Ohh it burns. I've been using FitFlow Max for two weeks now, and it hurts so good. I've used all five of the videos, and while core & stretch and yoga fitflow are the two easiest, they aren't to be sniffed at at all.
It is a little strange, though. There's no music. But while I thought that would be a problem, it actually isn't. Briohny and MacKenzie keep your attention with their chatter - but I stress immediately that it isn't irritating or mindless chatter. It's actually immensely friendly, and as odd as it is, I really felt like part of the class. I concentrated more on what I was doing, which was too tough for calm music to be suitable, and too controlled for energetic music. Really, I don't quite think any music would work with it. It's actually turned out to be quite enjoyable.
It is a little strange, though. There's no music. But while I thought that would be a problem, it actually isn't. Briohny and MacKenzie keep your attention with their chatter - but I stress immediately that it isn't irritating or mindless chatter. It's actually immensely friendly, and as odd as it is, I really felt like part of the class. I concentrated more on what I was doing, which was too tough for calm music to be suitable, and too controlled for energetic music. Really, I don't quite think any music would work with it. It's actually turned out to be quite enjoyable.
My workout set-up has me using the lower body, upper body and total body on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with weights and kickboxing on Saturday.
The upper/lower/total body workouts consist of circuits repeated three times on each side of your body, and they get faster as you go along. But while I was on the first circuit and thinking to myself "I can't do this for half an hour!", I actually found it easier with every set. Crazy, but true. And oh so wonderful. Especially as someone who is good a yoga, as far as the lowest end of intermediate is considered. I usually use yoga as a means of active recovery, so it's not often that I change up a yoga sequence, unlike my workouts, and neither am I often challenged by it. I had expected to be challenged this time, of course - I wouldn't have chosen it as a workout to dedicate my month to if I didn't - and so far I'm not disappointed.
That said, though, total body was the biggest challenge, with more balance and grace required than in the others, but it's also highlighted areas I can improve on and it gives me a lot of room to grow. Moving from a half moon into an upright leg extension without that foot brushing the floor...well, it isn't easy at any pace.
As for the core & stretch and the yoga fitflow videos, I alternated them on Tuesdays.
I don't usually like to exercise on an empty stomach - if I do, it's simple yoga or, if I'm feeling daring, Pilates, because neither take much energy to do. Or, at least, there's no jumping about involved. But even then it's usually a Friday morning when I have the day off and get up much later. It's never a Tuesday morning at 7am before the sun has even risen. In fact, Tuesday is usually one of my rest days. But I did it, and I loved it. I'm a morning person - I can get up early, before dawn, and sit quite happily at my computer getting my day in order, and generally get on with my exercise at about 9:30. But knowing I had yoga - even if it was a tougher version than my usual yoga, though even then I alternated between the easier two - I found it easy to do early and empty, and actually quite rewarding, watching the sky slowly brighten as I go. I'm hoping to make a habit of it next month, when it's even darker in the mornings and most definitely when we put the Christmas lights up. Yes, glow-yoga is something that caught my eye long ago, but as a full-time carer, classes aren't possible.
The HIIT element is present - not as extreme as I'd hoped, but about what I'd expected. You can only do so much with yoga. Most of the HIIT is in the upper, lower and total body workouts, and come from cardio intervals and speeding up the circuits. There is more room and opportunity to raise your heart rate in FitFlow Max than there is in typical yoga workouts.
So, it's been a pretty good couple of weeks so far, and nice to get up in the morning to an easier, smoother workout than what I usually subject myself to. Of course, that will all change on December 4th, so I'm really making the most of it while I can.
I don't usually like to exercise on an empty stomach - if I do, it's simple yoga or, if I'm feeling daring, Pilates, because neither take much energy to do. Or, at least, there's no jumping about involved. But even then it's usually a Friday morning when I have the day off and get up much later. It's never a Tuesday morning at 7am before the sun has even risen. In fact, Tuesday is usually one of my rest days. But I did it, and I loved it. I'm a morning person - I can get up early, before dawn, and sit quite happily at my computer getting my day in order, and generally get on with my exercise at about 9:30. But knowing I had yoga - even if it was a tougher version than my usual yoga, though even then I alternated between the easier two - I found it easy to do early and empty, and actually quite rewarding, watching the sky slowly brighten as I go. I'm hoping to make a habit of it next month, when it's even darker in the mornings and most definitely when we put the Christmas lights up. Yes, glow-yoga is something that caught my eye long ago, but as a full-time carer, classes aren't possible.
The HIIT element is present - not as extreme as I'd hoped, but about what I'd expected. You can only do so much with yoga. Most of the HIIT is in the upper, lower and total body workouts, and come from cardio intervals and speeding up the circuits. There is more room and opportunity to raise your heart rate in FitFlow Max than there is in typical yoga workouts.
So, it's been a pretty good couple of weeks so far, and nice to get up in the morning to an easier, smoother workout than what I usually subject myself to. Of course, that will all change on December 4th, so I'm really making the most of it while I can.
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