Before I begin with the Focus T25 review, I’ll lay everything out in front of you, regarding what really happens once you decide to go for this weight loss program.
What you lose with T25? Flab and fat, apart from a few green bills. And bullies.
What you gain with T25? The quick answer is “a toned body”. Of course, as a side effect you might be bombarded with questions about your secret fitness schedule.
What do you actually need to get there? If I say, Shaun T[1], it would be half the answer. What you really need is, an iron strong will. Determination, to see the program through the end.
Now, ask yourself, “Do I really want to get fit? Am I willing to do anything, like anything, to have an enviable toned physique?”
If your answer is a firm, loud, big YES. Then, go ahead, and get your FOCUS T25 DVDs Now!
And if, like any informed consumer, you first want to explore more about the program, then, scroll down further.
So, what are you going to learn here in this review?
- What exactly is Focus T25?
- What is the basic concept of this program and how it works?
- Does the program always work?
- Can everyone do it?
- What does the package include?
- Would you need any extra equipment?
- What diet would you be needing while on this program?
- How is it different from other home fitness program?
- What after 60 days?
Contents
Introduction to Focus T25
I’ll begin with the basic theory people have for avoiding any workout routine. Shortage of time. Yes, that’s the biggest reason. Most of the times, its just another excuse to procrastinate. So, team Beach Body’s Choreographer and Trainer, Shaun T, came up with an amazing idea of a fitness program aimed to kill all such excuses, and still deliver results.
After an year of research and vigorous experimentation, he created Focus T25. And what does T25 focuses on?
The 60 day home fitness program focuses on crunching a workout routine in 25 minute time frame for extreme fat loss, toned abs, and an overall fit body. There is cardio, resistance, weights, interval, pyramid, stretching, and so on. You might not even understand the terms, but you do it all. In just 25 minutes.
I think I forgot to mention how he ensures this. An on screen stop watch. Yes, its a race against time.
So, if you are struggling against a stop watch while you workout, what would your state of mind be? How is the workout gonna feel like? No room for breathing? Intense? No!
The word is grueling! Like you’ve been thrown into a grinder. And that’s why most fans have feelings of love-hate for Shaun T. They hate him for those sweaty 25 minutes, love him for the fit body they get to flaunt for rest of the hours.
Concept behind this program
Scientists have found 30 minutes exercise to be as good as any 60 minute workout. In fact, they hold an opinion that, it’s a little downhill after 30 minutes[2]. This is a very good observation considering the fact, that most of us (I’m excusing the excuse makers here) have little time in our schedules to be spared for working out.
As you must already have noticed, the above research seems to be favoring the recent boom in interval training too. This precisely, is the theory behind the compact design of T25. Workouts – Keep them short, and effective. Little investment, big profits. Sounds like your kind of thing?!
Well then, your next doubt may be, why does this program work? Rotational exercise is the answer. Unlike Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred, no workouts are repeated. So, no plateau.
Design of the product
The program is created for execution in three phases or rather cycles, Alpha, Beta, and Gamma, with its own specific fitness goal, and spread across 4 weeks each. One workout per day, for five days. Sixth day is Stretch day. Not considered a workout, as it is physically less demanding. Seventh day is Rest day, rather 24 “happy hours”. You’ll be pleading for them, trust me.
Anyway, the Alpha phase is the conditioning phase, where you’ll be laying a firm foundation of total body fitness. With Beta cycle, in the next 4 weeks you’ll be taking your fitness to a whole new level, through focus on building a strong core. The Gamma cycle DVDs however, are not included in the base kit, and need to be bought separately. This last phase is designed to further accelerate the process of strengthening and chiseling muscles.
Gamma cycle is what you need after you’ve nailed the 60 day challenge.
Here I must tell you that, all these three cycles can be used as standalone workouts also, but it’s better to go with the design.
Alpha Cycle
- Cardio – Familiar moves with focus on lower body conditioning.
- Speed 1.0 – Mostly plyometric moves to build agility and speed.
- Total Body Circuit – Concentrates on full body strength and resistance training to prepare for next phase.
- Ab Intervals – Cardio and ab intervals that shred the fat from your midsection. A bit tough.
- Lower Focus – Extreme exercises for lower-body muscles to burn fat and kick up metabolism.
Beta Cycle
- Core Cardio – Faster, tougher, and more complex than the alpha cardio for better results.
- Speed 2.0 – It is a calorie-scorching, core-focused speed drill with three hi-speed intervals.
- Ripped Circuit – Cardio…upper body…legs…abs…repeat. This is how you get ripped in 25 minutes.
- Dynamic Core – It’s a crazy core routine, way different from all the abdominal moves you might have seen.
- Upper Focus – Burpees, Push ups, squats, and everything you need to develop the upper body of your dreams.
Gamma Cycle
- Rip’t Up – Might need weights and chin up bar for this one. It’s a complete body workout with 360° upper-body moves.
- Extreme Circuit -Build lean muscle and burn fat at the same time! In this one, the weights never leave your hands. Not even for the warm-up.
- The Pyramid -Accelerate your reps as time progresses. This is more like a cardio and strength endurance test.
- Speed 3.0 -Faster pace. More sweat. Serious results. You won’t want to miss this 25-minute high-speed challenge
What is included in the base kit?
What’s great about this program is that, whatever one needs to finish this program is included in the package. This means, its complete in itself and you can start right away, without having to worry about buying the required equipment. The T25 box includes:
- 11 nonstop 25-minute workouts on 11 DVDs
- Quick-Start Guide to kick start your fitness routine (Even if you do not like reading instructions, going through this guide this time will definitely be worth your time.)
- Get It Done Nutrition Guide (Nutrition and diet tips with 25 recipes to help in your endeavor. The guide also gives out information on carb-protein ratio and options for healthy snacking while you are on this program.)
- ALPHA-BETA Workout Calendars (Apart from the dedicated workout, the calendar includes unique check boxes – “Nailed it” and “Barely made it”. This helps you keep track of things while further boosting your determination.)
- 5-Day Fast Track (I’d say, this is for the impatient or the skeptical souls. It is another unique program, which limits daily caloric intake to 1,100, so you can witness results quickly. Kind of preview. But, such drastic reduction can have its own ill-effects too. So, its better to go with the plan.)
- 15 lbs B-LINES Resistance Band (The only equipment you’ll need. However, I must warn those with history of Latex allergy. The band is made of latex and can cause skin irritation. In such cases, people are advised to use their own latex free ones.)
Bonus Workout: Stretch – After 5 days of hard work, stretch it out, and enjoy this one. You deserve it.
Add on Workout: Core speed – This is for bringing those six pack abs out. Do it only when you are done with your Alpha phase. It can be use as another standalone workout too (and that’s why it is sold separately), but most people replace speed 2.0 in Beta cycle with Core speed. Works great as hell!
Who all can go for this program?
I’d love to say everyone, but then, I’d be misguiding you. So, if you are thinking of getting ripped through this program, it’s essential that you are in decent shape, or involved in some physical activity on a regular basis. This is to ensure that, you have some basic level of endurance.
Unlike, P90x series, there is no fit test here to judge your basic level of fitness. However, the visuals include a modifier, Tanya, who modifies difficult moves, so every beginner can do them too.
Pros and cons
I began with the “what you gain/lose with T25?” questions, which pretty much summed up the pros and cons. But, just as a reminder, here are a few more:
Pros
- It is for everyone – beginners, veterans, nursing moms, busy professionals. (deliberately excluding the sedentary ones)
- Demands only 25 minutes of your precious time
- No extra equipment needed
- Starts building lean muscles from first phase
- Saves money on gym membership
- Modifiable and upscalable
- 24X7 online support community
Cons
- No excuses spared
- Intense and no breaks for breathing
- Will not build excessive muscles like body builders
T25 vs. P90X series
P90x too, comes from the same house – Beach Body. It is designed by International Trainer, Tony Horton. Focus T25 and P90x, both these are very different programs, with little difference in results. The approach is however, much different. So, here is a table that compares both these programs:
PARAMETERS |
FOCUS T25 |
P90X series |
Creator |
Shaun T | Tony Horton |
Target group |
Both men and women (moderately active) | Both men and women (moderately active) |
USP |
25 minutes workout | 30-45 minutes workout |
Design |
5 workouts per week | 6 workouts per week |
Program Duration |
60 Days | 90 Days |
Number of phases |
Divided into 3 cycles (Base kit contains 2) | Divided into 3 Phases (All included in Base kit) |
Equipment needed |
15 lbs Resistance band (Included in Base kit) | Resistance band, Chin up bar, Power stands (Included in Deluxe kit) |
Ease of Modification |
On screen modification trainer, Tanya. Upscale with Core Speed and Gamma cycle DVDs (sold separately) | On screen modification and upscale trainers for different fitness goals – Classic, Lean and Double. Advanced DVDs also available. |
Overall rating |
8.5/10 | 9/10 |
Price |
US $119.85 | US $109.85 |
Guarantee of results |
Full Refund within 30 days | Full Refund withing 90 days |
Are you ready for achieving your fittest body?
Focus T25 has a 30 day money back guarantee, so you can return if you don’t get results. Which means, you have nothing to lose but fat.
If you think T25 resonates well with your fitness goals then get your DVDs here:
FOCUS T25 – 25 Minutes. 5 Days a Week. 100% Results.
References: [1] Shaun T - wiki. ^Back to Top^ [2] Klika, Brett, Jordan, Chris. High Intensity Circuit Training using body weight: Maximum Results With Minimal Investment. NSCA-CPT, ACSM HFS/APTACSM'S Health & Fitness Journal: May/June 2013. doi: 10.1249/FIT.0b013e31828cb1e8. ^Back to Top^
Anant Mendiratta
Great comparison here.