What Inspires Me To Sweat

Knowing that I have and am inspiring others on their own fitness journeys is what inspires me to sweat.  Just last week I had a childhood friend post to my Facebook page that I have been their fitness inspiration.  She recently started a running program and is currently working on being more consistent.  Knowing that I have made a difference in the lives of others through my hard work and dedication to fitness is what keeps me going.  It brings tears of joy to my eyes and makes me proud.

Click link below:

http://www.bexlife.com/shop/inspiration-perspiration-oct-20-21

 

Toby Massenburg’s Chiseled Workout DVD Review

Chiseled is Toby Massenburg’s follow up to his Max 30 workout DVD.  You may remember my review of that and how much I like Toby in the lead instead of as the background guy we had already grown to love in Paul Katami and Patrick Goudeau workout videos.

This had been on my “want” list since I heard it was going to be released but I have to tell a funny story. I am “friends” with Toby on Facebook and he went out of his way to make sure I got a good deal on the DVD through a pre-order on his website by commenting on one of his posts asking if I had jumped in on the deal yet.  I wasn’t going to let this one get away. 

For this workout you will need at least a set of heavy weights, a set of light weights and a step.  I don’t limit myself to just the two sets of weights however – since I have multiple weights of dumbbells lying around I tailor it to my own needs.  In the workout Toby grabs a heavy and a light in one hand – I just increase my weight for those moves.  You could also get away with modifications if you don’t have a step.  I would watch it first though to see how you could modify.

The set up of this workout is a 20/20/20 (seconds) rotation of sculpt and cardio moves with increasing levels of intensity within each segment and 30 seconds of rest between.  You will then repeat the block. Most of the sculpting segments get your heart rate up and some actually more so than the cardio segments.  There are some fun combination of strength movements and maybe by fun I mean challenging – I don’t know, but sometimes pushing yourself can be “fun.”  There are times when it might seem like you are “taking it easy” in a cardio segment but these “easier” portions seem strategically placed around others that are quite challenging.  The workout IS 71 minutes in length so taking a brief “vacation” (as Toby calls it) isn’t necessarily a bad thing to complete the workout.  There are 10 total blocks of the rotating cardio/strength segments – so be prepared to work.

I have to be honest, I try to do my workout DVDs at least twice before I review them thoroughly (although it doesn’t always work out that way) and the second time I attempted to do it, I was only feeling motivated to do a 45 minute workout that day.  Once I started, however, I completed the entire thing.  It’s definitely a great workout.  After completing this, you will feel those endorphins kick in like nothing else.

Included in this workout is a separate Ab/Core workout.  I think Toby delivers some of the best abs sections around.  I always feel it the next day.  This workout is 15 minutes in length.

Overall, Toby’s demeanor is always sweet and encouraging, never demanding.  Just the thing that I’m sure has gotten him to where he is today and will get him even further in this industry in the years to come.  Toby is also his funny self saying things like holy guacamole and I like it after just about killing us!!!!  (I think there is some evil in there somewhere!)

Mike Donavanik’s Extreme Burn Metabolic Conditioning Workout DVD Review

Mike Donavanik recently released his second workout DVD:  Extreme Burn Metabolic Conditioning.  You may remember, back in January I reviewed his first workout DVD Extreme Burn and really liked it.  This was touted as a step up from that and it did not disappoint!

I will warn you off the bat some movements may be hard on your knees.  I tweaked my own knee during the second workout on a split lunge jump using a weight.  I now modify that move because I don’t want to hurt my knees.  Mike does provide a modifier in Teri Ann Krefting whom you will probably recognize from many other workout DVDs ala Jillian, Jeanette, etc.   Please follow her if you need to modify any of the movements.

In Mike’s first DVD his segments went as follows:  Strength, Cardio, Strength, Abs.  In these workouts he follows a Strength, Cardio, Strength, Cardio, Strength with dynamic movement, Abs premise.

Workout Number 1 is 47 minutes and Workout Number 2 is 49 minutes.  Workout Number 3 is Workout  Numbers 1 and 2 combined for a rather lengthy kick-arse session.

From the get-go on Workout Number 1 you know that this is an intense workout.  Mike builds on a squat drop to a pop and then adds a press to it.  That movement alone sets the tone of these workouts.

When I did this workout for review, I followed it up by re-doing Mike’s first workout DVD so I could compare.  I like that this has the extra cardio segment and the extra strength segment.  My body really felt heated up by the end and I know that is the “metabolic conditioning” at work.

I like Mike’s forthright coaching.  He doesn’t sugarcoat anything but he isn’t too demanding either.

For this workout you will need at least two sets of weights – one set of light/medium and one set of heavy.  I like to mix and match to meet my own needs.

I am glad that Mike released this second DVD and I hope we continue to see workouts like this from him