T25 Workout Background
By this point, you have probably heard of the trainer Shaun T. Shaun T is the man that has been behind several different workout plans starting with Hip Hop Abs and also include Insanity and Rockin’ Body. One of the program is the Focus T25 program that was first developed back in 2013. One of the complaints that people had in Shaun T’s earlier programs was that they didn’t have enough time to get the exercise they needed.
Shaun T heard the excuse many times and developed a program that focuses on a total body workout in just 25 minutes (hence the name). Shaun T claims that the T25 workout fits an hour’s worth of exercise into just that 25 minute window by promoting Focus Interval Training. If you like to take a few minutes in between exercises for water breaks, then this likely isn’t the program for you.
You might be wondering what is involved with Focus Interval Training, which is a valid question when there are claims that you can get ripped on just 25 minute workouts. T25 focuses on each of the major muscle groups, including biceps, glutes, obliques, abs and core muscles. If it sounds intense, that’s because it is. However, there are plans for all levels of fitness so most people should still be able to get through the beginner’s program as Shaun T slows down the workouts.
Following the Program
Like most of Shaun T’s exercise plans, the T25 workout has a very specific training program to follow. For the first five weeks, there are five different workouts to do each week. This is called the Alpha Cycle, which includes these 25 minute workouts:
- Total Body Circuit (Resistance Training to Increase Strength)
- Cardio (Calorie Burning Through Increased Heart Rate)
- Lower Focus (Lower Body Workouts)
- Speed 1.0 (Fat Burning and Agility Training)
- Stretch (Flexibility and Recovery)
After completing the five week training program, the Beta Cycle is then introduced. You can do this cycle as long as you need, following the same five workouts every week. These workouts are:
- Rip’t Circuit (Total Body Workout)
- Core Cardio (Cardio Workout with a Focus on Building Core Strength)
- Upper Focus (Upper Body Workout)
- Speed 2.0 (Fat Burning and Agility Training)
- Dynamic Core (Intense Core Strengthening Routine)
Ordering the T25 program also comes with an eating guide that will help you combine the exercises with the right foods to eat to get the best results. It will also come with a calendar showing which workout video you should be following each day. This is also available for the beginner’s option and a resistance band for those workouts that focus on resistance training. The schedule has you doing one workout per day for four days, then stacking two on the fifth day. The sixth day is taken off for rest and then the stretching workout comes on the seventh day.
Celebrity on the T25 Program
Shaun T has perhaps become the most famous trainer in America, and a lot of that has come from celebrities that have participated in his program without being paid endorsers. Missy Elliott is one of those celebrities. Elliott has had a long career as a singer, and some of her biggest hit songs include “Work It”, “Gossip Folks” and “Lose Control”.
Elliott had undergone a major weight loss transformation more than a decade ago, but found that some of the weight was starting to come back on. That’s when Elliott tried out the T25 program and was able to shed that weight. Elliott said that she followed the program while avoiding sweets and fried foods, which allowed her to drop 30 pounds rather quickly.
Is it Really for Everyone?
One big concern that people have when it comes to a workout that doesn’t hide its intensity is the impact it can have on joints. While the T25 program itself does have a high impact regimen, there is also a lower impact version of all of the exercises involved. Combined with the availability of a beginner’s program, there really is a program for people of all fitness levels. The description can sound intimidating, but you are able to slowly work your way up to the very intense training portion.
However, this is one of those exercise plans that you will want to talk to a doctor about first before getting into it. Since the interval training does drive up your heart rate, those with a heart condition should definitely ease into the program. Pregnant women and those with high blood pressure and cholesterol are also encouraged to speak with a doctor before thinking about the T25 workout plan.
Science Behind T25
The T25 program and creator Shaun T claim that getting just 25 to 30 minutes of exercise can be as effective at fat burning as a 60 minute workout when done correctly. That’s because this program targets efficiency in short intervals instead of long and winding cardio workouts or short bursts of muscle training followed by periods of rest.
These studies about shorter and more intense training being more effective than longer workouts is relatively new, so it can’t be said with certainty that this program is the perfect one for your busy schedule. One study by the American Journal of Physiology said that more intense 30 minute workouts are just as beneficial in terms of weight loss and body fat reduction as those that are twice as long.
The program is specifically designed to be followed just as it’s laid out on the calendar. This means that you can adjust the actual workouts you’re doing to be easier to perform or easier on the joints, but not the schedule of the workouts. If you don’t feel like doing lower body workouts one day, then you’ll still have to suck it up and try to get through the workout for maximum effectiveness.
What Participants Have Said
Most of the reviews for the T25 workout program have been positive, with customers saying that they’ve seen good results from the exercises. On Amazon, there have been nearly 2,000 reviews and 67 percent have been five stars with 83 percent giving at least four stars. The biggest complaint for T25 has been the price, with a tag of more than $70 through most outlets (though just $60 on their official website).
Another complaint that people have is that the workouts get repetitive after a few weeks with a limited move list on the programs. Even those that have these types of complaints have noted that the intense program has helped them to lose weight, with some saying that they have lost well over 50 pounds starting with the beginner’s program and changing the way that they eat.
The Differences
Since the Insanity workout has been the most popular of Shaun T’s programs so far, the T25 has drawn a lot of comparisons to the program. While there are a few similarities, it’s important to point out the differences between them. For starters, Insanity requires that you have 60 minute workouts while the only time T25 requires more than the standard 25 minutes is one day a week when you workout for 50 minutes.
Insanity also throws you to the dogs on day one, whereas T25 sort of gets you acclimated for several weeks before you get to the very tough part. There are also no modifications in the Insanity program, making it more exclusive for those that are already in good shape and can take high impact workouts. T25 allows you to adjust for your personal needs.
There have been plenty of people that have lost significant weight with either program, so there isn’t much of a difference in that department. If you’re one of those people that’s paranoid that 25 minutes isn’t enough, then you might think that you’ll get more results from the 60 minutes of Insanity. It really depends on the person and what studies you believe, but you’ll be fine with either program.
Nutrition
The final thing we want to touch on is the nutrition program. While you can eat a calorie deficit in conjunction with T25 to lose weight, they do offer a guide for the best foods to eat while on the program. T25 comes with a nutrition guide called Get It Done, which offers up 25 total recipes for a total of five smaller meals each day. The recipes are supposed to be fast (in accordance with the short workouts), though some have said that the five minute recipes take longer than advertised. With the time you’re saving by working out just 25 minutes per day, though, it’s not that bad of a trade off.