Rapid Fire: Kick, Box and Core Burn

Rapid Fire: Kick, Box and Core Burn is actually Rapid Fire 1–the first in the series by Susan Chung. I so enjoyed Rapid Fire 3 & Rapid Fire 4 that I decided I must have them all, so I am slowly accumulating them. I only have one more to purchase after this: Rapid Fire 2: Results. And I want it even more after doing Rapid Fire 1. I really enjoyed this workout. It was tough. In some ways tougher than 3 & 4 and and in other ways easier. The actual choreography in this workout is easier than the other two, but the workout itself was more physically draining, if that makes sense. I felt it more. In fact, I am certain that tomorrow my lower body: hamstrings and hip flexors especially, will be very sore. Maybe even some upper body DOMS. But we shall see. I am not posting this until tomorrow so I will update whether I have DOMS. All I know is that right now, 6 hours after completing the workout, my lower body muscles are still burning. ***The next morning–no DOMS. 

I am a big fan of kickboxing workouts, they are my favorite cardio workouts, and Susan’s have become my current favorite of the kickboxing genre. All of her Rapid Fire workouts have a similar structure but they are all also unique in their own way. This workout is broken down into many sections. You can approach this workout a variety of ways. Play it from beginning to end, select chapters, mix and match (Mix and Match has it’s own menu) or chose a premix. There is an intro and safety that is 10 minutes long that gives excellent form pointers. If you choose to play the entire workout it will start with the intro so you can just skip over that part (after listening to it once) or use the mix and match, or premixes. The sections are Warm up (9:30), Shadow Boxing (18:30), Aerobic Kickboxing (21:30), Heavy Bag (12:00), Core/Abs Standing (8 minutes) Core/Abs Floor (8:30) and stretch (7:00). So the full workout is 85 minutes long.

For the Shadow Boxing Susan and crew use 1 pound dumbbells (I used 2 pound weighted gloves), nothing for Aerobic Kickboxing (I kept my 2 pound gloves on), boxing gloves for Heavy Bag (again, I kept my 2 pound gloves on and I don’t have a heavy bag), and a 6 pound “core ball” and a dumbbell for the ab/core work (a core ball is a medicine ball with handles on either side; I used a 4 pound medicine ball but will use an 8 pound one in the future; also, since I don’t have a core ball, for the one exercise they used a dumbbell and a core ball for, I used two 8 pound dumbbells).

This was a great and intense workout. The Shadow Boxing section is exactly what it  the title says. Lots of punch combinations. I got great cardio out of it but not sure I would have w/out my weighted gloves. I do think holding light weights or wearing weighted gloves is essential to get the most out of this section. The Aerobic Kickboxing has a lot of kicks, so weighted gloves are not essential to get an excellent workout. But there are punches, so I wore them anyway. The combos are unique and easy to learn–but work your lower body hard. For the Heavy Bag–a heavy bag is definitely not needed! Again, light hand weights or weighted gloves will do the trick and you’ll still get wonderful workout.  And finally, the Abs/Core section was my least favorite but still very well done. If you do the standing part with a heavy enough medicine ball you’ll get some good cardio and core work. My legs were fried by the end since it ends with 24 squat jumps where you tap the floor with ball then bring it overhead when you jump. After all the kicking, that finished my legs off! And the floor core work is intense! It burned my abs out completely. It is an excellent, long workout that wore me out. Monday-Friday I don’t have time in the mornings for an 85 minute workout, which makes me sad because I loved every single section. I could cut out the core work and get a 69 minute workout–or the core and the heavy bag to keep it under an hour. And, of course, there are premixes! None of the premixes include the stretch, so if you want the stretch, you’ll have to add it on yourself (which will add 7 minutes on to any of the times listed below). Also, listed below you will see Kickboxing 1 & 2. That’s just the way the combos are broken down. The Aerobic Kickboxing section is broken down into 3 parts. A long combo that is then repeated on the other side of the body (doing the combo on both sides of the body is Kickboxing #1) and then a shorter combo (Kickboxing #2).

Premixes:

1. Warm up, Kickboxing #1, Standing Core – 30 minutes

2. Warm up, Kickboxing #2, Standing & Floor Core – 34 minutes

3. Warm up, Kickboxing #1, Heavy Bag – 35 minutes

4. Warm up, Shadow boxing, Kickboxing #1 –  42 minutes

5. Warm up, Kickboxing 1 & 2, Heavy Bag – 42 minutes

6. Warm up, Shadow Boxing, Heavy Bag, Floor Core – 49 minutes

7. Warm up, Kickboxing #2, Shadow Boxing, Floor C0re – 45 minutes

8. Warm up, Shadow Boxing, Kickboxing #2, Standing Core – 44 minutes

9. Warmup, Shadow Boxing, Standing & Floor Core – 45 minutes

10. Warm up, Kickboxing #2, Standing Core – 25 minutes