This is a program designed to get you ready for the more intense workouts that Beachbody offers. It is mostly tailored to get you ready for the P90x series, but it could, for some people be a lead-up to a program like Insanity, if you get to the point where you can really push yourself in the cardio workouts. It is great for absolute beginners or for people who have fallen too far out of shape to jump right back into a higher-intensity workout.
Like the P90X workouts, this is a three-phase program. A, B, and C. The great part about this program is that all the workouts for one phase are on a single disc, so you do not have to keep swapping discs in and out, aside from the Saturday Special disc, which is the last workout of the week. Each phase has a resistance workout (Sculpt A, B, and C), a Cardio workout (Sweat A, B, and C), and an Ab ripper workout. In every workout there is a low impact modifier that you can follow if you are a true beginner or very out of shape, and a higher impact/intensity modifier that you can follow if you are in great shape, then one person doing the "regular" workout.
One good thing about this program is that if you hate all the pull-ups in P90x, this one has no pull-ups at all. Everyone, including the higher intensity modifier, uses bands for the pull-up type moves. The low-impact modifier uses bands for every non-pushup resistance move, whereas the others use free weights. There is no stretch or yoga DVD with this set (although depending on where you get it, it may come with the P90X3 Dynamix workout which is kind of a moving stretch workout, but there are some yoga moves incorporated into the program itself. The workouts in the first month are all very short, under 30 min including the cool-down. The ab ripper program in the first month is about 8 minutes.
In the second month, the workout times increase to just over 30 minutes each including the cool down. The ab ripper program in the second month adds 5 more moves to the original 10 from month 1, so you are doing the same moves as in Ab Ripper A, with just a few more added in. In month three the workouts are about 45 minutes including cool down. The Ab Ripper program adds a couple more moves on the end so it ends up being just under 15 minutes.
You have the option of following a strength program which basically means doing the Sculpt workouts 3 times a week, or a more cardio-based program where you to the Sweat workouts 3 times a week. The final Saturday special workout is a more cardio-based program that works in some flexibility and ab work as well. In the resistance programs, every move set is 16 repetitions, so you will be using lighter bands or weights for the most part. The max amount you would likely need in terms of free weights is 25 lbs if you are very strong, to do some of the bicep and shoulder exercises. My weight range went from about 10 lbs for some of the shoulder exercises, to 25 lbs for the arc presses. Mostly though I stayed in the 10-15lb range and a medium band for most of the band moves and was still able to get a very good workout.
The big con for the program is that it does not stick with the shorter (30 min max) workouts that most of their recent programs have been. But when compared to the length of the original P90X workouts, this is still far under the time commitment required for most of those. It also comes with a pretty easy meal plan guide for those who want to follow the meal plan and not go with their own nutrition plan. Finally, on the Sculpt workouts, every move is shown for about 23-30 seconds before the set starts so you can see proper form both for the modifier and the "regular" version.
All in all, it is a very good program that anyone, of any fitness level can use. It may be a little too easy for those who are ultra-fit, but you can tailor it to some extent. For those who are a beginner and/or out of shape, I would highly recommend it.
Like the P90X workouts, this is a three-phase program. A, B, and C. The great part about this program is that all the workouts for one phase are on a single disc, so you do not have to keep swapping discs in and out, aside from the Saturday Special disc, which is the last workout of the week. Each phase has a resistance workout (Sculpt A, B, and C), a Cardio workout (Sweat A, B, and C), and an Ab ripper workout. In every workout there is a low impact modifier that you can follow if you are a true beginner or very out of shape, and a higher impact/intensity modifier that you can follow if you are in great shape, then one person doing the "regular" workout.
One good thing about this program is that if you hate all the pull-ups in P90x, this one has no pull-ups at all. Everyone, including the higher intensity modifier, uses bands for the pull-up type moves. The low-impact modifier uses bands for every non-pushup resistance move, whereas the others use free weights. There is no stretch or yoga DVD with this set (although depending on where you get it, it may come with the P90X3 Dynamix workout which is kind of a moving stretch workout, but there are some yoga moves incorporated into the program itself. The workouts in the first month are all very short, under 30 min including the cool-down. The ab ripper program in the first month is about 8 minutes.
In the second month, the workout times increase to just over 30 minutes each including the cool down. The ab ripper program in the second month adds 5 more moves to the original 10 from month 1, so you are doing the same moves as in Ab Ripper A, with just a few more added in. In month three the workouts are about 45 minutes including cool down. The Ab Ripper program adds a couple more moves on the end so it ends up being just under 15 minutes.
You have the option of following a strength program which basically means doing the Sculpt workouts 3 times a week, or a more cardio-based program where you to the Sweat workouts 3 times a week. The final Saturday special workout is a more cardio-based program that works in some flexibility and ab work as well. In the resistance programs, every move set is 16 repetitions, so you will be using lighter bands or weights for the most part. The max amount you would likely need in terms of free weights is 25 lbs if you are very strong, to do some of the bicep and shoulder exercises. My weight range went from about 10 lbs for some of the shoulder exercises, to 25 lbs for the arc presses. Mostly though I stayed in the 10-15lb range and a medium band for most of the band moves and was still able to get a very good workout.
The big con for the program is that it does not stick with the shorter (30 min max) workouts that most of their recent programs have been. But when compared to the length of the original P90X workouts, this is still far under the time commitment required for most of those. It also comes with a pretty easy meal plan guide for those who want to follow the meal plan and not go with their own nutrition plan. Finally, on the Sculpt workouts, every move is shown for about 23-30 seconds before the set starts so you can see proper form both for the modifier and the "regular" version.
All in all, it is a very good program that anyone, of any fitness level can use. It may be a little too easy for those who are ultra-fit, but you can tailor it to some extent. For those who are a beginner and/or out of shape, I would highly recommend it.
