Beginner’s Weight Loss Transformation

I bought Bob’s Beginner’s Weight Loss Transformation a long time ago–before I even started this blog. I was not a beginning exerciser back then but I was in the process of hoarding Bob Harper‘s workouts. I read the reviews of this workout and the consensus was that it was not a beginner workout. Bob’s workouts are very challenging workouts and most of them are advanced. So I bought it. I did it once. I did like it and I agreed at the time that it was not a beginner workout but I also wanted more intensity than this workout delivered–like I got with his other advanced level workouts. I always intended to return to it as a recovery workout but I never did.

I share all of that because these days I am seeking easier workouts, but I do miss my favorite trainers! I had forgotten all about this workout until I ordered Jillian Michael’s Beginner Shred and Amazon recommended this one to me. And I remembered–hey! I already own it! So I decided this was the perfect time to revisit this workout.

One thing I noted right away when previewing this again is that Bob shows no modifications to moves that clearly are not beginner moves–squat thrusts, full push ups, among others. He does show modifications for a few exercises, but for a beginner workout this is sorely lacking in beginner level exercises. However, he does verbally tell you that you can modify certain moves–walk out into the squat thrust instead of jumping, do push ups on knees, but for a beginner workout, you should do more than mention modifications one time. At the very least there should be at least one exerciser always doing the modified version of the exercises.

With that said, I do think this is an excellent workout. Intermediate level total body metabolic strength training workout. I was working very hard and some of Bob’s exercisers were even burning out during a few of the exercises. But I am definitely not at my best and I got through it, so I guess anyone can.

***Updating this later the same day–I realized I forgot to mention the bonus abs, though I did break it down below the main workout. This DVD also includes an 11 minute bonus ab workout. When I did this workout this morning, I did the main 45 minute workout and finished with the 11 minute ab workout. It’s a very good abdominal workout. Not the most challenging but it still worked my core very well. Unlike most of Bob’s other advanced core bonus workouts he actually gives you little breaks in this one. I guess that’s what makes it a beginner ab workout.

Beginner’s Weight Loss Transformation is 45 minutes long; 3 minute warm up and 3:30 minute stretch. Equipment: at least one set of dumbbells. I used 3-15 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.

1. Weighted squats (15# DBs)
2. Bicep curl to overhead press (10# DBs)
3. Squat + bicep curl to overhead press (10# DBs)
4. Squat thrusts
5. Cross body mountain climbers
6. Hand walks (starting in plank, walk hands to feet and stand then bend and walk hands back out to plank, keep repeating)
7. Repeat #3
8. Shoulder press (8# DBs)
9. Right arm shoulder press (8# DBs)
10. Left arm shoulder press (8# DBs)
11. Squat thrusts holding dumbbells (10# DBs)
12. Repeat #5
13. Push ups
14. Hand walks with one push up
15. Jumping jacks
16. Freestyle swim (hinge forward and do alternating swim arms holding DBs) (5# DBs)
17. Butterfly swim (same as freestyle except butterfly does both arms at the same time) (3# DBs)
18. Bent over back rows (10# DBs)
19. Deadlifts (15# DBs)
20. Jumping jacks
21. High knee marches
22. Repeat #16 -19
23. Deadlift squat (15# DBs)
24. Overhead tricep extensions (8# DBs)
25. Alternating prisoner lunges
26. High plank to low plank
27. Repeat #21
28. Alternating front kicks
29. Repeat #20
30. Repeat #25
31. Continue #25 but Bob makes you hold isometrically in lunge position
32. Push ups
33. Repeat #26
34. Repeat #20
35. Sumo squats
36. Hold sumo squat w/ arms extended out straight to side; then reach arms overhead still holding squat isometricly
37. Fast feet; add quarter turn jumps; ends w/ just quarter turn jumps
38. Air squats
39. Standing oblique crunches (hands behind head, raise knee and bring opposite elbow to knee)
40. Standing side crunches (hands still behind head, lean torso side to side)
41. Repeat #39 & 40
42. Tricep dips on floor
43. Reverse tabletop (still in tricep dip position, raise hips as high as you can and hold)
44. Repeat #42 & 43

Bonus Ab workout is 11 minutes; 50 second stretch

1. Seated twist (sitting on bottom, knees bent, heels on floor, hands clasped together, twist hands side to side, tapping hands to floor)
2. Kayak Race (same position as #1 but arms change to rowing side-to-side in a figure 8)
3. Seated leg lifts (same position as #1 but hands on floor behind you, alternate raising and lowering legs; changes to lifting both legs together)
4. In same position as #3, raise both legs off ground w/ knees bent then straighten legs (bend and straighten legs, holding isometricly when Bob tells you)
5. Reverse core crunches (lay on back, knees raised, feet off ground, raise and lower hips, bringing knees toward chin)
6. In same position as #5 but with legs extended straight to ceiling and hold; add lifting heels to ceiling
7. In same starting position as #6, w/ hands behind head, do crunches; add bringing knees to elbows; drop feet to ground and continue doing basic crunch w/ upper body
8. Oblique crunches (one ankle crossed over other knee, crunch elbow to opposite knee)
9. On back, legs bent and feet on ground, crunch up and hold isometrically; add pulsing lifts