Then Peak 10 Fat Blaster is the workout for you!
If you are looking for a real calorie burning, fat blasting, muscle defining workout that’s actually fun to do – then this is for you. This highly effective cardio and strength workout will sculpt lean muscle and get you in the best shape of your life.
The workout is based on the concept of metabolic circuit training, which means your heart rate will stay elevated throughout the entire workout to burn a ton of calories and kick that metabolism in to high gear.
What makes these workouts so effective and challenging?
Peak 10 Cardio Strength Fat Blaster is an intense metabolic weight training workout from Michelle Dozois. The Fat Blasters (there is a pure cardio version too) are one of the latest installments in her Peak 10 series. Michelle has created this series of workouts based on her Climb to the Peak system, which has been used in health clubs, now, for a number of years. The system is based on high intensity interval training (Hiit). Michelle suggests thinking of it as climbing a series of mountain peaks – starting at the bottom (basecamp) and going to the top of the peak.
The exercises are organised in such a way as to maximise your results. Basecamp (Level 1) is your starting point and you don’t stay there long (during the workouts this section gives you a little bit of breathing time before you start ramping up the intensity again). Initial Ascent (Level 2) is where you start the climbing period – using dumbbells and body weight exercises to increase the intensity. These tend to be reasonably fast paced compound moves that will really start to elevate that heart rate. In the Climb (Level 3), you are really pushing your body harder with higher intensity movements requiring more speed, strength and stamina. This is supposed to feel uncomfortable. Finally, Peak (Level 4) is an all-out maximum intensity effort designed to push you to your limits.
Michelle is an excellent instructor and cues reasonably well in advance so you know what is coming next. She is also really sweet but very encouraging and will help you push through to the end (which you will definitely be doing by Block 5!)
In addition, a modifier is also present throughout the workout (on the right of the screen) who shows easier modifications for some of the moves (and is also using lighter weights throughout). So anyone can do this workout and as they build up their strength and stamina can increase the weights they are using and the intensity of the moves.
Finally, there are on screen graphics and warning bells to guide you through the different cycles so that you know change is coming. This helps you to push that little bit further knowing that that section is coming to an end. You will learn to particularly love the 4 bells at the end of each Peak that signals it’s finally over!
The Workout
This workout is a cardio and strength workout that consists of five metabolic blocks, each repeated for a total of 10 circuits (as the first time through you are leading with right side and the second with the left). Each circuit is approx. 5 minutes long. The first Block (circuit 1 & 2 – right / left side) acts as a warm-up and does not include a Peak blast. Blocks 2-5, however, do end with a Peak intensity blast of plyometric/anaerobic HIITs that lasts approx. 15 seconds.
For the Cardio Strength workouts you will need a minimum of 2 sets of dumbbells–one light and one heavy. Michelle suggests anywhere between 5 – 12# dbs for the light weights and 8 - 20# dbs for the heavy. You will need to play around with this a little to see what works for you. I suggest starting lighter at first - as the moves are often compound, quite fast and change rapidly. I use 8# dbs for my light and 10# dbs for my heavy and for me this is plenty challenging, particularly as you are sometimes even jumping with the weights (in a controlled way though!) The idea is that the weights you use should really challenge you and as you get stronger, you will need to increase the weights you use to continue to get the full effect of the workout.
Btw, I don’t tend to use the Peak 10 Cardio Strength workouts as strength workouts. They are pure metabolic strength training and so I tend to only use them on cardio days when I want a real cardiovascular challenge (with a little bit of strength training built in!) This is due to the fact that the strength work is fast paced and the time spent on individual muscle groups is never enough to qualify for actual strength training. You generally do only 4-8 reps of a strength move before moving on to the next sequence. This is actually one of the thing I love about these workouts that you never get bored with a move (and if you really don’t like it – you know it will be over fairly quickly too!)
What you need to know
(Rating scale – 1= lowest & 5 = highest).
The Moves
Fat Blaster Cardio Strength is 56 minutes long; there is no warm up - as the first block uses light weights and acts as a very intense warm up. There are 5 blocks and each block is repeated twice for a total of 10 blocks. You use dumbbells for the Basecamp and the Ascent and no dumbbells for the Climb and Peak. The strength work is generally compound moves and the climb is generally very doable kickboxing or athletic cardio. The Peaks are a hiit / plyometric move done for as many reps as you can in 15 seconds.
(Tip – Before completing the workout for the first time, I would suggest watching the movement breakdown, which gives an overview of the more complex moves, and the actual workout so you can get the most benefit from the video right away).
Block One – uses light weights & there is no Peak
Initial Ascent – dumbbell and bodyweight strength sequences including:
o Squat to 1 arm overhead press
o Back lunge whilst rowing one dumbbell side to side
o Side lunge to curtsey lunge with overhead press
o Forward & back lunges with runner arms
o Pushups
Climb – bodyweight / cardio sequences including:
o Plank to sumo squat with 3 hops
o Uppercuts, alternating knee lifts and high knee jogs
o 3 Shuffles to side & 'knee throw' then on the 3rd time do 3 knee throws
o Lunge jumps to scissors
Block Two – uses heavy weights
Initial Ascent – dumbbell and bodyweight strength sequences including:
o 2 Squats with upright row to high pull
o Back lunge with chest flys
o Side lunge with back rows
o Squat with overhead press
o Back lunge with bicep curls to knee raise with overhead press
o 3 lunge pulses & jump to sumo squat with bicep curl
o Kettlebell style swing with 1 arm lat pull downs
Climb – bodyweight / cardio sequences including:
o 3 kicks forward & 1 side tap
o Alternate 2 knee lifts then 2 front kicks (while moving forward) then alternating side leg raises, whilst hopping back
o Push alternating arms down to side 2x & then leap twice to the side
o Punch front & pump it then touch down & up to one side
Peak Intensity Blast – lateral jumps, touching the ground at the bottom
Repeat the above on the left side.
Block Three – uses light weights
Initial Ascent – dumbbell and bodyweight strength sequences including:
o Side lunge & 1 arm back fly
o Crossover lunge & step out with rear delt fly
o Crossover lunge with front raise to curtsey lunge with lateral raise
o Back lunge with front raise
o ‘Stir the pot’ (keeping arms straight circle dbs out in front of you from one side to the other) & then twist dumbbells side to side
Climb – bodyweight / cardio sequences including:
o Jog forward & back – punching arms forward & opening them to the back - then speed bag with the arms, while shuffling feet
o 3 jumping knee pulls & hook to the back
o 3 Shuffles to the side & 4 mini ski jumps (side to side)
o Side lunges with hop to the side
o Lunges with arm pull down
Peak Intensity Blast – reverse tuck jump (which is basically rock star jumps but trying to touch your hands to your feet while in the air).
Repeat the above on the left side.
(Btw, I always modify this Peak, to air jacks or plyo lunges, as I find these difficult to execute properly. So rather than lessen the intensity by trying to get the move right - I just change them to something I can give 110% to..)
Block Four – uses heavy weights
Initial Ascent – dumbbell and bodyweight strength sequences including:
o 1 Leg deadlifts with one db – raising other leg out behind you
o Squat down with one db then jump and raise arm with the db above the head
o Low lunge (knee touching the ground) with back rows
o 1 Arm rows in plank
o Pushups
o Beast position to sit outs
o Dive bomber pushups
o Step out pushups to each side
Climb – bodyweight / cardio sequences including:
o Punching up and down
o 3 Shuffles to the side then jab / cross punches. After the third time add a knee raise & a kick
o Pony to the front – raising and lowering arms
o Power hamstring curls – moving back
o Double elbow blocks and football runs
Peak Intensity Blast – jumping kicks (or fencehoppers)
Repeat the above on the left side.
Block Five – uses Light weights
Initial Ascent – dumbbell and bodyweight strength sequences including:
o Tricep kickback with straight arms, whilst bent over
o Make a ‘W’ with arms and stepping out to each side whilst pushing dumbbells out to the side
o Straight arm plank & 1 arm press then reach under with the db
o Start in plank & tuck in and out then do tricep pushup
o Lateral raise with straight arms
o Front raise (both arms straight in front of you), whilst stepping back one foot (alternating)
o Stepping out into sumo squat whilst holding dumbbells with bent arm (palms facing the ceiling) & ‘dump it out’ (twist arms up so palms now facing the floor) on the 3rd time through.
Climb – bodyweight / cardio sequences including:
o 4 Runs forward then 2 jacks & jump front / back
o Crossover runs
o Hook, upper, hook & side kick x4
o Burpee & power jack
Peak Intensity Blast – tuck jumps with arms overhead.
Repeat the above on the left side.
This workout ends with a really nice long relaxing 5 minute stretch to ease those hard working muscles and allow your body to start to recover a little.
Premixes:
There are two premixes on the dvd and each are 35:30 minutes long. They both use Block 1 and the cool down/stretch. However, Premix 1 uses Block 2 and 3. Premix 2 uses Block 4 and 5.
Take Action:
Try it! This workout is available on dvd / download from Amazon and Michelle’s own website. Cardio Strength Fat Blaster is one of the workouts from her Peak 10 series in which there are many other workouts.
