Amy Bento
Did 2 December, 2006...now today I'm sore all over...mainly my rear and back and obliques.
This review is really from my notes which I made with the view of being able to move along more quickly in this workout. So please bear with some of the notes:) I was thinking more of what equipment I have and how I could best arrange things. Also I'm working out in shorts on hardwood floors, so that explains the mat references. I hope this helps some! So here goes:
Warm-up...with some stretches.
Multi-joint:
Lunges on 6" step w/5# dumbells, front w/biceps curl (onto the 6" step), side w/side lateral raises, back or rear lunges w/anterior delt lifts.
Bands
Dumbells: 5# for triceps...think one foot on 6" step, other leg squatting while doing a kickback.
Legs:
Bucket squats, 5# dumbells
Balancing stick, 10# dumbells
Hack squats, did them flat-footed w/10# dumbells
Sit & stands, used all four risers and high topper and 8# dumbells
Curtsy and side lunges, used 10# dumbells
Dead lifts, 12# dumbells, keep feet together!
Band for hamstring work...not a hamstring curl, but extension.
Hamstring lifts, one leg at a time on three risers with high topper. (Lying mat)
Back:
The "24 riser pull-ups"...did back squeezes with my blue band...I need to find something like a bar to lay across some chairs-and-risers to do this one. I did not like the looks of the bar over the risers...I'd be worried about it rolling around, but they didn't have that problem!
Rows, 10# dumbells: center, to the right, to the left, center.
Incline (used ball, FrostyJan's recommendation, thanks!), 5# dumbells, rear delt lifts.
Chest:
Bench press on step, 12# dumbells
Pull-overs on step, 10# dumbells
Push-ups, mat behind the step, kept it at two risers, actually drop & push-offs
Shoulders:
Over-heads w/bands
Uprights with 12# dumbells
Forward & backward sweeps with band
Biceps:
Curls with 8# dumbells
Internal/external curls with band
Incline (on ball) curls; used 10#...should have used 8#!
Triceps:
Triceps push-ups on step with 2 risers and mat
Kick-backs, 10# dumbells
Triceps extension with band
Core:
One 8# dumbell circles up & over
Side throws with one 8# dumbell
Crab planks...did one...ouch!
Walking planks on gliding disks...used rags from TLT's
Out & backs on rags. Knees on mat.
Then a nice stretch.
I like that she includes premixes, but I may organize them with the chapters more like Cathe's Pure Strength, putting the triceps with chest??? Have to check on that one.
I think Amy has a real winner with this one!
Instructor comments:
Amy is indeed a breath of fresh air. I like her down-to-earth style. She's obviously working hard; you can hear it when she tells you she likes lower rep counts! She's not too peppy, but definitely up-beat.
Now I'm one of those who worried Amy was too much like Cathe, but now I know better:). In fact, I am now wondering if I will ever be tempted as much by Cathe as before..I don't have her newest releases, but now I'm not so interested as before!
Lydia Jasper
lyfrjasp@yahoo.com
3 December 2006
1 warning, if you are doing the whole
workout, this is xtremely long! I didn't time
it, but it was well over 90 minutes.
I find this workout to be a very nice change
from Cathe. Most of my weight work is from
Cathe, so finding an instructor who can work
me out, keep me entertained, and not annoy
me, is a big plus. In this workout, Amy
generally does three sets of each exercise
and does 3 exercises per body part (except
for legs.) I really like this because it helped
me to choose my weights, and I knew I
wouldn't be "repped to death." She does
some unusual variations of which some were
a nice change, and others were just a big NO.
Overall, I would highly recommend this
workout for an advanced exerciser who just
wants something a little different.
Instructor comments:
I really like Amy as an instructor. She is very
upbeat and friendly, without being so upbeat
and friendly that she is annoying. She truly
seems to be having a good time, which I find
entertaining. If I had to give her some criticism,
I would say she should give more form pointers,
but overall she is a very likable instructor.
ivorygorgon
10/19/08
