ChaLEAN Extreme Review: Lean Phase - Not a miracle worker, just a great program

Yeah... not so much.

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Here's my Burn Phase Review.
Here's my Push Phase Review.
Here's my Turbo Jam Review.

Phase 3 of the three phase ChaLEAN Extreme program is the Lean Phase. This is the phase where you combine upper and lower body exercises to also engage your core. In other words, this is where you work your ass off and sweat profusely.

This has been a long time coming and I finished it the end of August. Sorry for such a late update!

:: OVERVIEW OF LEAN PHASE::

There are 9 exercises in each circuit, just like in the Burn and Push Phases but instead of trying to reach failure between 6-8 reps, you're back to the 10-12. There is also a break down set (a.k.a. Extreme Set) after each exercise, so these workouts are closer to 50 minutes long.

A week in the Lean Phase looks like this:

• Day 1 - Lean Circuit 1
• Day 2 - Rest (this is critical because of the intensive weight training of Circuits 1 & 2 - you can add a cardio here, but don't do back-to-back Circuits)
  
• Day 3 - Lean Circuit 2
• Day 4 - Burn Intervals & Extreme Abs
  
• Day 5 - Lean Circuit 3
  
• Day 6 - Burn it Off! & Recharge
• Day 7 - Rest

Burn Intervals is a combination strength- and cardio- training that alternates bursts of intense activity with intervals of lighter activity. Ab Burner & Extreme Abs are 10 minute workouts that uses weights to work your middle. Burn it Off! is high intensity with light weights and approximately 30 minutes long and Recharge is a yoga-esque stretching routing that lasts 20 minutes.

::TIME::

Now we're back to 9 exercises with 3 Extreme Reps so the workout length is closer to that in the Burn Phase (35-40 minutes long) for Circuits 1, 2, and 3.

The Burn Intervals & Ab Burner/Extreme Abs workouts total about an hour, as do the Burn it Off! & Recharge combo.

::TO START::

Because I had become stronger during Burn and Push and had purchased more weights (5lbs, 10lbs, & 20lbs) for Push I didn't buy any more for Lean. I might have needed maybe 5 lbs more on my heaviest weight, though, so I will probably buy another set for Round 2 meaning I have a total weight count of 3 lbs, 8 lbs, 10 lbs, 12 lbs, 15 lbs, 20 lbs, and 25 lbs.

::CONCLUSION::

Lean Phase is where you're supposed to see all the amazing effects of your efforts. It wasn't the case for me AT ALL. I loved the exercises, felt amazingly strong and healthy, but I only lost 5 lbs of the 10 lbs I put on at the start of the Burn Phase. I purchased the BodyBugg half way through the Push Phase and I think that's what helped me lose the 5 lbs that I did, not the exercises.

Having said that, I never really altered my eating, kept drinking alcohol throughout the program, and didn't do one exercise more than what was laid out in the guidebook. Therefore, I blame myself for the lack of results, not the program.

Even so, the Lean Phase was by far my favorite phase. Even after 4 weeks there were sets I still couldn't get through entirely and I loved that sense of a challenge. I also wasn't very good at doing the ab workouts assigned; skipping those entirely most weeks and so a weaker core may have contributed to my inability to complete some sets.

Towards the end of the program my back began hurting and then I injured it terribly the beginning of September. I've maintained my 5 lb weight loss since then, but am only now feeling well enough to start over again. Which is my plan.

So, even though I don't have an amazing "after picture" to share, I'm still a huge fan of this program. I'm going to restart it next Monday all the way from Burn on through again. I'll continue updates on how my second time through goes.

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