Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 8

Day 8 was the Restore routine in XB and Week 2's version of Lower-Body Strength in 645.

I definitely feel like I progressed a little bit in the XB Restore routine. I can get a little deeper into all of the stretches in which you have your leg up on the chair and had a little better range of motion.

The lower-body strength workout was similar to, but a bit different than the week one workout. This week again starts out with an EMOM block, and you are doing squats, but this time holding a weight that you extend as you squat down. Block 2 has three exercises, a plank move in which you extend one arm in front and then to the side and then switch arms. Then you do deadlifts, and then you do a variation on deadbug. In block 3, you do the final three exercises, which have split lunges that you do for 15 reps on each side, a row in which you are in a lunge with only your back toe on the floor, and then the dumbbell drags (from side to side) that you can do on your knees or in a plank.

The 645 workout is a good workout and is again challenging even if you are modifying it. I like that you work the same muscles (legs, glutes, and back) that you did in week 1, but you are doing different exercises so it does not get boring (which is the main issue I have always had with programs like P90x and Chalean Extreme). 

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 7

Day 7 was a rest day in 645 and the Mid-Day Move routine in XB.

Mid-Day move is another one in which you stand the entire time, but it does require a bit of coordination. I felt like my coordination and my ability to get deeper into the stretches improved a little bit. However, on the pyramid stretches I do have to put my hands on my shins as I cannot keep them on the floor throughout the entire sequence. 

Book Review: The January 6 Report

 

This is the official Congressional report of the January 6th domestic terror attack on the US Capitol during the certification of electors for the 2020 Presidential election. If you watched the televised hearings, the report basically follows the same format as the hearings. There is an executive summary at the beginning, spanning a little over 100 pages, that summarizes the information in the rest of the report and lays out the overall findings. Then, each chapter is devoted to different aspects or topics, from planning the gathering to the execution of the attack, and a final chapter with the Committee's recommendation. The second to the last chapter involves what the orange genital wart was and was not doing from the time it spoke at its rally, firing up the already angry crowd until it begrudgingly put out a video telling people to go home hours later. 

Each chapter of the report is anywhere from 50 to 100 pages in length (the entire thing is about 750 pages) and devoted to a specific topic. After each chapter, there are several pages of endnotes (hundreds per chapter). Some of the notes just point to a specific source, and some of them flesh out the sentence or paragraph it is noting. 

At the beginning of the book, there are three forwards. The first will vary, depending on what version of the report you get. The one I have includes a forward by Ari Melber, one of the MSNBC evening anchors. In it, he basically gives a high-level overview of what happened on January 6th, and what crimes could potentially be charged. Then, there is a short forward by Nancy Pelosi, one by Committee Chair Bennie Thompson, and one by Vice Chair, Liz Cheney.

The text of the report does include a lot of detail, specifically about the planning leading up to January 6th that was not in the televised hearings. The one area that I think the report is lacking is more detail about how much advanced warning various law enforcement and intelligence agencies had leading up to the attack and what they did or did not do with that information. Some of that information is spread throughout the various chapters, but I think a chapter devoted to that topic was warranted, as well as specific recommendations based on the findings. Overall, however, I think it is something that everyone concerned about preserving our Republic should read.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 6

 Day 6 was Cardio in 645 and Restore in XB.

The cardio workout included about 10 minutes of warmup, the regular workout, and about 5 minutes of cooldown. The regular portion of the workout consists of seven exercises, done back-to-back for 45 seconds each, with just a few seconds of rest between them. Then, for the first three rounds you get 45 seconds of rest after the seven exercises are finished. Then, after three rounds, you get a one-minute rest, then you do the seven exercises for 30 seconds, and then cool down. 

The workout is good. It is challenging, but not super intense. It is clear that Amoila is building up so by the final week the workouts will be very intense. There are some modified moves in this one, but for the most part, the modifier was doing the same moves as everyone else. 

Restore went fine. Nothing new to say about that one.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 5

Day 5 was the unwind routine in XB and the Total Body Tempo workout in 645.

The "unwind" routine went well. It really focuses on hip and neck flexibility. It is one of the routines that you are standing the entire time, and there is a little bit of balance work, but not much. It definitely helped work out some of the soreness that I had from the prior couple of days of 645.

The total body temp workout in 645, like the other workouts, have seven moves. This time, there are two exercises in the first block (dumbbell raises in which you raise and lower each arm separately) and then prone WY raises, in which you lay on your stomach, go into a cobra, and then extend and contact your arms. There is no rest between the two moves in the set, and 45 seconds of rest between each set. The second block does not use any weight and there are again two moves. The first is a Bear/Beast plank that you either hold for 30 seconds, or if you are not modifying you lift your arms and legs as Amoila calls out. The second move is a low-plank pike that you do for 30 seconds. Then, the final block has three exercises. The first is a kneeling shoulder press using one weight. Then you do a "deadbug" in which you lay on your back and bring your right arm and left leg to the floor, and then switch so your left arm and right leg go down as the other arm and leg comes up. The final move is a Farmer march in which you hold dumbells while you raise one knee, hold for a couple of seconds, and then switch. 

The workout is again very challenging. Even the exercises that do not use weight are not easy, and because you are doing 15 reps when you are using weight (and not resting between the moves), you will probably end up using much lighter weights than you think you will. 

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 4

Day 4 was the Restore routine in XB and the first upper body strength workout in 645.

The Restore routine went fairly well. For some reason, I was sore on my right side after yesterday's 645 mobility and flexibility workout. I have a feeling that I was stretching my lats in a way that they were not used to, so lifting my arms was a bit hard because I would have pain shoot down my right side. 

The 645 workout follows the same format as Tuesday's workout. A block of three exercises that are done back-to-back with no rest between them and then a 45-second rest between sets, an EMOM block in which you do 15 bicep curls, rest until the 60 seconds elapse, and then do another 15 reps. Then, the third block has three exercises that you do back-to-back with no rest between them. This is another good workout, and you learn a lot (if you pay attention) about functional upper-body movement.

Book Review: Lethal Agent (Mitch Rapp Series #18)

 

Lethal Agent is the 18th book in the Mitch Rapp series, published in 2019. It is the fourth book in the series written solely by Kyle Mills, who took over the series by finishing the book The Survivor after Vince Flynn passed away in 2013.

This book ties back to the novel Order to Kill, picking up on the plotline from the end of that book and then getting into the new storyline. We find out that the fictional ISIS leader survived the grenade attack by Rapp in the cave and now he is plotting to not only get revenge on Rapp but release anthrax in the US ahead of the contentious presidential election. The antagonist politician in this novel is a character named Christine Barnett, who hates Irene Kennedy and Mitch Rapp and who is considered to be a shoo-in to win the upcoming election. The plot of the book basically involves ISIS working with the Mexican cartels to smuggle anthrax-laced drugs into the US across the southern border which turns into an even larger threat.

The book is just under 400 pages and reads fairly quickly. The action is spaced quite well to balance the slower parts of the story. Assuming anyone reading this has read the other books in the series, you should be able to get through it in the same amount of time you have read the other books. The book is also a bit prophetic in light of what would happen in the real world in 2020. Like Flynn did, Mills weaves some elements of real life into the book like the political division in the country, drugs being smuggled across the border, etc. If you have liked Mills' contribution to the series up to this point, you will probably like this book as well.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 3

Day 3 was the signature stretch routine in XB, and the flexibility and mobility routine in 645.

The signature stretch routine was a bit easier than it was the last time I did it. I was able to get in and out of the down-dog splits a bit easier, and my balance was a bit better than the last time I did it.

For the 645 flexibility routine, you do three sets of six moves. There is no rest between the moves but you do get a 45-second rest between the sets. The moves in the set focus on hip, back, and shoulder mobility. Then there are two sets of just squats using a power loop, and then two sets of a shoulder mobility move using the power loop. Then, in the end, you do a couple of minutes of breath work in which you find a comfortable position and breathe in and out. Throughout the workout, Amoila really tries to explain what each of the exercises do for you, and how they will help in the other workouts. I could definitely feel my hips and back getting looser toward the end of the routine. It is a great routine that really is the cornerstone of the whole functional movement theme of the program.

Product Review: C CRYSTAL LEMON Fire Blanket Kitchen, Fire Blanket Fire Suppression Blanket

 

This is one of those items that you hope to never have to use, but want handy if you need it. It is a fiberglass blanket that can be used to douse any fire, aside from an electrical fire. In the package, it is small enough that you can store it under your kitchen sink. Or, you can hang it from something like a command hook. Unlike fire extinguishers, they will not expire, won't make a mess, and can be reused multiple times. It is definitely worth the pickup.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 2

Day 2 was the Restore routine in XB. I felt like I was getting a little deeper into all of the stretches during this one, but I still have a long way to go to be as flexible as I want. 

The 645 workout today was a total body power routine, focusing on the shoulders and chest. There are again 7 total moves, spread across three blocks. This time, the first and second blocks have three exercises, and the last has one. In the first two blocks, you do each exercise with no rest between them, then get a 45-second break, and then you do another round of the same three moves. In the final block, you do 15 dumbell swings, then rest for 15 seconds, and then do 15 swings again, for four rounds (and a bonus 5th round if you want to do it). 

The thing I like about the workouts so far is that Amoila really focuses on functional movements, doing exercises like 1/4 get-ups and lateral skaters. If you have had to watch your parents get old and lose mobility you know how important it is to work on functional strength and mobility exercises, and this program has a lot of that in just the first couple of workouts. You will likely use a lighter weight to start out because of the fast pace of the workout (and the higher number of reps). I found myself getting tired using 15 lbs to do bench presses, which if I were doing them for 8-10 reps I can easily use 25 lbs. 

Product Review: USB 3.0 Hub, VIENON 4-Port USB Hub USB Splitter USB Expander for Laptop

 

This is a USB 3.0 hub that can connect to a computer or a docking station to give you three additional USB ports. It is powered through whatever it is plugged into, so it does not have a separate power supply. It is plug-and-play and works as expected. A good choice if you are looking for a reasonably priced USB hub.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 1

This was my first day doing the 645 workout, which is essentially a full version of the 630 workout. The format is the same with six days of workouts, including 4 strength/resistance workout days, one day of flexibility/mobility, and one day of cardio. 

Monday's workout is lower-body strength, with a focus on the back, legs, and glutes. There is also some plank work in there as well, so you are also working your core a bit. You do each exercise either for 15 reps or 30 seconds (which amounts to about 15 reps depending on how fast you go). There are three blocks in the workout. In the first block, you do two exercises with no rest between them, and then you get a 45-second rest break, and then do them again. The second block is the EMOM (every-minute-on-the-minute block) where you do a single exercise for 15 reps, and your rest period is whatever is left in the minute, then at the start of the next minute, you go again. The final block has three exercises that you do back-to-back with no rest, then you get 45 seconds to rest, and then you do the same three exercises over again.

The workout flows very well, and even though it is 15 minutes longer than the 630 workouts, you really do not notice it all that much. Thankfully, the warmup and the cooldown are included in the 45-minute time frame, so it is not one of those workouts that you are really doing for 50 minutes because the cooldown comes after the workout ends. 

For XB, I did the mobility workout. Nothing new to report about that one. It was not really any better or worse than the last time I did the routine.

Product Review: VIVO Clamp-on Desk and Bed Cup Holder, No Spill Adjustable Drink Mount

 

This is a cup holder that can mount (via a c-clamp) on a desk or table (or anything that has a flat edge) that allows you to have a cup, or bottle close without taking up space on the surface of the desk (and also helps to prevent any accidental spills). The part that holds the drink can open up to hold a fairly large water bottle. It seems that a 32-ounce water bottle is about the largest it can handle). 

The only drawback is that it is a pain to put together. The clamp section screws onto the back of the part that holds the cup/bottle. The screws are tiny (so you need to have a small Phillips-head screwdriver handy) and it is hard to line them up and get them screwed in. There are four total screws. Once you get the first one in, the others get progressively easier, but I am honestly not sure why they could not have made this one solid piece. That said, once you get it together it works as it should, and is sturdy.

Workout Update: Transition Week

 As I was nearing the end of Job-1, I was trying to figure out what to do as my next "main" workout. I decided on the "645" program, led by trainer Amoila Cesar, which is one of the newer programs in the Beachbody lineup. But, to get ready for it, I did the shorter "630" workout, which is basically a week-long series of shorter workouts (30 minutes instead of 45 minutes) that follow the same format as the longer, thirteen-week program 645.

The 630 program has workouts for six days, Monday-Saturday, and then a rest day on Sunday. M, T, Th, and Fr are strength training days in which you work lower body, total body, upper body (mostly shoulders), and total body respectively. Wednesday is a stretching/flexibility and mobility routine, and Saturday is a cardio workout.

In each of the resistance workouts, you do blocks in which you will do one or two moves. When there are two moves you do them back-to-back, then you get a 45-second rest break and you do both again. Some blocks are what are called EMOM blocks, where you do a single move for 15 reps, then you rest until the next minute starts. So, if it takes 30 seconds to do the 15 reps then you get a 30-second break. If it takes you 45 seconds, then you get 15 seconds of rest before you start again.

Ultimately, it is a good workout that is challenging. There is a modifier who performs modified versions of the moves if you need it. Cesar has a good, fun personality, and he explains and breaks down how correctly perform the exercises. The 30 minutes go by quickly in all of the workouts, and they do not ever seem to drag. 

I usually did those workouts in the mornings and then the XB 15-minute stretching routines in the evening. Those were pretty much going the same way as they had been, so there is really nothing new to report on them. I am going to flip that so I do the XB routines in the morning and the 45-minute workouts in the evening. I will start updating daily again this evening.

Book Review: Star Wars: Padawan

 

Padawan is a young-adult canon novel set sometime before the events of The Phantom Menace. In the book, Obi-Wan is chafing under his clashing style with Qui-Gon, feeling that he is not learning from Qui-Gon, and is thus not being a good Padawan to Qui-Gon. In researching the archives, Obi-Wan learns of the location of a mysterious planet that was found by a Jedi Wayfinder, who believed the planet was worth studying. Since there was no record of the Jedi ever returning, Obi-Wan proposes a mission to the planet that he hopes will bring him and Qui-Gon closer together. Obi-Wan ends up traveling to the planet alone and finds a group of younglings who appear to be force-sensitive that are being attacked by everything on the planet, including the planet itself. 

The book is a very good stand-alone story. Even though the story is mostly self-contained, there are some tie-ins (some subtle some not) to the movies and animated series including how Obi-Wan first met Dex, the alien that ran the diner in Attack of the Clones. It is basically a story about Obi-Wan finding his place in the Jedi order and his connection to The Force. The book is on the longer side of the young-adult novels, at just over 400 pages. Even so, it is a fairly quick read, so if you are a fast reader you should easily be able to finish it in a day or two. The story is good but not as good as the stories in some of the other novels. If I could, I would give it 4.5 stars, but that is not an option and I think it is better than a four-star novel, which is why I ended up rating it five stars. 

Product Review: YPbPr to HDMI Converter, Component to HDMI

 

This is a converter that allows you to connect an older device that has the YPbPr component cables (such as an X-Box 360) to an HDMI input. While many newer TVs still have ports available for these cables, they generally only have one, and if you still have more than one working device that uses the YPbPr cables, then this will allow you to still use them. It is powered via a supplied cable that can be plugged into a USB port or a power adapter that plugs into the wall. It will provide an okay, but not great picture as the output, but it does work.

Supplement Review: NABUU Immunity Mushroom Supplement

 

This is a supplement that contains various different types of mushroom extracts. The blend is similar to some of the mushroom gummies that are out there, containing, among other types, Lion's Mane and Turkey Tail extract. 

The serving size is two capsules that you take with a meal. The bottle contains 30 servings in total (60 capsules). They are what I would describe as normal-sized capsules that are easy to swallow. But, they do have a pretty bad aftertaste, so it is a good idea to drink them with something flavored or take a bite of whatever you are eating after you swallow them. That said, they are good for someone who wants some of the benefits that mushrooms can provide but who hates the taste and/or texture of actual mushrooms.

Book Review: The Most Spectacular Restaurant in the World: The Twin Towers, Windows on the World, and the Rebirth of New York

 

This is a book published in 2019 about the Windows on the World restaurant (which was actually a collection of a few different Restaurants and Bars) located at the top of the North Tower of the World Trade Center. It would, of course, be destroyed during the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks on the building.

The book basically tells the story of New York City and the World Trade Center from the perspective of the operation of the restaurant, and the various obstacles that had to be overcome to operate it. The book details events that occurred as the towers were being built, including a fight with the architect about whether to make the windows on the 106th and 107th floors wider so patrons would get a better view of the city, the fighting that went on between the staff members, the difficulties of getting the restaurant up and running after the 1993 bombing in a parking garage below the buildings, and the resurgence that the restaurant experienced in the late 1990s that lasted until 9/11.

The book does details some of the events of 9/11, first at the beginning, telling the story of the head chef who survived only because he decided to get his glasses fixed in the morning instead of the afternoon, so he was downstairs in the mall under the buildings when the plane hit the tower. Then, toward the end of the book, the author talks about the phone calls that the people trapped at Windows were making as conditions inside were getting worse, and how the handful of Windows employees who were below the impact zone heard pleas for help over walkie talkies, saw people waiving tablecloths out the broken windows, and saw people jumping. The final couple of chapters discuss the aftermath of 9/11 and provided an update on some of the survivors, as well as some of the family members of the people who died that day.

The book is 320 pages, but it is not what I would call a fast read, especially if you want to get all the details. I do think the author spent a bit too long discussing what was going on in the 1970s, but once you get through that part, it does start reading a bit faster. I would also not call it a book about 9/11 as there are really only two relatively short chapters devoted to that day, and one chapter devoted to what was going on at the restaurant on September 10th. Even so, it is very interesting to get some of the history about how the Trade Center came to be, the ups and down that NYC went through over the course of time, and Window's place in all of it.

Book Review: Red War: (Mitch Rapp Series #17)

 

Red War is the 17th novel in the Mitch Rapp series. It was published in 2018 and is the fourth novel in the series at least partially written by Kyle Mills when he took over the series after Vince Flynn's death in 2013. 

The novel starts out with the fictional Russian President, Krupin, ordering a hit on Grisha Azarov in Costa Rica. From there, the plot of the book involves an increasingly unstable Krupin planning an attack on the Baltic countries that are members of NATO. The  CIA discovers Krupin has terminal brain cancer and sends Rapp (along with Azarov) on a mission to Russia.

The book definitely includes some real-world elements, such as mentioning Russia's invasion of Crimea (and even foreshadowing (a bit) the full invasion of Ukraine by Russia), the speculation that Putin is ill, etc. It also touches on Russia's various disinformation campaigns, including those that are designed to turn Americans against each other.

The book is just over 350 pages and reads like the other books in the series. So, if you read quickly you can probably finish it in a couple of days (or less). While it is hard to predict what direction Flynn would have taken the series had he lived, I do think Mills has now captured the same tone and pacing that Flynn used so that if Flynn would have told the same story, this feels like how he would write it. While I do not think it was quite as good as the last novel in the series, Enemy of the State, it is still very good, with a nice blend of action and setup, and is definitely worth the read.

Product Review: CHARMKING Compression Socks for Women & Men Circulation (3 Pairs)

 

This is a 3-pack of knee-high compression socks. I mainly got them to give a couple pairs to my mom since her doctor recommended that she start wearing them, but I also kept a pair for myself. They do take a few minutes to get used to since they are much tighter than cotton socks (as you would expect). But, once you do get used to them, they are very comfortable. They are fine for both "normal" daily use and for working out. In fact, if you get the darker pairs, they look nice enough that you can wear them with dress shoes and nobody would be able to tell that they are not dress socks. 

Product Review: LocknLock Easy Essentials Pantry Airtight Rectangular Tall Food Storage Container, Pasta Box

 

This is a great storage option for Spaghetti or Lasagna noodles. It will keep the pasta much fresher than it will be in the box (or bag) once you have opened it. The container is not completely airtight like a vacuum seal would be, but there is a seal between the lid and the container, and there are notches on the container that the lid flaps lock onto when you fold them down. So, once the cover is on and closed, you do have to worry about it coming loose or the pasta spilling out if it falls over. Nor do you have to worry about pests getting into the container. It is definitely a good storage option.

Book Review: Star Wars: Path of Vengeance

 

Path of Vengeance is the latest book in the early High-Republic era novels. It is a follow-up to the novels Path of Deceit and Battle of Jedha. This book brings back the characters of Marda and Yarna Ro (one of whom is likely the mother of the leader of the Nihil, who are the main antagonists of the later High-Republic era) who are essentially on opposite sides of a civil war in the Path of the Open Hand. 

In this book, the Path retreats to the planet Dalna. The Mother throws The Herald under the bus for the violence on Jedha and dispatches a team to Planet X to get more Leveler eggs so that she can have an army of Levelers to fight the Jedi. The Jedi track down the Path just as the team returns with the eggs, and another battle ensues. 

The book is one of the longer young-adult novels. It is just over 500 pages, but it is a fairly easy read and the story flows very well. I am a fast reader and got through it in about five hours. The book brings a conclusion to the novels that were set before it and provides a good reset point from which to bridge the two eras of the High Republic. The only real issue I have with the early High-Republic novels is that it presents a bit of a continuity issue as the Leveler is unleashed by the Nihil on the Jedi in the novels set during the later High-Republic era, and the Jedi do not seem to have any idea what is attacking and killing them. Yet, the Jedi in this era absolutely know about the creature, and so Yoda and Yaddle should know what it is in the later books. That said, the story in this book is still very good and it is definitely one of the canon novels that you should read if you only read some, but not all, of the novels.

Book Review: Bringing Columbia Home: The Untold Story of a Lost Space Shuttle and Her Crew

 

Bringing Columbia Home is the story of the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in which the shuttle broke up during reentry. It was written by a former NASA employee who was the launch director when the disaster occurred and published in 2018.

The beginning of the book goes through what was happening on the ground as the shuttle lost contact with the ground and how frantic people were becoming as the shuttle was not where it was supposed to be and then missed the landing (which is calculated to the second). Then the author goes through the mission from the beginning, detailing how much was known about the foam strike that occurred during the launch of the shuttle, and the debate that went on about whether the shuttle was actually in danger. The author goes into a lot of detail about the recovery effort, and how the focus at first was recovering the remains of the shuttle crew, and then after the remains of all seven astronauts were found, detailing the major effort made to find as much of the shuttle as they could.

The book is very harrowing. The author does a great job detailing what happened, while still being respectful to the people who were lost and their families. He also goes into a lot of detail about how the people in rural Texas (which is where most of the debris was landed) helped searchers locate the remains of the shuttle and the crew. The author does give readers a general idea of where the remains of the crew members were found, but did not go into specifics (to protect the privacy of the property owners) and did not detail the condition of the bodies (to respect the dead and their families). But, you can definitely read between the lines to know that only some remains of each crew member were found.

The substantive portion of the book is 300 pages long, then there are a couple of appendices that give the names of people who were key to the recovery efforts and a glossary of the NASA terms used. Then there are several pages of endnotes. Most of the notes just point to sources, but some of the notes are explanatory. If you are a nerd about reading the notes, it is kind of a pain to go back and see what text it was created from, so I think they would have been better as footnotes. The book is very emotional, even now 20-plus years after the disaster. While the cause of the accident was not as infuriating as the Challenger disaster, as there was really no practical rescue that could have been made either before the shuttle reentered the atmosphere or during, it was still hard to read how some people were just dismissing the fact that there was any danger to the shuttle. It is definitely worth reading.

Workout Update: Job 1-XB Stretch Day 28

Day 28 was the midday move routine in XB. This is another routine that you do entirely standing, and it is probably the most challenging routine in the 15-minute routines. It has you doing very deep abductor stretches which can be hard to get down into (and back out of).  

Workout Update: Job 1-XB Stretch Day 27

Day 27 was the Restore routine in XB. I again did this one in my basement, meaning I was using the lower chair. I was able to get a little bit deeper into the hamstring stretches, but not much. And, my balance was a little bit better today than the last time I did the workout.