Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 8

Day 8 was the chest and triceps workout for week 2. This week, it is a circuit workout, so you do two blocks of four exercises, doing each exercise (one chest, one triceps, one chest, one triceps) back-to-back with no rest. Then you do a bunrnout block alternating wide push-ups and triceps push-ups. Then you finish with core and a stretching cooldown. 

Even though many of the exercises in this workout are the same as in the week 1 workout, it was tough, because of the change in format, to use the same amount of weight for the exercises. I had to drop set a few of the exercises by the time I got to the second or third set in each block. So, it was definitely a challenge, but good nevertheless.

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 7

On day 7, which was the second rest day in a row, I did the stretching routine. I had intended to do both the stretching and foam rolling routines, but the evening got away from me a bit as I was working, so I just did the one.  

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 6

Day 6 was a rest day in Lift 4, so I did the roll and recover workout, which is an approximately 10-minute foam-rolling routine. It had been a while since I did that one, and I definitely had knots in my thighs and hamstrings, but not as bad as I expected. And, my legs were not as sore as I expected them to be. We will see if that is still the case tomorrow, however. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 5

Day 5 was the fourth and final regular workout of the first week of Lift 4, which was the Legs workout. This week, it is a 50/50 workout consisting of three blocks of weighted exercise, in which you alternate two exercises, and then three rounds of cardio, performing three moves for 60, 45, and 30 seconds, respectively, with 15 seconds of rest between each exercise and thirty seconds of rest between each set. Then you finish with three sets of core (alternating two exercises) and stretching to cool down. I again found that the exercises were much easier after doing 25-minute speed train, especially because I had the tempos (which Joel alludes to in Lift 4, but does not really stress) ingrained. And, doing 10 reps is easier than doing 60-second sets (which usually amounted to 15-20 reps). But, I will say that when you do the lifting portion correctly, the cardio portion is very tough, especially in the third block. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 4

Day 4 was the shoulders workout, which this week is an interval workout. So, you do two weighted exercises, followed by a 30-second cardio exercise in each of the three blocks. Then you finish with core and a stretching cooldown. I was still quite sore from the first two workouts this week, so lifting even 10- and 12.5-pound weights was tough, especially at the beginning. I again found that the practice with the tempos from 25-Minute Speed train really helped with the lifting in this workout, as I stayed with the cast members on the rep counts much better than I did when I had done Lift 4 before. So ultimately, it was a good workout. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 3

Day 3 was the mid-week rest day in Lift 4. I did the stretch routine, which runs about 10 minutes. I decided to hold off on the foam rolling routine until Saturday, after leg day, when it would be more helpful. My upper body is definitely sore today from the first two workouts, but the soreness is not horrible. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 2

Day 2 was the back and biceps workout from Lift 4, and this week it is a circuit workout, doing two quad blocks consisting of four exercises that you do for three sets. You do each exercise back-to-back with no rest (aside from the time it takes to transition from one exercise to the next). In each block, you alternate a back exercise with a biceps exercise. Then, you do a burnout block that just consists of two exercises, back extensions and biceps curls, then you finish with the core block and stretching to cool down.

I definitely felt yesterday's workout, mostly in my arms from the triceps work, more than in my chest. As with yesterday's workout, I was able to lift a bit heavier doing the exercises than I did in 25-Minute Speed Train since we were doing 10 reps as opposed to a 60-second set. The tempos from 25-Minute Speed Train definitely helped, as I really did not have to think about tempo as I was doing the workout.

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 1

Today marked the first day of Lift 4. This is Joel Freeman's second complete program, in which he was the sole trainer for BODI (he was a co-trainer on the Core de-Force program). It was also the first non-sport-specific program(his first full program, 10 Rounds, was a boxing-based program).  This is the first time I did Lift 4 after doing the 25-minute speed train workout. Today was chest and triceps in the 50/50 format, in which you do all the lifting first, then do cardio, then finish with core and stretching. 

The lifting portion was a bit easier than in the 25-minute speed train workout since you are only doing 10 rep sets, not sixty-second sets. All of the lifting is done with a 2x2 or 2x1 tempo. Then, you do three rounds of cardio, following a 65-45-30 format in which you do the first exercise (soccer runs) for sixty seconds, the second exercise (mountain climbers) for forty-five seconds, and the third exercise (catchers) for thirty seconds. After that, you finish with three rounds of core, alternating between rope climbers and bent-knee windshield wipers, and finish with stretching to cool down. I found the cardio and core portions of the workout to be the hardest because even though you do some cardio and core in 25-minute speed train, it is once a week, and the cardio does not get your heart rate up as much as the cardio in Lift 4 does. Also, the workout was about 15 minutes longer than the 25-minute speed train workouts. But, it was a good way to kick off the week and a new workout program.

Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 54

Day 54 was the last full workout of Lift 4. So, in the morning, it was the cardio circuit workout from Shaun 20 and full-body HIIT in the evening. Both workouts went okay but were challenging. 

Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 53

On day 53, I did the Pure Cardio routine from Shaun 20 and the Shoulders (circuit) routine from Lift 4. Shoulders was very hard, and, like last week, I started out with the higher weight for all the exercises but had to drop the amount of weight I used for some exercises by the third set. Also, by the time I got to the burnout round, I could not do full curls with 15lbs and had to drop that to 10 in order to do the curls for the full 30 seconds with proper form. 

Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 52

Day 54 was the rest day for Lift 4, so I did the 645 cardio routine in the evening. Again, I slacked off and did not do either of the recovery workouts. 

Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 50

Day 50 was the start of week 8 (the final week) in Lift 4. I did Shaun 20's Pure Cardio workout in the morning and then Lift 4's chest and back (circuit) workout in the evening.  I was able to maintain the same weight that I used in the chest and back workout last week. It is basically the same workout, but the exercise order is switched around. It was still a challenge because of having little to no rest between the exercises and only a few seconds of rest between the sets. 

Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 49

On day 49, I again did a higher-impact cardio routine using the 645 cardio workout for timing. I think for the next workout(s), I am going to do Insanity Max 30 in the morning and then Power 90 in the evening. I intend to get myself to a point where I can do the full version of Insanity (probably modified) and P90x (unmodified) as a doubles routine. So, I will modify Max 30 and do Power 90 unmodified. Then, in 90 days, see where I am at. Since Max 30 is only a sixty-day program, I may switch to the full version of Insanity at the end of the 60 days and then pick up with P90x once I finish Power 90, but I will make that decision after I finish Max 30.

Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 48

Day 48 was the 645 cardio routine. However, I did not do either of the recovery workouts from Lift 4. I just did higher-impact cardio moves using the 645 workout for timing. 

Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 47

Day 47 was Cardio Circuit from Shaun 20 in the morning and Full-Body HIIT from Lift 4 in the evening. Both workouts went well, as I can tell that my stamina and range of motion are improving. Full-body HIIT was very tough. Even the cast members in the video had trouble with this one so even if you are in great shape it is very hard to get through without resting or modifying.

Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 46

Day 46 was Pure Cardio from Shaun 20 in the morning and Lift 4's shoulders workout in the evening. During Weeks 7 and 8, the shoulder workout is another circuit workout, doing all of the shoulder exercises from the program basically without breaks.

Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 45

Day 45 was the rest day in Lift 4, so I did the 645 cardio routine in the evening. I did not do either of the Lift 4 recovery routines. The one I have still been slacking during this round is doing the stretching and foam rolling. Once I figure out what workouts I am going to do next, I am going to try to incorporate more flexibility-based routines in.

Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 44

On Day 44, I did the Cardio Circuit workout from Shaun 20 and the Legs (50/50) workout from Lift 4 in the evening. The big switch for this legs workout is that you do triple sets of lifting and then the HIIT portion is shorter, doing the three exercises for 30 seconds each, and not the 60, 45, 30 second split that you did in the 50/50 workouts for the first six weeks of the program. Again, it was a tough workout and it definitely shocks the body a bit, but I was able to keep using the increased weight throughout each block and set. 

Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 43

Day 43 was the start of Week 7 in Lift 4, which is the first of the two shred weeks in which you switch up what body parts are being worked in the various workouts. In the morning, I did Pure Cardio, and in the evening, it was Chest and Back (circuit) in Lift 4. The circuit workout was very tough (since there was little to no rest until the end), although I was able to use the same amount of weight for all the exercises in each set of the workout.

Workout Update: Lift 4/Shaun 20/645 Cardio hybrid: Day 42

Day 43 was kind of hectic for me, so I again just did the 645 cardio routine in the late afternoon/early evening without doing either of the Lift 4 recovery routines.