Saundra

So I reviewed (March 8, 2011) this workout when it was Released as Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn. Michelle re-filmed this workout as part of the Peak Fit Challenge System. And in my previous review - boy did I give it high praise - 5 stars. I still really like the workout, but before I read my previous review, I was thinking of giving it 4 1/2 stars. Either way, I think Cardio Interval Burn is still a top notch workout. I do wished that it was under an hour. The workout clocks in at over 65 minutes. I read where I said the Peak 10 DVD is chaptered very well. However, the Peak Fit Challenge version - not so much. You don't have the menu options to pick and choose the individual sections at will. Out of all the workouts that I have, and I have a lot of workouts, this workout here has probably been my best calorie burner. It is definitely in the top 10, if not top 5. So yeah, 4 1/2 - 5 stars.

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 intens...

Dynamic Flexibility is the Peak Fit Challenge Systems active recovery workout. There are 5 segments and the segments are anywhere from 4 to 8 minutes. The whole workout is about 29 minutes. The first three segments are standing and done without the band. The last two segments are floor based and use the band. The workout can be done with shoes or without. I like all the segments with segment 3 being my least favorite but it was still okay. Segment three is Yoga based. You are doing a series of sun breaths, planks into downward dogs etc. Segment two and four are probably my favorite. I just love the dynamic stretching and fluid movements in two and I love the leg stretches using the band in four. Also, both segments has good tunes. Only complaint and I stated it before is that fact there is no menu breakdown of the segments. I can definitely see me using some segments more than others. 3 1/2 stars

Pure Strength 2 is approximately 50 minutes in length. It follows the same format as Pure Strength 1. Which is: Warm up Back Chest Back Chest Legs Arm/Shoulders Legs Arms/Shoulders Stretch During the warm up, Michelle first starts off without weights. After about 2 minutes, she grabs a set of light weights and takes you through a series of moves that show up later in the various sections. While the various sections target a specific muscle group, Michelle does end each section with some type of full body exercise move. Michelle coaches quite a bit - stopping to point out form. Also I notice that I need to pay attention to the television more, because along with coaching, Michelle chats a lot. Several times I thought she was still setting up the move and I look up at the TV and she had already started doing the exercise. I was waiting for a verbal start cue that did not come. You are moving from exercise to exercise at a quick but steady pace. So while I include...

Clocking in at about 42 minutes in length, is Anywhere Anytime, No Excuse Workout . This is the Peak Fit Challenge System's "Travel" Workout; and if you don't have a DVD player with you, Michelle includes a Take It With You guide of all the exercises she includes in the video. My problem with this workout being a traveling workouts is that if you are staying anywhere where you have people below you, you are going to annoy the heck out of them because there is quite a bit of jumping in the workout. So there workout starts with a 5 minute warm up. Then there are two 5 minute Ascent levels that are done back to back. This is followed by a series of "metabolic circuits" that consist of Base camp (level 1), Climb (Level 3) and Peak (Level 4). Now in the Climb sections, the first portion is plyo/power work (i.e. jacks or squats), this is followed by leg endurance strength (lunge variations), and then you go down to the floor for some type of push up/pl...

Pure Cardio from the Peak Fit Challenge system is a near perfect cardio workout - for me anyway. It is less than an hour - clocking in at just over 50 minutes; and that includes a warm up and cool down. It contains some of my favorite cardio elements - kickboxing, dance, and athletic hi lo. More importantly, it does not contain burpees, squat thrust, push ups (for the instructors who like to put push ups in a cardio workout) or the use of weights. What I like about this workout is that practically all the moves can be modified to a low impact version without loosing any of the choreography of the workout. Also the soundtrack is pretty good - with the moves fitting the music well. So within the Peak Fit Challenge System you have Interval Climbing. The first level is called Base camp. Used of recovery. The second level is Ascent. Used for strength and/or endurance. The third level is Climb. Higher intensity. Fat burning level. The fourth level is Peak. Metabolic stimulation. Very high i...

I reviewed (Thursday March 10, 2011) Cardio Strength 1 when it was just release as Peak 10 Cardio Strength. I don't really have a whole lot more to add. I will reiterate that I still don't like that there is no real warm up. Michelle re-shot this workout. So, there is a different cast than in the Peak 10 release. Also the Peak 10 release has menu options so you can select the different blocks you want if you didn't want to do the whole workout. As stated in the previous post, that option is not available with the Peak Fit Challenge release. Michelle does stop the exercise to coach quite a bit and thankfully that band is not used in this workout. In my previous review, I gave it 3 1/2 stars and I would still give it 3 1/2 stars.

Clocking in at just about 20 minutes is Core Dynamics . This is the Peak Fit Challenge workout that specifically targets the back, core, and abdominal region. Also there is a little glute work going on as well. The 20 minutes is broken down into 4 five minute blocks. Block 1 uses a single dumbbell and it is standing ab work - with a functional fitness twist. Block 2 is equipment free and is floor work. Plank work, side rolls, and ankle grabbers are some of the exercises perform in block 2. Block 3 uses the band and you are working off of one knee for much of the workout. There is also some side plank moves. Block 4 is equipment free as well and is more of a traditional floor ab set. My favorite section is Block 2. My least favorite is Block 3 and that is mostly because of the band. I actually chucked the band and replaced it with the FIRM's purple (strongest resistance) band for much of block 3. I really like this work. The 20 minutes moved quick. In Michelle's introduction she...

Pure Strength 1 clocks in at around 50 minutes. It consist of a warm up, 8 cycles or rounds and a cool down. Each round including the warm up and cool down are about 5 minutes each. Michelle uses light weight during the warm up and the warm up includes several of the exercises you will see in later rounds. Each round focuses on a particular body part or muscle group. At the end of each muscle group, Michelle includes a total body exercise to round out the 5 minutes. As with the Fit Test and all the workouts in this series, bells go off letting you know when the round is almost finish. The flow of the workout (the core part) goes like this: back, chest, back, chest, legs, arms/shoulders, legs and arms/shoulders. Now while Michelle is essentially performing the exact same exercise from one set to the next, she does vary the tempo and rep count. Also each plank pushup combination is different. Dumbbells (light and heavy) are used as well as the a band This band comes with the Peak Fit S...

Peak Fit Challenge is an 8 week program that was developed by Michelle and Phil Dozois. The program includes 10 workouts that come in a CD size DVD booklet. Also included: An 8 week training plan, an Anywhere Anytime Take it with you Guide, and a Nutrition Guide. The first DVD is Intro and Fit Test . In this DVD Michelle spends some time explaining to you the program and how the program works. The Introduction section is approximately 8 minutes in length. Also on this disc is the Fit Test. Michelle states that it should be done at the beginning of the 8 weeks and again at the end of the 8 weeks. The Fit Test consist of 10 exercises (please see the Exercise Test Chart for exact exercises - click on image for larger view). Michelle does include a warm up and a cool down with the Fit Test. The whole Fit Test is approximately 29 minutes in length and it is a nice little workout. During the test, there are bells that indicate when you start, when you are at the 1/2 way point, and the end o...

Well, my initial plan for August was to do systems. My original plan included Peak Fit Challenge system and the Aerobox systems, but it became a hassle ordering the Aerobox system so I nixed that. So then I decided to do the Peak Fit Challenge System with Tracey Staehle's New Total Body Boot Camp workouts. These workouts were supposed to be release mid-June, but as of right now I still don't have them, so this plan too got nixed. The latest plan is to do the Peak Fit Challenge system with "Pink" FIRM workouts. It has been a couple of years since I have done many of the Pink FIRM workouts. I have signed up for a 10K race. Race date is October 30th. I will start training for that with treadmill work on Sunday and Wednesday. Also, I have just received the new Amy Bento workouts. I will try to fit KB2 in sometime as an evening workout. I also ordered Seasun's new Zfit Step and I plan to start learning the combos to that as well.