So about two weeks ago, I reviewed Bob Harper's "Pure Burn Pure Strength" workout. Then about a week ago, I reviewed workout #1 from his dvd, "Bob's Workout." Today, I'm going to tell you about the second workout in this dvd.
I keep waking up early every morning, and instead of trying to go back to sleep like I would have in the past, I've been getting out of bed and starting my day. One day a few weeks back, I set out to conquer Bob's Workout:
Brief re-cap from the first review I did: This dvd is really his full 60 minute workout spread in to two-30 minute workouts. It isn't like the first one is beginner and the second one is advanced, they are both advanced. You can do workout one, workout two, or play both workouts back to back for a really intense 60 minute workout.
So here goes, I pushed play on workout #2 and was immediately greeted by Bob explaining that this was mainly an upper body workout. This was perfect because although I've been spinning 2 times each week, I have been struggling with getting a good upper body workout. By an odd stroke of luck, I was just complaining about it to one of my spin friends, Angela, the night before. Also, I had just purchased a set of 5 pound dumbbells and a small kettlebell at Walmart, both of which I figured I'd need down the line.
The dvd starts with a warm up, and it contained no burpees like last time. Hooray! It was mainly jumping rope, jumping jacks, sumo squats, and jumping horizontally over a jump rope (or imaginary line in the ground). I completed this set with relative ease and I was shocked. The January or February version of me would have been completed winded and doubled over.
(Insert my mini celebration for a non-scale victory here.)
Next up was plyometric push ups, or a push up on an incline (I did mine on the edge of a dining room chair) with a "pop" at the top of the push up. Hard, but I did the best I could.
From there, Bob has the model grab hand weights and go into dumbbell presses. You could do these on a ball, on a bench, on a set of steps, or on the ground which I did.
Following that, you move straight into dumbbell rows or bent dummbell rows.
There is a bit of an upper body break for some squats, but before you know it you're off and moving again! You quickly move through standing shoulder presses and bicep curls before you find yourself back at the starting point. You do this about three more times (and here's the important part) without stopping or taking a break.
It isn't the first round that hurts, and the second round is really just a period of time in which I was sweating buckets. But before I knew it, I was in the third set and as the sweat poured into my eyes and my triceps and biceps burned, I realized this was going to be a good work out.
There is a small set at the end of the workout that includes dead lifts, step ups, and some more squat exercise. But you only do this once, and the model really struggles through this last set. During the model's struggle, I caught my breath, wiped off my sweaty face, got a drink of water, and completed the workout. Bob really kicked that poor model's butt!
Before I knew it, I was done and into the cool down and stretches. The total time of the dvd was less than 30 minutes, but I stretched a bit more after Bob was finished. I love stretching, and my muscles were nice and warmed up!
Pro's: The dvd is fast and effective. In less than thirty minutes and with only one set of hand weights and a single kettlebell I was able to complete what I feel like was a great upper body workout. Optional equipment would be a second (identical weight) kettlebell for the dead lifts (I just used my dumbbells), a jump rope, and a bench or a set of steps. The model was attractive (he looked like Alex O'Loughlin).
Con's: The model sort of pooped out at the end, and they sort of stop and wait for him to catch up. Now, I was hurting and sweating, but I didn't need all that extra time. I ended up fitting in an extra set of dead lifts and some more cardio into his breaks. Also, the cool down and stretches at the end simply aren't enough. There are about two leg stretches and two arm stretches. I need more. It's no big deal, I just tacked a few extra stretches onto the end and I was all set. Also missing are any dedicated ab exercises, although you do use those muscles to stabilized you throughout the dvd.
Overall, I really enjoyed the dvd. I'll definitely be doing it more often, as I really feel like I want to tone and work out my upper body and torso.
The dvd starts with a warm up, and it contained no burpees like last time. Hooray! It was mainly jumping rope, jumping jacks, sumo squats, and jumping horizontally over a jump rope (or imaginary line in the ground). I completed this set with relative ease and I was shocked. The January or February version of me would have been completed winded and doubled over.
(Insert my mini celebration for a non-scale victory here.)
Next up was plyometric push ups, or a push up on an incline (I did mine on the edge of a dining room chair) with a "pop" at the top of the push up. Hard, but I did the best I could.
From there, Bob has the model grab hand weights and go into dumbbell presses. You could do these on a ball, on a bench, on a set of steps, or on the ground which I did.
Following that, you move straight into dumbbell rows or bent dummbell rows.
There is a bit of an upper body break for some squats, but before you know it you're off and moving again! You quickly move through standing shoulder presses and bicep curls before you find yourself back at the starting point. You do this about three more times (and here's the important part) without stopping or taking a break.
It isn't the first round that hurts, and the second round is really just a period of time in which I was sweating buckets. But before I knew it, I was in the third set and as the sweat poured into my eyes and my triceps and biceps burned, I realized this was going to be a good work out.
There is a small set at the end of the workout that includes dead lifts, step ups, and some more squat exercise. But you only do this once, and the model really struggles through this last set. During the model's struggle, I caught my breath, wiped off my sweaty face, got a drink of water, and completed the workout. Bob really kicked that poor model's butt!
Before I knew it, I was done and into the cool down and stretches. The total time of the dvd was less than 30 minutes, but I stretched a bit more after Bob was finished. I love stretching, and my muscles were nice and warmed up!
Pro's: The dvd is fast and effective. In less than thirty minutes and with only one set of hand weights and a single kettlebell I was able to complete what I feel like was a great upper body workout. Optional equipment would be a second (identical weight) kettlebell for the dead lifts (I just used my dumbbells), a jump rope, and a bench or a set of steps. The model was attractive (he looked like Alex O'Loughlin).
Con's: The model sort of pooped out at the end, and they sort of stop and wait for him to catch up. Now, I was hurting and sweating, but I didn't need all that extra time. I ended up fitting in an extra set of dead lifts and some more cardio into his breaks. Also, the cool down and stretches at the end simply aren't enough. There are about two leg stretches and two arm stretches. I need more. It's no big deal, I just tacked a few extra stretches onto the end and I was all set. Also missing are any dedicated ab exercises, although you do use those muscles to stabilized you throughout the dvd.
Overall, I really enjoyed the dvd. I'll definitely be doing it more often, as I really feel like I want to tone and work out my upper body and torso.
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