FITNESS ZONE
REVIEW: Tony Horton’s 22 Minute Hard Corps
It’s that time of year again when Tony Horton sees his shadow and gives us eight weeks of physical torment. Such is his newest creation, 22 Minute Hard Corps which is based on military boot-camp style training. And once again, The Parrot is there to see how it measures up.
What you get:
The package contains 8 workouts on 2 DVD’s, a food guide, calendar and program instructional. Optional Special Ops bonus disk available.
Should you get the bonus package, additional workouts and a sandbag of sorts is included. But assuming you are like me and don’t have a load of cash, go old school and spend $5 at a gas station to buy a sandbag. Or steal one from the back of a Chevy truck in a mall parking lot. Heck, if you have supervillian flowing through your veins, help yourself to one from an emergency flood dike. Creativity will reward your bank account while having the added bonus of instilling fear in those around you.
Next, let’s talk about Beachbody’s online ordering system. Be prepared for some aggressive up-selling. Once you choose your product you will have roughly eight separate pages that will pitch bonus workouts, equipment and of course, Shakeology. It’s like the kid at McDonald’s asking if you’d like fries with your order. When you say no, he asks if you’d like an apple pie. Maybe a sundae? Something to drink? How about a McRib?
Nonetheless, I have to give credit to the shipping time. My package showed up promptly at my address in the frozen Canadian tundra. Now then, let the review begin.
COLDSTART
How do you fit all the workouts into 22 minutes? You kill the warmup. Thus Coldtstart is less an option than an imperative. It’s only 10 minutes, but I recommend doing it or at least some form of active movement beforehand.
CARDIO 1
Cardio 1 is often combined on the same day with Core 1. Remember the old days when we accused Tony of having easy cardio? Yeah, well fear not…your butt is about to get kicked.
Given that this is only level one, I have optimistic expectations for 2 and 3.
CARDIO 2
Back to the barracks. Seven moves repeated for 3 rounds. The first round here can substitute as a warmup for you impatient types. The moves will be sprints, mountain climbers, sprints, gorilla crawls, jumps, moving planks and burpees. Go easy on those Gorilla Crawls at first unless you’re good and warmed up.
CARDIO 3
Tony must have friends in high places considering that we are on the deck of a battleship today. Again it’s 7 moves in 3 rounds but there’s no easing into the workout this time. I advise doing Coldstart for this one, because the second the timer starts it is balls to the wall.
Enlarge
The moves are spider crawls, skip flyes, climbers, fast feet, kickers, lunges and burpess. And if you think this will be easy you are so, so mistaken. In fact, whoever says this one isn’t as hard as a Max 30 cardio simply isn’t trying hard enough. This one is a monster.
RESISTANCE 1
Total body movement with push ups, pull ups, squats, presses and ab work. 22 MHC uses good old circuit training to accomplish its goals. It is also time to introduce another piece of fitness equipment, the sandbag. It’s a typical bag with handles to make gripping easier. I opted for my trusty weights and in some instances a medicine ball.
Enlarge
Seven moves for three rounds seems to be the prevailing format. The intensity has a lot to do with how well you can keep up. I found this had an excellent pace and look forward to seeing how it advances to level 2 and 3. Be sure to have some form of recovery drink afterwards as I found myself abnormally sore the next day.
RESISTANCE 2
Five moves for 3 rounds. We give some of the muscles a break from Resistance 1 and concentrate elsewhere on the body.
Enlarge
Burpee presses, jumps squats, chin-ups, pull punches and corkscrew lift make up each round. The cast on the barracks set go in a circuit rotation but you will only need to concern yourself with the primary group.
RESISTANCE 3
Back to the battleship. Three furious rounds with 5 moves per round. As with all Resistance workouts, the moves are highly geared towards functional fitness. Push-ups, split lunge thrusts, balance rows, mountain squats and scissor clappers. The mountain squats alone are a monster and reason enough to do a proper warm-up. Those suckers work every core muscle in you. The good news is that if any of this gets too easy, up the weight.
CORE 1
It wouldn’t be a Tony Horton workout without some dedicated abdominal workouts. Core 1 is 10 minutes on being on the ground and doing good old crunches in various new styles at 11 reps each. The moves are excellent and Traci from P90X+/2 in on the scene. Tony gets her to call out the numbers most of the time and I’m not sure it works. While I’m not in any way implying she has the voice of a chipmunk, I’m not sure she has the vocal range to shout out military orders with that traditional grit one expects. I have to hand it to her though, considering how long she’s been doing these videos Traci looks as sharp as she always has if not more so. Just goes to show that exercise and good diet is indeed the fountain of youth.
CORE 2
Same moves as CORE 1, only now it’s 22 reps instead of 11. Shaun from P90X3 is on hand to help with the counting which aside from reps is about all that is different. Doubling those reps really lights a fire in your gut though, no question about it.
CONCLUSION
It is clearly evident that Tony Horton injected a great deal of time, effort and love into this project. His close relations with the American military have no doubt fuelled his passion and that has resulted in an outstanding old-school boot camp. 22 Minute Hard Corps moves far past the high levels of cheese from other trainers who have tried the military theme, and instead delivers in spades.
I did have some concerns on how much marketed patriotism would be splashed all over this product but thankfully those concerns are unfounded. The shout out to America’s troops is obviously there, as it should be, but it thankfully never reaches Apollo Creed levels or the tackiness of Billy Blanks. Even as a Canadian I can appreciate it for what it is and fully enjoy this despite saluting a red leaf and dousing my naked body in maple syrup every winter equinox. I assume most people are mature enough to carry the same attitude.
The music should have universal appeal as it is set to cadence style with some minor upbeat tweaks. It is very appropriate for the product as having a Shaun T soundtrack ( as good as they are ) would not work with the theme here at all. It keeps it professional instead of wandering into dorky territory.
Which brings us to the trainer himself, Tony Horton. The man is pushing 60 and looks better than most in their 30’s. If he had a British accent I would suspect him of being a Time Lord. Personality wise, I like having a fun trainer but I do understand how some find his occasional antics wearisome. For those people, 22 MHC might be perfect. Due to time constraints there is practically no goofing around and Tony, while always fun, has to stick to the schedule. That means no pterodactyl impressions or obscure references to the Three Stooges.
But is 22 minutes enough?
Taking a trip down memory lane, I have often found that when warmups and cool-downs are removed, many of these 1 hour workouts drop in time exponentially. And that’s the trick: if you go hard you can get a lot done in very little time. Naturally this means you will run out of gas quicker, but then again, that’s the benefit of circuit training…which this is. Still you should always try and get Coldstart or a good 5 minutes of warm-up in, especially before attacking the Resistance workouts.
Another way of amping this program up is taking a look at the included schedule. You will immediately see HELL WEEK at the end. This has 2 main workouts and a Core every second day, making for one wallop of an hour.
My personal score for 22 Minute Hard Corps is 4.7 Feathers out of 5. It is a masterfully crafted product that brings back tried and true circuit training methods while having minimal equipment requirements. It indeed manages to fit a tremendous amount of fitness into an otherwise short time slot.
Jess Carter
May 31, 2023 at
Parrot,
If I use heavier weight during 22 HC resistance workouts will I at least maintain muscle?
I box three evenings per week and doing this for 22 minutes in the morning should help my strength and conditioning.
Ringo Vanovertveldt
November 30, 2020 at
Since I’m short on time and want to add variety, would a ruthless / hard corps hybrid work?
Cindy Syriaque
January 26, 2018 at
How is this just 22 mins if you have to to the warm up and both suggested workout? thx
Dysfunctional Parrot
February 5, 2018 at
Only a question the marketing department at Beachbody can answer!
Patrick Arrington
July 29, 2017 at
What costed the production value a point?
Dysfunctional Parrot
July 30, 2017 at
It’s totally a subjective thing. For something to truly have a production value of 10 you’d have top completely blow my socks off. I dunno, ninjas maybe? That having been said, 22MHC is a program that truly is at the top.
Sheena
July 27, 2017 at
Hello, I just finished bodybeast and have done chalean, 21dfx. I’m 150lbs and need to tone up and lose fat. What do you recommend?
Vegan Latina
May 28, 2017 at
Hello! First of all, I love reading your reviews. I am on the last week of Insanity, and I need some advice as to what program to start next. I’ve only lost about 9 pounds on Insanity, but I definitely feel stronger. I would like to drop an additional 15 pounds, build upper body strength, and tighten up my core. I am considering taking a few days off once I complete Insanity and then start up 22 Minute Hard Corps. What do you recommend as a next fitness step? Any guidance you can provide will be much appreciated!
Dysfunctional Parrot
May 29, 2017 at
22MHC might be too basic to give you what you’re looking for. I’d go for P90X3 instead given the choice because the resistance work is far superior. Another option if you’ve done Insanity is to move to Max 30. There’s more upper body work in Max 30 and it’s much easier on the knees.
Vegan Latina
May 30, 2017 at
Hi! Thanks for the quick reply. I still struggle with some of the Insanity workout moves, and take breaks in between. With that said, would P90X3 or Max 30 still be a good fit? Also, I complete Insanity on Thursday, how long do you recommend I rest before starting the new program? I want to make sure to purchase the best program for my fitness goals. Thanks so much.
Dysfunctional Parrot
May 30, 2017 at
If you want to drop 15 lbs, go for Max 30. Take a week to recover with yoga or medium intensity full body workouts then hit it. You’ll find Max 30 is far better designed than the original Insanity which can suffer from repetition and overly aggressive impact on the joints.
Vegan Latina
June 3, 2017 at
Hi Mr. Parrot! I went ahead and ordered Max 30, and will be starting up next week. I also wanted to update you by telling you I dropped a total of 12.5 pounds, and 14.5 inches with one round of Insanity. Thanks so much for the suggestions and keep up the great work!
Alessandra Brohmer Hansen
March 18, 2017 at
Hello. I was wondering what you think of BodyRock
Thanks
Richard Kraus
March 14, 2017 at
I have P90x3 and due to recent microfracture surgery on my right knee, have been ordered to stay away from twisting. This cuts out a few of the P90X3 workouts. Does 22MHC incorporate much twisting and if so, can you recommend a program that is safer for me?
Dysfunctional Parrot
March 14, 2017 at
22MHC is fairly core-centric, so if twisting is an issue it might not work out for you at this stage of the game. P90 might be a safer bet as the pace is slower and the moves less aggressive.
Rick Kraus
March 14, 2017 at
Thank you very much for the quick reply. I am still on crutches and going stir crazy. I will take a serious look at P90 as soon as the good doctor gives me the nod. Thank you again :)
Rick Ladner
March 2, 2017 at
I am scheduled for shoulder surgery on the 14th, I’m 6’3 260, I have t25, insanity, and p90x, I am interested in 22Mch as I’ve been in the millitary since 95′ what I’m asking is after my surgery which program would be best to.use to get back into shape? And what exercise is best substituted for pull ups or chin ups? Any advice? Also I did my 1st triathlon last year, i enjoy riding it’s easier then running
Dysfunctional Parrot
March 6, 2017 at
22MHC uses the pull-up bar and might be a little aggressive on the shoulders, especially post-surgery. To compensate, Tony Horton has a FREE YouTube strength videos that run about 10-15 minutes ( just check his YouTube channel ). Go hard on the lower part of the body, but give that shoulder recovery time. I tweaked mine a while back and it took darn near half a year before I got back to doing half-decent presses again.
Rik
January 19, 2017 at
Perhaps a silly question, but… I have bought round dummbells. In this program they make you lean on dumbbells, jump up , go down and lean on them again. You need hexagons to do this. Are there modifications for round dumbbells or do I have to buy new ones ?
Dysfunctional Parrot
January 19, 2017 at
I have roughly half hex/half round dumbbells too so I see your situation. Admittedly, the hex are nicer to work with but the round can offer a little extra core work to keep from rolling away! If stuck with round I go down for burpees then make a switch to push-up stands that are waiting for me or just drop to my hands.
The nice thing about 22MHC is that should you desire to buy hex-dumbbells, you won’t need a lot of weight ranges. Find what workout you need them in, and odds are you can get by with a single set.
Rik
January 27, 2017 at
THanks. I guess I’ll just do the burpee, grab the dumbbells and then rewind the dvd a tad to catch up.
And if that annoys me, I’ll go out and buy the hex.
Greetings,
Heather
December 31, 2016 at
Hi DP
I’m wanting to do more toning and hoping the Hard Core will do it. I’ve done P90X, Insanity, Max 30, P90X3, T25…….I’m a 50 year old female, play hockey 4 times a week and I’m very active. I’m fit and don’t need to lose weight, but I want more. I’m hoping this program will do it. P90X was probably the best workout for me but an hour to an hour and a half is too long for me now.
Alycia
December 27, 2016 at
Would you recommend this for someone with ACL reconstruction? What I guess I’m mainly asking is this hard on your knees? Thanks
Dysfunctional Parrot
December 30, 2016 at
There are some instances where squats have high reps so you may wish to reduce or skip those. There isn’t much, if any high impact. You could do this, but modify those squats and burpees.
Erica Wanis
November 27, 2016 at
Hi Mr. Parrot. Firstly I must say I enjoy your reviews immensely, they never fail to make me LOL. Question for you… I’m on my last week of H&C. Veteran of Max30 and moving forward I want to do a hybrid incorporating a bit more cardio with the Chisel workouts. Obviously going back to Max30 is an option but I’d like to try something new. Should I go back to T25 or give 22MHC a try? I’m in the best shape of my life, weigh less than I did in high school, but am a 34 year old female and am terrified of losing my progress by resting on my laurels. I need to keep up momentum without burning out! Advice?
Dysfunctional Parrot
November 29, 2016 at
22MHC might seem a bit too easy after doing those programs. I’d opt for P90X3 instead.
Erica Wanis
January 7, 2017 at
In light of your review of Core De Force, what about that as an option? Also too easy do you think?
Dysfunctional Parrot
January 7, 2017 at
Core de Force is indeed tough, but the main issue with that program is that boredom will set in pretty quick. It’s probably on par with 22 Minute HC, although the 45 minute workouts are undoubtedly tougher.
hcornetto
November 20, 2016 at
I’m curious as to whether you would consider this more cardio based or strength based. Based on the description, it seems that it tries to market itself as a little of each. I usually like to run two programs at once when I am doing shorter (30mins or less) workouts. I am wondering whether I should supplement this with something strength heavy like P90X3, or cardio heavy like T25.
Dysfunctional Parrot
November 21, 2016 at
Indeed, it tries to tackle both which makes it a good all-around circuit training program, but not a devoted strength/cardio system. If you want to get big/strong, then supplementing with other workouts would be necessary.
Amir
September 12, 2016 at
Former runner…I dropped running for HIT and great results. Have completed T25 (alpha to gamma). I still do gamma 5 days a week. I can make it harder but it does get repetitive. I tried 21DFX and there are too many breaks. I tried to keep the hear rate up and it made it better. I gave 22MHC a run and it seemed too one toned. Very repetitive with still a few breaks every move. Maybe I didn’t give it a fair chance. But what attracted me to T25 was the constant movement. Coming from a running background, I need the constant movement to keep my heart rate high enough. Any suggestions of tweaking my workouts? Or any other workout? I was thinking of trying 22MHC again but am not convinced.
Dysfunctional Parrot
September 20, 2016 at
22MHC is not what I would really consider true HIIT style. If you like T25 Gamma, definitely move in the direction of Max 30 or Asylum.
Amir
September 20, 2016 at
Thanks. I looked at Asylum and I’m not sure I can commit 50-60 minutes. And Max 30 seems heavy cardio. I’m worried I’d lose much of the muscle gains if I went Max 30. The ideal would be like a 30 minute version of Asylum. A 30 minute program that’s the next level up from Gamma would be perfect. I am hitting a wall with Gamma.
Amir
October 28, 2016 at
A quick update. So I have done some Max30 and Asylum 2. Good workouts…harder than T25 Gamma. I am mixing in the Gamma Pyramid to get more weight training. But it seems to be workable. I might try to throw in P90x3 upper workouts too.
Olaf Biesot
August 26, 2016 at
Bring it on! Bought it! We will do this when we first ended the 21DFX (which lasts 31 days in our case) and P90X Classic..so as from December we will suffer 22 HardCorps! Yes! Oh, and I bought the P90XPlus package because of the Kenpo work-out on it. It is a good choice to replace that one with the original one as you stated. So I follow your opinion! Hope it’s worth it.
olegirl2000
August 22, 2016 at
Greetings. I’m on week 2 of 22 Min. I did 1 round of 21 day. Lost 10lbs. Did 2 rounds of MHC, no weight lost, put on tons of muscle. Now on week 2, feel stronger, but my gut is huge. WTH. I eat great. No overeating. Salads, lean chicken, low carb wraps and quinoa. Avocado and trail mix.
I am not dropping any weight. Doing my Core workouts too. Diligently. No skipping.
What am I doing wrong? I rarely have cheat meals, and if I do, it’s a burger with salad and no bun. One glass of vino last night for dinner, but that rarely happens. Please help.
Dysfunctional Parrot
August 23, 2016 at
That’s a hard question to answer from where I sit. It is possible that the “huge gut” might be related to bloating rather than actual fat. One way to be sure is to get a fat caliper and test your percentage. Bloating can be caused by a bad food reacton. As to what that might be I would have no idea and you would need to experiment. Sometimes whey protein or soy can be a suspect so start there.
Lysa form OKC
August 8, 2016 at
Hey there! I enjoyed this review! I am a fan of Tony’s workouts. Began with Power 90 YEARS ago and loved the original p90x. The last year i have totally fallen off the exercise wagon and am looking for a fat loss program. Is this workout good for that or is this more of an already in shape kind of plan? Or could it be done with another plan? Time is crunched, but I have to take back my health. Thanks for the input!
Dysfunctional Parrot
August 9, 2016 at
You could try the revamped P90 which is a beginner series or maybe even T25. Hard Corps might be a little intense if you haven’t been doing much for a while.
carplyn
July 18, 2016 at
Wanted some help, I love zumba but haven’t been so active in the pass year. What would you prefer me to start off with T25 or 22mbc? I need to loose about 30 lbs and want to loose the flabby arms and fat all around. Thank you
Tommy
June 30, 2016 at
Hey there,
I completed 12 rounds of 21 day fix extreme and immediately began 22 min hardcore. I did this more for a change than anything else but here I am in week 3 and I kind of feel weaker. My muscle definition seems to have suffered as well. Did you recognize this as well during your reviews and will I achieve lean definition if I continue with 22 min hard core? Thank you
Tommy
June 27, 2016 at
Hello There,
Question :
I completed round 12 of 21DFE and purchased 22min hardcore for a change. I’m in week two and I’m experiencing elbow soreness which I didn’t get during 21dfe. Should I take an oral supplement for joint discomfort or just go back to 21DFE?
I don’t want to stop working out but I believe it’s the burpees causing the pain. Thanks !
Dysfunctional Parrot
June 27, 2016 at
I wouldn’t recommend taking something to mask pain. Pain means something is not good and should be addressed. I had joint issues when doing Insanity and the solution was to do something different. Sometimes the body just needs a little more time to adapt than many of these programs allow for.
You could either modify the burpees or trying something different for a bit ( like 21DFE ). But in the words of the old one liner…Doc, it hurts when I do this…so don’t do it. :)
Tommy
June 27, 2016 at
Thanks for the reply ! I was sort of discouraged because I liked the program and higher protein intake. I distinctly remember doing p90 and saying, oh damn, my elbow. And here we are again.
I’m also still in the 30 day grace period for returns so I have a decision to make. Thanks.
S. Demchak
June 14, 2016 at
Does the nutrition guide provide you with an acceptable foods list? Is it the same as the 21 Day Fix Extreme?
Dysfunctional Parrot
June 20, 2016 at
The nutrition guide is a smaller sized booklet, but is quite thorough with types of foods and recipes. It is comparable to what comes with 21 day fix although each program takes a slightly different approach. Tony generally has food guides more in sync with the average person.
Catherine
June 3, 2016 at
Hi, i just completed two rounds of Max 30 and trying to decide what to get next : 21 fix extreme, 22 minute hard corps or P90X3 – I’m wanting to loose a bit of weight but continue to increase overall fitness and add muscle definition. I’m female aged 34 years old pretty fit after doing T25 last year and moving up to MAx 30 which i’ve been doing since January. Which would you reccomend?
Dysfunctional Parrot
June 4, 2016 at
If you want to add definition and all around functional fitness then go for P90X3. I’ve always found that to be a very solid program.
Ajay
July 29, 2016 at
Hi Mr. Parrot. Thanks again for the great reviews. I get so much out of them reading, and re-reading them while I work through a program. Right now my focus is on weight loss (I still have quite the beer belly to work through) but building muscle and strength is a not too distant second priority. I’m finishing up 21DFX and was planning to move on to Hammer & Chisel next as a natural progression. After that I thought my order would be 22MHC then P90X3. Do you think that would be a good order to go in? My only fear would be there seems to be more cardio in 22MHC so would I build up muscle/definition from H&C only to lose it on 22MHC. Should I maybe switch that part of the order? Would you suggest some form of hybrid instead?
Thanks again!
(Also some background, I have also done T25, Insanity and Max30).
Dysfunctional Parrot
August 9, 2016 at
I would choose P90X3 due to more variety and better weight training. Then I might work 22MHC in as a hybrid.
Ajay
September 9, 2016 at
Thanks, just checking back now. I ended up doing 22MHC first based on your reviews (with special Ops), but will do P90X3 next and probably skip H&C for now. Cheers!
Onecanonlyhope
May 29, 2016 at
Hi,
I am new to this thread, and I have to say I read all your reviews before I posted anything! I have hypo thyroid issue and I trying to lose a lot of weight, granted, I have already lost 55 pounds eating healthy since 2/16. And I want to lose 50 more, I just don’t know which video to start with, I have cize, th22mbc, t25, turbo fire and I am sure I am a on demand member. And I was just giving the ok to workout again. I hope you can help guide me in the right direction.
Dysfunctional Parrot
May 31, 2016 at
I’d start with T25 as it has a nice progression from beginner to advanced with the killer Gamma round. Then I’d go for P90X3.
Archervet
May 28, 2016 at
Thanks for the great review. When I’m not being a mom or a veterinarian, I’m a dedicated home workout queen. I want to say that I have (with great pleasure) read (and heeded!) so many of your reviews over the years on my quest for my next great exercise DVDs. Warm regards to you and Mrs. Parrot from Florida.
Syd
May 23, 2016 at
So im thinking of purchasing this. I haven’t worked out in a while and I was thinking of starting with CIZE to get my stamina and strength up first. What would you recommend for someone who is really skinny with a bit of belly and chest fat? I’m trying to go for the Golden Ratio. My waist is already in ratio to my height. But my shoulders are 10 inches off and I need to build chest and abs.
Dysfunctional Parrot
May 24, 2016 at
CIZE is a cardio program with no real strength training to speak of at all. If you wanted to get your stamina and strength up first, 22MHC would be a much better way to go and then do CIZE as a side workout.
Brandi Whaley
May 21, 2016 at
Hey,
I can’t seem to find anywhere a comparison of 21 day fix extreme vs 22 MHC. I have been doing 21 day fix extreme 6 days a week for over a year now and am looking for a change. I started prior to that with T25 and while the prepared me for 21 day fix extreme, it didn’t do much for my body. I didn’t start seeing results I was looking for until starting 21 day fix extreme and having weights added to almost every exercise. This program has been great for me, but I want to try 22 MHC. My only concern is it will be mostly cardio like T25 with very little weight training which I need and don’t want to lose all that I have built. Can you give me some insight into if this would be enough weight training similar to 21 day fix extreme while still getting good cardio?
Thanks!
Dysfunctional Parrot
May 24, 2016 at
21DE has more variety that 22MHC but I personally get more enjoyment out of 22MHC by a wide margin.
22MHC uses weights more that T25 by a fair bit. It it focused more towards total body strength whereas T25 admittedly is heavier in the cardio department. Tony even incorporates weights into a lot of his cardio.
Dianna McIntosh
May 12, 2016 at
Are you planning to try the Spec Ops Cardio/Resistance/Core workouts? It’s like TH went insane and doubled down!
Dysfunctional Parrot
May 13, 2016 at
Yes, hopefully within the next week. :)
Randy Michalak
May 6, 2016 at
can you mix more than 2 programs at a time or not when doing a hybrid workout?
Dysfunctional Parrot
May 6, 2016 at
I tend to mix 4-5 programs! My library has grown significantly so I rarely see the same trainer more than once or twice in a week. I just alternate days, cardio/resistance. If I feel a particular aspect of my fitness needs some work then I focus on it more.
AEagain
May 1, 2016 at
Thank you for your witty and honest reviews…they are informative and always keep me laughing. In the past, I have had very good weight loss results in HIIT-type training. Is this program similar? Would you recommend this program for someone to lose weight or just increase endurance?
Thank you!
Dysfunctional Parrot
May 3, 2016 at
I would liken this more to circuit training ( moving from one muscle group to the next in rapid succession ). I suppose it could dip into HIIT territory, but not to the extreme that something like Max 30 would. Tony’s programs seem to revolve around functional fitness and try to be the best of both worlds: stamina and endurance. As with most workout programs, the weight loss is almost entirely linked to the meal guides. Technically you could do a half hour of skipping rope and lose weight if you eat accordingly. Would be a lot more boring though!
John
April 28, 2016 at
the last time i’ve worked out was from a year , and now i want to get back into shape again and start working out and i have a good amount of fat right now :D , So do you think doing 22Mhc or max 30 would be better , cause i’m just afraid from the short workouts
Dysfunctional Parrot
April 29, 2016 at
Probably best to go T25. Max 30 is fairly unforgiving for someone starting to get back into shape.
Horfrost3
April 26, 2016 at
Thanks for the review! The ship is probably the USS Iowa, which is at the port of San Pedro, CA.
Chris
April 25, 2016 at
Senor Parrot. First – big fan. Love your reviews. They’re the perfect blend of information and humor. Had a few questions for you – hoping this is a good forum to do it.
1. Just finishing up P90x3. I have loved it. I lost a bunch of weight and body fat. Zero, absolutely zero complaints. I’ve been struggling with what to do a a follow-up. You seem like a huge fan of Max:30. What do you think – Max:30 or HC22? … My goal was weight loss on P90x3 – but now I’m more interested in fat loss.
Dysfunctional Parrot
April 25, 2016 at
If you’re looking for straight up fat loss, Max 30 is probably going to give you more results. What I did for a bit was a Max30/22MHC hybrid and it seemed to work well. Although you should be able to mix Max 30 and X3 easily and tailor it to your needs.
Chris
April 25, 2016 at
Thanks! Do you have an example of a hybrid that you do?
Dysfunctional Parrot
April 26, 2016 at
I have so many it’s hard to say. HOWEVER, I am writing an article as we speak on my top 10 hybrids. Hopefully should have something online on about a week!
R.H.
April 23, 2016 at
Hello,
Since I’m travelling a lot I prefer workout programs that use bodyweight only. My goals are overall fitness and increasing muscle.
At this moment I started with a ruthless / Tai Cheng hybrid. Are there other (bodyweight) programs that you can recommend, considering that I don’t need to loose weight (perhaps only a tidbit of belly fat).
Thanks a lot in advance
R
Steve
April 21, 2016 at
If I’m not looking to lose weight and burn calories, but rather get fit and build muscle, is this the right workout for me?
Dysfunctional Parrot
April 21, 2016 at
It would probably be perfect, although it all depends on how much muscle you look to gain. Choose your weight accordingly!
Andrew Brown
May 2, 2016 at
Body Beast IMHO…..or you can also hybrid Hard Corps with Body Beast as I’m doing right now.
Dysfunctional Parrot
May 3, 2016 at
You can absolutely do it. It would help add variety as 22MHC only has 3 Resistance workouts. I think one could swap out Body Beast Total Body and Lucky 7 for any 22MHC workout.
Andy Reid
April 21, 2016 at
Hello,
I am currently on week 5 of 22MHC and I have to say I’m really enjoying it. I have been sticking to the 2400cal eating plan which is the same I was on during X3 and am seeing good results having lost 4kg already.
You mentioned that you could hybrid 22MHC with X3. This sounds like what I’d be looking to do once I am finished with 22MHC. How would you mix the two workouts?
I feel one of the things missing in 22MHC is a recovery workout and was thinking that I could create a hybrid starting with the second phase of X3 i.e.
Mon: Eccentric Upper
Tue: 22 MHC Cardio & Core
Wed: Yoga
Thu: Eccentric Lower
Fri: Incinerator
Sat: 22MHC Cardio & Core
Would you do something similar? What would your preference be?
Regards
Andy
Dysfunctional Parrot
April 21, 2016 at
To be honest, my workout schedule is a random mess. Not sure I have a well laid out to offer! I usually try and do cardio and weights on alternating days, although I’m more often doing a 2 resistance days for every cardio. Seems to work best for me at this point. Problem is that doing all these workout reviews throws a wrench in the works fairly regularly!
David Muñoz
April 20, 2016 at
Hi everyone, based on your experience, you think this is a good plan for the rest of the year?
1. 22 Minute Hard Corps
2. P90X
3. Body Beast
Dysfunctional Parrot
April 20, 2016 at
Looks like a well rounded set of workouts that can’t go wrong!
August Butler
April 17, 2016 at
Great website/Blog! Great review!
Brandon
April 17, 2016 at
Huge fan of your reviews. I read your commentary of workouts I already own, just because they are entertaining!
Since we all know Country Heat is going to suck hard enough to lift a Buick with a drinking straw, could you consider reviewing one or two kettlebell workout series in its place? I have a bunch of kettlebells collecting dust; and I need to justify their existence. I was looking at RKS and Skogg. I am especially curious about Skogg, since it came out later he wasn’t honest about his military background. I am wondering how much he yaps about being a special forces guy in the videos. I am hoping it’s not to an insufferable degree.
j8a
April 17, 2016 at
Thank you for your review. I know that I can always go to your site to get some unbiased opinions. By the way, have you ever heard of Athlean X(http://athleanx.com/)? The guy there seems to have similar workouts to the beachbody stuff. Well, he claims to be better. Getting professiional opinion on them would prbably help me decide whether they are worth it. Anyways, thanks for the great work.
Jeff D.
April 19, 2016 at
I’m a big fan of the Athlean X product. I used to be a big beachbody fan, did several rounds of X1, Insanity, Body Beast, etc., but stumbled across Athlean X and loved it. I’m in no way affiliated with the program, just a very satisfied user. You should check out the guy’s Youtube channel for a sample of some of his stuff.
Tileus
April 17, 2016 at
Mr. Parrot,
I am disabled. I have full range of motion outside my wheelchair, I simply can’t stand or walk without assistance. I am also terribly overweight. P90X seems like a great program. Which of the 3 main incarnations do you recommend for fitness beginners? Or failing thst, which BB program would you recommend in general? In your opinion, would it be worth it to sub out the exercises I CAN’T do like Plyo etc, with an extra ab day for example?
Dysfunctional Parrot
April 17, 2016 at
I’d go for P90. The X series might be too difficult at first for a fitness beginner. One you get through at LEAST 2 full rounds, I would migrate to P90X3. There are plenty of opportunities to sub out Plyo, you will just have to be creative at times.
Tileus
April 17, 2016 at
Thank you very much for your advice. It’s so difficult (and depressing) trying to find fitness advice tailored to people like me. I wish companies and fitness folks would understand I’m not a geriatric yet, so don’t give me exercise routines like one just because I have limitations! :) I’m sure many others in my niche feel the same.
Marshal479
April 22, 2016 at
Tileus. My wife was paralyzed in 2009 and spent long hours and days rehabbing. Luckily she has started walking again and uses her walker mainly outside the house. She was in her wheelchair for about 2-3 years after. She struggles with fast movement workouts and the up and downs of them. She is doing Body Beast right now and loves it. She still modifies a lot and we work on ways she can do workouts so her balance and coordination are not thrown off. She had some other medical issues that help to steer her away from feeling comfortable, but she stays positive. I hope you can do the same. Her FB is Somer Richter – Health and Fitness if you want to ask her anything. I am sure your situation is different, but always nice to get advice from others if you want to.
freereel
April 7, 2016 at
A simpler way to ask this question might be…which are your favorite workout programs ever?
Dysfunctional Parrot
April 8, 2016 at
Off the top of my head, my favorite top 3 programs at this stage of the game are P90X2, Max 30 and the original P90X. T25 and Body Beast being close runner ups.
Jess
April 14, 2016 at
In your review, you had seemed really pleased with x3. Can I ask why this wouldn’t make your top 5?
Dysfunctional Parrot
April 14, 2016 at
Thinking about it more I probably would place it in my top 5. Maybe bump T25 down and put P90X3 higher up! Again, it was kind of a quick guess on my part.
Carolyn
July 18, 2016 at
Wanted some help, I love zumba but haven’t been so active in the pass year. What would you prefer me to start off with T25 or 22mbc? I need to loose about 30 lbs and want to loose the flabby arms and fat all around.
Dysfunctional Parrot
July 19, 2016 at
I’d probably do T25 first and move to 22MHC second.
Dysfunctional Parrot
April 8, 2016 at
Allow me to follow up with my WORST programs ever…Brazil Butt Lift ( the undisputed winner ), Rockin’ Body, Chalene Extreme and almost certainly the upcoming Country Heat from Beachbody. Just looking at that makes me wince knowing I will have to review it!
freereel
April 7, 2016 at
Hi Dysfunctional Parrot!
I think it would be really cool and interesting to see a holistic post from you in which you look at the full universe of the videos you have reviewed over the years
What I’d love to see might be something like this:
A) the complete list ranked by scores
B) maybe with some clarification of your 5 feather system vs. your 10 point system
C) any commentary about how you might categorize them
D) any commentary about how you’d rank them now just off the top of your head and whether that’s any different than the raw scores. Like if you said these are my all-time favorites in this order or something.
Anyway, I would definitely be interested in a post like this, I assume other readers would be too, and it might be interesting for you too. Knowing everything you know from all the reviews you’ve done, what are your overall thoughts about which are your favorite programs?
Finally, one last question. What are you going to review next? Will you continue your look at free online programs?
Dysfunctional Parrot
April 8, 2016 at
Excellent ideas to consider!
holyguy7
April 6, 2016 at
Thank you for your review. I wish the military aspect was left out but I know Tony is very pro-military (I am not). I think I will do this one in the near future.
Whappened
March 31, 2016 at
Great review as always! I picked this up a few weeks back to supplement in with my Insanity Max:30 rotation. I’ve found it fits in well, especially if you do hell week. I would suggest picking up the special ops dvd, its well worth it and a lot more intense than the other hard corps videos.
Martyn
March 31, 2016 at
Great review as always. When you did your review of CIZE I asked you whether, as a 55 year old male with no dancing ability, I should give it a go. You recommended NOT so I stuck with mixing up MAX30 with other stuff while I pondered. Started MC22 a couple of days ago (took the plunge as your review wasn’t out which is rare for me) and absolutely loving it. Surprisingly hard work and makes a change from Insanity variants. Supplementary question, I never bother with the supplements because you can’t get the beachbody products in the UK anyway and I’m somewhat sceptical. Am I wrong about that and being to tight fisted ?
Dysfunctional Parrot
March 31, 2016 at
I have never purchased any Beachbody supplements. Looking at their ingredients I find them to be not worth the insane price they charge. Their stuff is also nothing special and can be obtained via other brands no problem. I personally go with VEGA as my brand of choice. But even then, I aim first to eat right before concerning myself with buying various powders.
Rob A
March 30, 2016 at
Hey Mr Parrot.
I always really enjoy your honest and well written reviews, keep up the good work! So I just started p90X3 this week after doing p90X (I don’t have the time for the hour+ workouts anymore).But I’m thinking maybe I should do hard corps instead. I’m wondering how good it is for building lean muscle compared to X3? I’m concerned hard corps will ruin the gains I made doing P90X.
Thanks.
Dysfunctional Parrot
March 30, 2016 at
22 MHC is more circuit training and functional fitness so it would not be optimal for gaining large muscle mass. It’s more for building endurance over bulk. X3 is a more well rounded program as it focuses on muscle group with better precision. Both programs have 2 different goals in mind.
If you wish to maintain the gains of P90X, it might be best to incorporate 22 MHC as a hybrid with X3.
Mindy Stratmann-Sebol
March 30, 2016 at
I’m wrapping up the Alpha and Beta round of T25 and am debating between moving onto the Gamma round or just starting 22 minute hard corps. I just start working out when i started T25 8.5 weeks ago so I am not a lifelong fitness person. What are your thoughts having reviewed both programs?
Dysfunctional Parrot
March 30, 2016 at
I would say 22 MHC is harder and more well rounded than T25 Gamma by a fair margin. If you have already purchased Gamma then go for it as it has great workouts. Otherwise the money might be better spent going after 22 MHC.
Christine C
March 29, 2016 at
I had read you need a chin up bar for some of the moves, is this true?
Dysfunctional Parrot
March 29, 2016 at
Yes. Although they do have modifiers.
Brian
March 29, 2016 at
I am a 56 year old male.Up till age 54 I was very active p90X other routines etc.
Last 18 months mostly walking some bball.
Want to get back at it.
Recommend p90X3 or 22 minute boot camp?
Feeling unconfident as out of shape?
Dysfunctional Parrot
March 29, 2016 at
P90X3 is more well rounded functional fitness. 22MHC is quicker circuit training. Both are excellent choices but if I had to choose a starting point I might lean towards X3 as it has a yoga component and allows greater rest times between muscle work…which often helps when getting back into the swing of things.
Marg78
March 29, 2016 at
I really appreciate your reviews… very on point and fun to read. :-) I just got this workout and as you, I totally think the sand bag is not essential here. Lets see if I get some results.
Andrew Brown
March 29, 2016 at
Another thing worth mentioning on 22 Minute Hard Corps (#GetSome) are the Special Ops DVDs (Cardio, Core, Resistance). It’s sold separately at $20 (or you can get the Deluxe Kit that’s included) but in my honest opinion it’s worth it. The moves are on another level compared to the Base Kit. Especially this crazy move called the Sidewinder. You better have a Yoga Mat handy for that. Special Ops DVDs are Month 2 Max 30 tough but at least there’s a short breather in between. Also included in the Base Kit is the standalone Battle Buddy DVD. It’s a good tandem exercise which if you tried to do by yourself would seem very corny (hence Battle Buddy). Lots of quality alum sprinkled through the DVDs (i.e Mark Briggs, Bobby Stevenson). The real focal point of the 22 MHC crew may be Mike Mullany (cover guy for the Cardio DVDs). Very interesting story about him (regarding PTSD) if you have the time to look him up. In closing 22 Minute Hard Corps is worthy of a hybrid whenever you do Body Beast/Hammer (no Chisel)/P90X3 (etc.) with those. If you don’t get washboard abs by the end of these 9 weeks (including Hell Week) you never will.
walking dead fan
March 29, 2016 at
do you think it is enough time to per workout to burn calories to get results. I’m 48 and in pretty good shape – currently doing hammer and chisel….
Dysfunctional Parrot
March 29, 2016 at
It is, but adhering to the food guide becomes more crucial. As with all things, the more you put in, the more you get. So yes, you would get better/faster results with something like P90X2 over 22 MHC. The real advantage here is for people who are wanting effective 30 minute-ish workouts to fit in their tight schedules.
walking dead fan
March 29, 2016 at
thanks!!
David Muñoz
April 25, 2016 at
According to my HRM (FitSmart Adidas) I have a count of 623 calories burned In day one.
Its not only 22 minutes, my training are at 5 AM, so i always do the Cold Start (10 min) Cardio 1 (23 min) and Core 1 (10 min), its a total of 43 minutes.
My average calorie burn with Hammer an Chisel in the same amount of time is for 350-450.