Les Mills COMBAT Review

As some of you know, I have been trying to get my hubby to work out with me for a while now.  He tried TurboFire - too intense.  He tried Chalean Extreme - too hard.  I know he wouldn't mind me telling you that he is out of shape, and has a hard time hanging in there with exercise.  He wants to get healthy, so we are actually starting The Ultimate Reset on March 6th!  There is NO working out during the Reset (except Tai Cheng or light yoga), but after the Reset, he expressed interest in trying Les Mills COMBAT.  I have also been wanting to try the program so I ordered it and received it the other day.  It has been sitting on my dining room table, tempting me - until today...

I decided that, in the interest of research, and "testing out the DVDs" I would try Power Kata 45.  So I downed some E&E and got busy.  I had SO much fun!  I am not going to go into the details of every single move, but basically... there is a warm up, then different segments - Tae Kwon Do, Boxing, Muay Thai, etc.  Each segment breaks down the moves first at a slower pace, then you ramp it up and do it at top speed.  Then you get a little rest in between segments.  It's intense, but not a non-stop workout like TurboFire for example.  Then there was the music - so good!  I will definitely use the "Music Fired Up" version next time now that I have gone through it once.  Here are the tracks (complete list below):

COMBAT 45: POWER KATA

1a. "Walking In Memphis" by Marc Cohn
1b. "Trouble" by P!nk
2.    "The Final Countdown" by Europe
3.    COMPOSER TRACK
4.    "This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race" by Fall Out Boy
5.    COMPOSER TRACK
6.    COMPOSER TRACK
7.    "See The Light" (Styles & Breeze Mix. by Paradise
8.    COMPOSER TRACK

I think this would be a great program for someone who is at pretty much any fitness level.  There is a person who does the modified moves that don't involve any jumping.  Those who want to take it to the next level of intensity can also use the COMBAT gloves or even weighted gloves.  There is no complicated choreography like TurboFire, so that might be good news for those who found TurboFire too confusing.  But, being a true Turbo junkie, I loved all of the kicks and punches!  I could actually see my arm muscles popping out as I was punching, which was really cool and motivating!  So that was Power Kata.  I will be adding more to this review as I do the other workouts!  (UPDATE:  I am SORE today!!  I am pretty surprised considering I had so much fun yesterday doing it and it didn't feel super strenuous, if that makes sense!  I wondered if I had gotten a killer workout or not, and apparently I did!)

Here is a little preview...

Complete Les Mills COMBAT track List:

COMBAT 30: KICK START
1a. COMPOSER TRACK
1b. "Starstrukk" by 3OH!3
2. "Thnks Fr Th Mmrs" by Fall Out Boy
3. COMPOSER TRACK
4.  "Bring Me To Life" by Evanescence
5.  COMPOSER TRACK
6.  COMPOSER TRACK

COMBAT 45: POWER KATA
1a. "Walking In Memphis" by Marc Cohn
1b. "Trouble" by P!nk
2.    "The Final Countdown" by Europe
3.    COMPOSER TRACK
4.    "This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race" by Fall Out Boy
5.    COMPOSER TRACK
6.    COMPOSER TRACK
7.    "See The Light" (Styles & Breeze Mix. by Paradise
8.    COMPOSER TRACK

COMBAT 60: EXTREME CARDIO FIGHTER
1a. COMPOSER TRACK
1b. "Loud" by Without Danger
2.    "Cum On Feel The Noize" by Quiet Riot
3.    COMPOSER TRACK
4.    "Holding Out For A Hero" by Bonnie Tyler
5.    "The Anthem" by Good Charlotte
6.    COMPOSER TRACK
7.    COMPOSER TRACK
8.    "Turn To Me" (Supreme & MOB 2010 Remix. by Trinity
9.    COMPOSER TRACK
10.  COMPOSER TRACK

CORE ATTACK
1.    "Fire Burning" by Sean Kingston
2.    COMPOSER TRACK
3.    "War" by Edwin Starr
4.    COMPOSER TRACK

WARRIOR 1: UPPER BODY BLOW OUT
1.    "No Limit" by Sonic Rush Project
2.    "No Easy Way Out" by Robert Tepper
3.    COMPOSER TRACK
4.    "The Final Countdown" by Europe

WARRIOR 2: LOWER BODY LEAN OUT
1.    "Bring The Beat Back" by Sheep Trick
2.    COMPOSER TRACK
3.    "The Warrior's Code" by Dropkick Murphys
4.    COMPOSER TRACK
5.    "See The Light" (Styles & Breeze Mix. by Paradise
6.    COMPOSER TRACK

INNER WARRIOR: STRETCH AND STRENGTH
1.    COMPOSER TRACK
2.    COMPOSER TRACK
3.    COMPOSER TRACK

POWER HIIT 1
1.    COMPOSER TRACK
2.    COMPOSER TRACK
3.    "Promises" by Nero
4.    COMPOSER TRACK
5.    COMPOSER TRACK

SHOCK PLYO HIIT 2
1.    COMPOSER TRACK
2.    COMPOSER TRACK
3.    COMPOSER TRACK
4.    COMPOSER TRACK
5.    COMPOSER TRACK
6.    "Can't Hold Us" by Macklemore
7.    COMPOSER TRACK

COMBAT 60 LIVE: ULTIMATE WARRIOR'S WORKOUT
1a. COMPOSER TRACK
1b. "Tubthumping" by Chumbawamba
2.    "Love Drunk" by Boys Like Girls
3.    "Miracle" (SAD Remix. by Cascada
4.    COMPOSER TRACK
5.    "The Passenger" by Iggy Pop
6.    "U Can't Touch This" by MC Hammer
7.    COMPOSER TRACK
8.    COMPOSER TRACK
9.    "Fire Burning" by Sean Kingston
10.  COMPOSER TRACK
11.  COMPOSER TRACK

LES MILLS COMBAT 30: LIVE
1a. COMPOSER TRACK
1b. "Loud" by Without Danger
2.    COMPOSER TRACK
3.    COMPOSER TRACK
4.    "Bring Me To Life" by Evanescence
5.    "Miracle" (SAD Remix. by Cascada