Kickbox FastFix

Kickbox FastFix is a workout collection by Jillian Michaels. It contains 3 approx. 20 minute workouts. The workouts each have a focus: upper body, lower body and core. The workouts are made up of circuits that alternate kickboxing w/ conditioning that targets the body part the workout is focused on. In the Upper Body focus workout you are actually doing some strength training. I have had this workout for a very long time and have only done it once. I have meant to return to it many times but it never happened. I had some negative memories about this workout. The one and only time I did it, I did all 3 workouts back to back for an hour long workout. As I said, it was many years ago that I did it, but what I remember is that I found her cuing to be confusing, she worked one side of the body more than the other (on the kickboxing combos) and some of the moves were awkward and hard to execute.

This time, I decided to approach these workouts differently. At least the first run through them again. I do yoga on Sundays, so I decided for the next 3 Sundays, I would do one Kickbox FastFix and follow it up with my yoga. In addition, this time through, I decided to watch the tutorial Jillian included. I know I didn’t bother with the tutorial last time, so I decided that maybe reviewing the tutorial would make this workout more… likable? Less confusing?

After watching the tutorial, I have to advise anyone who wants to make her cuing easier to follow to watch it. I do a lot of kickboxing workouts by many different instructors. That is why I didn’t bother with the tutorial the first time I did it. I already know the names of the punches and kicks as well as how to execute them. Well, Jillian, of course has a different name for many of them. She also kind of explains some things. For instance, the reason she doesn’t work both sides of your body evenly is because she expects you to find your own lead and that will be what you stick with–you will always be on the same lead. Other trainers always have you switch your lead so you do equal punches and kicks on both sides of the body. Not Jillian. You find your most comfortable lead and stick with it. And when you do work the other side of the body with the same move, you do this weird pivoting maneuver (she calls it spinning), which is what makes some of the kicks awkward and difficult to execute–at least for me. So, I approached these workouts differently this time through. Each circuit is done twice. So the second time through a circuit, I automatically switched leads instead of continuing to mirror Jillian. That fixed part of problem of working the body unevenly. However it doesn’t completely fix the problem, especially in workouts 2 and 3. In those she gives you complete punch/kick combos in each circuit, but when you repeat the circuit, the combos disappear–so the opportunity to change leads the second time through does not exist. And as for those awkward pivoting moves? I just switched leads and did the standard kick without the spinning/pivoting. No more awkwardness. With these modifications, I actually really enjoyed these little workouts!

Lets talk length. If all the time you have to workout is 20 minutes–then these are good workouts. Not great, but good. Personally, I think these workouts should be used together for a longer workout, or used as an add on to another workout. I personally will use it either as a warm up on my yoga days, as a cardio finisher after a strength workout, or all 3 together for an hour long cardio kickboxing workout.

The tutorial is 14:30 minutes long and as I stated above, I do think it is important to view it at least once. The first 6 minutes go over stance (which is where I understood her theory of sticking with whatever lead is your strength) and the 4 basic punches: jab, cross, hook and upper cut. The remaining part of the tutorial goes over the kicks and demonstrates and explains how she chooses to work both sides of the body (the spinning pivot). Watching this can either help you practice how to do it her way, or learn the terms she will use that will cue you to change leads (which is what I did).

These workouts have no real warm ups. She does call the first circuit a warm up, but it is as intense as the other 3 circuits. Each workout is each made up of 4 circuits that are repeated. You do get a stretch at the end. The only equipment used is 8 pound dumbbells in the first workout (upper body). However, I used 2 pound weighted gloves to up the intensity of the kickboxing and I also used 15 pound dumbbells (in addition to 8 pound dumbbells) for workout #1. I will note below in the break down when I used 15 or 8 pound dumbbells, but I always had my weighted gloves on.

Workout #1 (Upper Body Focus); 21 minutes long, 1 minute stretch. You will need at least one set of dumbbells for this workout (I used 15 and 8 pound dumbbells); Jillian and crew only use 8 pound dumbbells for everything.

Circuit 1:

1. Speed rope (fast jump ropes)
2. Speed bag w/ kick out
3. Front hooks
4. Back hooks
5. Alternating front push kicks
6. Speed push ups

Repeat Circuit 1

Circuit 2:

1. Front round house kick
2. Spinning round house kick (from the back/other leg)
3. Jab, cross, hook, cross
4. Suicide runs (run front one side of the room, touch the ground, run back to other side of room, touch the ground, keep repeating)
5. Bent over wide rows (15# DBs)

Repeat Circuit 2

Circuit 3:

1. Jab, cross, front kick
2. Alternating knee thrusts
3. Jab, cross, double elbow
4. Get into bridge (lay on back, hips raised) and do chest flys alternated w/ laying overhead tricep extensions (head bangers/skull crushers)–never lowering the hips (15#DBs)

Repeat Circuit 3

Circuit 4:

1. Weighted upper cuts in half squat (8# DBs)
2. “Slide up” front kick into a back kick (front kick to back kick same leg)
3. Front kick into back kick on other leg

Repeat Circuit 4

Workout #2 (Lower Body Focus) is 20:30 minutes long w/ a 2 minute stretch. Workout 2 is lower body focused so lots of kicks. I did really like this workout and utilized the changing of leads when repeating a circuit. However, this workout reminded me of one of the reasons I had problems with this workout the first time I did it. There are some fairly complex punch-kick combos in this workout. She throws them at you fully formed–so no building/layering , you do the full combo immediately, and then, when you repeat the circuit, those combos disappear so you can’t change leads! I was very frustrated. In addition, unlike kickboxing workouts by other trainers, Jillian doesn’t have that kickboxing rhythm that is so necessary to create a smooth kickboxing workout. You have to be able to get into a rhythm with your combos–especially when they are complex. Cathe, Susan Chung, Heather Corndorf, Ilaria Montagnani and Kelly Coffey-Meyer are all excellent at creating this kickboxing rhythm with their combos. Jillian? Not so much. Plus, she is not a trainer who actually does the workout with you. She demonstrates then walks around the room while the class/crew do the moves. So even if you target an exerciser who has a good rhythm it’s not like the camera will stay on them. So even tho I did like this workout, it has it’s drawbacks. But it would be a great cardio finisher for a lower body workout. Below in the breakdown, when I indicate you repeat a circuit, I also note which part of the circuit disappears when you repeat it. Usually it is the final complex combo, but in circuit 2, one of the regular moves disappears, too!

No equipment is needed for this workout but I used 2 pound weighted gloves.

Circuit 1:

1. Jog in place
2. Slide up, front knee up
3. Back knee up
4. Jab, upper cut, hook, cross, front kick

Repeat Circuit 1

Circuit 2:

1. Alternating jumping snap kicks
2. Squat and round house
3. Squat w/ alternating front push kicks
4. Alternating crescent kicks
5. Slide up front kick, jab, cross, elbow, elbow, back knee

Repeat Circuit 2 except for #3 and #5

Circuit 3:

1. Double unders (jump rope)
2. Reverse lunge into front push kick
3. Repeat #2 on other leg
4. Round house kick, jab, hook, cross, two upper cuts, front kick

Repeat Circuit 3 except for #4

Circuit 4:

1. Slide up front kick, slide up side kick
2. Spinning round kick (back leg), spinning side kick
3. Jump Squats
4. Jab, slide up front kick, back leg back kick, cross

Repeat Circuit 4 except for #4

Workout 3 (Core Focus) 21:30 minutes; 2 minute stretch. This workout is similar to Workout 2. In each circuit, the complex combo is the 4th exercise and it disappears when the circuit is repeated so you cannot change leads. However, you are able to change leads for all of the other exercises (if warranted; most of the exercises in this workout–other than the disappearing combos–lead isn’t an issue). The only equipment I used for this workout was 2 pound weighted gloves.

Circuit 1:

1. High knee runs w/ torso twist
2. Jab, jab, cross, front knee, squat (she calls it a block), round house kick
3. Hook, upper cut, jump down to plank, jump back up into stance
4. Front knee, jab, cross, back knee, stepping front kick (or front kick from back leg)

Repeat Circuit 1 except for #4

Circuit 2:

1. Repetitive front snap kicks while balancing on one leg (when you repeat circuit you do it on the other leg)
2. Bicycle crunches (when you repeat circuit you do this move double time)
3. Mountain climbers (when you repeat circuit you do this move double time)
4. Slide up front kick, back kick, front knee, jab, cross

Repeat Circuit 2 except for #4

Circuit 3:

1. Sit ups
2. Static lunge w/ fast front punches (when you repeat circuit lunge is on other leg)
3. Butt kick runs
4. Jab, cross, double elbow

Repeat Circuit 3 except for #4

Circuit 4:

1. Tucks into sprawls (sit on bottom, knees bent and feet raised off floor, holding calves w/ hands–this is “tuck”; to sprawl, open arms and legs wide into an X while lowering torso and legs a few inches off ground)
2. Donkey kicks while in down dog
3. Repeat #2 on other leg
4. Slide up front kick, stepping front kick, jab, cross (the two kicks in this are just front kick lead leg then front kick back leg)

Repeat Circuit 4 except for #4

 

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