The 30DS actually kicked my butt last week. I don't know why, but it did. Maybe because it is 20mins of straight exercise while the P90X allows for 30sec breaks every now and then. Maybe it's because the warm-up is really insufficient. In any case, I got a good couple workouts in last week. I'm thinking about actually sticking with just the 30DS for awhile just because it is just SO much easier to fit in to my day then the P90X.
Time will tell.
January 25, 2010
January 18, 2010
P90X Lean - Week 2
I've decided to post weekly rather than Daily, since I assume you don't want to read the same thing every day. I've already posted my opinions on all the videos I've followed, no need to repeat that info.
Week 2 was good. I was rather impressed with my improved endurance, particularly at the first of the week in Plyo. I don't know where the energy or strength came from so quickly, but it was marvelous.
This week, I don't expect to accomplish much. I'll be working the next 14 days straight including 3 days where I'll be working twice (scheduled at both my old and new job) so I'm going to be kind of beat. In order to avoid losing all of that great improvement last week, I'm going to try the 30DS Level 1 & possibly 2 if my knees can handle it. It's a lot easier to squeeze in a 22min workout than it is to find the time for 60+mins. And I should at least see some improvement in the push-up department.
Week 2 was good. I was rather impressed with my improved endurance, particularly at the first of the week in Plyo. I don't know where the energy or strength came from so quickly, but it was marvelous.
This week, I don't expect to accomplish much. I'll be working the next 14 days straight including 3 days where I'll be working twice (scheduled at both my old and new job) so I'm going to be kind of beat. In order to avoid losing all of that great improvement last week, I'm going to try the 30DS Level 1 & possibly 2 if my knees can handle it. It's a lot easier to squeeze in a 22min workout than it is to find the time for 60+mins. And I should at least see some improvement in the push-up department.
January 08, 2010
P90X Lean - Day 6 - Legs & Back
I missed half my workouts this week, bad me. But at my interview yesterday I was offered a job on the spot and, of course, happily accepted. YAY.
So today I was motivated enough to clean and workout. Goodstuff. I`m feeling pretty good about today`s efforts. I really brought it though most of the video, although my legs became rather wobbly near the end and I couldn`t complete the last set of due to constantly falling over. Whoops.
I upped the weights on my exercise machine for the `pull-ups` by 10 lbs over what I used during the Classic program. I also did 3 more sets/pull-up than I did previously. Yay, pride. I haven`t lost it all apparently.
I don't have much more to say so for your amusement I`m posting pictures my husband took of me attempting to stretch while my cats tried to cuddle. They are usually pretty good about keeping to the walls when I'm actually working out (I think they sense the possible danger of being kicked or stepped on) but when I'm standing still or lying down I guess I'm just too hard to resist. This is a daily adventure. Goodtimes!
Trying to stir a pot of kitty stew
Downward dog...sorta
I got a good wiff of Cat Butt on that one
And lastly, he finally found a good spot to lie down
So today I was motivated enough to clean and workout. Goodstuff. I`m feeling pretty good about today`s efforts. I really brought it though most of the video, although my legs became rather wobbly near the end and I couldn`t complete the last set of due to constantly falling over. Whoops.
I upped the weights on my exercise machine for the `pull-ups` by 10 lbs over what I used during the Classic program. I also did 3 more sets/pull-up than I did previously. Yay, pride. I haven`t lost it all apparently.
I don't have much more to say so for your amusement I`m posting pictures my husband took of me attempting to stretch while my cats tried to cuddle. They are usually pretty good about keeping to the walls when I'm actually working out (I think they sense the possible danger of being kicked or stepped on) but when I'm standing still or lying down I guess I'm just too hard to resist. This is a daily adventure. Goodtimes!
Trying to stir a pot of kitty stew
I got a good wiff of Cat Butt on that one
And lastly, he finally found a good spot to lie down
January 06, 2010
Stress breeds inactivity
Or so it would seem.
When I get home from work, all I want to do is lay on the couch, play spider solitaire and lurk on my fav internet message board.
I don't want to think about the fact that I'll be phased out of my current job in 2 weeks when the new girl starts working alone. I don't want to think about the fact that of the 20jobs I've applied for only a call center has called me for an interview (is there a spelling mistake on my resume or something?!?!?!). I don't want to think about the fact that even though I feel I gave my employer 2 months notice, I was ambushed yesterday and told that as far as their records are concerned I didn't give them a specific end date, so I still owe them a full 2 weeks notice. I don't want to think about the fact that IF I'm offered a job at the call center, they're starting training this coming Monday. I don't want to think about the fact that I'll likely end up going from a 5min jaunt to work to a 45min commute. I don't want to think about the possibility that I may, somehow, get turned down for the call center job, even though it's a call center and they hire everyone! I don't want to think about how badly I'm going to want to shoot myself in the face everyday dealing with customer complaints.
So I go home from work, I lay on the couch and I play Spider solitaire and browse the Internet until I go to bed. I can't sleep, can't think about making supper, can't motivate myself to work out and am living in near panic attack mode.
Let me get through this.
When I get home from work, all I want to do is lay on the couch, play spider solitaire and lurk on my fav internet message board.
I don't want to think about the fact that I'll be phased out of my current job in 2 weeks when the new girl starts working alone. I don't want to think about the fact that of the 20jobs I've applied for only a call center has called me for an interview (is there a spelling mistake on my resume or something?!?!?!). I don't want to think about the fact that even though I feel I gave my employer 2 months notice, I was ambushed yesterday and told that as far as their records are concerned I didn't give them a specific end date, so I still owe them a full 2 weeks notice. I don't want to think about the fact that IF I'm offered a job at the call center, they're starting training this coming Monday. I don't want to think about the fact that I'll likely end up going from a 5min jaunt to work to a 45min commute. I don't want to think about the possibility that I may, somehow, get turned down for the call center job, even though it's a call center and they hire everyone! I don't want to think about how badly I'm going to want to shoot myself in the face everyday dealing with customer complaints.
So I go home from work, I lay on the couch and I play Spider solitaire and browse the Internet until I go to bed. I can't sleep, can't think about making supper, can't motivate myself to work out and am living in near panic attack mode.
Let me get through this.
January 03, 2010
Let's try this again...
P90X Lean - Day 1 - Core Synergistics
As I suspected, I wouldn't really get back into this until the New Year. Well, here I am again. I had a good holiday - a nice and relaxing 13 days off with my husband. We ate, we visited family, we partied...all in all, quite nice. He has committed to getting back into running and to start a weight lifting regime, he's even begun counting calories. It's inspiring. Also his new resolve helps me to eat well since I'm the cook and "have to" make meals that fit in with his (...our) diet.
Enough about life. All you really care about is what I thought of Core Synergistics right? Well, I'll keep you waiting no longer...
This was my first encounter with Core Synergistics as I always skipped it during the recovery weeks in the P90X Classic program. I was excited to switch on a new video to spice things up a bit but, quite frankly, it bored me.
The exercises seemed uninspired and either completely impossible without severe modification (a testament to my pathetic upper arm strength) or ridiculously simple. I only started getting a bit out of breath near the end when it came time for the Lunge Kickback Curl Press (which was excellent), the Superman Banana (ouch but woah) and the Steam Engine.
I will give it a 2nd chance though. I felt the same way after finishing Kenpo for the first time and, as I discovered a couple weeks ago, that snap judgement was perhaps too harsh. On the other hand, I gave Yoga a 2nd (and 3rd) chance and I still hated it, so really this could go either way.
As I suspected, I wouldn't really get back into this until the New Year. Well, here I am again. I had a good holiday - a nice and relaxing 13 days off with my husband. We ate, we visited family, we partied...all in all, quite nice. He has committed to getting back into running and to start a weight lifting regime, he's even begun counting calories. It's inspiring. Also his new resolve helps me to eat well since I'm the cook and "have to" make meals that fit in with his (...our) diet.
Enough about life. All you really care about is what I thought of Core Synergistics right? Well, I'll keep you waiting no longer...
This was my first encounter with Core Synergistics as I always skipped it during the recovery weeks in the P90X Classic program. I was excited to switch on a new video to spice things up a bit but, quite frankly, it bored me.
The exercises seemed uninspired and either completely impossible without severe modification (a testament to my pathetic upper arm strength) or ridiculously simple. I only started getting a bit out of breath near the end when it came time for the Lunge Kickback Curl Press (which was excellent), the Superman Banana (ouch but woah) and the Steam Engine.
I will give it a 2nd chance though. I felt the same way after finishing Kenpo for the first time and, as I discovered a couple weeks ago, that snap judgement was perhaps too harsh. On the other hand, I gave Yoga a 2nd (and 3rd) chance and I still hated it, so really this could go either way.
December 18, 2009
Life keeps getting in the way
Motivation seems to have been the main antagonist in my fitness story. If I am not in the mood, or feel like my day is already busy, I just skip my workouts.
I must stop this. I must gain some self control. But how?
This week's preoccupation is knitting. I'm making these for my grandmother for Christmas. Hopefully I finish them soon or I'll have wasted last week's return to the P90X.
I think it best I start from Day 1 again in January. It would be a more honest countdown.
I must stop this. I must gain some self control. But how?
This week's preoccupation is knitting. I'm making these for my grandmother for Christmas. Hopefully I finish them soon or I'll have wasted last week's return to the P90X.
I think it best I start from Day 1 again in January. It would be a more honest countdown.
December 13, 2009
Glorious rest day
I'm so glad it's Sunday :)
Last night before bed I was starting to feel a foreboding stiffness in my back and shoulders - not surprised considering all the twisting, jabbing and insufficient warm-up/cool-down in Kenpo. As expected, this morning I am dealing with twinges in varying degrees of painfulness throughout my upper body.
On the bright side, my quads seem to have finished healing after Wednesdays' first plyo workout in some months.
So how shall I spend my rest day? Work from 8am-2pm, run quickly to town to find out if Super Mario Wii is still in stock anywhere, come home and lounge on the couch with my husband and kitties.
Sounds like a decent day to me.
Last night before bed I was starting to feel a foreboding stiffness in my back and shoulders - not surprised considering all the twisting, jabbing and insufficient warm-up/cool-down in Kenpo. As expected, this morning I am dealing with twinges in varying degrees of painfulness throughout my upper body.
On the bright side, my quads seem to have finished healing after Wednesdays' first plyo workout in some months.
So how shall I spend my rest day? Work from 8am-2pm, run quickly to town to find out if Super Mario Wii is still in stock anywhere, come home and lounge on the couch with my husband and kitties.
Sounds like a decent day to me.
December 12, 2009
P90X Lean Day 6 - Kenpo
So, as previously mentioned, I did the Kenpo video today for the 2nd time ever. It wasn't as terrible as I remember it being. Perhaps it's because I'm just more accustomed to following workout videos now or maybe I'm in slightly better shape. I don't know. But I was able to accurately perform all but the 3rd last sequence with acceptable form. The kicks were a tad painful as I am still recovering from Plyo earlier this week, but all in all, a decent work out.
It's far from being my favourite video but I am glad I gave it a 2nd chance.
It's far from being my favourite video but I am glad I gave it a 2nd chance.
I`m Back.....
I can`t believe I haven`t posted since August, I didn`t realize it had been that long. In anycase, I made it to about week 10 of the P90X Classic before giving up (so close yet so far) - life got in the way. A coworker quit rather suddenly so I was working 6-7days a week, school started up so I was busy with that. Then when we finally had someone new trained...she quit. It`s been a long fall.
But now it`s over. I finished the final course in my program and my hours at work have steadied out simultaneously. I find it interesting that I literally started working out again the day after I passed in my schoolwork and the week that my new coworker started working on her own. I thought that I was experiencing a motivation problem and that`s why I couldn`t be bothered to turn on a video, but it would seem that it was more of a burnout problem.
In anycase, I`ve restarted with the P90X Lean. Well... more or less. I`ve decided to substitute the videos I like for the ones I don`t. So this will be my Phase 1 schedule:
So there you have it. It's pretty well the same with some minor substitutions. I had the intention of replacing Kenpo with Plyo, as I hated Kenpo the first time through and skipped it pretty well every single week. But, I decided to do it today and actually sort of enjoyed it. Mostly because the 1hr workout seems to be the only one that really flies by. More on that later. So I decided instead to replace Cardio with Plyo as I love plyo and needed to sneak it in there somewhere.
And while I generally enjoy the Shoulders & Arms video, I would really like to continue to improve my push-up count for the motivation aspect of things, and I feel that the Chest & Back video will accomplish this better.
Another thing I've learned from my first round of the P90X is that I burn out if I work out 6 days straight, and I'm likely to just skip yoga anyway. So I've decided to build a 2nd guilt-free rest day into my plan.
But now it`s over. I finished the final course in my program and my hours at work have steadied out simultaneously. I find it interesting that I literally started working out again the day after I passed in my schoolwork and the week that my new coworker started working on her own. I thought that I was experiencing a motivation problem and that`s why I couldn`t be bothered to turn on a video, but it would seem that it was more of a burnout problem.
In anycase, I`ve restarted with the P90X Lean. Well... more or less. I`ve decided to substitute the videos I like for the ones I don`t. So this will be my Phase 1 schedule:
| Day Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday | My Plan Core Synergistics Plyometrics Chest & Back, AbRX Rest Legs& Back, AbRX Kenpo Rest | P90X Lean Core Synergistics Cardio Shoulders & arms, AbRX Yoga Legs & Back, AbRX Kenpo Stretch or Rest |
And while I generally enjoy the Shoulders & Arms video, I would really like to continue to improve my push-up count for the motivation aspect of things, and I feel that the Chest & Back video will accomplish this better.
Another thing I've learned from my first round of the P90X is that I burn out if I work out 6 days straight, and I'm likely to just skip yoga anyway. So I've decided to build a 2nd guilt-free rest day into my plan.
August 25, 2009
P90X - Week 3
Considering I've been ridiculously busy at work recently (worked 101hrs this pay period)blogging has not been at the top of my priority list. Somehow, I have only missed 2 workouts in this time - both Kenpo coincidentally.
I am starting to see some changes in my shape and feeling really good about my body. Unlike the 30DS where I just kinda noticed random muscles popping out in strange places, the P90X really seems to be working everything to slim me down evenly. My waistline is looking very smooth and I'm noticing muscle definition all across my abs. My arms haven't changed in appearance much, but my performance in the "Chest & Back" video has improved threefold. My thighs & (miraculously) my calves are also quickly showing some definition. I've also lost 2lbs - which, considering I really don't need to lose weight, is a pleasant surprise. I could probably lose 3lbs more without becoming sickeningly thin. Chances are I'll gain some muscle weight anyway and get back up to my regular 125lb.
Now I'm on my rest week. I probably won't do any P90X related videos even though I should continue to follow the program. But after the last 2 weeks I've survived through, I'm just exhausted and need to just relax and have some down time. It also seems I have planned the workout very well so that the rest weeks correspond with Auntie Flo's visits. It's complete chance but works out very well since she pretty well knocks me on my butt with aches and pains. So at least I'm not going to have to worry about missing "real" workouts.
I'll hopefully be updating regularly in the next couple weeks once some new videos get thrown into the mix.
I am starting to see some changes in my shape and feeling really good about my body. Unlike the 30DS where I just kinda noticed random muscles popping out in strange places, the P90X really seems to be working everything to slim me down evenly. My waistline is looking very smooth and I'm noticing muscle definition all across my abs. My arms haven't changed in appearance much, but my performance in the "Chest & Back" video has improved threefold. My thighs & (miraculously) my calves are also quickly showing some definition. I've also lost 2lbs - which, considering I really don't need to lose weight, is a pleasant surprise. I could probably lose 3lbs more without becoming sickeningly thin. Chances are I'll gain some muscle weight anyway and get back up to my regular 125lb.
Now I'm on my rest week. I probably won't do any P90X related videos even though I should continue to follow the program. But after the last 2 weeks I've survived through, I'm just exhausted and need to just relax and have some down time. It also seems I have planned the workout very well so that the rest weeks correspond with Auntie Flo's visits. It's complete chance but works out very well since she pretty well knocks me on my butt with aches and pains. So at least I'm not going to have to worry about missing "real" workouts.
I'll hopefully be updating regularly in the next couple weeks once some new videos get thrown into the mix.
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