The Black n Gold Girls/12 Week Core Stix Challenge presented by Full Body Fitness began on Monday, December 10, 2012 with a group of 7 participants—5 women and 2 men, led by Jennifer Hoffman. 4 of the participants worked out an average of 4 one hour sessions per week and the remaining 3 worked out an average of 3 one hour sessions a week.
The general workouts consisted of a 5-10 minute dynamic warm up and stretch with light cardio (jumping jacks, split jumping jacks, crickets, etc). From there, circuits were set up on the Core Stix boards to do two—three on board exercises and rotate with one off board cardio set. Every single workout was different. No session was ever a repeat of a previous session. The participants in consultation with the trainer made decisions “graduate” to the next heavier Stix based on their gaining strength and comfort level.
Results:
The 12 Week Challenge ended on Thursday, February 28, 2013. The results are impressive. Combined weight loss results for all participants netted 21lbs. The total amount of inches lost was a remarkable 46.5 inches with 19.75 inches lost from participants waists. All participants saw overall body losses in inches and most were able to reshape their bodies. All reported intangible gains: more restful sleep, improved balance, general improvements in their quality of life, and overall well- being.
We believe that “inches lost” tells the story of the 12 Week Challenge. Because the Core Stix system uses a combination of weight training/ resistance/ balance and metabolic work, we expected to see some small overall weight loss but not much. We anticipated however and received the expected result of total body reduction in inches, and a reshaping of the body.
The female participants began the Challenge using White (Lite) Stix to complete most movements while the males started with Yellow (Medium) Stix. By the final month of working out, the males were using Blue (Heavy) Stix for most workouts and the women were using a combination of Yellow (Medium) and Blue (Heavy) Stix.
Our ‘biggest loser’ was participant Cassandra, 41 who lost 10 lbs and 17.5 inches overall. She worked out 4 times per week on the 12 Week Challenge. Cassandra came into the Challenge having already lost 45 lbs on her own but had hit a plateau. Through her Core Stix workouts she was not only able to break her plateau but also amplify her fitness to a new level. Her greatest losses were in her waist at 5 inches and her thighs at 4 inches. Cassandra reports in her own words, “When we began the challenge I started on all white stix. Even squats where a challenge! By our final week, I was able to do 50 squats using blue stix. Through progressive movements, I was able to build a solid muscle foundation. And I was shocked by my strength gains in only 12 weeks!” She goes on to tell us, “When we began the challenge, I was barely able to complete 8 burpees. Now, I can perform 50 in fewer than 4 minutes!”
But one of the most impressive aspects of Cassandra’s story was how she was able to translate her results on the board to other forms of exercise. Cassandra says “I enjoy jogging on my off days, and astonishingly, in only three weeks I was able to shave 7 full minutes off my 5k time!”
“Everything has improved, “ she tells us, “my balance, stability, flexibility, mental clarity but most of all my confidence! I have more overall energy, sleep soundly though the night and wake up refreshed no longer with aches and pains! What’s refreshing about the completing the Challenge is that through consistent use of Core Stix, I felt like my body was finally responding positively to the work I had been putting in. It was exciting to start to see a “new me” emerge. I believe that Core Stix kept me in a ‘challenge and support’ state. Once I got a feel for the Stix and learned to trust them, I was really able to go deeper into each workout. The flexibility of the Stix allowed each day to be something new and I was never bored! And I loved that over time, we were able to build compound movements for additional body challenges. I am impressed with what I was able to accomplish on Core Stix and I think that the results speak for themselves.”
The 12 Week Core Stix Challenge allowed us to see the long term possibilities for individual use and success on the system. Each participant has a story to tell that’s much like Cassandra’s in terms of their accomplishments. We are proud that each participant was motivated to complete all 12 weeks of the Challenge. Because they were able to see results rather quickly, we believe that added to the motivation to stay with the program and continue to add more challenges into their workouts. With the exciting feedback the results of this Challenge group, we look forward to introducing and delivering Core Stix to others who are looking to transform their lives.
The group was so happy with their results, they decided to celebrate—Harlem Shake style.