INSANITY: Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs

Today is Day 13 of INSANITY (Shaun T’s Birthday Challenge) and it includes Cardio Abs.

Since I have not reviewed Cardio Abs, I have decided I should! Of course I had to get through Pure Cardio first.

Here is my warm up face (1-2-3 heisman) and awesome socks:

Some stretching:

and my burn (it reads 462 in 38 minutes). Remember, as always, click the photo for Garmin Connect details. If you cannot see the board, it reads:

• ‘Keep Moving!’ I thought this was fit for Pure Cardio since it is nonstop.

Cardio Abs

• Length: 16 minutes

• Equipment: Yoga mat (recommended)

This workout is short and somewhat easy - which good considering it comes immediately after Pure Cardio (in my case - you can separate the two workouts if you wanted). I find a better abworkout in Shaun T’s Asylum programs or maybe even P90X’s Ab Ripper.

Nevertheless - you get out what you put in. Therefore, the higher you jump, more you tuck your abs, and harder your push the better results you are going to see/feel. AND Shaun T starts the workout with a warm-up which means you are going to get cardio - INSANITY at its greatest.

Considering you are working your abs in pretty much all of the INSANITY workouts, I look at Cardio Abs as an extension of Pure Cardio (since it is slightly shorter) and one large circuit.

Shaun T starts with a couple minutes of warming up (including jogging, high knees, jump rope and tuck jumps).

When he moves to the floor, he teaches you the C-Sit Position and tells you to hold your core.

It is in this position that you do moves like Twists and A Frame with and without knees.

You also have fun holding the C-Sit Position and then doing a crazy repetitive move involving both legs off the floor. Poor Tonya gets to be the example. :)

Then, you do some low and high plank alternating knees (for the obliques). Each time I do this workout I try to get my knee closer to my elbow.

Since the hubby was at work, I had to use my phone as the remote for my camera. Apparently, we had some shutter issues - the Nikon and I. Nevertheless - you get the idea and it may look cool. I have not decided.

He adds low and high plank pulses…which are both dirty-awkward and extremely-exhausting.

Finally, he ends this quick sesh with some much-needed core stretches. Badabingbadaboom - drink some watah.

Here is some of my stretching.

The dog:

Here is my burn. If you cannot see it - it says 157 (it was only a 17 minute workout for the abs).

Day 13 in DA BOOKS! Tomorrow is 'Rest Day’ so I may just go for a run (unless there is a foot of snow on the ground).