Workout Program Review: 645

 

645 is one of the newer Beachbody/BODi workout programs, created by Amoila Cesar. It was filmed in 2021 and was one of the first workout programs to be filmed with a cast as the pandemic was easing. There are 8 cast members who rotate in and out of various workouts during the program. This is a 13-week program split into essentially 4 phases. Three of the phases last for four weeks, three "regular" weeks, and one "de-load" week in which you do fewer reps overall, but still use heavy weight. The final week is a performance week in which you do a lot of reps (20) of each move, and go as hard as you can with very little rest between moves. The workouts are a bit longer than what Beachbody has been releasing recently, with each workout lasting 45 minutes. You work out for six days a week (hence the name 645), with four days (M, T, Th, and F) being lifting/resistance days, one day (W) being a recovery workout in which you work on flexibility and mobility, and one day (Sat) doing cardio. Here are my pros and cons:

Pros:

1. The workouts are very structured. In each workout, you do seven exercises doing 2-4 sets of each exercise, depending on whether you are in a de-load week or not. The exercises are split up into blocks. Sometimes the exercises are split 3 in block 1, 1 in block 2, and 3 in block 3. Other times you get 1 in block 1, 2 in block 2, and 4 in block 3. A couple days a week you will have an EMOM block during the workout, which stands for every minute on the minute. In that block you do the same exercise for four sets, doing 10, 15, or 20 reps (depending on what phase and/or week you are in). When you finish the set, you get to rest until the next minute starts. So, if it took 10 seconds to get through the reps, you get a 50-second break. If it takes 45 seconds to do the reps you get a 15-second break. Otherwise, between each move in the regular blocks you get at least a 14-second transition (sometimes more if Amoila is talking a lot) and between each block, you get a longer break (usually 45 or 50 seconds).

2.    This is something that could be a pro or a con, depending on your preference. However, this workout program focuses on functional moves as opposed to "show" muscles. Amoila really hammers the concept of movement and how having strong and stable hips, shoulders, and back will help in all aspects of your life, especially as you age. So, most of the exercises are focused on those muscles. That is not to say that you do not work your biceps, triceps, and abs, because you do, but the focus of the workouts is not on those muscles.

3.    The cast includes people of varying fitness levels. Of the 8 person cast, there are two modifiers who look like normal people, and then there are also people who are clearly in the fitness industry and/or are models in great shape. The cast definitely seems to have fun with each other and there is a lot of banter (which some people may not like). Even people who are in great shape struggle with some of the moves at times, so it is a challenging workout no matter what your fitness level is. Fun fact, one of the cast members is an actress who was a supporting character in the movie Stick It, which starred Jeff Bridges and FBI's Missy Peregrym. 

4. Closely tied to point 3, it is good for people of all fitness levels and experience. You can do this workout as a beginner someone who is out of shape or someone who is in very good shape. It is a good program to use to work your way up to Amoila's harder programs like 4 weeks of the prep and 6 weeks of the work (in which all of the exercises are similar to the week 13 exercises in this program).

5. It is a real-time workout, meaning that every workout is at least a little bit different and you are doing a new workout each day, as opposed to doing the same workout multiple times. Of course, some of the workouts do use the same moves, (e.g. week 1 and week 3 have the same exercises in each workout as do weeks 2 and 4), but it is not like doing the same P90X legs and back each week for 9 weeks. 

CONS:

There are really no big cons or negatives to the program. But, there are a few things to keep in mind.

1. You have to have a BODi streaming membership. Gone are the days of getting the workouts on DVDs so you have to pay the $120 a year membership. But, you also get access to all of the other Beachbody programs as well, so your money goes a long way. Much farther than paying $120 for a single program. It also makes real-time workouts possible.

2.    You do need a good selection of free weights. This is not a bodyweight-only program and you cannot really substitute the resistance moves for bands. It is also better if you have a workout area with tall ceilings because there are some clean and jerk moves that will have you explosively bringing weight over your head and if you have low ceilings you will hit it (unless you are very short).

3.    As I said above, the workouts are longer. As many Beachbody programs have transitioned to 30-minute or shorter programs, this one does require a larger time commitment. 

4.    It does not have as much traditional cardio as other programs. This just has the single cardio-focused workout each week, but there are definitely times in which you are still getting a cardio workout because the transitions are going fast (this is mostly in Phase 3 and the performance week).

Overall, it is a good program and can be done by nearly everyone. You do have to have a baseline fitness level (if you cannot do a push-up on your knees then you would have to go with a less intense program and work your way up to this), but you do not have to be in great shape to do this program. Amoila breaks down every move before you do it, and you can always see what the modifier is doing and follow along with that person if you need to.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 90

Day 90 was cardio in 645, which was the last day of the program. It was another emotional workout, starting off with Amoila bringing his dad on set, and it also got a bit silly at times. It was much harder than any of the other cardio workouts, with more intense (and faster) moves. Even though you got a 15-second transition between moves, it did not help all that much.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 89

Day 89 was lower body flexibility again in XB and was Total Body Tempo in 645. This was the last lifting/resistance workout of 645, and the last day for half of the cast members, so it got a bit emotional and silly on set. The workout was definitely hard and was again very fast-paced. I was definitely gassed toward the end of it, but I made it through.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 88

Day 88 was lower back in XB stretch and Upper Body Strength in 645.

The 645 workout again had a shorter warmup, which lasted about 9 minutes, and then the three blocks. The first block has three exercises that you do for four sets. The second block is an EMOM block, and the third block has there exercises that you do for three sets. Then, after you finish the third set, you do a set of all 7 exercises, back to back, without stopping. However, in the last set, you just do ten reps of each exercise instead of twenty. So, it is a very fast-paced and challenging workout. 

I decided for the next program I am going to go back to Lift 4 for the main workout, but I am going to do the 645 corrective and foam rolling routines for my morning flexibility workout. Those each run anywhere from 11 to 23 minutes, and are focused on correcting imbalances in various body parts like the shoulders, hips, and ankles. Then I will probably go back to 645 with the goal of working my way up to Six Weeks of The Work, which is Amoila's original program in which all of the workouts are like the performance week workouts in 645.

Product Review: Deluxe Single Blu-Ray Replacement 11mm Thickness with Silver Embossed Logo (10 Pack)

 

This is a pack of ten 11 mm thick blu-ray cases. As most physical media collectors come to find out, when you order discs the cases can be damaged during production and/or shipping, but sometimes the discs themselves are fine. This is a way to swap out the case without the hassle of sending everything back and getting a replacement. They were packed very securely and arrived with no broken cases.

These cases are a standard size (or slightly thinner) than most one-disc blu-ray cases. But, the artwork from a regular blu-ray release will fit just fine (as opposed to the very thin cases that are 6 mm in which most artwork will bend if you try to to put it in the outer sleeve). So, if you are one of those people who still prefer buying physical discs to streaming, I absolutely recommend picking up a pack of these to replace any broken cases.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 87

Day 87 was lower body flexibility again in XB and mobility and stability in 645.

I was able to get a little bit deeper into the hamstring stretch on each leg in the XB routine. Although, I am still nowhere near being able to do a split (or even a half-split) at this point.

The 645 routine was very good. Almost every move in the routine was a different variation of something that we had done before, either in the regular workouts or in the other mobility and stability workouts. I actually found myself breaking a little bit of a sweat during the routine, so I know that I was working more than in the prior weeks. And, some of the moves that had been very challenging for me earlier in the program were a bit easier.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 86

Day 86 was the lower back routine in XB and the performance week version of total body power in 645. 

The total body power workout was very challenging. It had a couple of new moves, including some plyometric moves that we had not done in the program before. As was the case yesterday, the warmup was much shorter because we were doing 20 reps of each move. Again, some of the exercises were split into 10 reps on each side. There were no biceps or triceps-focused exercises in the workout, but because we are doing swings and snatches, you are using your biceps and triceps a lot throughout the workout.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 85

Day 85 was lower body flexibility in XB, and the start of week 13 in 645, which is the performance week version of lower body strength.

The structure of the workout is the same, with an EMOM block and then two blocks of three exercises you do for three sets. But, the warm-up is very short, under 10 minutes, and then you jump right into the workout without any idle chit-chat or much coaching. You move from exercise to exercise very quickly, but you do get 1 minute of rest between sets except before the last set in the last round (which drops down to 45 seconds because of time). Amoila does the entire workout with the group this time. All of the exercises are done for 20 reps (although some get split with 10 on one side and 10 on the other). My instinct was to go down in weight, but there were a couple of exercises for which I ended up increasing the weight after the first set because I was stronger than I thought I would be. And, I found that I needed to modify fewer moves than I had even last week. So, it was a hard workout, but very rewarding.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 84

Day 84 was the last rest day in 645 and in XB I did the Restore routine.

It had been a while since I did Restore, and I could definitely tell I did not have the same amount of mobility as the last time I did the routine. This is weird because I have been working on my lower back and hamstrings every other day (although just the short 6-minute routines).

DVD/TV Series Review: Baywatch: Season 7

 

The seventh season of Baywatch aired during the 1996-1997 TV Season. This season would see yet more cast turnover with Donna D'Errico joining the cast (coming over from the series Baywatch Nights) and Traci Bingham, Jake Salano, and Nancy Valen all joining the cast as well.  Jasson Simmons and Alexandra Paul left as series regulars, although both would make several appearances during the season. And, Michael Newman, the only real lifeguard on the show would be promoted to a series regular. 

The show again was mostly a story-of-the-week procedural that occasionally referred back to prior storylines or episodes. There were some special episodes, including an MTV-themed episode in which MTV personalities, including Jenny McCarthy made an appearance, as well as an episode at Seaworld. The slate of guest stars was less prolific than the show had in the past, but Connie Stevens, Erik Estrada, Barbara Mandrell, Jay Leno, Denise Crosby, and wrestler Shawn Michaels, all guest-starred this season.

The acting and writing on the show this season were pretty much on par with what it had been. Most of the time, both were pretty bad, but occasionally, the writers would put out a decent script that gave the actors something to work with. The writers did try to do some character development, even with some of the established characters, to give them a bit more depth. Hasselhoff was still splitting time between the main show and Baywatch Nights, so while he did appear in every episode, there were some in which he was barely in. As has been the case in each of the prior seasons, not every cast member appears in every episode, not even Pamela Anderson who was still getting second billing behind Hasselhoff. 

Ultimately, if you do not expect the series to be more than it is, a kind of tongue-in-cheek primetime soap opera, it is enjoyable, even when it is dumb. I would not call it a show that is hard to stop watching, and while you can binge it, it is something that can easily be on in the background while you are doing other things and you will not miss much. 

Book Series Review: Mitch Rapp Series - The Kyle Mills Novels

 

The Mitch Rapp series was left in limbo in 2013 after the death of its creator, Vince Flynn. At that point, it consisted of 13 novels and one partially written novel, and it seemed like the series may have died with Flynn. Mills was hired to finish Flynn's last book, The Survivor, which was finally published in 2015, a couple of years after Flynn's death. Mills would stay on to write 8 more books in the series, deciding to step away after 2023's, Code Red.

Mills was definitely in an unenviable position, picking up the wildly popular series after the death of its creator. On The Survivor, Mills has said during interviews that his intent was to be a carbon copy of Flynn so that you could not tell where the material Flynn wrote ended and where Mills' work started. Mills has said that Flynn wrote three pages of The Survivor, and I have read reports that Flynn finished three chapters, but however much Flynn wrote, I, personally, could not tell what Flynn wrote versus what Mills wrote. After the first book, it seemed like Mills was in a feeling-out process, trying to figure out how to put his own stamp on the series. Mills' second book in the series, Order to Kill, felt a bit off to me, but after that novel, it seemed like Mills found the balance between honoring what Flynn did with the characters and also not being beholden to the direction that Flynn may have gone. For the most part, however, I do think that had Flynn decided to take the storylines in the direction Mills did, the end result would have been something like what Mills produced.

I think that Mills' best contribution to the series is probably the novel Oath of Loyalty, which is the 21st book in the series, but his last entry, Code Red, was very good as well. Mills finished Code Red in a way that the next author, who will be Don Bently (who has continued the Jack Ryan novels after Tom Clancy's death) can take the series in whatever direction he wants. While there are certainly some who will not accept any Rapp stories told by anyone other than Flynn, I think Mills did a great job keeping the characters going and honoring what Flynn created.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 83

Day 83 was cardio in 645, and it was HARD. It was the most intense version of the cardio workouts in the program so far. It used the bands a lot, it had some plyometrics and some core. And, it moved fast. There were very few transition breaks and idle chit-chat as there had been in the prior cardio workouts. You pretty much go from move to move immediately. You do three "regular" rounds where each move goes for a minute, and then a fourth round in which you do each move for 30 seconds. I am someone who does not sweat a lot during cardio workouts but I was sweating a lot more than usual.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 82

Day 82 was lower back in XB and Total Body Tempo in 645. 

In the 645 workout, every move was done for two reps, but each block had one very hard move. In the first block, it was split lunges with a 4 count down, two count hold, and one count up timing. In the second block, it was a lateral sumo squat, and in the third block, it was the "ape" sequence in which you are in a low squat and alternate between leaning forward with your arms in front of you and opening your arms wide and going up on your toes.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 81

For Day 81 I did lower body flexibility in XB and Upper Body Strength in 645.

The 645 workout was tough, even being a de-load week. And there were a couple of new variations on the moves that Amoila threw in there that made them a bit more challenging. Overall, however, it was a good workout even if it was a bit harder to get through.

Book Review: Code Red (Mitch Rapp Series #22)

 

Code Red is the 22nd book in the long-running Mitch Rapp series of novels started by Vince Flynn in the late 1990s and continued by Kyle Mills after Flynn's death in 2013. This is Mills' 8th (and final) book in the series, including the book that was started by Flynn and finished by Mills.

This book is partly a continuation of the story from the prior novels and partly a reset of the storyline. In this book, Damien Losa, the cartel kingpin, calls in the favor that Mitch owes him, specifically to investigate a drug originating in Syria and threatening Losa's European network. Of course, things go sideways pretty early on, and as the cover of the book implies, Rapp discovers that the drugs are part of a larger Russian plot.

The hardcover version of the book is just over 330 pages, which is similar in length to Mills' other contributions to the series. It has a good blend of action and suspense. Some of the main characters get pushed to the side for most of the book, but by the end, most of the characters you expect to make an appearance do appear. The book is a quick read, and chances are most fast readers will be able to finish it in a day or two, at most. It is a good swan song for Mills' contribution to the Rapp series and sets up possible future storylines well. It is absolutely worth the time to read.

Book Review: Star Wars: Starlight Stories

 

Starlight Stories is a book about the High Republic era of Star Wars, set around Starlight Beacon, the space station that is included in many of the High Republic novels. It is a cross between a coffee table picture book and a novel. In the beginning, there is a summary of the High Republic era stories, and then in the middle, there is a series of short stories written by 4 or 5 different authors, generally set around non-Jedi characters. Finally, the book ends with profiles of the authors who submitted stories for the book.

The Hardcover version of the book is very short, coming in just under 100 pages. The text is extremely small, and in some places, it is very light, so it is not always easy to read, especially if you are older and you are at the stage in life when you need reading glasses or bifocals/progressive lenses. It is not a book that I would describe as a must-read by any means, as it does not really add much to the High Republic storyline. I think it is a book that most people would read once and then put on a shelf.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 80

Day 80 was flexibility day again. I did the lower back routine in XB and mobility and stability in 645.

The 645 routine actually added a couple of new moves, one of which I was very surprised I could do as well as I did. One of them was a stretch I could do when I was a lot younger and in martial arts, but have not been able to do it for a long time. I am also getting a bit better at the kick-through variations.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 79

For Day 79 I got back on track, doing the lower body flexibility routine in XB and the de-load week version of total body power. Both of them went well, especially since I ended up getting a lot of sleep the night before. I definitely feel that I am getting stronger and I attribute that to the fact that during the 645 workouts, Amoila really focuses on working the stabilizer and non-show/glamour muscles. I really feel that my right shoulder, which bugged me all the way through Lift 4 and Job 1 is having far fewer issues during this program, which is very nice.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 78

Day 78 was a bit of a shit show. My mom had to go into the ER at about 3AM, and needless to say, I did not get much sleep at all. I did not do an XB routine at all, but I did manage to get the 645 workout in, which was the week 12 lower body strength workout. This is another de-load week, so other than during the EMOM blocks, we are doing just two sets of each exercise, but still lifting as heavy as we can. It was a tough workout, especially on very little sleep, but I did feel better by the time I was finished with it, which helped me rest a bit better in the evening.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 77

For Day 77 I did the Realign routine in XB. This one works all of my tight muscles and I do think that I have a little (very little) bit more mobility than I did the first couple of times I did the workout (because of the fact that all these muscles get worked a lot in 645).

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 76

Day 76 was Cardio in 645. It again ramped up the intensity of the workout a bit. This workout added bands into the last few moves of the circuit, not just in the warm-up.  We again just had time for three rounds of the circuit so there was no fourth round, but honestly, I think I would have been too gassed to do another round had they done a bonus round. It was tough, but good.

Book Review: The Essays of Ralph Waldo Emerson The First and Second Series

 

The Essays of Ralph Waldo Emmerson are basically a collection of relatively short philosophical papers that Emmerson wrote on different topics such as Love, Politics, Manners, Friendship, etc. The most well-known essay is probably Self-Reliance, his essay on individualism.

The Easton Press version has both series of essays in one volume. The book is relatively short, right around 300 pages (including the introduction at the beginning). Even though it is short it is written in 1800s old-style formal English, so it is not the easiest thing to read and grasp exactly what he is getting at without slowing down and re-reading some parts. But, if you are a relatively fast reader, you can probably get through it in a couple of days.

The essays are interesting, but obviously, a lot of what Emmerson says and opines on is informed by the times in which he lived. He discusses not only his own views on the various subjects but how different philosophers throughout history would have viewed (or actually viewed) those subjects as well. I would not classify this as a must-read book, but if you are into history and/or philosophy, it is absolutely an interesting read.

Book Review: The Rise of the Dragon: An Illustrated History of the Targaryen Dynasty, Volume One

 

Rise of the Dragon is an illustrated and condensed version of the novel Fire & Blood, detailing the history of the Targaryen rule of the 7 kingdoms in the Game of Thrones universe created by George R.R. Martin. It is the primary source material for the Game of Thrones prequel series, House of the Dragon. In fact, if you have watched the first season of House of the Dragon, that story appears about halfway through this book. This book will, in broad strokes, spoil what is likely to be the ending of that series (depending on at what point in the story the showrunners decide to end the series), as it outlines what will come next. Given that the book did not include all of the details that we saw in the first season of the show, it is not likely to spoil everything that will be seen in the show, but you will get an idea of where the story will go. This is probably the first of what will be at least two books, as this one ends before the events of Danyeres' father's rule and his downfall.

The hardcover version of the book is 342 pages, a lot of which are illustrations. As was the case with the book Fire & Blood, it can be hard to keep all of the characters straight, especially since many of the Targareyn characters have similar-sounding names, and names get reused over and over. Having illustrations that show some of the scenes that are being described in the text does help a little bit, but it definitely makes this a slower reading book than it would normally be. 

The book is very good, and the illustrations are great. Of course, many of us would prefer that Martin focus his time and energy on actually finishing the final two books of the Game of Thrones story, but the reality is that he is going to jump around from project to project and he seems content to finish GoT in his own good time. One good thing about this story being mostly finished is that the House of Dragon TV series will have a clear guidepost for where it is going whereas the later seasons of GoT did not, which will hopefully allow that series to end in a more satisfying manner.

Book Review: The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic – Volume 1

 

The Art of Star Wars is a book that is what I would call a coffee table book. It is a mix of artwork/pictures and text. The text talks about how the concept of the High Republic era (which is set a few hundred years before the events of Episode I) came to be, how various characters and creatures were conceived, etc. The pictures range from very rough sketches (almost scribbles in some cases) to the final artwork that appeared on the covers of the various novels and in the graphic novels. The text is written from interviews with the artists/illustrators and the authors of the various High Republic era novels as well as bigwigs at Lucasfilm. It also includes some concept art from the movies and TV series as well.

The hardcover version of the book is just under 230 pages. You can read it from cover to cover, but chances are a lot of people will skim it and mainly focus on the pictures. Either way, it is something that most people can get through in a few hours, or a day at most. It is also a good way for those people who do not get the graphic novels to see some of the characters who are described in the books but are not on the covers (or are not easily identifiable on the covers). It is probably not something that will appeal to casual Star Wars fans, but for the more "die-hard" fans, it is worth checking out.

Book Review: American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer

 

American Prometheus is a biography of Robert Oppenheimer, who was the lead scientist on the Manhattan Project and was, after World War II, called the "Father of the Atomic Bomb." This was the book that served as much of the source material for the 2023 movie by Christopher Nolan.

This book is best described as a slog to get through. It is very, very long. The softcover version of the book is about 600 pages of actual, substantive text, then there are about 100 pages of notes, a bibliography, and an index that pushes it well over 700 pages. And, the font used for the type was very small. Had a larger font that was easier to read been used when the book was printed, it would have been well over 1000 pages. 

The book details Oppenheimer's life from his time as a child to his death in 1967. Sometimes it goes into too much detail, a lot of which probably could have been cut out. The book portrays Oppenheimer as someone who was brilliant, but kind of crazy. In some ways, he was a walking contradiction. He was great at physics, but not at math. He was socially awkward but could charm pretty much anyone (and apparently was quite the swordsman with the ladies). He felt the atomic bomb was needed but regretted his role in its creation when he saw the arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union take off. 

The book is split into several parts, each covering a period of time in Oppenheimer's life, including his childhood, his time as a student and then a teacher, as the leader of the Manhattan Project, being swept up in McCarthyism and the Red Scare, the fallout from having his security clearance taken away, and then the end of his life.  I think it will take most people longer to read this book than it would take them to get through a book of equivalent size. I am a very fast reader and most of the time I can get through a 500-600 page book in 6-7 days (sometimes less depending on the book), and this one took me 15 days to finish. So, it is not an easy or quick read. It can be very dry in parts and like I said above, could easily omit some details. But, it is very interesting and worth the time to read or listen to.