Asylum Strength

I love this workout. It’s a very boring thing to say but I can’t think of anything funny, sarcastic, or even clever to crack wise about. It’s one of those workouts that simply suits me. It’s hard but not in a “I’m about to dread this” kind of way (should be noted I enjoy pain because I’m sure many of you won’t agree). It’s just a solid total body workout that is the sort of thing I can almost always blend with my other sports specific training.

So what’s it like?

It follows the Asylum format of kicking into gear out of the gate with a very active warm-up. These warm-ups are the kind of thing that let you know if you should be doing this program. If you can’t complete the warm-up you aren’t ready. No reason to get frustrated, just use a different program to prepare. Remember it’s designed to be done post Insanity.

The workout consists of a bunch of functional-style strength movements that work every muscle group in your body. No matter which you are targeting each movement requires engaging your core from an athletic position. As the workout progresses form becomes harder to hold but remains the focal point of your concentration. It not so much about how much you lift as how well you can control each lift. The result is a balanced full body pump that has you feeling like... well... you just got stronger.

There’s also some variability for those of you without a pull-up bar. I’ve done the movements both ways and I don’t have a preference as the ground variations seems to work as well as the pull-up options. Ironically, however, the one place in this workout where I have the most room to improve is with an exercise called “rock climbers”. This is a move where you hang in a lock-off position and switch your grip back and forth for a full minute (or is it two? Felt like two)--and it come late in the workout. I’m not sure how well the cast did because I was too preoccupied to watch, but from what it sounds like I’m sure it laid the hurt on.

While this must be the dullest review of a workout I’ve ever written I think Asylum Strength will get more use than any anything in my Beachbody arsenal. For someone like me who does a lot of mountain sports--or, really, any weekend warrior whose sport provides a lot of cardiovascular fitness—it’s a perfect compliment.

pic: choosing between a plank row or 'rock climbers' (note lock-off position becoming compromised. yes, it's hard)