If you ever read any of my posts, you know what to expect – this will be long :P
Sorry if it’s going to sound like a random list of subjective impressions, but I don't have another way to "measure" the progress (I don’t aim for changes in weight or proportions). Also, I kind of lost interest for PFT results other than push-ups. I guess I could say I’m in need of some goals! :D “Being fit in general” is a great thing to aspire to, but too vague, and it gets discouraging knowing you are never really “there”. Suggestions for smaller, attainable goals are welcome!
So, I completed the Bodyweight (round1) program. It is only my second 4-week program (the first was AbsR2). In comparison, I would say I preferred Abs2. It felt more “even”, for lack of a better word. Bodyweight seemed to have ups and downs – some quite easy days and some insanely tough days. It made me a bit frustrated, because I felt very different from day to day, feeling light one day, heavy another. I didn’t follow the program to a T, I took some extra rest days here and there, and I also added my own workouts quite a few times on WO days that felt “too easy”.
FB Bodyweight definitely kept me guessing all the time. It doesn’t strictly follow the weekly structure I’m used to (Mon-lower, Tue-upper, Wen-cardio/core etc.) Also, the format of some videos was sometimes unusual to me too (length of intervals, mashup of different styles). I chose Round1 because I wanted older videos, something unfamiliar or forgotten, to surprise me and shake things up. And that’s what I got! :) But it didn’t bring me many new favorites (only 2).
Some facts - The program has 17 workout days (not counting the optional/recovery Saturdays). First day is PFT so the first week has 4 actual workout days. The last day is also PFT and the last week has only 3 workout days (I didn’t like that, I expected 20 WO days from a 4-week program and would have liked the PFTs to be outside that). The WO days have 26 videos (not counting the warm-up/cool-down individual videos), 11 with Daniel, 10 with Kelli and 5 with both. I loved that it had so many Daniel videos! I usually wouldn’t pick them on my own because they are so challenging, but after this program I’m not intimidated by them any more. Daniel’s is so encouraging (and the total opposite of a show-off) that even if I “failed” the workouts (having to modify almost everything), I never felt like a failure. I will gladly try them again and again, relieved to hear Daniel shouting “five-four-three-two-one- oh man!” really loud, suffering like a normal human :)
There are 2 repeat videos, one kickboxing and one based on push ups. The upper body seems very well worked in this program, to me those were definitely the most challenging days. There are 4 kickboxing days, and the other upper-body videos are PACKED with push ups and dips of all sorts. So one of the results of the program for me is better definition in the upper body (yay!). Not something that would be obvious in pictures, but I see it. No “bulking” of the major muscle groups, but the smaller, long and narrow muscles (I don’t know how they are called) showing up as new lines/shadows/ridges. Most noticeable in the forearms (surprise!) and shoulder area (front and back). And a thing I discovered – do kickboxing in front of a mirror! In movement and punches, you’ll see muscles you don’t see otherwise (while still). That was encouraging to me. (And I’m SOOO looking forward to the community challenge!)
Another thing I loved is that I felt new kinds of soreness. After upper body days with weights I tend to feel something between the shoulder blades which I’m never even sure is it DOMS or a near-injury pain, but many times during this program I finally felt it in the right places, biceps, triceps etc, and I could definitely recognize it as muscle soreness and nothing else.
Unfortunately, my PFT results for push-ups didn’t improve. I expected they would, I tried twice (not on the same day) but not a budge. I’m still stubbornly convinced SOME improvement must have happened after doing so many push-ups during the program. This is a thing I noticed after Abs2 too, definition comes easier than strength.
The lower body days weren’t as challenging. The “new kind of soreness” did happen (after leg days I usually feel sore in hamstrings, if anywhere, and now I felt it in the glutes and quads, was exilarated about that!), but only once (after adding a lower body routine on my own on a HIIT day). 3 of the lower body days in the program were strength training with weights. Yes, they say in the video that it’s still a good workout without weights but I couldn’t help feeling I’m missing out on something when I saw K&D lifting. I did have ankle weights, but they’re of no use for deadlifts! :D I brought them along to amp up some of the pilates, but the program had only 2 pilates videos (one of them on optional recovery day). So it was mostly lower-body days when I felt the need to add other workouts. I’m sorry to say, but that was a bit dissapointing about the program – having LB videos with weights while so very little pilates.
As for the HIIT/cardio/abs days, they felt just about right and within expectations. There was one little milestone for me regarding that. High knees! I started doing them more often. When I say “do” I mean not substitute them from the start and manage to do a few hip-height reps (and THEN substitute =D) I’m not sure if that’s a result of improved endurance thanks to the program, or me being more willing to try because I recently noticed many Blenders mentioning they hate high knees too, so I finally figured there’s nothing wrong with me, they are simply hard to everyone, keep pushing and you’ll get there some day.
Before I wrap up, don’t get me wrong, I did like the program despite the few details I wish were different. It still has much more pros than cons, and if I didn’t mention enough pros it’s only because I think they are obvious. The program kept me active for a month, provided some good challenges, was manageable and uplifting, and I know there are more benefits than those immediately obvious, all adding up to the workouts from the previous months and to the workouts that will follow. This was a valuable part of the journey and I’m glad I did it.
FB Bodyweight programcomplete - review
Hello, Blenders!
If you ever read any of my posts, you know what to expect – this will be long :P
Sorry if it’s going to sound like a random list of subjective impressions, but I don't have another way to "measure" the progress (I don’t aim for changes in weight or proportions). Also, I kind of lost interest for PFT results other than push-ups. I guess I could say I’m in need of some goals! :D “Being fit in general” is a great thing to aspire to, but too vague, and it gets discouraging knowing you are never really “there”. Suggestions for smaller, attainable goals are welcome!
So, I completed the Bodyweight (round1) program. It is only my second 4-week program (the first was AbsR2). In comparison, I would say I preferred Abs2. It felt more “even”, for lack of a better word. Bodyweight seemed to have ups and downs – some quite easy days and some insanely tough days. It made me a bit frustrated, because I felt very different from day to day, feeling light one day, heavy another. I didn’t follow the program to a T, I took some extra rest days here and there, and I also added my own workouts quite a few times on WO days that felt “too easy”.
FB Bodyweight definitely kept me guessing all the time. It doesn’t strictly follow the weekly structure I’m used to (Mon-lower, Tue-upper, Wen-cardio/core etc.) Also, the format of some videos was sometimes unusual to me too (length of intervals, mashup of different styles). I chose Round1 because I wanted older videos, something unfamiliar or forgotten, to surprise me and shake things up. And that’s what I got! :) But it didn’t bring me many new favorites (only 2).
Some facts - The program has 17 workout days (not counting the optional/recovery Saturdays). First day is PFT so the first week has 4 actual workout days. The last day is also PFT and the last week has only 3 workout days (I didn’t like that, I expected 20 WO days from a 4-week program and would have liked the PFTs to be outside that). The WO days have 26 videos (not counting the warm-up/cool-down individual videos), 11 with Daniel, 10 with Kelli and 5 with both. I loved that it had so many Daniel videos! I usually wouldn’t pick them on my own because they are so challenging, but after this program I’m not intimidated by them any more. Daniel’s is so encouraging (and the total opposite of a show-off) that even if I “failed” the workouts (having to modify almost everything), I never felt like a failure. I will gladly try them again and again, relieved to hear Daniel shouting “five-four-three-two-one- oh man!” really loud, suffering like a normal human :)
There are 2 repeat videos, one kickboxing and one based on push ups. The upper body seems very well worked in this program, to me those were definitely the most challenging days. There are 4 kickboxing days, and the other upper-body videos are PACKED with push ups and dips of all sorts. So one of the results of the program for me is better definition in the upper body (yay!). Not something that would be obvious in pictures, but I see it. No “bulking” of the major muscle groups, but the smaller, long and narrow muscles (I don’t know how they are called) showing up as new lines/shadows/ridges. Most noticeable in the forearms (surprise!) and shoulder area (front and back). And a thing I discovered – do kickboxing in front of a mirror! In movement and punches, you’ll see muscles you don’t see otherwise (while still). That was encouraging to me. (And I’m SOOO looking forward to the community challenge!)
Another thing I loved is that I felt new kinds of soreness. After upper body days with weights I tend to feel something between the shoulder blades which I’m never even sure is it DOMS or a near-injury pain, but many times during this program I finally felt it in the right places, biceps, triceps etc, and I could definitely recognize it as muscle soreness and nothing else.
Unfortunately, my PFT results for push-ups didn’t improve. I expected they would, I tried twice (not on the same day) but not a budge. I’m still stubbornly convinced SOME improvement must have happened after doing so many push-ups during the program. This is a thing I noticed after Abs2 too, definition comes easier than strength.
The lower body days weren’t as challenging. The “new kind of soreness” did happen (after leg days I usually feel sore in hamstrings, if anywhere, and now I felt it in the glutes and quads, was exilarated about that!), but only once (after adding a lower body routine on my own on a HIIT day). 3 of the lower body days in the program were strength training with weights. Yes, they say in the video that it’s still a good workout without weights but I couldn’t help feeling I’m missing out on something when I saw K&D lifting. I did have ankle weights, but they’re of no use for deadlifts! :D I brought them along to amp up some of the pilates, but the program had only 2 pilates videos (one of them on optional recovery day). So it was mostly lower-body days when I felt the need to add other workouts. I’m sorry to say, but that was a bit dissapointing about the program – having LB videos with weights while so very little pilates.
As for the HIIT/cardio/abs days, they felt just about right and within expectations. There was one little milestone for me regarding that. High knees! I started doing them more often. When I say “do” I mean not substitute them from the start and manage to do a few hip-height reps (and THEN substitute =D) I’m not sure if that’s a result of improved endurance thanks to the program, or me being more willing to try because I recently noticed many Blenders mentioning they hate high knees too, so I finally figured there’s nothing wrong with me, they are simply hard to everyone, keep pushing and you’ll get there some day.
Before I wrap up, don’t get me wrong, I did like the program despite the few details I wish were different. It still has much more pros than cons, and if I didn’t mention enough pros it’s only because I think they are obvious. The program kept me active for a month, provided some good challenges, was manageable and uplifting, and I know there are more benefits than those immediately obvious, all adding up to the workouts from the previous months and to the workouts that will follow. This was a valuable part of the journey and I’m glad I did it.
Ok, I think I’m done :) Thanks for listening!