Plyo Cardio Circuit - Insanity Day 10

See my mini-review about Plyometric Cardio Circuit here.

The warm-up is getting easier. Well, I guess that's not entirely accurate. It's hard, as you always push yourself to the max no matter what your current fitness level is, but I can get in a few extra reps on some of the moves.

I had to jog out half of the level 1 drills. I'm looking forward to pushing through these drills without having to stop or jog.

On another note, I did have some excitement yesterday(other than Insanity). Last night, after work, I did my usual routine of getting ready for the next day. As I was getting ready for calling it a night I took off my belt, took a few steps, and about fell flat on my face. My pants had dropped to my ankles. So be aware, you may lose some weight using the Beachbody workout programs... that's all I'm saying.

Avg. Heart Rate: 160
Max Heart Rate: 193
Min Heart Rate: 84
Cals Burned: 869

Pure Cardio - Insanity Day 9

Insanity Day 9 Pure Cardio has come and gone. I was expecting to do the same routine every day for the first month. It looks like they mix it up a bit. It was only 4 days ago that I did Pure Cardio for the first time (Read Day 5 Insanity Pure Cardio Review here).

The Suicide Jumps did me in this time. I had to switch to running in place as my heart rate was in the upper 180's.

My stats for today are very close to what I did the first time. However, it "felt" a little bit easier this time.

Avg. Heart Rate: 162
Max Heart Rate: 191
Min Heart Rate: 88
Calories Burned: 809

For tracking calories burned Beachbody has an excellent Bowflex Heart Rate Monitor with Chest Strap in their online shop. You can also search for Amazon.com Heart Rate Monitors for other varieties. Find one with a chest strap so you can track how many calories you burn and also to make sure you are in the "zone". See the Equipment section for more gadgets and exercise gear (also in the navigation section above).

Keep Pushing Play!

Cocaine-like addiction from Fatty Foods?

Over on Health.com Sarah posts about a new scientific study on how fatty foods are addicting.

"A new study in rats suggests that high-fat, high-calorie foods affect the brain in much the same way as cocaine and heroin. When rats consume these foods in great enough quantities, it leads to compulsive eating habits that resemble drug addiction, the study found."

Now you have even more reason to stay away from that junk food!

Read the full article here.

Make the "jump"

Most people do not want to make the "jump". They do not want to dive in and take the risk of becoming fit. It's too hard they say. I'm too old they say. Bah humbug.

It's supposed to be hard. Nearly everyone today expects everything to be handed to them, a magic pill that will cure their obesity. Sorry folks, we are not there yet. You have to work hard to get results.

What are you waiting for? You need to approach working out the same as you approach going to work EVERY day. Treat your workout routine like a job. Do you skip work because you don't feel like going that day? No, you only miss work if you are sick or some other emergency.

Beachbody can provide you this opportunity. Take it. Decide, Commit, and Succeed. If you need help getting started, email me. Their products do work if you follow the guides and take that hour a day to do the job. They have so many successful stories. Here is one about Cammie Lusk. She is in my network as an Independent Beachbody Coach. It's both motivating and heart breaking at the same time (she has multiple sclerosis and couldn't walk).



So why are you slacking off? Join for free and take a look around.

Insanity - Day 8

One week is complete! Yesterday was my rest day and for some reason I felt crummy all day. I'm not sure if my sleep was off or what, but I did not feel well at all.

Today, I feel great! The Insanity Cardio Power & Resistance (Day 3 mini review) went very well. I'm also at my lowest weight to date. 179.4 lbs. Once I get rid of the goo I'll have to concentrate on gaining muscle. By the time I get to 10% body fat I'll probably weigh 165 lbs which seems really skinny to me being 6 foot tall. I have posted my stats in the About Fit Corner page at the top. It's a linked google excel sheet that I keep updated almost daily with my workouts and some notes.

The hop squats and push-ups were hard today. My heart rate was in the upper 180's. I ended up doing push-ups for the remaining 30 seconds or so rather than jumping up to do hops and dropping to do push-ups.

Average Heart Rate: 169
Max Heart Rate: 194
Min. Heart Rate: 70
Calories Burned: 890

Insanity Plyo Cardio Circuit – Day 6

See my review about Plyometric Cardio Circuit here. Today is my rest day, but this posting is about my workout yesterday.

Yesterday went well. It’s still extremely difficult, especially on little sleep as I went to Notre Dame today and was up at 4:48 AM to workout. I pushed myself to keep my heart rate above 170 for the duration of the workout (except stretch and cool down).

Level 1 drills still kick my butt. I always feel like I’m going to upchuck (not pretty) when my heart rate reaches the 186 to 190 range. At that point I stop jumping up to my feet and instead do a steady continuous number of push-ups for the remainder of the set. I still want to keep my heart rate up, but not to the point of having to stop.

What I find extremely helpful, and what Shaun T. mentions in some workouts, is when you are panting and feel like you have to stop, take a deep breath and exhale sharply. This will get fresh oxygen in your system. Keep pushing through.

Your body is an amazing device and you can push yourself to limits you never knew. You will become stronger. I am simply surprised at what the body is capable of… I never knew I could push myself this hard and far until I started Insanity.

Avg. Heart Rate: 164
Max Heart Rate: 190
Min Heart Rate: 85
Cals Burned: 900

Master the Power Nap!

Every now and then I could use a nap... except it's particularly difficult for me to fall asleep unless I am very tired. Daniel Tenner has an excellent article over at lifehacker on napping. Napping is now sleeping, according to Daniel, "To get the benefit of a refreshing power nap, you don't need to fall asleep. It's enough to relax yourself and let your thoughts drift off, even while remaining mostly awake. If you can do this properly (it does take some practice), you can power nap even if you find it impossible to fall asleep quickly."


Read the full article.

High-fructose corn syrup causes weight gain

Princeton University conducted an experiment that shows High-fructose corn syrup can cause weight gain, even more so than table sugar. They discuss the long term effects that "led to abnormal increases in body fat, especially in the abdomen, and a rise in circulating blood fats called triglycerides".

Read the full article.

Insanity Pure Cardio Review - Day 5

Insanity Pure Cardio is 38 minutes, which doesn't sound like a lot of time, but you'll keep an eye on that clock waiting for it to tick down to zero.

To start, you'll have the usual heart-pounding "warm up" (it's really more of a workout) for 10 minutes. After which is a short break for some much needed water.

Next you have about 5 minutes of power stretching to get ready for the real workout. Shaun T. starts out by saying he is "nervous" about the workout. If you do not know anything about Shaun T., he is a ripped, in fantastic shape guy. So when you hear him saying he is "nervous" you're thinking "oh crap".

The real workout is 15 minutes long with 15 different exercises at 1 minute each. NO BREAKS! But when you are working out at max intensity for that long of a period it's almost impossible to not take a break.

• Suicides
• Switch kicks
• Football sprints
• Stance Jacks
• Pedal
• Hooks and Jump Rope
• Power jacks
• Level 2 Drills (these differ from level 1 by having an extra jump in them)
• Frog Jumps
• Power Knees
• Mountain Climbers
• Ski Down
• Scissor Runs
• Suicide Jumps
• Push up jacks

You'll get a full minute break after this nightmare. It's tough and very challenging. At the very end Shaun T. is on the floor sweating. You'll feel great!

There is a 4 minute cool down period where you'll be doing several stretches.

Here are my stats for this morning's workout:

Avg. Heart Rate: 161
Max Heart Rate: 193
Min. Heart Rate: 85
Cals. Burned: 801

Insanity Cardio Recovery Review - Day 4

Insanity's Cardio Recovery is an easier workout than the other routines. It consists mostly of stretching and yoga moves.

There are breathing and stretching exercises, plank work, deep muscle work (which will require some leg strength for holding deep squats), quad work, oblique work, hip flexor, and balance postures.

Overall, you'll sweat a little, but it's a relatively easy workout for a "rest" day (the real rest days are Sundays).

As my calves are still very sore today, this was a much needed routine. You'll be doing Cardio Recovery for the first month.

Avg. Heart Rate: 126
Max Heart Rate: 171
Min. Hear Rate: 87
Cals. Burned: 410

Kathy Smith’s Project:YOU! Type 2

My Mom is a Diabetic and has other physical ailments as well, Rheumatoid Arthritis being the other major condition. Until I became an Independent Beachbody Coach I did not look at the other exercise programs outside of my regimen. I was not aware of this program until yesterday when I was in a webinar with my coach. I don’t know if she would be able to do this, but I’ll talk it over with her. With her joint issues it may not work for her.

So, what is it?

Kathy Smith’s Project:YOU! Type 2 is "the first and only all-in-one fitness, nutrition and support program supported by the American Diabetes Association and developed in conjunction with the American Diabetes Association, doctors, and certified diabetes educators. It’s a healthy approach to help fight type 2 diabetes."

Kathy Smith has created a no nonsense effective workout program with a easy-to-use meal plan. So if you have diabetes, or pre-diabetes, and are looking for a solution to help that includes weight loss and physical activity, this may be your workout.

Also, for those that have never done an exercise program, this may be a good place to start.

Nanoparticles kill cancer

I found this very interesting and hopeful (as I have family that have cancer) article on anti-cancer medicines.

Jesus Diaz at Gizmodo says "Look close. You may be staring at the end of cancer. Those tiny black dots are nanobots delivering a lethal blow to a cancerous cell, effectively killing it. The first trial on humans has been a success, with no side-effects:"

Read the full article.

Insanity Cardio Power & Resistance - Day 3

My calves are killing me from the Plyometric Cardio Circuit yesterday. I was worried about this workout, but it doesn't hurt your calves too terribly. The initial warm-up does, and the hurdle jumps are not pleasant.

Be prepared to jump in this workout. I thought Plyo from P90x was crazy intense, and it is a heart pounding workout, but Insanity pushes me a lot harder. The first group of exercises are power jumps, belt kicks, hit the floor, and v push-ups (which are also similar to the one's in P90x). This lasts about 6 minutes.

The second group had me taking a lot of breaks. I didn't do as many floor sprints as I would like (they are near the end of each 'set'). You'll be doing Hurdle Jumps, Globe Jumps (remember the fit test?), Moving Push-ups, and floor sprints.

The hardest part of this workout are the hop squats and push-ups. You push through 8 hops and fall to the floor immediately to do 8 push-ups. Then you are back up doing hops again, then on the floor. After you get through this you'll be on the floor crawling. Well, maybe not THAT bad, but close to it if you are out of shape.

Good luck!

Workout Length: Aprox. 39 minutes
Avg. Heart Rate: 163
Max HR: 194
Min HR: 70
Cals Burned: 872

Plyometric Cardio Circuit Review – Day 2

I will not be posting every day, but Plyo Cardio Circuit was very intense and warrants a blog entry.

The workout is approximately 42 minutes long. During the first 10 minutes you warm up. The warm up is a workout unto itself! You start out with three different levels of intensity with each more difficult than the last. The exercises are the same for each level during the warm-up, but you push yourself harder for each one. You’ll be sweating by the time you reach the stretching routine.

The stretching period is about 7 minutes. It’s much less intense, but it does require some leg strength. There are some similar moves to P90x and Yoga. Once you are done stretching you are ready for Interval Training.

Interval Training is intense! This is about 20 to 22 minutes long. There are Power Squats, Cliff-climbers, and Level 1 Suicide Drills (I’m not looking forward to whatever “Level 2” will be). You will have to push yourself to new limits here to keep up with Shaun T. and his fitness cohorts. I had to stop multiple times to catch my breath. You’ll see several people stop and take breaks as well. By the time you reach the end of interval training you’ll find it hard to just speak (unless you are in great shape). If you can speak, you probably should try to push harder next time. I kept a trash can nearby just in case I couldn’t keep things down. I came close about 4 times, but took deep breaths and pushed on.

After the fit test yesterday I was concerned I would not burn as many calories as I do in P90x. However, you do burn a lot. In those 42 minutes, I burned 946 calories. Considering you only “workout” for about 30 minutes in the program and you burn nearly 1000 calories, this met my expectations.

• Avg. Heart Rate: 168
• Peak Heart Rate: 194
• Minimum Heart Rate: 80

A tip that Shaun T. mentions is to take a deep breath when you are really panting and feel like stopping. It’ll get fresh oxygen into your body and it does help. Then keep pushing!

Weight today is 183.6. It's up from yesterday due to the new diet and increased calories. I'll see how the diet goes this week and how my body adjusts before adjusting caloric intake.

Insanity Day 1 Dig Deeper and Fit Test

This morning I started Insanity. I weighed in at 182.8. I have not worked out for the past 5 days due to pulling a muscle in my shoulder (lifting computer equipment at work), so weight is up by 2.8 pounds. Today was the first day my shoulder did not hurt. It feels a little sore as I write this.

The fit test does not burn a lot of calories in its 30 minute block. However, it’s not meant to, it’s designed to test your fitness level. But, you still burn a comparable amount for that 30 minutes.

According to my HRM, in 26 minutes I burned 547 calories.

• Min Heart Rate: 71
• Average Heart Rate: 161
• Maximum Heart Rate: 189

When you begin day one watch or fast forward through the fit test before you begin. This will give you an idea of what the exercises are. You’ll have one minute per exercise with a minute break. You’ll need it too.

My Fit Test Results

1. Switch Kicks: 60
2. Power Jacks: 50
3. Power Knees: 74
4. Power Jumps: 25
5. Globe Jumps: 7
6. Suicide Jumps: 8
7. Push-Up Jacks: 20
8. Low Plank Oblique: 42

Meals

I stuck with the nutrition plan and had approximately 2470 calories. I now know I was not eating enough during P90x. I was full all day today eating this much. This is also with a 500 deficit in order to lose weight. I'll be eating the same meals all week, but will probably pick different meals for next week.

Beachbody Insanity Preparation

Spend half a day looking over the nutrition guide. You’ll need to take the time to plan accordingly for your diet. The Insanity Elite Nutrition is simple.

First you calculate your daily need for calories using the Harris Benedict Equation, your daily activity level, and if you want to lose, maintain, or gain weight.

Second, choose your meals for the week.

Before I started this diet I was on the Anabolic Diet, which is low carbs Monday through Friday. On the weekends the majority of your calories come from carbs. I used the Anabolic diet during my for Part of Phase I and all of Phase II of P90x. I lost 10 pounds from that diet but my weight loss has stalled.

Insanity is going to require you to have a very healthy diet with specific ratios. Everyone’s body is different and requires specific needs. But if you do not know what your body requires exactly follow the nutrition guide. It’s easy to follow. Choose your 5 meals for the day from each of the five categories and decide on how large that meal should be. If you need to add calories they have additional options for each meal. There is also a section in the back for small 100 calorie or 200 calorie blocks.

A tip that I found helpful was to photocopy pages out of the nutrition guide. Cut them to 4 x 6 (same size as a standard photo) and place them in a cheap photo book. Now you can reference your meals whenever you need without having to carry the book. Also, don’t forget the sections on substitutions. For example, I do not like cottage cheese, so I substitute it with rice milk. The measurements are listed in the Extras section in the book.

Barefoot Running - Vibram Five Fingers Review

I just purchased a new shoe that gets a lot of strange looks, comments, and questions.

Vibram FiveFingers KSO (Men's) and
Vibram FiveFingers KSO (Women's).

I needed a pair of shoes for my upcoming Hawaii trip that would work in different environments. Sand, lava rock, rivers, reefs, general walking, and running come to mind. I looked at several different water shoes and Sandals (both full toe heel strap ones to the thongs). I stumbled across the Vibram FiveFingers Shoes. It's primarily designed for running and they make different types depending on if you are running summer/winter or trail running. But it forces you, more or less, to run natural.

When you run barefoot you land on the ball of your foot. It comes natural (after awhile), otherwise your heel will hurt, especially on concrete! With the amount of force applied to your heel, It's like hitting the heel of your foot with a hammer! When you run barefoot you put the forces on your calf muscles rather than joints (knees and hips). You also use more of your quads when you run this way.

Do a few searches on google, you'll see that a lot of runners are using these today or running barefoot, even Olympic athletes.

They also help with certain issues such as over-pronation. I have flat feet, I over-pronate when I step heel to toe. These "shoes" should help resolve that. I also workout barefoot daily. I'll add these to my routine.

From what I've read they shouldn't be used in lateral movements, such as those found in tennis and racket ball. You need more side-to-side support in those sport and the foot may slide in the five fingers. They are best for walking and running.

The Vibram FiveFingers Shoes Trek just came out as well. I'm not sure if it's available in most stores yet. It's approximately $125. The trek has a lot more grip and would be better if it's wet or if there are rocks (more protection) but may not be so good for in the house working out or running.

To get the right measurement, take a ruler (and don't forget they usually do not start right at the very edge), place your heel against the wall and slide the ruler under your foot. Measure to the longest toe and that is the size in inches. Mine are 11.25 or so, which is a size 44 according to Vibram's sizing chart. You want your toes very close to the end but do not want them to be too tight, or feel like your toes are jammed against the toe socket (the 43's were way too tight for me).

You may find that you are between sizes. If that is the case consider a woman's size. They are more narrow but come in 1/8" sizes I believe.

For a video on barefoot running, check this out:



Here is a link where you can purchase Vibram Five Fingers. There are no local stores in my area that carry them.

Vibram FiveFingers Shoes:
Experience the barefoot revolution!

Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum) Health Benefits?

That hot pepper can be helpful for you!

A co-worker of mine eats spicy foods all the time and has boundless limits of energy. I read somewhere that Capsicum can help with feeling sluggish and tired, but I think it has more to due with his metabolism.The conversation progressed into talking about pepper's antibiotic benefits. A quick search shows how Cayenne Pepper has been used for thousands of years for it's healing abilities. It helps with digestion, the heart (supposedly it can help when given during a heart attack!), dyspepsia, pain, skin conditions, cancer, and headaches. Read more at http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/cayenne.htm

Since I've read this article I have been putting liberal amounts on my food (and sweating bullets).

About Fit Corner

Hello and welcome to FitCorner.net!

About FitCorner
In short, FitCorner is about getting in shape and staying in shape. There is a mixture of reviews, tips, and products that the author recommends. It's open for discussions, so feel free to join in and comment.

About the Author
Chad Schwieterman (aka Balandar) was born in Indiana, January 1980. Chad is currently employed as an IT Professional for in Fort Wayne, IN. His primary focus is on website development and system administration.

I have never had a 6 pack. It's the one aspect of my life that I have never achieved. Everything else thrown at me in life I have had success with on some level or another. But fitness, no such luck. I grew up watching T.V., playing board games, video games, computer games, everything that was inactive. I was more active outside when I was a kid, but the majority of the time was inside behind a screen of some sort or reading books.

It wasn't until I turned 26 that I started to get interested in fitness. A friend recommend P90 to me and I continued with the program for years on and off. But it was only a past-time hobby. I never achieved the results I as looking for. I didn't consider it a life style until I turned 29.Maybe it was that 30 year mark coming up that was the catalyst or I was just tired of being tired every day. A lack of energy is a good motivator.

Another factor is my knee has the beginnings of arthritis, the knee cap would slip side to side which ate away the cartilage. The knee doctor said to work on building up quad strength, and that I should continue working out as it will only get worse if I stop. And I have noticed that. I was hurting quite a bit before working out, but it only hurts now during a few exercises in Yoga X from P90x (Power 90x, another Beachbody product).

To hold myself accountable, and by helping others whom hold me accountable as well, I decided to become a Independent Beachbody Coach. I've discovered how much I enjoy helping others, even if it's only mentioning a few words here or there about fitness or some product or book I've read. There is also a discount for Beachbody products when you become an Independent Beachbody Coach.

I'll be posting miscellaneous information that I find interesting or would like to share with you regarding fitness and well-being. In addition, I'll be promoting Beachbody workout routines as I've been using them almost exclusively for years.