Thursday, October 20, 2011

Workouts I have been doing for past year

This post isn’t meant as review but more as my insights. I will write complete reviews (workout after workout some other time)
Tone it up (Duration: 30 Days)

My home work out series started when I started searching for good workouts without paying expensive gym membership and stumbled across Kareena and Katrina ( I mistook them as some Bollywood news where two top actresses decided to work together) and ended up landing to their website. They featured 30 days tone down challenge which I took on just to get workout started. Those two ladies are responsible for making me believe in home workouts. I still refer all my friends to their recipes which are mind blowing and just too delicious. We call it ambrosia.


What is better way to workout than waking up for 2 gorgeous women teaching you move after move. Sometime in future, if I can I will attend their boot camp. 





Tara Stiles (Duration: 42 Days)

In one the tone it up videos they introduced me to Tara Stiles. Luckily for me at that time she was promoting Master the Shift – 6 weeks summer slim down challenge along with my favorite cyclist Lance Armstrong.  Workout gave me very good flexibility which made aunts and uncles around me lauding my flexibility and balance. I still can’t do her hand stands. However I really believe if you want to start your yoga journey – there is no better person than Tara herself.  Her long arms may make you envious that you can’t do some poses as elegantly as she does but you still can muster up something. Her beauty and candor makes you want to work out with her more. However her workout weren’t enough to get my body where I wanted them.
Beachbody
Power 90 (Duration: 90 days)


My friend Muni Shankar told me ages ago about P90x. I was always too adamant. I did couple of DVD workouts and never liked them much. They were boring. One day I finally decided to check out P90x testimonials and site (Beachbody). I came across a FREE coach Heather Cates (@bbcoachheather). I was lucky that she knew all the workouts and guided me to pick up Power 90 as P90x was way above my level. Just to get some form, I picked up Power 90 and when I was confident enough, I switched to P90x.  I did Power 90 to get into regular gym shape.  After 40 days I was so bored of the workouts because I knew routines without even popping the DVD in.  I wanted something more challenging and hence shifted to P90x.


P90x (Duration: 90 Days)


When I started P90x, I had too many doubts about nutrition and it was beyond one person to answer my queries. I really annoyed hell out of my coach. I slowly started finding all the people who do P90x or know anything remotely about nutrition and Beachbody products.


P90x is just a beast.  I would take breaks and more breaks just to finish one workout. Initially it took me about 1 hour 30 minutes to finish 45 minutes workout.  It was really difficult to stick to the regime for 90 days.  Workouts are ranged for pro athletes and people who want great looking body.  I couldn’t afford advanced equipment and hence shifted to free club gym where everyone would stare at me. I would advise people with form and posterior. Everyone thought I was most hardworking and most knowledgeable person in gym. Even trainers would come up to me and ask about workouts while some of them really felt threatened watching me workout.

P90x won’t make you look huge but good enough to make you look superb.  I couldn’t finish 90 days as I needed to shift to Delhi and couldn’t carry equipment around with me.
If you have money to get right equipment and never get bored , P90x is your answer.  Who does P90x? http://abcnews.go.com/Health/slideshow/celebrities-fit-p90x-14756726#.Tp1zWrV8-k1.facebook


Insanity (Duration: 60 Days)


I thought Insanity was same level as P90x but without any equipment. I was partially right. Initially Insanity workouts were same intensity as P90x cardio workouts but less fun But I kept at it because it didn’t require any equipment. However I didn’t form much muscle definition but I toned down like crazy.  
However, when second month came, Insanity truly became insane. It felt like I was going to choke off, heart rate was off limits and I understood requirement of heart rate monitor and hence started using one. Insanity is toughest DVD workout on planet – bar none.  It pushes your cardio muscles to the edge.  Doing Insanity with Slow carb diet was like match made in heaven. Now I just have such an incredible stamina that I sometime crack up watching other people trying to just keep up with me.
Just to confirm – Now P90x cardio feels too easy and I can finish P90x workout without single break. That is amazing stamina for someone to have.

Hip Hop Abs (Duration: 34 days)


I used Hip Hop abs as recovery workout after I finished Insanity and boy – it felt like insult. I didn’t even feel like I was working out. I would finish whole DVD without shedding much sweat.  However workouts are fun and I would suggest people to do hybrid version of Hip Hop abs with Power 90. This workout is for people who hate workouts and would prefer something fun.


Asylum (Duration: 30 days)

Asylum is meant for Insanity / P90x graduates. You can do Asylum without doing Insanity or P90x but you will realize its potential when you have gone through Insanity training. Insanity provides you raw training, Asylum gives you direction and motivation to continue the training.

Insanity is all about plyometric workouts and jumping. Asylum is all about core and controlled movements.  It gives you direction for the movement. If you feel it’s not as difficult as Insanity, just add overtime with your daily workout and see the results.  I suddenly got biceps which I never thought I would get doing such a workout.


P.S: P90x gave me the strength, Insanity gave me stamina, and Asylum gave me explosiveness and the direction.

Maya Fiennes (Duration: 60 days)

Kundalini yoga by Maya is fantastic low intensity workout. I use them as recovery or some day when I am not very fired up. It’s all about chakras and providing your body deep strength and maintaining youth. Everyone from Kids to Grandmas can do this workout. Some moves are extremely difficult, however, most of the workout is easy and fulfilling. This workout isn’t for your exterior looks but rather interior body.  This will fix your weakest areas. I would suggest to alternate between Maya and Tara Stiles.


It really helps that Maya is really hot and her voice is very melodious. You want to keep your eyes glued to her. I am still wishing to master all my chakras.


Future workouts:
1. Hybrid version of P90x, Insanity, Asylum
2. P90x2
3. Bob Harper - Inside out method


Special Thanks to :
1. Jenny Winter - For solving all my queries the best you can.
2. Mike French - Thanks for being the inspiration and role model.

10 comments:

  1. This post ROCKS! I gravitated immediately to it because I was always curious about your workout regimens, Cody. You write so well and so concisely. I'm jealous!

    I loved your descriptions and found them very helpful and entertaining. They gave me a much better idea of the workouts than their websites do. I, too, like Tara Stiles and have her book, but I do other yoga workouts.

    You are the only person who ever made me want to do Asylum. Others just make it sound too complicated and don't do it justice as you have. Also, I could not handle the equipment requirements of P90X either and therefore did not buy it.

    You must be in incredible shape! Congrats, and I'll be following your blog now.

    Russella

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  2. Karena and Katrina are GORGEOUS.

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  3. I have never bought any of those workout ever. I just submit request to video library, rent DVD from them and keep the ripped copies. I have to return DVDs within 5 days.

    I made Asylum agility ladder at home. I was in great shape till December, then went down hill as I mentioned about my partner. Once fracture is gone I will push full throttle. I have already ditched the partner.

    Karena and Katrina are so crazy. Check out their YouTube channel toneitup. Love those girls

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    1. You want Karena & Katrina DVD? Otherwise, They held 30 day challenge. Check those out on youtube.

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