On Day 30, I did Max Out Power in the morning and Sculpt 1-2 in the evening. I barely managed to make it through Max Out Power without taking a break. If the push-up section about halfway through the workout had been ten seconds longer, I would have maxed out there. But I made it through. The Sculpt 1-2 workout in the evening went fine. I think I am going to bump the weight I am using for the back exercises up to 20 lbs soon and shift back to 12 lbs for the shoulder exercises so I can maintain good form.
Reviews, Health, and Other Stuff
Here you will find things about fitness and nutrition, mainly (but not exclusively) in relation to the Beachbody programs like P90x and Insanity. And, I will start adding reviews for Books, DVDs and Blu-Rays, and other products. All views and opinions on this blog are my own.
Welcome
Welcome to my ever-evolving blog. It started out as a blog on Beachbody workouts and products, mainly when I was a Beachbody coach. I no longer coach, not because I don't believe in Beachbody's programs (I subscribe to Beachbody on Demand and use their workouts every day), I am just not a salesperson and hated that aspect of it. I am more than willing to answer questions about my experiences with their products and the various workouts, and I feel freer to do so without the appearance of giving a biased review of something.
I have also started adding reviews for various things I have purchased like movies, books, CDs, and other products. This was brought about by a fight with Amazon in which all of my reviews were removed over a completely bullshit allegation that I posted a review that violated their terms of service. After going back and forth with the morons in the community-reviews department (even after they admitted that my posts did not violate their guidelines) they restored my account (which took them six months to do), but I have been posting my reviews on my blog to have them preserved in case something like that happens again. And here, I will post uncensored reviews so I will swear from time to time and post reviews that may be longer than Amazon's character limit. Everything I post here on any topic or product is my personal opinion, and I take no compensation for any product reviews I post. I am a member of Amazon's vine program and because I get those products for free, I keep those reviews on Amazon only, but everything I have purchased with my own money, whether from Amazon or some other store/website/outlet, I will post here.
I also plan to do some longer blog posts on various topics, such as how to learn physics, how to get through calculus, and longer reviews of workout programs as I do them. Basically, whatever strikes me as interesting at the time. As you can see if you navigate around the blog, I had many years in between postings. During that time I was going back to school to get an engineering degree, and learning material that I avoided my first time through college was a different experience and one that gave me a lot of insight into how to do well in those classes, which I will try to impart here for those who are looking to get a science or engineering degree.
Wednesday, April 2, 2025
Monday, March 31, 2025
Workout Update: Insanity Max 30/Power 90 Hybrid: Day 29
Day 29 started Week 4 in Max 30 and Power 90. In Max 30, that meant transitioning to Phase 2 of the workout and doing Max Out Cardio. It is similar to the cardio circuit workout, but it does not have as many breaks, and there is a one-minute power move at the end of each block before you get to the break. I got through the entire 30 minutes without taking any unscheduled breaks. This week is another transition week in Power 90, doing the 1-2 workouts with the 3-4 workouts sandwiched between them. So, I did Sweat 1-2 and Ab-Ripper 100. Both went well without much difference from last week.
Workout Update: Insanity Max 30/Power 90 Hybrid: Day 28
On day 28, I did the Sculpt 1-2 routine from Power 90 in the evening. I am still dealing with family stuff, so my workout schedule was still messed up, but I finished all the workouts for the week (aside from the Lift 4 recovery routines).
4k-UHD/Movie Review: Babygirl
The 4k release is a single-disc UHD release. The movie looks and sounds fantastic in the UHD format. The extras include a commentary track on the film by Rejin, which provides a lot of insight into the story and the filming process, some behind-the-scenes material, and deleted scenes. The movie is good, but it will definitely not appeal to everyone. It has a lot of sexual content, some nudity (much of the sex is covered up, but there are some nude scenes including topless and butt shots of Kidman), and a lot of swearing. Kidman does a great job playing a character who is not very emotive, which packs a punch the few times she expresses emotion. Despite having some star power, the film feels more like an indie movie than a big-budget blockbuster. Ultimately, it is a good film, so it is worth watching if those things do not dissuade you.
Saturday, March 29, 2025
Workout Update: Insanity Max 30/Power 90 Hybrid: Day 27
On Day 27, I did the Sweat 1-2 and Ab-Ripper 100 routines in Power 90. Those were supposed to be yesterday evening's workout, but because my schedule got thrown off this week, I did it today, and tomorrow will be Sculpt 1-2.
Friday, March 28, 2025
Workout Update: Insanity Max 30/Power 90 Hybrid: Day 26
On Day 26 I did Friday Fight Round 1 in Max 30, and Sculpt 3-4 (which was supposed to be yesterday evening's workout). I made it all the way through the Max 30 workout, so I was able to get through all the round 1 Max 30 workouts (following the modifier) without stopping. The big proviso, however, is that the modified version of the Max 30 workouts are much easier than the unmodified versions. In Sculpt 3-4 you do four rounds instead of three. In the first three rounds you do the same exercises as in 1-2 (save for decline push-ups) but you do more reps of the lunges and squats. In the final round, you do upright rows, calf raises, supermans, and forearm curls. Then, you finish the workout doing max push-ups and max squats. So, the workout is not impossible, but it is challenging.
Workout Update: Insanity Max 30/Power 90 Hybrid: Day 25
Day 25 got shaken up a bit because of a family emergency. I did do the Max 30 workout in the morning, and got through it without taking any breaks, but I was not able to do the Power 90 Sculpt 3-4 workout. My plan is to do that one tonight and then double up on the Power 90 workouts tomorrow (sweat 1-2 and sculpt 1-2).
Thursday, March 27, 2025
Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: The Big Bang Theory: Season 1
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Workout Update: Insanity Max 30/Power 90 Hybrid: Day 24
Day 24 was Sweat Intervals in Max 30 (in the morning) and Sweat 3-4 and Ab-Ripper 200 from Power 90 in the evening. In the Max 30 workout, I managed to make it through the entire 30 minutes without taking an unscheduled break. The Sweat 3-4 workout is almost the same as the 1-2 workout. All the exercises are the same, and you do the same four minutes of yoga at the beginning. The difference is that during the cardio portion, the pace is quicker, and you do an additional round of exercises for each block (except the kicking portion of the kickboxing block). Similarly, when you get to Ab-ripper, you are doing the same ten exercises, just adding an additional ten reps to each one. Those things definitely made the workout more challenging. I had to pause a few times during the workout, but thankfully, my stamina has been getting much better.
Tuesday, March 25, 2025
Workout Update: Insanity Max 30/Power 90 Hybrid: Day 23
Day 23 was Tabata Strength in Max 30 and Sculpt 1-2 in Power 90. I again flipped the order of the workouts and did the Power 90 workout in the morning and the Max 30 workout in the evening. I again barely managed to make it through the Max 30 workout without taking an unscheduled break, but I was feeling it around the 25-minute mark. In the Power 90 workout, I increased the amount of weight I was using for the back exercises up to 17.5 and still did 15 reps.
Monday, March 24, 2025
Workout Update: Insanity Max 30/Power 90 Hybrid: Day 22
Day 22 started off week 4 in Max 30 and Power 90. In Max 30, it was the Cardio Challenge workout again. I was able to get through the entire workout without taking an unscheduled break, and this is the best I have felt during any of the Max 30 workouts. So much so that I did a few of the exercises unmodified for part of the time. In Power 90, this is the first transition week in which you do the 1-2 workouts Monday and Tuesday, the 3-4 workouts Wednesday and Thursday, and go back to the 1-2 workouts Friday and Saturday. So, I did Sweat 1-2 and Ab-ripper 100 today. Both went fine, but since Max 30 tends to gas me in the morning, I do have to throttle it back a bit during this workout.
Workout Update: Insanity Max 30/Power 90 Hybrid: Day 21
Day 21 was a rest day in both Max 30 and Power 90, so I did the Lift 4 recovery routines in the evening. Again, I can tell my range of motion and flexibility are improving little by little, but I have a ways to go.
Workout Update: Insanity Max 30/Power 90 Hybrid: Day 20
Day 20 was Sculpt 1-2 in Power 90, which I did in the late afternoon. I did not do doubles today, taking the rest day from Max 30. I continued to use 15 lbs for all the weighted exercises in this workout, but will bump everything except the shoulder and biceps exercises up to 17.5 lbs next week.
Workout Update: Insanity Max 30/Power 90 Hybrid: Day 19
Day 19 was Friday Fight in Max 30 and Sweat 1-2 and ab-ripper 100 in Power 90. In the Max 30 workout, I made it to 23:47 before I maxed out, so there is an outside chance I will be able to do all 30 minutes next week. The Power 90 workout went fine. My flexibility and range of motion continue to improve, but I still have to modify more of the exercises than I want to.
Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Clerks III
Sunday, March 23, 2025
4k-UHD/TV Series Review: The Penguin
The 4k set is a three-disc set. The eight episodes are spread across the three discs. Each disc has bonus content, including the eight "Inside Gotham" segments that played after the episodes aired on Max and included interviews with the cast and showrunners about the events of the particular episodes. Then, there are several behind-the-scenes featurettes that range in length from a few minutes to just under ten minutes and cover different aspects of the series. The A/V quality of the episodes in the UHD format is outstanding.
The series is very well-written and acted. The writers do a great job with character development, especially for Oz, Sophia, and Victor (played by Feliz). They have to balance making Oz human and showing why he is a true villain. They do a fantastic job of making him almost sympathetic and then having him do something truly despicable to take all that sympathy away. Farrell is outstanding in the role of Oz, and Milioti is a tour-de-force as Sophia. While the show has the same look, tone, and feel as The Batman movie, it does not include Bruce Wayne/Batman, Selina Kyle/Catwoman, or Jim Gordon (although Selina is name-dropped), and we do see the Bat symbol in the sky in the final episode. It does have a lot of violence and swearing. It also has some suggestive sexual content but no nudity (although there are a couple of shots that get close to showing nudity). So, it is definitely not appropriate for young kids. If you liked The Batman movie, this is absolutely a must-watch. Even if you have not seen the film, the show provides enough context from the film to follow along with the story without getting lost. Ultimately, it is a wonderful series that is worth your time to watch.
Saturday, March 22, 2025
DVD/Movie Review: Bikini Summer
Friday, March 21, 2025
Blu-Ray/TV series review: Charmed (2018): Season 4
Workout Update: Insanity Max 30/Power 90 Hybrid: Day 18
On Day 18, I switched things up a little. I did the Sculpt 1-2 workout from Power 90 in the morning and the Tabata Strength workout from Max 30 in the evening. I was able to get through the Max 30 workout without taking any unscheduled breaks (barely). The 20 on 10 off format definitely helps, but unlike Tabata Power, in which you have breaks every five minutes, in this workout, there are no breaks. After each block of moves you do a power move that is lower impact (like Mummy Kicks). So, you are constantly moving until the end of the workout. There are actually a few of the cast members who made it through the entire workout without taking breaks, which is damn impressive.
Thursday, March 20, 2025
Workout Update: Insanity Max 30/Power 90 Hybrid: Day 17
Day 17 was Sweat Intervals from Max 30 in the morning and Sweat 1-2 and Ab-ripper 100 from Power 90 in the evening. I made it through the Max 30 workout without any breaks, but barely this week. The Power 90 workout went okay, but I was still a bit worn out by the time I got to it in the later evening.
Workout Update: Insanity Max 30/Power 90 Hybrid: Day 16
Day 16 was Tabata Strength from Max 30 in the morning and Sculpt 1-2 from Power 90 in the evening. Tabata Strength is the other workout from month one in Max 30 that you do, starting with week 3, replacing Tabata Power. The format of the workout is similar to Tabata Power, with different exercises. I maxed out at just over the 25-minute mark in this one, so hopefully, by the end of round 1, I can get through all 30 minutes (doing the modified version) without any unscheduled breaks. The sculpt workout in Power 90 went fine. I again used 15lbs for all the exercises. I decided that next week, I will bump the weight up for the back, biceps, and triceps exercises but keep using 15 lbs for the shoulder exercises.
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
Book Review: Love, Pamela
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
Workout Update: Insanity Max 30/Power 90 Hybrid: Day 15
On day 15, I did Cardio Challenge from Max 30 in the morning, and Sweat 1-2 and ab-ripper 100 from Power 90 in the evening. I again made it through the full 30 minutes of the modified version of Cardio Challenge. The most challenging thing about getting through that workout is watching Shermita (the most useless cast member in the original Insanity program and continues to be so here) alternate between being lazy and being a drama queen the entire workout. Thankfully, she is in the back corner, and the camera is not on her as much as on the people working out hard. In the Power 90 workout, my flexibility during the yoga portion is getting better, and my stamina is improving. Plus, the ab-ripper routine is getting easier.
DVD/Movie Review: The Big Town
Monday, March 17, 2025
Book Review: God Emperor of Dune [Hardcover] (Dune #19 chronological order, #4 publication order)