F.I.T. (Functional Intensity Training)

I checked this workout out at the library after doing a Popsugar workout in which Tracey Mallett was the guest trainer. The Butt Lifting Workout That’s Better Than Spanx. I really liked it and, in it, she mentioned her F.I.T. workout. So when I saw it at the library I snatched it up.

Having now done F.I.T. all I can say is wow. This workout was much more challenging that I expected! Some of the exercises from the 10 minute Popsugar workout do appear in F.I.T. but at 76 minutes long there is obviously much, much more. There are actually 3 separate workouts on this DVD. There is an introduction by Tracy, then each workout is listed and you also have the “play all” option. My first time doing this workout I did the play all option. And it was exhausting. She describes it as functional total body conditioning alternated with cardio athletic drills. It was intense. I did the entire 76 minutes and burned over 500 calories (according to my Fitbit) and I was drenched in sweat.

On the DVD cover she recommends having 3-8 pound dumbbells available. You also need a fitness mat. The dumbbell suggestion is just a guideline. I started with 3-8 pound dumbbells in front of me but quickly ended up grabbing heavier dumbbells. So in the end, I used 3-15 pound dumbbells. This workout will need a run through to get your dumbbell selection figured out. However, I do have to mention that even tho for some of the exercises I feel I could have used heavier weights, I still felt every single exercise–regardless of whether I was using the most appropriate weight for me. It is that good of a workout. When I am using the right weight–this workout will kill me!

A little bit about the trainer before we move on. Tracey Mallett is a pilates instructor who owns her own studio and has created many other fitness DVDs. In fact, I bought one not too long ago that has been sitting on my shelf! She created the Booty Barre series and has also written fitness books. She has an English accent so I am assuming she doesn’t originate from the USA. I liked her a lot. She has a great presence and she is very encouraging and likeable. After I sample her workout that is sitting on my shelf (The Booty Barre/Total New Body) I will probably get some more of her workouts. I have several on my Amazon wishlist!

Before I get to the detailed breakdown, I want to talk about each workout a little bit. Workout 1 and 2 are structured the same and start with the same warm up. They both contain 3 conditioning segments and 2 cardio intervals. Each conditioning segment consists of strength exercises and ends with a core move. The cardio intervals are each a 4 minute tabata circuit. Tabata is a HIIT in which you do a high intensity move for 20 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds; 8 of these 20/10 cycles equals one 4 minute tabata. The tabatas in Workout 1/Total Body Burn are much more intense than in Workout 2/Lower Body Ripped. In workout 1 they actually qualify as tabatas. In workout 2 they are more high intensity cardio blasts set up in tabata format. For something to be a true tabata it has to be super intense and they just aren’t nearly as intense in workout 2 as they are in workout 1. Workout 3 is Chiseled Core & Flexibility and it is only 15 minutes long. The DVD box lists the workout times incorrectly. It says workouts 1 & 2 are 25 minutes long and workout 3 is 20 minutes long. But Workout 1 is 33:30 minutes long, Workout 2 is 31:30 minutes long and Workout 3 is 15 minutes long. Workouts 1 and 2 contain the same warm up but Workout 3 has no warm up, it just goes straight into the core exercises. Play All is 76 minutes long and only uses the warm up once, at the beginning, and since it ends w/ Workout 3 you get a stretch at the end. If you do Play All and just skip the core part of Workout 3, you could drop the workout time to 66:30 minutes. FYI–you work the core all through Workouts 1 and 2, so missing 10 more minutes of core work isn’t that big of a deal!

A final note; sometimes Tracy shows modified versions of the exercises, but not with every exercise.

Workout 1 Total Body Burn is 33:30 minutes long; 30 second intro, 4 minute warm up,  29 training time and no cool down/stretch. Tracey does not reveal what weights she is using but she says she is using her heavy weights in this workout, so I am assuming she is using 8 pound dumbbells since that is the heaviest weight recommended on the DVD case. The weights I used in this workout and the weights I plan to use in the future are what is listed below.

Circuit 1 (I used 8# DBs for this entire circuit but could probably manage 10# DBs in the future):

1. Get into lunge holding DBs; do static lunges and when you lower, rotate torso bringing DBs down to outside of front leg and when you raise do a back row, pulling DBs/elbows back
2. Hold in a static lunge and do tricep kickbacks
3. Do a lunge and when you press up, lift back leg behind you while raising one straight arm/DB in front of you; alternate arms but continue to do this move on the same leg
4. Repeat #1-3 on other leg
5. Get into straight arm plank; raise one leg high into 3 legged down dog then bring same leg underneath you into pigeon; do this slow a few times then fast; repeat on other leg

Cardio Interval 1: This is a tabata so you do eight 20/10 cycles. Tracy does two exercises. Each one is done for four 20/10 cycles. They are not alternated. You do the first one 4 times, then the second one 4 times.

1. Get into straight arm plank; walk feet in then out, then jump feet in and out (do four 20/10 cycles)
2. Plie jumps (do four 20/10 cycles)

Circuit 2 (Tracy used her heavy DBs for all of these exercises):

1. One leg squat; hold one DB and raise same side foot off ground, squat, bringing DB to ground then stand, bringing DB overhead (I used 12# DB); repeat on other leg
2. Deadlift alternated w/ side leg and arm raise (when you do the side leg and arm raise you are raising opposite leg and arm; so I had to do a DB combo; I used one 15# DB in one hand and an 8# DB in the hand that did the side lateral raise–in the future I could probably up those to 20# and 10# DBs); repeat on other side of body
3. Get into straight arm side plank, top hand behind head and bend top leg, resting sole of foot against inside of bottom thigh; in this position, bringing top elbow toward ground; repeat on other side of body

Cardio Interval 2: This is a tabata so you do eight 20/10 cycles. Tracy does two exercises. Each one is done for four 20/10 cycles. They are not alternated. You do the first one 4 times, then the second one 4 times.

1. Scissor jumps (do four 20/10 cycles)
2. Plank jacks (do four 20/10 cycles)

Circuit 3:

1. Bent over wide row (I used 15# DBs)
2. Windshield wipers (holding DBs at top of bent over row (like a bent over goal post), bring DBs straight out to side and back, just moving elbow joint and holding top of arm/shoulders stationary–during this move you will lift one foot off ground so you are standing on one leg) (I used 5# DBs, I’ll try 7# DBs in the future)
3. Still on one leg from #2, you will raise and lower raised leg (knee still bent); this changes to raising and lowering straight leg in front of you
4. Repeat #1-3 but this time balance on other leg and do #3 on other leg
5. Still holding DBs, take right arm and jab it to the side but overhead then pivot in other direction and do a lunge to the side, bringing DBs down on either side of front foot (I used 8# DBs, I could use 10# DBs in the future)
6. Hold in static lunge and pulse; during this move your arms will be bent at elbows so you are holding DBs in partial bicep curl and pulse the arms in partial/static bicep curl (I used 8# DBs, I could use 10# DBs in the future)
7.  Repeat #5 & 6 on other side of body
8. Get into straight arm plank; lift one arm and opposite leg, keep alternating sides; this changes to holding in plank and lifting one leg and pulsing the raised leg (do equal amount of pulses on each leg)

Workout #2 Lower Body Ripped is 31:30 minutes long; 30 second intro, 4 minute warm up,  27 training time and no cool down/stretch.

Circuit 1 (Tracey uses light 3# DBs for the majority of this circuit, which is appropriate because you will be holding arms in a stationary position for long periods of time):

1. Pulsing plie squat holding light DBs overhead (3# DBs)
2. Rotate into lunge and pulse, holding arms/DBs straight out to side of body (3# DBs)
3. Repeat #1
4. Repeat #2 on other leg
5. Repeat #s 1-4 but this time w/ heels raised–both heels for plie and front heel for lunges
6. Load all of your weight on one leg, raising both arms–same arm as loaded leg is bent and other arm is held straight out to side; jab w/ bent arm while raising unloaded knee into an oblique crunch, then raise same unloaded leg straight out to side (3# DBs); repeat on other leg
7. Holding one heavier DB in both hands, come down into a partial squat and circle DB from ceiling to floor (I used 8# DB, I will use 10# DB in the future)
8. Still holding one DB, lower deeper in static squat and pulse (I was still same DB)

Cardio Interval 1: This is a tabata so you do eight 20/10 cycles. Tracy does two exercises. Each one is done for four 20/10 cycles. They are not alternated. You do the first one 4 times, then the second one 4 times.

1. Start standing, jump out to plank, do a plank jack, jump feet in and stand (do four 20/10 cycles)
2. Skaters (do four 20/10 cycles)

Circuit 2 (no dumbbells are needed for this circuit but you do need a mat):

1. Lunge and Tap: come down into a lunge; tap back leg in and out while in this position–first slow then fast
2. Repeat #1 on other leg
3. Repeat 1 & 2 but this time w/ front foot turned out
4. While standing, raise one knee to side while bringing same side elbow to knee
5. Repeat #4 on other side of body

Cardio Interval 2: This is a tabata so you do eight 20/10 cycles. Tracy does two exercises. Each one is done for four 20/10 cycles. They are not alternated. You do the first one 4 times, then the second one 4 times.

1. Step back with one leg then jump shot to the front, step back w/ other leg then jump shot to front; alternate sides (do four 20/10 cycles)
2. High knee runs (do four 20/10 cycles)

Circuit 3 (you need a mat and light DBs for this circuit):

1. Holding DBs raise right hand forward and raise left leg straight behind you; bring raised leg diagonally to other side while lowering right arm and raising left arm; alternate between these two moves (I used 5# DBs)
2. Holding DBs at sides, left leg still raised behind you, pulse left leg (5# DBs)
3. Repeat 1 & 2 on other side of body
4. Get on all 4s on mat; straighten one leg behind you and sweep it all the way to the side and back
5. Still on all 4s, hold same leg out in hydrant and kick in and out fast at side of body
6. Repeat 4 & 5 on other leg
7. Hold one DB on both hands and do what Tracy calls “kayaking” but it is a Russian twist, rowing DB side to side; she adds lifting one foot with each row, alternating feet (8# DB)

Chiseled Core & Flexibility is 15 minutes long; 9:30 minutes of core work and 6 minute stretch. You need light dumbbells and a mat for this segment; I used 3 pound dumbbells.

1. Straight arm side plank with top arm raised to ceiling; raise and lower top straight leg; this changes to holding top leg up and pulsing
2. Forearm side plank, top hand behind head and top leg bent, sole of foot placed against inside of thigh; bring elbow toward floor and when you raise elbow, kick top leg straight
3. Repeat 1 & 2 on other side of body
4. Get into forearm plank; place toe of one foot on top of heel of other foot, bend and straighten knees, tapping bottom knee to mat; after a brief stretch in child’s pose, repeat with feet position swapped
5. While in elbow plank, rotate hips side to side, tapping knee on mat
6. Lay on back holding a light DB in each hand, cross right leg over left leg, thighs tight together and legs bent and raised; raise head/shoulders and press DBs to right side of body; this changes to centering torso, bringing arms/DBs one on each side of body and pulsing; this changes to lowering head/shoulders to mat and bringing elbows to mat but forearms/DBs raised–do a reverse crunch in this position; raise head/shoulders while continuing to reverse crunch; add raising and lowering DBs to floor while doing this (keeping elbows on the floor)
7. Repeat #6 w/ left leg crossed over right
8. Lay flat on floor with arms and legs wide so body is in an “X” (still holding DBs); keeping all limbs straight, raise right arm and left leg, touching DB to foot; this changes to holding right leg and left leg straight at top and pulsing right arm toward left leg
9. Repeat #8 on other side of body
10. Set DBs aside and final 6 minutes is stretching

 

 

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