Brazil Butt Lift Cardio Axe
Leandro Carvalho’s Brazil Butt Lift from Beachbody introduces you to Brazilian dance moves with the Cardio Axe (ah-shay) workout. This workout is about 30 minutes in length.
I am not too coordinated when it comes to any dance moves, so this workout was a struggle for me as far as staying focused. I could get the moves when we went through the learning segments, but I stumbled a lot with me two left feet when we put moves together into a combination in the form of dance.
I kept telling myself to just keep doing my best. I knew I was getting something out of it by the fact that my body was moving. I struggled with Turbo Jamthe first few times I did those workouts, too. For some, dance comes easy. For people like me, it’s a good thing the DVD player is in my living room and I am the only one around to watch me shake my booty!
I really believe that I got a much better (more intense) cardio workout from the Bum Bum workout. I have high hopes that the more I do the Cardio Axe, the more I will like it and feel like I am getting a good cardio workout from it.
I think back to my first car. It was so cool to have my own car. The only problem I had to overcome is I did not know how to drive it because it had a manual transmission. It was parked on the street for the first two months I owned it. Finally, I decided that I would learn how to drive a manual transmission. That was 25 years ago! Do you know what I drive now? A manual transmission!
This is my point…sometimes, I am slow to change. I have to do things a few times to find a comfort level. I am not comfortable with dance. I feel like I work against the music rather than with it. I also know that if I practice, I will get better.
Oh, let me add an interesting tid bit about this Beachbody workout program. You can set it up in either the English or Spanish language. You can also choose to use subtitles if you want to read what is being said. I thought those were interesting options and wanted to share them with you.
Who knows, maybe when I get the moves down in English, I will mix it up with Spanish. By then, I will have Leandro’s moves and instructions fine tuned. I might as well learn a few Spanish words in the morning while getting my butt high and tight!
ChaLEAN Extreme Push Circuit 1
Hello phase II! ChaLEAN Extreme has three phases: Burn, Push, and Lean. In the Burn phase, we used a weight that put our muscles in failure at 10-12 reps. In the Push phase, we increase the weight and decrease the reps to a failure range of 6-8.
Push Circuit 1 focuses on biceps, triceps, glutes, and hamstrings. Unlike the Burn phase, Push concentrates on one muscle group at a time rather than stepping through a compound exercise which engages the lower and upper body at the same time.
An example of this is the standard bicep curl. Bicep curls were also used in the Burn phase but they were joined with a variation of squat to work on the lower body at the same time. If you think this makes the Push phase easier, think again! My triceps and biceps were shaking and burning by the end of this routine.
Chalene continues with the breakdown reps we came to know in the Burn phase. This time, however, she adds more of them to the routine. Muscle fibers twitch, your mind gets really focused, and you accomplish more than you thought possible. Cool.
Tony Horton uses the 6-8 rep range in P90X. There are at least three key differences between the two training styles though. In P90X, Tony uses a superset series. He moves through a series of three muscles groups (biceps, triceps, shoulders), takes a short break and repeats the set. The reps are done in good form but at a faster rate.
Chalene puts your focus on one muscle group (i.e. biceps). The reps are super slow which keeps your muscle engaged and working for a longer period of time. Then, when your muscle seems exhausted, you take about a ten second break and somehow find the engery to do a breakdown set of three ultra slow reps.
I think both methods bring results. One of the things I love about Beachbody workouts is the variety of training techniques. It is important to have variety in your routines.
I have read over and over about getting bored after doing a certain workout program week after week. That makes sense. As much as I love pizza, if that is all I ate meal after meal…day after day…I wouldn’t like pizza so much anymore.
I recommend starting with a Beachbody workout that sparks an interest for you and will help you stay committed. Then, add in something like Tony Horton’s One on One or 10 Minute Trainer workouts which will add variety and keep pushing play. Please feel free to contact me if you need help choosing your first program or a supplemental program.
Keep pressing play!
ChaLEAN Extreme Burn Circuit 2
Burn Circuit 2 of Chalene Johnson’s ChaLEAN Extreme workout program burns through nine compoud strenght training exercises. Since this workout is in the “burn” phase of the program, Chalene asks you to use the heaviest weight you can to reach failure between 10 and 12 reps. If you can make it pass 12 repetitions in an exercise, you didn’t lift heavy enough. If you couldn’t make it to 10 reps, you lifted too heavy.
Burn Circuit 2 works the entire body with a concentrates on triceps, back, and biceps. You’ll also hit your legs pretty good with sumo and bowler squats, dead lifts and lunges worked in conjunction with the upper body moves. You naturally work core and abs with this type of a workout, too. And, just so we don’t miss anything….Chalene ends the routine with triple threat push ups.
Triple threat push ups are actually three different forms of push ups done in sequence and repeated until failure. The first push up is a tricep push up. The second one is a stand push up with the hands should width apart. The third and final push up in the sequence is a spider push up where the legs are spread wide.
Triple threat push ups work the triceps, shoulders, chest, abdominals and core muscles. If you do this routine enough, you’ll learn to love push ups. Don’t worry ladies. Chalene allows you to do them on your knees if you need to modify but asks you to keep good form and push through what you can.
I like using the Bowflex SelecTec dumbbells because they don’t take up as much room. They’re also easy to go from one weight another. I’ve found, however, that I like putting my ChaLEAN Extreme (CLX) dvd in my computer rather than watching it on my television set. This makes it easier for me to select pause when I needed to change weights.
I got my SelecTec weights used from someone selling them on Craigslist. I believe you should always buy the best you can afford. When it comes to weights and gym equipment in general, used equipment is perfectly functional and fine as long as it is a quality product in the first place.
I’ve used a generic set of selectable weights in the past. They’re not worth it. The Bowflex brand is definitely the way to go. I don’t make a penny on the new or used sale of any Bowflex products, so this is a from the heart testimonial.
ChaLEAN Extreme moves quickly from one exercise to the next. While I used a standard set of dumbbells when I was doing Tony Horton’s P90X Extreme Home Fitness program, I like being able to adjust quickly in CLX.
I just watched an infomercial for Shaun T’s Insanity program. It looks amazing if you’re looking for high intensity cardio interval training. Let me tell you how you can save 25% on ChaLEAN Extreme, P90X, and Insanity. All you have to do is
Happy Holidays! Get in the best shape of your life in 2010. Shop at the Beachbody store to get started now.
ChaLEAN Extreme Burn Intervals
I’ve written about interval training in several articles on my website because all Beachbody fitness programs incorporate some form of interval training. Why? Because it’s effective at increasing your heart rate and metabolism and brings variety into your workout routine.
I was looking forward to the ChaLEAN Extreme Burn Intervals workout. I expected high intensity cardio intervals mixed with a lower intensity cardio interval to let me catch my breath and recover. Well, I was surprised…
Burn Intervals does use high intensity cardio intervals; however, the recovery interval is resistence training with a new twist. I’m used to doing either 6-8 repetitions with heavy weights or 10-12 with a slightly lighter (but still heavy) weight for resistence training. That’s the regimen for P90X and is the standard in most gyms.
Chalene’s Burn Circuit routines use a rep count of 10-12 with the heaviest weight you can use to get to failure in that range. The Burn Intervals takes you in the opposite direction. Chalene asks you to use a light weight. I used five pounders, and I’m glad I listened to her! My shoulders were screaming and my triceps were shaking because we did so many reps that we didn’t even count them.
By the time your muscles were really burning, it was time to go on to the next high intensity cardio interval. The cardio exercises are plyometric in nature and could easily fit into a P90X program. Both the P90X Extreme Home Fitness and ChaLEAN Extreme workouts put you in the mindset of training like an athlete.
One of the things I liked about Chalene’s program is only one round of each exercise is performed. Tony likes to do two rounds of each exercise, usually in a superset. I really like the variety, and I stay motivated to push a little harder because I know I’m only doing that exercise (no matter how difficult for the moment) one time. When it’s done, it’s done.
ChaLEAN is a positive trainer. Her attention to detail in form is very helpful. She is mindful of the need for proper nutrition and keeping your time, life, and emotional health in balance as well. I think most women will relate better to Chalene than Tony although both are champion trainers in my book.
Core Ball Sandwich Flatter Abs!
I finished Tony Horton’s One on One Core Ball Sandwich feeling like I’d accomplished a great challenge yet missed the mark on athletic ability. My core muscles received a muscle twitching trembling workout, but I had to practice Tony’s mantra to “do your best and forget the rest.”
I struggled primarily with the pull ups. I’ve worked my way up to one chin up, and I’m quite proud of that. I don’t plan on ever being able to keep up with Tony on the pull ups. He’s a machine when it comes to pulling himself above that bar!
Core Ball Sandwich is a series of ten exercises that are done in two rounds. In keeping with this trainer’s style, three exercises are done in super set style and then, the next set of three, followed by another set of three. Ok, so that adds up to nine…he throws in an extra ball exercise.
A set of pull ups starts each super set of three exercises. The pull ups are not standard pull ups like you’d see in a beginner’s course. Remember, One on One workouts were designed for P90X graduates who wanted to continue using extreme fitness training routines. These pull ups are for extreme workouts. If you’re like me and can’t do them, you just do what you can.
After a set of pull ups, you’ll move on to a set of balance ball exercises. These are challenging because you have to use tiny little muscle to stabilize your body. For example, one of the balance ball exercises requires you to do push ups with your hands on the ball and your feet on a bench. I modified here by placing my feet on the floor. Modifying exercises allows you to build up strength and endurance over time while preventing injuries from overexertion or improper form.
The final set of exercises is performed with a basketball. I didn’t have a basketball, so I used a four pound medicine ball. I really liked using a smaller ball in this workout. I thought the added weight worked well to intensify the V-up crunches. It was also easier for my hand to palm during the push up exercises than a basketball would have been for me.
Core Ball Sandwich is an extreme fitness workout that brings both challenge and variety to any Beachbody program. It takes advantage of interval training to get your heart rate up which means your metabolism is charged. When your metabolism is burning so is fat! This workout brought plenty of sweat and as I write this, my abs are still on fire.
Turbo Jam: Ab Jam
When I first looked at this dvd, I thought twenty minutes was an incredibly long time to be working on my abs. I’ve got to tell you that the time just flew by. I’m not sure what it is about Turbo Jam or Chalene Johnson, but each workout is fun. Fun means you’ll keep doing it. Fun means you get through the workout before you realize you’re exercising…just kidding.
Keeping with the trademark of Beachbody workouts, Ab Jam uses cardio interval training to keep your heart pumping. You’re going to sweat, burn calories, melt fat, and pump up your metabolism.
The first half of the workout is standing. If you’re used to working your abs with crunches, a ball, or ab machines, you’ll be surprised at how many different ways you can work your abdominal muscles standing up.
You may not be comfortable doing standing ab exercises. Give it a chance and work through it. It’s probably just new to you. Some of the standing ab exercises are similar to those in Debbie Sieber’s Slim in 6. I also noticed some similarities with Tony Horton’s P90X Extreme Home Fitness System.
The second half of the workout moves to ab exercises on the floor. I learned some new moves. I was expecting something in between Slim in 6 and P90X’s Ab Ripper X or Yoga Belly 7. My favorite floor exercise in Ab Jam involves sitting on the floor with your hands on the floor behind you. Your knees are bent…feet off the floor. You then lean back and touch your knees to the left until they hit the floor. Then, your bring them to the right until they hit the floor, etc. This works the lower abs really good!
I’ve got a few more ab routines to review for you, so you’ll have plenty of information on how to get yourself a tight, flat set of abs. Still coming up: Turbo Jam Booty Sculpt & Abs, Tony Horton’s One on One Core Ball Sandwhich, and Brett Hoebel’s new 90 day ab solution Rev Abs.
Rev Abs isn’t available, yet. This Beachbody workout won’t be released until the fall; however, I have a preview dvd. It’s the first dvd in program. Getting free preview dvds of upcoming releases is one of the benefits of being a Beachbody Coach. Speaking of previews, I have an extra Tony Horton One on One Cardio Intervals dvd.
Here’s all you have to do to get it. Click here to sign up for a free Beachbody account. When you sign up for your free account, Beachbody will let me know that you signed up from this website. I will then send you an email to make arrangements to get the dvd to you. If you’re not the first to sign up, don’t worry. I will personally make sure you get a dvd for free just for visiting my site and signing up for your free account. (Of course I won’t be able to extend this offer forever. You must act by August 31st, 2009.)
Do you know the benefits of getting your free Beachbody account? They’re amazing…
1. Access to the WOWY (workout with you) online supergym. Here, you’ll be able to schedule workouts and track your progress. You’ll also be able to connect with other people in the supergym with you and be eligible to win cash and prizes of up to $1000 per day.
2. You can compete for the $25,000 grand prize in the Million Dollar Body Game.
3. Your own personal coach (me) to help guide you to the support, tools, and motivation you need to reach your goals.
4. Workout buddies to help keep you motivated.
5. Access to the Beachbody message boards and cool down chat room.
6. Weekly Beachbody newsletters where you’ll learn about nutrition, exercise, and more.
Go ahead, sign up here! You’ve got nothing to lose except all those extra pounds.
Turbo Jam: Punch, Kick & Jam
Chalene’s style of keeping it fun and keeping your eyes off the clock held true in her 48 minute Punch, Kick & Jam workout in the Turbo Jam program. As the name suggests, this workout packs a lot of punches – jab, cross, hook, uppercut – kicks from all sides and lots of jamming to upbeat music.
I added the Beachbody weighted gloves with this workout to increase the intensity a little. It was enough (.75 pounds for each glove) to increase the intensity but still allow me to work aerobically without going to the point of exhaustion. You can certainly get a good workout without the weighted gloves though.
Now that the workout is over, I can really tell that I worked my abs. I can especially feel my upper abs and obliques. I was dripping with sweat at the end of the workout but felt energized and stretched out at the same time.
The hardest part of this workout for me was the cooling down period when we did a lot of capoeira. I think this will get easier for me as I learn the moves in this section better. What’s nice about the capoeira section is that your body is stretching after a lot of punching and kicking. P90X didn’t have any capoeira moves, so this is totally new to me.
I’m thinking about jumping back over to P90X Yoga X for a day just to see how that workout feels after doing all these Turbo Jam jabs and kicks. I’m guessing that it’s going to be a lot easier than when I was going through 90 days of P90X. I still have a few Turbo Jam workouts to enjoy before I do that. And, I’m expecting my new Tony Horton One on One workout to arrive this week. It’s so fun having variety in my exercising routine.
I always like to tell you when I see something new in a program that I like. Toward the end of the workout, Chalene had us to pull out a resistance band. I totally wasn’t expecting that. It reminded me of the toning portion of Slim in 6. I thought I’d see similar moves, but we only did three moves and they were all different from the one we did in Slim in 6. By the way, if you need resistance bands, you can get them from the Beachbody store or shop for gym stuff where I often do because of the quality, prices, and free shipping. (Update – This website is currently unavailable, so I removed the link. I should have it repaired soon.)
First, we used the band in conjunction with uppercut punches. Then, we used it to put resistance on on jabs in a side-lunge position. That was cook because I could really feel it working the anterior (front) shoulder muscle with each jab. The last thing we did with the band was a series of side kicks to work the outer thighs and glutes.
I don’t think I’ve ever used resistance bands to work my legs. I liked the way we formed a loop with one handle of the band to make a stirrup for the foot. I’ve worked out plenty using cables and ankle attachments. I’ve even used a fancy foot attachment with my Bowflex Revolution, but this simple technique was just as effective, more comfortable, and less expensive.
I’ve got two more workouts to move through in the Turbo Jam program before I repeat any of them. I still haven’t experienced Ab Jam or Booty Sculpt & Abs. You’ll see me going back to Yoga Booty Ballet on occassion as well. I’m mixing up a few programs right now to take a break from following just one trainer. When I reach my current weight goal, I think I’ll go back to P90X for 90 days or workout with Tony Horton for 90 days with Power 90.
What’s the difference in the programs I’m doing now vs. P90X and Power 90? I’m focusing primarily on cardio and toning right now. P90X and Power 90 put more emphasis on strength training. As I’ve said in previous articles, it’s important to define your current fitness goals and then, support your goals with appropriate fitness routines. What are your current fitness goals?
If you’d like free coaching, sign up for your free Beachbody account. My job as a coach is to help people define and reach their fitness goals through fitness programs such as P90X, Slim in 6, Turbo Jam, and Insanity. If you have a passion for fitness, you can sign up as a coach yourself and start your own business helping others get fit. As a bonus, you’ll save 25% on your Beachbody orders. Stay fit. Keep pressing play!
Yoga Booty Ballet – Hip Hop Abs
I pushed play for the first time today on a funky Beachbody workout with Teigh McDonough and Gillian Marloth. The name of the program is Yoga Booty Ballet Live – Hip Hop Abs, and it’s from their Yoga Booty Ballet series. I wasn’t sure what if I’d like it or not. Like other workout programs, I watched the video before trying to participate in the routine. It looked like they were dancing and having fun. The fun part I get, but let me tell you….I can’t dance!
Teigh and Gillian team up to deliver easy to learn dance moves that keep your body moving. You can let loose and have fun because you’re in the privacy of your own home. It’s not all about learning Hip Hop dance moves though. The workout starts and ends with some yoga moves. Don’t get scared about the word “ballet” in the title. Other Yoga Booty Ballet (YBB) workouts incorporate some ballet stretching, but this routine does not… (Read more.)
Raising the Intensity of Slim in 6 & Other Beachbody Workouts
After doing 90 days of Tony Horton’s P90X Extreme Home Training System, you’d think that I’d be ready to take a break. The fact of the matter is that once you start seeing your own results, you get hooked on Beachbody workouts. I’m in the middle of Debbie Sieber’s Slim in 6 slim training workout program for weight loss at the time of this writing.
Each new workout in the Slim in 6 program challenged me in the beginning, but I knew that if I wanted to continue seeing the results I wanted that I had to raise my intensity level. It’s important to keep your heart rate in a working zone throughout your workout. That’s where you burn fat and calories. So what did I do? I put on some kickboxing type of hand weights. You can get a pair right from the Beachbody store. Chalene Johnsons’s Turbo Jam workout comes with a pair of these weighted gloves. You’ve probably seen her use them in the Turbo Jam infomercial. The gloves help increase the intensity and increase the burn.
Other things you can do to increase the intensity of a workout if you have extra energy on a particular day or if you don’t feel like you’re working hard enough to get the results you want include adding movements that raise your legs or knees higher, going deeper into lunges and squats, and/or raising your arms above your head. You can also do more reps than they are doing on the video. For example, I can do far more push ups from my P90X experience than the number Debbie’s team does in Slim in 6.
What’s my point? Every workout program has to be personalized. And, you’re the only one who can do that. If you’ve read any of my articles on P90X, you’ll notice that I often had to modify the other way. Heck, I still can’t do even on pull up, but I’m still working on it. I did what I could with each P90X workout and kept it as intense as I could. I often had to modify until I got stronger or had more endurance. As I look back, it must’ve been a pitiful sight to watch me do my first couple of rounds with P90X Yoga X!
I like the intensity of the P90X training program and the personality of Mr. Tony Horton who is the fitness expert, trainer, and author of the program. To stay in touch with that energy, I subscribed to Tony Horton’s One on One program which allows me to get a new P90X level training program every month. Each workout focuses on one area such as cardio or abs or delts. The workouts are shorter (20-40 minutes on average) than they were in P90X. The P90X workouts were about an hour long….unless you did the Yoga X…a grueling 92 minutes!
If you’re a graduate of P90X, here are a few options for keeping your workouts new and challenging. Try the One on One automatic shipment or try P90X+ which was developed for P90X grads who just couldn’t get enough of the X. You can also try Tony’s 10 Minute Trainers which are intense short workouts that you can fit into those tight schedules. But, if you want to try an intense workout, and you’re up for a 60 day cardio challenge, you might be ready for Shaun T’s Insanity.
I’m not ready for a cardio program that intense, yet. My personal coach is doing this program and loving it though. I’m ok with not being right there at the starting line as Insanity takes its hold on the world. It was just released this month, so extreme fitness fanatics everywhere are ordering this program. Shaun T’s program has a unique offer with the program if you’re one of the few, the proud…oh, wait a minute – that’s the Marines…if you’re one of the insane, crazy people who think they can do this heart pumping, sweat pouring 60 day program. If you graduate the program, you’ll get a cool Insanity T-shirt if you send in your before and after pictures. How cool is that?
You know what’s really cool about Beachbody workouts? You’ve heard me say this before. There is a Beachbody workout that is right for everyone, every body, every fitness level. Beachbody’s philosophy is to get you moving and help you live a healthy and fit life. So, what are you waiting for? “Change your body. Change your life.”
Burn It Up Exercise List
Phase III of Debbie Sieber’s slim training workout, Burn It Up, is about 59 minutes in length. After you’ve done this routine several times, you can anticipate what exercise is coming up. I think this program is lacking in one area. It doesn’t have a list of the exercises in writing, so you can follow along, and it doesn’t put the names of the upcoming exercise on the screen.
I guess I was kind of spoiled with the P90X Extreme Training Fitness Guide. Each workout had it’s own section where each exercise was not only listed but a brief description was included. When you had a DVD playing, the bottom of the screen would tell you what exercise to expect next. As you learned the names of the exercises, it was easier to develop a comfortable routine as a member of the class.
I was thinking about this because I did Tony Horton’s July One on One: Cardio Intervals DVD last week. I didn’t have a list of exercises, but Tony had one taped to the mirror in his gym. That kept him on track. He would announce the exercise that we were doing next, but I didn’t have a list anywhere and the screen didn’t provide that information either…read more
