My office held a 6 week biggest loser style competition and I signed up right away for some workout motivation. I am a male, age 23, 5'5", and I started at 191.4 lbs which is quite overweight. TLDR: I came in second place (missed by 1%) after losing 21 lbs in 6 weeks using T25 as my exercise routine and eating much healthier. The greatest rewards I received from this experience was some good habits and feeling more comfortable overall.
My strategy for the competition was to follow the T25 routine closely and lose a bit each weigh-in. I did not follow the diet of the biggest loser program nor the diet set out by T25 very closely. The diet I chose was a bit of a combination of the ideas found in both along with some freedom of choice and tons of water. Both recommended less than 2000 calories and suggested various healthy foods so I just used that as my daily guide.
T25 is an intense cardio workout with a few strength building exercises. Lots of sweat and high heart rates. I wouldn't say it's the best workout for gaining muscle but it is supposed to be good for losing fat. The main idea of T25 is constant movement, no breaks. If you are tired, follow the modified move. I still find myself needing to take a second or two in between some moves, it's just a bit too much at times. The move progression in each video is great. For example you start with a jog for about 30 seconds, move into a squat move for another 30 seconds and afterwards, do a running squat move. Each move leads to the next. I thought that was well done.
The whole program is split into two phases: Alpha and Beta. As of this writing I have just finished my second week of Beta. Alpha is 90% cardio workouts, all aimed at getting your heart rate up and sweating like crazy. Beta introduces some upper body muscle training. Each workout has a 'Burnout Round' which is usually the hardest moves all in a row. Every fifth day there is a 'Double Day' (2 workouts). I would do the extra workout from time to time. The sixth day is a rest day and the seventh is a stretch routine. I suggest doing some kind of exercise on the sixth day like going for a walk or something. It's hard to sleep without doing something. Each video is a 25 minute workout with a 3 minute cooldown stretch right afterwards so it should actually be called T28ish.
I will list each exercise and my thoughts on them. I will also assign some ratings to the from 1-5 (1 being the lowest).
Alpha Cardio: Difficulty - 3. Introduces you to many of the moves that are used throughout T25. Mostly running, jumping and squats. Virtually no upper body work at all. Is still pretty tough after a while, it caught me off guard in the last week of Alpha. I thought "wow this is still not that easy."
Speed 1.0: Difficulty - 1.5, Fun - 5. This is probably one of my favorite workouts. It goes to the music nicely, there are stretches in between moves and it is still a decent burn. It didn't happen too often but on days where I had some extra time and energy, I would fit this workout in as extra. It's pure cardio again but lower intensity.
Total Body Circuit: Difficulty - 5. Even after a few Beta workouts, I contend that Total Body Circuit is the most difficult (for me anyway). So much cardio. Even on the strength moves have a cardio element to them. A regular push-up? Not a chance. Plank walk to push up to squat position? Check. This workout is killer and I am still afraid of it. The last week of Alpha schedules this workout three times. THREE TIMES. Doesn't seem to get much easier either.
Ab Intervals: Difficulty - 2. Pretty laid back. Get it? This workout is a little bit of cardio and for the rest of the time you are spending on you back or your butt working out the abs. Not a terribly difficult workout but your abs do get a really crazy burn afterwards. Another workout that I could fit in as extra if I wanted.
Lower Focus: Difficulty - 4: Harder than regular cardio but not as bad as Total Body Circuit. Mostly lunging and squatting. Not very fun.
Stretch: Difficulty - 2.5. T25 introduced me to 'active stretching.' You flex a muscle while in position and then let it go. It seemed to make me more flexible actually but some of them can be hard to do. This also helped me with my balance. Still not perfect, but I did get better.
Beta is not as bad as I thought it would be. I think Alpha prepared me pretty well. There are some lifting exercises and T25 comes with a resistance band but it really is not good, especially when you are working out in your living room without shoes since you have to step on the band to hold it down. It also hits your wrist in some positions which is annoying. I went and grabbed some dumbbells right away. Here are my thoughts so far:
Core Cardio: Difficulty - 4. All the hardest cardio moves from Alpha and then some. Tough cardio but not impossible.
Speed 2.0: Difficulty - 4. This one is interesting. There are a few long sets of moves that you repeat a few times, a bit like Insanity. Really good cardio workout. Kind of fun actually but not quite as much as Speed 1.0.
Rip'T Circuit: Difficulty - 4. Rip't Circuit is supposed to be Total Body Circuit 2.0 but there is a bit more slower strength parts which makes it a bit easier. I really like this workout because of the lifting moves. It's nice to have a break from cardio.
Dynamic Core: Difficulty - 3.5. I thought it would be similar to Ab Intervals but in Dynamic Core you are on your feet most of the time, not laying down on the ground. It's basically a cardio workout but Sean T makes you think more about the core. To be honest I'd rather do the Ab Interval workout instead.
Upper Focus: Difficulty: 4.5. This is my favorite workout from Beta. Mostly lifting and some ab workouts. It's so fun to build some upper body muscles instead of hopping around all the time. It's just a nice touch of variety. Some strength moves are pretty tough - even more so if your weights are pretty big. I only use 10 lb dumbbells and it's really tough after several moves.
Overall the workouts are killer while you are doing them and I quite enjoyed the fact that it was only about a half hour long everyday. The one complaint I have is that the stretches are too short and I don't feel very stretched out after the cooldown or even the stretch video.
I did the scheduled workout everyday since it was easy to fit into a time slot. I think I only missed one and that was after of my biggest loser competition. I am very happy with the results so far. I get excited about working out everyday since I get such a huge feeling of accomplishment after only 30 minutes. It's pretty addictive and has taken over my video game addiction.
T25 has my recommendation for sure. Get dumbbells and modify whenever necessary.
From the manufacturer
FOCUS T25 Base Kit
Meet the Trainer - Shaun T
Born Shaun Thompson, Shaun T first made a name for himself as a track-and-field star at Rowan University, where he received a BS in Sports Science with a minor in Theater and Dance.
Since then he's put both degrees to epic use—appearing on HBO's Six Feet Under, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, CNN, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Good Morning America, and The Doctors—and working with Nike, Boost Athletic Shoes, RadioShack, and the LA Lakers.
In 2007, Shaun T decided to turn the fitness world upside down by creating the phenomenally successful dance-based workout, Hip Hop Abs. Then, just a year later, he developed another big hit—Rockin' Body— as well as Shaun T's Fit Kids Club and Get Real with Shaun T, which helped children across the nation combat obesity and get fit.
Then in 2009, Shaun T and Beachbody took it all to another level by launching insanity, a 60-day total-body conditioning workout renowned for being insanely challenging—and incredibly effective.
Over the next few years, the Insanity workout series continued to grow with the launch of Insanity: The Asylum, the first in-home, sports-specific training program based on drills used by pro athletes; and The Asylum Volume 2—the next 30 days of jaw-dropping, competition-crushing workouts.
In 2013, Shaun T again revolutionized the fitness industry by creating the world’s most efficient workout program ever: Focus T25.
It’s about time.
Shaun T's FOCUS T25
25 Minutes. 5 Days A Week. 100% Results.
Get an hour's results in 25 minutes a day! Trainer Shaun T gives you everything you need, nothing you don't. 25 minutes. 5 days a week. 100% results.
The only thing standing between you and the results you want is time. Shaun T experimented for the last year to design a program that delivers the same kind of results you'd expect from an hour-long program, in under 30 minutes. He's pulled out the rest to give you everything you need, nothing you don't. The result is focus T25—and the name implies the intent: If you focus your intensity for 25 minutes, and you do it 5 days a week, you will get results.
Your focus T25 Base Kit Package Includes:
- 11 workouts on 9 DVDs.
- Quick-Start Guide.
- Get It Done Nutrition Guide.
- ALPHA-BETA Workout Calendars.
- 5-Day Fast Track.
- B-LINES Resistance Band (15 lb).
Focus T25 Workouts - 11 Workouts on 9 DVDs
Alpha Cycle:
- Cardio: 25 minutes of calorie-burning, sweat-drenching cardio.
- Speed 1.0: Ignite your quickness. Burn the fat. Fast-paced for fast results.
- Total Body Circuit: Focus on strength and resistance—without lifting a single weight.
- Ab Intervals: Cardio and ab intervals that shred the fat from your midsection.
- Lower Focus: Focus on your lower-body muscles—the key to burning fat and kicking up your metabolism.
Beta Cycle:
- Core Cardio: Get your sweat on! This progressive cardio-core workout is about you getting shredded fast.
- Speed 2.0: Rev it up with Shaun's calorie-scorching, core-focused speed drills.
- Rip't Circuit: Cardio. ..upper body. .. legs. .. abs. ..repeat! This is how you get ripped in 25 minutes.
- Dynamic Core: You'll go from vertical to horizontal and back again in this dynamic, crazy core routine.
- Upper Focus: Shaun will help you develop the upper body of your dreams. All you have to do is Focus.
Additional Workout:
- Stretch Workout: After 5 days of hard work, stretch it out—and enjoy this one! You deserve it.
Quick-Start Guide
Nutrition Guide
Workout Calendar
5-Day Fast Track
4 stars and above
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Me: not a beach body coach, paid full price for program, not a professional fitness/sports person. I'll try to keep this concise and informative. First I tried the "insanity" program, however, after 2 months I decided it was not for me. I was not in good enough shape prior to launch into that type of intensity. Also as a working mom of two kids under 3, I often was unable to find 45-120minutes to squeeze in a workout.Enter T25, I mean it's 25 minutes...even I don't have an excuse for 25 minutes. I followed the program, meaning I completed them as ordered on the calendar. The calendar recommends you do 5 days in a row with a double workout on Friday. But because, "life", sometimes I had to skip a day or two in the middle of the week (but I never skipped more than two days in a row). I already ate pretty healthy, I try to avoid dairy and mostly eat seafood or fish for protein. I still ate chocolate, drank wine, and ate carbs. I probably could have gotten better results with a stricter diet, but we do what we can right?Bottom line: this is working for me because 25 minutes always seems "psychologically" doable. Even when I'm tired and don't want to do it I tell myself "it's only 25 minutes, just do it". There is also a modifier who shows you the low impact moves. This way you can still finish without taking a break by following her. I don't know that I'll ever be ripped like the people in the program, but I'm happy with the results and I'm motivated to continue. I find that one good decision begets another, and I'm making healthier choices in my life overall since I feel better about my appearance and activity level.
Images in this review
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