Day 71 (Chest/Back) Peaking out?

Ah, Chest and Back...where it all began.  This was the first workout of the whole program and it always makes be remember the first morning.  When I started, I was scared...SCARED.  Chest and Back is basically a ton of push ups and pull ups with three exercises that require weights.  I started with five pounds...FIVE!  That is how scared I was (I had never done free weights before).  Now those exercises are taking 40-50 pounds each and I would up it if I had the weights (which I'll have to get eventually).

Also when I started, all I had was a pull up bar that went in a doorway.  That was a disaster for someone of my height...very uncomfortable.  Add to that, I wasn't using a chair or any assist and I was killing myself to get 2-3 reps.  That went on for several weeks before I swallowed my pride and started using a chair in order to get at least 12 reps.  Now, I can at least start out with 8 reps without a chair (although I go way downhill further on into the workout).

The thing is that I'm starting to plateau.  I've reached somewhat of a max rep count that hasn't increased for several weeks.  It stands at about 20-25 push ups (depending on where I am in the workout) and around 12 pull ups (with and without the chair added).  It isn't for lack of effort...I am pushing myself until my arms literally won't work anymore.  Since the third week or so, I've been using push up bars and I've been playing around with forgetting about getting high reps and focusing on just going lower.  I'll admit that I haven't been going as low as I could.  Part of it has to do with the speed that is suggested.  They go so freaking fast on the DVD that it is hard to get low enough. 

However, most of this doesn't matter for this first 90 days.  Because of the P90X schedule, this is the last time I'll be doing this workout.  I won't see it again until the next round.

That's right...I've said it.  The next round of P90X.  But to be honest, there isn't anything really special about that.  I worked out before P90X and I knew I'd continue working out afterward.  I like the way the program is set up and it simply seems like a workout now...nothing magical or too hard.  Three days of resistance plus two days of cardio and a day of Yoga.  It seems like a reasonable schedule that should be effective.  I won't be looking for dramatic change...just simply to keep in really good shape and continuing to improve upon the routines and exercises.

Day 68,69 (Legs/Back, Kenpo)

So I went back to the normal schedule...Monday Legs/Back and Tuesday Kenpo.  No Core as my back didn't seem to like it.  Not sure when/if I'll try that again.

I surprised myself with Legs/Back this time.  I didn't have any problem with some exercises, specifically one legged wall squats.  My balance has also improved...barely needed any chair on the balance lunges (first exercise) and the toe iso rolls.  Actually, the only exercise that really kills me is the deadlift squats...where you are squatting on one leg.  That is a balance AND strength move and I lack in both.  I really struggled through those...wobbling all over the place and I know my form sucked.  I have a tendency to bend over instead of going straight down.  I get distracted by the pace of the DVD.  Next time I do this, I plan on pressing pause and really focusing on my form.

Legs and Back has really risen to the top (or should I say dropped to the bottom) of my least favorite workouts.  I say least favorite, but I can see how much these are helping me.  My knees and legs just keep improving.  So it is a love-hate type of thing.

I really could see an improvement in balance during Kenpo.  I was able to do front kick/back kick without even touching the ground with the kicking foot.  Kenpo isn't so bad...just fairly easy.  And perhaps I need "easy" once a week.  Kenpo is the only workout in which I feel energized throughout instead of wiped out.

Well, that wraps up 10 weeks.  Only two more weeks of resistance and then a "recovery" week.

Day 67 (Yoga) Getting better every time...

Completed Yoga today and performed better than I ever have.  I am beginning to see that statement on several workouts lately.  It is cool to start mastering some of this stuff.

First, I woke up late today.  Usually, I need to start workouts at 9AM on weekdays to get done in time for other activities.  Today, I didn't even wake up until after 9.  I wasn't sure how I was going to fit a 90 minute routine in and I kept putting it off.  I wasn't in the mood to spend 90 minutes exercises.  But finally a window opened that seemed to make sense and I finally pushed play on the DVD player.  Like most other days when I don't feel like working out, once I start the workout my attitude changes.

I was a little worried at first.  For some reason, I found myself kind of wobbly.  I almost fell backward out of Reverse Warrior.  That hasn't happened since I started P90X.  I thought that this was going to be a bad day.  But somehow everything got better.  I finished the whole right angle pose and grab thinking, that was WAY easy.  I still fell out of prayer twist in a lunge on the first side, but was able to keep it in the second side.  The massive improvement was in the Warrior 3 series.  I was able to get into Warrior 3 and hold it on both sides.  I wobbled around a bit, but I was able to stay up on one leg.  That is a first.  As I did last week, I used a "yoga block" (actually the box my weights came in) and was able to get reasonably respectfully through half moon and twisting half moon without bringing the back leg down.  The only problem was through the first series (with the right leg front) my leg burned out trying to come back into crescent pose at the end.

Another huge improvement was tree...I stayed in it without even wobbling on both legs.  The bad news is that I got overconfident and sucked at royal dancer...a pose I am usually decent at.  Standing leg extensions were rough too, but I am making small improvements.  I can do crane now for 10+ seconds but it puts a lot of strain on my wrists so I don't put a huge effort into it.  I have a lot more control in crane through and I can feel myself compensating and moving back and forth to stay up.

Nothing else really special to report.  My lower back felt better for a while after Yoga, but then felt worse through the day.  No modified routine this week...no Core!  Going back to Back/Legs tomorrow and Kenpo on Tuesday.  Once problem I am having is a little bit of what feels like tendinitis on the outsides of my ankles.  This happened a day after Legs/Back last Tuesday...perhaps from the calf raises.  Not sure, but it prevented me from going full out in one of the sitting hamstring stretches (where your foot is against your upper thigh as you bend over your leg).  My ankle felt a lot of strain and I couldn't stay in that position.  We'll see how that goes.

Day 66 (Back/Biceps) Injury II report!

Finished Back and Biceps...essentially a bunch of pull ups and curls.  I was able to increase weight on a number of exercises.  I may actually have to buy more weight...I am doing 50 pounds on lawnmowers and it isn't enough.

But I am feeling a lot of lower back strain.  I first felt this during my last Core workout last Monday.  There is an exercise where you mimic picking up an object on one side and setting it up on a shelf on the other over and over again.  I was feeling a little bit in my back during the exercise, but I attributed it to the normal "burn" you feel in muscles while doing a routine.  Well, perhaps you don't want that "burn" in your lower back.  I think I made it worse on Thursday doing tricep exercises.  I mentioned this on Thursday's blog (day 65) that there is no reason to stand during those exercises as it puts unnecessary strain on the back.

It isn't serious, but enough to make me sore quite a bit...and enough to say screw doing Core during the normal weeks.  I'm going back to the normal schedule of having Kenpo on there until my back feels better.

Day 65 (Plyo) The best so far...

Finished Plyo today and did the best I've ever done.  Forgive me if I've already stated this in previous blogs, but 90% of getting through Plyo is psychological.  If you can mentally break down the workout into the six sections it contains, it won't seem like an endless stream of exercises designed to kill you.

In my case, getting through the first and second sections is the hardest.  I don't have a problem with the jumping that happens in the next several sections, but the first two contain a lot of crouching/squatting that really tires the legs out quickly.  I consider those the hardest and I'm not able to get down and touch the ground by the end of them.  Each section has two exercises that I consider almost breaks because they are easier on the legs.  If you are aware of where these breaks are, you can mentally prepare for them and prevent yourself from giving up during the harder exercises.

Day 64 (Chest/Shoulders/Triceps) Just sit down!

Finished Chest/Shoulders/Triceps yesterday and I've learned the lesson to sit down several weeks too late.  What I am talking about is many of the weights-over-the-head exercises (tricep extensions and shoulder presses).  I have been struggling with some of these because it is awkward trying to stand while moving the weights around above your head.  I've thought about it and talked with others and determined there is no reason to stand during some of these exercises.  In fact, standing takes your focus away from where you really need your energy.  I wish I would have learned this six weeks ago as I could have pushed much harder and been much easier on my back for the past five times I did this workout.

Another lesson I've learned is to pause the DVD during many of the maximum rep exercises.  I am commonly doing push up variations far past the time they do on the DVD.  I'll automatically stop because I've used up the allotted time.  However, I've started pausing the DVD at the beginning of the exercise and then do my max reps.  I'm actually doing this on other exercises that aren't max reps so I can really focus on what I am doing without being distracted by either the pace or banter on the DVD.  I'm not criticizing the program...the pacing and banter was really useful early on.  I just feel like I've moved past much of it and can do this stuff on my own better.

I am really learning how it feels to push yourself to exhaustion.  When I first started the program, I would go until I really thought I was exhausted.  Later on, I learned how to push past that point to REAL exhaustion...like when the muscle isn't just uncomfortable but literally will not operate any more.  Specifically, it seems like push ups do this for me.  It is actually an awesome feeling powering through past what I thought my limits were.

Day 62 (Legs/Back) Oh...its about balance

Yesterday I completed Legs and Back.  Because of the P90X schedule, I haven't done this in two weeks.

One of the benefits of blogging all these workouts is that I can see patterns.  And one pattern is that I never feel good about this workout after it is finished.  Many of the P90X workouts are hard...in that it is hard to lift heavy weights or do it over and over again without becoming exhausted.  Other P90X workouts are difficult...in that it is difficult to actually do the routine because of balance or coordination.  I now realize why I'm so bummed about Legs and Back...because it is both hard AND difficult.

My biggest problem is all the different types of lunges.  It takes a lot of focus to conquer exhaustion and get through them.  Then you combine that with the difficulty in balancing in such a low lunge.  I talked with a friend a work and it seems like P90X lunges are a little odd in that they maintain a straight back leg.  This makes balancing a real problem for me.  I even have problems keeping balance in the warmup lunges.  My issue is really trying to find my center of balance.  Should I balance my weight on my front leg?  This would seem to be the best way to keep balance.  However, this means that your hips aren't necessarily square and pointing forwards...you are more pointed toward the forward knee.  This is a big no-no in Yoga where you are supposed to square yourself straight forward.  In reading this, it really sounds like I am over thinking, but what else am I supposed to do when I can't seem to keep balance?

I think I'll pop in the DVD over the next few days and really look at the form they are using during the lunges.

Even with this problem, I did OK I guess.  I had a chair beside me for balance and really tried to minimize using it.  I was able to do a decent number of pull ups without a chair before having to resort to one.  I did have to make a few breaks slightly longer as I caught my breath...my cardio seems to be suffering somewhat.  I didn't want to do this, but if I didn't take a short break, I knew my performance would seriously suffer.

Day 61 (Core) Mixing up the schedule and fading magic

Today was my first experiment in improving the P90X schedule.  Kenpo is done weekly, but I find it way too easy of a cardio workout and although there is some balance work through the minimal amount of kicking during the routine, the benefits are really limited.  I am committed to the program so I would continue to do it, but I saw an opportunity to tweak the schedule and replace it with something that adds more value.

Core is an excellent workout that focuses obviously on your core muscles while performing other exercises.  For the Classic schedule of P90X, Core is only performed six times during the entire 90 days.  Core is also pretty non-stop and therefore very cardio-like.  I've measured and it burns just as many calories as Kenpo so I don't lose any cardio by switching them out.  Essentially, what I lose in some balance and coordination, I get back in core work.  Mind you, I'm not losing all the balance work.  Yoga is practically all balance and the Legs/Back routine incorporates a lot of balance. 

Another thing...I'm not going soft here.  Core is WAY HARDER than Kenpo.  I am actually making the program HARDER by putting it in.  There is NOTHING in the Kenpo plan that I cannot do very easily.  However, there are a lot of exercises in Core that I won't be able to do for a long time.

The real issue to swapping out Kenpo with Core is how to schedule it.  I've found that the P90X schedule is actually made very nicely to allow for recovery and prevent over training.  Kenpo is on a Tuesday.  However Core is actually pretty chest heavy with a lot of push up like exercises.  Thursdays are always full of chest exercises and those two days don't feel like enough time to rest.  From the advice of Stephanie Osborne, I've decided to put Core on Monday and move Legs/Back from Monday to Tuesday.  The only problem with this is that there is quite a bit of lunge and squat stuff in Core too...hopefully not enough to put me off Legs/Back the next day.  We'll see.

Core went pretty well today.  It can really be an exhausting routine.  Most exercises don't use weight but those that do require very light weights because of the high number of repetitions.  I use only ten pound dumbbells for these.  Some of the more challenging exercises included are Sphinx push ups, Plank/Chaturanga runs and Plank/Chaturanga isos.  Each of these I can actually do by themselves on any given day.  But when you put them in the middle of the workout, they become exponentially harder...or almost impossible. 

P90X has really start to lose the magic for me.  The reason why is that it isn't really magical to begin with.  It is marketed and talked about as if it is some type of supernatural force.  But after 60 days of doing this, I am realizing that it is just a workout routine...three days of cardio and three days of weights.  It is well regimented and put together, but it isn't anything super special.  And after doing it for a while, I begin to realize that it isn't as hard as everyone says.  People actually scare you when they talk about it.  But once you get in the groove, although it is definitely challenging, it isn't impossible.  It isn't walking on water...it is just working out.

Day 60 (Yoga)

Completed Yoga X yesterday to wrap up 60 days.  Nothing really new to report except that I tried using a "Yoga block" (actually the case my dumbbell set came in) during half moon and twisting half moon.  Without the block, I was using my finger tips on the floor as I turned.  This would result in me not being able to turn very far without tipping over.  With the "block," I am able to put my palm all the way down and turn a little farther without the fear of tumbling.  It is still very rough.  However, I have been able for a while now to keep my back leg up through the entire routine.  Prior to that, I am able to get a few seconds of Warrior 3 before I have to come down into standing splits.

Other than that, nothing new.  Still trying to go lower in the second round of the leg twists.  Still trying to go lower in the Chaturangas.  I have never done the extra push ups by the way.  Once again, I felt really groovy after it was all over with.  The routine really does that for me.

With 60 days up, I really don't see much of a difference in my body as far as it looks.  I have a little more Ab definition.  My wife says my chest, shoulders and arms have gotten bigger but I don't see it.  We'll see what happens over the next 30 days.  I am not expecting anything dramatic.

The really cool thing is how good my knees feel.  And just overall, I feel...I don't know...just more spry.  Before P90X, I felt kind of like an old man whenever I would get up or down, especially from the floor.  I don't feel that drag anymore.  I think my body is now just used to jumping, squatting and lunging.

Day 59 (Shoulders/Arms) Increasing weight...

Finished shoulders and arms.  I was able to increase my weight by 5 pounds on almost every exercise since the last time I did this.  That shows I am making an improvement.  However, I did experience a little bit of "two steps forward/one step back" as I progressed.  After pushing myself more than normal for the first half of the workout, my triceps starting to give out a little in the end so some of my reps decreased.

Also, I pushed myself a little too far in some of the initial exercises where the weights are above your head.  I might have slightly tweaked my back.  It isn't too bad...not really an injury...probably because of all the core work I've done over the past two months.  Just a little tight.  Yoga tomorrow will probably help it out.

I've never really done dumbbells before P90X before.  One thing I notice is that I'll pick up weights for an exercise thinking "man, these are way too heavy for what I'm trying to do" while they are still down by my sides.  But I find that once I start the exercise that feeling goes away.  By making just one attempt to see if I can do it, I avoid just setting the weights down and trying something lighter.  I am also noticing that a lot of weightlifting is mental.  You really have to mentally push yourself past the point of discomfort.  Horton says it in one of the videos...something about how people tend to stop WAY too early.  He's right.  We aren't used to pushing ourselves like this during our day-to-day activities.  It really takes a different mindset to push yourself to absolute exhaustion.

Another mental part is taking the energy out of your face.  I find myself straining my face during some exercises as I am really pushing lifting a weight.  Once I realize I am face-straining, I will relax my face and focus on the muscles I am working.  At that point, I find a calm and I'm able to really improve my performance.  I mean, I'm not working out my face here!

Day 58 (Plyo) The best I've ever done

Finished Plyo and did the best I've ever done.  It might have something to do with the fact that I got 8 hours of sleep last night plus a 90 minute nap today.  In addition, because of the P90X schedule, I haven't done this for two weeks.  We'll see if this high lasts the next time I do this next week.

When I say I did good, I mean that I didn't take extra breaks and I got lower and jumped higher than ever before.  I was able to touch the floor through both rounds of Squat Reach Jump and through most of the first round of Run-Stance Squat Switch Pickup (which is right after Squat Reach Jump).  After the middle of the first round, I had to go to the middle of my calf.  I was able to also go lower in Leapfrog Squat and Lateral Leapfrog Squat.  Usually those two are pseudo breaks for me, but this time I was able to go low enough that I really felt the burn in the thighs.  I am usually fried by Run Squat 180 Jump Switch, but this time I was able to get down to the top of my shoes.  I'm not going to be getting to the floor on those for a while.

Another thing...Tony doesn't stress the important things about Squat Jacks until the second round when it is almost too late.  They go WAY too fast in the first round and don't focus on going low (and slow) until Tony mentions it in the second round.  This time I did both rounds at my own pace and low.  My knees didn't complain this time so I must be improving.

One thing that is helping me a lot through this workout is that I wrote out the exercises on a paper and broke them down into their respective five rounds.  At any moment, I can see where I am and what is coming up next.  This helps the workout from feeling never ending.

Day 57 (Chest/Back) Now into the final phase...

Finished Chest/Back and then Ab Ripper later.  Because of the P90X schedule, I haven't done this workout in 5 weeks although I've done a lot of other chest and back exercises.  I didn't expect this workout to be so hard.  I'm not sure if it is truly the 5 weeks or the fact that I'm using push up bars now.  I was struggling.  I couldn't do the same number of reps (as far as push ups) when I last did this routine.  I also felt a lot of effort in my forearms.  I also performed pull ups with a chair after I max'd out without the chair (which was pretty quickly...after 8 pull ups in the first round).  I was able to increase my weight significantly for the heavy pants, lawn mowers and back flys.

Overall, I feel pretty good about the workout.  I pushed myself until my muscles wouldn't work anymore and I was very tight...I could barely lift my arm to wash the back of my neck in the shower afterward.

Ab Ripper also was somewhat of a challenge but not too bad.

Day 55 (Yoga) I need a recovery from recovery

Finished Yoga yesterday.  I was sore...SORE...from doing Core.  I think the past week of sitting in a car for 12 hours followed by Kenpo, followed by mowing grass, followed by Core has had an effect.

Yoga seemed a little harder.  Getting in the bottom of the Chaturanga was more difficult...probably from all the Core push-up stuff.  Still, I was able to achieve my normal goal...get all the way through right angle twist grab without tumbling.  For some reason, I couldn't keep my balance in the prayer twists this time.  And as usual, I couldn't hold Warrior 3.  However, I was able to keep my back leg up all the way through the Warrior 3/Half Moon/Twisting Half Moon routine (except for one brief tumble).  That may have been the first time I've ever done that.  My knee was on FIRE.  I still can't seem to get half moon...it is very awkward to hold...although twisting half moon is easier.

Strangely enough, I was better on the balance moves (tree, royal dancer, standing leg extensions).  Not sure why.  By the way, I'm still starting off standing on the right leg instead of the left as they do on the DVD.  The purpose for this is that your left leg is fried from just finishing the Warrior 3 routine on it.  I can do crane for several seconds, but I'm not pushing it as it is putting a lot of strain on my wrists.  I'll go in and out of it a few times during the minute, but not too many times or as long as they do.

Everything else went well.  I tried to go much lower in the second round of leg twists during Yoga Belly.  Throughout the Chaturangas, I tried to go much lower.

Just realized that I just finished 8 weeks and only missed the X-stretch during recovery week.  Thursday starts the next round of resistance which goes 4 full weeks.  I am actually looking forward to it.

Day 54 (Core) and replacing Kenpo with Core

Finished Core yesterday.  I worked harder on Core than I ever have before, partly because I am getting used to it.  Core is only done four times during the entire P90X schedule and I think you have to do a workout at least 2-3 times before you really know it enough to be able to push yourself.

During the Core workout, Horton tells you to focus on your core while during exercises.  But yesterday is probably the first time I have done that.  Before, I was just focusing on being able to do an exercise or just making it through the hour.

I was actually able to complete all exercises in the workout for the entire allotted time except for the Plank/Chaturunga Iso's at the end.  By focusing on my core muscles, I think I took the focus on how much I wanted to die during the hour so I was able to complete more.

Throughout P90X, one of the things that really motivates me is not being able to do something.  If there is an exercise that I can't even modify to complete, it really pushes me to work harder.  I at least want to be able to do the modified (easier) move.  But with only 6X during the 90 days, there isn't enough time to work on the Core workout in order to be able to improve.

I've brought this up before...swapping out Kenpo with Core.  I think about what I'm missing by not doing the Core more and what I'd be missing by taking the Kenpo out.  The cardio part of Kenpo is easily replaced by Core...they both burn about the same number of calories (700-800).  Without Kenpo, the only significant thing I lose is the coordination and balance of the kicking routines...nothing else in the program covers that.  But without Core, I lose a huge amount of core muscle exercises that I think are really beneficial.

The main hurdle of replacing Kenpo with Core is figuring out how to get enough recovery time.  Core is very arm/chest heavy...specifically with plank/push-up exercises.  It really needs to be separated from the other chest work.  Since Kenpo is on day 6 and most chest stuff is on day 1, there is only 48 hours recovery.  So I've decided to move Yoga to day 6 from day 4 and put Core at day 4.

We'll see how it goes.  This essentially means that the Abs lose a day of rest because Ab X is on days 1, 3 and 5 and also get subjected to Yoga Belly on day 6 and Core on day 4.

Day 51 (Core), 53 (Kenpo) and my first missed workout.

Finished Core my last full day of vacation (Friday).  I didn't necessarily dog it, but I have to admit that I wasn't in the frame of mind to really put my all into it.  I got through all the exercises but I fell apart during the Plank/Chaturunga runs and iso's.  The Sphinx push ups were harder than I remembered too.

Saturday/Sunday was supposed to be Kenpo/Stretch.  I knew I was going to be driving 12 hours on Saturday, so I switched Kenpo to Sunday and essentially just skipped Stretch.  The Stretch workout is only done once during each recovery week for a total of 3 times during the 90 days.  It is also optional as the 7th workout every week.  Practically all the stretches in the workout are already covered in the warm-up/cool-downs of the other workouts so I don't feel like I really missed anything.  However, just to be good I plan on putting Stretch during my next off day so I can officially say I haven't missed anything.

Did Kenpo yesterday as planned.  Nothing really new here.  Kenpo is the easiest of all the workouts for me.  I've continued to toy with replacing it with Core every week.  I see from internet searches that others have done the same thing.  The problem with that is there would only be 48 hours of recovery from all the upper body stuff before I'd have to do another round of upper body with either Chest/Back or Chest/Shoulders/Arms.  It is really hard to tweak the P90X schedule without running into issues with recovery.

Day 50 (Yoga)

Finished Yoga this morning.  Not much to report.  These blog updates are likely to get more and more boring as less and less new happens.

Today's Yoga was very similar to Sunday's.  I got through right angle pose and grab without stumbling.  Prayer twist was better.  Couldn't hold Warrior 3, but did marginally better at the whole standing splits/half moon/twisting half moon.  Although I couldn't always hold the pose (with half moon being the hardest), I tried to keep the back leg up throughout the whole routine.  I stumbled here and there, but I am getting much better. 

I did notice that I've never been getting as low as what they do during the Chaturangas.  I'll work on that.

I also noticed last Sunday that I haven't been getting low enough on the side twists during Yoga belly.  Working on that too.

Day 48 (Kenpo) 7 weeks complete!

Finished Kenpo and week 7 today.  Not much to report.  Once again, proud to get a workout done while I'm on vacation.  Not too long into the workout, I was overwhelmed with the desire to quit.  Being on vacation isn't very conducive to pushing yourself in P90X workouts.  But I kept on and I'm really glad I did.  I haven't missed a workout yet and I'd like to keep the streak going.  Tomorrow is a day of rest, but I'm probably going to do X-stretch as I'm planning on missing it on Saturday when I face another 12 hour drive back to Indiana.  Thursday will be Yoga and Friday is Core.

Day 47 (Legs/Back) Dogging it...

Felt really tired and not into it this morning.  Also, it was difficult to perform some of the exercises in a different environment.  For instance, the walls at this condo are covered in some type of glossy paint that makes it difficult to hold traction on wall squats.  Plus, the temp pull up bar sucks...the ceilings are only 7 ft so if I stand, the pull up bar is at about eye level.  Then I had to switch between working out on a rug which slid on the floor or working out on the floor and sliding in my own sweat.  I couldn't focus, I couldn't keep balance on a lot of things I had been improving on...etc., etc.

I thought back about my posts on this workout and I've always bitched about it.  It is just a rough one for me unless everything around me is going perfectly.

At least I got through it.  I think I accomplished something at least and I know that I will do this again every resistance week.  

Day 46 (Yoga) on the beach...

Well, in a condo on the beach.

Completed my first real workout while on vacation.  Mel was busy out getting donuts while I completed Yoga X.

I tried a new expensive real rubber Yoga mat I got last week.  This is the second Yoga mat I've used.  I've also used an area rug and just on a regular rug.  I can't seem to keep my hands from slipping in downward dog no matter what surface I use...until today.  After giving up on the rubber mat, I ended up doing the whole routine on a very short pile/no pile area rug that was in the room.  It was perfect and I'm going to have to find one like this when I return to Indiana.

I am getting way better at the asanas.  WAY better.  My knees are much, much stronger than they were when I started.  I once again got all the way through the Right Angle Pose and Grab with no problem.

I learned a trick they don't really talk about for the next move, Prayer Twist from Runners Pose.  I saw Tony steady himself with one of his hands while putting the other forearm on the knee to start Prayer Twist.  This is much easier than taking both hands off the ground at the same time.  So you first pull up one hand (the arm that will end up on bottom) and then pull up the other one.  By doing this, I was able to get into the pose fully on one side...the second side was wobbly and I kept falling out.  But even getting one side for the full allotted time is a HUGE improvement.  I still can't look up while doing it, but that will come later.  At least I can hold the position and not fall.

Warrior 3 on my first side was still a failure.  I kept trying to stay in it but couldn't.  But I was able to stay in standing splits and get both half moon and twisting half moon for the most part.  The cool thing was Warrior 3 on the second side...I actually got it and completed standing splits, half moon and twisting half moon without falling out.  Twisting is easier for some reason. 

Once I did all of this, I once again suffered from "two steps forward, one step back" syndrome.  I had burnt out my legs and didn't have what I needed to do the balance postures on my legs.  I just kept falling out.  I was able to do crane more easily than ever though.  I think it may be the harder surface I was working on today.

By the way, I tried using something as a block.  I actually found it harder to maintain balance than just using my fingers or hands on the floor.

Day 44 (Plyo), Day 45 (Ab) Commitment is...

Did Plyo on Friday as normally schedule.  I was to do Back/Biceps today, but I moved it back to Thursday because I drove 12 hours to Florida today.  However, I couldn't do the Ab Ripper portion because I had already done it on Wednesday as a part of flipping my schedule around.  OK, so that is way confusing and not very important.

The important thing is that I actually drove 12 hours to vacation, was worn out, felt like crap, the last few hours didn't go as planned and I still managed to do the workout I was supposed to do.  That means I made it 45 days (halfway through to 90) without missing a single workout.  I feel pretty good about that.

Nothing special about Plyo except that I didn't have to pause the DVD once.  I wrote out a cheat sheet of the exercises to mentally prepare myself.  Many of them are fairly easy so I consider them mini breaks.  By writing the whole thing out, I can push myself through absolute exhaustion during the hard exercises because I know when I will get a breather.  The only real modification I did in the workout was that I simply couldn't get all the way to touch the floor for the rest of the routine after the second round of Squat Reach Jumps.  If I were to go all the way to touch the floor after that, I wouldn't be able to get back up.  So I would just go down to just below my knee.  That is the best I can do. 

Melanie and I are in Panama City Beach for a week.  But I always get up quite a bit before her and I plan to continue workouts while I'm here.  Tomorrow is Yoga.  I brought weights and the portable pull up bar for Legs/Back on Monday.  Kenpo on Tuesday will be easy.   Wednesday is rest (although I may do the stretch).  Then I move on to the rest/recovery week.  Thursday is Yoga.  Friday is Core.  I am swapping Saturday and Sunday to make Saturday stretch (which I may skip or do Wednesday because I am driving home this day) and then do Kenpo on Sunday.

Day 43 (Back/Biceps) P90X injury report!

Today was Back/Biceps...probably my favorite routine.  It is one of the shortest, it goes very quickly and it is very simply...do a bunch of curls and a bunch of push ups.  This workout was actually for Saturday but I moved it up to allow for the drive to Florida.  After Plyo tomorrow, I'll be right back on track for Yoga on Sunday and then my normal schedule.

As far as the injury, well it may be minor but I definitely did something to my shoulder yesterday.  I didn't feel it during the workout, but this morning I had a lot of tenderness in the right shoulder as I lifted it up into a fly motion...like you are raising your arm to get something off a shelf.  It isn't the soreness of working out...it is definitely a minor injury...a zing during that fly range of motion.  It didn't keep me from my workout today and it might not affect anything as I only have Plyo, Yoga, Legs/Back and Kenpo and then I'm into a recovery week.  It might affect Core, but that isn't until next Friday.  I hope it is healed by then.

Day 42 (Chest/Shoulders/Triceps) Don't smash your face

As I mentioned before, had to shuffle to workouts to accommodate my drive to Florida on Saturday.  Today was Chest/Shoulders/Triceps.  Pretty straightforward.  Not much of an improvement from last week, but I am definitely pushing myself to muscle exhaustion throughout the workout.  For instance, I tried Plyo push ups on my feet today.  They come in the later half of the workout so by that time I'm pretty fried.  Outside of the workout, I had found I could do them on my feet and not on my knees, so I figured I would "bring it."  Well, I was a little too fried apparently.  I went down, pushed up, got some air, barely got my hands together, came back down and my arms collapsed and I ate carpet.  Needless to say I finished on my knees.

I also tried one-armed push ups on my feet.  I had also done this outside of the workout and wanted to try it.  Unfortunately, I was too fried by this time to accomplish it.  However, I'm good enough on my knees I can do it almost indefinitely.  I just have to find some way to transition that to my feet. 

All in all, this was a great workout.  I pushed as hard as I could and didn't leave anything back.  I won't see this workout again until the second week of Phase III. 

Day 41 (Kenpo) Six weeks down

Yesterday was Kenpo.  Not much to report.  I have to go faster and push myself harder than what is going on in the video in order to keep sweating.  If I do that, it turns out to be a decent workout.  I can tell my balance and coordination is getting better.  I can focus on my whole body while doing the kicks...focusing both on balancing on my standing leg, leaning over and getting my kicks up there.  That is something I couldn't previously do.  Before, it was more just about getting my foot up there somewhere.  So all of that is a great improvement and something I didn't anticipate coming.  I had been toying with replacing this workout with Core Synergistics, but I think I will stick with Kenpo through the remainder of the 90 days and I'll see what happens.

So six weeks down with no missed workouts.  Even through severe allergies.

My schedule for the next few days will be modified.  It would normally be:
Wed: rest
Thurs: Chest/Shoulders/Tri
Fri: Plyo
Sat: Back/Biceps

But I need to drive 12 hours to vacation in Florida on Saturday.  So I'm shifting the rest day to Saturday and moving everything up one day.  Not sure how well that will work.  I am still sore from Legs/Back on Monday and doing Plyo so soon (on Thursday) is a little scary.  Plus, I may need to mow the grass on Thursday before we leave.  So Plyo and then grass?  God help me.