EmpowerMoms

DanceCrazy Muscle Madness Massage Stick DVD review:

The price is for the DVD by itself. You will also need a massage stick and chair to complete the exercises on this dvd.

The chapter selection/dvd menu gives you 2 options. You can “play all” or click on individual chapter selections.

There are 12 chapter selections to choose from.

1. Introduction: 0:00-1:04 mins
The intro shows the 3 different rollers that the lady is using for this dvd. Light, medium and heavy. She mostly uses the medium.

2. Dynamic warm up: 1:04-6:00 mins
**The warm up is demonstrating exercises like neck rolls, shoulder shrugs, arm circles to warm the body up before using the massage roller stick. You do not need a chair or stick for the warm up.

3. Feet: 6:00-7:56
**For chapter selections 3-10, you will be barefoot and need a chair.

4. Lower leg: 7:56-10:15

5. Calves and Soleus: 10:15-12:55

6. IT band: 12:55-14:47

7. Inner thigh: 14:47-16:28

8. Quadriceps: 16:28-18:48

9. Hamstrings: 18:48-21:32
**Can be done standing or using the chair

10. Triceps: 21:32-23:06
**Demonstrated kneeling and using the chair to support the roller stick

11. Partner exercises: 23:06-25:04
**Only shows 2 partner exercises and is not even demonstrated with 2 people.

12. Outro/Ending: 25:04-25:24

Each selection focuses on the different muscles and body areas. She does a great job with the anatomy terms and going slowly step by step making it very easy to follow and understand.

I really enjoyed rolling my feet!

I enjoyed this dvd because it helped me learn the muscle names and different ways to use my roller stick.

However, I found several things that I feel need to be changed about this dvd.

First, the dvd Amazon description needs to be more descriptive to help potential buyers know what they are buying. There is no listing of times and equipment needed which is very important. Because this dvd is only 20 minutes of actual instruction and doesn’t even come with the roller; I feel like the price is way too high. I would only pay $9.99 or less for this instructional dvd.

Second, on the dvd front cover it says “warm/cooldown”. There is a 5 min warm up (selection 2) but no cool down on this dvd unless you are going to repeat selection 2 again as your cool down.

Third, the back of the dvd cover says the running time is 60 mins, which is definitely not true. At most, it is 25:24 mins which includes the intro, ending, and warm up which are not even part of the step by step instructions.

Fourth, I did not feel like the 2 exercises mentioned in selection 11-partner exercises-were even helpful. She did not have a partner to help demonstrate them, so I personally would have just eliminated that chapter selection or thought ahead and got a partner to demonstrate.

The marketing of this dvd definitely needs to be redone so the things mentioned above are accurate and not misleading.

Regardless, I still feel like this dvd is a good step by step instructional dvd that I will be using in the future with my roller massage stick.

I received this item complimentary from the Tomoson Blogger program for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.

Product Description:
DanceCrazy’s Step by Step Massage Stick Instructional DVD. Learn to use any massage stick, step by step through an entire full body message.

You can purchase the dvd here:

Pullup Assist Band by BodyBudd™ Review:

It came in two pieces so I had to attach the three rubber bands to both black ends. I couldn’t find directions to check how to do it, so I looked at the picture from amazon and figured it out.

I then attached the strap to my pullup bar that I keep outside. It just simply snaps open and closed to attach to any size bar.

The medal hinge makes it really easy to adjust the strap up or down depending on your height and how much assistance you need. The straps are very long and sturdy.

The first step is to place one foot into the strap, check your balance, and then pull yourself up using the band for assistance.

I was hoping for more “strength” from the 3 bands, but this Body Budd is alot better than what I was using before, so I’m pleased with it. I can at least get a couple of inches off the ground which is more than what I can typically do! This pull up assist band will come in handy with my training that I’m doing this summer for some obstacles races.

I received this set heavily discounted from the Tomoson Blogger program for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.

Video I made demonstrating the product with my son:

Product Description:
You want to get more out of each Pull-up Work Out. You want to develop a V-shaped Torso, Broad Shoulders and a Narrow Waist… If you are nodding your head in agreement to all the above statements; then man, do we have a product for you!!

BodyBudd PULL-UP ASSIST BAND created by masters of their art Sport up USA, as a result of tons of research and experience thus guaranteeing a whole new level of bar exercising. Get a perfect V-shaped Back, Muscular Arms and Broad Shoulders with this proven method of Assisted Pull-ups. The BodyBudd Pull-up Assist Band is an absolute perfect choice to get the best pull-up work out. BodyBudd Assist Band makes it an optimal choice to help you work your way towards unassisted Pull-ups and Chin-ups, if you currently struggle to do chin-ups, it will assist you to do them. And if you’re advanced, it helps you to add additional reps after your muscles fatigue. It offers great adjust-ability to customize your workout to perfection, in either case; be part of a Happy, Healthy and Proudly BodyBudd Family & Love Your Body with BodyBudd! We believe nothing tastes as good as a Well Fit Body Feels!!

Instructions:
Step 1: Loop a band over the pull up bar.

Step 2: Place a foot or knee in the band.

Step 3: Complete Pull ups as normal.

Step 4: Step down carefully and release yourself from the bar. Step one foot out first to avoid snap backs.

Ultimate Resistance Band Set with Door Anchor, Ankle Strap, Chest Expander, Foam Grip and Storage Bag by Pinjian

This is a GREAT resistance band set! Whether you are new to fitness or advanced, these band sets are the perfect addition to any workout! I do strength training at least 3 days a week and I like this band set because its easy to use, easy to carry around, and easy to change the band strengths to heavy or light. If you do not have alot of space for multiple hand weights or travel alot, this is a must have set!

There are four sets to choose from for purchase-the 10 piece, 12 piece, 16 piece and 20 piece set.

I choose the 12 piece set because I like using the lighter weight strength (10 and 15 pounds) for some of my shoulder exercises. For leg exercises I can use the heavier bands like 20 lbs.

It is VERY easy to change the bands out! Each band clips onto the straps with the steel carabiners. You can also clip multiple bands to one handle. All the pieces (bands and straps) feel very sturdy and although I haven’t used this set for more than a couple of weeks, I feel confident that this set will last quite a while They also offer a 2 year warranty on this product!

I didn’t care for the chest expander. I felt like the strength was way too heavy for what I can with my arms. I was able to use it for lower body exercises, but I would rather just use the bands for those exercises.

I do not have a sturdy enough door in my home gym so I was not able to test out the door anchor pieces.

This set came as described, ready to use from Amazon. Very pleased and I would highly recommend any piece set (I got the 12 piece set) for any age fitness individual!

I received this set heavily discounted from the Tomoson Blogger program for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.

Product Description
We put user experience as the top priority.That’s why we have the high quality rubber material, premium level nylon tissue, thicker metal clipping system, cushioned foam handles, improved safe door anchor and ankle strap.

The resistance band set is lightweight, compact in size, extremely portable, and great for travel. Even more, they’re exceptionally versatile, offering a wide range of training exercises–simply change your position to focus on different muscle groups.

Create multiple levels of resistance for both starters and pros

Bands made of the highest quality rubber to ensure maximum life

Foam grip and nylon foot ring make the set safe and comfortable to use

The product is designed to exercise indoor and outdoor,also perfect for CrossFit and P90X

Warranty -Resistance Band Set comes with a 2-year warranty

10 Pieces Set Includes:
-30lb Black band *1
-25lb Bule band *1
-20lb Red band *1
-Foam grip *2
-Ankle strap *2
-Door anchor *1
-Chest expander *1
-Storage Bag *1

12 Pieces Set Includes:
-30lb Black band *1
-25lb Bule band *1
-20lb Red band *1
-15lb Green band *1
-10lb Yellow band *1
-Chest expander *1
-Foam grip *2
-Ankle strap *2
-Door anchor *1
-Storage Bag *1

16 Pieces Set Includes:
-30lb Black band *2
-25lb Bule band *2
-20lb Red band *2
-Chest expander *1
-Foam grip *4
-Ankle strap *2
-Door anchor *2
-Storage Bag *1

20 Pieces Set Includes:
-30lb Black band *2
-25lb Bule band *2
-20lb Red band *2
-15lb Green band *2
-10lb Yellow band *2
-Chest expander *1
-Foam grip *4
-Ankle strap *2
-Door anchor *2
-Storage Bag *1

No matter what your fitness goals, from building muscle to rehab or weight lose,the resistance band set makes a great addition to any workout.

You can purchase the 12 piece (or other sets) here:

“Open Up” Massage Balls for Myofascial Release: The Trigger Point Tool for Tight Muscles, Limited Mobility, Stress Relief and Poor Posture (Plus Bonus PDF and Video Step-by-Step Instructional Guide)

I have used these massage balls on my calves, shoulder area, and feet over the past couple of weeks. I mostly used my hand to manually move the balls around to hit certain muscle points to get the pressure that I wanted or lightly used my body weight.

This is my first experience with massage balls so I don’t feel confident enough to fully lay on them to work certain muscle groups like the pdf suggests. The massage balls are alot harder than I expected. I had my husband also try them because he does stretching and ball rolling daily and he liked them but agreed they were harder than the ones he currently uses.

I think if I continue to use them as directed, it will help me with muscle soreness and I will get more confident using them on other areas of my body.

They came quickly from amazon, as described, and with no odor. They are also small enough to fit into a gym bag or small bag for travel-about the size of a tennis ball.

I received this product complimentary from the Tomoson Blogger program for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:

Ready to address those nagging aches, pains, and physical limitations once and for all?

– Poor Posture?
– Limited Mobility?
– Tight Muscles?

The great news is… by using these dense, 100% rubber, high quality massage balls, you can experience:

– Less Tightness
– Improved Posture
– Reduced Soreness
– Improved Flexibility
– Lower Injury Risk
– Increased Mobility
– Faster Recovery

SIMPLE & EFFECTIVE: Simply place your “Open Up” Massage Balls between any trigger point and a flat surface, then let gravity take over!

DID YOU KNOW?: Every muscle in the human body is covered in a layer of fascia. When our fascia undergoes stress, small tears can occur, causing adhesions. These adhesions are commonly referred to as “trigger points”. By applying directed pressure to these trigger points via self myofascial release, we can effectively reduce or eliminate a wide range of pains and discomforts in the body.

BONUS PDF + VIDEO GUIDE: We’re providing you with all the information you’ll need to get started. You’re getting concise, step-by-step instructions that you can implement right away!

LIFETIME WARRANTY: At Open Up Body, we believe in quality – which is why we offer a lifetime warranty for all of our products.

MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE: If for any reason you are not 100% satisfied within the first 30 days, you can return your massage balls for a no-questions asked, full refund. You can even keep the bonuses!

YOU CAN PURCHASE A SET HERE:

This book is a clean, historical fiction book based on scripture stories found from “The Book of Mormon” which is additional scripture along with the bible that “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” use in their church.

The story starts off with Karlinah’s husband being murdered in his own bedchamber. After given a choice by the king (her father in law), Karlinah returns home to her family and her father King Lamoni in Ishmael. Unfortunately she escaped one bad arranged marriage for potentially another, when her father immediately arranges another husband for her.

A Nephite man named Ammon comes to work for her father and after a brave display of protecting the Kings sheep-Ammon starts to preach about God and heaven and life purpose. Karlinah doesn’t believe and questions Ammon’s motives and whether she can truly be forgiven for her sins.

I loved going back and forth between chapters with reading Karilinah’s experiences and thoughts, and then Ammon’s experiences. The story was very well written and kept me totally engaged from beginning to end! It made me very thankful for my modern time period and not having to be in an arranged marriage and being able to make my own choices.

I can’t wait to read book 2 and 3 of this series (its in the works according to the author’s blog)! This was a truly inspiring, engaging scripture story about love, life and forgiveness.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Covenant Communications in exchange for an honest review on my blog and social media-all opinions are my own.

About the book:

It was a relationship designed to unite not two young people in love, but two powerful kingdoms. And for Princess Karlinah, eldest daughter of King Lamoni, her marriage to the haughty heir to the throne of Jersusalem has led to a life of fear and abuse. There seems to be no escape—until her husband is murdered and Karlinah is unexpectedly free to return to her father’s kingdom. She can begin again—but no one can ever know of the part she played in the prince’s demise . . . Karlinah’s relief is short-lived, for upon her return to the land of Ishmael, she is once again swept into her father’s plans for a politically powerful marriage. Then the arrival of a young missionary in her father’s court changes everything: her family is converted to a new religion, and Karlinah is free to choose her path. Yet she is not so easily convinced by the words of Ammon—especially when repentance means confessing her crime. But as her faith grows and a young stone artisan captures her heart, Karlinah realizes that she must face the consequences of her past in order to move forward with her future.

You can purchase a copy of the book here:

About the author:
Renae Weight Mackley has lived in California and Utah, raised six children, and is thrilled to be in the grandmother stage. She knows that living in the world only gets harder with time. Her writing–from non-fiction to romance–reflects ways to shine through the darkness.
A stay-at-home mom for many years, Mackley invaded her children’s lives at school by becoming a K-12 substitute teacher for thirteen years. She found further fulfillment through creating music, sewing, and good home cooking, until rekindling her love of creative writing. After tasting two first place wins for the first chapter of Secrets of the King’s Daughter, she hungered to keep writing. Sometimes it’s hard to stop for dinner or bike rides with hubby.
Mackley graduated from Brigham Young University with a BS degree in Clothing and Textiles. She is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You can visit her author Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/RenaeWMackley/

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