Fit Body by Julia: Extra Lean PHAT #2

This morning I did a long Fit Body by Julia workout: Extra Lean PHAT #2. I was really looking forward to it after doing her PHAT #1, which I loved, and also because I love the PHAT modality. And this was a good and challenging workout. I did like it and got a great workout but I didn’t love it. I liked PHAT #1 much more. Now I am not sure I want to do PHAT #3 and #4 since they are similar to PHAT #2. There is a lot more to this workout than just the PHAT circuits, tho they do take up the bulk of the workout. And there are a lot of combination exercises (tricep kickbacks combined with bicep curls, V sit w/ overhead press, etc.) and plyometrics (box jumps, switch lunges). These things don’t make this a bad workout, but I just didn’t enjoy it nearly as much as I enjoyed PHAT #1. I also feel that I didn’t get as good of a total body strength workout. And oddly, I actually worked harder (according to my FitBit) in PHAT #1 then I did in PHAT #2. I expected the opposite. But this is just my own personal experience. Looking over PHAT #3 and #4 it seems like more of the same type of combinations as in PHAT #2–plus even more extra stuff (other than the PHAT circuits). I did get a good workout but I don’t think I will return to this one (though I will definitely return to PHAT #1).

Extra Lean PHAT #2 is 71 minutes long, 2 minute intro, no warm up or stretch, and no music. Equipment: dumbbells, sliding device and a step set high (mine was set at 14 inches and Julia’s was set at 16 inches). Julia also used her weighted vest for some of the exercises. I did not. This workout is created by Jori so in the PHAT circuit breakdown Julia tells the reps that Jori suggested but what is actually listed is what Julia actually did (and therefore what I did, too).

For the purpose of anyone who just wants to do certain parts of this workout, the Numbered Cardio is the first part and is 19:30 minutes long (17:30 if you minus the 2 minute intro), PHAT circuits start at 19:30 and is 44:30 minutes long, and Body Blitz Burnout starts at 1:04:10 and is 7 minutes long.

Numbered Cardio: Cardio= 1 min. During the times cardio, do as many reps you can of the prescribed number, if you don’t reach that number then you have to make up for it in the reps of the following exercise. What this means is for #1 do as many air squats as possible in one minute. Julia did 49, so when you go to weighted squats you do the remaining squats you didn’t do in the timed portion plus 10 more reps–except all of these are weighted. Since I kept time with Julia on all of the Number Cardio pairs, we did 36 weighted squats. I actually really enjoyed these pairings. The weights listed below are what I used.

First Pair:

1. Air Squats 1 min. to do 75 reps.
2. Weighted Squats – 10 reps (plus the # of reps you did not complete in the above cardio) (25# DBs)

Second Pair:

1. Burpees 1 min. to do 30 reps.
2. Clean & Press – 10 reps (plus the # of reps you did not complete in the above cardio) (15# DBs)

Third Pair:

1. Jugglers 1 min. to do 75 reps.
2. DB Thrusters- 10 reps (plus the # of reps you did not complete in the above cardio) (15# DBs)

Fourth Pair:

1. Tuck Jumps 1 min. to do 45 reps.
2. Snatches- 10 reps (each arm) (plus the # of reps you did not complete in the above cardio) (one 15# DB)

Fifth Pair:

1. 2 Count Mountain Climbers 1 min. to do 75 reps.
2. Butterfly Sit-ups- 10 reps (plus the # of reps you did not complete in the above cardio) (10# DBs)

PHAT #2:

Circuit #1: 12 reps, repeat circuit 2x (Jori suggested 4x through)

1. Curtsy Lunge + Lateral Step Up (15# DBs)
2. Tricep Dips holding DB w/ Bicep Curl (alternate right and left) (in crab, do a tricep and while still in crab do a bicep curl) (12# DBs)
3. Skater Squat w/ Knee Tap on ground behind you (single leg balance squat)
4. Slider Pike Abs (using sliding device, start in plank and slide feet up into pike)
5. Bent over Alt Simultaneous Bicep curl and tricep kickbacks (one arm does a a bicep curl while the other does a tricep kickback) (12# DBs)
6. Sumo Hybrid Deadlift (in-between a sumo and RDL) weights are between knees, feet are narrower than Sumo but wider than RDL (30# DBs)
7. Single Leg Tricep Push Ups + 3 mtn climbers (Jori did 2 tricep pushups + 5 mtn climbers)
8. V-Sit Abs w/ Shoulder Press (10# DBs)

Circuit #2: 12 reps, repeat circuit 2x (Jori did 4x through)

1. 3 Switch Lunges + Handstand Alt R/L
2. Elv plank weights pull through (feet on step/bench, DB is to one side of you, grab DB from opposite side and bring to same side, alternate sides) (one 20# DB)
3. Step Up + Bicep curl (Jori did single arm Shoulder Press) (12# DBs)
4. Burpee +Upright Row + hammer curl + overhead press w/ palms facing you (15# DBs)
5. Frog glute bridge thrusters
6. Weighted Box Jumps (Julia wore weighted vest, I just did box jumps)
7. Bent Over Reverse Fly (10# DBs)
8. Alt plank punches + kickbacks (8# DBs)

Body Blitz Burnout: do each move for 10 seconds w/ no rest, repeat 3x (rest 15 sec between rounds) I really enjoyed this little burnout–it moved fast so you do not do many reps of anything.

1. Lateral high knees (wide high knee runs)
2. Burpees w/ switch lunge
3. Squat Jumps
4. Tuck Jumps
5. Mt. Climbers
6. Box Jumps
7. Plyo Push Ups
8. KB/DB Swings
9. Star Jacks/Jumps
10. Commando Jacks (plank jacks but alternate on straight arms and on elbows)

For more info on Fit Body by Julia and other (free) streaming workouts I’ve sampled and reviewed, check out my Streaming page.