30 Minutes to Fitness: Step Boxing 2

Step Boxing 2 is the newest offering from Kelly Coffey-Meyer in her 30 Minutes to Fitness series. I have been looking forward to doing Kelly’s newest workouts for months but life circumstances kept me from trying them. But I have been feeling great for weeks now, so it was time to finally give them a try. I was a little worried that I wouldn’t have the cardio endurance for them because I have been doing strictly Jessica Smith workouts for the past several months and her cardio (at least in the workouts I have been doing–Walk On and Walk Strong workouts) isn’t terribly intense. However no worry–Step Boxing 2 isn’t super intense and I had no problem with it.

Step Boxing 2 contains two approx. 30 minute cardio workouts plus a bonus strength segment she uses in the premixes. I love Kelly’s two step boxing workouts that I already own (Step Boxing and 30 Minutes to Fitness: Step Boxing), so I was very excited when she announced this workout. Having done them, I’ll admit that I don’t like them as much as her other two Step Boxing workouts, but I did enjoy them.

These workouts are primarily low impact but there are some high impact moves–Workout 2 has more impact than Workout 1. Kelly builds the higher impact moves so you can just stay with the lower impact version of the move and keep the entire workout low impact. There is a modifier who is not using a step, she does the workouts on the floor. Kelly and one of the other background exercisers have their step @ 8 inches and the other two background exercisers have their step @ 6 inches. I used an 8 inch step and did all of the higher impact versions of the exercises. I also wore one pound weighted gloves. I found the workouts solid and fun cardio workouts but nothing advanced or super intense. Each workout is made up of 3 step boxing combos separated by a one minute cardio drill. I really enjoyed the premix that alternates the dumbbell drills with the cardio drills.

Workout 1 is 28:30 minutes; 3:45 minute warm up and 2:30 minute cool down/stretch. Contains 3 step boxing combos each separated by a 1 minute drill (3 drills total).

Drills:

1. Jack feet out and do 4 high low punches, alternate sides
2. Squat shuffle side to side 3x + knee pull
3. Cross punch + knee pull + cross punch + duck (squat), alternate sides

Workout 2 is 26:30 minutes; 4 minute warm up and 2:30 minute cool down/stretch. Contains 3 step boxing combos each separated by a 1 minute drill (3 drills total)

Drills:

1. 3 scissor runs + 2 cross punches
2. Jack feet 2x + one side kick, alternate sides
3. 8 fast punches + curtsy lunge, alternate sides

Dumbbell Drills premix is 18 minutes; 4 minute warm up and 2:30 minute stretch. Though Kelly has the step in front of her it is never used. This premix uses Workout #2 warm up so even though everyone (except the no step modifier) has a step in front of them, they don’t use it for the warm up–so no step is necessary for this premix or the Cardio and Dumbbell Drills Intervaled premix. I didn’t actually do this premix. I did the Cardio and Dumbbell Drills Intervaled premix–so I did do all of the exercises below, they are just alternated with the 6 cardio drills from Step Boxing 1 & 2. Since there are only 6 cardio drills you are only alternating them with the first 6 dumbbell drills, after that you just do the final dumbbell drills, one right after the other. I thought that was a great premix that worked me well. The dumbbell weights listed below are what I used. You are only using one dumbbell for each exercise.

1. Wide squat side to side holding one DB in both hands; add pushing DB in front of you when squatting (one 10# DB)
2. Holding one DB in one hand, do a squat thrust and as you stand, curl DB up and transfer to other hand (one 15# DB)
3. Alternating side lunge, while lunging push DB down toward opposite foot, after lunge stay hinged forward and in a squat and do a one arm kickback then pass DB to other hand and repeat on other side of body (one 10# DB)
4. 3 wood chops from shoulder to opposite hip, alternate sides (one 10# DB)
5. Sumo squat holding one DB in both hands; add overhead press (one 15# DB)
6. Alternating reverse lunges holding one DB in both hands; add circling DB from hip to hip 3x while in lunge (one 10# DB)
7. DB is on ground in front of you, lunge forward, grab DB and do one single arm back row, alternate sides (one 18# DB)
8. Single arm bicep curl to overhead press, alternate sides (one 15# DB)
9. Standing pull over (hold one DB in both hands, keep elbows bent and bring DB from chest and overhead behind you); add alternating knee raises, bringing DB to knee (one 15# DB)

Premixes: (the times listed below are what Kelly has listed on the premix menu on the DVD–I didn’t verify them; as you can see below, I did do one of the premixes and the time indicated in the premix menu was incorrect, the premix was actually longer)

Combined Workouts (48:27 minutes)

Workout 1 w/ Dumbbell Moves (32:20 minutes) (Dumbbell Drills #1, 2 & 3)

Workout 2 w/ Dumbbell Moves (29:57 minutes) (Dumbbell Drills #5, 6 & 8)

Dumbbell Drills only (broken down above) (17:59 minutes)

Cardio Drills only (14:33 minutes)

Cardio and Dumbbell Drills Intervaled (though this is listed as 23:14 minutes, it is actually 24:30 minutes) (includes all cardio drills and all dumbbell drills)

Workout 1 w/out Cardio Drills (24:58 minutes)

Workout 2 w/out Cardio Drills (23:10 minutes)

Workout 1 w/ Dumbbell Drills instead of Cardio Drills (28:26 minutes) (Dumbbell Drills 2, 3 & 5)

Workout 2 w/ Dumbbell Drills instead of Cardio Drills (26:42 minutes) (Dumbbell Drills 6, 8 & 9)