Compiled by: Bikesh Shrestha

Chari is a Public Health consultant who has a special interest and work experience in the field of reproductive and sexual health. She also hosts a radio program on rvlradio called turn it on.

Over the past few years, home workout videos have gained massive popularity. And they have come a long way from the morning shows aired on ESPN almost a decade ago. For one thing, you can no longer saunter through a number of narrated aerobic exercises while sipping on soda and popping a few pop corns when you get the chance.

More recent workout videos will have you breaking out in sweats and wheezing like an asthmatic teenager half way through the warm-up sessions. That’s because they promise results, and if followed as per instructions, they deliver.

One of the more popular videos -the P90x- promises to get you ripped within 90 days. And judging by the photographs of some of the end results, it seems to be extremely effective. Insanity too gives great results, but unlike P90x, it does not require any equipment to perform the exercises. In either case, the workouts are gruelingly difficult.

These home workout videos are designed for the people who don’t have the time to slave at the gym for a ripped body and have trouble finding a way to squeeze fitness into a busy routine of work, cleaning, errands and chores.

However, there are people who can’t manage enough time to follow a video. Yes, even squeezing in an hour can be difficult. Luckily, there is no need to fret. Beachbody, one of the leading fitness empires in the world, brings you the Focus T25.

This program is divided into phases which ease you into the program and helps build fitness levels for beginners who want to get into shape but are lacking the time to hit the gym regularly. Focus T25 Workout Program comes with the workouts that comprise the first two phases, Alpha and Beta.

PHASE 1: ALPHA

The first phase of the program, Alpha, includes 5 workouts and lasts one month. It is the introduction phase and is easier than phase two.

1. Cardio

The cardio section is intended to burn fat like any other cardio exercise and reveal the lean muscle mass underneath. It starts off slow, but quickly increases the intensity through the end. Most of the exercises in the DVD focus on the lower body and lower ab area and include simple movements.

2. Ab Intervals

The Ab Intervals consists of intense workouts focusing solely on the mid-section of your body which will work your core to the extreme. The workouts in this section will not only burn fat, they will also help build muscle throughout the entire abdominal region, giving you the chiseled abs you have always desired.

3. Speed 1.0

The Speed 1.0 workout includes plenty of cardio and lower body work done at very high speeds. It helps improve overall fitness with explosive moves that require you to be quick and light on your feet. It has plenty of plyometrics and works on improving speed, agility, stamina and endurance.

4. Lower Focus

Most of the exercises in the Lower Focus are aimed at the thigh and buttock region and helps tone your legs before you complete the first month on the program, if done correctly. This workout will leave your legs feeling like wet noodles after the 25 minutes are over.

5. Total Body Circuit

The Total Body Circuit is an interval workout that serves as an introduction to the next phase of the program, Beta, which is more challenging and demanding phase. It includes a variety of exercises that are done twice within the 25 minute workout. The first time you get eased into it and get familiar with the workouts. The second time the routine is performed, the intensity is increased with the moves becoming a little more complex.

PHASE 2: BETA

The second phase, Beta, includes another set of 5 workouts and also lasts a month similar to the Alpha phase. But you will be pushing yourself even more. It concentrates more on core strength than cardio.

1. Core Cardio

Yes, it’s exactly what you think it is; a much more intense version of Alpha Cardio.

2. Dynamic Core

A strong core is the foundation for top performance. A balanced and strong core assists largely in performing the workouts correctly and safely. Dynamic

Core focuses on the core muscles in the abdominal section.. Do not expect traditional sit ups and planks for your core here. You will be doing some complex moves and feeling plenty of burn for the 25 minute duration.

3. Speed 2.0

If you want a challenging workout this is it. Speed 2.0 has quite challenging moves, which will have you moving and jumping the entire workout.

 4. Upper Focus

The Upper Focus workout begins with some cardio work and quickly moves into strength exercises using your own body weight. Burpees, push-ups, squat rows among various other exercises are combined for an insane cardio and strength workout experience.

5. Ripped Circuit

Ripped Circuit is a fat blasting 25 minute workout that targets the entire body, head to toe. Expect to work your upper body, legs, abs and then repeat it all over again. Some of the moves included in the Ripped Circuit are lunges, squat thrusts, presses, burpees, deadlifts, curl squats and many more.

Stretch

In addition to the 10 workouts mentioned above, stretching exercise of 25 minutes is included in the Focus T25 Program. Although, not as challenging as the 10 other workouts, it is included as an added bonus and done on one of your off days considered to be a “rest day.” This stretching routine is designed to improve your flexibility, relax your muscles and help you recover from the previous five days of grueling work you put in to complete the Alpha and Beta phase of the program. Overall the Focus T25 Progarm is one compact and convenient program that takes as little as 25 minutes and has everything from conditioning, fat loss to strengthening. With this video, your excuses of time management will take a serious blow.