Okay, so I should have guessed, and, in fact, figured out last night, that “Back to Core”, the third day of The Asylum was not a reference to getting “back to working the core” but that we would be working our backs. As I’ve said before … sometimes I’m a little slow on the uptake.
When I did this workout today, I was very impressed with the focus on my back. Any criticism I had about Insanity‘s lack of back work is corrected here, because this is one great back workout! It is also the least aerobic of the non-recovery Shaun T workouts I’ve done to date.
The only equipment needed is one of the bands supplied with the program, and, if you choose to use it, a pullup bar. The band is used to add resistance to several of the moves and also as a prop during another. During the one exercise the pullup bar was used, I did use it the first set, but then switched to the band for the next two, just so I could make the transition easier.
Based on the first three days, The Asylum seems to be an excellent way to get into all-around good shape. This is kinda how it’s marketed, but, of course, I only had Shaun T’s Insanity to go by, and this program invokes the name of that program in its title, so I expected The Asylum to be closer to the original. While I love Insanity, I am pleasantly surprised by the direction The Asylum is headed.
Be prepared for quite a bit of floor work during this 45-minute routine, both on your stomach and on your back and shoulders.
I know my back appreciated the attention we paid it today, but tomorrow’s workout — “Vertical Plyo” — should be more aerobically challenging.