Friday, September 23, 2011

Supreme 90 Legs

I typically don't mind leg workouts. I've got some serious tree trunks holding me up, so I'm not usually afraid of squats and lunges. The meat of this workout is only 20ish minutes long, but there isn't a whole lot of time to catch your breath. Not as bad as chest and back, but there definitely isn't any rest time.

As with most leg workouts, this is a series of squat and lunge exercises. You do use the stability ball for one exercise, and dumbbells pretty much the whole way through. You run through a series of exercises, and then repeat them. Not much more to say here.

I do know that my glutes will be screaming tomorrow. I worked out early this morning, around 6, it's now 16 hours later and I'm already feeling it. My legs will be screaming tomorrow. It's a good workout, enjoy.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Supreme 90 Total Body

I have to admit to being lax with including reviews up here. I still owe legs, but since I did Total Body this morning, I'll put my 2 cents in for that. I should add, I gave blood 2 days ago, so I was definitely struggling a bit more than usual today.

Once again, it's the standard warmup. It's not bad for this workout, but I would still like to see some stretching in the warmup. On the upside, it keeps the workout time down. Speaking of time, the actual workout is only 23 minutes...how hard could it be? We already know the answer to that....as hard as you make it.

Like so many of the other videos, this is a circuit based workout. The format is slightly different as there is a brief demo before each circuit. Which doubles as a nice rest.

The first circuit is core based and consists of only a pair of exercises. One a crunch, the other a plank. Repeat twice. The ab one I definitely felt.

The second circuit is were you start to feel it. Pushups, followed by dumbbell swing throughs. You hold a dumbbell with both hands, swing it between your legs, and stop it at face level. The last exercise is clap pushups. You do this circuit twice as well and stacking clap push ups and regular push ups is tough. The guy in the front of this video makes them look easy. I swear he could push himself up to the standing position.

There are a few more circuits, several new exercises. Definitely some tough moves, especially if you use dumbbells. The last circuit is 4 moves, finishing with a "long" jump. My jump was not that long at the end.

As labeled, it's a Total Body workout that burns you up pretty good in under 30 minutes total.

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Supreme 90 Cardio Challenge

I was tired this morning. I was beginning to feel shoulders and arms, we had a tag sale yesterday(90+ degree heat), and then stayed out later than usual. It took a bit of intestinal fortitude to get started, but once I did, it was a good workout.

The generic warmup works fine for the "cardio" workouts. The stretch doesn't do it for me. He dives right into stretching and doesn't give anytime to cool down. I didn't have time to tack the Plyo cooldown on, so I did the generic stretch. It was ok.

This is another 30 minute workout, which I appreciate as far how long I have time to workout. Pretty basic premise, 30 seconds on, 30 seconds rest. No repeats, no ball. The exercises are mostly a mix of stuff you've already seen with the previous workouts. A little more variety would be nice.

It includes a bit of everything. From push ups to squat jacks, to squat/shoulder presses, some basic ab/core exercises, and some good old cardio stuff like jump rope. You will use your dumbbells, but typically won't need the big ones. You're doing these exercises for speed, not strength.

My brother, who's a day behind me in this program, commented that Tom Holland is presented as a trainer in this program. He keeps time, demos the exercises, and does a little encouraging. Where Tony Horton does most of those things, but also does the workout, making him more of a workout buddy/mentor...you can relate to him, he's panting too. A great example of this is during Plyo, just before gap jumps, he "presses his own personal pause button".

Cardio Challenge was definitely not as hard as Tabata, despite similar exercises. It was a beautiful morning, but my shirt was still drenched. I'm looking for a day off, but still have 3 more routines ahead of me, Legs tomorrow, then chest/back and ultimate ball before a day off. Hopefully I'll get to bed early tonight and feel better in the morning.

Supreme 90 Shoulders and Arms

After Tabata Inferno, I was looking forward to something that kept my heart rate someplace in the normal area. This workout moved pretty fast and my heart rate was definitely higher than I expected.

Once again I opted to sub in the P90x warm up and cool downs. They are so much more workout appropriate. They do add about 5 minutes to total workout time as Tony spends a fair amount of time warming up.

The workout begins with some ab work. I've said it before and will say it again, I like that. Get it done and make it part of the workout. In P90x, abs are a separate workout you do at the end, I can't tell you how many times I finished the regular workout and didn't fire up the abs.

As expected, this workout consists of sets of 3 exercises. One shoulder, one bicep, and one tricep. There really isn't much more to write about it. There are some nice combo moves and by the end, my biceps were screaming.

He did incorporate the ball a bit. I thought it clever to use it for incline curls. I also like having it around to sit down on between circuits.

A couple highlight moves include a clean, jerk, shoulder press, 21s(wouldn't be biceps without those), and a three way tricep kickback.

Overall, a decent workout. I got a good sweat, and my arms, particularly my biceps, are definitely feeling it today.

Supreme 90 - Tabata Inferno

I'm a little late reviewing this one, but I have kept the schedule.
I'll be blunt, it was muggy and warm when I did this one, I wrung out my shirt at the end.
At it's heart, it is a circuit training routine. Twenty seconds on, 10 seconds off/transition. Then a minute break between circuits. Each circuit is either 2 exercises 4 times, or 4 exercises twice. The workout portion runs about 30 minutes.

The first circuit is jump squats, followed by mountain climbers...this is a 2 exercise circuit, so you do each of those 4 times. You're breathing pretty good at this point.

Second circuit is 4 exercises, so you do each of these twice. Starting off with high knees, from there you transition into a dumbbell exercise. He calls them thrusters, you squat and then at the top, add in a shoulder press. Both of these really get your heart rate up there. So while you're struggling to catch your breath, hit the deck for push ups. Roll over and wrap the circuit up with bicycle crunches.

That is a pretty good example of the routines. I won't detail the rest. It's not quite as demanding as Insanity, primarily because of the timing aspect, but it's still a good sweat.

My biggest complaint is the lack of variety. The last circuit was just a mash up of exercises you had already done during this workout...and exercises you had already done in other routines.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Supreme 90 - Ultimate Ball

This routine is definitely something I need. My core has never been that great and with the extra weight around the middle, it's a real challenge.

For lack of a better warm up, I went with the generic one that comes with S90. It supports this workout as well as anything I could find. The actual routine is 30 minutes long. 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off. That puts us around 30 sets. Most repeat twice, so you end up with 15-20 unique exercises.

You start off innocently enough with some plank work, that becomes a real challenge after a few rounds. I'm not going to go into detail about each exercise, as I don't have the verbal acumen to describe them all.

You use the ball for every exercise. Obviously, there is some plank work, a fair amount of reverse plank work(back on the ball, straighten out as best you can). Plenty of ab work. No dumbbells. Some leg work, as well as glutes.

Rolling out onto the ball requires plenty of space. At 6 foot 3, with a large ball, I'm on the other side of the room, out of site of the video before I know it.

All in all, not a bad workout. I'm sure I'll feel it in the morning, and will definitely look to work harder next time.

Tomorrow is rest day, so there won't be a post. I'm planning to do Xstretch from P90x as there is minimal stretching in S90, and it is something I really miss. I never thought I would say that. Of everything I've lost with not working out for a few months, I think flexibility is the biggest thing.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Supreme 90 - Chest and Back Review

Today was my third time doing Chest and Back. I've stopped doing the generic warmup and stretch provided by S90 and instead used the P90x Chest/back warm up and cooldown/stretch. It worked very well for me. Like I said in my initial review of S90, it's ridiculous to be stretching my calves after a chest/back workout.

Once you begin the workout in earnest, 3 ab/core exercises start you off. Repeat them a second time and then you dive into pushups and bent over rows. This is a tough combo. I'm able to kick out 15-20 pushups for the first set, but then I'm behind on the rows. You dive right back into pushups for a second and then third time. By the third time, I think I got a dozen push ups.

For the record, there are 3 people demoing the moves. The woman is in incredible shape. The man on the right, looks like a weight lifter and is always the first one done with every exercise. He looks like he's punching a time clock and doesn't want to be there. The guy on the left is the slowest, but also has the best form.

Next you drop to the floor for dumbbell chest press. I think this is a poor exercise as without a bench, the range of motion is very limited. I'll probably try doing it on the exercise ball next time. This the dives into a back exercise I've never done. Lie on your back, with light dumbbells in each hand. Lower one toward your head, keeping your arm straight. Then alternate. Do this routine 3 times.

Next up, decline push ups with your feet on the ball. So far, it's been more like my shins on the ball as there is very little rest in this routine and I'm feeling it pretty bad by now. This is followed up by another new back exercise. You take some light dumbbells, and place your core on the ball at a 45 degree angle. Then you press the weights up. You'll be panting in no time. Repeat 2 more times.

This is followed by a weird chest exercise that I do feel. Basically, take the dumbbells and alternate bringing them up to the opposite shoulder. Do not use your biceps. The second half of this is stiff legged deadlifts. I really appreciate the addition of a few lower back exercises. Once again, 3 times.

We're closing in on the end now. It's been a fast 20 minutes. This time, dumbbell flies on the ball. Drop the weights, roll over, and lower back curls...like a roman chair. Yup, you guessed it, 3 times.

The last exercise is a chest/back combo. Holding the dumbbells in your hands, you do a push up, then row on the right, left, and repeat the cycle. You only do this twice. I won't lie, by the time I got here, I was done. I'm not a big fan of push up bars as they tend to hurt my palms. On top of that, I was just cooked. I think I managed 4 and 3 or 5 and 4. I was disappointed here.

With my modified cooldown, I dropped S90 and picked up the end of P90x chest/back. Much more satisfactory.
Overall, a good workout a sweat for 25 or so minutes of working out. Tomorrow is Ultimate Ball. I don't think there is a P90x routine to compare it to.

Here is a link to my initial review in case you are getting here via a search engine.
http://joshcayerfitness.blogspot.com/2011/07/p90x-vs-supreme-90-day.html

P90x vs Supreme 90 Day

After completing my 4th round of P90x, I just couldn't do it again. For that matter, I just could not get up and get going to workout in the morning. So here I am, a few months later, a few pounds heavier, and feeling extremely guilty.

Sometime ago, one of the guys at work mentioned Supreme 90 day to me. Fortunately, I remembered it and picked up a copy at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. To top it off, my wife had a 20% off coupon, so it cost less than the $20 retail price.

Required equipment is dumbbells, have those already from P90x, and an exercise ball. I did a little research and found that being 6-3, I need to get the big, 75cm ball. Walmart carries one for less than $20. It's a gold gym one and has the nice feature of a bit of sand in the bottom, which stops it from rolling around.

I've now done each of the first round workouts once, so I feel I can comment on a few things. I will review each workout as I do it a second time.

Some general comparisons between P90x and Supreme 90.
I really like the addition of the exercise ball to Supreme 90. I believe it will be included in P90x2, but for now, it certainly helps my weak core.

I really dislike Supreme 90 using the same generic warm up/stretch every day. It just doesn't work for me. I find it ridiculous to be stretching my calves after Chest/Back, or diving right into a stretch when I need to cool down.

The Supreme 90 workouts are shorter than P90x, typically 40ish minutes. They all also include some ab/core work at the beginning, which is nice to get done early.

Supreme 90 moves pretty fast in places, sometimes too fast. It seems like it wants to be more like Insanity, but that's really hard when you're using dumbbells and trying to count reps.

Supreme 90 does not have the timer bar at the bottom of the screen like p90x, I miss that. It's not a huge deal, but it's nice to know how much time is left.

There are no worksheets included in the Supreme 90 box. There are some homemade ones online, but nothing official from the Supreme 90 people.

The website provides no support to people doing the program. A simple forum would be appreciated.

The "diet guide" is a joke.

No yoga or stretch.

I've read numerous horror stories online of people who purchased it online. Buy it from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. No hidden charges, and you can get it cheaper.

My overall impression so far, is it would be a great warmup to P90x. It does some things better than the X, but overall, so far, P90x is a harder, more versatile program. Supreme 90 lacks the spit and polish that P90x provides. I am appreciating a different set of exercises, but I do miss Tony H.

Links to each workout review
Chest/Back

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Yoga - A day late

I won't lie, my body was happy for another day off yesterday, the first week is so brutal. I struggled hard today. My balance was off and my neck is still sore.

I only managed through the first 50 or so minutes, so I got to the balance postures before I had to get ready for church. I was drenched. It was somewhat muggy and I was working hard. I did manage all of the pushups and man were the first few a challenge.

Legs tomorrow, I know I'm going to hurt a ton after that.

Stupid Real Life

Yesterday just sucked, lots of running around and getting nothing accomplished. I won't lie, my body was tired, but I still would have preferred to get Yoga done.

3 days in and I'm already behind. That's a rarity for me. So it goes.

Friday, May 27, 2011

Shoulders and Arms

I knew I was going to be sore this morning. Happily, not as bad as it could have been. Day 3 is the hardest day for most people to do. Their bodies are crushed as chest/back and plyo. My legs are finally starting to feel better. My chest is definitely feeling it, but not too much. I will admit, huggers are killers right now.

I probably only went 85% this morning, which is a problem I have with this workout. I rarely go for it on all the exercises. I'll have to work on it in the future.

The left side of my neck is sore, I think I pulled something a little during the workout. Hopefully it will feel better tomorrow.

Yoga tomorrow, always a challenge, but I always feel great afterward.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Plyo "What was I thinking" metrics

I had another tough night with my eldest waking up around 11 and crying about a stomach ache...this has often been a precursor to throwing up, so I didn't sleep well, listening for her.

I almost overslept, but got up with just enough time. My legs were still a wreck from Cardio X and, as expected, my upper body was also a mess. Once I finally got underway, I struggled like it was my first time. My jump knee tucks looked a lot like me jumping in place and my rock star hops weren't star studded, in the slightest.

My shirt looked like I had finished an insanity workout, not a dry spot on it.

I'm through the first 2 days, which are definitely the hardest. I'm looking forward to shoulders and arms, which haven't been nearly so devastating in the past.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Chest and Back

To my surprise, my legs are still sore from Cardio X...this doesn't bode well for tomorrow.

Chest and Back is one of my favorite workouts. Chest is my favorite body part to workout. That being said, this workout consistently kicks my ass.

I started out well, keeping a little in reserve for the second round. 20 push ups for each of the first 3 exercises(standard, military, and wide), dropped to 15 for decline and 8 for the diamonds. Struggled a little with dive bomber form, but managed around 8. I need to change my form for Military pushups, I end up pinching my chest between my arms and run out of air far too fast.

I won't even pretend I can do a pull up at this point. I do have a bar and spot myself, so I focused hard on doing it right today and not letting my leg/foot spot too much.

The second round wasn't quite as pretty, but I felt respectable. Working out first thing in the morning, I do sometimes run out of gas and I did struggle for the last 4 exercises. Mostly, just couldn't catch my breath, a little nauseous...standard fair for P90x.

I expect some serious stiffness in my upper body tomorrow, or tonight.

Plyo tomorrow.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

I forgot

I forgot just how much fun the first couple workouts are, and I haven't even gotten to the hard stuff yet.

This morning, my hip flexors and hamstrings were definitely feeling it, now, even more so. Hopefully they will feel better tomorrow(probably not).

It's 8:20pm and I'm ready for bed. Of course, the need to get up at 4:40am doesn't help.

Diet

My ultimate failure, controlling what I eat and quantity that I indulge in. I've done 4 rounds of P90x and while I've been in great shape at the end, I haven't lost much weight. I'm up to 262 as of this morning and that isn't where I belong. I'm a big guy and I carry the weight well, but that's just too much. My goal is to get down to 230. That's 30 pounds. That is 10 pounds a month, far from ridiculous.

I'm going to try using Michi's Ladder this time. Rather than telling me exactly what to eat, it categorizes foods with some being excellent and others...not so good.
Here is a link: http://www.teambeachbody.com/eat-smart/michis-ladder

Lets see how I can do with it.

Back in the Saddle

After taking a month or so off, I've got to get back to this. The pants are getting too tight. So round 5 will commence tomorrow.

Since I had time, and couldn't wait to start, I did Cardio X today. I figured it would be a good warm up and help start sweating some goo off. I felt pretty good throughout, only a little panting. The more I do this, the more I realize just how important breathing is.

My flexibility has definitely decreased over the past 4-5 weeks. I know that will come back.

My brother blew out his Achilles, so I'm back to posting here to help with my accountability.