Fit Body by Julia: PHAT #4

After doing PHAT #2 and not loving it nearly as much as PHAT #1, I considered not doing PHAT #3 and #4 at all. I am so glad I stuck with the plan because I love PHAT #4–as much as PHAT #1. PHAT #4 is awesome! And like PHAT #1, it will grow with you by increasing the weight of your dumbbells. In fact, after doing several of Julia’s workouts that are primarily strength focused, I feel like I could add my weighted vest, too, to increase the challenge and intensity. Definitely on PHAT #1, PHAT #4 and Heavy Volume Glute Lift. But not for her cardio workouts.

As I said, this workout is awesome. It is long but so varied and moves at a nice clip that it really does not feel like an 80 minute workout. It contains a total of 4 PHAT circuits. After 2 of the PHAT circuits you do a 4 minute HIIT cardio segment then you do the last 2 PHAT circuits. Then you have a PHAT complex finisher that is very intense. And you finish the overall workout with a short core circuit. This workout is a major winner!

There is also a reason I did the last two PHATs out of order. PHAT #3 uses a bosu ball. Due to my infatuation of Yvette Bachman‘s workouts I almost (well–I actually did) bought a bosu ball so I could do all of her workouts. My birthday and Christmas are very close together and sometimes my husband struggles to find gifts for me. When I want something it is usually fitness related and my home gym is well equipped so it is hard for him to get me a substantial gift. As soon as he heard I bought the bosu ball (minutes after I purchased it I told him) he made me cancel the order and he got if for me for Christmas. So the bosu ball is not yet in my possession. It will be tomorrow tho. (o; So PHAT #3 will be tried sometime after Christmas.

PHAT #4 is 80 minutes long, no warm up or stretch, and no music. This workout was created by Jori (I think Jori created all of the PHAT workouts–thank you Jori!) Equipment: Julia used her adjustable dumbbells, a sandbag, step stool or chair, sliders and high step @ 20 inches. She also wore a weighted vest through most of the workout and for the core work at the end she wore ankle weights. I used a step @ 14 inches, various dumbbells, a barbell at 40 pounds, sliders, and a square step @ 6 inches. The step stool/square step @ 6 inches is used for Deficit Bulgarian Lunges in Round #4–your back leg is on the high step and your front leg is on the square step or step stool. The breakdown below was copied from Julia’s YouTube page. I only made some formatting adjustments and explained any exercise that isn’t obvious from the name. The weights listed below are what I used. I couldn’t keep track of what Julia was using. I do note when she uses her sand bag–otherwise she is using adjustable dumbbells.

PHAT Round #1: 10 reps  of every exercise, repeat round 2x

1. Deficit Curtsy Lunge off high step (Julia used sand bag, I used 20# DBs)
2. Overhead press (single, single, double pattern=1 rep) (15# DBs)
3. Side Lunge on Slider to deadlift, 5 per leg (20# DBs)
4. Front Raises (10# DBs)
5. Step Ups onto high step (10# DBs)
6. Full Release Single Leg Push-ups (Alt. R/L)

PHAT Round #2: 10 reps  of every exercise, repeat round 2x

1. Pendulum Lunges pulses + pistols (5 each leg) (Julia used no weight except her weighted vest but she can actually do a pistol squat–I substituted a one leg squat and used 15# DBs)
2. T-Arms Bicep Curls (10# DBs)
3. Front Weighted Good Morning + A$$ to Grass Squat (Julia used sand bag and I used 40# barbell)
4. Pullovers in Single Leg Bridge Position (5 reps each leg) (one 30# DB)
5. Single Leg Deadlift with Hand Switch (one DB and Alt. Hands w/each DL) 5 per leg (one 25# DB)
6. Overhead Triceps Extension in Boat Pose (one 15# DB)

Cardio No Rest Tabata: Do each move for 30 seconds w/ no repeat, repeat circuit x2

1. Burpee Push-up + Switch Lunge
2. Jump Squats
3. 4 Mtn. Climbers + 2 Spiderman Push-ups
4. Tricep dip Crab Kicks

PHAT Round #3: 10 reps  of every exercise, repeat round 2x

1. Standing Donkey Kick Back + SA Bicep Curl, 5 reps per leg (one 17.5# DB)
2. Rear Delt Flys (10# DBs)
3. Weighted UFC’s (kneeling squats–start on knees, and raise into squat, one leg at a time then return to kneeling–never stand, always remain in squat or kneeling) (one 20# DB)
4. Alt. Cross Leg Renegade Row in Plank (start in push-up position on DB’s, plyo cross legs and in slight side plank do a renegade row) (20# DBs)
5. Cross Over Step Ups + Knee Drive + Curtsy Lunge (done on high step), 5 per leg (15# DBs)
6. Sit Up w/ Side Twist (start with hands together at top Right corner of mat, sit up and twist keeping hands together and knees bent, feet flat on the floor) 5 per side (one 12# DB)

PHAT Round #4: 10 reps  of every exercise, repeat round 2x

1. Deficit Bulgarian Lunge, 10 per leg (back leg on high step, front leg on stool or lower square step) (15# DBs)
2. Power jack Push-up + alt Step kick Through
3. Side Lateral Rocket Lunge to Curtsy, 10 reps per leg (step hop w/ knee lift on step + curtsy lunge on floor)
4. Bent Over Row (25# DBs)
5. Swing + Wt. stops at Chest level and Rotate to side, 5 reps per side (one 12# DB)
6. Ball or Slider Hamstring Curls (Julia and I used sliders–lay on back and raise hips in bridge, sliders under heels–hold bridge while sliding feet in and out)

PHAT Body Complex Finisher: repeat circuit 3x, each exercise is done for 5 reps (I used 20# DBs for everything in this circuit)

1. Sumo deadlift
2. Upright Row
3. Push Press
4. Back Squat
5. Alternating reverse lunge
6. Bent Over Wide Grip Row
7. Push-up

Abs: circuit is only done once (Julia put on ankle weights for #3-5)

1. Halo Slams (8 rotations per side) (like an overhead kettlebell swing but with more force and when you bring it up overhead, you bring it up to the side of body) (one 15# DB)
2. Russian Twists (16 reps) (one 12# DB)
3. Lying Side Oblique Crunches (8 reps each side)
4. Weighted Leg Raises, 8 reps (laying on back, raise and lower straight legs) (I guess “weighted” refers to the fact Julia is wearing ankle weights)
5. Weighted V-up (1) + Split V (push DB thru legs) (1) + Suitcase Crunch (DB goes over shin area) = 1 rep (8 reps total) (one 8# DB)

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