XTrain Workouts: Week 4

It has been four weeks since I started working out with Cathe Fendrich.  For the entire month of March, I committed myself to the 30 Day Cardio + Strength Training Program that is part of her new XTrain workout series.

Today is the 28th, and I am excited to have successfully reached the end of the program!  Can I take a second to say a big “HECK YES” to myself? Okay, great… glad we got that out of the way. 😉

Instead of thirty straight days I originally expected, I realized this program is instead packed with four intense weeks of six training days a week.  For twenty-eight days, I have shared my positive training experiences with you week to week, as well as my struggles and disappointment in myself for missing training days.

A home video workout series has not been an easy thing for me to stay committed to, but after looking back at the entire process I am so glad I pushed myself to do it!  Let’s get on to how the fourth and final training week went, shall we?

XTrain Workouts : Week 4 Check-In

Curious to catch up?

Past recaps include:

XTrain Workouts: Week 1

XTrain Workouts: Week 2

XTrain Workouts: Week 3

As always, this week was made up of the same type of workouts: HIIT, Tabatas, Kickboxing, and Legs (with an specific arm group added into each day).

I have not hidden the fact that I have had missed a few training days along the way, with the majority of them being days focused on legs.  As a dancer, I have always been afraid of bulking up my thighs and calves too much and prefer to keep a long and lean frame.  For this reason, it was easier to give into a skip day if it was one I thought I did not necessarily “need” anyways.

Yikes!  Now that is not a way to fully get everything out of a training program, is it?  This week was an opportunity for me to re-assess.

I buckled up with an end goal of completing at least one of the two leg days from start to finish including the optional ten minute barre section in the middle.

Done and done.

As much as I felt like my legs did not need the extra training, I gave it a shot and enjoyed getting back to the barre (or in this case, chair with cat).

At the end of the video, my legs were jello, and I almost regretted forcing myself through while at dance practice the next day.  Almost.  I was super sore and had to try twice as hard to change my levels, but knowing I hit my goal made it all worth it.

When I got to the middle of the week, I added another goal of completing all six workout days for my final week.  Then I remembered I had two games and three practices to dance through.

When you consider the number hours of practicing, running stadiums (stairs) and dancing involved in each day, I am pretty sure I compensated for the burn I would have gotten out of my last Cardio Leg Blast day.  With that being the only day I missed, I feel pretty okay with it.

Overall Thoughts – Week 4

Ahhhh! I cannot believe it’s over!

This video workout series flew by and drug on at the same time for me.  Like I mentioned from day one, it is really hard for me to commit to a strict workout program already planned out for me.

I consider myself one to float around at the gym and take advantage of the different types of group fitness classes, cardio machines, and workouts available to me.  I like the option of waking up and deciding what I feel like doing, rather than looking at what I am supposed to be doing for my workout that day.

Knowing that, I have to admit that I enjoyed this video series more than I expected to!

Just like the previous weeks, I enjoyed the Hard Strikes (cardio kickboxing) DVD the best.  I happened to have few extra frustrations this week and really got into it.  Hey, whatever works right?!

I am ending the series today feeling proud of pushing myself through the days and nights I just didn’t want to complete a video workout.

I feel stronger, tougher, and even rekindled a spark to start kickboxing on a regular basis again!

I plan on doing a full video review of XTrain next week, and am excited to share my overall thoughts and recap my experiences of training at home with you.

Now off for a celebratory run outside with Roadie.  See ya soon!

*Disclaimer: The XTrain Workout Series DVDs were provided to me, free of charge, from cathe.com through my ambassadorship with FitFluential. I was not compensated in any way for this review, and simply exchanged sharing workout experience for product. As always, all thoughts and opinions in this series of reviews are my own. Please see my full dislaimer before starting any kind of new workout routine.