Chloe Ting’s Two Week Shred program not only gives definition to your abdominals but also to your day. 

With the onset of COVID-19 and stay-at-home mandates, many people have placed new emphasis on using their spare time for self-improvement. Fitness companies such as Peloton, Beachbody, The Fhitting Room, and The Daily Burn have created new long-term free trials for interested customers, and many athletes and celebrity trainers are posting their workout routines on Facebook and Instagram for the world. 

The internet seems to be overwhelmed with new content but deciphering exactly which programs are effective, easy to follow, and low maintenance can be challenging. The Chloe Ting Two Week Shred was recommended to me because it requires no equipment and contains fairly simple exercises. Furthermore, it seems to be especially popular among teenage girls. Reviews and results have been posted across social media from TikTok to YouTube.

Reviews: 

Hannah Meloche, a well-known YouTuber with 1.92 million subscribers followed the full program, and after finishing stated: “It was a free program and I felt super good after doing it and I felt challenged.” She along with YouTuber, Emilija Karasiova whose review video has 2.3 million views demonstrated truly positive results. Emilija lost around an inch on her waist and felt significantly stronger. 

Experience:

Chloe Ting’s Two Week Shred Program has 25 – 50 minutes of exercises a day consisting of two to five 10-15 minute videos. Each day begins with the videos: “Do this everyday to lose weight” and “Abs in 2 weeks.” The first of these videos is more cardio based with lots of side to side movements and variations on mountain climbers and lunges. It contains three circuits and in my opinion, the first circuit is by far the hardest. It quickly gets your heart rate up and ready for the rest of the workout. The second video requires you to spend much more time on your mat. It incorporates many modifications of crunches and again many variations of mountain climbers. 

This part of the program is regular and it really grounds you in what you are doing each day. For the first five or so days this section of the workout was really difficult, however, after those five days, I found myself adapting to them. While I still finished the videos breathing heavily and with an increased heart rate, it was much easier to complete each exercise. I built up strength and resistance to this part of the routine which allowed me to focus more on the specialized videos. 

The rest of the program is combinations of three vidoes: “Lower body burn, Core and Arms, and Get that 11 line abs in 35 days.” These videos target more specific areas of the body and tend to be alternated into the routine. 

I found that my legs were extremely sore after the first time I completed the “Lower body burn” video. Walking up the stairs the next day and even sitting down truly hurt. The lower body burn program used pulsing as a technique, meaning using small controlled motion instead of the full range, which is controversial in the world of fitness. A study done in 2014 called 

“The effect of pulsing movements on the physiological response to common exercises.” stated that pulsing was not as effective as full-motion movements overall because it creates a lower heart rate and lower rating of perceived exertion. Despite this questionable inclusion, I thought the video created a steady and manageable burn throughout. 

“Core and Arms” was particularly challenging for me because I lack all upper body strength. I personally felt more soreness in my shoulders than in the rest of my arms which conflicts with the really targeted results of the other videos. The exercises in this video created fatigue in my arms because you have to hold certain positions for extended periods of time, but unlike the other videos, this one did less specific exercises to work on its region. 

Finally, the “Get that 11 line abs in 35 days” video seemed to be an extension of the “Abs in 2 weeks” video. It had a more challenging change in format, but maintained the same ideas and targeted the same muscle group. 

Results:

Physically, I saw really good results with this program. I did not measure my waist or hips when I began so I have no quantifiable data to contribute, however, I saw some more ab definition which I definitely didn’t have before. As a bonus along with a healthy diet, I even lost a small amount of weight. In particular, Chloe Ting emphasizes the line that runs from your sternum to your belly button and I am beginning to see that line develop demonstrating the effectiveness of her workouts. 

More important than physique, these videos truly challenge you and make you stronger. I felt more motivated, happier, and healthier as my two weeks progressed. 

Critique:

There are four aspects of this program that truly gnawed at me over my two weeks. 

First of all the workout music was terrible. It had a slower beat and lyrics that were repeated over and over. Now, when I hear the first few opening notes I know exactly what it is and I want to run in the other direction. 

Second of all, the exercises in each video and across videos are very repetitive. Every single video includes up-down planks two times. Cross-body mountain climbers, spiderman planks, plank jacks, curtsey lunges, and bicycle crunches are unavoidable and unchanging. While I understand how every video works on overlapping regions of the body, more variety in the exercises would make the process more engaging.

In the videos, Chloe Ting also lacks energy. There are very few words of encouragement and it feels more like you are watching an instructional video than completing a challenge. The experience is more like working out alone rather than with a friend to push and guide you. A few extra “you got its!” and some more smiles and shouts would go a long way to boost the motivation of her viewers. 

Finally, these combinations of exercises constantly required you to be in a full plank with your hands and wrists supporting your body weight instead of your forearms. I experienced some pain in my wrists and had to shake them out in between exercises for the full two-week program. 

Conclusion:

I would highly recommend this program to a friend. Chloe Ting creates results. Especially in this strange time, a challenge like this one gives structure and purpose to each day without being overbearing.