Michelle Dozois Peak Fit Challenge Cardio Strength 2 - Thoughts


Cardio Strength 2 is approximately 57 minutes in length.
It features five blocks that are about 10 minutes each plus a cool down.
The first block, the "Warm up" block doesn't do the Peak intensity level.
I put warm up in quotes because I really don't think it is a warm up.
It really goes straight into the Ascent Level using weights and then you go into the climb level. You repeat this cycle, leading with the other side. The rest of the block follows the pattern of Base camp, Ascent, Climb and the Peak.
In each of the Ascent levels you are using weights. This is where the strength part comes in. This part moves. In each Ascent, you are probably doing anywhere from 5 to 7 different strength exercise.
In each of the Climb levels you are or should be working aerobically. This is where the cardio part comes in. The Climbs are my favorite part of the workout.
In each of the Peak levels, you are doing some type of jumping and trying to push yourself and your intensity as much as you can. The exercises for the Peaks are:
Block 1 - No Peak, Block 2 - Tuck Jumps, Block 3 - Leap Jump Shot, Block 4 - 180 Squat Touch Downs, Block 5 - Air Jacks.
Base camp is the recovery and while brief (for the most part) you get the full recovery period before you start going back at it. I know in a couple of the other workouts, Michelle actually starts the exercises while in the Base camp level. If you are still trying to recover after the Peak then you miss a few of the reps. This happens a couple times in this workout but not as much as in some of the other workouts. At least that is my perception.

I like this workout. It is very much like Cardio Strength 1. If you took the Fit Test you will see a few of the exercises that are in the Fit Test appear in this workout.

Going back to the warm up issue, I actually did the first cycle of block 1 without weights and then in the second cycle of block 1, I added weights. The only thing about doing this is that Michelle tends to focus on one side of the body for a cycle and then she switches to the other side during the second cycle. So there is the potential for an imbalance.

Luckily she runs through the exercises three to four times each within each cycle, so I will switch to the other side so I can somewhat work the sides equally.

Other than not liking the lack of warm up (I am sure I will get over this eventually), I like this workout a lot but not any better or worse than the first Cardio Strength workout.

3 1/2 stars

Comments

  1. SusanAugust 12, 2011 at 2:03 PM

    I like this workout too, I think the music is better in Cardio strength 2 than cardio strength 1. It's certainly a challenging workout and could do with a few more rests and a warm up too.

    ReplyDelete

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