Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 68

For day 68 I did lower body flexibility in XB and total body tempo in 645.

I definitely had more mobility in the XB routine, especially in my right leg. I did use my roller to work some of the knots out of my hamstring, hip flexors, and IT band before I did the routine, which helped a bit, but I think I was able to get a bit deeper even without that.

The 645 routine was a bit different this week. Amoila really focused on knee, back, and ankle mobility. He went into a lot of detail about how it is okay to have your knee go over your toes (if you have done P90X you remember that warning in the leg workout), as long as you keep your heel on the ground, and that it actually helps your back and improves your squats. And, it actually takes pressure off your knees. It was very interesting to listen to, so much so that I skipped a couple of reps here and there to look at what he was demonstrating. It was still a good workout, however.

App Review: Bodi

 

Team Beachbody has mostly moved away from putting their workouts out on DVD and shifted to streaming workouts through their Beachbody on Demand (BOD) app, which they now call BODi. The BODi app has the vast majority of the Beachbody workout catalog, including the programs that existed prior to P90X (such as Slim in 6, Turbo Jam, and the original Power 90, etc.) the workout program that really launched the company into the big time. It is not clear if you go on to the Team Beachbody website that the older programs are available on the BODi app, but I can confirm that they are. In fact, the only major programs that are not available on the App are the Les Mills programs (e.g., Les Mills Combat) because the licensing agreement between Beachbody and Less Mills had expired. As a result, Beachbody discontinued selling those programs and did not put them on the App. There may be a few other programs I cannot remember that are not on the App, but the vast majority are. And, some of the newer programs are only being released on the BOD App and are not being put out on DVD at all. This is very likely going to be the norm for the Beachbody programs in the very near future, so if you want any of their new programs, you will have to subscribe to the streaming service.

A couple of things to be aware of before getting this. First, even though the App is free, you need a subscription to be able to access the workouts or the workout materials. Beachbody has monthly, quarterly, or annual subscriptions available (the yearly subscription is $99). Second, Beachbody has added live classes as well, but those do not stream through the app unless you add a subscription to Bodi (which is $200 for the annual subscription), at which point you get access to the live classes as well as the two nutrition programs (Portion Fix and 2B mindset). Third, some of the workouts do have specialized equipment and, if you want those, you will have to purchase them separately. So, there are extra costs beyond the App if you want the equipment needed to do some of the workouts or get, for example, the portion fix containers.

Overall, I think the app is good, and it is nice to have all the workouts in one spot and not have to mess with DVDs. That said, you will likely need to spend additional money to do some of the workouts (such as those that require pull-up bars) and, if you want the documentation you will have to read it in PDF format or print out a hardcopy. One thing I would love is if Beachbody would convert the nutrition plans for every workout to the portion-fix container system so the people who do decide to get the containers can use them even with the older programs like P90x and Insanity that were created before Portion Fix. Thankfully, most of the newer workouts do key their nutrition portion to the containers. Also, one big drawback is that if you have the app downloaded on multiple devices, the synch is inconsistent, especially when tracking workouts. It seems to synch with their website pretty well, but not every workout I do on a fire device or on a Rouku gets synched with the BOD app on my iPhone. Which is a bit irritating. But, for the most part, I like the app and recommend it to people who have used the Beachbody workout programs.

Product Review: PackageZoom Moving Boxes Medium 16 x 12 x 8 Inches

 

These are very small moving boxes. They are good for things like books (that are not oversized), DVDs, etc. Basically, anything that is somewhat compact if you put too many into a large box will be too heavy to lift. But, if you compare them to the size of the medium boxes at a place like Home Depot, or other medium-sized boxes you can get on Amazon, these are much smaller. They are definitely not good for large and/or odd-shaped items because most of those kinds of things will be hard to fit and an inefficient use of space.

Product Review: Gorilla Ultimate Waterproof Wood Glue

 

I got this mainly to repair a wooden clock that I made back in high school in the early 90s. The glue holds very well after it is dried, and the parts that I had to reinforce do not feel like they had ever come loose. And, I love the new design of the applicator that prevents excess glue from clogging up the nozzle or making it dry out so you only get one or two uses before the entire bottle is shot. It is worth the pickup if you need to make minor wood repairs.

Product Review: TORIS Stainless Steel Woven Wire Mesh Cabinets Air Vent Mesh Security Mesh Window Screen

 

This is a wire meshing that I used to cover the end of the soft vent piping from my mechanical room to the outside that is in the house. Basically, if bees, wasps, or the like get through the outside portion, it is harder for them to get in the house. The edges are a bit sharp, so you definitely have to be careful around those, but it is a relatively small square of mesh. There are two in a pack. It is perfect for a smaller job like covering something you still want air to be able to flow through but is exposed or semi-exposed to the outdoors and do not want insects or other pests coming through.