This is a review for Men’s Health and Women’s Health Spartacus Workout Triple Set Scorchers.
This is a strength circuit workout that does have a cardio effect. The workout clocks in at just under 30 minutes. The workout is led by David Jack and features 4 background exercisers, 2 men and 2 women. The cast are wearing athletic clothing and no one is falling out of the wardrobe or is overtly hamming it up for the cameras.
In terms of equipment you’ll need clear floor space, a couple of sets of dumbbells, and a large towel for the finisher. A step is used in one exercise to modify the depth of a deadlift.
The format for Triple Set Scorchers is 9 exercises that later get broken down into sets of 3 exercises. The first round you do all 9 exercises in a row in a 20 seconds work/20 seconds rest format. This serves as the warm up as there is no separate warm up or cool down. After a minute rest, the next 3 rounds are 3 exercises grouped together done twice through with a 40 seconds work/20 seconds rest format. The exercises are below.
1. Forearm plank
2. Single Leg Deadlift
3. Wood Chops
4. Jerk w/ Overhead Press
5. Goblet Squat
6. Front Lunge
7. Lateral Squat
8. Alternating Back Row
9. Dead Lifts
So round 2 is exercises 1-3 down 2x through at the 40/20 work/rest interval. You get a minute rest and then do round 3 which is exercises 4-6. Another minute rest and then do round 4 which is exercises 7-9. After the warm up round you are expected to make the subsequent rounds harder by adding heavier weight, traveling the move, etc. David Jack shows variations you can do during the rests and spends the work intervals pointing out variations the cast are doing or showing form pointers.
The workout ends with a 2 minute finisher using a large towel. You do exercises that mimic the action of using ropes in various work/rest intervals.
The music in the workout is instrumental and is non-descript.
As presented I think the workout is intermediate. Beginners can keep to using just bodyweight and not going through the progressions presented. Even with really heavy weight I think advanced exercisers would not find this super challenging. Because of the format of the workout it does have a cardio effect and I did feel the strength work. It’s just not the most challenging workout out there. I did enjoy it and it feels more focused than some of the other workouts in the Spartacus series. I give it a solid B+.

Instructor Comments:
David Jack is a personable, not to mention, very handsome instructor. He’s not just a pretty face, he really knows what he’s talking about and his explanations of the exercises and his form talk are right on. His coaching and banter focuses on doing your best, focusing on form, and pushing yourself. I don’t think a gratuitous “you’ll look hot” comment or something similar was uttered. David is professional in his presentation and the information he delivers.

Sabine Reuter