7 Non-Scale Victories of CORE DE FORCE
The benefits of CORE DE FORCE, Beachbody’s mixed martial arts workout program, go way beyond what you see on the scale. As you follow along with CORE DE FORCE co-creators and trainers Jericho McMatthews and Joel Freeman, you’ll probably drop at least a few pounds. But as McMatthews says, “Besides the amazing physical transformations, I’m absolutely blown away by the non-scale victories we’re seeing.”
Freeman agrees. “We’re not even advertising this as a weight-loss type of workout,” he says. “It’s a total-body transformation. We know people see losing weight as a physical victory, but we want them to be aware of the other benefits, too.”
7 Non-Scale Victories You Might Notice
1. You’ll go down a dress/pant size
When you’re adding muscle at the same time you’re losing fat, you might notice your pants feel looser. That’s because pound for pound, muscle is denser and takes up less space than fat. “In our test group, we had people go down a few dress or pant sizes in a few weeks,” says Freeman. “Arms are usually the first place people see changes, then the legs.” If your body doesn’t follow this pattern, don’t worry. Every body is different.
2. Your core strength will improve
Pretty much every move you do in CORE DE FORCE recruits your core muscles to help stabilize you and power your punches and kicks. For instance, when you lean back for a kick, one of your abs’ main jobs is to prevent you from toppling backward. “As you’re burning fat, we’re hitting your abs from every direction,” says Freeman.
3. Your confidence will soar
“People leave these workouts feeling empowered and more confident,” says McMatthews. “They feel stronger from the inside out.” This badass attitude can carry over into your relationships and career. After nailing a tough CORE DE FORCE workout, giving a presentation in front of a handful of coworkers is sure to feel less daunting. Just shower first.
4. You’ll become more focused
“MMA can improve your mental focus, leaving you more calm and centered,” says McMatthews. A study in the Journal of Human Kinetics found that middle-aged adults who trained in the martial arts, showed a greater ability to focus. Martial arts instructors often tout the importance of mindfulness and sharpening the skill of focused attention. Developing your focus may enhance your ability to focus at work, which can come in handy when that chatty cubicle mate won’t stop talking.
5. You’ll transform from clumsy to graceful
CORE DE FORCE enhances your kinesthetic awareness, a fancy term for understanding where your body is in space. By improving this skill, Freeman says, “You’ll see improvements in coordination, reaction time, and agility as your brain gets the hang of the movement combinations. It’s like one of those brain-training games, and this improved coordination carries over into your life.”
6. You’ll better understand food as fuel
When you start a new workout regimen, it’s hard to know how to adjust your eating habits. You want to lose weight, but you also want to fuel your body so you can get through your workouts. To take out the guesswork, CORE DE FORCE comes with an eating plan so you know you’re getting the right amount of calories and eating the right types of foods to get the most out of each workout. And you’ll still be eating plenty. As Freeman explains, “People get to eat more than they think since it’s a high-intensity program.”
7. You might be happier
Sure, we all want to lose weight or get stronger, but at the end of the day having an improved sense of well-being may be the most important goal of them all. As you’re killing it during the workout, throwing punch after punch, endorphins flood the brain and help boost happiness. McMatthews says, “I see my students coming out of this program less stressed and happier overall.”