I have to be honest with you.  If you struggle getting all the parts to a jumping jack down pat then MMA Plyo could piss you off.

Seriously, if your coordination hovers around a 3 out of 10 then don’t start your Core De Force journey with MMA Plyo (start with MMA Speed or Dynamic Strength to get used to the patterns and jargon used in the program).

But stick with it because MMA Plyo is the best routine in the Core De Force series.  And when you conquer all the moves in this thing you’ll feel like a total rockstar.

I’m going to prepare you for this program so you’ll be that much closer to mastering it the first time you hit play.

In this post I’ll break down every move in MMA Plyo for you so you know exactly what to expect.

Let’s get started…

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Instructor-Jericho and Joel

Category-Cardio

Equipment-Nothing

Length-47 minutes

HRM-394 calories

Choreography-Experienced

Read about my choreography ratings here.  I was going to give this routine a Simple+ rating but ultimately decided to go with Experienced.  If your natural coordination is nothing to brag about then it may take you 2 or 3 (or more) times through this workout to hit every single move with the team.  It’s ok.  Don’t give up.  MMA Plyo is fun and worth learning.

My rating- A

Important Stuff about MMA Plyo in Core De Force

The MMA Plyo routine has 12 rounds.  Each round is 3 minutes long.

Each round in MMA Plyo is a punch/kick cardio combination that you repeat for 1 minute.  Then you have a 30 second interval where you repeat a different move but with more intensity.  Core De Force calls this a cardio ‘spike’.  (If you’re familiar with Cathe Friedrich workouts then you’ll understand when I say that a cardio spike in Core De Force is the same thing as a cardio blast in Cathe Friedrich routines).  Then you go back to your punch/kick combo for another minute, followed by one more 30 second spike to finish out the round.

After each round you get a short water break (about 20-30 seconds).  There’s no ‘Water Break’ announcement so just know that you have a few seconds to get a drink after each round (while they explain the next exercise).

MMA Plyo is my favorite Core De Force workout. 

If you like this style of workout then you should sign up for Beachody on Demand so you can accesss Turbo Jam and TurboFire with Chalene Johnson.  (There’s a FREE TRIAL period so you can try out all the workouts without risk for a while.) Chalene’s turbo workouts are very similar in style to the Core De Force routines.

Listen to all the form pointers from Joel and Jericho.  They take turns walking you through each round.  There’s a girl (Jessica) in the team doing the low-impact/easier version of every move.  If you get tangled up on any of the combos (or too tired) then follow Jessica.

My only complaint with MMA Plyo (and the other Core De Force) routines is that you repeat most of the combinations on the same lead leg.  I find that uber annoying.  It makes me feel off-balance.  I’m always thinking I missed them switch leads but it actually never happens (on most combinations).  So, since every combo is repeated twice I do the second set on the other lead.  It just feels right.  If it makes you feel icky to shake things up then do each workout exactly like Jericho and Joel (and the team).  It’s your workout so own it.

Remember to read to the end of this post for links to a few places you can compare prices on this video as well as tips and advice for mastering each exercise.

Warm-Up

The warm-up is a few simple moves to get blood flowing to all your joints and muscles.  It lasts for about 2 ½ minutes.

Main Workout (The Exercises in MMA Plyo)

Round One

Switch Roundhouse Kick

This first interval keeps things easy.  Remember you’ll do this move for one minute.  The little feet-switch part is the hardest thing about this round.  Listen to all the form pointers from Joel.

Up/Down Jab, Cross (Spike Move)–Remember you’ll do the spike move for 30 seconds.  This is just a series of punches with a pivot.  Make it intense.  Keep your core tight.

Repeat Switch Roundhouse Kick for 1 minute.  The team actually switches lead legs on this round so you repeat the roundhouse kick on the other leg.

Repeat spike move (Up/Down Jab, Cross) on the other side for 30 seconds.

(Unofficial) Water Break (about 30 seconds)

Round Two

Jab, Cross, Superman Punch

I have to admit that the superman punch was kind of a pain-in-the-ass for me the first time I did MMA Plyo. 

I finally figured it out (it’s all timing) before the end of my first MMA Plyo workout.  Don’t get too frustrated.  Doing a goofy-looking superman punch is still burning calories.  Jericho doesn’t help things when she says you should be ‘flying through the air’ (you won’t be).  Take the time to figure this out (the superman punch) because it’s used in two more combos before this routine is over.

Up/Down Hooks is the Spike Move.  It’s the same spike move from round one but you replace the jab/cross with a hook.  Again, keep your core tight and increase your intensity.  You’re trying to burn some calories here.

Repeat Jab, Cross, Superman Punch for another 1 minute.  The team does this on the same lead leg that you already did.  I always switch leads on this second set.  Do what works for you.

Repeat Up/Down Hooks for 30 seconds.  I switch sides.  They don’t.

(Unofficial) Water Break

Round Three

Jab, Cross, Rear Knee, Front Flying Knee

This is the first combo that might trip you up.  Joel explains each piece of the combination using Jericho as a model.  To really simplify this combination just think of it as one punch on each side followed by a high knee on each side.  Then add the details.  It’s fun once you get it.

Guarded Squat, Squat Jump is your 30 second Spike Move in round three.  Watch this exercise carefully because it comes back in round 9.  Once you figure out the pattern you’ll be fine.

Repeat Jab, Cross, Rear Knee, Front Flying Knee.  I do my second set on the left.  It’s weird.  It takes a lot of focus to repeat some of these combos on the non-dominant side but I can’t ignore the other side.  It would bug me all day.

Repeat the Spike Move for another 30 seconds.

Break

Round Four

Cross, Switch Knee, Rear Flying Knee

All I can tell you is to be patient when you do this the first time.  It’s really not as complicated as it seems.  And remember, there’s always Jessica.

Triple Lunge with Ginga is the Spike Move.  If you’re like me you’ll be thinking…ohhhhh, so that’s how you spell ginga.  This exercise is fun.  Stay low.  Joel uses drama to try to convince you that your thighs are on fire but you’ll be fine.

Repeat Cross, Switch Knee, Flying Knee on the same (or other) side for another minute.

Finish round four by repeating the spike knee for 30 seconds.

Water Break

Round Five (30 minutes left)

Front Leg Check, Cross, Hook

This combination is less complicated so give it 110%.  Don’t make the punches lazy.  Be a warrior.  Remember what a badass you are.

Lateral Jump, Vertical Jump is the Spike Move.  Make each jump big.

Repeat the Front Leg Check, Cross, Hook for another minute.  I recommend that you try this one on the other lead for the second set.  Otherwise, your obliques will feel nice and tight on one side all day.  Not cool.

Repeat the spike move with a big lateral and vertical jump.

Break

Round Six

Rear Leg Check, Cross, Switch Roundhouse Kick

If you remember that the leg check and the roundhouse kick are on opposite legs then you’ll get this one the first time through.  You’ll be engaging your obliqes again with that leg check so you might want to think about doing the second set on the other side to balance that out.

Alternating Clinch Knees (your Spike Move) is next.  Seriously, this is just the good ‘ol fashioned running man from the 90’s. Have fun with it. (And if you’re too young to remember the 90’s–bless your heart–and here’s a flashback to help you out.)

Thank you, Will Smith, for that demonstration.

Repeat Leg Check, Cross, Switch Roundhouse Kick on the same leg or switch to the other lead.

Repeat the alternating clinch knees (running man) for 30 seconds.

Break

Round Seven

Rear Slashing Elbow, Rear Knee, Superman Punch

Yeah, it’s the superman punch again.  This one doesn’t go away so just take the time to figure it out.  You got this.  You’re not human if you don’t love doing that elbow slash.

Now you go back to the spike move from round one and repeat them all again.  Your Spike Move is the Up/Down Jab, Cross.  Keep your core rock solid and punch hard.

Repeat Slashing Elbow, Knee, Superman Punch on the same (or other) side for one minute.

Repeat the Up/Down Jab, Cross for 30 seconds.

Break

Round Eight

Rear Push Kick, Jump Hook, Cross

This combo isn’t hard.  Don’t let all the details confuse you.  Just do the two punches and then a kick and slowly add in the details.  Once you have it all blended to perfection then add some ‘umph’ to burn some calories.

The Spike Move is the Up/Down Hook you did in round two.

Repeat the Push Kick, Jump Hook, Cross on the same (or other) side.

Repeat the spike move for 30 seconds.  Try to meet Jericho’s challenge and match her intensity.

Break

Round Nine

Front Uppercut, Rear Uppercut, Hook, Side Kick

This round gets me tangled up sometimes.  It’s not the end of the world but I have to focus to get each piece of this combo put together correctly.

The Spike Move is the Guarded Squat, Squat Jump again.

Repeat the Front Uppercut, Rear Uppercut, Hook, Side Kick on the other side.  The whole team uses the other lead for the second set this time.  In fact, Joel points out how important it is to be proficient on both sides. I agree.

You know the pattern now.  Repeat the Guarded Squat, Squat Jump for a 30 second cardio spike.

Water Break

Round Ten

Body Jab, Cross, Switch Roundhouse Kick

I was really worried about making my jab a body jab the first time I did this routine.  Many workouts later I’ve decided that the nuance of the body jab isn’t all that important.  Get the punch right and throw in the legs if you remember it.  The important part is the body rotation and the kick.

The Spike Move is the Triple Lunge with Ginga again.  This is my favorite spike in MMA Plyo.

Repeat the Body Jab, Cross, Switch Roundhouse Kick again.  Joel must have forgotten his speech from round nine about how important it is to master the combinations on both sides because they go back to repeating everything on the same lead twice.  I switch lead legs for the second set.

Repeat the Triple Lunge with Ginga for 30 more seconds.  Watch Joel the whole interval.  He’s got to be acting.  (I mean, look at his quads!) This isn’t that hard.

Round Eleven

Rear Leg Check, Hook, Rear Knee, Front Push Kick

This is my favorite cardio combination in MMA Plyo (the ginga combo is my favorite spike combo).  There are several parts to it but you can do it.  Be patient.  It’s fun.  Say each part of the move as you do it.  That helps me.

The Spike Move is that Lateral Jump, Vertical Jump again.

Repeat the Rear Leg Check, Hook, Rear Knee, Front Push Kick (on the other side).

Repeat the Spike Move.  Make those jumps big. Listen to Joel.

Last Break

Round Twelve

Jab, Cross, Front Leg Check, Superman Punch

Guess what?  Another superman punch.  I know that move can be annoying but it’s the last combo so really go for it.

The last Spike Move is the running man (alternating clinch knees).

Repeat the Jab, Cross, Front Leg Check, Superman Punch.  I’ll challenge you to do your second set on the other lead.  This one takes brain power to figure out on your non-dominant side.

Finish with those alternating clinch knees for 30 seconds.

Cool Down/Stretch

Don’t skip the cool down/stretch.  It’s about 3 minutes long.  You’re still burning calories and your body needs this.  Your email can wait another 3 minutes.

Now What?

I’ve been happy with Core De Force.  It’s not my favorite Beachbody production (Insanity Max:30 holds that spot) but it’s worth investing in.  The workouts are fun and unique and you don’t have to pull out any equipment.

You can find MMA Plyo in the family of videos of Core De Force by Beachbody on Amazon.

And Core De Force is one of the programs you’ll find in the library of workouts in a membership to Beachbody on Demand.

I encourage you to try out Beachbody on Demand.  If you have questions  about Beachbody on Demand then read this:

Beachbody on Demand–5 Reasons to Give it a Try

Thanks for reading!