*NEW* Country Heat Review

So this summer Beachbody trainer Autumn Calabrese is releasing her new workout program.  Most people know Autumn as the creator of 21 Day Fix.  Well her new program "Country Heat" comes out later this month.  As a Beachbody on Demand subscriber, I was allowed access for one day to one of her workouts from that new program.  The one available was Workout #3 "Down & Dirty."  I would like to give you my quick run down and opinion, from what little I saw and did, on Country Heat.

First let me say that the name is very misleading.  Yes, the dances are set to country music, which will put many people off.  But a lot of the steps are basic that can take on any vibe when given the right music.  It could just as easily have been hip-hop, but Shaun T already did that with his Cize program.  So kudos to Autumn stepping out of the box and really doing something bold. 

Second, this is no barn dance or two step. These are very well executed and choreographed steps that when put all together make for a really fun 30 minutes.  At the beginning of this particular video there was about a 15 minutes introduction of all the steps.  Autumn broke down each step for you in slow motion then practiced them a couple times.  This made it so much easier once I got to the actual workout.

I am going to be perfectly honest when I say that I did not WANT to like this workout.  I like dance programs but I could not imagine that this would be fun or difficult enough to make me want to buy it.  I have gone dancing many times, in a country bar, so I know it can be a good sweat but still!!!  I couldn't imagine what Autumn was thinking doing this program.  I am going to be the first to admit that she proved me wrong in every way.  Getting the steps down was a little difficult at first but that's just because I'm clumsy and uncoordinated.  I got very frustrated several times, not being able to do the moves and even stopped the video to go back and do it again.  Once I got the hang of it, I was really having a good time.  It did not seem like 30 minutes had gone by when I was done.

I also love the people she had in the video with her doing the workouts.  There were men and women of every shape, size, age and gender all doing these country dance moves with her, each adding their own little flair and just having FUN.  There is also a modifier in the video for low impact options.  The modifier is one of the most normal looking women I have ever seen in a workout video.  She isn't stick thin and ripped but you can tell she is having a great time and giving it her all.  Even though I didn't modify much,  I still looked to her a lot because I could relate more to her as a person.

The MUSIC!!  Great selections by Dierks Bentley, Brooks and Dunn, and more were consistently thumping throughout the video.  They were great upbeat songs and not what people cringe at when they hear "country music."  I personally like country music so it doesn't bother me but I honestly wasn't really paying much attention to the music.  I was very focused on the steps, the beat and watching Autumn.  Maybe if I got better at it, I would have more of an opinion on the music, but for now, it was just there, neither good or bad.  At one point Autumn was actually singing along, which was kind of funny since it was a song about tractors.  :)

 So, the big question is "Was it a good workout?".  The answer is definitely yes.  I was drenched in sweat by the time I was done (even though you can't see it in the picture) but I didn't feel like I had run a marathon or like I would pass out.  I felt energized and satisfied. In the 30 minutes it took to complete the workout my Fitbit says I burned about 200 calories.   I'm looking forward to what else there is with "Country Heat."  I only did one workout "Down & Dirty" and there are several in the set. 

I also love that when this is available to order on July 28th, you can also order it with the portion control containers.  Yes the same ones that come with the 21 Day Fix.  You can also get the containers with Tony Horton's 22 Minute Hard Corps but very few people know that. 

I hope you are willing to try this.  You will not regret it.  This is the workout for those that hate weights or cardio but still want to get a good workout in, while having fun.  If you want more details on the program or how to order it, email me or go to www.beachbodycoach.com/ljpintha.