Pam's Arms Workout

I really enjoyed that. 

Things I learned along the way:

• ·         Get the full movement without locking the joint
• ·         Sometimes I can go as heavy as I can manage while keeping good form, but am not completely spent by the last rep of the last set, so just do more until I get there.
• ·         Warm-up sets of a light weight but much more reps, helps me feel the warm-up more. 
• ·         Don’t forget to take my BCAAs before the workout.  Woops!
• ·         Always use a mirror, but as it only gives a 2D view, also check directly for good form. 
• ·         My weight for kickbacks is much lower than for any other move.
• ·         Do all of the moves very slowly and with a little bit of a static hold to get maximum benefit
• ·         I can lift more and keep better form by using only one arm at a time.

Here is the workout breakdown:

Dumbell curls           3  sets of 6 reps        7.5kg

Hammer curls           3 sets of 6 reps         7.5kg

Shoulder presses    4 sets of 10 reps       7.5kg

Kickbacks                  4 sets of 10 reps       3kg

(was supposed to be 3 sets but did not quite squeeze on just a few of the reps, so wanted to make sure I got every last bit out of the muscle)

Tricep extension      2 sets of 10 reps       5kg      2 sets of 10 reps       5.5kg

(form was good throughout but felt I had a little more to give so added another set)

Side lateral raises    4 sets of 10 reps       4kg

(again, it was supposed to be 3 sets, but I had more to give, and could not up the weight to get there without losing form)

When I did this workout for the first time last week, I went to failure on every move, but was surprised not to have any DOMS afterwards.  This week I took much longer for each move and made sure to hold it for a little.  I was also able to lift a little more in some moves in this workout too.  I took a long time for the workout – two hours.  Will need to get a balance and shorten things a bit so I can get the time down. 

After winning the Fighter Diet competition for the whole set of eBooks, I can’t wait to read them, write up a schedule and get started.  

My final photos from Asylum

lost 4 lbs
1 inch from my waist
1 inch from my chest
.5 inch from my arms

Asylum Round 2, Day 29 - Andy

Speed & Agility

Had a rough one saturday , planned though, but lots of alcohol and bad food, still felt dodgy all day today.
But the show must go on, today was not only my nemesis workout, it's also the last day of the Asylum program , and the last day of wearing the vest .

So a lot of mixed emotions, i could have quite easily of just gave this a miss, and said that i'd done it.
But that's just not me, if anything i pushed harder than ever, ( punishment for my weekend antics)

Got it done, collapsed in a pool of sweat at the end as per usual.
All i will say is, how anyone can have bad food over the weekend , i don't mean a cheat meal, i mean just a blowout of wrong choices and drink beers , and think they can do a workout program and give it 100% , they are mistaken !

I poisoned my body Saturday, and believe me it let me know !

Anyway it's done now

Doing a weigh in, in the morning and check measurements , i will post results then.

Whats Next ?

For me, i hate to be beaten by something, Speed & agility still as me beat, so i'm going to do it every other day, in between doing Strength , which is my favourite Asylum workout .
For 3 weeks until my summer holiday.
Come back and do P90X2 with the rest of the pack.

Really looking forward to it.

I've also enjoyed doing this blog, so will continue with it when i do X2
Thanks for taking the time to read it !

Cheers Andy

Asylum Round 2, Day 28 - Andy

Relief

Man am i happy, that i have this today, went out with the wife for the day yesterday, it was planned that i would have a cheat day and drink beer.
First in a month, suffering a bit now though , so happy just for the stretch.

Tomorrow is my last day, as i didn't do the fit test at the start, so it ends where it began, speed & agility
also my last vest workout, for the rest of the year , so i'm going to nail this , i hope !

Cheers Andy

Nutrition Planning/Logging with My Fitness Pal

To help us reach our goals, it is a good idea to aim for a specific calorie and macronutrient intake. The numbers will be specific to each of us.

Logging your food intake is really useful to help you keep track of these. Many of us use My Fitness Pal to do this. You can register on the website and use it this way, or use the iPhone or android apps. It is really useful to use it to plan your food intake for the day ahead, so you know that your calories and ratios will hit your target, rather than getting to the end of the day, logging everythign and seeing that you are off the mark.  

www.myfitnesspal.com

My Fitness Pal also allows you to  link up with friends and see other people's food logs - great for accountability, seeking nutrition advice and getting food ideas. To do this, you need to make sure your account is set as open for friends to see.

If you would like to post your My Fitness Pal username in the comments below, it would help others to find you there:

Mine is: @weepammcblam Pam

Asylum Round 2, Day 27 - Andy

Back To Core

Yet again woke up with the back problem, deep heat and ibuprofen applied, and i'm away.
After this workout, always feel better with the back, something to bear in mind if the problem continues is to take the back exercises from this workout, and do them daily like a stretch .

Cheers Andy

Asylum Round 2, Day 26 - Andy

Vertical Plyo

Today is Friday , feeling on top of the world, so nothing was going to get it my way, only wish i had speed & agility instead of verical plyo because i would have smashed that the way i did with this !

Getting ever close to finishing now, and hanging the vest up, but as i've mentioned one door closes, another opens, can't wait to go on holiday now with my family, then come back and do P90X2 with the pack

Cheers Andy

Asylum Round 2, Day 25 - Andy

Gameday & Overtime

This one reared it's ugly head once again, but for the last time, so it was a kind of relief too.

Now my back as been in absolute bits all day, but ibuprofen and deep heat got me through, that and my passion to succeed , all that said, i'm feeling it again now.

I feel Insanity , is a program that can be used with a weighted vest, Asylum is not.
Or perhaps in because i've gone from the 90 day vest hybrid i did right into this, so getting on for 120 days of vest wearing once i've finished Asylum .

To be honest, we have a love/hate relationship the vest and I , i will be sad to hang it up, but relieved at the same time.

Of course i say this, while i have a thought in my head, about getting a heavier one lol, just hear me out though.

By the end of my hybrid, i could bang out 30 + push ups from P90X all different kinds, and i've done 10/14 pull ups , again various ones .

So i was thinking about getting a 20kg one, and then hopefully that will make me fail on 8/10 push ups, and 4/5 pull ups.

Because i've been thinking of doing another round of P90X, with a heavier vest , but also upping my dumbell weights , failing at 6/8 reps, pausing the workout , take more breaks, not do the cardio days, just rest.
See where that takes me.

Any way that's just a thought for now, got P90X2 to do next, with Pam and Jason, which i'm looking forward too, then hopefully Asylum Vol 2 , no vest !

Cheers Andy

Asylum Round Two, Day 24 - Andy

Strength

Back to my favourite one today, although for the last time in this current program.

Another warm day, you would sweat buckets with this one even in the freezing cold,
Its just so well put together to get the muscles on fire, you really are wasted at the end, but feel so much triumph once completed.

For a dumbell/cardio workout, this can't be beat, i wonder what Shaun T as planned for Vol 2 !

Well tomorrow is Gameday with overtime again , oh dear god that's come around quick, oh well another sweat fest it is then, and i'll try not to swear , i promise !

Cheers Andy

Asylum Round Two , Day 23 - Andy

Speed & Agility

Week four now, it has flown by, been great fun, but so demanding.

The good news is the back seems to have eased up a bit, the bad news , it was Speed & Agility .

As i'm doing evening workouts now, i entered my gym space (the lounge) already warm from the humid day, but also from the heat of the oven in the kitchen, man it was like a sauna, add the vest , and the warmup got me sweating buckets, i thought the heating was on !

This workout from start to finish for me is a killer, great workout though, i curse all the way through , i tell myself to "come on " i laugh at myself, is that why it's called Asylum ?

It's the vest it just nails you, i still love it though, my passion for working out and fitness , grows daily, i love the fact that i inspire people, (my family) to workout, it gives me a great sense of accomplishment .

I love the people who i've never met, but made friends with through exercise and Beachbody workouts , we encourage each other, help each other, The Wolf Pack as become my fitness family, and i take care of every one in it, i really want to help everyone in the Pack reach their  goals.

Cheers Andy

Asylum Day 13 - Pam

Strength


As usual, on a day I am not working, I procrastinate quite a bit prior to actually pressing play.  Thankfully, I got started about 11am.

I felt great during this workout.  I pushed really hard and saw benefits all the way through.  


During the warm-up, where only one dumbbell is used, I normally use 6.5kg.  ?However, I started with 10kg and immediately upped this to 11kg.  I could definitely feel a difference in the core stability required for halo deadlifts in particular.  Curl squats and side lunges required much more oomph to get back up to starting position, but I coped well with the big weight increase.  I tried this weight for the scull crusher presses but could barely get it back up, so for this I used 6.5kg as I definitely get to failure with that weight on this move.

Next up, the cardio dumbell rotations.  These are tough and challenge your cardio fitness, strength, coordination and balance.  Each round builds on the last, until the third round move, which consists of bicep curl, squat, jump back to plank, push-up, spider left and right, another push-up, plank runs, then jumping back in to rise with the dumbells.  I use 6.5kg on these as I feel my lower back loses a bit of form on the squat when I use more.  I also have to admit to a bit of OCD on this move.  When doing the 8 reps, I finish around 20 seconds after Shaun T.  This annoys me and I spend the entire move trying to keep up.  My solution is to do 2 reps while the DVD is paused, and then press play and continue with good form and stability.  Is this cheating?  I don't care, really.  I get it done with good form and my OCD is satisfied, so all is well.

In the chest/ab section, I lowered my weights from last week's attempt.  I returned to 6.5kg for each dumbbell and felt this much more in my abs, which is what I prefer.  I coped perhaps a little better than I would like for the first two moves.  However, in the third move (legs static at 6 inches with arms doing chest presses), I reached failure after 20 reps, and had to continue with another 2 sets of 10.

I was happy with my performance in this workout.  Every move had either increased weight, greater height or increased reps.  No going back now!

Pam  : )

Asylum Round 2, Day 21 - Andy

Back to Core

Yet again lower back pain this morning , ibuprofen gel applied and away we go.

As mentioned before with this workout, it's the first one i've actually done where it concentrates on the back quite a bit, really gives you a burn on the shoulders too.

The band exchange is just nasty, but does leave you feeling good.

Also my back feels better now too, so good times.

Tomorrow is a rest day, and i'm grateful for it, not even going to do an abs session.

So i won't blog tomorrow .

Cheers Andy

The main supplements you need to take and what they are used for

Whey Protein

This should be the number 1 supplement of any supplement program. If you are not taking in at least 1gram of protein per pound of bodyweight you are seriously limiting your results. Whey protein has the highest bioavailability of any protein. Its absorption rate is increased when taken after a workout

Dosage

As stated, 1gram per lb of bodyweight, absorption is a lot better after your workout so ideally 60% of your protein requirement for the day should be consumed after the workout (not all in one go) up till you go to bed.

Creatine

Next on the list is creatine. As it gets converted into creatine phosphate in the muscles, which produces energy for contractions during training, supplementing with creatine can ensure that levels of it are topped off. Plus, creatine will force more water into the muscle cells creating an anabolic environment increasing protein synthesis.

Dosage

3-5 grams pre-workout: Taken with a moderate amount of complex carbs and 20 grams of whey protein taking creatine at this time will guarantee your levels are filled up.

3-5 grams post-workout: Within 30 minutes after training combine creatine with 40grams of whey protein and 80 grams of simple carbs . The insulin response from the simple carbs will also promote the creatine being moved quickly into the muscle.

Glutamine

 Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in your muscles. It makes up about 1/3 of your entire amino acids It has also been shown to increase recovery rate and growth hormone levels

Doseage

7 grams when you wake up
7 grams pre-workout
7 grams post-workout
7 grams 60 minutes before bed

Branched Chains Amino Acids, BCAA

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. They help aid in the repair, growth and development of muscle tissue. The 3 amino acids L-Leucine, L-Isoleucine, and L-Valine cannot  be created from your body so the only route of obtaining these is through supplementation, from my experience L-Leucine is the most important in adding muscle and aiding recovery and protein synthesis.

Doseage

5-10 grams when you wake up

5-10 grams pre-workout

5-10 grams post-workout

hope this has been helpful, cheers,

Jase

Asylum Round 2 , Day 20 - Andy

Vertical Plyo

Today was the day after the hardest vest training i've ever done ,
So i expected to be a little sore, but man, i was walking like an 80 year old this morning !

Plenty of ibuprofen gel on my back, pre workout took, 30 minutes later, lets do this !

Now anyone will tell you who as done this, and as i've said before Shaun T wants the legs to burn right away, so the warmup is different skipping routines and jumping.
Have to say i struggled big time, DOMS was ever present , and the pain was quite strong, but i got through the warmup and after the stretch, i felt a little better, ready to crush this bady boy.

Happy to say that's exactly what i did, nothing can keep me down or hold me back for long.

Also some great news yesterday, Asylum Vol 2 is coming in the autumn , so will tie in nicely with me completing P90X2, then moving onto this bad boy, seen a little trailer on youtube, and it looks even more mental, can't wait

Cheers Andy

Asylum Round 2, Day 19 - Andy

Gameday + Overtime

The day had arrived , 6 months ago when i worked my vest hybrid out, then thought about doing vest Insanity straight after, the first thing that popped into my head was " Gameday and Overtime, are you nuts"

Well i guess the answer is this, to get results, to get fitter, whatever your goals, you need to get out of your comfort zone, you need to push yourself hard then harder every single day.

That's what i do, and every single day , i change for the better.

Now when i did this workout last week, it was bad enough then, like i said the first 30 minutes are tough but you should be at the right level of fitness if your doing this program to get through it.
It's the second 30 that kick the crap out of ya , same today i was toast, but then it was time for it, yes Overtime had arrived .

Now for me the annoying and demotivational thing for me is this, Overtime is a separate workout, Shaun T is there with two dudes, all fresh looking and change of clothes.

The first thought is this " i'm actually doing 75 minutes, they cleary are not "
They should put it right at the end of gameday and say "if it's overtime today then lets go, otherwise well done and skip the dvd to the cool down " something along those lines .

Any way , it was tough, i did it though, and extremely happy with it,

Got it again in 6 days time, no fear

"Bring It On "

Asylum Round 2, Day 18 - Andy

Relief

Once again, back in two this morning, it's on my right lower side, on the kidney area, had it a few years ago, i thought due to being overweight , but obviously not, probably didn't help though.

So it was a foam roll, deep heat and ibuprofen gel, and i'm good to go.

Did Insane abs first from Insanity , and i'll be honest, i didn't wear the vest for this, as i usually do.

No point letting ego get the better of what i know to be sensible, after all tomorrow is the big one, gameday and overtime in the vest (gulp)

Just another milestone that i've set for myself.

So i did the relief , felt great afterwards , and the back feels ok at the moment.

Need to be in prime condition for tomorrow !

Cheers Andy

Asylum Round 2, Day 17 - Andy

Strength

I've been getting up at 4.15 am, for a good few months now, it's become part of the norm .
Today when the alarm went off. i jumped out of bed, excited like a kid at christmas, today was strength.

I know i sound like a broken record, but this workout really is great, gets every muscle working, pumping and definitely aching

I've not upped any weight while doing this, i've probably done a few more reps here and there, i use 18kg dumbells, but on the 3rd set of back flys, i have another set ready which are 12kg, i'm toast by the 3rd set you see, so correct form is more important than ego and injury.

The same on the chest press sets, i do between 13/16 reps with the 18's then change to the 12's for the remaining time .

You have to understand that this workout is not about lifting heavy weights, it's about making the muscle burn, then pushing through that pain , and just keep going.

As i mentioned once i've finished Asylum , going to do this workout every other day for three weeks leading up to my holiday, i'm hoping to be super ripped , lol :-)

Cheers Andy

Asylum Round 2, Day 16 - Andy

Vertical Plyo

Been having a slight discomfort in my lower back, put this down to, nearly 4 months of working out in the vest, i also do various Beachbody ab workouts wearing it, still, with only half way to go, nothing is going to stop me, so it's deep heat, ibuprofen gel and swig down my pre workout, 30 minutes later, i'm raring to go !

Now with this workout from the off Shaun T wants to make your legs burn, and believe me he succeeds !
I do really like this workout, yeah it's another tough one, but i'm pretty good and jumping in the vest, with all the Insanity workouts i've done .

All that said, it still leaves me in a pile of sweat every time.

I've noticed how, i was fit at the start, but in two weeks , i really do feel super fit.

As i've said before i'm really enjoying it all, and if your doing Insanity at the moment and thinking of doing Asylum next, i highly recommend it.

all i will say is

" NO ONE IS READY FOR THE ASYLUM "

Asylum Round 2, Day 15 - Andy

Speed & Agility

Halfway through now, loving everything about Asylum so far.

I was even looking forward to my worst one, oh yes" bring it on."

I'll be honest that soon turned to " oh dear god "

I think it's the vest that makes this so brutal, but again it didn't beat me, i didn't cave.
I got through, even had a little laugh to myself along the way (well it is Asylum).

I'm going to learn to love this workout, and i'm going to be it's master, the only way is to face this beast head on, go toe to toe with it .

So i've decided once the 30 days as finished, i'll have 3 weeks until my holiday, so i'm going to alternate this workout with Strength , without the vest though 7 days a week, for 21 days ,

Then i'll say at the end " Speed & Agility who's ya daddy ? "

Cheers Andy

Asylum Round 2, Day 14 - Andy

Relief

Did  ARX in the vest, then had a good foam roll, before moving on to the main event.

Felt nice to stretch, and reminded  me of how much i've missed not doing yoga the last 4 months.

Can't wait for X2 back into it then.

Speed & Agility in the morning, bring it on !

Cheers Andy

Asylum Round 2, Day 13 - Andy

Strength

Back to my favourite one again this morning, it just gets better and better, i don't know how many calories you burn during this workout, but you can guarantee it's quite high.

This workout leaves you in a pool of sweat at the end, with every body part on fire.

Nearly half way through already, feeling great and training hard .

Cheers Andy

Asylum Round 2 , Day 12 -Andy

Back To Core

My glutes were sore from gameday yesterday , as was my back from wearing the vest.

So what did i need ? not a back workout and a bit of glutes.

But i pushed through the pain, and i actually felt better at the end.

Yet again, that band exchange and swimmer exercise is a toughy.

This is yet again , a very thought through workout, i've not done a lot of workouts, where you
really concentrate on the lower back.

By the way, i'm so loving Asylum

Asylum Round 2, Day 11 - Andy

Gameday

Well it finally arrived , 10 days of hard training all geared towards this workout, "team Asylum are you ready"

Now i've read before on a number of posts people giving advise about gameday they usually say , " pace yourself for the mile run " (which is the start of gameday)

Now i not only disagree with this statement , i disagree with the whole "pace yourself" mentality when it comes to HIIT (high intensity interval training).

The whole point is to go flat out and try to reach the red line zone

Here is a brief summary

The Aerobic Zone - 70% to 80%

Training in this zone will develop your cardiovascular system The body's ability to transport oxygen to, and carbon dioxide away from, the working muscles can be developed and improved. As you become fitter and stronger from training in this zone it will be possible to recover more quickly , so getting the benefits of more fat burning and improved aerobic capacity.

The Anaerobic Zone - 80% to 90%

Training in this zone will develop your lactic acid system In this zone, your individual anaerobic threshold (AT) is found - sometimes referred to the point of deflection (POD). During these heart rates, the amount of fat being utilised as the main source of energy is greatly reduced and glycogen stored in the muscle is predominantly used. One of the by-products of burning this glycogen is lactic acid. There is a point at which the body can no longer remove the lactic acid from the working muscles quickly enough. This is your anaerobic threshold (AT). Through the correct training, it is possible to delay the AT by being able to increase your ability to deal with the lactic acid for a longer period of time or by pushing the AT higher.

The Red Line Zone 90% to 100%

Training in this zone will only be possible for short periods. It effectively trains your fast twitch muscle fibres and helps to develop speed. This zone is where you push past your mental block, and only the very fit are able to train effectively within this zone

Hope this helps people to understand , this is what is required to get the best out of the programs.

Ok in Gameday the first 30 minutes is quite easy anyway (and i'm wearing the vest)

Also you get lots of water breaks in this, which is a rarity in Asylum .

It's at this 30 minute mark though were it all goes brutal, yes you still get the water break in between each exercise .

But it's just rough, i'll be honest, there were a few F words dropped this morning.

At the end i felt a real sense of accomplishment , and it was smiles all round.

But then i had a sickly feeling in my stomach, as i realised, the next time i do this workout, it will be accompanied by Overtime

For those that don't know, overtime is another workout that lasts 13 minutes, and it's brutal

Oh dear god, what have i let myself in for ???

Cheers Andy

How To Get A Firm, Sculpted Butt

Whether you are male or female, everyone would like a firm butt. However the glutes are often overlooked when it comes to putting in a little extra training over and above our usual workout programs, even though they are more visible in our day-to-day lives than the abs. 

I have not followed an entire Brazil Butt Lift program but have done a few of the workouts several times. Two of them are really good: High and Tight, and Bum Bum. High and Tight in particular REALLY works your glute muscles. The acute pain it brings is like no other that I have experienced in any workout. It's definitely not just for women. I know several men who have tried it and it leaves them whimpering on the floor, like it does with me. Yes, the girls working out with Leandro constantly smile and remind you of the fembots from Austin Powers, but just ignore them and get on with it. It works! 

An alternative that is widely accepted as being THE butt-firming move is the squat. To get the most benefit out of the squat, it is important to follow these principles:

Perform a FULL squat:
This means go as low as you possibly can and definitely lower than a parallel squat. Think butt to ankles.  This will fully develop the muscles in the glutes, as it requires a greater contribution from them than with a squat which is not so deep.  If you can’t get all the way down, lose the ego and lower the weight.  

As well as being the number-one move for working your glutes it will also promote all over muscle growth and is the king of compound moves, working more muscles throughout your body that any other exercise. It will also contribute to killer abs due to the core strength needed to keep the bar balanced during the negative part of the movement.

Use as heavy a weight as possible:
The stable stance of the squat allows you to lift a heavier weight than with lunges or split squats. The heavier the weight, the greater the workout intensity, and therefore greater benefit to the muscles.  However, remember, form over weight.  Use the heaviest weight with which you can perform a FULL squat.  There is no half-way house in Firmbuttsville! 


Happy squatting!  


Pam

Asylum Round 2, Day 10 - Andy

Relief

As i'm still doing abs everyday, i did cardio abs from Insanity, then went on to relief.

Its only a 25 minute stretch routine, but really sorts you out.

Shaun T, advises , if you need it, do this everyday.

Game day tomorrow, should be fun !

Cheers Andy

Asylum Day 6 - Pam

Strength


You may notice that the dates and workouts are now out of sync.  This should be day 8.  However, on Sunday morning I went for my first run in exactly two months.  The intention was to run for 9 miles, which would have been pushing it for a first run.  However, armed with a complete lack of a sense of direction, my friend who planned the route took me on a magical mystery tour which increased the distance to 10.5 miles.  My legs seized up the last two miles and I was in quite a bit of pain for the remainder of the day, so decided it would have been unwise to do the planned strength workout that day or the next.  Hence, I did it this morning.

I didn't get enough sleep or drink enough water prior to the workout and this effected energy levels. However, I fought through it and got the job done.

I learned from last week's raising of weights during the chest/ab section of the workout.  I lowered them back down to 6.5kg each and felt the work happening in my abs, rather than my chest.  This is more in-line with my goals.

As with my previous round of Asylum, this round seems to be passing so quickly.  I would like to be doing an extra ab or butt workout in the evening but don't feel I can or should after doing my morning workout and then my 3.30pm fit club workout.  I just need to spend less time messing about in the morning to try to fit in a little Athlean Extreme six pack workout.

I have back to core tomorrow.  Glad to be having another day for my legs to recover prior to tackling vertical plyo.

Pam

Asylum Round 2, Day 9 - Andy

Vertical Plyo

Up at 4.15 am, and i'll be honest, not feeling the love, quick shot of my pre workout drink, 20 minutes later,
I'm raring to go, hold me back, magic .

Now the warmup to this one is lots of variations of skipping, as mentioned before i do not skip (not enough room) so i invisible skip lol.

But bear in mind i'm still wearing a 10kg weight vest.

Any way this is designed, to attack your thighs and glutes, and give them a crazy burn before the main workout,
and i can confirm that it works !

So in this workout, it's all about jumping , and using the strength bands, the active rest parts are skipping and hopping on one leg .

The real killer is the push up jacks with bands around wrist and ankles, added with making sure your hands/feet make each ladder without moving it, spices up the intensity.
Now add a vest, and well that's just crazy.

All in all i'm loving everything so far, hard and tough, but i wouldn't want it any other way !

Cheers Andy

Asylum Round 2 , Day 8 - Andy

Back To Core

As said the first time around, don't be deceived by the fact that it looks easy, cos it isn't !

The band exchange section is a killer, but feel it in a good way, in the base of the back.

So far i'm loving Asylum, it's got a great mix of workouts, so your not doing the same thing all the time.

I don't wear the vest for this one, i don't feel it's appropriate.

Cheers Andy

Asylum Round 2, Day 7 - Andy

Strength

Not worked out on a sunday for a long time, it's suppose be the day of rest, didn't Shaun T realise this when he created the workout calender ?

I suppose i didn't mind as Strength is one of my favourite Beachbody workouts ever !

As i said when i first blogged about this workout, the warm up in typical Shaun T style gets your sweat on, as you use a weight (which i recommend something light to avoid injury) you get the burn to all your muscles right away, so when the real workout comes , your already struggling .

The blend of lifting weights added with the cardio element , is nothing short of Genius in my opinion .

For all you Insanity grads, if you like Upper Body Weight Training (from the deluxe edition) , then you will love this.

Arms are  like jelly at the moment, and i've told the wife, there's no chance of the grass being cut today ;-P

Cheers Andy

Asylum Round 2, Day 6 - Andy

Speed & Agility

Today it was back to my nemesis, i had a positive outlook that i would do better than day 1.

I'm happy to say that i think i did, but this is by far the hardest cardio i've done in the vest.

The actual workout is only 28 minutes long, but if anyone knows Shaun T and Insanity, the warm up isn't
actually a warm up, it's a workout lol.

The big question that gets asked a lot from Insanity grads is " how does Asylum compare to Insanity "

Well this is my answer , Insanity is tough, it's hardcore, but Shaun T, tells you to take breaks, rest when needed, plus apart from the pure/max cardio workouts, you get breaks of 30 seconds in the interval workouts .

Asylum the breaks are not rest breaks there water breaks, and are few and far between.

In speed & agility you get two water breaks, and there not even 30 seconds.

Shaun T is more like a drill instructor in Asylum, he tells you to push, and push hard, you won't get results until your tired and push yourself, in what he says, he also motivates you so much, to push through the pain and the tiredness.

Basically in this workout, you do a move on all fours for a minute, mountain climber progression , moving push up progression and in and out ab progression to name a few, but you alternate with a standing up move using the ladder , agility stork torch (which is hopping through the ladder) , criss cross power jump and forward and back agility (which is sprinting through the ladder).

Now when your on two feet workouts, Shaun T calls this active recovery (your still working but not as intense) this is the time to suck that air in, and get your breath back, because you know in another minute your back down for the intense stuff.

Just when you think it can't get any worse he introduces agility plank (moving through the ladder in plank position) this will be the worst minute of your life, arms,shoulders and core are on fire, but you look at the clock 6 minutes to go including the cool down, nearly there.

I lied about the worst minute of your life, it's next . you don't go back to the normal,back on your feet sequence, you stay in plank and do agility shoulder taps, (moving through the ladder, but touching both shoulders as you go ) this is the last move, you were already toast about 15 minutes to ago, it's mental toughness, all the while Shaun T is shouting for you to go faster.

I'm a mess at the end big time, shaking, dribbling, sweat in my eyes, i know i gave it my all.

I can't be sure if Shaun T then turns his hand to comedy because the exact line is " it's time to stretch, but if your bold, and you want a challenge , i want you to go back, and i want you to do it again , i want you to focus, i want you to get through it, each time get better as you practise "

I'd like to say perhaps one day, i'll accept that challenge, but i'm a long way from that.

So that's it then, i hope if your thinking of doing Asylum, i haven't put you off, but made you aware of what to expect if you dare step in !

Cheers Andy

Asylum Round 2, Day 5 - Andy

Today is rest day in the Asylum guide

But i work abs everyday, so i did Insane Abs from Insanity.
It was Jason who told me to give it try, so the last six weeks, i've been alternating between
Ab ripper X, Cardio abs , Ab ripper X2, Insane abs and AthleanX six pack promise (which is an iphone app).

although the rectus abdominis is actually one big muscle, the secret is to work it differently  every day, to avoid injury or strain .

I have seen great improvent in my definition , and my core always feels solid.

So thanks Jase, for some more sound advise :-)

Cheers Andy

Asylum Round 2, Day 4 Pam

Vertical Plyo


This is a workout that I love.  In my previous round I always looked forward to it as it made me feel so strong and accomplished.  This workout has some great moves - one-legged power jumps, lateral jumps, x-jumps with the bands.  Don't underestimate how tough it is though.  The 'rests' are active rests, with a minute of skipping on one leg, or in a squat etc.  It's not for the faint-hearted.

I'm not quite sure what happened today.  From the outset, I struggled.  It felt like my very first time in my first round.  The warm-up is BRUTAL.  It is a constant pummelling of the quads and it seems to go on for ever.  Basically, I was rubbish today.  I am not sure if the reason was food, sleep, muscle fatigue (from also doing a fit club every afternoon as well as Asylum) or just not having my eye of the tiger switched on.  Either way, I did not feel strong or accomplished afterwards.

I could get annoyed with myself about it but there's no point.  I will just look forward to my next vertical plyo and decide that it will be better.  Simples! ;)

It is my first rest day tomorrow.  However, I'm going to do Brazil Butt Lift High and Tight (I haven't done this for a few weeks and my butt really is my major-weak area), and an ab workout in the morning.  Then in my afternoon fit club I have cardio (as with every day) and legs & shoulders.

Bring it!   : )

Pam

Asylum round 2, Day 4 - Andy

Vertical Plyo

Went to bed last night aching , woke up even worse, shoulders, hamstrings and glutes .
All i can say is the foam roller is the dogs, if you haven't got one, i highly recommend you buy one right away,
You will be amazed how good they are (no i don't work for the foam roller company ) :-).

Back to the workout i love this one, lots of jumping around and lots of use of the bands, combined with the vest, intensity to the max.

The million dollar move in this one for me, is push ups jacks, in the ladder, with bands around wrist and ankles. oh yeah add the vest, destroys you , but for me , that's the point, if it was easy i'd be disappointed .

So far four days in, and it's tough, i knew it would be, when i planned it 8 months ago .

But challenge accepted ! HOWLLLLLLLL

Cheers Andy

Asylum Round 2, Day 3 - Pam

Back to core is the most mentally-challenging Asylum workout for me.  As Andy has said, upon first glance you think it's pretty low-key and not so tough but this is, of course, not the case.

Prior to trying this workout in my first round I thought it was an ab workout as we are so used to thinking of our core as the front of our mid-section.  I was disappointed when I realised I wasn't getting a whole Asylum-style workout for my abs.  I used to dislike working my back as I felt that it was not an area that you would see a difference in, or that I even had any desire to see a difference in.  However, the big changes that I saw in my back when doing the first round changed my mind and I now really value the back-work.

Thankfully I was back at work today so my usual morning routine resumed:  5 or 5.30 alarm, BCAAs, pre-workout, protein shake, clothes, press play.

I enjoyed the workout.  The warm-up is pretty low-key compared to other Shaun T warm-ups but it still manages to get you sweaty from the first minute.  The rotator split lunges are evil!  They get your back but also your quads.  I have yet to do the iso-hold and the pulses the whole way through.  That is a work in progress.

In my final week of round one, I broke the green band that comes with the Asylum set (my Incredible Hulk moment).  I ordered what I thought would be good alternatives from eBay but they are too thick and have too much tension for my needs in the lat pull downs.  Therefore I tried using the band provided with Turbo Fire.  This does have a good amount of tension for me.  However, since there is so much of this band, it really digs into the inside of my thumbs.  I decided, half-way through to do it Ariel-style and lose the band.  It is surprising how much this actually works your lats if you really concentrate on the muscle and keep good form.  I will go between this and the band in my next workout.

All-in-all, a successful workout.  It's strange how a workout routine makes a work-day seem like a positive thing.  Strange but true!

Pam

Asylum Round 2, Day 3 - Andy

Back To Core

Well after a long weekend off, it was back to the normal 4.15 am get up this morning,
and to say i wasn't feeling the love, is putting it mildly , strong black coffee was in order.

Right i remember the first time i viewed this workout, " ha an easy one " i thought , how wrong i was,
so i knew today was going to be just as tough, but a different guide of tough.

From the off the warm up had me sweating , then the pull downs with the bands really work your shoulders and
back.

By the time the rotator split lunge pulses come, man i'm feeling it big time .

But by far the most evilest move for me, is the band exchange section, shoulders on fire big time.

Oh well, off to work now.

Cheers Andy

Asylum Round 2, Day 2 - Pam

I have got a great routine on the days that I go to work but today was a holiday for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.  Therefore I did my usual non-work-day procrastinating.  I lay in bed too long and then had to eat a proper meal before I was able to workout.  I then went through the usual 'I need to hold off a little after eating', 'I think I need to eat again to get a bit more energy'  etc.  This lasted until after 5pm and then I felt like I was in a good position to bring it.

Today's workout was 'strength'.  This has to be my favourite workout of all time.  I really do believe it is workout perfection.  It works you hard in cardio, strength and balance.  Not having done this workout for about 3 weeks, I couldn't quite remember which weights to use.  Shaun T and the others in the DVD stick to the same weight throughout the warm-up but I prefer to switch weights so I am pushing myself in each move, but also able to keep good form throughout.  It works for me!   The warm-up is TOUGH!  It seems to last a long time but the moves progress so it does bring you in safely, while warming up the muscles throughout your body.

I used 8.5kg on the chest/ab section, which felt like a lot heavier than I previously used.  My chest in particular really had to work hard to avoid 'smashing my face'.

The endorphins released during and after this workout are incredible!  It leaves you feeling so strong and capable.  Shaun T's words of motivation make you push beyond what you think you are capable of.  In a word: INCREDIBLE!  

Pam

Asylum Round 2, Day 2 - Andy

Day 2 Strength

This is one of my all time favourite workouts.  I only wear the vest for certain parts in this workout as it restricts shoulder movement.

Well from the off with this one, you're holding a weight and you get tired very quickly.  By the time you're doing the second part of the warm-up (the shoulder tap press ups), Shaun T gives he's little spiel, about this being the warm-up, and it's hard, get over it!

So by the time the real work out kicks in, my arms and shoulders are already on fire.  I just love the way it's thought through, to get progressively harder.  By the time the third round comes along (spider, spider, push-up, run-outs), I am toast.

I look at the clock and see 21 mins 40 seconds still to go.  Gulp!  I'm drenched!

But again I find the inner strength to keep pushing myself.  Then come the pyramid row/push-ups to destroy me.  When I finished, it was like I'd jumped  into a pool, with every part of my body shaking,  But a great buzz of accomplishment, and even a little smile.

This workout will stand the test of time.  It's amazing!  Well constructed to attack every muscle and makes you feel on top of the world when you complete it!

Cheers, Andy

Asylum Round 2, Day 1 - Andy

Today was day 1 of Vest Asylum
For those of you that don't already know, when i refer to the Vest, its a 10kg weight vest.

This will be my 2nd round, but first was with no vest.

I'll be starting this round with my friend Pam (of Team Wolf Pack).
She will be wearing ankle weights, but the only vests she wears , are from Marks & Spencers!

So here are my thoughts of the day:

Day 1: Speed & Agility

I was already dreading this one - my least favourite workout from Asylum but still, i gave it my all, did what I could.  But, man, the ab progression stage is hard - I really had to dig deep.  I then started to question the vest wearing, muttering to myself all sorts of profanities.

Got past that hating myself and Shaun T stage, then he brings the bear crawls into play.  "You're having a laugh",  I said out loud , but he wasn't smiling.  I took what little energy I had left, and got the job done.  Brought it home with conviction (that's what I told myself, and i'm sticking with it).

I dread it, because it's so tough, but that's the point I suppose.  I don't think there's another 30 day program out there that can shred you like Asylum can, but at the same time can leave you a broken man.

Yes that's right, I've stepped into the Asylum ... again!

Cheers,  Andy

Asylum Round 2, Day 1 - Pam

After completing Asylum around 3 weeks ago, I have been struggling with nutrition and workouts.  More treading water than full-on commitment.  I was feeling this in my mind and in my body.  Started to feel a bit low and was seeing negative physical changes in my body.  I needed a kick on the butt and thankfully my fellow Wolf Packers, Andy and Jason were ready and willing to do it.  I decided to begin round 2 of Asylum, alongside Andy who is doing his round 2 with a weighted vest.

Great decision.  I completely and utterly love Asylum.  I noticed that I smiled (and grunted) the whole way through Speed and Agility.  A workout that beats you up but makes you think you're having fun is workout perfection.  My skipping rope and ladder were in school so I had to do the moves without.  I brought it and tried to use the same form in the skipping warm up, however as it didn't make me feel like I might collapse at any moment, I have come to the conclusion that doing it with the rope must definitely add to the difficulty in the cardio and in the quad work.

Looking forward to my favourite workout of all tomorrow: Strength

Starting weight was 7st 13.6lb and 20% body fat.

P90X/Insanity Vest Hybrid Complete

Well i made it.  My vest hybrid is now complete.  It's been by far the hardest I've ever trained, but at the same time, the most rewarding.

So every morning, for 6 days a week, for the last 13 weeks, I've been getting up at 4.15 am, taking a pre-workout drink then pushing play at about 4.50am.  Finishing my workout, breakfast and shower then a 10 hour working day.

If you  want something bad enough, you will do everything in your power to achieve it.  I wanted to be ripped for my summer holidays - I still have seven weeks to get there.

As one program comes to an end, another one starts.  Vest Asylum begins on Monday.

Cheers, Andy

My 10kg Vest Hybrid

As some of you may know, I'm currently doing a hybrid of P90X, Insanity and Insanity the Asylum, in a 10kg weight vest.
I got asked the other day on our YouTube channel if i would post it up, so here it is.

                                                                           PHASE 1

PHASE 2

                                                                          PHASE 3 

Now this, in my opinion, is a great hybrid regardless of wearing a vest because every phase the cardio gets tougher.  Whereas in a straight round of P90X, the cardio stays the same.  And lets be honest, if you're an Insanity grad, the cardio workouts in X just don't cut it.

So my thinking behind it when I designed thy hybrid was: Tony Horton describes P90X as muscle confusion, which works great, but what about cardio confusion?

As we get fitter, and stronger, we also need to mix up the cardio too, so that's what this hybrid does.

My plan was always to get through the 90 days, then do a straight round of  Asylum in the vest.  Now thats going to be a tough one.

If you are going to wear a vest, just a bit of advice if i may:
I started wearing the vest at the start of the year, and did Insanity phase 1 workouts twice a week, for 8 weeks, before I started the hybrid.  If you're jumping straight into it, just be careful.

I also considered myself to be fairly fit at the start of the hybrid, having trained with Beachbody programs for a whole year.

Now when it comes to choosing a vest, I did a lot of research and came to the conclusion that the ones that only half come over the torso were the best ones for the workouts I would be doing.  The full length ones are aimed more at runners.

The reason for the shorter vest is this: because this vest sits above your abs, with every single move you do you're constantly engaging the core.

Here's the vest.  It is £35 from eBay.

I think I've covered everything.  If you have any questions, please get in touch.

Thanks,

Andy

Tony Horton One on One Series - 30/15 workout UBM

If you've not heard of these workouts I would strongly suggest visiting the Beachbody.com site and having a look.  There are 3 full series to have a look through and this review is for, in my opinion, one of if not the best workout from the whole 3 series.

If you haven't guessed from the title, the workout consists of a series of "sets" comprising of 30 pushups and 15 pullups.  It's titled UBM which stands for Upper Body Massacre, which is quite an accurate description.

The pushup sets are: basic, military, wide, diamond, staggered, regular to chattarunga.

The pullup sets are: wide, lever, close grip, chin ups, switch grip, mason.

So you perform a set of pushups, listen to some banter and advice from Tony and then move onto the pull up move for that set.  You do 2 rounds of each set for a total of 12 sets. If you're already a veteran of the P90X system and pretty good at pullups I would highly recommend using a weighted vest for this workout to add an extra degree of difficulty.

To get the most out of this workout you will need some deep pushup bars, obviously top of the list is the original metal powerstands sold by Beachbody.  Unfortunately if you havent bought these already, the metal ones have been discontinued and have been replaced by some made from hard plastic, which I'm  told are still very sturdy and good enough for the job at hand. However, although I thought £40 was a bit steep but worth it for the metal ones, I'm not sure I would fork out £40 for plastic pushup stands, when reasonable metal ones made by Gold's Gym can be purchased for a third of the cost.

You will also need a decent pull-up bar.  I have the P90X one and the original Powerbar.  I use the Powerbar every time. The P90X one from Beachbody is a very sturdy bar and has multiple hand position points, however I dont think it sits high enough on the doorframe. I'm 5ft 6 and I can put my toes on the floor with straight legs, but cant with the Powerbar. The downside to the Powerbar is the fact it wrecks the wall above the doorframe where the support legs dig in. However they have released a Powerbar 2 which addresses this issue by adding little rubber feet protectors that are supposed to prevent this. I don't have the version 2 so can't confirm if this is the case.

So a quick summary.  This is a replacement workout for P90X chest and back and is a real grueller. It will test how good you think you are at pushups and pullups. The first few times you do ths workout you will be sore.  It is one if the best workouts I've ever done, regardless who its made by.  It will test your endurance and cardio strength and push you to your mental limit. I highly recommend it.

Jase

The Non-Carb Window

When tying to lose weight and lean out it is a good idea to manage your carb intake.  Your body can't burn fat while insulin is raised - insulin will be raised for around 3 hours after consuming carbs.  So after carbs have been consumed, try to leave a window of around six hours before you consume more carbs, thereby allowing your body a window of time to burn fat.  For example if you have eaten carbs with your breakfast, make sure your mid-morning meal or snack does not contain any non-vegetable carbs.

This simple snack is ideal.  

 

Tuna with quark

Simply drain a tin of tuna and mix with around 20 grams of quark (to taste).  Add in whatever salad vegetables you like.

The nutritional breakdown for the tuna and quark is as follows:

Calories            150

Protein               36g

Carbs                <1g

Fat                    <1g

Added benefits are that this is quick and easy, can be prepared in advance and taken out while travelling.  Because of the mercury found in tuna, limit to a couple of portions per week.

Pam

P90X/Insanity Vest Hybrid Day 60

Today I completed 60 days of my 90 day 10kg vest hybrid.  Feeling very happy about it all, as everything is going to plan.

Since the beginning of my journey, I've been obsessed with abs.  I've always seen it as the ultimate goal, but as I started this hybrid I came to realise this obsession was unhealthy and decided to try and put it far away in the back of my mind.

My main goals for this hybrid were to get leaner and more defined.  By doing so, the abs would really appear.  So far I'm on track.

I'm really excited at the results so far.  And from past experience, phase 3 is where you really bring it and see the best results.

So watch this space for the day 90 pics and a transformation video.

Andy

Chocolate Protein Mousse Recipe

Chocolate Protein Mousse

Ingredients:

• 3 egg whites
• 1 scoop of protein powder
• 1/2 tsp cocoa (optional)

What to do:

• Pour the egg whites into a bowl and whisk vigorously, until stiff
• Add protein powder and whisk further
• Add cocoa powder and whisk until fully mixed (optional)
• Leave in the freezer for 10-15 minutes

The chocolate flavour was really tasty and satisfied a chocolate craving.  Next time I'm going to try flavouring with lemon zest and peel.  Let us know if you try the recipe and what you think of it.  

Dumbells on a Budget

I get a lot of people ask me "what dumbells should I buy?"  This all depends on key factors: have you got the room for lots of different weights, have you got the money to buy expensive weights?  The answer in my case is 'no' and 'no'.


Now, Jason reviewed the power block.  A fine piece of equipment.  And yes if I had £300 I'm sure that I'd like some, but I'm sure my wife could find something else to spend it on too.


So here's my cheap alternative:

York cast iron weights  

Starter set is 20kg, so not too heavy.  But if you're new to all of this, they might just do the job, for a while.


The best place I find to buy these are Argos or Amazon.  At different times of the month, one is cheaper than the other.  They usually cost between £27-£35.  Remember to always look out for a voucher code when shopping at Argos. 




Another alternative is:

York cast iron barbell and dumbell set

The benefits are that this has more weight, but with a barbell .


These are sold in two different ranges: 
First is 35kg, so you have quite a bit more on the dumbell if you like.  Usually costs around £45-£70.


Second is 48kg.  You can leave the additional weights off the bar or dumbells until you are strong enough but the initial investment is worth it because as you get stronger, you'll want to add more weight.  These are usually between £70-£100.  Whereas to buy extra weights later will cost around £30 for a set of four 5kg plates.


With all of the above, it really is a case of checking daily because the prices really can fluctuate.  


As for storage, if it's just two dumbells you can put them in a cupboard.  The extra weights are quite small and can be stacked away neatly, until you're stronger to use them.

The bar can be put in a cupboard upright, or under a bed.

Spinlock

One last thing: the ends are what's called "spinlock".  Great if you're going to use the same weight all the time.  However in most workouts, P90X included, this isn't the case.  You work your bicep with more weight, then the next routine is a tricep exercise so you will likely need to lower your weight.  Using the spinlock can prove to be very slow.


Never fear, you need to purchase these:

Quick release spring collars 

Put these on the end of the bar.  When it's time to change your weight, press them together between finger and thumb.  They come straight off, giving you fast changes during your workout.  These cost £5  from a variety of sellers on eBay.


So that's my alternative to spending lots of cash.  I hope it's helped you decide.




Andy