The Firm's Vol. 2

Today I did the Firm's Volume 2 (aka Low Impact Aerobics) with Janet Jones Gretzky.  This is a Classic Cardio/Sculpt workout approx. 65 mins.  after the warm-up Janet alternates light to heavy four limb aerobics with cardio for 25 mins.  Then leads you through Floor work for 26 min that works your lats, abs, legs, and chest.  Even thought this workout was filmed and released in 1988 it is still a great workout and I like to pull it out every once in a while.  I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Shape Up the Nation!

On Monday the 12th my company started doing a program called Shape Up the Nation.  You form teams of 11 people and compete with other teams in the company.  It is a 12 week program and there are 3 categories you can compete in:
Weight Loss, Pedometer steps and Exercise minutes.  I am only doing pedometer steps and exercise minutes.  If you are interested into having your company do this program here is the website:
www.shapeupthenation.com

Advanced Step Challange 2!

I  can never get enough of this workout.  This is a though 75 min all cardio workout lead by my favorite instructor Amy Bento. You can't help but have fun with this one.  It has complex chirography, but once you get ti down It is one of the best step workouts out there.  Amy picks the best music for her workouts.  I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

The Firm's Pump Jump'n Jab!

I added this one in to my rotation this last week because I was getting tired of Chelene. This is a great 45 min cardio workout lead by Kelsie Daniels.  Kelsie alternates Cardio kickboxing and four limb aerobics with weights.  I usually use 8 to 10 lbs weights with this workout but since I was using it with CLX I kept to 5lbs weight.  I give it 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

The Firm Cardio Party!

The Firm's Cardio Party is an okay 40 min workout.  It's not my favorite.  There is 5 leads in this one. Allie, Rebekah, Allison, Annie and Emily.  I like all of the segments except for Annie's, I have to work really hard to up the intensity. Her segment is completely low impact and boring.  I do like to keep this as an easy lower intensity cardio workout. I give it 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

CLX Lean Circuit 3!

I like seeing this one come around because that means I am almost done with this rotation and I can move on to other workouts.  Here are the weights I used:
Squat with Cross-Body Chop: 18lb/12 reps this time 21lb/12 reps
Reverse lunge and Arnald Press: 12lb/12 reps last time and this time
Chest fly with hip lift: 15lbs/12 reps this time 18lbs/12 reps
Kneelign overhead press and center crunch: 12lbs/12 reps last time and this time
Push up into side planks 12 reps
Dead Lift Frontal Press:12lbs/12 reps this time and last time
Travel push ups 12 reps
Chest fly abduction: 15lbs/12 reps this time 18lbs/12 reps
Army Crawl: 12 reps

CLX Extreme Intervals!

CLX Extreme Intervals is different than Chalene's other interval workouts.  This one uses a stability ball for the cardio and sculpting sections.  I thought it was okay but my favorite is still Get-Lean Intervals.  Again you alternate between cardio drills and sculpting drills.  I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

CLX Lean Circuit 2!

Weights I used:
Sumo Squat Anterior Delt Lift: 18lb/12 reps this time and last time.
Double Arm Row-Single leg lift with band: 18lbs/12 reps last time and this time
Single Hamstring Curls, with lateral raise: last time 8lbs/12 reps this time I used 10lbs/12 reps
Runners lung with Double Arm row: 15lbs/12 reps last time and this time.
Lateral Raise with Abduction: last time 8lbs/10 reps this time I did 10lbs/12 reps
Plank with single arm row: 15lb/ 10 reps this time 15lb/12 reps
Reverse lunge with lateral rasie: 8lbs/10 reps this time 8lbs/12 reps
Posterior deltoid raise with leg lift: 7lbs/12 reps this time 8lbs/12 reps
Squate with Double Arm Anterior Delt lift: 7lbs/10 reps last time and this time

CLX Lean Circuit 1!

CLX Lean Circuit 1!  In this phase we go back to doing 10 to 12 reps like in the Burn Circuit.  The difference in this Phase is that you go extreme after every exercise.
Here were the weights I used:
Single -Calf Raise, Biceps Curl: last time 12lb/12 reps this time I used 15lb/10 reps.
Triceps push-ups: 12 reps with 18lb for the break down
Split Lunge With Biceps Curls: 12lbs/12 rep last time and this time
Stationary runners lung - double triceps: 10lbs/12 reps last time and this time
Bicep Curl with Hamstring Curl: 12lbs/11 reps I made it to 12 reps this time
Plank with single Triceps extension: 10lbs/12 reps last time and this time
Reverse Lunge - Double Arm Bicep Curl: 12lbs/12 reps last time and this time.
Supine Tricep: 17lb/12 reps this time and last time
Sumo Squat Calf Raise with Bicep Curl: last time 12lbs/10 reps this time and last time.

The Next Step!

The Next Step is one of Seasun's hardest workouts to learn. Rock steady Step is her most complex workout, I gave up on trying to learn that one.  I am so glad I did not give up on Seasun's other workouts because they are so much fun.  This one clocks in at 75 mins long.  One of these day I am going to get the last section down when she puts the first and second sections together.  I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Aprils Rotation!

Okay I now I am very late in getting this up, but this is what I have been doing this month.

Click on the picture to make it bigger.

Straight Up Step!

Straight Up Step is an all step cardio workout that is just a blast.  Approx. 54 mins. This one is lead by Seazun Zieger.  This has very complex choreography but once you get it down it is a blast.  Once you learn all of the combo's, Seasun splices all of the combo's together that makes it easier in my opinion.  Their are very few Instructors that have good music in their workouts and Seasun is one of them (Amy Bento is another).  I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

CLX Push Circuit 3!

This one is the hardest one in my opinion.  I was unable to add any workouts after it because I went heavy enough to be exhausted after it was over.  Approx. 35 mins.
Here are the list of exercises:
Sumo Squat: last time I did 12lbs/8 reps this time I did 18lbs/8 reps
Single Arm Row: Last time I did 18lb/ 8 reps this time I did 21lb/ reps
Chest Fly: Last I did 18lbs/8 reps this time I stayed the same
Bowler lunge: 18lbs/ 8 reps this time I stayed the same
Double Arm Bent Over Row: 15lbs/ 8 reps last time and this time
Bench Press: Last time 15lbs/ 8 reps this time I did 18lbs/ 8 reps
Single Leg Sumo Squat: 21lbs/ 8 reps last time and this time
Reverse-grip bent over row: 15lbs/8 reps this time and last time
Long arm Pullover: 18lb/8 res last time and this time.

CLX Get Lean Intervals!

This one is my favorite of the CLX Interval cardio workouts.  Chalene alternate between cardio drills with light weight segments.  I highly recommended getting this one.
I give it 5 out of 5 stars

CLX Push Circuit 2!

Here are my weight that I used:
Standard Overhead Press: 15lbs/8 reps last time and this time
Single Leg Lunge: 18lbs/8 reps last time and this time
Standing reverse Fly: 12lbs/8reps last time and this time
Standing Arnold Press: Last time 12lbs/8 reps this time 15lbs/8 reps
Single Leg Dead Lifts: 18lbs/8 reps this time and last time
Bent over Lat Raise: last time 12lbs/6 reps this time I made it to 8 reps
Frontal Shoulder Press: 12lbs/8 reps last time and this time
Single Leg Tap Lunges: 18lbs/8 reps last time and this time
Lateral Delt Raises: last time I used 8lbs/8 reps this time 10lbs/8 reps

CLX Push Circuit 1!

Push Circuit 1 is the next phase in the CLX rotation. This one is a little different than the Burn Circuits.  Instead of failing between 10 to 12 reps, Chalene was you to lift heavier these Circuits and fail between 6 to 8 reps.  She also has you working one body part at a time instead of lower and upper body at the same time. Here are the weights I used:
Standard Bicep Curl: Last time I used 15lbs/8reps and kept it the same this time.
Standard Squat: last time I used 18lbs/8 reps this time I used 21lbs/8 reps
Single Arm Bent-over triceps extension: Last time I used 10lb/8 reps this time I used 12lb/8 reps
V-Press Biceps: 12lbs/8 reps and kept it the same this time.
Single Leg Squat: Last time I used 18lbs/8 reps this time I used 21lbs/8 reps
Overhead Triceps Extension: Last time I used 18lb/8 reps this time I used 21lb/7 reps
Hammer Biceps Curl:  Last time I used 15lbs/6 reps this time I used the same weight but did 8 reps
Heel Squat: Last time I used 18lbs/8reps this time I used 21lbs/6 reps
Push ups: 8 reps

Step Moves!

Step Moves is an all cardio step workout from Cathe Friedrich approx. 47 mins.  I was glad I was able to get this in trade.  It is a good short step workout, not Cathe's best but I did like it. Her music choices has improved in this series. I give it 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.