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You’ve probably seen the ads on tv and all over the internet for Beachbody’s latest fitness program, Core De Force. Since I’m a fan of many programs Beachbody offers and love kick-boxing, I couldn’t wait to give their new Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) program a try. But would it give me six-pack abs like the people in the infomercials? All the details in this Core De Force Review.
The Program
Core De Force is a MMA style fitness program created by Joel Freeman and Jericho Matthews. (Side note: Jericho is a new mom and is great proof that moms can do anything and be total bad asses.) The 30 Day program uses moves from Boxing, Kick-Boxing and Muay Thai along with body weight training and cardio conditioning to help you lose fat and tone your core. The workouts are broken down into 3 minute rounds just like a boxing match.
What You Get
- 8 Workouts on 3 DVDs, Plus 2 Bonus Workouts
- Eating Plan
- Quick Start Guide
- 30 Day Calendar
What You Need
Nada. Just a little space to workout. I did many of the workouts in a hotel room through Beachbody On Demand.
The Workouts
- MMA Speed – 6 rounds, 27 minutes of boxing inspired moves
- Dynamic Strength- 12 rounds, 47 minutes of bodyweight exercises
- Core Kinetics – 16 minutes of core shaping moves
- 5 Min. Core On The Floor – 5 minutes of challenging plank moves
- MMA Shred – 9 rounds, 37 minutes of Muay Thai-inspired elbows and kicks
- Power Sculpt – 9 rounds, 37 minutes of interval training
- Core De Force Relief – 5 minutes of before-bed stretching
- MMA Power – 12 rounds, 47 minutes of explosive and defensive-style movements
- MMA Plyo – 12 rounds, 47 minutes of Boxing, Muay Thai and plyometrics
- Active Recovery – 21 minutes of slower moves that focus on technique and stretching
The Eating Plan
The eating plan uses the same color coded portion control system as the 21 Day Fix. The difference with this plan is that you increase your calories as the workouts become more intense. Once you calculate your calories you determine if you fit into plan A, B, C, or D. Your number of servings each day will depend on your plan.
For Example I’m a Plan A. So every day in Week 1 I get:
3 Veggies 2 Fruits 4 Proteins 2 Carbs 1 Healthy Fat 1 Seeds & Dressings 2 Oils & Nut Butters
In Week 2 I add and extra fruit every day. Week 3 extra fruit plus an additional healthy fat every day. Week 4 you go back to the baseline plan.
The misconception about losing weight is that you have to eat less but really it’s about eating the right foods. Most of the time you’ll find the meal plans that Beachbody provides with their workouts have you eating a lot of food, several times a day. It’s healthy, wholesome food. The color coded portion control system is very helpful in making sure you’re eating a good balance of the right foods. It helped me realize that I eat way too many carbs. There are still carbs on the plan just not as many. I do notice a big difference in my body when I follow the meal plan, but it does take some effort.
Core De Force Review
I really enjoyed these workouts. The combinations were fun and challenging. The only thing that I didn’t like was the length of some of the workouts. I’ve been spoiled by 25 minute workouts so anything longer than 30 minutes is too long for me. What I ended up doing was breaking up the longer workouts and doing the first half one day and the second half the next day. Which means the program lasted more than 30 days for me.
Like most Beachbody programs Core De Force features a modifier. The modifier is a great option if you’re just starting out or need to take it easy.
Many of the workouts have an introductory “Learn it & Work It” feature that lets you learn and practice the technique of the moves before you jump into the workout.
Joel & Jericho do a great job of leading the workouts. They smoothly take turns describing each move. Jericho sometimes reminds me of a parade announcer, sort of soft spoken and excited about everything. Joel reminds me of my son’s soccer coach, asking you questions instead of telling you what to do. “Can you punch a little harder, kick a little higher?”
My husband started the program with me but didn’t feel like he was getting enough cardio. He ended up going back to Insanity & T25.
Results
My muscles, especially my calves, were very sore the first few weeks. I definitely began to see my core become more defined. Unfortunately, I didn’t keep up the eating plan like I should. I find I start out really gung-ho on week 1 and start to fade on week 2. By the 3rd and 4th weeks unless I’ve got a vacation or event I’m trying to get in tip-top shape for life gets in my way and my nutrition slips. It’s crazy how much nutrition affects how your body looks. I can still tell I was able to develop muscles from the program but they’re covered by a small layer of fat.
You get out what you put into these fitness programs. If you’re willing to do the work you’ll get the results you want. It really just depends on how bad you want it. With swimsuit season around the corner I’ll be putting a little more effort into my workouts and dialing in my nutrition. For me it’s about feeling confident about my body and not letting anything hold me back from enjoying time at the beach or pool with my family.
Ready to give Core De Force a try? Use the link below to order your copy today. I’m also happy to answer any questions you might have about this or any other Beachbody program.
