PeakFit Challenge: Pure Strength 1

In this workout, you start with a warm up - strength moves using light weights. Then, you move into a series of sets of exercises by body part, each approximately 5 minutes. First you do back and then you do chest. Then, you do a second round of back and chest exercises. Then, you move on with a legs segment and a arms segment. Then, you do those body parts again.

Some things to note:

1. You need at least a couple of sets of weights and a band.

2. This workout is heavy on moves that support your body weight on your hands.

3. The workout is chaptered so you can skip back and forth between segments.

4. There is a modifier who minimally modifies some moves.

5. The cueing is great in this workout.

I thought it was a good strength workout, but I won't keep it because there's must too much for me to modify with all the moves that are supported on the hands. (I have arthritic hands and that doesn't work for me.

I received the Peak 10 set on loan and I'm enjoying them a lot! Here is my review of Pure Strength 1:

You need a set of light weights and heavy weights, band, and mat. I use 8's and 10's, 12's, and 15's. I also have a heavy tubing and heavy band I use (not the one that came with the set).

WU:

Joint and full body exercises, then pick up light weights for lunge and rows, then add a back extension, squats, lunge and row other side, then add back extension, squats, upright rows adding a heel raise, dead lifts, dead lift with row, bicep curls adding in lifting right and left knee, stationary back lunges, side lung, center and bicep, side lung, center and bicep, shoulder press.

Back:

Band underneath right foot, with shorter end of band in left had for back rows varying counts and pulses, switch sides for same thing on right side, lat pull down with band, grab heavy weights for upright rows into dead rows, upright rows again into dead rows, keep one heavy weight for total body finisher: swing in the middle then alternate picking up one leg while swinging.

Chest:

Spiderman planks, push ups, walk feet close together and hold plank with arms wide, push ups, chest fly's with band ((I use 12 pound weights instead)with varying tempos. Pick up heavy weight (I use 15 pound weights for more fly's) with feet up in chair position then pulling legs out and in to work core while doing fly's, fly's with pulse in center, another plank position crossing and opening knee then holding leg up and doing push ups, do the same on other side, 8 push ups, stand up with heavy weights for total body finisher: squat and press with rotation alternating sides for counts of 7 then 3.

Repeat Back exercises with minor variations.

Repeat Chest exercises with minor variations.

Legs: Squats without weights, squat jumps. Repeat. Band underneath right foot, band even on both sides, stand tall and squat down, then slide left leg back for a lunge, back to squats then back to lunges for varying counts, weight on right leg. Repeat on left leg (these exercises really work the thutt area nicely). Runner lunges with heavy weights on right side then left side. Take legs wide with push away, same side, then other way. Set weight down; hold other weight close to chest, while staying in pile squat lift legs alternating into stir the pot.

Arms & Shoulders: One arm tricep press on floor, plank tricep extension, and repeat other side. Reverse plank. Tricep dips. Stand up with light weights for W presses, lateral raise variations. Grab band for one arm bicep curls (easy to sub any bicep exercise you want here). Use bands grabbing handles in center, squatting and lifting band up and over (I sub with weights here).

Repeat Legs with minor variations.

Repeat Arms & Shoulders with minor variations.

Nice cool down.

I love that this is a total body workout in less than one hour and I love that if works the core and each section ends with a total body finisher. I find it very easy, as a seasoned exerciser, to come up with modifications or other exercises if I don't want to use the band. I like the band work though. It works the body quite uniquely. This workout can be as intermediate or advanced as you care to make it. This total body workout gets my heart rate up quite high which is a plus in my book.

Michelle leads this 52 minute strength workout in a spacious white & hardwood room with a group of background exercisers. You will need dumbbells and your PeakFit bands for this workout. A few modifications are shown. While this is a strength only workout- my heart was pumping and I was sweating up a storm (it was hot but...).

I would say this is a moderately heavy weight, moderately paced workout (similar to S90 in terms of poundage and pace IMO). The workout is broken up into 5 cycles. Each cycle focuses on one body area and finishes with a total body exercise. Each body area is hit 2ce. The cycles are: Back, Chest, Arms & Shoulders, and Legs. You repeat the same exercises on the opposite side of the body in the 2nd round.

Exercises include: spider planks, pushups, band & DB flys, plnak knee pull w/ pushups, band squats, band lunges, squat jumps, unweighted squats, lunge -dip- knee up combo, pliet & stir the pot, 1 arm tri press, 1 arm plank & tri extension, band curl, front & side raise, and reverse plank. There is no core section but some of the exercises do hit the core.

This is probably a higher intermediate workout- but is very adaptable by adjusting your poundage. I was able to use my heaviest weights with no problems. Michelle does a great job of cuing and the sequencing is superb. This is heavy on chest and back work. Great workout- I was able to heavy up and my buns and chest were sore for days!