Turn Up and Slim Down

Turn Up and Slim Down is Patrick Goudeau‘s latest workout DVD. It is a cardio and body weight strength training workout broken down into 10 minute segments. So you can do all 6 segments + warm up and cool down for a 69 minute workout or pick and choose to create the workout of your choice, the length of of your choice.

Currently it seems body weight strength training is all the rage and I won’t lie, I’m loving body weight training–it is my new passion. So I really wanted to love this workout. Alas, I did not. But I am going to give it a second try because it is very challenging and intense and deserves a second chance. Why didn’t I like it? Briefly, there wasn’t much of a fun factor to this workout (tho I did like some sections better than others) and in some of them the foot work was complicated; in fact, in the first 10 minute segment I just could not properly catch on to some of the choreography. In another one there was balance involved. Now, this may make it appeal to some people and balance doesn’t always deter me. But I do have a unique issue–plates and screws in my heels that make the majority of balance moves impossible, therefore I frequently modify balance moves. For many moves, modification is easy and even tho I don’t get 100% of the benefit of the exercise, I still get some benefit. In the balance section of this workout however the move was done too fast and was too difficult to modify smoothly, so that was a downer. But obviously that is a problem unique to me and will not be an issue for other people. As for the rest of the workout, none of it really grabbed me and made me love it. One of the segments is a kickboxing segment which I did like; probably my favorite of the 6. Finally, the body weight strength segments were very challenging and effective, so I may come back to them, combining them with the two cardio segments that I liked for shorter doubles workouts that give me a little bit of cardio + strength work.

There are 6 segments: 3 cardio and 3 body weight strength/core. If you chose the play all option, you get the warm up and stretch and when the segments play, they alternate cardio with strength (again, this seemed, in theory, so perfect for me, right up my alley, that I am really disappointed I didn’t love it). There are two other menu options; you can go in and just play one of the 6 segments by itself (no warm or cool down), or you can go in and create your own workout–adding the warm up and cool down, choosing only 1 or more of the segments and structuring them however you like. So you can make it an all cardio workout, or an all strength/core workout; or just do your favorite segments (which is how I will probably do it from now on–skipping the first cardio segment and probably the balance segment, even tho there were parts of that one I did like).

The warm up is 4 minutes long and the stretch is 4 minutes long. Each segment is 10 minutes long except section 4 which is 11 minutes.

Now, before I get into the breakdown by segment, I want to point out that each segment is structured basically the same way, whether it is cardio or strength. There are two parts to it and each part is taught in layers. So I will be listing the full routine–but know that it is never thrown at you that way. He does teach each move and builds it up into the full routine. So you will be working on each “routine” for about 5 minutes and each segment has 2 routines. For the most part. They don’t all fit into this mold exactly, but even if it varies a little, it is still basically the structure. And, as you’ll see below, each segment has a silly name.

One more thing; though there is no modifier, because of the way he builds the cardio routines, there is usually easier and lower impact moves that morph into more challenging, high impact moves. So if you are looking for less intensity and/or lower impact, just stick with those versions of the move.

#1 Let’s Get Vertical (cardio): this is the segment that has the complicated foot work that is in the very first part of the routine. Routine 1, Section 1: 4 knee raises, jack + tuck jump x2, shuffle, lunge and touch the ground with hand, high knees. Section 2: jack + jump 2x,  squat jump 2x touching the floor with both hands. Add both sections together. Routine 2: high knee runs alternated with pendulum jumps. Do Routine 1 again.

#2 Finding Your Balance (strength/core): Routine 1: do sit ups with straight arms and one knee bent, one straight; alternate bent knees. Modified Turkish get up; basically do the same move, but at the top, push up on one arm and bent leg raising other arm overhead. Add flip over, pulling knee to elbow on same side and hold for a few seconds. Add push up. Routine 2: get into plank position and do “step forwards” (bring foot to outside of hand on same side). Change the step forwards so you are jumping your feet (basically wide mountain climbers with feet/knees outside of hands instead of under body). Add lowering to your belly and extending the arms into back extension; push back up into plank. Add balance move: bring one leg forward outside of hand, raise up into Warrior 3, stand up straight bringing leg that was behind you into knee raise then straighten leg in front of you and bend it again, lower back into Warrior 3 (balancing on one foot the entire time), lower back to floor into plank.

#3 Mama Said (cardio): This is the “kickboxing” segment I actually like (tho I don’t love). I put quotes around “kickboxing” because there is no actually kicking; cardio boxing is a better term. This workout starts with 2 minutes of jumping rope. They are using an actual jump rope; I just pretended to have a rope and jumped. Routine 1: jab, cross; add knee raise. Add bob and weave and burpee. Interlude: jab, cross; add 3 fast high knees runs. Routine 2: cross punches with lunges and deeper jump side lunges touching the floor. Add 2 knees each side. Repeat both routines and interlude on other side of body.

#4 Flipping in Reverse (strength/core): Routine 1: flip over kicks (start in plank, flip over into crab, kicking one leg straight into the air then back into plank). Add traveling planks (in plank, walk two steps to the side and two steps back). Add reverse push ups (get into plank and push back, knees bent (but not touching the floor) then come up into a down dog (he calls it circling) down to mat doing a push up (hits the triceps). Routine 2: lay on back with one leg bent and one leg straight, arms straight overhead; sit up, lifting straight leg and touching hands to foot. Next straighten both legs; alternate a sit up (arms still straight) bending knee and pulling in at top of move, with bringing both straight legs up in a boat. Hold in boat at the end. Next you will start with bent knee windshield wipers. Add straightening legs at the 45 degree position of the windshield wiper. Bicycles. Change bicycles so that elbows are touching knees on same side of body. Next, still on back, raise straight legs to sky; raise and lower legs at a 45 degree angle. Change to circling legs in large circles. Do Routine 1 again.

#5 Everyday I’m Shuffling (cardio): Routine 1: tire jog/runs with 2 side lunges (same side of body). Add 180 jump squats. Add jumps with two side leg raises to each side. Routine 2: 3 shuffles to each side with floor taps. Add jumping hamstring curls to the count of single, single, double. Add skaters.

#6 Ninja Rollback (strength/core): Routine 1: start with squats. Add roll back. Add push up; when you roll back up, you will jump into the push up, then stand. Add 8 mountain climbers and two frog jumps. Routine 2: plank walk downs (high plank to elbow plank). Add side plank; in side plank bring bottom knee to top elbow. Add what Patrick calls a yoga move and it has two parts; for part one get in high plank, bring knee to opposite wrist, raise knee to opposite elbow (this move really hits the core hard). For the second part come to your knees and bring shoulders back (he calls it “release” and it does give you momentary release before starting Routine 2 all over again).

**I have to add, as I was reading over this review again before posting it, I am really surprised I didn’t like the workout more. It was very challenging and intense and the moves were effective. I will definitely be trying it again. In fact, the only one I may leave out is the first segment. Even the balance one was super effective even tho I had problems with the balance portion.