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.
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!
Stability Ball Plank Crunch & Side Arm Crunch
I pushed play on Core Ball Sandwich (CBS) tonight. It’s a Tony Horton One on One workout that I wrote about recently. Tonight, my body felt two exercises in particular, so I thought I’d write about them.
This workout routine is only about 35 minutes long after the warm up. It consists of two rounds of ten exercises that focus on strengthening the core muscles. It’s a killer ab session that will leave your abdominal muscles screaming!
The exercises that really hit me tonight were the Stability Ball Plank Crunch and the Side Arm Crunch. The side arm crunch is performed from a side plank position. You pull your elbow and knee toward each other in a side crunch while maintaining a side plank. That took a lot of focus, stability, and determination for me tonight.
The Stability Ball Plank Crunch obviously involves a stability ball. You begin in a plank position with your feet on top of the ball. Then, you move your knees into your chest while rolling the ball forward. Tony puts the balls of his feet on the ball, but I had to modify this one.
My ball is larger than it should be for this exercise. Therefore, I put the top of my feet on the ball rather than using the balls of my feet. That helped ensure I didn’t take a header. It’s ok to modify any exercise as long as you’re still working the intended muscle groups without the danger of injury or over compensation from another muscle group.
Tony’s new One on One 10-Minute Crusher Pack should arrive in about a week. It sounds like it’s going to be some old school cardio. Beachbody is sending a free speed jump rope with the DVD. You can get this DVD, Core Ball Sandwich or any other DVD on this series either separately or as a monthly subscription.
These programs were designed to keep P90X Extreme Home Fitness graduates challenged. They’re not designed for beginners. I would highly recommend trying out one of them if you want to get feel for how this trainer motivates and pushes all of his students.
They say that when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. Are you ready? (Don’t forget that as a Club Member you’ll save 10% off the retail price and as a Team Beachbody Coach, you’ll enjoy a savings of 25% even on the more expensive P90X program.)
P90X Yoga X – More Calm, More Storm
P90X Yoga X made it to my dvd player today. I hesitated before pushing play because I haven’t done this 92 minute power yoga workout in about two months. I looked forward to the workout, yet I dreaded some of the poses. I wondered if the workout would be as difficult this time around. I decided that I would commit to the first 45 minutes of the routine. I pushed play and set out to do my best.
Guess what? It’s still a difficult workout, but it’s better in the second round of P90X. I’m stronger now, and I know what’s coming. I used to shake a lot in upward dog and side plank. My core muscles are much stronger now. These yoga poses are no longer mastering me and kicking my butt.
On the other hand, the half moon sequence still causes a lot of shaking! At least I’m not stumbling, losing my balance, and falling to the floor in the half moon series any longer. So, the good news is I’m stronger and more flexible. The bad news is that to gain more calm….I’ve got to experience more storm.
I tell everyone that there’s nothing easy about the P90X Extrme Home Fitness program. You’ve got to really commit yourself and work all aspects of the program. You have to remain accountable to yourself and above all esle, be willing to fail and try again. That’s been my experience with P90X Yoga X. I commit to do my best. I struggle. I fall. I try again. I get stronger. I gain flexibility and balance. I master one move and still struggle with another. Calm. Storm.
I’m waiting on this month’s Tony Horton One on One to arrive. It’s his new yoga routine named “Patience Hummingbird”. It’s only about half the length of Yoga X. I know it will have it’s own challenges as Tony’s One on One program was designed to keep P90X graduates motivated with new extreme fitness workouts. I’ll write a review this week after I get a chance to experience the new calm and storm.
taking advantage of every opportunity to reach your fitness goals.
