Customer Reviews

Prayfit: 33-Day Total Body Challenge

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This is the second product put out by Exercise Physiologist and PrayFit Founder, Jimmy Pena, and much like the PrayFit book Prayfit: Your Guide to A Healthy Body and A Stronger Faith in 28 Days, I was very interested to check out the PrayFit:33 DVD (the 33 refers to the number of years Jesus was on the earth). I mainly stick to working out with weights in my home gym but I like to change things up and try different stuff.
No equipment is required for this program, which is good and it could easily be done in a living room or bedroom or even at the park with the itunes version. Watching the DVD all the way through before trying the workout, I found myself thinking that it looked simple and should be fairly easy, then I quickly remembered that's what I thought about the 'book' exercises, too, before I tried them!
The DVD gives you the option to workout with Jimmy's instructions or just the music, which I thought was a great feature (though I can't see myself using it). Most DVD's (and I've tried a lot of them), can get really annoying listening to what the instructor says- over and over again. But Jimmy is very encouraging and ties in a lot of stories and struggles from biblical characters that really get you thinking about his mandate to view our "health as a means of praise." In other words, this is the sort of encouragement I want to hear everyday.
Here's a brief overview of what you'll find in the DVD-

Introduction:
Here, Jimmy gives an explanation of the 33 day total body challenge, "that will have you building strength, burning fat and improve your overall level of conditioning in just 33 minutes a day." Just like the book, the workouts are progressive, which means you try to do a little more today than you did yesterday and so on. The program targets upper body, lower body and core as well as cardio. There's also stretching, called "flexibility" work. Each exercise is preformed in a modified manner by one of the workout participants for those who find it difficult to do the standard exercises.

Warm-up:
I admit, I'm the worst about getting a warm-up in before I start working out, I usually just start and then regret not taking the time for it, so I'm glad it's built into the program. The warm-up includes basic exercises like jogging in place and jumping jacks.

PrayFit Strength:
In this section you will do two rounds of four exercises for 30 seconds each, which seems simple enough. None of the exercises are complex and Jimmy shows you how it's done before you get started and coaches throughout, giving tips on the how and why.

PrayFit Challenge:
There are 3 challenges in the program and this is where you track your numbers to try to beat your own record the following day. It's basically, how much of a given exercise you can do in 33 seconds. The challenges fall in-between the main exercise groups of Strength, Cardio, Abs and Flexibility. Again, the genius here is, it doesn't matter if you can only do 5 push-ups in 33 seconds or 45, your total is YOURS to beat, you are competing against yourself, so it's for all fitness levels. Inside the DVD jacket is a handy workout journal to track your totals from day to day. Additionally, there is information there about the website, Prayfit.com.

PrayFit Cardio:
This section repeats the program format of 2 rounds of 4 exercises for 30 seconds each. Some of the exercises used in the warm-up are used again here. I love the 'jumping rope' without a rope, why didn't I think of that before?

PrayFit Abs:
This section includes your basic ab exercises, nothing funky and still no equipment required. Jimmy does the exercises much slower than I typically would which at first seemed easy, but it really forced me to focus on the muscles being worked instead of just tearing through them like I have the tendency to do. By the end of the ab portion of the program I was definitely feeling it. The double crunch might be new and therefore difficult for some but the modified version is very doable.

PrayFit Flexibility:
This segment is really just stretching and it made me remember how good it feels to stretch after a workout. Much like 'warming up', I tend to just want to do my workout and that's it, forgetting the important pre and post work. The stretches aren't difficult, but doing them showed me how far I've slid backwards in this area since my Tae kwon-do days, I definitely want to reincorporate this for renewed "flexibility."

PrayFit Minute:
There are 4 PrayFit Minutes on the DVD and are easily accessed on the main menu. These are short, encouraging 'video devotions' if you will, given by Jimmy, that serve to encourage the viewer in their new or renewed quest for health.

Wrap-up:
The DVD is very easy to follow, Jimmy gives the viewer plenty of time to get situated for the next exercise, he's very encouraging and his passion for fitness is contagious. Though I work out regularly, I was sweating up a storm by the time I finished and really felt like I had worked out. I will be doing the PrayFit 33 day challenge with a group come January 2012, so I'll be able to give a report on how I feel after doing the program for 33 days.
My only complaint was the DVD `menu music' was so awesome I was hoping it would be the workout music, too! It felt like a `call to battle' and was very motivating, which I'm sure is what Jimmy is trying to do, call people unto the battlefield- to get serious about their health and fitness.

Praise God.

Build your body like a solid foundation so that you may be better able to serve the Lord.

In a certain sense, this is a Bible-based workout. "Prayfit: 33-Day Total Body Challenge" is about exercising for approximately 33 minutes a day for 33 days in order to improve your health and heart. The concept of 33 refers to the number of years that Jesus was on earth about 2000 years ago.

Throughout the workout, Jimmy Pena gives us quick inspirations and encouraging snippets from the Bible. Workout is for the beginner to intermediate. Mr. Pena instructs 3 women and one man, and one of them shows easier moves. This is a solid workout and I enjoyed it and I liked Mr. Pena's positive attitude and encouraging messages. No equipment is needed, except maybe a mat for the abs workout.

Total time (about 34 minutes)

Prayfit Warm Up (about 3 minutes)
Jog in place
Arm circles
High knees
Jumping jacks
Shadow boxing

Prayfit Strength (about 7 & 1/2 minutes)
Squat
Push-up
Lunge
Speed skater
Squat
Push-up
Lunge
Speed skater
Prayfit challenge

Prayfit Cardio (about 7 minutes)
Jump rope
Hamstring kick
High knees
Jumping jacks
Jump rope
Hamstring kick
High knees
Jumping jacks
Prayfit challenge

Prayfit Abs (about 8 & 1/2 minutes)
Crunch
Reverse crunch
Double crunch
Plank
Crunch
Reverse crunch
Double crunch
Plank
Prayfit challenge

Prayfit Flexibility (about 8 minutes)
Stretches

This DVD also includes brief motivational messages.
Prayfit minutes
Week 1: He moves you (44 seconds)
Week 2: Worthy of a frame (1 minute)
Week 3: Change in heart (1 minute, 9 seconds)
Week 4: Live to sell it (1 minute, 15 seconds)

God bless.

This video is an excellent exercise program. What I like most is that there is a person in the group that does low impact exercise for those who are unable to do the high impact exercises. So it is great for a seasoned athlete as well as those who are just starting to exercise or may have health problems that prevent them from exerting their joints and their bodies.
This video is for everyone. It is lively, motivational and full of fun. It is as if the instructor is right in your home!
Awesome video! I was a member of a health club and this video beats them hands down!
God bless and thank you for an awesome production. The video is modern, clear and very high quality!

I have been waiting for this DVD! Talk about an amazing workout you can do at home and the combination of faith and fitness is the KEY to real lasting changes. A challenging workout that can be tweaked for beginners or advanced and the devotional minutes to help get the heart in line with the body! Thank you PrayFit for this and cant wait to get mine in the mail!! Who is ready for life change?

I just got this DVD, and have been working out to it for about 6 days. I work in physical therapy, eat healthy, jog about 3 miles a few days a week and am generally fairly fit. So I was pretty surprised when I started on this workout and got out of breath. By the end of the 33 minutes I am sweating and tired. This is a pretty good workout for beginners because he has a person in his group that shows how to modify. He encourages you to challenge yourself, but doesnt ever say you have to do as many reps as he is or one of the other people on the video are. I find too many workout videos dont take into account people have to start somewhere.
This workout has simple exercises and a good mix of strengthening, cardio, abs and flexibility.
Over all I think it is a very good workout with good Christian motivational comments by the leader throughout.

Excellent video! I am not normally a fan of exercise DVD's, but this one is a keeper!
I'm on day 3 of the challenge, and it works! I was a little disappointed when I fist put the DVD in and realized there wasn't multiple programs. My disappointment faded as soon as I started the program and realized, 1 is all you need! I have been running 3 - 6 miles or riding my bike for 8 - 12 miles 5 days a week, so I'm not completely out of shape, but I was sore after day 1! The feel good, I've done something good for my body sore.
It's a great program with an awesome bonus of being faith based!

Happy with service and product. I received this soon after ordering it and was able to get started on my workout right after the urge to workout!

Best fitness book I've read in a long time complete! Fitness is not just about muscle. Love it! Mr Peña covers all that the human been is and needs to be fit.

I am a pastor's wife and we were looking for a great workout for our church that didn't have swearing (so many do). We also wanted it to be challenging, but not impossible! This video is great! This is exactly what we were looking for, but didn't realize existed. It's fabulous too because you use your own body as resistance! We are using this for our church groups' workout! The entire time he is stating uplifting and Biblically accurate information that somehow is related to health and our bodies! A must buy for any believer who truly wants to invest in their temple.

Did it for the first time yesterday. Am sore - arms, shoulders, abs, quads, hamstrings, did I mention abs - YES, I am "out of shape"! This video is the ticket - it's a good sore! Thank you!