Delta Fit Phase 1 Review

I have completed all three of the Phase 1 workouts. The workouts are "Pure Power", "Super Strength" and "Extreme Endurance." They are all 30 minutes long and consist of 6 cycles of  a different variation on one basic circuit of moves. The "Pure Power" workout is 15 second interval with 45 second rest for each movement, for the non beginner and even for most beginners this is fairly easy to push the limit for the  entire 15 seconds. I actually found my self going longer but tried to hold back to get a true feel for the workout itself. "Super Strength" has less of strength feel than I was expecting. The intervals are bumped up to 30 seconds active time with 30 seconds rest I really had to boost the weight from the recommended weights to get a real "strength" type workout. For example the recommended weights were 15-20 lbs and I was using 55-65 lbs dumbbells. The "Extreme Endurance" workout is just what it says Endurance!! The workouts are bumped up to 45 seconds active time with 15 seconds rest. If you push your self to the max it will easily be one of the more intense workouts you have ever done. It is not unbearable though, there are a wide variety of movements and with any experience you should be able to complete the workout.

My first criticism is that the workouts are hard to follow the first time you do them. Unless you have done these specific workouts before, choosing what dumbbells to use is hard unless you just follow the recommended for me it got a little crazy running back and forth to the weight rack. Changing weights back and forth constantly to increase intensity can get a little frustrating when you have limited time to do so. If you have only one set of weights, height of bench/step, size of stability ball etc. this will not be a problem.

The movements in each workout get progressively harder throughout each session, this is a good thing for beginners. Participants can move from the easiest version to the next allowing time to focus on form and also allowing the option to stay with the basic movements and progress at your own pace. This adds problems for the intensity seeking individuals getting the right size dumbbells picked out. Making it very unappealing for someone wanting to jump in and go hard right away. I think MOST people should follow each progression to learn proper form regardless of fitness level but with a warning it will make the first two workouts, for lack of a better description VERY EASY. The guy keeps saying this should never be easy for anyone because you can always use heavier weights or start with the harder progressions....... true but unless you already know the progression or remember every progression from the last time you did the workout and on top of that know ahead of time what weight you need, it makes it very difficult to push yourself to the limit. Honestly my statements are very critical of an overall well set up program also the statements are more true of the first two workouts and less true of the third. If you do any fitness related movement for 45 seconds with 15 seconds rest for 30 minutes you WILL get a good workout. If you don't then you are not truly completing the entire 45 seconds or you are not going to the max and that is what you are supposed to do. 15 seconds is a short time to transition though and the pause button should be taken in to consideration during this sequence. I think maybe some better movements could have been picked but let me stress the Phase 1 is an overall good enjoyable workout for BEGINNERS and less enjoyable for the more experienced. If you have the movements memorized and can complete the hardest level of exercise without cue than even experienced can enjoy this workout no matter the level, but if you can do it without cue do you need a DVD? Most people probably yes.

There are some fairly progressive movements involved in Phase 1, a few that I had never seen done before or at least some slight variations. Most people should be learning quite a few new moves if anything that should keep them focused and in tune with what they are doing. The new variations did cause me some slight soreness but nothing too bad.

The beginner as I said before will be very pleased with Phase 1 of this series and the experienced...... not so much. If after 4 weeks of the same 3 workouts you don't know the movements by memory you may need to just write them down. I don't know how hard it would have been to have the list of all the sequences up on the screen or provide a sheet of the workouts to keep track of weights, reps and everything else for the participant. The instructor B.J. Gaddour seems to sweat more than humanly possible they must have the heat in the building up to 110 degrees. The commentary and yelling makes the overall experience fun and he constantly reminds you how much he like butts. Some may be turned off by his demeanor but most will probably like it and may even be very motivated by his personality. I was left thinking really? how can he be sweating that much......... I had planned to stay with Phase 1 for the recommended amount of time but out of shear boredom I am moving to Phase 2. I would just see myself constantly looking forward to Friday workout not so much because it is all that much better but because the week would be over. I have not given up on this DVD series yet, it has a lot of potential. I'm hoping Phase 2 is better than the first. Keep in mind I have not completed any of the bonus workouts and this may be key to reaching success with this program. My opinion of the first phase is probably lower than it should be, but I still encourage anyone interested at all to try it out. This might be just the thing you are looking for. This would be an excellent program for young athletes to do if they don't have an instructed resistance program available to them.

Slightly rambled and negative but hopefully you can find some information helpful in this review. I am moving on to phase 2 and hopefully I will enjoy it a little more so I can provide a more in depth informational review. Any questions or comments are appreciated. Look for a new review in a week or so.

GET IN THE GYM AND GET AFTER IT!! NO EXCUSES!!

Delta Fit Speed Shred Review #1

The Delta Fit Speed Shred DVD series has just arrived today. I am planning to start the program on Monday and giving a weekly review. I will give a short overview of the program no real details. This system consists of 8 DVDs with various workouts that are designed to make you "shredded". The program in it's entirety is 12 weeks and is broke down in to 3 phases that are each individually 4 weeks long. The first 3 discs contain the three phases of workouts. Disc 4 is "High Energy Athletic Training" aka H.E.A.T, basically low impact cardio workouts meant to be done on rest days or days between workouts. Disc 5 is "The Ultimate Body Weight Workout" a 45 minute routine using no equipment. Disc 6 "The Ultimate Kettle bell Workout" 3 routines requiring the kettle bell. Disc 7 "The Ultimate Boot camp Workout" 4 cycles of 10 exercises at a High Intensity Interval type pace. Finally Disc 8 "The Workout From Hell" yes you read that right, this workout is designed to incinerate fat and set your muscles on fire and is based around one key movement the burpee. I always like a workout that includes burpees. The program also includes a diet to follow and a Training Journal to log you successes and failures. The diet included is nothing special and pretty basic to say the least. The training journal is far better than others included in programs that I have looked at in the past. It includes not only a workout log but also a diet log, results tracker and sort of an emotional evaluation log (how were you feeling that day, how did you sleep). And also a questionnaire for each workout. This alone might push a person to attaining better results with this program over the competitors. It should help anyone stick with it a little better than the usual calender with boxes to check off.

The three phases look to be simple enough to follow. The difference in this program compared to the competitors is that it only has you working out 3 days a week. The rest of the week are rest days or optional "H.E.A.T." workout which is just extra cardio. The additional DVD workouts are also recommended for the more advanced audience to do on the optional days or for a new challenge when the phases are complete. A workout plan that gets me shredded only doing 3 separate 30 minute workouts a week..... I like that idea. I am a fitness professional and I know better. The diet included and optional cardio days are a must to make this successful. The description might be misleading to some of the consumers though. That should be a red flag to any beginner starting the program and expecting results by doing the minimum workouts suggested. Along with doing this workout I will also maintain my regular workout schedule. I am not going to post my personal results from the workout..... unless there is some kind of complete body transformation that takes place. I don't expect it though. I am excited about this program to say the least. It was put together by Men's Health Magazine and fashioned by B.J. Gaddour C.S.C.S. who is the self proclaimed Metabolic Master. I have read reviews on this saying it is extremely hard and extremely fun as well. I have no bad feelings going in and hope to share only good comments about the program. I plan to stick to the 3 day program and on the off days I may throw in an optional workout here and there but my running will probably keep me busy enough on the optional/rest days.  Keep your eyes open for a review of my first week of Phase 1 next Friday if I survive the workouts...........

In the mean time get in the gym and get after it, the only one holding you back from success is yourself...... No Excuses!!

Living Healthy

I'm going to dedicate this blog to giving my opinion on fitness as well as giving tips and advice to all that want to listen. I don't claim to be the all knowing expert in all areas of fitness, but I will research anything and give my informed opinion. I will tell you there is A LOT of misinformation out there. There is good knowledge at every one's finger tips in the field of health and fitness as well, but it is hard to weed through the junk. Most of the time it is not complete junk but something good that has been misinterpreted or stretched one way or another.

Every where I look there is a good article, book, movie or video clip on the subject of health and wellness. So no one can tell me the resources are not there to become healthier. My best initial advice to anyone trying to be healthier is just that "be healthier". Become aware in everyday life to find out how unhealthy you actually are and figure out the steps to change it. Being aware is an important aspect of living healthy. To repair your health you must know where the problem lies. You can't take a car to a mechanic and expect them to fix it without telling them what is wrong. So don't expect to fix your health without finding the issues within your current lifestyle. Most already know their problem or can figure it out without much effort.

Using common sense in everyday situations is another important aspect of living well. Common sense tells us more activity is better than less. Eating healthy is usually common sense for the most part as well. If you think the bacon double double cheeseburger with a side of cheese fries is a healthy option because you drank a diet soda common sense may not be your strong suit. At that point it's time to seek professional advice.

Be Aware, Use Common Sense and Be Healthier today! No Excuses.....