What Do I Think About Tai Chi?
I always associated Beachbody workouts with losing weight, getting fit, and bringing out the inner athlete in all of us. When I thought about Tai Chi, I thought about those skinny sliver haired women in the park moving slowly together like synchronized swimmers on land. Now, I appreciate the fluidity of movement, strength, balance, flexibility and mental focus. I appreciate Tai Chi’s martial arts and self-defense background. I appreciate Beachbody for introducing me to Dr. Mark Cheng and his Tai Cheng program.
While there are many forms of Tai Chi and several movements, Dr. Cheng brings together 18 basic movements to introduce you to the practice of Tai Chi. Unlike other fitness programs, you won’t have to learn a lot of moves or choreography all at once.
Tai Cheng starts with learning one move per day for six days. In the next week, you learn how to put two moves together each day you work out. In the third week, you practice putting together the six Tai Chi movements you’ve learned into a single sequence.
Then, you begin to learn new moves in subsequent days until you’re moving through all 18 Tai Chi poses with strength and poise. It’s quite amazing how you feel as you start to transition from a learning mind and uncertainty to focused and fluid Tai Chi movement.
I bought the Tai Cheng program because I secretly wanted to try Tai Chi, but you never would’ve found me in a group of other people trying this art…especially if it was outside for everyone to see! I thought maybe Tai Chi would be a good weekend workout for when I just wanted to chill out or a workout to do when I was feeling under the weather. You know what? I got my socks knocked off! I actually look forward to doing Tai Cheng!
I’ve found that during the Tai Chi movements, stress melts away. My mind becomes so focused that I feel incredibly productive once I’ve finished my workout. I feel so relaxed after a workout that I feel like I’ve just spent an hour in my massage chair. I don’t feel any stress in my neck, shoulders, or back.
And you know what else surprised me about Tai Chi? It really does work on your strength and balance. I was totally surprised to have muscle aches in my hip flexors, back, butt, and shoulders. You might react differently, but those were my weaker muscles apparently.
You’ll see me writing more about Dr. Cheng’s program. I’ll get to meet him in June at the Beachbody Summit in Las Vegas. I can hardly wait to do a group workout with him and a few hundred other Tai Chi fans. He made Tai Chi understandable and fun for the new learner like me!
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Tony Horton Workouts: 10 Minute Trainer to P90X2
Tony Horton workouts are some of the most popular Beachbody workouts. His programs include Power 90, 10 Minute Trainer, and P90X, P90X One on One, and P90X2. With 100 days left in 2011, it’s time to pick a program and get into shape once and for all. Here’s a look at some of Tony’s programs, so you can choose the best workout for your style.
Tony Horton Workouts: Power 90
One of the earliest and best known of the Tony Horton workouts is Power 90. This is Tony’s original 90 day strength and cardio conditioning Beachbody workout program. It was the beginning of the Beachbody in home fitness revolution.
Power 90 is suitable for anyone who wants to improve their overall health and as a program to lose weight. It is a beginner to intermediate fitness program which is often recommended as a precurser to P90X for those who cannot pass the P90X fit test or want to start with a less intense program.
Tony Horton Workouts: 10 Minute Trainer
Another program from the classic Tony Horton workouts is 10 Minute Trainer which is still very popular today. Like all Beachbody workouts, it includes strength, cardio and stretching but each workout is only about 10 minutes in length. Tony wanted to kill the excuse that you don’t have time to work out. Take a look at him in this picture. You can tell it’s an older program.
Tony Horton Workouts: Tony and the Folks
Tony and the Folks is probably not one of the better known Tony Horton workouts. It’s a fun workout designed to help the older adult stay active.
This 30 minute low-impact workout includes modifications and is designed for people aged 55-75. The name of the program is definitely right from Tony Horton’s whacky humor. Gotta love him.
Tony Horton Workouts: Tony and the Kids
Another workout from the vault of Tony Horton workouts is Tony and the Kids. This program was designed to help kids develope a love for fitness.
It helps teach them the importance of exercising and eating right. Tony help you teach your kids these life values at an early age. Tony and the Kids is appropriate for kids aged 5-12.
Tony Horton Workouts: P90X
P90X is hands down the most popular of the Tony Horton workouts. It is a 90 day extreme fitness program designed to challenge the athlete within us, to ignite the old flame of competitiveness, to motivate the military might, to lose weight, build muscle and get into the best shape of your life.
P90X was my introduction to Beachbody workouts. Some people are intimidated and never open their P90X. Some people start it and quit. Others complete the 90 day program and then, go back to a lifestyle of bad eating and low activity levels. But for many, P90X gets them on track, gets them in the best shape of their lives, and helps them make life changing healthy habits long after the intial 90 days. One thing is for certain. P90X has proven results.
Tony Horton Workouts: P90X One on One
P90X One on One was developed after P90X and offers something very unique to the Tony Horton workouts. Tony sends out a new workout to your doorstep every month.
It’s a workout that is filmed in his home gym. Tony is doing the workouts. It’s just him and the camera guy which really makes it feel like you’re there working out with him. I personally enjoy the variety of workouts. They’re never quite like any past routines.
Tony Horton Workouts: P90X2
I cannot really write from experience about the new P90X because I don’t have a copy of it, yet. I believe this will be the evolution of all of Tony’s fitness training and a revolution in Tony Horton workouts. As a P90X graduate, I am looking forward to the challenge of P90X 2. I pre-ordered mine so I could have gauranteed delivery by Christmas, receive my two bonus DVDs for pre-ordering and not miss out on the free shipping offered with pre-orders.
Even the selections above don’t complete the Tony Horton workouts that you can experience in your own home. There’s also P90X Plus for P90X graduates, the Power Half Hour, and Power 90 Master Series. After reading this post, I think you’ll agree that the Tony Horton workouts are available for every fitness level whether you are a five year old, someone who needs to lose weight, or an out of shape warrior.
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P90X2 Preview: X2 Core Workout
Take a look at this short preview of the X2 Core workout from Tony Horton’s P90X 2. Pre-orders from P90X2 are now underway but won’t be delivered until December. (Don’t worry, your credit card won’t be charged until it ships.) Pre-ordering guarantees delivery by Christmas. The demand for P90X 2 is huge, so you’ll want to order yours early.
Click here to learn more about the P90X2 beachbody dvd home workout program.
P90X2 Preview: X2 Total Body
Take a look at this short preview of the X2 Total Body workout from Tony Horton’s P90X 2. Pre-orders from P90X2 are now underway but won’t be delivered until December. (Don’t worry, your credit card won’t be charged until it ships.) Pre-ordering guarantees delivery by Christmas. The demand for P90X 2 is huge, so you’ll want to order yours early.
Click here to learn more about the P90X2 beachbody dvd home workout program.
ChaLean Extreme Burn Circuit 2 Review
Burn Circuit 2 from ChaLean Extreme primarily works the biceps, triceps, back, and hamstrings. All the leg muscles, including the butt actually get a good workout, too. That’s because the trainer, Chalene Johnson, uses compound exercises to maximuze results in a short amount of time.
Burn Cirucuit 2 has nine compound exercises that incorporate both the upper and lower body at the same time. This Beachbody workout is about 35 minutes in length, including the warm up and cool down.
Of all the Burn Circuit workouts, Burn Circuit 2 is the hardest for me. I often right notes in the margin of my exercise tracker like “hard” or “form”. I have trouble with any type of dead lift, and two of the nine exercises are dead lifts!
The two dead lift exercises in the ChaLean Extreme Burn Circuit 2 dvd are the Dead Lift Row and the Dead Lift with Double Row. In these two exercises, you should feel both your hamstrings and back working.
I have to use a mirror and check my form with every single repitition because I have the tendency to round my back, and my instinct is to use my back to lift myself back up from a bent over position. What this does for me is twofold. First, my hamstrings don’t get the intended worout. Second, my lower back gets overworked. I have to focus on keeping my back flat and shoulders up. When it’s time to come back up, I have to mentally focus on contracted my hamstrings and butt muscles to return to an upright position.
The last time I did Burn Circuit 2, my margin notes for the Dead Lift Row read “FORM. Keep in hamstrings, not lower back.” My notes for the Dead Lift with Double Row simply states “VERY HARD”. I will keep working on these two exercises.
The other exercises in this routine are not as rough on me. Well, if the truth be known, I did find the Sumo Squat with Bicep Curl to be somewhat difficult. The difficulty on this one had nothing to do with form. I think I picked up a weight that was too heavy. I will adjust down a little the next time I do this workout.
What I have learned with Beachbody workouts is to do your best and forget the rest. I record the weight I used and the number of reps I did. I make notes so I can get better each time I work out. I am competing against my personal best and no one else. I know I will get stronger and improve my performance each time I do Burn Circuit 2. I love ChaLean Extreme and recommend it to any woman looking for a strength training program.
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