Initial Impressions: PeakFit’s Cardio Interval Burn Review

Anyone who knows me knows I’m a bit of a cardio addict.  I know the value of strength and flexibility training, but if I could get away with just doing intense cardio for the rest of my life, I would absofrekainglutely do it.  The Peakfit Challenge has a couple varieties of cardio workouts, but only two are focused on cardio only: Pure Cardio and Cardio Interval Burn.  The latter had first been released to the public as Peak 10: Cardio Interval burn and has been repackaged for the PeakFit Challenge.  Both workouts are actually interval workouts, but whereas Pure Cardio alternates between ascent and climb phases, Cardio Interval Burn integrates the coveted peaks for the fat blasting.  Each has their place in your workout rotation, it appears that Cardio Interval Burn is placed every Friday for the next couple weeks.  That’s a bang to end the week!!

Initial Impressions: Peakfit’s Cardio Strength 1 Review

You know when you buy an album — erm, what am I talking about?  I’m showing how old I am.  I mean, you know when you buy download a bunch of mp3s from the same artist there’s always that one song that made you LOVE that artist?  The workout that has brought nothing but adoration for Michelle Dozois from me would be Cardio Strength 1 (or originally packaged as Peak 10 Cardio Strength).  Michelle refers to this workout as the “original” Peak 10 workout…and I don’t know if anything ever really beats the original.

Initial Impressions: Peakfit’s Dynamic Flexibility Review

When you read those fitness magazines, they often talk about the three ingredients to fitness: cardio training, resistance training, and flexibility training.  I’m pretty darn abysmal at flexibility so when I find a stretching workout I like its like the heavens have opened.  Michelle, with her PeakFit Challenge, did not ignore the importance of flexibility and created a 30 minute program for those of us who need the extra guidance and discipline to get the job done.  

Initial Impressions: Peakfit’s Core Dynamics Review

No workout system is complete without a core routine.  The problem is that most core routines suck in these systems.  They never seem to hit the right balance for me — either way too easy (usually standing work) or dramatically more difficult (mat work).  PeakFit’s Core Dynamics is definitely a challenge for me, and I absolutely cannot do everything, but it’s the closest thing right now to both be in the higher range of my comfort zone and still challenge me.  

Initial Impressions: PeakFit’s Pure Strength 1 Review

The second workout in the PeakFit Rotation is Pure Strength 1.  As you might have guessed, there is at least a second workout known as Pure Strength 2, and I imagine the Michelle Dozois may be setting up for sequels after that one as well.  It’s the first disc in the packaging which had originally misled me to think it was the first workout in the rotation.  Pure Strength 1 is not a “sculpting” workout.  It is a very fast moving resistance training workout that utilizes heavy dumbbells as well as their Exerspy resistance band, but don’t think Ellen Barrett sculpting when you pop in this DVD.   Michelle challenges you to use weights that will push your limits — for reference, I used 8lbs for my light dumbbells and I used 12lbs for the heavy dumbbells (though I wish to graduate to 15lbs by the end of the 8 week rotation).  It is a deceptive workout for those of us who have embraced serious resistance training…you may not feel like you worked super hard during the workout but man you manage to have DOMS somewhere the next day!

Initial Impressions: PeakFit’s Pure Cardio Review

The first real workout in the PeakFit 8 week rotation after the Fit Test is Pure Cardio.  Despite it being the first workout in the rotation, it’s actually the “second” disc in the series of the packaging (a minor complaint…not sure if it’s a function of them making up the rotation after production or just dumb mis-communication).  I had an issue when first working out to this DVD: since I was using my (LEGAL) digital copy to stream to my HDTV, there was some issue between timing of the audio and video stream. I’ve managed to fix the issue since, buy it really bugged the hell out of me during the workout.  However, I am happy to report that it was a sweaty, fun mess and a GREAT introduction to the PeakFit Challenge.

PeakFit: First Fit Test!

Yowza!  I just did my PeakFit Fit Test before I start my 8 week rotation on the program.  This test is supposed to help you feel good to show that your accomplishments can be measured in something other than inches or pounds.  The test consists of ten cardio drills — one minute on, and one minute off — where you log in your starting number and then you compare that base number to how many reps you can do 8 weeks from now.  Honestly, it’s a bit of a misleading test because if you preview all the workouts in the program, you do all of the moves in your Fit Test during your Peaks.  Of course, if there is a move that I’ve practiced before I can do more of them.  If there is a move I’ve never done before on the PeakFit Fit Test, I’ll probably be able to do more after 8 weeks of practice.  But it’s still a nice basis to see your cardio or core capacity’s improvement.  In the test, I had done several moves before in my workout routines which I was able to push more out; the ones I did for the first time today did not have as many reps since I did spend some time going, “Um, do I put my leg here?  Am I doing this right?”  But here are the general results:

Unboxing: Peakfit Challenge!

Due to a series of unfortunate events regarding my mail, I literally stayed home to wait for the postman to come by to pick up the package and safely throw it onto my sofa as I ran out the door, sped down the 110S, and manage to do 6 hours worth of nonstop experiments in 4 hours.  After picking up my husband for another commute through rush hour, I got to unbox my long awaited PeakFit Challenge

I can see clearly now! (My experience getting LASIK Eye Surgery)

When I was in the fourth grade, my father took a day off of work and took the whole family to NYC where he liked to get his eyes checked (it took him years to stop this tradition as it was a pain).  What made that trip different from all the other times we had to go up there before was that it was the first time I needed glasses.  Figures, right?  The nerdy little girl needed glasses, probably from reading books all day.  Because I was the little nerd child that stereotypes told me to be, I was slightly excited.  I thought I was being inducted into some group of smart people as every member in my family had glasses so therefore, I would be smart like them.  Except, then the unthinkable happened…

That (a**hole) optometrist had the bright idea of recommending BIFOCALS.  To an EIGHT YEAR OLD.

Are you freaking kidding me?

I was not lucky enough to get progressives, so instead of being called four eyes, I was called six eyes mercilessly for years.  Eventually my parents settled with an optometrist closer to home who quickly called that previous eye doctor an idiot and I got normal glasses from that point.  Eventually, I moved to contact lenses (in fact, I had to if I wanted to carry out any experiment that required a microscope for longer than five minutes), and just dealt with being someone who needed some type of corrected vision.  I remember reading in my six eyed years about a new procedure called LASIK and told myself: “when I grow up, I’m going to get LASIK.”  Even as a child, I knew I wanted to wait until the technology had to be truly tested (this was the early 90s after all), and I waited patiently.  For almost the past five years, my optometrists told me that I was a perfect candidate for LASIK and when I could afford it, I should go for the plunge.

Plunge, I have.

Final Review: Inside Out Series by Bob Harper

So far, I have written individual reviews for the four first workouts of the Inside Out Series: Body Rev Cardio Conditioning, Pure Burn Super Strength, Yoga for the Warrior, and Bob’s Workout.  The first three workout DVDs can be found at Target, Amazon.com, CollageVideo.com, and a variety of other retailers.  The last workout of the series, Bob’s Workout, can only be purchased directly at http://www.mytrainerbob.com.  After completing all the workouts, I have to say that I’ve been utterly pleased with my purchase.  Bob’s teaching style gave a fresh breath of air into my workout routine, and I have been thoroughly addicted sense.  You can look at the individual reviews for each specific workout, but I wanted to outline some comments for the series as a whole below: