Day 5 of Core De Force introduces a new workout… MMA Shred!  I was really excited to try a new mixed martial arts workout, as MMA Speed was awesome!  Here’s my review of MMA Shred –

MMA Shred

• Length:  37 minutes.
• Number of Rounds: 9.
• Equipment:  None.
• Description:  Kick things up a notch with Muay Thai-inspired elbows and kicks for a head-to-toe shred that help lean you out fast.

Learn It:  Like MMA Speed, the first thing I notice about this workout is that you are given the option to select either to do the workout or something called “Learn It & Work It,” which is only 4 minutes long.  I opted not to learn it and work it because I’ve done both Tae Bo, Les Mills Combat, and some self defense in the past, so I had a feeling I could catch on quickly.  Plus, I’m short on time in the mornings, so the less I have to do, the better!  For the less coordinated, or people who are unfamiliar with basic MMA moves (like uppercuts and hooks), then I’d recommend starting with Learn It & Work It before jumping into MMA Shred.

Music:  Second thing I notice is that I am given the option to play the music that comes with the program or turn it off.  I normally listen to the music that comes with the program the first time I do it, and then if it’s generic music, I’ll opt to play my own workout playlist in the future.

Format:  There are nine rounds.  A “round” is 3 minutes long, like a boxing round.  A round includes a one-minute MMA combination, then a 30-second cardio spike, repeat both the one-minute and the 30-second moves, then a 30-second break, during which the next move is explained.  There are six unique cardio spikes in this workout; three are repeated.  Here is the format of the workout:

• Warm Up:  A short warm-up of the following moves:  jog in place, pulse side-to-side with a chest opener, pulse side-to-side with shoulder rolls, alternating toe taps to warm up the hamstrings, hip openers, and a torso rotation.
• Round 1:  Front side elbow, rear side elbow, roll back, roll front for 1 minute, with a 30-second cardio spike of high-knee jump rope; repeat.
• Round 2:  Jab, front up elbow, cross, rear up elbow for 1 minute, with a 30-second cardio spike of alternating clinch knees; repeat.  Here’s a short video of the cardio spike:

• Round 3: Rear snap kick, switch snap kick for 1 minute, with a 30-second cardio spike of reverse lunge with a clinch knee; repeat, switching fight stances.
• Round 4:  Jab, cross, front slashing elbow, rear slashing elbow for 1 minute, with a 30-second cardio spike of switch jumps; repeat.  Here’s a short video of the MMA conditioning move for this round:

• Round 5:  Front up elbow, rear knee, switch snap kick for 1 minute, with a 30-second cardio spike of triple lunge with Ginga; repeat.  Here’s a short video of the cardio spike, which is three lunges with a lateral hop:

• Round 6:  Cross, front side elbow, rear front kick for 1 minute, with a 30-second cardio spike of guarded squat, squat jump; repeat.  Here’s a short video of the cardio spike:

• Round 7:  Rear push kick, front push kick, shuffle back for 1 minute, with a 30-second cardio spike of alternating clinch knees (yes… they’re BACK!); repeat, switching fight stances.
• Round 8:  Front slashing elbow, rear slashing elbow, double jab, cross for 1 minute with a 30-second cardio spike of triple lunge with Ginga; repeat.

• Round 9:  Front up elbow, rear knee, front push kick for 1 minute with a 30-second cardio spike of guarded squat, squat jump; repeat.
• Cooldown:  A short cooldown of the following moves:  hip flexor stretch, calf stretch with a shoulder stretch, quad stretch, hamstring stretch, upper back stretch, and a chest opener stretch.

Here’s a video collage of some of the MMA moves – specifically from rounds 1, 5, and 6 from a Halloween-theme workout party I went to (in case you’re wondering why some people are dressed a little odd):

The verdict?  LOVE!  This is the medium-length MMA workout, with MMA Shred clocking in at only 27 minutes and the other MMA workouts at 47 minutes.  It really felt like the perfect length to me!  I enjoyed the introduction of some new styles of movement, like elbows.  The cardio spikes are all pretty rough, as many of them work some of your large muscle groups in addition to cardio (e.g., many lunges and jumps in a squat) so this is a great cardiovascular workout.  I love that the MMA workouts not only works the body, but the mind too.  It doesn’t feel like it’s choreographed, like Cize or Les Mills Combat does, but, similarly, you are learning some combinations, which requires some muscle memory, coordination, and agility.  I workout first thing in the morning, when my brain isn’t totally awake yet, so I feel like this workout helps me wake up my brain in addition to my body.

The workout also includes one person who is modifying the workout, so if you need to decrease the range of motion or take out some of the high impact for your joints, you can follow the modifier and still get a great workout.

Interested in Core De Force?  You have a couple of options to buy it.  You can get a challenge pack that comes with Shakeology, or a performance pack that comes with two of my favorite performance supplements – Energize and Recover.  You can also check out the base kit or deluxe kit.

Need support?  It just so happens that I coach people through at-home fitness programs, like Core De Force!  So, if you order the program through one of the links on this site, I’ll be happy to work with you to help you stay on track and plug you into one of my online accountability groups!

Have questions?  Comment below or send me an email at distilledjill@gmail.com!