Author: steve

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Insanity: The Asylum – DAY 8 – “Back to Core”

Shaun T's AsylumI was dogged out by allergies today. Just before I started the workout, I felt the beginning of a sinus headache. It went to full force about 10 minutes from the end.

But I’m glad I stuck it out and worked my back!

I probably didn’t get the full effect. I felt myself weakening before I thought I should. That’s normal. When I feel like crap, I often exercise like crap. But The Asylum has no room for quitters!

Seriously, Shaun T is really over-the-top during The Asylum and I like it a lot. He does not allow many stops. Gotta keep going. Only way we’re going to get stronger is after the muscles are totally fatigued.

I can dig it.

At any rate, today was not a total bust, but I was not at 100%. I sure hope I’m feeling better tomorrow, because “Vertical Plyo” is next up, and that is one difficult routine!

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Insanity: The Asylum – DAY 7 – “Strength”

Shaun T's AsylumToday, Day 7 of The Asylum, got me through the second iteration of “Strength” from Day 2.

Still a great workout, and I think I got a bit farther through it this time.

I did not use the pullup bar at all. It is really only useful for the first set of that particular move, where we are doing pullups or flyes. After that, there are additional exercises added to the move, so it’s easier, I think, to just use dumbbells.

I wrote down some numbers this time so I can gauge improvement.

For the crazy Progressive Cardio-Dumbbell Rotation — there are three sets of that, each with more parts than the last — I did 8, then 7, then 6.

Progressive Pyramid Row/Pushups — I got up to 6 (or 7 — damn, I didn’t write it down after all) of each.

Something (I can’t remember, but will when I do it again) — 24 reps.

I like this workout a lot. So much — in fact, all — of the body is worked, and worked hard.

On a side note, today I received the fitness ball and foam roller I ordered to go along with P90X2, which ships in a couple months. I pre-ordered my copy of the program, and you can pre-order P90X2 today, too, to guarantee you’ll get it in time for your — or your loved one’s — New Year resolution!

 

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Insanity: The Asylum – DAY 6 – “Speed & Agility”

Shaun T's AsylumThis is the first day The Asylum repeats a workout, bringing us back to “Speed & Agility” from Day 1.

Was it easier for me today? Hellifiknow….

Shaun T’s workouts, unlike the ones in P90X, are mostly time-based, rather than rep-based, so it’s hard to gauge whether things get easier or not. Plus, there are not too many breaks during the workouts in The Asylum, so no real time to write anything down.

Having said that, yeah, I think it was easier for me today than the first day. Still impossible, but easier. I know I was able to hang in there longer for a few of the moves, like the moving pushups and double jumps.

Tomorrow brings “Strength” back around. That is my favorite DVD in The Asylum so far, so I’m looking forward to it. What am I talking about — I look forward to my workout every day!

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Insanity: The Asylum – DAY 5 – “Relief”

Today was supposed to be a rest day for The Asylum, and after having completed that “Vertical Plyo” routine yesterday for the first time, I can see why. That is one tough workout!

Shaun T's AsylumBut I didn’t feel too worn out (I must have been dogging it), so I thought I’d give “Relief” a try. Shaun T, after all, does say to do “Relief” as often as necessary.

“Relief” is a nice little stretching routine, with lots of breathing and some innovative stretches I had not done before. I definitely feel better having done it, and will probably add it in more often after the more strenuous workouts, to ensure my muscles and connectives are being well-tended.

This routine is only 28 minutes long, so it’s not excessive, as, for example, the stretching DVD in P90X, which was just too long for me to do. Too much stretching is not only not good for my body, but it’s boring as hell!

If you’ve been through Insanity, though, you know Shaun T is a great motivator, so he tends to make even the more boring routines tolerable for me.

Tomorrow will be the first time a workout repeats. Back to “Speed & Agility”. I’m interested to see if it’s gotten any easier, after just this short while. The Asylum is very intense, so I’m guessing “yes”.

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Insanity: The Asylum – DAY 4 – “Vertical Plyo”

After yesterday’s “Back to Core”, I really didn’t think The Asylum could get any better … but it did.

Today’s “Vertical Plyo” routine was the hardest workout I have ever done. It was intense, difficult, unrelenting, impossible — you know … everything I love in a workout.

Yeah, I made it all the way through Insanity, but this workout still rocked me. Hard. Good thing it only goes 40 minutes, including warmup and cooldown. I don’t know how much more I could have done. And that was even with taking some breaks to run the DVD back to try to figure out some of the moves.

Shaun T's AsylumThe equipment used was both bands and the agility ladder, all of which came with the program. The also-included jump rope was used, too, but I don’t have space for that, so I just simulate.

If you’ve done the Plyo routine in P90X or the Plyo Legs routine in Tony Horton’s One-On-One series (that one is the very first DVD in that series), then you have a good idea how tough a plyo workout can be.

I am extremely familiar with both those workouts, but I was not prepared for this one.

Not only is there a lot of jumping, but the jumping is intensified with the bands.

Sometimes there is a band  around your hands as you work your back and shoulders while working the legs.

Sometimes the band is around your ankles to work even more leg muscles than you otherwise would.

And sometimes there is a band around your ankles and around your hands. And I might mention that this is while you are doing  plyo pushup jacks and then while doing X jumps.

Yeah.

Tomorrow is a rest day (I think it’s the only rest day for the entire 30 days, although there are days when “Relief” is the workout, and I assume that is some kind of low-level stretching routine). I’m going to need that rest. Will probably just do a little yoga, or maybe I will check out “Relief”.

Wow. The Asylum. Shaun T is really bringing it with this program.