Turbo Fire vs. P90X Home Fitness Training Workout Review
So, Turbo Fire is coming and you are caught between lure of a cardio intense home workout program and the challenge of P90X. I cannot guide you one way or another because you are the one who will ultimately have to decide what fitness goals have a higher priority for you and which program will help get you there. My goal in this post is to help you compare Chalene Johnson’s new Turbo Fire program with Tony Horton’s P90X.
P90X is primarily a strength training program designed for athletes. Although modifications can be done with most of the exercises, you will get the most out of P90X if you actually take the fit test and pass it before taking on the grueling routine of boot camp style fitness training.
P90X has a lot of push ups and pull ups. You will do a variety of each one of them and develop a love/hate relationship with them over the course of 90 days. Ab Ripper X and Yoga X are probably the two most talked about workouts.
Ab Ripper X is a challenging ab routine while P90X Yoga X is a 92 minute power yoga workout. Both of these workouts are difficult to complete even as you near your 90 day mark. Is it the suttle challenge of finishing that keeps you motivated to keep pushing play day after day? Afterall, each workout is about 55 minutes in length and you are working out six days per week.
P90X is divided into three possible combinations. Most people choose the classic version and then, wonder why they did not lose a lot of weight. The “doubles” version follows the classic version but adds more cardio. The “lean” version on the other hand, takes out some of the strength training workouts and replaces them with more cardio. If you are doing P90X and want to lose weight, I recommend doing either the doubles or lean version. The added cardio will help you lose weight.
If you are trying to lose weight for the summer, I think you will find your fastest results with a cardio intensive program such as Turbo Fire. Turbo Fire will be released on June 18th. I plan on starting the program myself on the first Monday after I receive it which will probably be the last week in June or first week in July.
Strength training builds muscle and muscle burns more calories. Unfortunately, it is a slow process. If you want to see faster results as far as weight loss, cardio is essential. (Your nutrition plan is also critical, but that is another conversation.)
When a person lifts weights, muscle tissue is damaged. The body tries to protect the muscle from further damage and to help it repair by surrounding the damaged tissue with fluid. This is a necessary process that may actually cause you to gain a little weight when you first start lifting. So many people get discouraged and say a program is not working because they do not understand the process their body is undergoing.
When you feel discouraged, don’t give up. Please use the Beachbody message boards and take advantage of the free coaching and fitness tools that are available to you. Remember that as you change, your goals may change.
I am currently working out with ChaLean Extreme and absolutely love the program. I have cuts in my arms and shoulders now. I can see ab muscles. My legs are not where I would like them yet, but I am even starting to see muscle definition there. Now, it is time for me to lean down. To peel off a layer and see what is hiding underneath that last layer of stubborn fat that seems to stay with me no matter what I do.
I am looking forward to Chalene’s High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). I know it will feel like boot camp or athletic drills. I hear some of the classes are only about twelve minutes long. I also understand that this type of training is actually nine times more effective than traditional cardio workouts.
I know I will struggle to get through each workout but completely elated when I do. I know more positive changes are around the corner for me. I am ready for a cardio intensive workout program for the summer. What about you? I can hardly wait to write my reviews as I work through my first Turbo Fire program.
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Get Ready to Get Lean! Turbo Fire is Approaching…
You are starting to hear whispers of a new Beachbody workout program called Turbo Fire. It is a twelve week intensive cardio program put together by Chalene Johnson, creator of both Turbo Jam and ChaLean Extreme. You guys know how much I love ChaLean Extreme. I am counting the days until Turbo Fire is released.
Turbo Fire is officially scheduled for release on June 18, 2010. In the meantime, I plan on writing a series of articles to tell you as much as I can about the program before actually being able to write about my own experiences.
What are my thoughts so far? I am excited. Turbo Fire focuses on cardio. It incorporates the science of HIIT (high intensity interval training). P90X had limited cardio. It focused primarily on military style strength training. Insanity was on the extreme side as far as cardio. I thought it was a bit too much cardio for me. Turbo Fire is less intense than Insanity from what I understand but will deliver Chalene’s mix of music, fun and cardio drills.
I love the ChaLean Extreme workouts. One of my favorite workouts is the Extreme Intervals dvd which is one of the upgrade workouts. The basic ChaLean Extreme program comes with two cardio workouts. Over time, I think you start looking for a change. That is one of the reasons I am so excited about Turbo Fire. I will have a whole lot more of Chalene’s cardio training.
As you know, I would not choose Turbo Jam as my favorite program to do over and over again. The reason for this is because of the dance moves. My workout focus is lost on trying to keep up with choreography. From what I understand, Turbo Fire is not a dancy program. The similarity with Turbo Jam is probably in the DJ flair of Chalene. New music, mixes made just for Turbo Fire, keep your mind off exercising and on having fun while you are taking care of your body.
For the Turbo Fire program, Chalene used a live cardio class. She mixed her own music and put the camera in the front of the class. This means we will have a front and center perspective of the class just as if we were actually right there with her.
Again, Turbo Fire is scheduled for release on June 18, 2010. I plan on beginning my journey on July 1st. Will you join me? Keep checking back for more information on TurboFire. This could end up being one of the best home fitness workout videos ever made!
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.
Insanity from Shaun T
Are you using Shaun T’s Insanity? If you read my blog, you may wonder why I do not write much about this program. What you have heard me say over and over again is the most important thing you can do for your fitness is find something you like and will stick with. Insanity does not seem like the right fit for me, but it may be an incredibly awesome program for you.
Insanity is a high intensity interval training program that pushes your endurance and cardio capacity as far as you can get them. I do not like running, elipticals, treadmills, stairclimbers, rowing machines or anything else that makes me drip with sweat for any length of time. Yes, I do cardio workouts but I cannot see myself staying motivated enough to stay with a 60 day cardio intensive program. I would not try out for the high school football team, so why would I be compelled to train like a football player?
Now guys, I know this could be the perfect fit for you. If you think back to your high school days and doing all those push ups and three point drills. Well, Insanity can take you back to the fit days on the field but may even take you to the highest fitness level you have ever experienced.
I do see a lot of guys who finish P90X go on to Insanity. They usually add Insanity to their routine though. P90X or some other form of grueling strength training continues to challenge these Insanity athletes. If you are using Insanity, feel free to share your comments. If you have questions about this program, I can help find answers for you through our team of Beachbody experts as well as my coach who uses a hybrid workout that includes P90X and Insanity.
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.
