set and work toward your fitness goals.
Let me talk about the guarantee for just a moment. From my personal experience, Beachbody holds true to their guarantees. I had a problem with my dvd player loading one of the Brazil Butt Lift dvds, so I called the customer relations line. I expected to get a return label and be challenged on my claim that I had a defective dvd. I also expected to pay to have my original dvd shipped back.
What happened? I received an apology and assurance that the situation would be made right. I did not have to ship back the original dvd. I did not have to pay additional shipping. And, I was delighted when they sent me a whole new program. That type of customer service boosted my confidence and solidified my desire to forge a partnership with the best workout dvd producer in the country! How’s that for a testimony?
Let us also examine the value of having someone there for you who uses Beachbody products and can help you navigate your way to better fitness – your personal coach. A Personal Trainer at a gym can easily charge $60 per hour. An Independent Team Beachbody Coach is not a certified Personal Trainer, nor are they necessarily fitness professionals. In fact, most coaches are not. The value of a coach is you get to have someone there for you who is cheering you along and helping you stay on your journey.
Beachbody is rolling out a new benefit to buying from a coach. It is not available for all programs, yet. This is how it will work: if you buy from a coach, you will get a bonus fitness workout for that program which is only available from Team Beachbody. The great news is this program has been rolled out for Insanity.
If you purchase the Insanity 60 Day Total Body Conditioning Program from a coach, you will get a bonus workout called Fast and Furious. It is a workout for when you are short on time. It packs a 45 minutes workout into 20 minutes and is only available from Team Beachbody.
I cannot offer you cheap beach body workout dvds. As an Independent Team Beachbody Coach, I can offer you the best beach body workout dvd programs available – the complete package, not illegal copies of the dvds. There are two ways you can get a discount on your Beachbody purchases that I will tell you about briefly.
You can save 10% on all of your orders by joining the Team Beachbody Club. This isn’t just a discount club. As a member, you will have benefits such as personalized meal plans, message boards for community advice and support, nutrition tips, recipes, and a chance to win up to $1000 each day you sign into WOWY, the online Supergym to record your workout.
If you want even an even bigger discount which means you will be able to get an even cheaper beach body workout dvd program, consider becoming a coach like me. You will enjoy a 25% discount on the best dvd workout prgorams and have the opportunity to build your own fitness business if you desire.
That is how you can get cheap beach body workout dvds that are legal. Save 10% by joining the club. Save 25% as a coach. Please share your experiences on this subject by adding your comments to this post.
Random Acts of Kindness
Do you practice random acts of kindness? Is it part of your everday life or do you make a concerted effort to develop this value? A random act of kindness is doing something for the benefit of someone else without expectation of a thank you or recognition for the act. It is often anonymous, meaning the recipient does not even know who performed the random act of kindness.
I believe that we all benefit from promoting an environment of teamwork, family and belonging throughout our days. Practicing random acts of kindness supports this philosophy. If you have ever held the door open for someone, you have practiced the innate spirit of helping someone else.
When you see a piece of trash in the parking lot next to a trash can or at your feet when you get out of your car, do you walk on by or stop to put the trash in it’s proper place? The small act of picking up litter is also an act of kindness.
There are opportunities around us everyday if we our eyes are open. If you have the capacity and can send an unsolicited gift of money to someone in need, without expectation of a thank you and without the recipient knowing it was from you… you will be blessed with knowing you helped another person. That same idea holds true for whatever you can give to another person whether it is time, encouragement, a hug, interest in what is going on in their lives…
I guess the whole concept of practicing random acts of kindness is gratitude. When you see what you have been given, you express your gratitude in sharing. That is why you hold the door open for someone – so they do not drop the things in their arms, or struggle with a heavy door, or have the door slammed in their face.
That is why you pick up trash because you are gifted enough to recognize the litter, know it makes someone else’s life harder who has to clean it up, and takes away from the natural beauty of the world. You are physically able to reach down and pick it up. It is gratitude that compels you to put litter in its place.
My challenge to you is to be aware of the opportunities around you to practice random acts of kindness. I sincerely believe that what you put out into this world comes back to you. I hope you will subscribe to promoting teamwork, family and belonging in all your affairs.
TurboFire Day 21 Results and Review
Today is the first day of week four of TurboFire. I did not make my weight goal last week. Instead of losing a pound, I actually gained a pound. Because I am a woman, this did not alarm me. A woman’s weight can vary from week to week, especially during menstration. I will just keep pressing forward. I know I am on track to reach my fitness goals.
New this past week? Tone 30. It does not look like we have another new class until week 13. That’s ok with me though. I am getting better at each sequence which helps me get more intense and have more fun of course.
I have been taking the rest day as scheduled on Wednesday. I have found, however, that it is very hard for me to get my workout completed on Thursday evening. I am going to try something different in week 4.
I am going to swap out Wednesday and Friday. I could not just swap out the Wednesday and Thursday routines because that would put to HIIT classes on back to back days which according to the TurboFire program is not recommended.
I really love the music in this program. It is motivating music to listen to while you are working cardio. “Hey, if you want to look fine, you better get Turbo on your mind.” That’s one of the songs in Fire 55EZ and plays while you are on the menu screen of the dvd. I like that song so much that I let it play a little while pick up my mats and change clothes after a hard workout.
I cannot say which class is my favorite TurboFire class. Each one of them has something awesome about it. For example, I like the use of a resistence band in Core 20. The military drill is like a P90X Mason Twist with a band (and slower of course – Tony Horton’s crazy). I also like the use of a band with bicycles.
One class that gets me to push play without hesitation is Stretch 40. It is a combination of stretch and yoga. It is just the right length, like Patience Hummingbird. While P90X Yoga X is 92 minutes of power yoga, Stretch 40 is slow focused yoga. I always get a good hamstring stretch with that workout.
If you have a Twitter account, connect with me. My screen name is JustGetMeFit. I communicate daily with other TurboFire adventurers. We keep each other motivated and moving toward our weight loss and fitness goals. You can also sign up for your FREE Beachbody Account to access Free Fitness Tools and Tips such as how many calories you need to eat to lose weight and join other Team Beachbody members in chat rooms and forums for support in your fitness quest.
TurboFire Day 17 Results and Review
Hi again! This is day 17 of my TurboFire program. It is week three, and today is my “rest” day. I guess this is actually week four if I include the 5 Day Inferno Plan week. Anyway, time is flying by because I abosolutely love doing the Turbo Fire workouts. This is one of the best Beachbody home fitness dvd workout programs, yet!
I knew TurboFire would be good because of how much I loved Chalene Johnson’s training methods in ChaLean Extreme. She is a “turbo” charged trainer who’s personal mission is to coach other people to live fuller lives.
The Fire 45EZ program this week was a totally different routine from the Fire 45. The only thing “easy” about this routine if anything is it does not have any fire drills. It is an invigorating cardio program that is non-stop from beginning to end. My heart rate was high and stayed that way. In a six second count, I was counting twenty beats. That is high for me.
By the end of the full routine, my legs were extremely fatigued. I could tell my intensity was decreasing because I was running out of juice. I had maxed out. Hmmm. Have I ever done this in a workout?
Tuesday’s class was another new routine. It was a HIIT 25 which sounded overwhelming to me when I say it on my workout schedule. The HIIT 15 is challenging. The HIIT 20 was just five more minutes, but something about twenty-five minutes just sounded impossible to me. Guess what? It is not as intimidating once you show up for class and just keep doing what Chalene asks you to do.
I think one of the successful things Chalene does is she changes the moves enough to forego boredom. You do not have time to realize you are tired. The breaks are frequent and just long enough to recover. Before you know it, you are in another fire drill and then, another break. Twenty-five minutes of HIIT seems much shorter than twenty-ve minutes on the elliptical.
Chalene always has encouraging words whether you are listening to her during class, following her on Twitter or Facebook, or reading a snipet in the TurboFire Tracker. The tip she talked about at the end of HIIT 25 was about the importance of wearing good shoes.
I workout in running shoes right now, but I want to get a good pair of cross-trainers. I think I would do better with a pair of court sport shoes (like those made for basketball, volleyball, or tennis) with all the plyometric jumping and quick lateral movements in TurboFire.
I do find that using floor mats helps absorb the shock of jumping. Before I used mats, doing knee lifts made my left knee hurt. I think it was because of the stress of the lateral movement. Anyway, it has been my experience that foam floor mats are a great investment whether you are doing TurboFire, Insanity, or P90X Plyometrics.
If you already have TurboFire, I would love to hear your progress on Twitter. Look me up. My screen name in Twitter is JustGetMeFit. By the way, if you are doing TurboFire but you have not signed up for your Free Beachbody account, yet what are you waiting for? There really are some cool fitness calculators as well as fitness and nutrition tips. Let’s get healthy together. Order TurboFire if you want to get started on this awesome program. And, sign up for your Free Beachbody account if you already have Turbo Fire or another Beachbody program.
TurboFire Day 14 Results and Review
Well folks, I made it to the end of Week 2 of TurboFire. I just finished reviewing the previous week’s progress and blunders. I am in the middle of setting up my fitness tracker with my exercise schedule and goals for next week.
We got to do some new classes in Week 2 of Turbo Fire. I had already done the Fire 45 Class in the 5 Day Inferno Plan but at least it was not combined with the HIIT 20 Class this time. LOL The HIIT 20 came on Tuesday with what I call the baby stretch (Stretch 10 Class).
The workout that really rocked my world this week was the HIIT 15 Class. It only has three “fire drills” that are repeated three times. It was the last drill that really sent my heart rate off the charts and put a powerful burn in my legs. The tuck jumps in that drill are killer and puts P90X Plyometric tuck jumps seem easy!
I was not expecting all those tuck jumps, but I had out my foam mats. I was so glad that I had taken the time to set them up. If you are doing TurboJam, P90X or any other program that involves jumping or “plyometric” exercises, I highly recommend getting some floor mats. You do not have to get expensive gym mats. The puzzle type that you can get from a department store work great.
So, where am I at the end of Week 2 of TurboFire? I am 25% of the way toward my goal of losing twenty pounds. I am five pounds down and feeling great!
I would also like to recommend Shakeology. I have been using protein shakes for several years. I used them before any of them had any true taste. LOL I was one of those people who had to be convinced that the price of Shakeology was worth it.
I know that the ingredients in Shakeology are supposed to provide excellent nutrition, help reduce cholesterol, and promote weight loss. What I know personally is Shakeology keeps your digestive system moving regularly.
My partner borrowed my mixing cup one day this week, so I could not have my normal serving of Shakeology. The next day, I felt heavy and bloated. For your sake and mine, I won’t go into details but suffice it to say that Shakeology keeps me going in more ways than one. After just one day of being back on Shakeology, I am back on track.
Appreciation
Appreciation is the value I am writing about today. I understand the importance of giving and receiving appreciation in my life. When I wake up in the morning, I give thanks. Throughout the day, I give thanks in words, actions, and prayer. I sincerely believe that whatever you give out to the world comes back to you in like kind.
I recently took on an evening cleaning job to pay down on some debt. It is not easy to give up two to three hours of your evening five days a week, especially in the summer. Sometimes, I would rather be doing something with my friends during that time. But each day I go, I am grateful that I have this opportunity to make a little extra. I keep my vision of why I took the job in the first place. I instantly feel at peace.
After being at this job for about three months, the business owner gave me a big hug and told me with a sincere heart how much he appreciated me and our work. This month, our vet bill was a lot higher than we planned. We were able to pay for it with cash though because of the evening cleaning job. Yes, what you put out to the world does come back to you.
What do you appreciate? Remember that sometimes the sky must get dark before you can see the stars, and the light at the end of the tunnel isn’t always a train! Practice gratitude and appreciation in all your affairs even when it would be easier to quit or complain with negativity or sarcasm. Trust me. These were character defects I had to overcome. They are more commonly called “human nature”.
TurboFire Day 7 Results and Review
I made it through the last day of TurboFire’s week one. Today’s workout schedule included Core 20 and Stretch 40. Core 20 is twenty minutes of core work…that means a lot of abdominal work!
I could not compare Core 20 to any of the Ab Ripper workouts in P90X, but I can say that there is a “Mason Twist” with a twist. There are some moves that I think would fit very well in the P90X program. In other words, it takes a lot of focus to get through some of them.
Chalene does a lot of ab exercises in the standing position. She also incorporates the use of a resistence band to work the core. I especially liked the standing oblique work with the band.
As for the Stretch 40, it is so much more than the Stretch 10 TurboFire workout. It is actually a good yoga series. I think I enjoyed it more than the Dynamic Flow Yoga in the Deluxe version of ChaLean Extreme. I can say without a doubt that I enjoyed it more than P90X Yoga X.
Unlike Yoga X which is power yoga, Stretch 40 is more stretching and moves less quickly from one pose to the next. Stretch 40 does a wonderful job stretching your buttocks and hamstring muscles. I think Chalene spends a lot of time with these muscles because of all the squats, lunges, and kicks in TurboFire. She uses a resistence band in Strecth 40 to help you stretch just a little further. I felt absolutely wonderful after finishing this fitness program.
So, at the end of week one, I am right on track. I have lost one pound this week which is my weekly goal. I have adjusted my daily calories goal for next week from 1745 to 1775. Wow! I get to eat a little more…or maybe have just a bit of cream in my morning coffee?
TurboFire Day 4 Results and Review
Today was Day 4 of my Turbo Fire workout schedule. Yesterday was a rest day. I stayed with my nutrition plan and really did not have anything else to write about here on my blog.
Today’s workout was Fire 30 and Stretch 10. This was the same routine as Monday’s workout, so I this was the second time I have done this TurboFire class.
I think I need to get my padded squares out of the closet that I used for P90X plyomtrics. They come in a four pack from most department stores. You can also get them at sports stores, but they usually cost a lot more there.
I think the foam pad would make twisting on my feet a little easier than twisting during punches on carpet. Jogging shoes tend to get caught a little on carpet. I cannot do this type of routine barefooted. I actually think the best combination would be the foam pad flooring which softens your jumps and prevents the foot to carpet sticking problem, combined with cross trainer shoes which are made for more stability during lateral movements.
I think I did a little better this time because I had done the workout before. I still missed a few things, but I am having fun. My heart rate is up, I am out of breath, and my clothes are soaked at the end of workout. Whew!
I just finished a chocolate Shakeology. This is the second one I have had today. If you have not tried Shakeology, you might want to give it a try. It tastes like a decadent chocolate milkshake. Even though you feel like you are cheating, you are only consuming 140 calories and infusing your body with some high quality nurtrition.
I know it sounds like a cliche, but I really do feel like I have more energy when I am drinking Shakeology. My digestive system is also more efficient. I do not feel bloated and I am regular like clockwork. LOL Keep pressing play. TurboFire Fire 55 EZ is back in the line-up for tomorrow.
Looking for the ChaLean Extreme and TurboFire Hybrid Schedule?
Are you looking for the hybrid workout schedule for ChaLean Extreme and TurboFire? I have read this question in a few posts recently, so I thought I would give my readers the answer to this question. The hybrid workout schedule for ChaLean Extreme and TurboFire is in the TurboFire Turn Up The Burn program guide beginning on page 56.
The schedule is a couple of pages long and is not a tear out schedule. Some of the cardio workouts from ChaLean Extreme are mixed in throughout the hybrid schedule. Burn Circuit routines are mixed in the first three weeks and Push Circuits are mixed into weeks six through eight. There is also one Burn Circuit in week five.
Where do the Lean Circuits come in? Weeks 14, 15, and 16 are where you will find ChaLean Extreme Lean Circuits. The rest of the weeks are cardio, cardio, and more cardio. So, what’s my advice? If you want firmer muscles or if you need more muscle, start off with ChaLean Extreme.
ChaLean Extreme will help you build a good base. You have to have muscle to keep your metabolism stoked and burning calories through the day. That will utlimately keep the extra weight off.
TurboFire focuses primarily on cardio. If you are a cardio junkie, TurboFire will spark your results with “cardio confusion”. If you have already built up some muscle, but your muscles are hidden (under fat), TurboFire could be the ticket to leaning out. My current fitness goals include leaning out, so I am using TurboFire.
After going through TurboFire, I plan on using the hybrid ChaLean Extreme and TurboFire workout schedule. This looks like it will be a good maintenance program for both strength training and cardio.
Ok, the mystery is solved. Get the word out on where to find the hybrid ChaLean Extreme and Turbo Fire workout schedule. Take pictures. Press play. Results are coming!
Video of Chalene Johnson Comparing Turbo Kick, Turbo Jam, and TurboFire
TurboFire Day 2 Results and Review
I got up early today to do my Beachbody TurboFire workout. I knew that I had a full day planned because a close friend of mine was celebrating her birthday. I did not want to take the chance that I would buy into an excuse of “being too tired” to workout after a day of festivities. What I learned is the HIIT (high intensity interval training) workouts are awesome in the morning!
Day 2 of TurboFire has HIIT 15 and Stretch 10 on the workout schedule. I could hardly believe that the routine was going to be so short. Was I really going to get anything out of it?
Chalene shows you how to do a series of moves. Then, you go through them at a faster, higher intensity. Then, you rest. Repeat a couple of times and then, she moves on to the next series of moves. Poof! Before you know it, you are done. Cooling off. Stretching. Enjoying the rush.
I never cared for cardio classes at the gym. It seemed like I could never quite keep up. I wondered if people were staring at me. I felt a little slow when I did not quite get a move right or was a little behind. One of the key differences between a class at the gym and TurboFire classes? TurboFire allows you to be at your level and progress at your own pace. As I mentioned previously, I cannot jump like the participants on the dvd, but I sure do give it my all.
I am doing well with the nutrition plan. Yes, I did have some birthday cake and get a little off track because of the day’s festivities. Chalene would say to go ahead and enjoy a little decadence if you want, but make sure you adjust your caloric equation somewhere to account for it. I think I did ok. I am hoping I can still reach my one week goal of losing one pound.
Hey, I know one pound per week does not sound like a lot. I want to watch it go slowly and see it stay off. I want to say I lost twenty pounds with TurboFire and kept if off for a year…or ten. Keep pressing play, and thank you for joining me on my Turbo Fire journey.
TurboFire Day 1 Results and Review
I successfully made it through my first official day of TurboFire yesterday. The workout schedule included Fire 30 and Stretch 10. I was out late last night, so I did not push play until 10 p.m. Yikes! No wonder I had trouble getting to sleep. Oh well. I was determined to get my workout in for the day.
After doing Fire 45 and Fire EZ55 in the Inferno Plan week, I figured the Fire 30 would be easier. Fire 30 was shorter but no less strenuous as the workouts I did last week!
This is the first time I have used the Fire 30 session, so I was not familiar with the moves. The moves in TurboFire are faster than TurboJam. The more you do them though, the more your body remembers what to do next.
It was difficult for me in the beginning to have full form on moves such as cross jabs or clock work because I had to keep my head faced to my television set. I know this will improve the longer I do these workouts because I will not need to watch the tv throughout the whole routine. I will just listen to Chalene’s ques.
I am also struggling with the jumps. I am not struggling because of knee or ankle pain. I know how to keep my legs wide enough to protect my knees and how to land to protect my ankles. I am just not a great jumper. I guess it takes a lot of power to project my body weight upward away from gravity.
I had this issue with P90X Plometrics as well. By the way, if you had trouble with X jacks in P90X, look out. Chalene does them in multiples and calls them “air jacks”. They are kind of fun because she has mixed in special sound effects in the music that makes you feel springy!
As far as my jumping abilities, I know my jumping may not be pretty right now, but I am still getting my heart rate pretty high trying. I am inspired by a couple of the girl in the class who can vertically jump like it is natural.
One last comment on my TurboFire day one experience. Have you noticed that the participants in these classes are athletic? The women are not bulky, but they are not bean poles either. They have lean muscle definition. I am hoping to achieve some of the same results. I know I have developed more defined shoulders, arms, back, abs, and legs from working ChaLean Extreme. Now, I am trying to lean out; aka, lose most of the remaining fat covering my muscles.
Encouragement
Encouragement is one of my values. I think we all need to receive encouragement from the time we are born. We have a great responsibility to encourage those around us, young and old throughout our lives.
Stop and relive that moment when you held out your hands to a toddler and said “come on, you can do it.” Perhaps the toddler cooed or giggled as she stood and wobbled unattended toward your open arms. Even when she fell and let out that blood curdling scream, you probably scooped her up and told her it was ok.
As time passes, we tend to encourage each other less. Maybe we get absorbed in our own world of responsibilities or perhaps we feel threatened in a competitive work environment. Did you really mean “congratulations, you deserved it” when someone else was promoted the position you wanted? Let us encourage one another.
Is there a greater joy than to really encourage someone in their efforts to be the best they can? Encouragement is how we learn to walk. Encouragement is how we lose weight and maintain weight loss. It is how we get through the low times and appreciate the good times. Let us encourage one another.
Even in these hard economic times, I am encouraged and encourage you to take a moment to reflect upon the cornerstone of our nation. We are a nation of entrepreneurs, hard working farmers and factory workers, and small business owners who were encouraged to take risks, have strong work ethics, and perservere even through difficult periods. Let me now encourage you. You can do anything you are determined to do. You are a pioneer. You are a survivor. You will perservere.
TurboFire Fire 55 EZ Show Up for Class!
I think Chalene Johnson started off day one of the 5 Day Inferno Plan, a kick start plan for TurboFire, with a sense of humor and to weed out those who are not ready to commit by putting the Fire 55 EZ class as the first workout in the program.
Hey guys, think EZ means “easy”? Think again! I think it must mean somthing more like Everthing in Chalene’s arsenal including the ZigZag! You are going to get a full body workout folks, including your abs an core. As a matter of fact, I do get the “Fire” part of the title. My obliques and upper back muscles are on fire every time I do this routine. I am sure this is due to the cross punches, kicks, and other exercises designed to workout your upper and lower body at the same time while keeping your heart rate working like you are sweating on an elliptical.
I had to practice mental toughness to even push play on what was an intimidating title for me. I wondered how I would ever be able to make it for 55 minutes of Chalene’s cardio. Afterall, thirty minutes in ChaLean Extreme made me pretty happy. Ok, I got over the time issue and pressed play.
What was the hardest part? For me, the hardest part is the Jack and Jump combo. This will be my challenge for the duration of the program I am sure. I never did quite get comfortable getting airborne with Jump Tucks in P90X. Alas, I wasn’t born a frog. My jumping isn’t pretty but I do my best.
I was surprised by the Fire Drills that were thrown in to the routine. I was not expecting that. I guess this is kind of an introduction to the HIIT workouts. It amazes me how fast the Fire Drills go and how hard I am breathing when they are done. Chalene is good at keeping you focused and pushing if you are there to win.
The easiest part of Fire 55 EZ was I was familar with most of Chalene’s training moves. She has definitely taken her training to new heights. I was also surprised that the last twenty five minutes of this fitness routine is less agressive. You will be tired, so you still have to push yourself and practice mental toughness, but because it slows down a little…you keep going because you know you can make it through to the end.
My advice for this workout? Just show up for class! If you come to class, you will make it through and benefit from energy of your workout partners. Yes, you will start looking for your friends in class. You will get to know them and maybe even try to keep up with one or two of them. Challenge yourself. Keep pressing play!
