Bob Harper's Inside Out Method : Bob's Workout Review

I have also reviewed the other dvds in the series - "Pure Burn, Super Strength", "Body Rev, Cardio Conditioning" and "Yoga for the Warrior".

This is the fourth and final dvd in Bob Harper's "Inside Out" series.  I may be wrong, but I believe you can only get this one directly from his website (and if you buy all 4 as a set, it's a terrific deal).

It consists of two 30 minute workouts in which Bob is one-on-one with a selected minion.  He doesn't do any of the exercises himself (that's what minions are for after all), but he does provide non-stop commentary and instruction.

It is different to the others in the series in that the production is more low-budget and basic, which is not necessarily a bad thing.  I miss the countdown timer on-screen, but I don't miss some of the "artistic" camera effects.  This is more your "sawdust on the floor" old-school workout.

The claim is that these are the type of workouts Bob does when he goes to the gym.  If that is true, all I can say is it's no wonder that he's in such great shape, because these are anything but easy.  Every time I've done them (and I've done both a lot) I've finished up super heated, dripping sweat and feeling tired but exhilarated.

Workout 1 claims to concentrate on "extreme core based upper body training", and workout 2 on "advanced core based lower body training".  That's just a pile of marketing BS - they are really whole body interval workouts (though if I had to voice an opinion, I would say workout 1 favors lower body and workout 2  favors upper).


Workout 1
Stephanie, the mouth-breathing facial contortionist from the strength dvd is the minion in this workout.  She shows a quirky sense of humor which I liked, and she's obviously pushing herself.  But at many points during the workout I could swear I was ahead of her in the count only to find that she'd reached the end before me.  And this happened workout after workout.  It really irked me.  So I replayed the workout and counted her.  Guess what?  She's can't count.  She skips reps on multiple exercises, so you're left with a choice - either skip a few reps on each set or keep pressing the pause button.

Or maybe I'm doing her an injustice and they just edited it badly.  Either way, I wonder why the production crew didn't spot it.  I kept finding myself yelling "there's no freaking way" at the tv screen (much to Nancy's annoyance).

Despite that minor gripe, this is one of my favorite workouts.  It's less than 30 minutes but is super intense.  It's also home to some of my nemesis exercises - in particular, rollups and the sadistic Turkish getups.

At one point, Stephanie tells Bob that her body is so heated she feels like she's been laid over a charcoal grill and is sizzling away.

I know just what she means.

As far as equipment goes, they use a pair of dumbbells and kettlebells (I don't have kettlebells, but the dumbbells work just fine).  There are some elevated rows (and elevated one legged plank), which I used the coffee table for. Everything else is powered by you.


Workout 2
This one features Zack from the Cardio Conditioning dvd.  I found this the harder of the two workouts, whereas Nancy found the other one tougher.  Maybe it's because I used heavy weights for this.

Bob is relentless here - he pushes Zack to exhaustion and beyond.  The guy got so red that I seriously thought he was going to puke or pass out, and eventually he is unable to complete the exercises and has to take a break.

I liked the fact that I was able to outlast him, but it did leave me wondering what I should be doing while he's taking a break, so I just carried on doing deadlifts.  At one point, Zack is doubled over sucking wind for over a minute while Bob prowls around trying to fill time (with an evil grin on his face).

The equipment used here are dumbbells, kettlebells, elevated step (for plyo pushups and step-ups - again I used the coffee table) and a skipping rope (used in the warmup).  Of these, I only had the dumbbells, and didn't feel I was missing out on anything - I still got a great workout.

At just under 30 minutes apiece, these workouts are excellent if you need to get in an intense interval workout but don't have time for the full hour sufferfests offered up by the other dvds in the series.


So there you are.  This 4-dvd set is probably the best workout collection I own.  Each one of the workouts is tough and demanding, and they all feature regularly in my rotation.

If you are just beginning an exercise program, you may want to start with something a little easier.  But if you have a measure of fitness, and are prepared to put it all out there, these will certainly get you results.

Bob Harper's Inside Out Method : Yoga for the Warrior Review

I have also reviewed the other dvds in the series - "Pure Burn, Super Strength", "Body Rev, Cardio Conditioning" and "Bob's Workout".

This is the third of four dvds in Bob Harper's "Inside Out" series that I've reviewed, and this one is a very different beast from the blood and thunder of the others. You have a 15 minute "yoga abs" or the full one hour workout to choose from, and while the simple menu system, progress bar and countdown are all still here (hooray), there are no weights involved - all you need is a mat.

My main problem with yoga dvds in general is the boredom factor, but Bob is a very good yoga instructor and really motivates you to keep going. I have done both workouts three times so far, and they've held my interest each time.


The Minions
Two girls (Leah and Kristin) and one big muscular guy (Robert) who does the modified version. I'm not going to say much about them - they're not as interesting as the ones from the other discs, but they are much more bendy and have far better balance than me, so good on 'em!!!


15 Minute Yoga Abs
Ok, first of all there's not much yoga about this at all. What you do get is the most intense 17 minute ab workout I've ever done - it is just relentless. I have a strong core and I'm really good at ab work, but this was not easy. Bob keeps your core engaged for the entire 15 minutes by transitioning seemlessly between routines, and by the time we got to cooldown my abs were on fire.

Within the 17 minutes he hits crunches, twists, scissors, extended leg crunches, core rotations, half boat twists, half boat crunches, half boat arm pulses, boat extensions, crunches (again), bicycle, leg extension crunches, mountain climbers, plank, mountain climbers from dolphin plank and any number of pulses and holds on the majority of the above.

And like the other workouts, there is absolutely no rest between sets. Make no mistake, it may be only 17 minutes long but it ain't no picnic.

If I only had 20 minutes and had to choose the best workout to do from any I've ever done, I would pick this one hands down.


1 Hour Yoga
Much different pace to everything else in the series, I call this one my reward workout because it always leaves me with a warm glow - I finish it feeling totally relaxed and peaceful. That doesn't mean it's easy by any means, but it's a nice contrast to the other more intense routines.

It does a lot of the traditional yoga poses such as downward dog, crescent, warrior and triangle poses, chaturanga, chair pose, extended side angle, half moon, bridge, wheel etc etc, but also throws in some curveballs like shoulder press from downward dog and one-legged pushups.

Bob's instruction is spot on. He explains each pose as you go, and strikes just the right balance. Minion Robert does a lot of modifiers which I found myself following (especially on the balance poses), so I know I've still got a long way to go before I master this workout, but I'll keep trying.

Perhaps my favorite progression was extended side angle into wrapped extended side angle (a bind pose) transitioning into bird of paradise, purely because it was the only one I could do that Nancy could not.

On the other hand, I really have to work on some of the other balance poses.


Summary
This is strange in the sense that the shorter workout is really the harder one, although I enjoyed doing both of them. I have two basic requirements from yoga dvds - they have to keep me interested, and they have to leave me relaxed, stretched and happy.

This one ticked both boxes.

Bob Harper's Inside Out Method : Body Rev, Cardio Conditioning Review

There's no 10 minute workout. You know what a 10 minute workout is? It's a warmup.

- Bob Harper

I have also reviewed the other dvds in the series - "Pure Burn, Super Strength", "Yoga for the Warrior" and "Bob's Workout".

This is the second of four dvds in Bob Harper's "Inside Out Method" series that I've reviewed. "Pure Burn, Super Strength" was hard, and I wasn't expecting this one to be any different. The back of the box claims "if you've got heart, you can get results". Let's see how true that is.


Overview
The menu system is identical to Pure Burn - clean, simple and straightforward. The options are the 1 hour cardio workout, a 25 minute "Butt and balance" workout and two trailers.

Once more we have the great feature of a "progress bar" and countdown timer on both workouts, plus it flashes up the exercises you're about to transition into. These are great features and I don't understand why more exercise dvds don't have them.

I could get spoiled with all this.

Equipment needed for the workout is again very minimal. One heavy weight (or kettlebell), a pair of lighter weights and a workout mat.


Introduction
This time Bob is already on set - prowling around like a caged lion. It flashes arty-farty onto subliminal clips of him slamming minions, then we're into it. There is a short cheesy speech before the hour workout, but you're into the shorter one almost immediately.

One thing I really noticed in these workouts (it probably applies to Pure Strength too, but it was more noticeable here) is that Bob and his minions perform the mirror action of his instructions. For example, when he tells you to do something with your right arm only, all the minions do it with their left. I can see why they would do that (to match the same side you're doing as you look at them), but it was really confusing at first.


We Who are About to Die Salute You (the minions)
A different set of minions on this dvd. They still look super fit, and while not as entertaining as "mouth breather", slacker and "feisty momma" they still do a great job. One of them does give Bob some sass (though she regrets it pretty quickly as he hammers on her thereafter).

Again, you only find out who they are when they're being yelled at, so in case you missed it:

Roxy - looks like she's about 12, but she's an absolute workout machine and at several points is using weights that are almost as big as she is.

Zach - the spitting image of former Wales and British Lions rugby player Dafydd James. Tall and lanky he really tries to keep going. I kept an eye on him because he seemed to flag at all the same points I did.

Becky - aka the feisty one. She does all the modifications and is picked on by Bob quite a lot after giving him a bit of verbal.


20 minute Butt and Balance
The box says 25 minutes, the menu says 20 minutes, it's actually 23:30 minutes and is a lot harder than the beginner's workout from the strength dvd. What I liked about this one is that after a quick warmup almost everything is done using one leg only which isolates that leg and engages the core by forcing you to concentrate on balance. From stationary lunges we move on to weighted deadlifts and modulate into single leg deadlifts, then single leg bentover rows and on to front leg lifts. Then we repeat with the other leg. Other exercises such as lateral raises and front shoulder raises are also done while balancing on one leg.

Then just to be sure we get our money's worth we finish off with chair pose. Bob tells us that we're only going to have to hold it for 30 seconds and promises relief, but with 5 seconds to go he tells us we're going to go straight into pulses. Bastard!! After the thigh burning pulsing is complete we get to (agonisingly) hold it again while Bob laughs at us. Double bastard!!! The minions are just about collapsing at this point. I am good at chair pose, but I was yelling at Bob along with them.

A great little workout if you're short of time (or need to work on your balance like I do).


1 Hour cardio
Billed at one hour, the workout runs for just over 61 minutes. We start out with some nice relaxed dynamic stretching and some punch and uppercut combos which warmed me up nicely.

Hmm, nothing too hard so far. Little did I know. As Bob says when the minions troop on stage "they have no idea what's in store for them".

The workout gets going with deadlifts using a single heavy weight, and it becomes obvious real soon that this is a kettlebell workout in disguise. The deadlifts transition into deadlifts with rows, and then into single arm rows. Then we continue the squats with double arm swings, single arm swings, then alternating swings. It was fun swapping the weight from hand to hand by letting go at the top of the swing and catching it with the other hand (Nancy might have had something to say if I'd dropped it though). By the time we get through another lot of double arm swings, more deadlifts, suitcase swings (then more switching and alternating, all with squats of course) I'm starting to feel it.

Then we move into weighted squats and weighted squat jumps, and I realize this is an hour-long workout based almost entirely on squats. I'm not ashamed to say I was taking water breaks here and I lost count of the number of times I yelled "you've got to be kidding" (or words to that effect) at the screen.

Then we held squat position while pushing the weight out in front and back, then pushing it overhead and back, then holding it up (while still in squat position). My legs were really shaking by this point.

"Now put that weight down" may be the nicest thing anyone's said to me all year.

But no, we're immediately into handwalks, plank, pushups, mountain climbers (as fast as you can) and scorpion pushups. The best I can say about that lot was that it was at least a break from squats!!!

Ah, little did I know. After a "rest" (otherwise known as jumping jacks) we're straight back into more sets of squats. And there's still over 40 minutes to go. The minions are absolutely dying, and so am I.

When Bob asks Becky if her legs are burning and she says "no" I could have strangled her!!! Luckily I didn't need to as within minutes Bob takes his revenge and has her near collapse. When he asks again a few minutes later, she's obviously learned her lesson and mumbles "yes".

Show those minions who's boss Bob!!!

Like the strength dvd, there is absolutely no rest in this workout. There is a short waterbreak late on when the minions stage an uprising, but that's about it. And I love it that the minions are struggling along with me. All three of them have to break position at numerous points. And so did I because Bob is relentless.


Summary
By the time we got to the cooldown I was completely spent, drooling, lying in a pool of sweat and muttering "terrible things I have seen" to myself. Bob is an absolute beast - a cold blooded merciless torturer who will push you to your limit and beyond, then laugh and get you to do a few more. This is an absolutely awesome tough workout. An hour of squats? Are you kidding me? Do you have any idea how much that can improve your hill running?

When I recover from the workout I'll let you know. I do notice my back is very tight today, maybe from losing a bit of form on the last set of swings and deadlifts when I was tired near the end.

Maybe I'll give the yoga workout a go tonight to stretch it out a bit.

Bob Harper's Inside Out Method : Pure Burn, Super Strength Review

I have also reviewed the other dvds in the series - "Body Rev, Cardio Conditioning", "Yoga for the Warrior" and "Bob's Workout".

I recently purchased the complete 4-disc set of Bob Harper's "Inside Out Method" dvds on pre-release from his website and am working my way through them. Bob is best known as the "nice guy" trainer from the TV show "The Biggest Loser", with the implication that he doesn't push his folks as hard as Jillian Michaels (the "nasty one"). I suspect this workout series is attempting to shift that image a tad (at one point when one of the minions is complaining, he jokes "come on, I'm the nice one, you love me"). I don't really care about any of that, but I always do a lot of research on workout dvds before I purchase them and everything I'd read pointed to these being excellent kick butt workouts.

I also know that Bob is a really good runner, and I've always felt that his workouts were a huge benefit to my running.

So the first dvd I worked my way through was "Pure Burn Super Strength". The claim on the back of the box (in all caps mind you) stated that "Bob will push you and your muscles farther than you ever thought possible".

My goodness - that's quite a promise. Let's put it to the test.


Overview
The first thing I noticed when I put the disc in was that after the obligatory "don't copy this or we'll take your firstborn" and "if you die working out it's not our fault" messages it went straight to the main menu. Not having to wait through annoying commercials every time I put the thing in was a nice surprise. A silly thing perhaps, but I appreciated it.

The menu is nice and minimalist - it is one-level and you have the option of the 1 hour workout, a beginner's 20 minute workout and two trailers. This is set against the backdrop of Bob looking mean and some suitably "well hard" music - I guess designed to "pump you up" for the work to come.

The other thing that I liked was that both workouts have a "progress bar" and countdown at the bottom of the screen, so you know exactly where you are during the workout. As you cycle into different circuits, it also flashes the new target zone (for example, weighted squats or tricep extensions).

Not so good was the "arty" camera work. This isn't too obtrusive, but there are some points during the workouts where they use stop-start filming, black and white stills and various other arty camera effects. You may enjoy it or you may not. For me it was a little distracting.

The equipment you need for this workout is minimal - a set of dumbbells and a mat (unless you want your carpet covered in sweat).


Introduction
Whichever workout you select, you get the same introduction montage. Bob on one knee backstage looking grim, Bob tying his shoelace with purpose, Bob smacking his fist into his palm, Bob stalking menacingly onto the set, and Bob giving a short Churchillian speech ("today's the day you change everything").

Once I'd stopped laughing, I was ready for the workout.


The Minions
Minions are important because they are the folks on screen doing the exercises and represent the oiled, shiny bastions of fitness to which you aspire.

In this dvd, there are three victims being worked out, and they all look crazy fit. They get a handslap each in the beginning, but then we're straight into it and we only learn their names when they get yelled at during the workout (and this happens a lot).

So in case you missed it, here they are:

Helen - feisty momma who gives Bob an impressive number of dirty looks (which is maybe why he picks on her so much) and has an equally impressive endurance. It's a shame the microphone didn't pick up some of the names she called him :-)

Francisco - muscular eye candy for the ladies, but seems to slack off a lot. Constantly sneaks a few cheeky breathers when he thinks nobody is watching, though Bob does catch him a few times ("if I turn around and he's not doing it, we're going to start all over"). Even Helen starts railing on him at one point, which was so funny it nearly made me drop my plank position. Still, makes me feel better when I'm still going and he's collapsed at the back sucking wind :-)

Stephanie - a mouth breather from the Monica Seles school of grunting, Jim Carrey could learn a thing or two from her facial contortions. She does the modified version of the workout.

I liked this set of minions - they were very likable. Their mannerisms give them character and let me relate to them a lot (especially when I was struggling along with them).


20 minute Beginner's Workout
This was the first workout I tried when I was pushed for time one night, and Bob emphasizes that it is a starting point for beginners. It runs at 19 minutes including warmup and cooldown, and it's not very hard. Bob does give a lot of tips about good form which is great, and to be fair he gets in a lot of moves like weighted sumo squats, bicep curls, tricep extensions and kickbacks, lunges, deadlifts, rows and front, lateral and posterior lateral raise combos.

It did leave me wondering if these workouts were going to be too easy.


1 Hour Workout
That thought was very quickly put to bed. This is the main workout on the disc, goes for just about 67 minutes, and when I say "goes for 67 minutes" I mean it goes for every single second of that 67 minutes.

The initial warmup consists of some dynamic stretching, leg swings and pushups. Nothing too strenuous, and then we get into it.

And there's no messing about. First up are weighted squats which transition to pushups, then bicep curl and shoulder press combos, then weighted squats again - this time done at pace with a quad burning hold at the end. Then weighted burpees, then we add in pushups, then we hold half way down. Then we mix it all together and move on to something else.

While none of these moves are particularly hard on their own, here's the thing - Bob transitions from one set to the other smoothly, and with ABSOLUTELY NO BREAK INBETWEEN. If he has something to explain, he'll do it while you're hammering reps or holding a squat position, or pulsing bicep curls. But once you're out of one move, you're straight into another. He has designed the workout to transition from one body part to the next in such a way that allows you to workout one part, give it some respite while you work out another, then go back and hit it again. And again. And again.

And this is an hour long workout.

Yes, it hurts. Yes, it's hard. But it's also motivating when you see the super fit minions struggling as well. Even Helen, who seems to be the strongest of the three, was flagging in parts (and Stephanie looks like she's going to puke at one point). I was sweating like a Southern baptist at the playboy mansion, and I was only 15 minutes into the thing. By the time I got to the planks, pushups (again) and weighted t-stands my muscles were forming coalitions to take industrial action against me and were on the verge of staging a walkout. Little did I know I still had matrix lunges and abdominal circuits still to go.

The only thing I modified was one section that did jump lunges. I don't like jump lunges - they're horrible for your knees and I just don't do them. Everything else was fine, though I did use padded weightlifting gloves for the portions where you're doing pushups or t-stands with your body weight resting on the dumbbells. But maybe I'm just a wuss.


Summary
I am in really good shape, I do weights regularly, and I can run a respectably fast marathon and/or ultramarathon and not be sore the day after. But I felt this workout. Two days later my hamstrings, quads and shoulders were still singing. I've done a lot of Jillian Michaels' circuit training workouts, and those are tough too, but not like this. The thing with Jillian's dvds is that you know if you're struggling with something you're only going to have to do it for 30 seconds or so before you move on. Here you could be pounding it out for several minutes, and coming back to it later, maybe with a few variations thrown in.

At several points during the workout, Bob has an interval where he says "I want you to do as many as you can, as fast as you can, in the next x seconds" and then counts down. I love that because I find I'm really pushing myself and testing my endurance, trying to beat the minions (even though I know that as soon as his countdown finishes he'll have me onto something else immediately).

On the negative, there is a big gap between the 20 minute beginner's workout and the full hour bad boy. If you struggle in the beginner's version, you're really going to struggle in the full thing.

For me, I wanted a good hard explosive workout to add to my rotation in preparation for my winter races, and this fits the bill nicely. I hope the others are as good as this.

The Enigma of Floyd Landis

Every so often you read a book that has you so captivated time ceases to exist. You become lost in the story and are unable to put the book down until you've finished, often far into the wee small hours. Such was the case with Floyd Landis' "Positively False: The Real Story of How I Won the Tour de France" - maybe one of the best sports biographies I've ever read.

Like most folks I didn't know much about Landis beyond the fact that he'd won the 2006 Tour de France before being disqualified and banned for doping. But as with any story, there's always another side to things.

And Landis has a lot to say.

The first part of the story talks about his upbringing in a Mennonite community in Pennsylvania, his religious confusion and some of the crazy stuff he got up to in his mountain bike days. The second part covers his years as a top class road racer - his hip problems which ended with hip replacement surgery, his time on Lance Armstrong's Tour de France winning Postal team, and his own victory in 2006 after one of the most astonishing comebacks in sporting history.

And finally the last section details the fight to clear his name after the positive doping result. If half of what he says is true then there's a huge problem in the control and administration of drug testing - both with WADA and USADA. Some of the inconsistencies he detailed included confusion and mislabeling of test results and samples, incorrect use of testing equipment, zero transparency from the anti-doping agencies and extremely questionable and sloppy test procedures by the French lab (see his website for examples).

I'm all for drug testing to prevent cheating in sport, but this book made me think about the other side too - it also has to be fair on the athlete. What must it be like to have your career, life and reputation torn to shreds because of faulty procedures and hidden agendas? What if he really was innocent?

Landis points out that USADA (at the time) had prosecuted over 160 athletes with 100% success - not surprising when they are prosecution, judge and jury, and it's in their own best interest to convict (more convictions = more funding). He said that as a defendant he had almost no rights and was denied access to the majority of the evidence USADA planned to use against him. That just doesn't seem right (of course, this is only his side of the story and I'm sure USADA would have a different take on things).

The book was superbly ghosted by Loren Mooney - the narrative made me empathize with Landis, which is always the sign of a good writer. Throughout the book, Landis comes across as honest (sometimes brutally so), humorous and very engaging - a tough and quirky little scrapper who regularly pushed through the pain barrier. I found myself liking him a lot, and finished the book thinking there was a definite possibility that he'd been given a raw deal and hung out to dry.

An incredibly engaging, controversial and entertaining read - the best sports biography I've read in a long time. Highly recommended.

Biggest Loser Weight Loss Yoga review

The Biggest Loser: Weight Loss Yoga

More panting than chanting, that's what I'm looking for.

I remember the first time I ever took a yoga class. It was about 7 years ago and was all Nancy's fault - the gym was full one night and she convinced me to do the yoga class with her. I agreed, adding the snide comment "as long as there's no chanting".

Of course, within 5 minutes they were chanting - "hommmmmmmmm"......

But apart from that the class was fun - there were only about 4 people in it, the instructor was cute and she liked me (she thought I was funny and liked my accent). Since then I've done a number of different yoga classes and home dvds which I've found to be an excellent cross training for running since I'm not the most flexible person in the world and am really bad at doing my stretching.

Now I know that some folks are probably going to turn their nose up at the fact that I'm reviewing a "Biggest Loser" dvd, and I can understand that. While Nancy and I do watch the show, I really see it as "reality entertainment" as opposed to anything truly "inspiring" (I love to see how blatantly they worm in plugs for various products), and I think it sets false expectations for the millions of people out there trying to drop weight in the real world (losing 10+lbs a week is neither realistic nor healthy). But there's no denying that when they're not being uber-dramatic the two trainers are really kick ass. And they've produced a number of really good training dvds.

One of the things I like about the "Biggest Loser" series of dvds is that they contain a number of workout segments that you can mix and match to customize your workout.

And you can do that with this dvd which contains 5 sections - yoga levels 1, 2 and 3 plus a warmup and cooldown.

The first thing to mention is that "weight loss yoga" is just a gimmick title - there's really no such thing. Here's a tip - if you're looking to purchase a workout dvd, don't rely on the title - you need to research the content. Read online reviews, check the amazon user comments and watch clips on youtube to ensure it's a match for your capability and end goals.

For example, if you're a yoga purist then stay away from this and go with something from Rodney Yee instead.

But if you're looking for a really good core blaster that fuses yoga, pilates and strength moves to give you a kick ass workout, then read on.

The instructor is "trainer Bob" - the good cop from the Biggest Loser series - and the participants are some of the contestants from the show. This can be good and bad - they are all in various stages of decay which means that you can relate to them much more than the "perfect fitness models" that workout dvds usually contain.

On the other hand, many of them are not displaying good form or doing the moves correctly (and quite frankly, some of them are barely trying). Here's another tip - just keep your eyes on Ali (the girl in the pink top), because she's just freaking awesome.

Bob is very charismatic and explains the moves and progressions very well for the most part. He slips up on a few occasions (and corrects himself at one point), but he too is relatable and motivates you to keep going.

Oh, and there's absolutely no chanting. Which is a very good thing. Here are my summaries of the various sections of the dvd:

Warmup
5 minutes (actual running time 6:20)

I generally don't like to start workouts with static stretches on cold muscles, and was hoping for some more dynamic variations, but these are fairly light stretches. Don't overdo them and you'll be fine.


Yoga level 1
20 minutes (actual running time 21:11)

This section contains the most pure yoga moves, in particular plank, warrior, chair and triangle poses and spinal adjustments.

Note that what I know as plank has you supporting yourself on your elbows, but here that's called dolphin pose and plank is actually pushup position.

This section concentrates on getting into positions and holding them, which I liked. There were a few misdirections, but mostly the cuing is first rate. There was one portion where you held a "side plank" resting all your body weight on one wrist. I found this was hurting my wrists, so I modified the pose to use my elbow instead (like a traditional side plank). It's not mentioned in the dvd, but that felt much better. Other than that, this was a good section which got me sweating. I felt I got some good stretching, and the plank poses really hit into my abs and shoulders and made me work.


Yoga level 2
15 minutes (actual running time 16:41)

Ok, this section is not really yoga, but that's not a criticism. Instead it utilizes pilates balance moves wonderfully to work into your abs. Some of the poses also use a water ball (a Biggest Loser product which is plugged in the "extras" section), but I just used some dumbells and they worked just fine. This was my favorite section because it worked your abs using moves that were slightly different to the norm (not a crunch in sight). I again used the same wrist modification from the first section.


Yoga level 3
10 minutes (actual running time 10:36)

This section combines traditional yoga moves with dumbells to give you an unusual strength workout. It matches strength moves such as deadlifts, lateral raises, bicep curls, chest flies, tricep kickbacks and rows with static yoga positions such as warrior, crescent, chair pose etc. The workout is rounded off with a good few minutes of plank (pushup) walkouts, combinations and variations which was an excellent way to finish out on slightly shaky arms.


Yoga cooldown
5 minutes (actual running time 7:30)

I always like to finish off my yoga routines with some relaxation poses and this one did not disappoint. It had a few nice cooldown stretches and then finished off with a nice corpse pose. Of course, this is the Biggest Loser so they couldn't resist plugging one of their other dvds (twice) while you were relaxing, but hey, at least they didn't try you sell you on chewing gum, bottled water, plastic baggies or takeout sandwich joints.


Summary
Overall this was an enjoyable workout that I had fun doing and will no doubt come back to regularly as a nice variation. The cooldown did its job and left me relaxed, happy and ready to spread world peace!!!


Ratings
Enjoyment factor : 8
Difficulty rating : 6
Overall : 7

Recommended : Yes

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Cometh the Shredder

For the last two days, I've been "shredding". A fellow blogger put me onto a workout DVD called the "30 Day Shred" from Jillian Michaels, the "kick ass" trainer from the reality tv show "The Biggest Loser". We already own another of her workout series - "The Biggest Winner" - and it really does kick my ass, so I had high hopes for this one.

The dvd includes three high-intensity 20 minute workouts - level 1, 2 and 3. You start at level 1 (easiest), progress to level 2 and eventually to level 3 (hardest). Each of the workouts is based on Jillian's 3-2-1 interval system - 3 minutes of strength, 2 minutes of cardio and 1 minute of abs, the whole lot done three times per workout (with different routines each circuit). Add on a two minute warmup and two minute cooldown, and each workout theoretically lasts 22 minutes. In actual fact, each workout is just shy of 30 minutes. And it is 30 minutes of nonstop work.

The only equipment you need is a set of dumbells and a mat (as opposed to her other dvds which also require a step). I knew from prior experience that there would be no resting or recovery time, and there isn't. So far I've only done the level 1, but it's no cakewalk. The cardio part is fairly easy and I'm good at abs (crunches, reverse crunches and bicycles - all of which I do regularly), but I found the strength portion challenging. Lots of lovely weighted squats and lunges (both static and side) combined with upper body work (you can vary the intensity by adding extra weights). Put it all together and it's a great runner's workout - I had a good sweat going. You would have thought it would be no problem with all the running I'm doing, but I'm a little sore today. I took a quick sneak peak at level 2**, and it looks like quite a step up. I think I'll keep that one until after Thursday's marathon.

Downsides
There is a fairly lengthy introduction that there appears to be no way to bypass. The dvd itself is very basic - not much in the way of extras (not necessarily a bad thing). You have a choice of three workouts, and that's it. Then again, what else do you really need?

I was mildly annoyed that Jillian does not do all the exercises, but at least she's not as annoying as she was in "The Biggest Winner" workouts. I enjoyed hurling abuse at the TV while banging out side lunge/lateral raise combos (all part of the fun, and heckling somehow helps make the time go by a lot faster), but never got to the "I want to put my foot through the screen" stage.

Summary
I liked it. It does exactly what it says on the box - gives you a good, old fashioned "you'll feel it in the morning" workout in less than 30 minutes. Highly recommended for those of you who don't have the time (or the inclination) to spend hours at the gym, and are willing to work really hard for 30 minutes nonstop. As with any of these workouts, you get out what you put in. Jillian just asks for a bit more than most.

** Gavin caught me lying on the sofa watching the level 2 workout and told me off - "daddy, you should be working out, not watching".

The Ups and Downs of the Sock Market

For the last month, I've been putting several models of Drymax running socks through their paces. How would they hold up against my current favorites - the Balega Trail Busters and the Wrightsock Double Layer? Let's find out.

Disclaimer : I did not purchase any of the socks in this review - Drymax sent me samples from their range to review free of charge. This has not influenced my review, but I feel I have to mention it

Drymax Reviews
Most of the Drymax range are equipped with top or bottom air vents designed to work in conjunction with the venting systems of the majority of modern running shoes - a feature that is very much appreciated in hot weather!!! This, together with a seamless design and a dual fiber lining helps to prevent blisters by repelling moisture and wicking it away from the foot. When I got them, my first thought was that they looked way too small, but the sock stretches beautifully to encase your foot and I didn't have any problems in this regard at all. Another nice feature is that the sock name is woven into the top of the sock - a small thing, but a godsend when you have several pairs in the laundry.

Drymax Running : nice thick socks - a little too bulky for my road shoes (which are fitted for use with thin socks), but if you like a looser fitting shoe they are a good choice. In fact, they worked really well on the trail with my larger trail shoes. Comfortable and durable, I will be keeping a pair in my drop bag.
Rating : 8 (tested on trail and road)

Drymax Lite-Mesh : thinner than the Running model, but still a little thick for my road shoes. I also have to question the durability - my wife and I each wore a pair at my son's indoor play afternoon. After two hours of walking around on carpet without shoes, she had worn a big hole in the heel of one of hers, though mine were fine. To be fair, I have tried to replicate this problem at home by wearing them around the house and have been unable to. The other two pairs are still going strong and they are very comfortable.
Rating : 7 (tested on trail, road and treadmill)

Drymax Hot Weather Running : a great thin sock that fits perfectly with my road shoes. I don't use them on the trail, but they have been well tested on the road in fairly hot and humid conditions - I have run several 20+ mile road runs in them and finished every run with dry feet. I also wore them in last weekend's marathon relays when we won the Governor's Cup, so they are my new lucky socks as well as my new favorite road socks.
Rating : 9.5 (tested on road)

Drymax Golf : very comfortable when you're going to be on your feet all day. I wore them with my everyday shoes and my deck shoes and they kept my feet nice and comfortable
Rating :7 (tested in general everyday use)

Drymax Maximum Protection : untested as yet - waiting for the weather to cool down before trying these, though after reading some opinions by other runners and foot experts like John Vonhof, I already have them earmarked for the Bandera 100k
Rating : untested

In summary, a very impressive line of running sock. Preference of sock thickness is very individual and has a lot to do with shoe fit but there's something in this line for everyone, and I've found a new go-to road sock (though I still love and use the Wrightsocks and Balegas as well).

JDarkroom - a Great Tool for Writers

Any good writer will tell you that the best way to write is quickly and without thinking. Let the words flow and keep going, even if it's crap - that's what revisions are for. So what is the biggest problem for writers? That's easy - distractions. Today's computers are super machines full of interactive whatsits and clickable thingamijiggs. They can do almost anything and often leave you accomplishing nothing. In short they are one big distraction. The solution? JDarkroom.

JDarkroom is a great little freeware text editor I found that eliminates all distractions by taking out the bells and whistles and rolling back the years to give you a good old fashioned fullscreen editor. No toolbars, no scrollbars, no choice of fonts, no clickable "interactive assistant", nothing but green text on a black screen. A writer's dream.

I was somewhat skeptical, but the complete lack of any visual stimulus is very refreshing and enables me to "just write". It is an adaptation of a shareware Mac application called "WriteRoom" and runs as a Java app, which makes it platform independent. I'm running mine on an ancient Linux-powered laptop and it is super fast.

So if you find yourself struggling to complete a writing project in Word or the like, download this cracking little app and give it a go. You may be surprised at how much more productive you become.

Put a Sock in it

Pushup Challenge : Week 4 day 1
Plan : 27, 20, 20, 17, at least 27
Actual : 27, 20, 20, 17, 29

It's official - I found myself on the participants list for the Bandera 100k and the Rocky Raccoon 100 miler. It's kinda strange to see my name on these lists - makes it seem all the more real somehow. I can't believe I'm actually going to attempt to run 100 miles in less than 6 months time.

The Great Sock Review
About a month ago, I set out on a crusade to find the best pair of running socks. Since then, I've been running in my new array of socks and comparing them. I've tested them with different shoes and on varied terrain in a bid to find my favorite. Here are the results:

Asics CoolMax 3-pack : 3 pairs of running socks for less than $9, could they really be any good? Surprisingly the answer is yes. They are soft, comfortable, wick very well, and do a good job. The one concession to price seems to be a pronounced seam in the toe, but it didn't really bother me. Ideal midweek running socks, they would do a good job for weekend long runs too. Unless you're a sock snob.
Price : $8.95 for 3 pairs
Value : 10
Comfort : 6
Rating : 7

Balega Trail Buster : Super stretchy, light, seamless, soft, comfortable. Provides just enough cushioning without being too heavy, I love the Balegas - my feet feel like they are coated in sock royalty!!! They look good too.
Price : $8.95
Value : 8
Comfort : 10
Rating : 9

Drymax Trail Running : Very thick socks, more for winter running as they tend to "squelch" in the summertime. I bet they'd be great running socks for the nighttime portion of Bandera and Rocky Raccoon though. Not a very high rating based on wear so far, but I think they will come into their own in the winter.
Price : $8.95
Value : 7
Comfort : 6
Rating : 6

Injinji Tetrasok : aka the socks with the toes. You either love them or hate them, and I fall into the latter category. They just feel strange and my toes feel trapped and constricted. I've never had problems with blisters between my toes. If I had, maybe I'd feel differently.
Price : $11.95
Value : 4
Comfort : 6
Rating : 5

Wigwam Ironman Tail Wind Pro : seem a lot more rugged than the triathlon socks and no seams on the toes. They are very comfortable, if a little pricey. Time will tell how well they stand up to the strains of trail running.
Price : $9.50
Value : 6
Comfort : 8
Rating : 7

Wigwam Ironman Triathlon : my long-standing sock. Been running road in these for years, but they don't stand up to trail very well and tend to tear easily. Add in a seam at the toe and heel, and they are average at best.
Price : $6.95
Value : 6
Comfort : 5
Rating : 5

Wrightsock Double Layer Coolmesh : has two layers, but still very light. The inner white lining is super soft and they are wonderful to run in. The moisture wicking works really well and they are very comfortable.
Price : $7.99
Value : 9
Comfort : 10
Rating : 9

The Winners
It's a tie between the Balegas and the Wrightsocks. Both pairs of sock feel wonderful and I don't know which I prefer. Here's the best idea - buy a pair of both and decide for yourself.