Focus T25 training - anyone done it?

Elwood

I've been challenged by a mate to do it. Just finished week 1 of T25 Alpha and really enjoying it.

For those of you unfamiliar with it (I guess the majority as I'd never heard of it) it's 6 25 minute workouts per weeks covering:
Cardio
Speed, contol and balance
Core
Full body circuits
Legs

The first 5 weeks are the alpha phase and aims to increase cardio and general athleticism. It only needs a mat for the core stuff and is high intensity but very achievable. Keeping up with the tempo is tough but it's relies on you to go at your own pace while trying to push.
The beta phase is much the same but with a step up in difficult and including more upper body and some use of weights. I've not looked into it much so it's a supprise for when I get there.

Looking past the marketing BS it's quite a fun system. I like the focus on overall improvement. Some of the moves can make you a bit self conscious - such as the do-si-do used to stretch out during the leg exercises. I've never done one sober before.

So back to my original question - has anyone done it and gone on to bigger and better things or dropped out?
Or have you tried similar things like P90x?

RedRabbit

How odd - I'm sat here looking into T25 at the moment.

I did P90x3 last summer and enjoyed it, increased my fitness levels significantly and got down to my lowest weight in years (combined with a suitable diet obviously).  Some life issues got in the way and I went off the rails a bit - stopped exercising and ate and drank enough to put 20lbs on.

I started the new P90 schedule this week as my fitness level had plummeted (it really is something that needs maintaining) and I couldn't keep up with P90x3 any more.  After just a week I'm feeling much better and I'm nearly keeping up with the guys going at full pelt. 

I'm really looking at this as a way to ease myself into something a bit more intense - not sure whether it'll be P90x3 again or T25.  I prefer the high intensity half hour workouts so it'll probably be one of those two but I'll keep doing P90 for the rest of the month so I'm in reasonable shape when I begin.

The market BS from the Beachbody products wind me up.  Lots of pseudo science and unrealistic before and after shots (it's not that they're not real it's just that if you dig into them they are the result of doing the program 2 or 3 times rather than the 1 that's suggested by the adverts).  I appreciate that they need to hype things a bit but they get a lot of negative feedback from people not achieving the promised results. 

I think P90X and Insanity have been there biggest sellers but most of the DVDs end up sat unused or used once and then given up on because they marketed them as suitable for beginners which they most certainly aren't.  At my fittest I could probably have tackled Insanity but it would still have been hugely difficult.

That said I do like the DVDs I've used and think Tony Horton (P90X trainer) is a great motivator and have heard similar about Shaun T.  The workouts are good but ultimately you get out of them what you put in.

Elwood

RedRabbit said:

How odd - I'm sat here looking into T25 at the moment.

That said I do like the DVDs I've used and think Tony Horton (P90X trainer) is a great motivator and have heard similar about Shaun T.

A big attractor is the 25 minute duration for me. I'm not that limited on time but work long shift so enjoy a hard workout then relaxing after a long day. The T25 covers enough that I've found it highlights my weaknesses - not in a disspiriting way but so I can see a clear way forward to improve. I've got a good level of CV from mountain biking which Iets me concentrate on form and range of motion. That said it hasn't translated well to running so I really feel the burn on some of the moves.

My plan is to complete Alpha and then assess whether I will do it again or go into Beta. Shaun T is like being trained by Will Smith which is pretty cool.

I heard P90x was harder and longer - if you do go for it again please let me know. I'd be interested to hear about it.

I found this review after starting Alpha and found it an interesting read. It might help you determine if it is for you.

paulk

I, along with my missus, have done Insanity right through a couple of times and are on our third pass through T25 now. I've also done a few circuits of P90X. I like T25 - good solid workouts and you're done within a half hour. It works. Moreover, if you want more you can always add /adapt. I'm a fan.

Elwood

How did you find the step up from Alpha to Beta?
Worth doing Alpha a couple of times to get everything nailed or go straight to Beta?

RedRabbit

That review was one of the ones I found.  The problem with them is that you never know which ones are genuine and which done by Beachbody "coaches" trying sell stuff.  It does at least give you an idea of what each work out entails though which is pretty much all I'm after.

P90x is around 1 hour per workout (I think the yoga one is 90 mins though).  I've done a couple of the workouts from it and they are tough - I couldn't complete the cardio one I did but this was before I tackled P90x3.

P90x3 is all half hour workouts which works well for me as I like to do them before work and it means I'm not getting up stupidly early to fit them in (I guess some would call 5:30 stupidly early though).  It's a total body conditioning program focusing on compound movements and quite a bit of variety.  From memory each week from the first month consists of (Monday - Sunday)

• Synergistics - strength training using compound movements and getting the body working as a complete unit
• Agility & speed
• Yoga
• Push and pull challenge (you need a pull up bar ideally for this) - set yourself a number for push ups and pull ups and do various versions of each move while trying to keep hitting the target for 30 minutes
• Warrior training combining strength training, cardio and agility
• Cardio training with weights - this one was really tough, basically a pretty standard cardio workout with, for me, a 5lb weight added.  Even if you're really going for it they advise you not to go much over 10lb.
• Rest or active recovery

You do this for 3 weeks and then there's an active recovery week of lots of yoga, pilates, etc then your off onto the next block which is completely different routines for 3 weeks (strength training becomes more focussed, cardio ramped up and an MMX routine added (another killer)), another active recovery week and then 5 weeks of shuffling all the previous workouts up so you're always doing something different.

P90 (no X) is just two workouts per level (one level per month) and you just alternate between them so it gets a bit repetitive which is why I'm looking for something else to do after the first month is up.  It'll probably be P90x3 as the one thing I really miss is the yoga and I won't have to shell out for T25.

Elwood

No early starts here. I do T25 at 2200 or 0100. Sod doing it first thing!

RedRabbit

I've become an early to bed/early to rise type the past few years.  Most days I'm bed by 10pm.  I just can't get my head around the idea of working out 1am!

Elwood

RedRabbit said:

I've become an early to bed/early to rise type the past few years.  Most days I'm bed by 10pm.  I just can't get my head around the idea of working out 1am!

Currently working late shifts. If I get off early then it's before midnight and if not then after. Next rotation is early shifts

Elwood

Rest day today, I had to catch up on one workout yesterday and I'm really looking forward to only having to do stretches.

Week 1 complete.

RedRabbit

Technically a rest day here as well but I opted to do the dynamic movement/active recovery workout from P90x3.  I used to be able to get through it fairly easily but it was a bit harder today.  Definitely going to take a little while to get back to where I was but there's a lack of stretching/mobility work in P90 which I miss so I glad I did it.

Anyway, week 1 of P90 complete.  3.5lbs down already and feeling much better in myself.

paulk

If you're in anyway half decent condition you should be fine going to the Beta workouts. They're not that much tougher.

Ionian said:

How did you find the step up from Alpha to Beta?
Worth doing Alpha a couple of times to get everything nailed or go straight to Beta?

Longtallronnie

I did Insanity last year, having done feck all for years and really enjoyed it. Unfortunately I hurt my back the during second time round - tried to lift a PA speaker on my own because I was rushing to get home - and have struggled to get motivated since. I did some resistance training with bands for a while but didn't stick to it. 

I really want to try the T25 workout but need to save some monies first. 

Elwood

Things were slightly easier this week as I'd adapted and learned a lot of the moves. Double Friday was a bitch: Legs then core. Looking forward to a rest day. Week 2 complete

grungebob

Yea I've done it 3 times including gamma and enjoyed it. Before that I did insanity back to back for about a year and a half. T25 is good for keeping you in shape and introducing anyone to what they can do if they pushy themselves a bit. Insanity really pushed me and takes a lot of your time up. Sadly I've damaged my left kneecap so I'm now 3 months inactive until surgery.

Elwood

I enjoy the aspect that it is little and often rather than often and all consuming. Much more attainable goals.

grungebob

Yeah insanity takes over whereas with T25 you still get to have a life, of course all these DVDs are useless if you don't eat right

Elwood

I found week 3 went very quickly. I improved in all the different workouts and even did a good job on the Friday double of circuits then core. I'm adding extra stretching sessions in during the week and that's helping a lot. Week 3 complete. To anyone who has done Beta - what sort of weights did you use: 5kg seem a reasonable starting point?

grungebob

I'm just starting week 2 alpha like I said been out of action awhile due to a bad knee. Having to do modifier moves for some still until I get the surgery. For beta it all depends on your current strength. You may find you need two sets 2.5 & 5kg just don't over do it on your first week injuries can put you back weeks

theanimal

use whatever weight you feel comfortable with. Even if you use a light one to begin with you will think it weighs a great deal more by the end! Also, check out the gamma cycle. Finally, I think the alpha total body circuit is horrible! But in a good sort of way.

Elwood

The spider pressups are the thing of nightmares.

Will go light to begin with. Heard about Gamma - 25 minutes without putting the dumbbells down. 5kg would feel like 50kg by the end!