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.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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
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