Bowflex Select Tech Review

I had looked at the Bowflex Select Tech dumbbells for years and always wondered how good they really were. Recently my wife came across a “side deal” on Woot.com that was directly from Bowflex. It had an offer for the 52.5 lb Select Tech 552 dumbbells for less than $250.00 with free shipping! It was too good to pass on when they retail for $400.00.

The weights were delivered promptly in excellent packaging which ensured the product was in prefect condition when it arrived.  Upon opening the packs I found that each dumbbell had its own floor tray and a safety strap.

The weights themselves work terrific. The 2.5 pound increments at the lower weights make it very easy to want to increase your resistance and work a little harder. I am using these weights for my second round of P90X and they have been perfect. I have the exact weights I need and very little floor space is taken up in my living room. Better yet, the weights do not have any sharp corners so I actually can put them in the corner of the room without worrying about my kids getting hurt on them. They have been durable, reliable, and solid (and everyone wants to try them when they visit).

My set of the Bowflex Select Tech 552

That said, there are a few things that you’ll notice at first. When changing the resistance on the dumbbell, each end must be adjusted. This isn’t a BIG deal but the adjustments go in opposite directions and it doesn’t make for real fast transitions (which I need to keep up with P90X if I am not going to hit pause every minute). The other drawback is the length of the dumbbells. These are on the long side at 16.5″ each. 90% of the time it’s not an issue but if you have a movement where the weights are end-to-end it can be awkward.  Again let me point out that these are not deal breakers, and  I recommend them very highly and would purchase them again in a heartbeat!

30 day Weight Loss/ Fitness Challenge

As many of you know, there have been fitness & weight loss challenges in the past and they have all been VERY SUCCESSFUL in many ways However, I feel that, in some ways, because of the large number of participants in the challenges, people have been slipping through the cracks. It’s been a little TOO EASY for people to go back to their old ways and go unnoticed… and as a coach, THAT KILLS ME! I want to see you guys CHANGE not just physically, but I want to see your confidence levels rise, I want to see you start to believe in what is possible for yourself again… and I want to see you become STRONGER, inside & out! SO, I have decided to run a NEW kind of challenge.

This challenge group will only have 5 MEMBERS… They will ALL be doing the BEACHBODY PROGRAM OF THEIR CHOICE, STARTING ON THE SAME DAY.  THEY WILL ALL BE REPLACING ONE MEAL A DAY WITH SHAKEOLOGY (& yes, if you do not have Shakeology, that would mean you would have to be willing to invest in it… because if I am going to invest my time in working with you one on one… I need to know that you are willing to invest in your own health first!) Because each member will have a different starting weight and goals, we will also be using the Beachbody Club membership to customize a meal plan specific to YOUR goals to get you the BEST possible results! Even better… By being a CLUB member you will actually SAVE 10% on ALL of your Beachbody purchases!!! If you have not already, you will need to officially sign up to have me as your coach by going to MY site http://www.gregsiesz.com  and registering to join Team Beachbody and TOGETHER we will BEGIN OUR JOURNEY. Checking in EVERYDAY, without exception! I will be giving these 5 my cell phone number for anytime support and you BETTER BELIEVE I will be calling YOU if you don’t hear from you on the boards! This IS a commitment… ON MY PART and YOURS… Hence why I said that the people selected would NEED TO BE READY to SERIOUSLY change their lives! But I do believe it could be something that will not only make me a better coach for having gone through it… but will leave 5 people COMPLETELY TRANSFORMED at the end!!! If you would like to be considered and are willing to make ALL the commitments above, then… what are you waiting for?!?! Write me back, RIGHT NOW and tell me that you want in this group!!! Challenge packs are available on my site http://www.gregsiesz.com Next challenge group starts January 1st!

Review of the Warrior Dash

In July, the Warrior Dash made it’s first appearance in the state of Michigan and 26,000 of us showed up for the two-day event, making the biggest event in the history of Warrior Dash.  The Warrior Dash is an extreme obstacle course race which is 3.2 miles in length and has 12  obstacles.  It’s billed as the “Craziest Day of your Frickin’ Life”. Prior to the event, I wasn’t sure what to think since the majority of the ‘chatter’ about the event seemed to be focused on the after race festivities with the beer, bands, and turkey legs. Was this a serious race or just a big party?

The Main Stage area at the Warrior Dash

What I found was that this event could be whatever you wanted it to be; intense or just for fun. The atmosphere was great with live music constantly and everyone was excited or a little nervous but in no way shape or form was this some stuffy, high pressure event. If you were out to compete, there were plenty of experienced runners in the field to challenge you. If you were out to just say you finished it, there were lots of people in that category too. Either way you got your finishers medal, helmet, t-shirt and beer and lots of congratulations from everyone around at the finish.

My good friend Jeff and I showing off our Warrior Dash medals

As far as the Michigan course itself, it was very muddy, very smelly, and very very hot. The course we ran on happens to also be used as a horse riding trail. You can imagine the smell of manure in 93 degree heat with no wind, no clouds, and high humidity. The weather conditions made the course much more difficult than it probably was, for me, since I train indoors. You can see the course I ran in Michigan by clicking HERE. Unless you are way out in front of the other competitors in your wave, you will be around many other runners on the course and have to make adjustments accordingly and possibly wait at obstacles for people to clear. In my race there were 600 people in each wave, but it really wasn’t a big issue on the course. Despite the weather and smells this race was a blast!  I couldn’t help but smile as I was going through each obstacle because I loved the challenge.

My overall impression was that this was a tremendously well run event. We NEVER waited in line for anything with 12,000+ people around. Parking, check- in and bag check were a breeze. Even getting a beer after the race was super fast. The course was very fun, but, I wish I would have been in the first flight of the day because the heat at 1:30 pm was ridiculous.

If you are going to do the Warrior Dash, here are my suggestions.

1.Train. This event is not going to be as fun if you are physically unprepared for the challenge. I used Insanity and Insanity: The Asylum to prepare for the event and never had an issue with any of the obstacles.

2. Get registered early. I registered 6 months early and Saturday was already sold out.

3. Don’t wear anything you want to wear again, including shoes.

4. Hydrate, and bring your own shade. We got to the event early and there was no shade anywhere so we baked in the sun for 2 hours before our race which didn’t help matters.

5. Get someone to take pictures for you if you want to save some money. To purchase 3 digital copies from SportPhoto would have cost me almost $30.

6. Don’t be a hero on the obstacles. Take your time and get through them safely. I saw many people going through obstacles out of control and hurting themselves or banging into other competitors.

7. If you are going to compete and try to get and excellent finishing time, get to the front of the starting gate or else you will be trying to pass hundreds of people during the first mile. We stood at the end of the line for the wave ahead of ours. When they were released on to the course we just walked right up to the starting line to wait for our wave to be sent out.

I would recommend the Warrior Dash highly to anyone who is looking to challenge themselves in a new way. If you are already a  “Warrior” I’d love to hear about your experience! As always if you have questions or would like to talk about training, feel free to contact me. Let’s connect on Facebook or Twitter (gregsiesz)

The North Face Single Track Review

I recently purchased the North Face Single Track trail running shoes from Endless.com for under $70.00. If you use Ebates.com (like I did) to get to Endless.com you can also get an additional percent cash back on your purchase as well. Endless also has free shipping, and free shipping on returns.  This was my first experience using anything from The North Face and I must say I am very impressed. The information online from The North Face was very good, as were all the reviews I read from other sources.  The only negative I found in the reviews of this shoe was that the durability of the shoe may be in question. This was a concern since trail running requires a shoe that can take a beating and keep performing well. Personally, I have not found durability to be an issue in the least.

My The North Face Single Tracks after over month of use and abuse still look and feel great.

These are the features of the Single Track as listed on The North Face.com

• 2010 Gear of the Year award recipient from Outside Magazine
• 2010 Best Debut award recipient from Runner’s World Magazine
• [UPPER] Abrasion-resistant tight-weave mesh
• External tongue scree-collar (This functions like a mini gaiter and does a good job keeping debris out)
• Abrasion-resistant, synthetic support overlays
• C-Delta metatarsal fit system
• Ortholite® Northotic™ footbed

• [BOTTOM] Unleashed Performance™ (Neutral) engineered platform
• Semi-curve lasted; 22 mm/10 mm heel/forefoot heights
• X-Dome™ Cradle provides high-impact heel cushioning and rebound
• X-2™ dual-density cushioned EVA midsole
• ESS Snake Plate™ forefoot protection
• Tenacious™ Grip high-abrasion off-road sticky rubber
• *Gift box not available for this item

My Overall Impressions

These shoes are very light, extremely comfortable, and look great. I can’t say enough about the comfort of running in these shoes. Its like running on a gel pillow. The insoles are easily the most thoughtfully designed I have ever seen.  Small stones and sticks are barely noticeable under foot, and the Tenacious grip gives you a real feeling of control even wet conditions.  These shoes stay light even when completely soaked and dry quickly. They are also very capable on the road, providing a great ride on pavement.

As far as sizing, these shoes fit a little big so I would suggest trying on your normal size and a half size smaller before purchasing just to be sure you find the right fit. There are no negatives that I can find with this shoe and I will definitely be buying another pair when this pair wears out.

Happy trails!

Insanity: The Asylum Review

Insanity: The Asylum came to my door a few weeks ago. I was impressed with the fact that Asylum comes with 6 dvd’s, an agility ladder, jump rope, nutrition guide and workout calendar. It’s a 30 day program but comes with additional ways to use the program as a hybrid with P90X or Insanity. For a better look

The Positives: This is an EXTREMELY intense program. It’s very different from Insanity in that you use dumbbells or resistance bands, chin up bar, jump rope and agility ladder, and the exercises are almost all completely different from Insanity. So no recycling of a workout program I already own. The exercises are very sport specific and remind me of my days as an athlete in training. Expect the agility drills to be challenging but in a fun way. The workouts are good for people on a schedule because they range from 25 min to an hour. Each DVD is labeled with the length of each workout as well so if you need to squeeze in a workout it’s easy to find the one you need.

The Not So Positive: The only thing I am not terribly impressed with is the meal planner. It’s easy to follow and the instructions are clear but it just falls short of the meal planner that came with the Insanity program. There are fewer meal options, and the prep time on many of the dishes is more than what I have typically.

After 2 weeks, here are my initial observations/ suggestions.

1. Warm up before you push play because it’s intense right from the start. Have plenty of water before, during and after these workouts, and use the P90X Results and Recovery Formula because you will need it.  Also, eat properly because you will need the fuel to get through these workouts. Having a Shakeology about 2 hours before this workout has been working great for me.

2. Do not plan on having a chance to catch your breath or to even get many breaks between sets. Give yourself a learning curve and don’t get frustrated with the moves, they are very different and getting your body to do what you need it to will take some practice!

3. Have a good selection of weights (or a good exercise band or two) at your disposal. I have the Bowflex Select Tech’s which have worked out awesome because I have found myself switching weights often so I can maintain my proper form as I fatigue. (I found a side deal for my Select Tech’s on www.woot.com and got them 40% off with free shipping)

4. Don’t get a cheap chin up bar. I tried the Iron Gym chin up bar, it’s cheaply made and doesn’t get you away from the door frame so you are always banging your elbows and its falling apart now. If you want an over- the- door chin up bar get the P90X one. It really is the best because it has tons of hand grip positions, a higher weight capacity, and an extra rail that gets you away from the doorframe and wall.

If you are using Asylum or found this helpful, please leave a comment. If you are looking for more information or have any questions about this program or how to get started on your fitness journey please feel free to contact me gregsiesz@yahoo.com or sign up for a free membership at www.gregsiesz.com

My First Obstacle Course Race: The Dirty Dog Dash

I finished my first obstacle course race this past Saturday, the Dirty Dog Dash . The event consisted of a 5k run and 10 obstacles all on Boyne Mountain. Staying true to the event’s name, there was plenty of water, mud, barb wire, agility obstacles,  and a seemingly never ending 1/4 mile climb up the mountain just before the finish. It was a smaller event with 4 waves and only about 350 people participating, which made it very nice for a first- timer like myself. The course was well  marked, and there were event staff positioned throughout the course to direct you through any tricky spots. Best part of all was that this event (and most other similar races) was raising funds for the Wounded Warrior Project. At $45.00 for a late registration I though this event was a bargain. I recieved a t-shirt, finishing medal (a dog tag!) and a free beer after the race. Awards were given to the top 2 males and females in each age group and the best individual and group costumes.

I have only discovered this type of race recently and there are many more of these races around than I could have ever expected. Here is a list of just a few of the races out there.

Warrior Dash

Tough Mudder

Metro Dash

Spartan Race

The distances of these races vary greatly, as do the type and number of obstacles, and some require that you run with a team so be sure to do your homework and understand what you are getting yourself into! If you are a first timer you may want to try to find a smaller local event so you can get your feet wet in a much smaller crowd of participants.

If you are looking to do one of these races here are a few suggestions on how to prepare.

1. Be sure to strength train. Many of the obstacles will require you to climb or pull yourself up. You will really be able to cut your time if you can get through the obstacles quickly.

2. Cardiovascular conditioning! A 5k may not sound difficult but when going through over and under obstacles you will putting additional demands on your body beyond just running and you will need to have excellent cardio endurance if you plan to finish runnning. Personnally, I trained with Insanity and Rev Abs as these programs include both cardio and strength training.

3. As for race apparel, I wouldn’t wear anything you want to wear again. Find some light synthetic fibers that won’t hold water. If you have shoes that drain well that would be a plus, as you don’t want to try to run wearing ten pound shoes.

4. Go in with an open mind, get dirty, and have fun!

Rev Abs Review: Phase 1

I completed the first 45 days of Rev Abs this past week and have been very pleased with the progress I have made and with the program thus far. So far, I have lost 6 pounds and am down to a new all-time adult low of 190 pounds. The definition in my abs has really started to show and the body fat around my midsection is disappearing rapidly. My diet has been solid.  After the first 14 days I have strayed a little off of the specific meals in the nutrition plan but I have been very strict on keeping my carb intake low, and consuming lots of lean protein and veggies. I have also been consistently taking my Shakeology daily, and using the P90X Results and Recovery Formula after every workout to reduce next day soreness.

I haven’t become bored or annoyed with any of the workouts which I have experienced in the past. The shorter time commitment has taken away any excuses I may have in terms of time to work out.  I am still impressed with the physical changes I have been able to make with workouts no longer than 45 minutes. I was seriously skeptical at the beginning of this but am really excited to see what challenges await in Phase 2.

In Phase 2, I plan to make a better commitment to my water intake and my hours of sleep as I believe those two things will increase my results dramatically. I’ll be posting pictures and stats from day 1-45 in the next few days and will post a Phase 2 review after day 90.

Have you been using Rev Abs? I’d love to hear your impressions of it so leave a comment!

How I Found the Perfect INSANITY Workout Shoe

My shoe search began when I decided to start the INSANITY program. Understanding that this was an intense cardio, and plyometric program, I set out to find a great pair of shoes. I was willing to pay for quality, and didn’t let price become a barrier in my search. In all, I tried at least 20 pairs of shoes until I found a pair that would suit the program.

I began my search with the pre-conceived notion that I would need a cross training shoe for Insanity. I assumed that a cross trainer would give me better lateral stability and the cushioning necessary to handle plyometrics as well.  As my search progressed, I found that many cross trainers do not have good cushioning and I expanded my search to include all types of shoes.  Also if you shop online for shoes like I do,  check out www.endless.com they have free shipping and free returns and every transaction has been completely hassle free.

#1 New Balance MX1011 Trainer: This shoe sounded great in the description, and even looked ok in the online pictures. When I opened the box they looked far different than the online pictures, they looked like they should have Velcro! Putting looks aside, I gave them a try (after all I work out at home so it’s about function not fashion ). Once laced up, the shoes felt very bulky and heavy, but did have good cushioning and the lateral stability was excellent. The reason these shoes were sent back was they were uncomfortable due to the lock down lacing system. It provided great stability but it felt like there were 2 ropes under the tongue, running up either side of my arch.

#2 Adidas Endurobounce II. This must be a fashion shoe that somehow got classified as a crosstrainer. These shoes look great, but fit at least 1 size too small and the Endurobounce system was rock hard. Zero cushioning  so I sent them back.

#3 Reebok Zigs: Hands down the lightest and most comfortable shoe I have ever put on. I was really excited to get these but I immediately realized that these shoes were not meant for any type of lateral movement. Zero stability if you are not moving straight ahead. I am sure they are great running shoes but not meant for plyo type training.

#4 Asics GEL Intensity Cross Trainer: This was another good looking shoe that had very good cushioning. The fit was great, but the lateral stability was not very good. Also the support in the heel cup was so rigid that during lateral moves or stretches the heel cup actually began to dig into my skin below my ankle.  Sent back.

#5 Ascis Gel Kayano: These shoes I tried because my wife was using these for Insanity and was very happy with them. I am sure this is a great running shoe but another shoe that was not built for  lateral stability and in my opinion didn’t have as nice of cushioning as the Intensity cross trainer.

#6 Nike Free: These shoes fit ok, but before even taking one step I could tell the quality of this shoe was sub- par. The cushioning was terrible and after only a few steps in the store could tell that this was not the type of shoe that was going to get me through some intense workouts.

#7 New Balance 920: After getting discouraged I went to a Famous Footwear and just started trying on shoes, lots and lots of shoes. Eventually, I came across the NB 920. It is a running shoe that had a surprising amount of lateral stability, fit wonderfully, lightweight, and had above average cushioning. It’s a good looking shoe and the people at the store said that I could return them within 30 days if I was not satisfied. I have used these shoes now for a few months of Insanity workouts and they have performed very well. They have maintained their support and have not stretched out as many shoes with mesh uppers do. The cushioning has shown no signs of breaking down. Best of all, this pair was priced at a very affordable $69.00.

I hope this helps some of you who may be searching for that perfect shoe.  I don’t believe the NB  920 is the “perfect” shoe, but it was a lot better than everything else I had tried. I’d love to hear about the shoes you love and if you have a shoe search story please share it! After all, shoes don’t last forever and I will be shopping again in the near future.

On a side note, after a live INSANITY workout my wife told Shaun T (the creator of INSANITY ) about my shoe search and he said the Nike Livestrong work really well for his Insanity workouts.

My P90X Results and Review

After completing the Power 90 program, I maintained my weight for the next 6 months or so, primarily through clean eating. I started getting lazy about my nutrition and it eventually started catching up with me again. After gaining 10 pounds back, I made up my mind that I was no longer going to yo-yo, and actually make a lifestyle change for good.  I was going to commit to exercise and nutrition for the rest of my life not just the duration of an exercise program.

I didn’t want to just exercise either. I was ready to be challenged and to push myself to a new level. It was at this point I decided to take on P90X and the accountability of becoming an Independent Team Beachbody Coach. I knew that if I was going to be a coach I would have to walk the walk. This combination was exactly what I needed to really transform my body.

I began using the P90X supplements (Results and Recovery Drink and Protein bars) everyday as well as Shakeology and they were a terrific addition to my nutrition and training. They eliminated my soreness, increased my energy, and gave me the proper nutrients my body needed to be successful with P90X. The P90X program was very comprehensive and the nutrition plans blew my mind! For the first time ever I found a meal plan that had me eating more food (but the correct foods) than I would normally. It was great to never have that starving feeling.

It took very little time for me to start to see real physical changes from the workouts. I loved the variety and uniqueness of the exercises. Just when the program started to become “routine” the next phase came, and it was like starting from scratch all over again. The workouts have no fancy choreography, just awesome variations on push-ups, pull-ups, and dumbbell exercises that are as fun as they are effective.

4 Big things I learned from P90X:

1. EAT!! I had weeks where I would be crushing my workouts but cutting too many calories and I would not be able to lose weight. Make sure you are reaching your Basel Metabolic Rate (BMR) at a minimum. The program addresses this but I tried to go above and beyond on the calorie cutting in hopes of accelerating my weight loss, but in the end I set myself back by not eating enough.
2. Use a great chin up bar. I purchased a cheap Iron Gym chin up bar and regretted it every day. The bar did the job but because of the way it is made your elbows will bang the door frame on every single pull-up. When I start the program again I will be purchasing the P90X chin up bar because it has a second rail that moves you out away from the door frame.
3. It IS possible to completely change your body! I expected good results when I started, but never ever anticipated getting into a pant size I last wore in junior high. My results were far beyond what I thought I could achieve and, in turn, made me begin to question what other limitations had I been putting on myself in other areas of my life because I thought “it just wasn’t possible”.
4. The Results and Recovery drink is amazing. I was totally skeptical about this product that claimed to reduce or eliminate post workout soreness. So I increased my weights and repetitions in an attempt to prove the product didn’t work, but the worst I ever felt was a little tired the next day. I was never actually sore, so I could really ‘bring it’ each and every workout and accelerate my results since I wasn’t fighting though soreness.

This program is advanced, but there are variations on every exercise so people of many fitness levels can do this program.  I made a video about my P90X transformation as a visual reminder to never put limits on myself.