T25 consists of 10 workout videos (5 for a five week alpha session, 5 for beta session) plus 1 stretch video (I think now they’ve added some bonus videos and a third session as well). The workouts are 25 minutes long (discounting commercials and intros) + 3 minute cool-down segments. Shaun T leads the workouts and Tonya demonstrates modified exercises for lower impact.

Overall I love the simplicity of the workouts (only a couple videos require dumbbells, no other equipment needed) and the compactness — always 25 minutes, never drawn out talking/breaks (P90X, I’m looking at you!). If you want to get super sweaty in 25 minutes — these are great!

Overall I dislike all the gimmicky-ness of the commercials. 25 minutes a day is all you need to get ripped, get a 6 pack, get in the best shape of your life… blah blah blah. It takes more then just pressing Play. This is not a quick fix.

Short reviews for each workout in the Alpha Session…

Cardio

You’re constantly moving in this workout video with progressions to more complex sequences (knee lifts, jack progression, jumps, squats). The pivot lunge sequence is definitely the hardest for me. There are two “Burn Out” sessions in which you repeat previous key exercises faster. Those two sessions keep this video from getting too boring.

Speed 1.0

The first 15 or so minutes alternates between cardio moves (similar to the Cardio video) and stretches. The last 10 minutes is a Burn Out repeating only the cardio moves at a faster pace. The beginning feels a little easy, but it’s a nice buildup and I am always sweating afterwards.

Total Body Circuit

I LOVE AND HATE THIS WORKOUT. At times I get really frustrated and think it’s “stupid hard”, but I know I am better for it afterwards. Each sequence builds to a power move, such as shoulder tap pushups, plank walks to squat, pike ups, 180 degree squat + burpee, and oblique knee pushups. Then you do all those power moves in a Burn Out session. This may be the best workout of Alpha and Beta sessions.

Ab Intervals

Floor abdominal exercises with cardio recovery sessions. There are no crunches in this video, but a lot of keeping your shoulders off the ground and moving your legs in, out, up, down in a slow controlled manner. Eventually the moves become more dynamic with pike ups and pyramid in-outs. No Burn Out session. It could be tacked onto other workouts to strengthen your abdominal wall (you’ll feel it all day and the next), but isn’t a good substitute for a good CORE workout.

Lower Focus

The first half of this workout is intense, then settles down. First just a warm up and basic jumping jack progression. Squat progression followed by a nice break with calf work. Then — narrow lunges, wide lunges, deep lunge pulses, and deep lunge hold. Left then right side. Then while your legs are still on fire, you hit a Burn Out session and do all the key moves again. Exiting the Burn Out session, you do another lunge-squat progression. Fire, guys, fire. It gets easier from there — some adductor and high knee stuff eventually followed by another burn out session.

Notes

Since I’ve been regularly doing yoga, I only did the stretch video once. It had a lot of basic stretches that we do in yoga and would be good for someone who wants a structured stretch video. Unadvertised is all the lunges and squats throughout Alpha session really loosened my hip flexors which helped my front split! I don’t think I will do a full drawn-out T25 session again, but I will use some of my favorite videos over and over again.