What We Tried: Power Punch, one of 12 workouts in the new UFC FIT at-home fitness and nutrition program from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)
Where: In the comfort of my very own living room!
What We Did: After a brief warmup, Mike Dolce, an ultimate fighting champion himself as well as a coach to some of the sport's top athletes, launched into five rounds of mini circuits. Each round was comprised of eight 30-second work periods. The first two focused on strength, then there was one bout of cardio and one UFC-style fighting move. Repeat all four a second time and you've completed a round. Dolce then surprised me with a bonus round of fight moves, followed finally by a brief cool down.
For How Long: The DVD ran about 40 minutes.
How'd It Feel: Whoa. I usually reserve DVD workouts for my early-a.m. sweat sessions because I feel like I can sometimes get away with watching with one eye still closed. Not. The. Case. Within seconds of pressing play, Dolce was asking me to squat, jump, kick and punch as if a real-life opponent was staring me down from across the living room. The high level of intensity jolted me awake as I realized I probably should have saved this one for later in the day when my muscles were warmer. Even without anyone watching, I felt a little self-conscious of my wimpy punches and stunted kicks -- I looked nothing like the tough, ripped guys and gals on the screen. I powered through, and by round four was quite sweaty and more than a little out of breath.
What It Helps With: Cardio, strength (you'll want a couple various dumbbells at your disposal) and your badass martial arts skills.
What Fitness Level Is Required: These are not easy moves -- and this segment of the program is for the first few of the 12 weeks. Read: Not for beginners. You'll want to have a pretty solid base before giving this a go. It might also help to have the right fitness personality and a bit of a passion for UFC.
What It Costs: For $119.97, you'll get 12 DVDs, a 12-week workout trainer and a nutrition manual.
Would We Do It Again: Probably not. I'm all for working out some aggression through exercise, but the fighting spirit just didn't hold my attention. I got a good workout this morning, but I had to really force myself to stick with it. Watching women punch faster and harder than me wasn't all that motivating, probably because it's just not a skill I prioritize.
For photos from the UFC FIT workout, check out the slideshow below:
UFC FIT
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