Brazil Butt Lift Bum Bum Workout
When Beachbody’s Brazil Butt Lift first came out, I wasn’t sure I wanted to add it to my workouts. Something about a workout designed specifically to shape the backside intrigued me though. One of the things I wanted to work on was what I considered to be a flat bum bum with excessive hip pockets. So, here I am telling you about my first full workout with Leandro Carvalho’s Brazil Butt Lift program.
Let me start off by explaining that “bum bum” is pronounced “boom boom” and is Brazilian slang for butt. The Bum Bum workout is Leandro’s signature workout that he has used to help supermodels get in shape.
When I was reading the materials for this program, I must have skipped over the part about the Bum Bum workout being an “intense cardio and lower body sculpting” routine. I was expecting the butt sculpting exercises that were on the cards. I wasn’t expecting the cardio portion. I was out of breath from beginning to end during this 35 minute introduction to Brazil Butt Lift!
It felt pretty good. I could feel my muscles working deep; however, it wasn’t the intense sculpting pain I usually get when I work the backside. When I did the Slim in 6 program, the butt exercises on the floor were killer! Leandro keeps you in a move long enough to feel it but then, moves you into a different exercise to change the stress on the muscle group.
This is a 30 day program with five workouts (not including the Booty Basics which demonstrates how to do the exercises.) There are three customized programs designed to give you maximum results depending on your “booty blueprint” and goals. (Learn more about what comes with Brazil Butt Lift.) I look forward to using this program and writing about my experiences.
I will be returning to my ChaLean Extreme program and will probably work both programs together. As you might have read in past posts, I had an injury that slowed me down for a while. Staying fit sometimes means listening to your body and always modifying whenever and however needed. I stay motivated by mixing up my Beachbody workouts. I share what I learn to help others and…it gives me one more reason to keep pressing play!
As Good As I Once Was
I haven’t written in a long time and have struggled to work out lately due to pain from an injury in my upper left leg. I am not sure if I injured myself from pushing too hard in one of my workouts or from just living life. Sometimes, I think the pain is from a nerve. If it’s not a nerve, then it has to be the outer thigh muscle. I am taking an anti-inflammatory and stretching throughout the day. I hope to be back to normal soon.
My injury made me think about Toby Keith’s country song As Good As I Once Was. Here are some of the lyrics:
I ain’t as good as I once was
That’s just the cold hard truth….
May not be good as I once was
But I’m as good once as I ever was
As we age (yes, I am in my forties) or we are not as fit as we could be or have illness or injuries to work around, our minds still go back to our youth when we played on swings and were invinceable. It is hard for me to have an injury because my mind still wants to work out. I have to remind myself daily that a modified routine is currently in my best interest. A daily regimen of stretching…
May not be good as I once was
But I’m as good once as I ever was
Even with taking a time out, I think about Beachbody workouts. They have helped me change my mind set. Changing your mental habits helps you change your physical habits.
The wonderful thing about working out and getting fit is you will improve your health and fitness. The lyrics of Toby Keith’s song do not have to hold true throughout your life. You might have to modify your workouts. (My mother has fibromyalgia and has to workout in a pool. She would never be able to do any sort of athletic training like I do with P90X or ChaLean Extreme.) But, by doing the level and type of exercising that you can do, your mind and body will grow stronger.
You can lose weight, melt fat, increase muscle, and boost your metabolism. You can in fact, change the words of the lyrics just as you can change your mindset and physical condition.
I ain’t as tired as I once was
That’s just the cold hard truth….
May not be as young now as I once was
But I’m healthier now as I ever was
Here are some more ideas. Find one that hits home and write it down. Look at that phrase everyday before your workout and after. I hope it brings you some motivation to keep pressing play.
I ain’t as heavy as I once was
That’s just the cold hard truth….
May not be as young now as I once was
But I’m leaner now as I ever was
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I ain’t as fat as I once was
That’s just the cold hard truth….
May not be as young now as I once was
But I’m toner now as I ever was
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I ain’t as uncommited as I once was
That’s just the cold hard truth….
May not be as young now as I once was
But I’m more commited now as I ever was
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Keep pressing play!
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.
ChaLEAN Extreme Burn It Off!
At the completion of week 1 of ChaLEAN Extreme, you’ll be introduced to a cardio workout called Burn It Off! Although the workout is only about 30 minutes long, it is comparable to the Plyometrics workout in P90X. Yes! It’s intense and involves jumping. You’ll be breathing hard and your heart will be pumping. I was sweating more than I thought I would with a 30 minute cardio session.
Chalene Johnson shows us a different type of aerobic conditioning with moves far different from her Turbo Jam series. You won’t see one punch, cross, jab, wheel, or kick in this workout. It’s different from the Cardio X and Kenpo X moves that Tony Horton uses in P90X. What is similar is the use of high intensity interval training to get your heart rate up in a short time.
This fitness workout starts with a warm up followed by five back to back exercises approxiamately two minutes each. At the end of the five exercises, you get a one minute break to rest and hydrate. Then, you’ll be back on the floor for six more exercises and a cool down.
This was an intense workout for me. I tried to push myself because I want to get the most out of my workouts. Chalene has two women in her group who perform modified versions of each exercise to demonstrate how to decrease the intensity or impact of a particular move. She also talks to you throughout the video and reminds you to push yourself but only to your level.
The best part about this workout was getting to the end! I mean that in a good way. This was a challenging workout for me. I made it to the end, so I’m thrilled about that. I know that I’m burning fat. I know I’m boosting my metabolism. I know that I made it a little closer to my goals today. Keep pushing play! It works.
Trading My Black Jeans for a Black Dress
I’ve always had a pair of black jeans. Black jeans are supposed to make you look slimmer. I needed that to help cover my growing pear shape. I only own one pair of black jeans now, and they tell a story.
About a year before I discovered Beachbody workouts, I was shopping for a pair of jeans. I couldn’t find any jeans or khakis that fit my shape. I was getting frustrated and told myself I was only trying on one more pair. They just happened to be a pair of black jeans, size 34 30. I was stunned that I needed a size 34, but I got them because I needed to expand my wardrobe (pun intended).
I still have those jeans, but I don’t wear them in public anymore. With a new waist size of 26.5, they hang on me quite a bit. (See picture in right sidebar.) Now, I can wear that black form fitting backless dress – a style I thought was long lost to my high school days. My belly is flat. My muscles are getting toned. I’m becoming that success story none of us thought was true.
This is my own personal experience. So far, I’ve taken off FIVE inches on my waist and lost about 25 pounds. I feel great because I’m fueling my body with good nutrition and keeping my metabolism fired with regular activity. You can join me on my fitness journey and trade your black jeans for a black dress. Are you ready to make a positive change in your life and health today?
Muscle Burns Fat ChaLEAN Extreme Day 1
As you’ve probably read in previous fitness articles in my Beachbody Workout reviews, I’ve been wanting to go throught the ChaLEAN Extreme program to compare the training differences between the two programs and trainers Chalene Johnson and Tony Horton. Last night, I started my 90 day fitness journey with ChaLEAN Extreme by pushing play on Burn Circuit 1.
Since I am a P90X graduate, I have high expectations for any program with the word “extreme” in its title or description. So far, I believe Chalene has earned the right to use that word. My posterior delts were burning by the time I got done with this 35 minute workout.
Chalene Johnson is a concerned trainer who keeps you inspired to keep pushing but reminds you of form throughout each exercise. Don’t be put off by the fact that this strength training routine is only 35 minutes while the P90X Extreme Home Fitness program averages an hour for each workout.
You can accomplish a lot in 35 minutes by using compound exercises, using slow reps, heavy weights, and a breakdown set. Each workout session consists of nine compound exercises that work 2-3 muscle groups at one time.
For P90X fans who love push ups, Chalene has her own version to add to all those varities Tony Horton punished us with. It’s a standard push up followed by a right leg raise from the plank pose. Then, you do another push up followed by a left leg raise from the plank pose. You continue until your form starts to falter. You’ll use your abs in this one!
I’ve also got to say that I love the warm up period because Chalene gets you moving and the blood pumping at a good pace before picking up weights. And, because she uses compound movements, the warm up doesn’t take up 15 minutes of the routine. As you know, if you’re going to do P90X, you’ve got to have a chunk of time available six days a week. With ChaLEAN Extreme, it looks like 35 minutes per workout and only five days a week.
Because I do like Tony Horton and the P90X exercises, I am a subscriber of Tony Horton’s One On One workouts. A new DVD comes to my door every month with Tony working out alone for 35-40 minutes. These routines are designed for P90X graduates. They’re not a break down of P90X sessions. They’re extreme workouts in Tony Horton style…and for a shorter duration than P90X.
I’m excited to take on the ChaLEAN Extreme challenge. Before I go, I want to point out one major difference between P90X and ChaLEAN Extreme (CLX)…CLX does not use a chin up bar ladies! You will not be struggling to do pull ups, but you will be working just as hard to get in the best shape of your life!
Mountain Hike to Crabtree Falls
Yesterday was a chilly day. It was raining as we started our three mile trip to the mountains for fresh apples. We wondered if we should’ve chosen another weekend for this annual event, but it’s hard enough to get a few friends together on the same day.
By the time we got to the orchards, the rain had stoppped and the sun was trying to come out. The ground was wet, but we were happy that the rain had stopped. The brisk air promised a great fall adventure.
We loaded up some apples from a favorite orchard. (The smell of apples in season is simply heavenly.) Then, we headed for Crabtree Falls to do some hiking.
I’m not sure how long we hiked, but we did see the falls. I appreciated the morning rain as we passed creeks, brooks, rivers and falls. The water was rushing because of the morning rain which created a magical sound that took me back to my childhood when our family took day trips. We laughed and hiked and had a wonderful time.
I’m a little sore this morning as I write this entry. I’m not used to walking up and down steep mountain trails. It feels good in a way though. It reminds me of how good it feels to incorporate fitness with friends and family. It also reminds me of how mixing up your routine keeps your muscles challenged.
I think that’s why you see people who work out regularly but don’t get the results they desire. It’s not because they’re not trying. It’s because our bodies adapt to the stresses we put on it. If we don’t mix up our exercise routines, we don’t ask our muscles to do anything different. If you want the same results, keep doing the same things you’re doing now. If you want different results, mix it up.
Tony Horton’s P90X Extreme Home Fitness and One on One series for P90X grads follows this philosophy. You’ll never get bored working out with Tony. He mixes in strength training, cardio, core, stretching, and yoga. You’ll learn how to work out with simple things like a chin up bar and bands or a few dumbbells as well as how to use your own body weight as resistence. As a matter of fact, the best tricep exercise I’ve ever done I learned from Tony.
This tricep exercise doesn’t use a machine, band, or weights. It doesn’t use a chair or bench if you were thinking about chair dips. It just uses your own body weight by lying on your side and lifting your body by extending your arm from a bent to straight arm position. It was difficult for me to get the right form in the beginning because I hadn’t seen this exercise, but now I love it. I played the dvd until I got the form right. It was like having Tony as a personal trainer right here in my living room.
Well, whether you work out with a Beachbody workout video today or take a hike up to Crabtree Falls, I hope you do something to get and stay fit today. Play some ball with your kids, walk around the block with a friend, go to your gym, dust off your yoga matt…get your fitness on!
Shakeology 50 The Workout
I started my Monday morning today by pressing play with Shakeology 50 The Workout. I reallly missed Chalene Johnson and Tony Horton, but I had a great whole body workout which is what I wanted to do to start the the new week.
Shakeology 50 combines light cardio and resistance training with exercises you probably learned in a high school gym class, including basic squats and crunches. There are variations added to some of the exercises that will keep you challenged. However, I think you’ll be comfortable with the bulk of the exercises due to familiarity in other fitness routines.
I like the Beachbody Shakeology 50 workout as a routine to mix in with other exercise plans. Yesterday was a rest day for me, so I wanted to give my whole body a kick start for this week’s fitness schedule. I plan on mixing strength training, cardio, yoga, and core using a few of my favorite programs.
If you’re new to exercising, the Shakeology 30 and the Shakeology 50 workouts are good programs to get you going. According to Beachbody, in a 90 day independent study, those who did the Shakeology Program lowered total cholesterol by 30% and “bad” cholesterol by 38% on average. They lost an average of 10 pounds and 2 inches on their waists, experienced improved digestion and regularity and improved energy and stamina. (Learn more about the Shakeology The Workouts.)
Maybe you’re wondering what “Shakeology” is all about. I’ve been using the Shakeology nutrition shake for about four months now. I’ve used other protein shakes and find I do have better energy levels and improved digestion and regularity with this product. It’s different because of the nutrition that’s in Shakeology.
It’s been called the healthiest meal of the day – like taking a trip to the salad bar…with five plates! Clean Eating magazine published an article about the benefits of wheatgrass in their Nov/Dec 2009 issue. Yep, that’s one of the ingredients. You’ll also find 17 grams of protein, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 500 mg of calcium and a slew of vitamins and minerals. What you won’t find is gluten, caffeine, refined sugars or artificial sweeteners.
Beachbody does a better job talking about the Shakeology product. Learn more about Shakeology, The Healthiest Meal of the Day. If you set up automatic shipments every month, you’ll enjoy FREE shipping. You’ll also get the Shakeology Workouts (30 and 50) FREE. If you have any questions about Beachbody, Shakeology or the Workouts, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
P90X Legs & Back
It’s been a while since I’ve done the P90X Extreme Training System Legs and Back workout which is just under an hour. As you probably know from reading my reviews, I usually tried to avoid ab work when I tried staying fit using home equipment or the gym. I didn’t pay much attention to my legs either.
I didn’t like to work my legs because I feared they would get bigger. I already had what I consider “thunder thighs” and didn’t understand that I needed to do a combination of strength training and cardio to shape my legs. I knew this at an intellectual level, but somehow, I seem to forget stuff like that when I get around fitness equipment.
That’s one of the reasons it’s so good for me to have a “personal trainer” in my living room. I’ve got a routine and someone to help me stay focused and in form. That’s how you get results.
The P90X Legs and Back workout routine is sure to fatigue all your leg muscles as well as your back muscle group. All of the back exercises in this workout are done using a chin up bar or a resistence band. The leg exercises rely on the weight and position of your body. We’re not just talking about classic squats and lunges. You’ll work your butt off (literally), sweat a lot, and your muscles are going to shake. That’s good stuff.
I can do one unassisted chin up. Prior to P90X, I couldn’t do any unassisted chin ups at all. I know my back is getting stronger though, so I keep doing my best…not beating up on myself if I can’t do everything…refusing to use the difficulty of the exercise as an excuse to not even try.
Excuses steal your health and fitness. Determination develops your strength and stamina. I know this because I can do that one chin up now. I know that because I recently went to an event and wore a backless black dress. I wasn’t self-conscious about my legs. I even got a compliment on my back! What? Where’s a mirror? Let me check that out….I’ve got real muscles back there?
I really needed that compliment. When people mirror back to you the progress they see, it serves as a great motivator to press play. Speaking of motivators, if you want one great motivator to press play on this Beachbody workout guys, check out a picture of Tony Horton’s legs. He has awesome cuts. Gals, don’t worry about getting big leg muscles like Tony…check out Drey and while you’re at it, check out her back muscles. Wow!
Burning Fat, Blasting Abs, Turbo Jam’s Ab Jam Workout
My abs were still burning from working out with Tony Horton’s a Core Ball Sandwich the other day, but I decided to put in Chalene Johnson’s 20 minute Ab Jam workout from her Turbo Jam series anyway. Half of this routine does standing ab exercises. The other half is performed on the floor.
What I really like about Beachbody workouts is each trainer has their own style for working out abs. I used to be one of those people who would go to the gym and walk by anything that looked like it might involve abs. I didn’t like working my abdominal muscles because it involved pain.
My neck and lower back always seemed to hurt when I did ab exercises. I didn’t know I needed a trainer to keep me motivated, correct my form, and give me options for getting my mid-section in shape.
The standing portion of Ab Jam feels a lot like the other Turbo Jam workouts. It’s a little bit punching and kicking combined with music and Chalene’s style of fun. It’s true that you forget you’re working out when you’ve got a Turbo Jam DVD playing.
Here’s a hint for Ab Jam…warm up with the 20 Minute Cardio session. You’ll get your cardio, have a great warm up and keep the fat burning while working your abs with Ab Jam.
I will say that when we moved to the floor session, I knew for sure we were focusing on abs! Some of the moves Chalene uses are killer on the obliques and not once did I feel pain in my neck or lower back.
She reminds you to lead with your shoulder (not your elbow) when you’re doing crunches to keep the pressure off your neck. When doing standing crunches, she’ll tell you to lift your “hip” not your knee when doing side crunches.
Form is everything folks! I can appreciate a trainer who knows the common mistakes we all make and gently educates us on how to make each move more effective while reducing the risk of injury.
I like to combine the 20 minute Turbo Jam cardio with the Ab Jam workout which is also 20 minutes in length. I think I need to give my abs some recovery time now. I feel like I just did Ab Ripper X or Yoga Belly from P90X. I think I need to go to the kitchen and refuel now. Mommy!
Patience Hummingbird – More Yoga from Tony Horton
Patience Hummingbird is a 36 minute yoga workout with Tony Horton in this month’s One On One. It was a good workout that left me both sweaty and very relaxed. This workout wasn’t as grueling as the P90X Yoga X routine, but it had its own challenges. The length of dvd was perfect. I think Beachbody listened to the practioners of P90X Yoga X when they talked in the message boards about the length of Yoga X.
Patience Hummingbird provided me with an excellent hamstring stretch. It also seemed to work my core muscles very well. I find that adding yoga to my fitness program once per week leaves me invigorated and aides in muscle strength and flexibility.
I subscribe to the Tony Horton One on One fitness series. I get a new Tony Horton workout shipped to my doorstep every month. I like it because I have a new challenge every month, and I know it will be a challenge because Tony designed this series for P90X graduates.
You don’t have to subscribe to the home direct automatic shipment program to get this dvd. You can actually order as a single workout. So, if the P90X Yoga X is too difficult right now or you’d like a shorter version than the 92 minutes in Yoga X, Patience Hummingbird might be your solution. This is definitely a good addition to the lineup of Beachbody workouts.
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.
Shakeology The Workouts – The 30
It’s been at least an hour since I completed my workout tonight and my abs are still burning! What did I do? Shakeology The Workouts – The 30. Quite a name isn’t it? The 30 is quite simply the thirty minute workout vice the fifty minute workout designed to compliment Beachbody’s Shakeology. My abs aren’t burning because of the workout focusing on abs. They’re burning because I was introduced to a new ab exercise. It seems like every Beachbody workout has a slight twist when it comes to working out the abdominal muscles. Each trainer seems to have their own unique signature ab moves.
The workout was only thirty minutes long but took advantage of interval training to keep the heart rate up. Keeping the heart rate up means you’ll burn fat and rev your metabolism. The workout involved three rounds of exercises that combined both cardio moves and strength training exercises. All that’s needed for the strength training is one light set of dumbbells or a resistance band.
What did I like most about it? This workout will make an excellent fitness dvd to take on vacation. It’s designed to work your whole body from head to toe, including toning and cardio. It can be done in a small area such as a hotel room. I can use a resistance band that easily packs and the packaging for the dvds will pack nicely in a suit case.
I will probably also use the workout as a fill in workout to mix in a little variety when I need it. For example, when I do round two of P90X in September or October, I may use the Shakeology workouts to substitute for a Cardio X workout. I’d rate the intensisty as medium. You can certainly modify moves (demonstrated by one of the participants) to reduce the intensity if you’re new to exercising or need to modify for health reasons.
By the way, the trainer’s name is Tania Ante. You can also find her on Beachbody’s Hip Hop Abs, Insanity and Rockin’ Body fitness workout dvds. Tania does an excellent job of demonstrating proper form before each exercise.
If you’re not familiar with Shakeology, it’s a meal replacement shake that Beachbody likes to call it “the healthiest meal of the day.” It’s not just a protein shake or a regular meal replacement shake. It contains 70 healthy ingredients and even comes with a 30 day money back guarantee. Take some time to learn about the awesome health benefits of Shakeology. It’s really impressive, and I just can’t do it justice trying to write about it here.
I was impressed enough to make this my breakfast on work days. It’s nutritious and filling. I also liked the fact that in a 90 day study where test participants replaced one shake per day with Shakeology, ate a balanced diet and moderately worked out three times per week reduced their cholesterol an average of 30% and their bad cholesterol by an average of 38%. In a day and age where doctors prescribe medication before educating individuals on nutrition and exercise, I was excited to learn that Shakeology might help in the fight to control cholesterol levels.
You can order the Shakeology workouts alone or get them free when you sign up for an automatic monthly delivery of either Greenberry or Chocolate Shakeology. When you sign up for automatic monthly delivery, you’ll also get your shipping for the Shakeology free every month. It’s kind of a nice program because you get the free workouts, free shipping, and you won’t run out of your meal replacement shake.
Oh, a few stats on the shake…everyone wants to know about calories, fat, carbs, and protein so here’s the stats on the Chocolate Shakeology. 140 Calories. Only 1 gram of fat. 17 grams of carbohydrates. 17 grams of protein. When you read more about Shakeology, you’ll be able to open up the nutrition label on both the Greenberry and Chocolate if you want to review it before adding it to your fitness plan.
If you have a Beachbody program, keep pressing play. If you’re new to Beachbody, nutrition, working out, getting in shape, improving your fitness, or losing weight we’re here to help you meet your fitness goals.
Power 90 Sweat! Cardio 3-4
Nice workout! With Beachbody’s Sweat! Cardio 3-4 workout of Power 90, I did just that – sweat. The workout was like the Cardio 1-2 workout; however, it was just a little longer and faster. Instead of doing three rounds of a group of exercises, Cardio 3-4 takes you through three rounds. The exception to three rounds is the kicking series which only has two rounds.
I think that most people can do Power 90 and get results if they are consistent in working out. It takes a lot of work to get the results you want. Finding the right exercise activity and then, staying motivated enough to do it is only part of the equation. You also have to get yourself educated about nutrition and then, eat to fuel your body and your goals.
If you’ve mastered Power 90 and would like to take your fitness to the next level, you’ll want to consider Tony Horton’s P90X Extreme Home Fitness. P90X isn’t an easy program. There are 13 different workouts that consist of some tough strenth training, power yoga, stretching, balancing, and aerobics. Most of the P90X routines are an hour long. The Yoga X is 92 minutes long and will make you sweat as much as any aerobic program.
I started my journey with P90X. As I worked through the program, I realized that not everyone could start with such a challenging and extreme fitness workout program. That’s why I’m incorporating some of the less intense programs into my fitness reviews. I want to know first hand what programs to recommend to the people I coach based on my own experiences.
Of course I won’t be able to try out all the Beachbody workouts, but I will give a personal account whenever I can. My two favorite programs are P90X and Turbo Jam. I love P90X because of the intensity and challenge. It’s a well-written program that gives you a 90 day plan to keep you on track. I love Turbo Jam because it’s fun. You really forget that you’re working out. Power 90 will remain in my library as an alternative when I need a lower intensity workout on a rest day or a day when I’m not 100%.
Power 90 Sculpt! Circuit 1-2
The Sculpt! Circuit 1-2 workout of Tony Horton’s Power 90 program combines ample stretching with strength training. I found this workout to be a nice introduction to Tony’s training methods and working out in general. This routine is just under 29 minutes. You’ll need a resistance band or a set of dumbbells to get the best results from these exercises; however, you can do the exercises without the additional resistance of a band or weights.
Power 90 is set up on four phases that span a 90 day period. You progress through each phase whenever your body needs additional exertion. In other words, once a workout is getting easier, you have to move on to the next phase to keep your body burning fat and building muscle. Our bodies adapt to stress by improving our capability to handle the stress (i.e. building muscle to handle increased lifting requirements).
Sculpt! Circuit 1-2 is the strength training video for phases one and two. During this workout, you learn the moves and what your body is capable of doing. It’s important to take it easy the first time you do a new workout. It helps you set a base line for future workouts, lets you challenge yourself for your next workout, and perhaps most importantly, helps you learn proper form. Proper form means two things. You’ll minimize injuries. And, you’ll work the muscle(s) the exercise is designed to work.
Like all the Beachbody workouts, even though this routine focuses on strength training, you’re going to work up a little sweat. The workout is set up in three phases which consists of a group of six exercises. Each exercise has 8-12 reps and uses interval training to boost you’re metabolism and burn fat while toning your muscles from head to toe.
Again, I think Power 90 is good for beginners or those who need a lower intensity program due to fitness level or health. It’s good as a fill in workout on days when you want a less intense workout. When I’m feeling sick or under the weather just from being a woman, Power 90 will be a good workout to keep me moving. I think it’s important to keep moving even when you don’t feel like it. A lower intensity workout on days like these will at least keep you from stagnating and maybe even stopping your fitness routines becuase you missed a few days.
Power 90 Ab Ripper 100
Ab Ripper 100 is one of the ab routines in Tony Horton’s Power 90 Fat Burning System. I had heard of Ab Ripper 100 from P90X. In Ab Ripper X from P90X, Tony says that this isn’t Ab Ripper 100 or Ab Ripper 200, this is Ab Ripper 336. After finally doing Ab Ripper 100, that statement made more sense.
Ab Ripper X is 16 minutes of hard ab work. Each exercise has 25 reps except for the massive amount of Mason Twists done at the end. Oh, and let’s not forget the “yoga belly seven” ab work on the Yoga X video. That’s P90X. Let’s get back to Power 90 and Ab Ripper 100.
Ab Ripper 100 consists of 10 ab exercises. Each exercise has 10 reps for a total of “100″ reps. Most of the exercises were not excruciating because we only had 10 reps to get through. The hardest one for me was the full body crunch done right at the end. There’s always at least one ab exercise that’s difficult for me!
Can’t wait to try out Ab Ripper 200! Do I dare press play on Tony Horton’s One on One Core Ball Sandwhich? Oh, I will. How about you? Bring it, Tony!
Power 90 Sweat! Cardio 1-2
I wasn’t feeling well this past week, so I took it easy with my workout schedule. I tried to keep my eating fairly clean although I have to admit that I did enjoy an authentic Italian pizza with a few of my friends. I think it’s ok to back off from your exercise routine every once in a while and have a meal that isn’t as strict. What’s important is to remind yourself of the delicate balance between nutrition, food, and fuel for the body. If you have a day you don’t work out, adjust the amount of calories you’re eating that day to compensate for the reduced calorie expenditure.
I felt like doing something different today, so I pushed play on Tony Horton’s Power 90. Power 90 was produced by Beachbody prior to P90X and was the foundation used to design the P90X Etreme Home Training System. Power 90 consists of six workout routines – two cardio, two strength training, and two ab routines.
I started my workout with the Sweat 1-2 dvd. As you might’ve guessed by the name, it’s a cardio routine. The one and two refer to phase one and phase two of four phases in the Power 90 program. I think I like the three phase system (30 days for each phase) in the P90X program better than Power 90’s four phase system which relies on the participant to decide on when to move from one phase to the next. I’m more motivated by a program which has a beginning and end already set.
Sweat 1-2 is just under 36 minutes in length. I didn’t work up a lot of sweat, but the workout felt good as a transition back into working out after having a few days off. I think this program will be good for those new to exercise or those who need a slower pace due to weight or health. It’s an excellent preview to P90X.
Sweat 1-2 begins with stretching and then progresses to power yoga. The routine also pulls in some plyomtrics and kenpo karate. Tony uses a series of three exercises he calls a round. Once you go through the first round, you repeat the same exercises for a second round. After the second round, a new set of three exercises are introduced and repeated for a total of five exercise groupings.
This method allows you to feel the exercise the first time around and adjust your intensity up or down during the second round. It’s kind of nice knowing what’s coming in the second round, too. Tony uses this technique in his P90X program as well. Although P90X is a more intense exercise program (13 dvds & hour long workouts), Power 90 lays the foundation for the methodology and exercises.
I was familiar with front and side kicks, knee ups, punches, power yoga, and some of the other exercises in Power 90 because they were done in different variations in P90X. If you don’t know if you’re ready for P90X, you’re probably ready for Power 90. Try Power 90 for thee months. When you’re ready to go to the next level, P90X is your program.
I like mixing up different Beachbody workouts, and I like being able to tell you about these workouts because I’ve actually done them. I plan on doing all the Power 90 workouts and will write about them for you. Two last thoughts on Sweat 1-2…
I think this workout would be good for morning cardio. The stretching at the beginning and end is excellent. It’s only about 36 minutes long and gets your heart rate goind without putting you in overdrive. In other words, it will help me wake up while doing something good for my body.
My second thought is that it is such a good summary of P90X that it makes me want to do another round of P90X! Yes, that is in my future. I know I’m going to do another round of P90X because I just love that program. And, when I do press play on the X again, I just might do Power 90 on my rest day or on those occassional days when I need a less intense program. Click on Power 90 to learn more about what comes with this program and it’s 90 day money back guarantee.
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.
