I finished FB Low Impact and, as usual, will talk at great length about it. Consider youselves warned :P
I already read so many great things about it from you all and now I can join the choir – it is a well structured, all encompassing, beginner friendly program, varied and interesting, easily adjustable to anyone’s needs. My only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner, preferably at the beginning of my journey, so I’ve missed the opportunity to start it without any previous knowledge or experience, which I believe would be the most valuable perspective for judging this particular program.
For some background, I don’t consider myself at a starting point even though I am facing new challenges and limitations, more like a “readjustment of the course” point. I needed to slow down and reset after an injury, and I’m still struggling to find the best way to work out because I feel very imbalanced (my lower body can still take level 4, my heart the same amount of the cardio, hopefully, while my upper body was barely above zero when starting Low Impact, now it’s about 1 – hooray, progress!). So I chose this program to try to stay active while rehabilitating the shoulder.
Anyway, onto more factual stuff!
The program has 17 active days (not counting the 4 optional recovery days and 2 PFT days). I noticed this in programs that have a Fitness Test included and I don’t like it, sorry FB :) I wish the PFT was outside the program and that each week had full 5 active days.
There are 2 repeat videos, one great low impact cardio which I love, and one optional yoga stretch (probably also great but it appeared 3 times in Booty+Reach which I did before this, so I just skipped it this time :D)
There are quite a few videos with both Kelli and Daniel in them (8) which is always a treat! 4 of them are from the 5-day challenges (and that’s an even bigger treat if you ask me ;))
Seems people are often interested if a program has older or newer videos. Well this is one of their older programs, and the third of the videos are voiceover (which I don’t mind), but what I dreaded were those videos with rounds and to my delight - it has only 1!
There are 6 extra credits, no longer than 10 minutes, levels 3 and 2.
Body focus
I think the program has a perfect balance of upper and lower body workouts, equal amount per week (and since there is almost no HIIT you won’t feel like your legs worked hard on days that weren’t supposed to be leg days). For core, I would personally have liked more. It IS worked but seems to me it was always accompanying another focus, like a side-kick, I don’t remember a specifically core focused day. But a good thing that came out of it is that I realized I like upper body workouts more when they are combined with core focus. I think I didn’t encounter those before. There are also a lot of total body days (7 if not counting optional recovery days, or 10 if counting them), and I LOVED it. The last week is entirely total body!
Training type
There is one kickboxing video, several pilates videos (but only one as main workout for the day, others were short extra credits or optional pilates/yoga blend stretches), and the rest is FB signature mix of strength and cardio in all sorts of combinations. 3 workouts have “barre” in the description (but they are not those with standing leg raises, so I must say I haven’t yet figured out what constitutes as “barre”, all I know is that I like it), one upper body, one lower, one core.
Intensity
If you know anything about me by now, you know that I’ve made some calculations ;) I decided to measure “intensity” as difficulty multiplied by duration. So for refence, a 30 minute level 3 workout would be of 90 intensity. The average intensity of the program (counting the extra credits, not counting the optional recovery days) is 104.5, distributed like this: week1 – 84.25, week2 – 123.2, week3 – 115, week4 – 95.7. But that’s just numbers, I can’t say that it actually felt that way for me. I did feel the jump to the second week. You can tell that the first week eases you in, and then in the second week is when the first level 4 workouts make their appearance (fear not, there’s only 5 of them in the entire program and if they have some HIIT-type cardio, K&D are both in the video so low impact modifications are shown). Sometime during week 3 I was finally able to follow along with upper body videos without pain (no dumbbells but do the same moves, as opposed to the first two weeks where I would mostly just play the video to keep me company and time the intervals, while doing my own PT exercises). So from then on I was able to challenge myself more, meaning the program didn’t seem to be getting easier like the numbers suggest. Bottom line, the intensity will always depend on how much you put into it.
Goals met
Because I knew I wouldn’t do the program full force, I set a goal for myself to try to reestablish the mind-muscle connection, whatever that meant. You know, instead of going mindlessly through the moves, make a conscious effort to be present, re-learn good form to the tiniest detail, range of motion, breathing patterns, everything, feel the differences that position and rotation of every single joint make, feel the engagement even of the muscles that aren’t directly involved. It made for an interesting new challenge with workouts of a lower level than I’m used to and it was humbling. I most enjoyed finding unfamiliar videos (considering how long I’ve been with FB it wasn’t an easy task) and discovering how something as simple as involving a move you never did or haven’t done in a long time can make all the difference, add to the feeling of difficulty and accomplishment. So I’m super excited that K&D came back and are releasing new workouts.
I wasn’t conscious of it as a “goal” before the program, but now I think the biggest benefits for me were mental.
The thing is, it’s been months since I felt that wonderful post-workout high that leaves you wanting more and looking forward to the next day. When you feel like you’ve fought a tough battle, barely got out alive but won spectacularly. I feel more like in endless peace negotiations with my body now and it’s wearisome! Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful for everything I can do, and I’m aware there are much worse predicaments than mine, just saying that gratefulness is not as powerful driving force as pride. I mean, the satisfaction of jumping over the hurdles instead of maneuvering around them is what makes you want to enter the race in the first place, right?
So I needed a change of mindset, to find satisfaction in “maneuvering”, otherwise my motivation would keep plummeting. Right after the injury I kept trying to cling to an illusion that I didn’t and wouldn’t fall off my game, but all it did was frustrate the heck out of me, not being able to perform 100% as before, constantly keeping me focused on the past. I wanted to “go back” instead of move forward. I wasn’t hurting myself further or pushing too hard, but I was unable to consider modified workouts as “proper” exercise. My workout time felt like a waiting room and time waisted. My anger kept boiling. All that time I couldn’t shake off the feeling that I should have known better than to injure myself, doubting every single choice I made up to then, my entire fitness journey of some 5 years. I couldn’t forgive myself. “What’s the use? I don’t know what I’m doing anyway. With all that effort so far I should have been in the best shape of my life and now I can’t even reach for the groceries on the top shelves!” and that kind of thinking. There were days (not during this program but before) I literally cried during workouts because I CAN’T (should have been grateful that the pain was not so severe to make me cry itself, but instead, I was just furiously impatient and wanted it gone). Until I finally accepted that this is a new situation, new set of challenges that need a new approach and new focus (on healing rather than holding on to the previous patterns that might have been too much anyway even on a healthy body). So the biggest mental challenge for me was, and still is, easing back into it patiently and retaining interest for it without the pride of “beast mode”.
In the past, this would surely be a situation when I’d stop. I used to have months-on, months-off phases of working out. Be all pumped up, “crushing it” for a while, until the first obstacle. This time it was different and I owe a huge thanks to this community for that (and of course K & D). To everyone who talked about struggling with motivation, and to everyone who responded with words of encouragement. It all stayed with me and kicked in when needed most. Dedication over motivation, that advice is worth its weight in gold! I simply chugged along and somehow, at some point during this program (I’m pretty sure it was that week 3 milestone), I found joy and pride in conquering level 2 workouts!
So, the goal of beating the all-or-nothing mentality complete!
I’m sorry this “review” turned into endless personal ruminations. I’ve definitely gone overboard even for my usual long posts! To wrap up - doing this program is absolutely worth it for a non-beginner too. It is a good companion for recovery, at times you need to recalibrate phisically or mentally, recharge your batteries, bring back your enthusiasm for new or different challenges, check your progress etc.
FB Low Impact from a non-beginner perspective
Hi all!
I finished FB Low Impact and, as usual, will talk at great length about it. Consider youselves warned :P
I already read so many great things about it from you all and now I can join the choir – it is a well structured, all encompassing, beginner friendly program, varied and interesting, easily adjustable to anyone’s needs. My only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner, preferably at the beginning of my journey, so I’ve missed the opportunity to start it without any previous knowledge or experience, which I believe would be the most valuable perspective for judging this particular program.
For some background, I don’t consider myself at a starting point even though I am facing new challenges and limitations, more like a “readjustment of the course” point. I needed to slow down and reset after an injury, and I’m still struggling to find the best way to work out because I feel very imbalanced (my lower body can still take level 4, my heart the same amount of the cardio, hopefully, while my upper body was barely above zero when starting Low Impact, now it’s about 1 – hooray, progress!). So I chose this program to try to stay active while rehabilitating the shoulder.
Anyway, onto more factual stuff!
The program has 17 active days (not counting the 4 optional recovery days and 2 PFT days). I noticed this in programs that have a Fitness Test included and I don’t like it, sorry FB :) I wish the PFT was outside the program and that each week had full 5 active days.
There are 2 repeat videos, one great low impact cardio which I love, and one optional yoga stretch (probably also great but it appeared 3 times in Booty+Reach which I did before this, so I just skipped it this time :D)
There are quite a few videos with both Kelli and Daniel in them (8) which is always a treat! 4 of them are from the 5-day challenges (and that’s an even bigger treat if you ask me ;))
Seems people are often interested if a program has older or newer videos. Well this is one of their older programs, and the third of the videos are voiceover (which I don’t mind), but what I dreaded were those videos with rounds and to my delight - it has only 1!
There are 6 extra credits, no longer than 10 minutes, levels 3 and 2.
Body focus
I think the program has a perfect balance of upper and lower body workouts, equal amount per week (and since there is almost no HIIT you won’t feel like your legs worked hard on days that weren’t supposed to be leg days). For core, I would personally have liked more. It IS worked but seems to me it was always accompanying another focus, like a side-kick, I don’t remember a specifically core focused day. But a good thing that came out of it is that I realized I like upper body workouts more when they are combined with core focus. I think I didn’t encounter those before. There are also a lot of total body days (7 if not counting optional recovery days, or 10 if counting them), and I LOVED it. The last week is entirely total body!
Training type
There is one kickboxing video, several pilates videos (but only one as main workout for the day, others were short extra credits or optional pilates/yoga blend stretches), and the rest is FB signature mix of strength and cardio in all sorts of combinations. 3 workouts have “barre” in the description (but they are not those with standing leg raises, so I must say I haven’t yet figured out what constitutes as “barre”, all I know is that I like it), one upper body, one lower, one core.
Intensity
If you know anything about me by now, you know that I’ve made some calculations ;) I decided to measure “intensity” as difficulty multiplied by duration. So for refence, a 30 minute level 3 workout would be of 90 intensity. The average intensity of the program (counting the extra credits, not counting the optional recovery days) is 104.5, distributed like this: week1 – 84.25, week2 – 123.2, week3 – 115, week4 – 95.7. But that’s just numbers, I can’t say that it actually felt that way for me. I did feel the jump to the second week. You can tell that the first week eases you in, and then in the second week is when the first level 4 workouts make their appearance (fear not, there’s only 5 of them in the entire program and if they have some HIIT-type cardio, K&D are both in the video so low impact modifications are shown). Sometime during week 3 I was finally able to follow along with upper body videos without pain (no dumbbells but do the same moves, as opposed to the first two weeks where I would mostly just play the video to keep me company and time the intervals, while doing my own PT exercises). So from then on I was able to challenge myself more, meaning the program didn’t seem to be getting easier like the numbers suggest. Bottom line, the intensity will always depend on how much you put into it.
Goals met
Because I knew I wouldn’t do the program full force, I set a goal for myself to try to reestablish the mind-muscle connection, whatever that meant. You know, instead of going mindlessly through the moves, make a conscious effort to be present, re-learn good form to the tiniest detail, range of motion, breathing patterns, everything, feel the differences that position and rotation of every single joint make, feel the engagement even of the muscles that aren’t directly involved. It made for an interesting new challenge with workouts of a lower level than I’m used to and it was humbling. I most enjoyed finding unfamiliar videos (considering how long I’ve been with FB it wasn’t an easy task) and discovering how something as simple as involving a move you never did or haven’t done in a long time can make all the difference, add to the feeling of difficulty and accomplishment. So I’m super excited that K&D came back and are releasing new workouts.
I wasn’t conscious of it as a “goal” before the program, but now I think the biggest benefits for me were mental.
The thing is, it’s been months since I felt that wonderful post-workout high that leaves you wanting more and looking forward to the next day. When you feel like you’ve fought a tough battle, barely got out alive but won spectacularly. I feel more like in endless peace negotiations with my body now and it’s wearisome! Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful for everything I can do, and I’m aware there are much worse predicaments than mine, just saying that gratefulness is not as powerful driving force as pride. I mean, the satisfaction of jumping over the hurdles instead of maneuvering around them is what makes you want to enter the race in the first place, right?
So I needed a change of mindset, to find satisfaction in “maneuvering”, otherwise my motivation would keep plummeting. Right after the injury I kept trying to cling to an illusion that I didn’t and wouldn’t fall off my game, but all it did was frustrate the heck out of me, not being able to perform 100% as before, constantly keeping me focused on the past. I wanted to “go back” instead of move forward. I wasn’t hurting myself further or pushing too hard, but I was unable to consider modified workouts as “proper” exercise. My workout time felt like a waiting room and time waisted. My anger kept boiling. All that time I couldn’t shake off the feeling that I should have known better than to injure myself, doubting every single choice I made up to then, my entire fitness journey of some 5 years. I couldn’t forgive myself. “What’s the use? I don’t know what I’m doing anyway. With all that effort so far I should have been in the best shape of my life and now I can’t even reach for the groceries on the top shelves!” and that kind of thinking. There were days (not during this program but before) I literally cried during workouts because I CAN’T (should have been grateful that the pain was not so severe to make me cry itself, but instead, I was just furiously impatient and wanted it gone). Until I finally accepted that this is a new situation, new set of challenges that need a new approach and new focus (on healing rather than holding on to the previous patterns that might have been too much anyway even on a healthy body). So the biggest mental challenge for me was, and still is, easing back into it patiently and retaining interest for it without the pride of “beast mode”.
In the past, this would surely be a situation when I’d stop. I used to have months-on, months-off phases of working out. Be all pumped up, “crushing it” for a while, until the first obstacle. This time it was different and I owe a huge thanks to this community for that (and of course K & D). To everyone who talked about struggling with motivation, and to everyone who responded with words of encouragement. It all stayed with me and kicked in when needed most. Dedication over motivation, that advice is worth its weight in gold! I simply chugged along and somehow, at some point during this program (I’m pretty sure it was that week 3 milestone), I found joy and pride in conquering level 2 workouts!
So, the goal of beating the all-or-nothing mentality complete!
I’m sorry this “review” turned into endless personal ruminations. I’ve definitely gone overboard even for my usual long posts! To wrap up - doing this program is absolutely worth it for a non-beginner too. It is a good companion for recovery, at times you need to recalibrate phisically or mentally, recharge your batteries, bring back your enthusiasm for new or different challenges, check your progress etc.
Thanks for bearing with me and have a nice day :)