Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 2

Day 2 of Lift 4 was the back-and-biceps circuit. Like yesterday's workout, I could do both core exercises unmodified, but I did have to pause a couple of times. During the "main" workout, I did have to drop-set the wide curls and hammer curls in the third set of each. However, I was able to maintain the same weight I used for all the back exercises through all three sets. Another thing I noticed is that, despite a few months of lifting heavy during Dig Deeper and Dig In, I still have a lot of muscle soreness, so just switching up the workouts was a bit of a shock to my body's system. I am looking forward to the recovery routines this evening, which I will definitely be taking advantage of. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 1

Yesterday was day 1 of Lift 4. I have done multiple rounds of the program since 2022. I actually first did the program when I was early in the process of trying to lose weight after I had reached my highest weight back in 2021. The last time I did a round of it, I was about 25 lbs heavier than I am now, so it will be interesting to see what it is like now that I am in better shape and nearing my goal weight. Also, every other time I did the program, I paired it with something, whereas now, I am just going to be following the program and not adding anything extra besides some extra foam rolling and flexibility work here and there.

So, day 1 was chest and triceps, which was one of the 50/50 workouts. The resistance portion was still very challenging even after having finished Dig Deeper and Dig In. I was trying to use weights similar to what I ended with in those programs, and there were definitely times I was struggling. I did find the HIIT and core portions of the workout easier than the last time I did them. I did not have to modify as much as I did when I weighed more. Even so, I did have to switch to modifications at some point in the mountain climbers and the triceps push-ups (which are in the final block of resistance exercises). Those are the bane of my existence. I had to start those on my knees and was only doing micro-push-ups on my knees in the third set. 

Workout Review: Dig In

 

Dig In is one of the newer workout programs on the Bodi platform, featuring Shaun T. It combines his Dig Deeper strength training program with low-impact cardio exercises from programs like Insanity (especially Max-30) and T25. It is a cutting program that is meant to help you get lean, especially if you have been eating in a calorie surplus to put on muscle (which pretty much always includes putting on some fat). It is meant to preserve your muscle gains while helping strip off the fat you may have put on. 

It is a 30-day program structured into three phases and follows a nine-day on, one-day off format.  Each phase includes chest, arms, legs, back, and glutes workouts. In each phase, you do a block of strength training followed by a block of Insanity exercises. In Phases 1 and 2, the strength blocks also include a core-focused exercise, and in Phase 3, the core exercises are in the Insanity blocks. At the end of each phase, you do a workout called The Dig, which is a total-body workout that is focused on muscular endurance in the lifting portions, in which you do 20 reps of each exercise. In that one, you start with cardio, and after each cardio block you do two resistance exercises focused on one part of the body; then you go back to cardio and do that until you finish all six cardio and strength blocks. 

The pros of the program are that all the workouts are short, just over 30 minutes with the warm-up and cool-down, and they are challenging. The low-impact cardio is great, especially for people who are older and/or out of shape. Shaun T makes a point of saying he cannot do the kinds of HIIT moves he was doing when he was in his 20s and 30s now that he is nearly 50, but that you can still get a good cardio workout (and the benefits that come from it) doing the modified exercises. He also shows some further modifications for some exercises, if you need them. If you have done his other programs, nothing in this one will be new to you, but the sequencing will be a bit different. The big con is the calendar. They wanted this to be 30 days and have a crazy schedule. They would have been better served by making it 35 days and using the weekends as rest days. Three rest days in 30 days when you are lifting heavy is brutal, especially when the other con comes in. There is very little rest during the workouts. In some, you get about 30 seconds here and there, but in others, once they start, they do not stop until the end. 

Ultimately, while it is not perfect, it is a good program. I had good results, losing about 6lbs and a total of 5.5" from my body in 30 days (while also eating in a calorie deficit). I will probably do the program again in the future, but I will follow a more traditional 5-day on, 2-day off format to get more time for rest and recovery. 

Workout Update: Dig In: Day 32

Day 32 was the final workout (after I altered the schedule for the last week), The Dig. I bumped the weights up from a couple of weeks ago, and it was very tough. I was barely able to complete the 20 reps on a few of the exercises. Even so, the workout was good, and was a good way to cap off the program. 

Workout Update: Dig In: Day 31

 Day 31 was the second-to-last workout in the program, Legs and Glutes 3. I increased the weights for all of the weighted exercises by anywhere from 2 to 5 lbs. I was a bit tired during the Insanity/Core blocks and had to pause a little bit, so this is the first day this week in which I did not feel that I did better in those blocks than I did last week.

Workout Update: Dig In: Day 30

Day 30 was Back 3. It was not as hard as it was last week, but it was still very challenging. I bumped the weights up when I could, but kept the ones I had to the same as last week. I again felt that the Insanity/core blocks were a bit easier than they were the first time I did the workout. 

Workout Update: Dig In: Day 29

Day 29 was Arms and Legs 3 for the second time. I was again able to bump up the amount of weight I used for the weighted exercises a little, and I felt that the cardio and core exercises were slightly easier than they were the first time. Of course, I adjusted the schedule so I will be doing 33 days, but I think taking the weekend off was helpful.

Workout Update: Dig In: Days 27 and 28

I used days 27 and 28 as rest days; however, I still walked outside a couple of times each day to get some steps in, foam-rolled on Saturday evening, and did X Stretch from P90X on Sunday evening. Having those two days off definitely helped, as I dropped more weight on the scale both days and didn't feel like I was overtraining. 

Workout Update: Dig In: Day 26

Day 26 was Chest 3 again. I found that the workout was a bit easier than it was on Monday, but not much. I was able to increase the weight I used from Monday's workout a little (anywhere from 2.5 to 5lbs, depending on the exercise), but I still had to drop to my knees during the windshield wiper push-ups and use the bench for the decline push-ups.  The Insanity blocks were definitely a little easier.

Workout Update: Dig In: Day 25

Day 25 was Legs and Glutes 3. This was another tough one. Like all the other Phase 3 workouts, except the chest workout, this one has a burnout round after you finish the final Insanity block, and during a couple of the weighted exercises, Shaun adds extra reps and/or pulses. And there is very little rest between exercises, so you pretty much have to choose a weight and stick with it, since there is not much opportunity to change weights.

Workout Update: Dig In: Day 24

Day 24 is Back 3. This is probably the hardest workout in the program so far, because you are lifting heavy (almost every weighted exercise is a variation of a row), there is almost no time between sets (so if you are drop-setting, have all your weights by your bench at the start), and one of the Insanity blocks has plank walks. The overall format follows the same as the first two workouts in the Phase: doing three sets of a single exercise, then doing the Insanity block (which includes a core exercise), then repeating the process until you do all 12 rounds of Insanity. Then, there is a burnout block, just to really tire you out. 

Workout Update: Dig In: Day 23

Day 23 was the  Arms and Legs 3 workout from Dig In. The format is very similar to Chest 3: you do six lifting blocks, with one exercise in each block for 3 sets. In the first set, you do 8 reps; in the second, 10 reps; and in the third, 12. Then, you do the Insanity block (which includes the core exercise). Then you go to the next weighted exercise, do the three sets, and repeat the process until you do all 12 Insanity rounds. And at the end, you do some extra exercises as a burnout block. So, it is a tough workout, but if you have done any of Shaun T's other workouts like Insanity, Max 30, T25, and Dig Deeper, you will recognize all of the exercises.

Workout Update: Dig In: Day 22

Day 22 was Chest 3, which was the start of Phase 3. This one is a bit different in that you do six chest exercises, each for three sets, but you do them as drop sets. So, in the first set you do 8 reps, in the second you do 10, and in the third you do 12. The idea is that you decrease the amount of weight you use in each set (unless your original weight is too light; then you can increase the weight or keep it the same). Like "The Dig" workout, after the third set of each chest exercise, you do one of the two Insanity blocks (you do block 1 after each of the first three chest exercises and block 2 after each of the last three exercises). The two core exercises are the third exercise in each Insanity block. You do get a bit more time between exercises than you did in Phase 2 to switch weights. That said, it is not a lot more time, and the workout still moves fast. 

Workout Update: Dig In: Days 20 and 21

Day 20 was the scheduled off day. Day 21 was supposed to be the start of Phase 3, but I took an extra day because I think the 9-day on, 1-day off schedule is kind of dumb, and after doing it in Phases 1 and 2, I am going to do 5 days on, 2 days off for Phase 3, which will allow me to transition right into Lift 4. 

Workout Update: Dig In: Day 19

Day 19 was the final workout in Phase 2 of Dig In, which meant doing The Dig again. I found it to be a bit easier to get through the second time, and I was able to increase the weight I used for the weighted exercises by anywhere from 3 to 5 lbs, depending on the exercise.  It is definitely easier to handle the pace of the workout and the transitions the second time through.

Workout Update: Dig In: Day 18

Day 18 was Legs and Glutes 2 again. As with the other workouts, I was able to increase the weight I used from last week on all the weighted exercises, and my stamina on the core exercises and the Insanity blocks continues to improve.  I am definitely not at the point where I could do Insanity Max 30 or even T25 (much less the original Insanity) unmodified for the entire time, but I could do some of the exercises unmodified and hang with the modifiers the entire time when doing the modified versions. It will be interesting to see how different doing Lift 4 will be now that I am somewhere around 30 lbs lighter than the last time I did it. 

Workout Update: Dig In: Day 17

Day 17 was Back 2 in Dig In. It is the third-to-last workout in Phase 2. I was able to increase the weights I used for each exercise a little. This is probably the toughest workout in the Phase because the opening move is back rows, but with a twist: you row with your right arm, then your left, then you row with both arms twice, and all that counts as a single rep. So, even with light weight (I used 17.5 lbs), it starts burning very quickly. After that, everything else in the workout is easier, but you are so worn out becuase of the first exercise, it is all strenuous.

Workout Update: Dig In: Day 16

Day 16 was the second go around for Arms and Legs 2. I was able to again increase the weight I used from last week on the weighted exercises for most of the sets on all exercises but the thrusters. I used the same weight as last week for those and I did have to drop set for the third set in the squat to biceps curl combination, since that is the set with the ultra slow reps. My stamina during the core exercises and during the Insanity block was better as well.

Workout Update: Dig In: Day 15

Day 15 marks the halfway point of Dig In and the halfway point of Phase 2. That means the second time doing Chest-2. I was able to increase the amount of weight I used for both of the weighted exercises and found each of the bodyweight exercises a little easier this week than last week. And the Insanity blocks were a bit easier, as I found my stamina was better for longer. I still did have to do the even further modified version of the push-up jacks (which were already modified from Insanity) in the second block, but I got through them.

Workout Update: Dig In: Day 14

Day 14 was Legs and Glutes 2. This one is a beast of a workout. In block 1, you start by doing pulse squats, pulsing for three reps, 15 times. Then you do bench step-ups, and then do crunches on the bench. Then, you have the Insanity block, which is not too bad except for the final move which are partial kickthroughts in a bear stance. In block 2, you do deadlifts and then dumbell swings, where you swing the dumbbell up and back, set it down, then stand up and thrust your hips out, then repeat. Then you do weighted oblique twists. And, of course, you finish with the Insanity block again.