Customer Reviews

ChaLEAN EXTREME Workout DVD Program: Burn Fat, Boost Your Metabolism & Get Lean

5 star:		(61)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

This workout is great because there is a different workout for each day of the week. The weight training portion is only about 35 minutes long each - done 3 times a week and the two cardio days are a killer - interval training and you know you are burning off alot of calories. I really love the countdown clock - for each exercise, there is a clock that shows how much time is left. I have lost some body fat already - only on week 2 - although I haven't been eating as well as I should - I can only imagine how much more I could be losing if I followed the eating plan as well. Chalene is fun, motivational, and really so comfortable to listen to. And I like the slow and heavy reps - even in the 2nd week, I feel sore after each workout (and I am already in pretty good shape from before as I am a runner).

Definitely worth the money - I actually cancelled my gym membership b/c with this, I am consistently working out, unlike not being able to go the gym or not having the motivation to go.

UPDATE: I am now on week 6 of this program and went from a 28% body fat to 24% within 6 weeks, and that is without "dieting." I lost about 4 inches from my waist, 1 inch from my hips, but only 4 pounds overall. This is exactly the kind of result that I wanted - lose body fat, look leaner and tighter, and not lose muscle mass. And I still look forward to working out every day. Chalene says in the beginning that there will come a time when I will look forward to my workouts. Well, I definitely do now. And this is from me, a busy mom of 3 little kids, who is near 40.

I have to say, as an experienced exerciser who has fallen off the wagon more times than I care to mention, ChaLean Extreme was my ticket back. I was a Firm junkie up until the moment I found Turbo Jam. The Firm did not hold my interest enough to keep me working out consistently.

On February 19th of 2009, in a size 16, and tipping the scale at 183 pounds (I'm 5'1" mind you) I started Turbo Jam. On March 22nd, 20 pounds lighter already from Turbo Jamming, I started ChaLean Extreme ALONG with Turbo Jam. The reviewers before are correct in stating that you MUST add cardio. That being said... the challenge of this program is up to you! How heavy can you go? I am certainly not a beginner, and the unique twist on some of the workouts was refreshing actually. Oh, and unlike the Firm... I didn't need some gadget to do it. ChaLean Extreme isn't about tons of reps, it is about hitting failure with less reps. You move at a slow pace so it is your muscles that are lifting the weights in a controlled manner. No swinging the weights at a fast pace, or dance steps along with lifting. Focused lifting, in 3 phases. My strength increased each and every month, and I logged it daily. For example, I started bicep curls in the Burn Phase (month 1) at 10 pounds. By the end of the Lean Phase (month 3) I was curling 20 pounds. That isn't anything to sneeze at. I learned how to zero in on the muscle group I was targeting, and to make the exercise challenging... harder actually. Oh, and push ups? Forget it. Month 1 I was on my knees... Month 3... all on the toes baby! I noticed some reviewers are concerned about the music... that isn't important to me, at least not in ChaLean Extreme. Turbo Jam is a different story! The music in ChaLean Extreme is there... what it is I couldn't tell you because I never noticed it. I do know that the crew on the set of ChaLean Extreme are ALL users of the product... all REAL exercisers. No models. I talk with them on Facebook, and Twitter, and have even taken a class from one of the crew... Chalene's sister Jenelle. Nothing fake about it... and they are in great shape!

I have my pictures posted on my profile on the Team Beachbody website to prove the results. (reneekicksfat is my profile name there) I am now 52 pounds lighter, and in a size 4. I am ripped, and I continue to use ChaLean Extreme, as well as Turbo Jam.

Will you get results? It depends on your body, and how you incorporate the program to suit your needs. Is it challenging? Do you want it to be? Go heavy or go home as Chalene says. I did. I challenged myself every step of the way. You can too.

I hope this helps, because I was exhausted, and bored trying to find the workouts that moved me. Chalene Johnson was my ticket out of my rut. Good luck!

I love this system. It's well worth the money. You get 3 months worth of workouts and recipes and a plan for maintenance. I am on week 3 and have lost 10 lbs and several inches. If you are serious about seeing better results than you've seen in the past, make sure you focus on the eating part of the plan. So many people only do the workouts and then wonder why they don't look like the people in the infomercial. Beachbody uses real customers in their infomercials, so the results are real, but you HAVE to do all aspects of the program. Otherwise, you'll tone up but your results won't be as amazing as what you've seen on TV. One other note is that you will need heavier weights than you may be used to - yes, even if you're a woman. Start with what you have and then consider investing in some additional weights or bands when you feel like the exercises have become easy. This program is for real and I love it!

I purchased this program in December 2008 as my Christmas present to myself and it was one of the best gifts I could have given myself. This program is broken down into 3 segments, you have burn, push, and lean. Each segment you do for 30 days then go to the next circuit. Of each phase there is 3 weight lifting workouts that you do that focus on different muscle groups and you work till you reach failure. For the Burn and lean phase this is 10-12 reps for the push phase failure is reached in the 6-8 rep range. You will need a variety of weights for this program because your strenght will increase and you will see results quickly. I have 5# to 35# set and use all my weights now. Chalene recommends buying the select tech weights and for the price they are well worth the investment for this program. You will see your body fat melt away with this program and replaced with lean muscle mass. The more muscle you have the more fat you burn at rest during your day. The burn phase gets you started with proper form and the moves used to work you entire body. Push phase is where you go as heavy as you can and you can lift a lot more then you think. This was my favorite phase, very empowering. The lean phase is where you do combo moves and start to really see the body lean out and muscle take the place of fat. I am in the lean for life phase which is the 4th month of the series and you use all your workouts in a different combination each week. The cardio that comes with the basic set is called Fat burn intervals and burn it off for a reason. She also includes a yoga type stretch that will give your body a much needed break after the week of work you have ahead of you. There are two ab workouts that come with the basic package, extreme abs is my favorite and another ab workout. If you buy the additional dvd sold seperate you get Fat burn challenge, Get lean Intervals and I've got abs. This allows you to have some variety on the cardio days. This is not like turbo jam, I think it's better. You get a great trainer that is encouraging and very positive, which helps motivate you to keep pressing play and doing the workouts. One of the best at home fitness products I've purchased from Beachbody.

I have been an at-home exerciser for 15 years. My favorites were the Firm and especially FitPrime workouts ... I've never done a mapped-out program like this, but I am hooked! Chalene is the most inspirational DVD program instructor I've ever experienced. The work is HARD, if you follow it seriously, and it WILL absolutely CHANGE your body. I'm 50 and just started this program in late february - I'm still in the Push month - but I can't start my day without it. I have more energy, my body FEELS better, and today I had on a blouse that was form-fitting around the shoulders, and I could have sworn I had on light shoulder pads !!!! If you are serious about wanting to change your body and doing a program that will change your life, this is the program for you. Invest in the Bowflex dumbbells, you can easily change the weights you're using. I've become a HUGE advocate for women over 50 doing a program like this - there is NONE other like it and I am stronger, more compassionate, more deliberate in my work-decision making and ... this program just possibly is the best thing that ever happened to me - people will think you have hired a personal trainer. Want Michelle Obama's arms? This is the program that will do it, don't be fooled.

Chalean Extreme was at the top of my Christmas list in 2010 and on Valentine's day 2011, to honor myself, I started the Burn Phase. I was hesitant to try this program knowing I'd need to figure out what weights work best so that you fail between your 10th-12th rep of each exercise but now in week 2, I totally get it. Chalene teaches you how to gauge yourself and even how to make the weights feel heavier than they really are. I've been following Leilee the "beginner" workout person on the Burn dvd's and already in week 2 I can add 2-3lbs more than I was using in week 1. I have a set of weights that range from 3, 5, 8, 10, and 12 lbs and this is great for a beginner. I'm ready to buy a set of 15 and ultimately my goal is to lift 20-25 lbs by the end of the program. In fact, I'm going to order the Powerblock weights on Amazon, primarily to save on space and cost in the long run.
What's awesome about this program is that each weightlifting workout is relatively short, 30-38 minutes each, the cardio sessions are about 45-50 minutes each and the abs workouts 10-15 minutes each. The workouts are super fun and what's great is that you do so many different exercises it's hard to get bored. The thigh toner is a killer for such a flimsy thing!
I'm a runner and I cannot tell you enough how much stronger you become when you cross-train with weightlifting. I'm a fan of P90x, Turbo Jam, and Jillian Michaels so on Tuesdays (one of the Burn phase off days) I usually do one of their cardio workouts or I run. This allows me to torch even more calories. My goal is to get stronger, leaner and tone out and I'm pretty excited to see the final results. I've lost only about 3 lbs. since starting the program, that's healthy for 2 weeks I'd say, and I'm working out so much I'm now focusing more on my eating habits. The eating guide book has great and easy recipes and I love the fact that they list the nutrition facts for each one.
I've read a lot of consistent review's about Chalene not having great queuing when phasing into each exercise and although it's true, once you do the workout a few times you pick up on the moves so easily that you don't notice, or simply don't care 'cause you're too busy having so much fun. I used to do the Firm workouts which are very structured and have excellent queuing but they weren't as fun as Chalene's workouts. Chalene's got great energy and even if you're tired, just show up to your workout and before you know it, you'll be done and feeling awesome!
***update***
I just started the PUSH phase today with workout 1 and wow, was it funnn! I just ordered my power blocks to do my workouts with but while I await it's arrival, the heaviest weights I'm working out with are 12 pounders. I have to say after completing the Burn phase, I definitely feel stronger. I've noticed that each week I am able to push myself further and harder and 12 pounds are no longer enough!! I'm trying to go for the intermediate range of weights in Push which would is a range of 12-22 pounds and I just know I'm gonna be able to handle the increased weight due to the strong base I've formulated in the Burn phase. In the Push phase you go much slower then in the Burn phase, doing each workout with a total of 6-8 reps.
Sometimes, I find myself not wanting to lift weights first thing in the morning, so it's important I wake up early enough to let my body warm up naturally for a bit. I haven't missed a workout yet and I don't regret it one bit. It's critical to pay attention to your eating and keep up with the cardio if you want to see results fast. Because I am pushing myself so hard with this workout, I want to see the results it's meant to provide so I'm slowly changing my eating habits to a more vegetarian/vegan diet (for life), and I push myself harder with my cardio intervals because I know I can. I feel so strong and empowered because of Chalean Extreme and I have to say my arms are finally getting that lean cuts around the bi's and tri's which is what I wanted out of this!!
**update**I just got my Powerblocks in and did the Push 1 video this morning with it and WOW! what a huge difference more weight makes. Last week I was so bored with the work outs using 12 pound weights as my heaviest and was actually considering taking a break from the program until my blocks came in. I thought I had plateaued. After using the blocks today, I feel so strong! I went from 12 pounds to 25 pounds today and I failed at 6 and 7 reps on various exercises! I felt so relieved, and alive, and strrrrong!!! About 20 minutes after my workout, I thought my bi's and tri's were gonna explode! I'm rejuvenated and ready to hit up Push 2 on Wed.! This program has pushed my fitness and nutritional level to a new horizon. Chalene mentions that she'll teach you to make the weights feel heavier when you don't have heavy weights on hand....please please please make the effort to invest in heavier weights or bands. Don't wait til the last minute like I did to order mine. You will want to stay on track with the program and feel the gains when you're meant to! The mental and physical benefits will payoff! I'm most excited to do the Lean Phase! I went from beginner to intermediate and hope to hit the advanced level in the Lean phase. We'll see....

I've read a couple reviews of people whining this isn't hard at all, this isn't extreme blah blah blah. Sure, it's not like Insanity commercials or as "extreme" (ie: so hardcore and fast paced you have no energy left after your 1 hour endorphin high is gone) as P90X but I am BURNING and so so sore after a workout! It's not super fast paced, testosterone charged and such as P90X but it's hard none the less! You can do this workout, get results, feel the burn AND still have energy leftover!!
I've only done one other home workout DVD system, P90X. Did it for about 1 1/2 years, from 6 weeks postpartum and til about 2 months after I had my 2nd baby. I have my 2 children 14 months apart and I wore my size 2 jeans the WHOLE pregnancy so we know P90X works. I was thinking Chalean wouldn't be hard enough but it really works. I can say I've seen MORE muscle definition from her program hoenstly. I think it's more suited to a woman's body, not so much push up/pull up crap that women don't really like. I felt like ALL I did was work my back in P90X, really what woman cares about her back? It's legs for women and I feel I get a lot of leg work in this one. Workouts are shorter, I have energy leftover afterward, and it's easy to work in running to this routine. The workouts reminded me of BodyPump and I loved that class.
And Chalene isn't annoying in the least! She actually HELPS you out. Her friends in the videos aren't annoying at all either and she doesn't flirt with any of them (if any of you have done P90X you know what I'm talking about - gag!!).
I would honestly recommen this video to any female friends who are busy enough as it is. If you pick heavy weights, do the workouts slow and UP your weights after a few weeks you'll see results.

Completed ChaLEAN Extreme without missing a single workout and I loved it. I was a P90X dropout because I felt like I wasn't getting the most of the workout because I was collapsed on the floor most of the time. I did some research and saw that ChaLEAN was a slightly less intense version of P90X so I bought it and I don't regret it. It was easier but that doesn't mean that it isn't hard. I loved it and how the progression of workouts blended so well as the weeks passed. I was actually excited to pop in the dvd at 4am everyday. I definitely saw results and I looked the best that I ever had in my entire life.

The equipment was simple and of course, being the poor college student that I am, I used what I had. I had a pair of customizable 20 pound ankle weights that I used as wrist weights, a pair of 10lbs, 5lbs, and 3lb dumbbells, and light, medium, heavy resistance bands for when makeshift weights just didn't cut it. I collected the equipment slowly overtime as I became stronger and as the workouts called for stronger weights. She gave you a schedule which was easy to follow. It was 5 days a week with two rest days, but the P90X-er in me managed to squeeze some P90X workouts in every once in awhile.

I'm using ChaLEAN as my building block to actually completed P90X with full intensity.

Beachbody has outdone themselves with the packaging of this product. The dvd's are housed in a quad fold folder. It is cardboard, but it is a nice feature. There are 14 actual workouts along with a motivational cd and band basics/kitchen makeover dvd. They are counting one of these as #15 which is unfair because its not actually a workout. Chalene is very encouraging and offers lots of advice and tips throughout the workout. She has a different demeanor compared to her turbo jam workouts. She's serious and all business in this series.

Two books (yes actual books and not a leaflet/pamphlet) comes with the system. One book is based on nutrition and has lots of recipes. She talks of adjusting your intake with each phase in order to fuel your body properly. The other book talks about the system. You use this to follow your rotation and progress. There are worksheets you can copy or you can print them out from beachbody.com

As with any beachbody product, the production is professional, crisp and clear. The appeal of the workouts is that they focus on different muscle groups using heavier weight then you are used to. The reps are few, the weight is heavy, the moves are effective. I'm in the burn phase at the moment and many moves are dual purpose. Ex. lunge with overhead press. I don't think this workout is for the person that has never worked out because your own knowledge and experience helps to adjust moves that do not feel comfortable. The push phase focuses on more individual movement, ex just a bicep curl. The lean phase from what I've read is also a killer portion and brings it all together.

Beachbody's other expensive system is p90x. I've not used that system so I can't compare. Chalean Extreme is the most expensive system that I own and I'm not the least bit sorry I bought it.

Okay, I'll admit that I reeeeeaaaaaaaaaaalllllllly wanted to like this product. Truly, I'm a huge fan of Turbo Jam and for what it is worth, I'm glad that I invested in this program simply 'cause it gave me an excuse to invest in some powerblocks. =) I'm currently at the tail end of the lean phase, with just a handful of workouts left (yes, I'm going to finish it, thinking about just doing the rest of my scheduled workouts in one clean swoop so I can move on to a new program with no guilt, lol). So, here's my overall impression, both good and bad.

The Bad: To offer a little background, I was trying to use this program to kick start a little weight loss. I've always been active and fairly thin (5'8'', around 110-120 pounds)... pending further explanation, it's been a rough six months and I suddenly found myself 25 pounds heavier! Not such a huge deal, normally I would do exactly what I'm doing now- kick up the cardio and lift heavy for awhile. However, my experience with Chalean Extreme is that there is such an emphasis on weights that I wasn't getting the cardio that my particular body needs, plus I found that my muscle definition is surprisingly sparse, despite the fact that I'm lifting much heavier than usual (I usually favor blended workouts, cardio w/ 8-12 pounds. By the second week of each phase, I was lifting as heavy as or even heavier than Chalean). So, who knows? Yet again, not a biggie, but I didn't meet my goals and feel like I wasted almost three months (with spring in full gear and a ring around my tummy, sigh). Oh, almost forgot- for those of you who would inquire as to what my diet consists of (as you should), I haven't really changed a thing- 1200-1400 calories a day, veggie girl, super health nut lady (we'll leave it at that, lol). Anywho, on to the rant-

Even though I would agree that the workouts are intense, I just don't feel like I'm doing enough! As a whole, I would argue that this program lacks appropriate cardio and (without a doubt) ab work. As of now, even with adding two more hours of cardio and tons of ab work, I've lost only eight pounds, my pants aren't any looser, and my thighs have definitely gotten bulkier... not exactly the results I was looking for. As a last addition to my rant- the program is just plain boring. Weight lifting can be for many, but I love it if I have the right music... this just didn't do it for me.

The good: Chalean isn't wrong, muscle does burn fat. Although I didn't really care for this program, mostly due to lack of results (it's true that what works for one may not work for another. I still benefited from this program, just not at the pace that I'm accustomed to) and repetitive workouts that were boring the first time I did them (but, in defense of the program, I do bore quite easily. Only thing that keeps me coming back is heavy cardio and loud music... then weights, as something to rid myself of the adrenaline high!).

Honestly, if I had to pinpoint those who may benefit the most from Chalean Extreme, I would say those who are new to weights, surprisingly. I started off with programs like the ones the folks from The Firm puts out... I was in great shape, but it took me years to develop the strength and definition that I desired. So, if you're looking at long-term fitness, building up a strong base with something like Chalean Extreme may be a stellar idea. However, I wouldn't put too much stock into the claims of heavy weight lost. So, put in your three months, build a strong body, and then hit the cardio hard-core. Yet again, pretty much what I do- this program was just a little slow paced for me.

Hope this helps, I sincerely tried to offer an unbiased review.