So yesterday marked the end of my first round of Muscle Burns Fat Advance and the completion of my second workout program for 2021.

This was the follow-up, three-week program to Muscle Burns Fat. It followed basically the same format as the first one with focus on weight training, mixing in cardio and core work.

The program also took it up a ‘notch’ with a burnout minute at the end of each block of work. For the most part I managed at least 30-45 seconds (if not the full minute) of the move, depending on the move. Some moves I did with body weight, others I did with a dumbbell.

Since I already did Muscle Burns Fat, I was use to the video format of the workout. Since these two programs were filmed during the pandemic–the cast was at home and ‘zooming’ in for each daily workout. It was getting a little sneak peak into the lives of other Beachbody members/coaches.

As I mentioned in the review of MBF, while I’m committed to getting into the best shape of my life–it is by my rules, which means that I’m not measuring as often (will probably do it like a total of three or four times this year), I’m not stepping on the scale as often (may only be once or twice, depending on when I replace the dead battery in the scale), and I’m getting rid of the diet mindset (improving my relationship with food).

I have managed to lift heavier, and on a couple of the exercises went as heavy as I currently could–which was 20 pounds (the heaviest set of dumbbells that I currently own).

Having gone through MBF, I have an understanding of the format, and a real love-hate relationship with the BOD ropes (I still end up smacking myself with them at least once a workout).

There were several core exercises where I realized I’ve gotten stronger, and I also realize that I should try to do them every so often (especially since I don’t think they’re in the next program I will be doing) just to make sure that I can still do them.

One of those exercises is the bear (or beast)–where you support yourself on your toes, and try to keep your knees about an inch or two off the ground. Five months ago, I couldn’t even hold the bear/beast position. This time I could hold it and twist to touch my opposite knee (when the rest of the cast did the side sit through). Also on the dynamic recovery days-I could not only hold the crab position, but I could also briefly extend one arm out, whereas six months ago I would have had trouble holding the position.

There were a few carry overs from MBF that I only considered mild irritants (since I was expecting them):

Calling the lunges split squats on leg day. These were just static lunges—but the intensity was taken up a notch combining them with a knee drive.

Saturday’s workouts–the EMOMs (every minute on the minute). Some exercises I got better at (such as the plank to bear hop, or modified side sit-through). But since I still have issues with doing pushups (mainly needing to develop more upper body strength)–I didn’t like trying to do 40-60 pushups in five minutes (8-12 per minute) depending on the week. But I guess that is something that I can work towards for the next time I do the program.

I scored the program a 4 out of 5–since I started with MBF, there weren’t that many surprises that would catch me off guard. I took a star/point away mainly for still calling the static lunges split squats, and the clean-presses from a few of the workouts. Overall I did find it to be a good program and will be repeating (along with muscle burns fat) probably sometime in 2022 or 2023.

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