ChaLEAN Extreme

Ok---- I got 20 lb'ers now...I am good to go with 5,10, and 20 lbs...will have to modify on some exercises but I am happy that I got the heavier weight.

Oh and I noticed on Push Phase circuit 2- you don't need to use anything heavier than 10-12.5 on all the moves whereas circuit 1 you do. I was surprised about that but glad because some of those moves were difficult to do in perfect form if not decreasing the weight.

It's official, I am addicted now... My fiance didn't believe I have progressed to be able to do any pushups with good form nor do different kinds now but I showed him! (

Yay! You may want to look into getting 15's too..I know it stinks to have a lot of weights...but once you get into the PUSH phase you might realize you need them for rows, biceps...etc. It just depends on what it takes to get you to failure. I had the most success on the PUSH phase personally, I started to see a lot of definition in my arms!

I LOVE that I can do real pushups now!! Somedays I am spent and can only do 1/2 on my toes...but it feels sooo good!

Have you tried the Burn Intervals?

According to the schedule, today isn't an off day. I was going to take it off anyway, but then I decided I better do it and ended up working out. I'm proud of myself for that especially because I always work out in the morning and usually never even bother doing it in the evenings. I did the Burn Intervals today, and I always have trouble with the triceps part when it gets to doing them overhead. I always finish, but usually my arms are burning so bad I can't stand it! But finally today I got through them without the struggle. It still burned, but I didn't feel like my arms were gonna fall off! lol I don't know if using the 15s in my workouts this week helped or I'm finally stronger. Either way I'm happy!

Now I need to go buy some 20s too - and maybe some 12s. On some exercises 8s aren't enough while 15s seem like too much. My room is gonna be packed full of weights by the time I finish this! lol

oh my heck! I totally know what you mean about the Triceps part of the Burn Intervals....OWWWWIE!! Chalene is talking and I'm literally yelling at the TV telling her to "shut up"! haha...I love her to death but she's KILLING ME!! When she lifts her arms overhead I am freaking out..haha.. This week my arms were so exhausted I had to drop one of the 5's down and just use one 5 pounder...lame..but I didn't want to stop! Oh man, my heart gets racing just thinking about that exercise..haha.. I lovE CE!

Hey, i just started chalean etreme almost a month ago 3 days a week , and i also do insanity 6 days a week but i still have not lost any weight here are my stats:

26 yrs
137 lbs
1250 calories a day

wht am i doing wrong :sad:

Ok---- I got 20 lb'ers now...I am good to go with 5,10, and 20 lbs...will have to modify on some exercises but I am happy that I got the heavier weight.

Oh and I noticed on Push Phase circuit 2- you don't need to use anything heavier than 10-12.5 on all the moves whereas circuit 1 you do. I was surprised about that but glad because some of those moves were difficult to do in perfect form if not decreasing the weight.

It's official, I am addicted now... My fiance didn't believe I have progressed to be able to do any pushups with good form nor do different kinds now but I showed him! (

Yay! You may want to look into getting 15's too..I know it stinks to have a lot of weights...but once you get into the PUSH phase you might realize you need them for rows, biceps...etc. It just depends on what it takes to get you to failure. I had the most success on the PUSH phase personally, I started to see a lot of definition in my arms!

I LOVE that I can do real pushups now!! Somedays I am spent and can only do 1/2 on my toes...but it feels sooo good!

Have you tried the Burn Intervals?

OMG- yes I have tried the Burn Interval...actually did it last night and wowsers...the cardio isn't as hard as some of the muscle endurance...especially the overhead bicep lift. I also have done the burn it up and that one gets my heart rate really high and feel like there is not enough time inbetween circuits to catch your breathe. I've also do recharge and ab burner so far...all of the programs are great.

As for weights- I was thinking the same thing about the 15 lbs...we shall see...you are right it is such a pain and expensive to get more and more dumbbells but it will be worth it. )

Hey! I am a newbie to ChaLEAN and I will be starting on Monday. Soooo excited to have found this thread! I just bought the Eat Clean book as well. Thought that would go good with the workouts. :flowerforyou:

mshay-- -great to have you here!! The program is great and you will love the results!!

Well I'm officially done with the Burn phase, and I'm starting the Push phase tomorrow! I'm excited!! How did everyone like the Push phase compared to the Burn phase? I guess I'll have to wait and see if I'll need to go out and buy some other/heavier weights soon enough.

Well I'm officially done with the Burn phase, and I'm starting the Push phase tomorrow! I'm excited!! How did everyone like the Push phase compared to the Burn phase? I guess I'll have to wait and see if I'll need to go out and buy some other/heavier weights soon enough.

Push- heavier weights-more soreness-more feeling of accomplishment! I noticed though I am in my 2nd wk of Push and my pants fit tighter in the thighs. I am a Chalene fan on fbook (hehe) and she recently posted about why people give up working out (esp weight training).,..in the first few wks when you begin to weight train your muscles are breaking down causing some inflammation and water weight, hence, you may see scale go up a lb or 2..so once you can get past the first few wks you are golden and you will likely see scale go back down. I have recently encountered this and am hopeful this will subside...I know I am building muscle and excited to see the changes so I am going to keep on.
** Also*** I've noticed I've felt dizzy and fatigued but realized I am not eating enough or often enough so I have been monitoring that and I feel a lot better. I didn't realize how much more hungry I feel but this is common because muscle burns calories!

Burn is fun so far...a lot more challenging and I believe this will be the phase you really see results! So far I have...

Hi Everyone!

I finally got weights, and I'd like to start this program on Monday. I'm excited, but also nervous because I've never done any serious weight training before. I do have a few questions, and was hoping some of you more experienced extremers could help me out!

I've seen the schedule laid out, but I'm unsure of how flexible it is. In other words, can I switch up my rest days (where I'll probably do cardio) to Day 3 instead of Day 2, for example? I would imagine this is okay as long as I'm not doing back-to-back days of weight training, but I'm really not sure.

Also, this may sound silly, but I have absolutely no idea what weights to start with! My upper body is pretty weak, but I think I have decent muscle in my legs. Do I just figure it out by trial and error, or do you have any suggestions for starting weight?

Finally, I've been reading about failing. Does this actually mean you do x reps until you physically can't do another one? That sounds painful!

Sorry if these questions sound dumb - this really is a new adventure for me! Thanks for any advice you can give!

romst! I'm so excited for you to start ChaLean Extreme! Its a great program. As far as the program schedule. I personally think its okay to mix in your own cardio on certain days--I am currently doing that. I don't lift 2 days in a row, and I lift 3 times a week...I add my own cardio in there (as well as the Burn Intervals). But, since I am training for a 10K right now, I'm working on my running as well. You will see some fabulous results as you combine cardio into your routine!! As far as weights..... just from personal experience I would have weights ranging from 5 pounds to 15 pounds. (I have 5,8,10,15...thats what I started with. I now use 20s as well). But, your strength will be different in each area of your body. Your shoulders will most definitely be lighter than your legs, and your biceps probably stronger than your shoulders. As you go through the program, write down your weights & reps on the guide sheet and keep track. Each time you lift, make a mark next to it as to whether you could go heavier or if you should go lighter the next time. By the second week you should have a good idea of what you may need to lift on each exercise. As far as "failure" goes...its not really a painful process, or at least I don't think it is. What happens for me is that at first I feel strong in the reps...and as I get closer to the end of the set, my arms start to shake and then they literally can't lift anymore. Its not really painful, its more of a "wow, my arms literally won't go up right now". It will burn, those muscles will be burning, there's no doubt about that. But, I love it when Chalene says "Fat can't exist in this environment". Its so true..just keep thinking that and you'll be blasting fat in no time!! Have a great time with it! And let us know if you have anymore questions!!!

Since I've started the Push phase and been using the 15s I can definately feel my arms burning! With the weight training I was doing before I never ever got sore, but with this one I do. I guess I was just afraid to lift heavier weights. But, I really couldn't with the other programs, they were very high rep. I did my weigh in today, and I'm down .2% body fat even though I put on a pound or 2! I've been great with doing my workouts, not as much my eating. But this month I'm more determined to eat better. Hopefully my next monthly weigh in will be a huge success - I plan on it to be anyway!

Thank you blondie and dawna for your awesome replies - that was definitely helpful! I'm excited too, and will definitely check back next week once I'm on the program!

Romst- I was going to mention that when I first started I hadn't lifted much, because I had the belief that if I lifted weights I would get bulky. So I did only cardio for a long time, therefore, I wasn't very strong when I started. I follwed Laylee (dark hair) in the beginning ( I didn't modify things like she did, I just went as heavy as she did), and then by the Push phase I was going as heavy as Janelle (Chalene's sister in the backrow). I still haven't quite gotten as heavy as Chalene, but I felt good once I got to the point I could lift as much as Janelle. You'll see some great improvements if you truely get to failure on each rep, and if you follow Chalene's "Go Heavy or Go Home" motto! Have fun!!

Since I've started the Push phase and been using the 15s I can definately feel my arms burning! With the weight training I was doing before I never ever got sore, but with this one I do. I guess I was just afraid to lift heavier weights. But, I really couldn't with the other programs, they were very high rep. I did my weigh in today, and I'm down .2% body fat even though I put on a pound or 2! I've been great with doing my workouts, not as much my eating. But this month I'm more determined to eat better. Hopefully my next monthly weigh in will be a huge success - I plan on it to be anyway!

Lisa- I felt the same way with the PUSH phase, I started to realize that I hadn't really gotten the concept of "failure" before and that I can go heavy and feel some great burn! And the burn lasts a few days..haha! Don't worry about the weight put on...its the body fat that is going to matter...and as you continue to push through this program and adding in your cardio, you'll see some great results! And I've gotta get better with my eating too. I'm great during the week, but then friends always want to go out to eat. I've also gotta get better at getting at least 2 days of CE in....as the last 2 weeks I've only gotten 1 day of strength training in per week. I've been running a lot to get back up to running 6 miles so I can do the 10K I'm signed up for in June. We CAN do this! I've gotta avoid tortilla chips....those are my weakness, and I won't be buying them anytime soon..because once I do I eat wayyy too many! yikes! Did you take measurements in the beginning? I wish I would have...but I didn't really think about it. But, I went down 2 sizes so I guess that counts for something!

I have the exact same problem. If I'm by myself I can eat healthy.. but give me a friend or 2 and that's out the window. I'm working on it though. I made a promise to my boyfriend (as dorky as it may sound) to do my best because what I was doing wasn't working. I figured an obligation to someone else who really cares about me will spur me on. I can't stand letting anyone down! So.. that's been working for me for the past 2 days! But usually if I can just get started on the right track I'll be fine. This warm weather is really helping me. When it's cold all my downtime is on the couch watching tv after working out and eating way too much, but now I've been outside playing with my dog and getting probably 3 times the exercise plus I'm not as hungry. It's amazing how much the weather can affect your mood (or mine anyway!) lol. So now I'm very hopeful for May's weigh in and measurements. I started taking measurements from my heaviest, and I do the officail monthly weigh in and measurements the first of every month. I can't imagine now that I was about a foot bigger around the waist at one time.. :noway:

Yeah, 2 sizes definately count! I haven't lost any since starting this program, but since I've lost 50 pounds I've lost about 4 sizes. I wanna go down about 2 more - maybe 3. I'll have to see when I get closer. lol

Anyway, good luck getting back on track. You're right.. we CAN do this!! :bigsmile:

Hey all,

Just had Burn Intervals last night and I loved it!!! Wow was it hard but so good too! haha. I didn't think I would enjoy it but I really did! Loving the program!

Well I finally broke down and got the Powerblock Sportblock 24's. I've been wanting them for a while, decided they were too expensive, bought other weights... then saw them for 10% off on Amazon and finally gave in! I'm glad though. I'd still have to buy 10s, 12s, 20s, and 25s to complete my set for now. And now I'll have all of those (or close to it) in 1 set. I started to get faster shipping because I want them now! Hopefully they'll get here soon. :happy:

Hey Lisa! I looked up those Powerblock Sportblock on Amazon, and those look pretty sweet! They don't look too bulky, you'll have to let me know how you like them. I did have a question...if you have the 24's, 21's 12's, and 9's on your powwerblock sportblock, you probably wouldn't need to buy the 25s, 20s, 12s or 10 pound weights. The weights on your powerblock sportblock said it had increments either exactly on those or so close, that it wouldn't be worth the money spent to buy additional weights. Just a thought though! Free weights are so expensive! Each of my 20's cost like $20 EACH! It was crazy!!! I think my heaviest weight is 20 pounds..just because my wrists can't hold weights heavier than 20. So, I think your 24 weights on your powerblock thing would be heavy enough for you. Just my opinion though...your wrists might be able to handle it though! I'm SO excited for you and this program!!! Can't wait for you to get those weights!!! You'll have to let me know how you like them!!!

Hi guys!
I have been doing turbo jam for about 5months now and I love it but am looking for something new- I love Chalene and have heard amazing things about CLE... but i have some questions...

First - how long are the workouts each day - I know for p90x you need an hour daily and i work full time and have two young kids so that's not always feasible for me.


Second - are there rest days?

Third - I am in fairly good shape from doing TJ and also jillina michaels and biggest loser workouts with weights but not sure what weights i would need - currently i have 3s, 5s and 10s...will i need more?

And lastly, does anyone know if there are places to buy CLE for less $$ - it sounds amazjng and i really want to buy it but it sure is EXPENSIVE

Any feedback would be appreciated!!

Hi guys!
I have been doing turbo jam for about 5months now and I love it but am looking for something new- I love Chalene and have heard amazing things about CLE... but i have some questions...

First - how long are the workouts each day - I know for p90x you need an hour daily and i work full time and have two young kids so that's not always feasible for me.


Second - are there rest days?

Third - I am in fairly good shape from doing TJ and also jillina michaels and biggest loser workouts with weights but not sure what weights i would need - currently i have 3s, 5s and 10s...will i need more?

And lastly, does anyone know if there are places to buy CLE for less $$ - it sounds amazjng and i really want to buy it but it sure is EXPENSIVE

Any feedback would be appreciated!!

Hey Allison! To answer your questions - the workouts are usually about 35 min (on weight lifiting days) and the Burn Intervals, which is once a week, is about 47 minutes. There are 2 rest days each week, but many people choose to extra cardio on either those days, or after lifting (that's what I do). You will probably be ok for the first week or two with the weights you have, but you'll definately want to go up no later than the second month, which is when you start the push phase. I bought CE on amazon, but it was expensive! Have you tried ebay? The only downside to that is sometimes you won't get a complete kit. I really like this program and I don't regret the money I spent on it! This is the first time I've stuck with a pre-planned workout program. Usually I get bored and quit after 2 weeks, but now I'm in my second month and I love it! I'll definately be finishing it out, given nothing happens to where I wouldn't be able to.