Rushfit vs. TapouT XT - My review/opinion/observation.

Contingencypl - I'm not sure why you dislike the schedule for TapouT so much and keep telling everyone to do the workouts the way they want to. I personally haven't found anything wrong with it yet (but I'm only on week 3). I think it focuses on core one day, then upper body the next and then lower body after that, etc., etc. Just my opinion of course.

As someone who has studied exercise science (albeit not in a school setting) for years now, I have grown to learn more and more about how the addition of ab-specific workouts is, in most cases, overdone, because when the exercise itself is more of a compound movement than an isolation movement (meaning it integrates many muscle groups rather than focusing on one single muscle) that is sufficient core activation to merit a proper core workout. Most professional bodybuilders and powerlifters do not do any exercises that target the core specifically for this reason. When doing deadlifts, squats, overhead presses, and other compound movements, the core activation they get needed to power through those compound movements is all the core workout they need to get the ripped six packs they have in competition season. Very few ever do a single core-specific movement.

P90X was justified in adding a dedicated ab workout after its strength training days because most of the workouts they did were isolation movements rather than compound movements. Due to its success, however, many other workout programs feel the need to copy its overall scheduling format, even though the style of workouts they revolve around (as in TapouT XT) does not call for that. Functional training revolves around functional movements, which integrate the core into the strength moves you do as well as other muscle groups. You're never isolating a single muscle group. You may not feel it being killed, but I can assure you it is being targeted sufficiently. Murdering yourself to where you can't move anymore does not necessarily imply a better workout.

Will you see results following the schedule? Sure you will. But you can see results that are just as good, if not better, if you closely analyze the strengths and weaknesses inherent in the overall scheduling format and where it unnecessarily borrowed from P90X. Why do extra work when you're not getting any better of workout? Sometimes it's a case of work smart, not hard. I do not do anything workout related without studying it extensively and learning the science behind it. More people should be this way too.

I am considering getting TAPOUT XT. My question to you guys is can I keep going to the gym for a weightlifting routine to maintain my size but use this video as a morning cardio workout?

Yes, you most certainly can! My suggestion would be to use a few specific DVDs from the series (specifically Cross Core Combat, Cardio, Ripped Conditioning, Plyo XT, Competition Core, Strike Training, and Muay Thai as cardio/core workouts on days when you don't do your heavy lifting. Do not do the other DVDs in the series when combining it with heavy lifting.

Did Rushfit's Abdominal Strength & Core Conditioning workout last night. Had to modify two of the moves they have you do for reasons involving my poor balance which was a little bit discouraging because the "modified" version didn't hit my muscles the way they needed to be hit. Anyway...

I really liked this program. You actually did very little in the way of dedicated ab exercises, because they train their core the way real athletes do: Full body and compound exercises. So it's actually more of a total body workout than a "core" workout. Which translates to also being a great core workout. I love it.

Thanks for the great information as I am trying to decide between Rushfit and Tapout XT. Seems to me based on the reviews that the Tapout program has more information on nutrition? This is where I definitely struggle and I do tend to get bored fast if a workout is not somewhat fun. One additional observation based on reviews is that the bands tend to work your muscles a bit more for definition then does the Rushfit program, again your thoughts would be helpful. I have done Insanity and I got great results, however I don't think I can stand Sean T any longer and as stated before I am sort of bored with it. I need to get back on something quickly so any comments would be great!

To be perfectly honest there isn't really a whole lot of info needed for nutrition if you're familiar with Insanity because the truth is Insanity follows the 40/40/20 macro template, which is the generic all purpose template for most of these programs. They throw in different recipes but the overall principle behind it is the same. In fact I'm going to say the Insanity nutrition guide can be applied to any highly active workout program. I wouldn't say bands work you more for definition but rather more core integration. You get an overall more core intensive workout with bands than with dumbbells. But many movements are also awkward and unnatural with the bands and your range of motion may be limited somewhat. I like both but I generally don't like to use heavier duty bands.

Honestly I think that if you got bored with Insanity you'll get bored with pretty much any program you do. Some will seem more fun in the beginning but it eventually runs out. I think that someone in your position specifically would do better starting to put your own workouts together. But if you really don't want to do that, I'm going to say that either one of these would work for you. With TapouT XT the workouts themselves are more fun but not necessarily as effective and you have the stupid schedule to follow. With Rushfit you get to sort of customize the schedule by doing your own cardio (my preference is jumping rope and cardio agility drills) and the workouts are shorter.

I reviewed Rip 60. Going to be posting it up as a blog. SPOILER ALERT: IT SUCKS.

I reviewed Rip 60. Going to be posting it up as a blog. SPOILER ALERT: IT SUCKS.

Ha good thing I opted for XT. By the way, great review! I'm really liking it but also doing my own thing. This program is really core intensive from what I've experienced which is perfect. The videos are not as 'clean' as P90X but some of the moves (considering there isn't weights used) are like P90X on steriods. lol Loving it!

Told you