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.
Sunday, April 30, 2023
Book Review: Star Wars: Cataclysm
Saturday, April 29, 2023
Supplement Review: Premium Mushroom Gummies Supplement - Mushroom Complex for Immune Health, Brain, Mood & Stress Support
Friday, April 28, 2023
Product Review: Computer Speakers, Bluetooth Computer Soundbar, HiFi Stereo, 3.5mm Aux-in Connection, USB Powered Computer Speakers
Thursday, April 27, 2023
Product Review: Allen Company Safety Fit-Over Glasses for Use with Prescription Eyeglasses
Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 44
Day 44 was Trimetrics in X3 and Sweat in PIYO. Both of those went pretty much the same as the last time I did each of them. No gains, but I did not regress or backslide either.
Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 43
Day 43 was Decelerator in X3 and Sculpt in PIYO. After a couple of times doing the modified version of Decelerator, it is a bit easier than it was the first time I did it, but it is still very hard, especially if you are using a full range of motion. This was also the first time doing the Sculpt workout in PIYO. It is another strength-focused workout that has you doing a bunch of squats, lunges, and push-ups and fewer yoga or pilates moves. If you can get through the strength intervals workout, you should be able to make it through this one without much problem.
Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 42
Day 42 was the rest day in X3, which I took advantage of. Tomorrow will start up the doubles workouts again incorporating in month 2 of PIYO so I can finish up X3 and PIYO at the same time.
Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 41
Day 41 allowed for a choice between Total Synergistics or Complex Lower. I decided to do the latter since I was not a huge fan of TS and had not done CL in this round of X3 yet. In CL, you do four rounds of the same five exercises. All of the exercises are some version of a squat or lunge and some of them require you to balance on one leg as you do the exercise. So, it is another one that is very challenging, and if you are doing the workout for the first time, depending on what kind of shape you are in, you will probably need to modify most of the moves, at least during the first round until you figure out what you are doing.
Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 40
Day 40 was the Tiometrics workout and the first time since block 1 that this workout is on the schedule. Like Agility X earlier in the week, this one is still challenging, but a bit easier than the last time I did it. I still had to modify most of the moves, but there were a couple in which I could finally do all three versions, which was nice to see.
Wednesday, April 26, 2023
Book Review: Star Wars Timelines
"Timelines" is what I would describe as a coffee table book. It is not a novel that people are likely to read word-for-word, cover-to-cover. It basically summarizes the Star Wars canon, incorporating material from the novels, comics, video games, animated series (e.g., Rebels, Clone Wars, and Bad Batch), live-action series (e.g., The Mandalorian, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and The Book of Boba Fett), and the movies. The book has multiple "main" timelines that set out events in relation to The Battle of Yavin when Luke blew up the first Death Star. The first timeline summarizes the early history, starting about 25,000 years before the Battle of Yavin (abbreviated BBY). Then the last timeline is the rise of the First Order, which ends with the battle of Exegol (basically the end of The Rise of Skywalker movie) 35 years after the Battle of Yavin (abbreviated ABY).
Each of the main timelines has several "sub-timelines" that flesh out details of events that happened in the main timelines. For example, in the Fall of the Jedi timeline, events like Order 66, Obi-Wan and Anakin's battle on Mustafar, hiding Luke and Leia, etc., are all detailed. The sub-timelines for the High Republic timeline summarize the events in the various High Republic novels, such as the hyperspace disaster. The sub-timelines also provide short character profiles for the various characters, and the major characters like Anakin, Luke, Leia, Obi-Wan, etc., get their own dedicated timeline that summarizes the major events in their lives.
Overall,
the book is good. As I said above, it is not one that most people (aside from
the most die-hard of die-hard fans) are likely to read in full, and definitely
does not read like a novel. But, if you are one of those people who does not
read all of the books or have not played the video games (like Fallen Order),
it has some of the detail and information on some of the characters that you
may not be familiar with. Also, it does not include the events of the most
recent seasons of The Bad Batch and the Mandalorian, since it was written
before those were completed. But otherwise, it is very comprehensive and is worth
getting for anyone who is more than just a casual fan.
Monday, April 24, 2023
Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 39
Day 39 was X3 yoga again. There is really nothing new to report about this workout. I do not think I had any flexibility gains or losses from the last time I did the workout. The only thing of note is that I could get a little closer to doing crow (which has always been very tough for me) for at least a few seconds.
Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 38
Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 37
Day 37 was a return to the agility-x workout for the first time since the end of month one. It was still challenging, but definitely easier now than it was the first couple of times I did it. Because you are jumping both forward and back and laterally, you do need enough room to really get the most out of the workout, but you can modify a bit if you need to because of space limitations, which I definitely have in my basement.
Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 36
Day 36 was the Decelerator workout in X3. This is a very challenging boot camp type workout that has you doing squats and pull-ups, but the twist is that you are doing the moves slowly and are often doing exercises like sumo squats while on your toes, and elevator pull-ups in which you hang (bottom floor) then pull yourself to the middle and then get your chin over the bar, holding each floor for a few seconds. Then you also do some explosive moves like a jump with a freeze landing with one foot off the floor and in a lunge-type position. The prior workouts do prepare you somewhat for this one, so there is a reason it is in the third block. As I said in the last update, this week I am not doing any of the PIYO workouts so I can end them at the same time.
Sunday, April 23, 2023
Book Review: Hoax: Donald T***p, Fox News, and the Dangerous Distortion of Truth
Friday, April 21, 2023
Book Review: The Black Banners: The Inside Story of 9/11 and the War Against al-Qaeda
Thursday, April 20, 2023
4k-UHD Box Set Review: The Dark Knight Trilogy
Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 35
Day 35 was the rest day for X3 and the intervals workout again in PIYO. I decided that next week I am just going to do the X3 workouts, then will add the month 2 PIYO workouts in the week after that so that I finish both programs at the same time.
Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 34
On Day 34 I did the pilates workout in X3 which was supposed to be done on Wednesday and then did Define Upper in PIYO. The Pilates workout was still very challenging, and I definitely had to skip some reps on some of the moves and modify many of the moves to get through it. It is not a workout that is going to be a breeze for someone who has not done Pilates in the past. If you are going to keep up with the two women (Stephanie and Shawna), you will have to have done a lot of beginners and intermediate Pilates, or have a background in dance or gymnastics so you have great flexibility.
Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 33
Day 33 was CVX in X3 and a rest day in PIYO. This was the first time doing CVX since block 1, and I felt that it was a little easier than the last time I did the workout, but still not what I would call easy. I definitely am not close to being able to keep up with Traci Morrow, who is doing the advanced version of all of the exercises.
Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 32
Day 32 was supposed to be Pilates x in X3, but I did not look at the schedule and did X3 yoga instead, and then I did the Define Lower workout in PIYO. Nothing new to report for either of the workouts. I did not feel like I had any major gains in either of them, but no setbacks either.
Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 31
Day 31 was accelerator in X3 and strength intervals in PIYO. Accelerator is still very challenging but is easier than the last time I did it, and the strength intervals workout went the same as it did. I definitely like the shorter PIYO workouts, and I really wish they would do a version in which every workout was 30 minutes or less.
Tuesday, April 18, 2023
Product Review: Cascade Platinum Dishwasher Pods
Sunday, April 16, 2023
4k-UHD/Movie Review: The Dark Knight Rises
Friday, April 14, 2023
Product Review: If You Care Aluminum Foil
Thursday, April 13, 2023
Book Review: Protect and Defend: (Mitch Rapp Series Book 10 Chronological Order; Book 8 Publication Order)
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 30
Day 30 was Define Upper in PIYO and Dynamix in X3. Dynamix is another workout that really does not have (or need) a warm-up and cooldown because you are constantly moving the entire time, but relatively slowly. The best way to describe Dynamix is that it is a cross between yoga, regular stretching, and pilates, but you are not doing any static moves where you are holding a pose or stretch for a long duration. Instead, you are doing a lot of moves where you are pulsing or flowing from one move to the next like front lunges (in which you step forward) and then immediately into back lunges (in which you step backward with the same leg). There are different levels of intensity for each move, so you can modify as necessary.
DVD/TV Series Review: Baywatch Season 2
Tuesday, April 11, 2023
Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 29
Day 29 was the first day of the second transition/recovery week in X3, and a self-created transition week in PIYO (so I can sync up month two of PIYO with the last block of X3). The X3 workout was isometrix again, which is basically a yoga workout with all balance moves. You alternate between plank-based moves and standing moves, holding each for 45 seconds. There is no warm-up or cooldown, which is actually kind of nice. The workout is a bit easier after doing the three-week yoga program and then a month of PIYO. For the PIYO workout, I did define Lower again, which is the 21-minute lower-body focused flow workout. I do not really have anything new to say about that workout as it went about the same as it did the last time.
Monday, April 10, 2023
Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 28
Day 28 was a rest day in X3 and the sweat workout in PIYO. Nothing much new to say about the Sweat workout. I do not like it as much as the Define Upper and Lower workouts or the Strength Intervals workout, but it is shorter than Drench, so it does have that going for it.
Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 27
Day 27 was MMX in X3 and the strength intervals workout in PIYO. This is actually a good mix of workouts, and the intervals workout (which is mostly a lower-body workout) is short enough that it can be done back-to-back with MMX and almost act as a cool down for MMX. MMX is still a very challenging workout (even more so if you do not have any martial arts experience). Because it has crescent kicks in it you have to be very careful to avoid being flat footed when you are kicking (especially during the crescent kicks) because your can hurt your knees if you do not pivot correctly. The original Kenpo workout in P90x had almost no pivoting (except on the punching combos), I am sure to prevent people from damaging their knees, but that is definitely not the case in this workout. So, be careful, watch what the two black belts in the group are doing and go slow.
Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 26
Day 26 was the incinerator workout in X3 and a rest day in PIYO. I was pretty tired during the workout and was not feeling as strong in some of the moves, so I dropped the weight a little bit on some of them (mostly on the shoulder moves). I love the pace of the workout with minimal down time between each exercise. It is tough, but it definitely keeps your heart rate up.
Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 25
Day 25 was Eccentric Lower in X3 and Drench in PIYO. As I mentioned in the last update, I am definitely able to get lower in the squat moves, which makes this workout more intense, even when using the same weight. The lunges are still very much my weak point in this workout.
Drench is nearly an hour-long workout in PIYO that really combines a little bit of everything from the prior workouts. There is not as many balance moves as in some of the other workouts (really the only balance move is warrior 3, which is not held all that long), so you do not really need to use a chair. Even though it is a longer workout, it does flow very well and does not seem like it is overly long.
Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 24
Day 24 was Yoga in X3 and Buns in PIYO. The yoga workout went pretty much the same as it did the past couple of weeks. I did not really have any new flexibility gains at all. The buns workout is basically squats and lunges the entire time. I can definitely get a bit deeper in the squats, not so much in the lunges yet, however. Doing lunges with proper form that gets my knee close to the floor has always been difficult for me, even when I was in much better shape than I am now.
Sunday, April 9, 2023
Product Review: HDMI Switch 3 Port, avedio links 4K@60Hz HDMI Splitter 3 in 1 Out
Friday, April 7, 2023
4k-UHD/Movie Review: The Dark Knight
Wednesday, April 5, 2023
Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 23
Day 24 was Triometrix in X3 and Core in PIYO. Triometrix was tough, but each time gets a little better, but I still hate Core (almost as much as Sweat). Nothing really new to say about either of the workouts aside from the fact that I got them out of the way.
Book Review: Star Wars: Convergence
Tuesday, April 4, 2023
Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 22
Day 22 was the start of the 4th week of the PIYO and X3 doubles, which meant the Eccentric Upper workout in X3 and the Sweat workout in PIYO.
Both workouts really went about the same. I was still under a time crunch dealing with the family medical issue from last week, so I think the X3 workout in the morning went a bit better than the Sweat workout in the evening. I think that was also due to the fact that I am not a huge fan of the Sweat workout. But, I go them done and did the best I could with each one.
Monday, April 3, 2023
Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 21
Day 21 was the rest day in X3 and the Strength Intervals workout in PIYO.
In the interval workout, you basically do a cardio move and then some version of a squat or a lunge. So, in a way, it is more like one of the Chalean Extreme workouts than it is any of the previous PIYO workouts. It is very short, just over 20 minutes, and the workout flows well so it does not get boring. The moves are again modified (mostly the burpee exercises) so you can do them with less impact and/or slower if you need to.
Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 20
Day 20 was MMX in X3 and was scheduled to be the Sweat workout in PIYO. I did do the MMX workout, although very modified because I was going without almost any sleep the night before but skipped the Sweat workout. I will probably make it up on the Friday rest day this week depending on how much time I have.
Workout Update: P90X3 and PIYO doubles workout- Day 19
Day 19 was the rest day in PIYO and Incinerator in X3. Incinerator was still hard, but I found it to be a bit easier than it was last week. I really like the pace of the workout as there is very little rest and very little wasted time between the moves. This is not one in which Tony chats for an extra 30 seconds to give people an extra break. Even though you are lifting weights the entire time, it does test your cardio fitness as well.
Book Review: Compromised: Counterintelligence and the Threat of Donald J. T***p