Les Mills: Combat Power HIIT 1 (Review)

Combat Power HIIT is unlike any workout I've done; it's also one of the toughest.  I was a bit unprepared for it.  The other workouts - besides the two HIIT routines - are kickboxing.  This one is not: it's pure calorie-burning fun (er, yeah, sure, fun!).  

For this HIIT, you need some weights - free weights or a barbell. I used 8 lb free weights.  You start with a warm-up that gets your heart pumping in no time.  Jogging, squats and squat jumps, sprints, the inch worm, and push-ups.  Whew!  

What follows that five minute warm-up is HIIT in the form of weights.  You do rows, then rest; clean and presses, then rest; squat and presses, then rest.  You do a lot of squat and presses.  This goes on for about ten minutes and if you're doing the appropriate amount of weight, you will sweat and your heart rate will stay elevated.  I jog or shuffle during each rest, to move and stay loose.  

After this you do about five minutes of squats, sumo squats, squat jumps, and lunge jumps.  Oh my goodness, your legs will burn like nothing else!  I have to lessen the intensity a bit after a while with all these moves - they're just that crazy when done without any break.

The next circuit is burpees.  Yes, all burpees for about five minutes.  You even add a squat and then a squat jump.  So much fun!  

A word of caution...  After doing this workout several times, I noticed that my lower back was almost constantly aching - even in bed in the middle of the night.  I cut back on the burpees - cutting them completely for two weeks - and learned that these burpees were causing my new-found pain.  I have good form and can still do slower burpees...but Combat HIIT requires fast crazy burpees and my form apparently disintegrates with speed.  I sub other cardio for the burpees.  A burpee is not the beginning and end all of cardio.

The last section is ab work in the form of planks and mountain climbers.  And then a stretch.
This is a very challenging workout and seeing the muscled men in the video do it with me only makes it seem tougher.  Ha!  During a burpee sequence, one of them says, "We don't use machines, we build machines."  Ha!  I do like this one and it, combined with HIIT 2 has really toned my legs.  So, take it from me - it will get you results if you can get through it!

Bottom Line: This is a very difficult workout.  You will work harder than you ever have before - and you'll get results.