Day 56 - X Stretch, Soccer, Kenpo Cardio Plus

I started out the day with X Stretch because I've been sore and tight all week long. I figured it would be a good way to get me ready for my soccer game and also help with the soreness in my legs (especially). It felt really good, but I'm still not getting the results with my flexibility that I'd like to see...I need more Yoga and X Stretch!

We lost our soccer game - 5 to 4. I got two goals and two assists...I was pleased with how I did, but wish that the outcome would have been different.

I finished up the day with some Kenpo Cardio Plus...it was my first time to do the routine and it was a nice change of pace from Kenpo X. I'm not sure it's any better as far as the cardio goes, but it was new and different so that is good enough for me.

Tomorrow I start Phase III.

Day 55 - Core Synergistics

This is my "make-up" Recovery Week routine. Normally this would be Kenpo X, but I needed to get this work out in since it's not very common and it's one of my favorites. This was my first time to do it with extra weight and it made a HUGE difference. It's funny to think of this routine as a recovery routine or whatever...it's just HARD! I really enjoy it.

Day 54 - Legs and Back + Ab Ripper X

DOH! I just realized that this week was supposed to be my recovery week leading into Phase III. I've been doing the wrong work outs all week...oh well...I guess I won't get a recovery week this phase, but I'll add Core Synergistics in tomorrow since it's one of the recovery week routines.

Legs and back was KILLER today though...I added weights to it this time since I have the bowflex dumbbells. It was a great work out...I'm not going to do Ab Ripper since it's not supposed to be done during recovery week.

Day 53 - Yoga X

I didn't do Yoga X...this week has been hit and miss for me. I'm trying to keep focused, but it's been extra hard lately.

Day 52 - Back and Biceps + Ab Ripper X

I love this work out. It's one of my top 3 favorites for sure. I wasn't thrilled about doing Ab Ripper X two days in a row, but I did it. It's what I get for skipping it on Monday I suppose...This is such a great work out with the SelectTechs....don't get me wrong...it's a GREAT work out however you do it...but I'm glad to be using the weights now as opposed to the bands. I was at the point that I needed to either buy the Extreme Black Band or go with weights...

Ab Ripper has been pretty tough for me the past two times I've done it...I'm not sure if I'm pushing myself harder or getting my legs straighter or if my form is better so it makes the routines harder...or what. All I know is that I'm struggling with Ab Ripper X again - and I love it!


Just some curls...various types...

Superman!

Doing the Locomotive (I think that is what it's called).

Another post work out pump...that's the difference with the weights vs bands for me. I wasn't getting a pump like this from the bands. Look at the vein in my left arm...

Day 51 - Plyometrics

Well I had made plans to start off this week strong and keep churning right on through till the end. Unfortunately, I found myself without the drive to get up and do Plyometrics tonight. I have been really sleepy and tired lately...I did make up my Ab Ripper X from yesterday though.

So anyway...I missed another Plyo work out, but so long as I don't miss another work out this week I can be caught up by Sunday!

Day 50 - Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps - Ab Ripper X

Tonight's work out was incredible...the only bad thing about it was that I got started so late that I ended up not doing Ab Ripper X. I'll have to make that up tomorrow....I'm still getting a feel for where my strength is and how that relates to how much weight I can lift on the each routine. I'm getting a better feel for it each time I repeat a work out. It really helps to have the log sheet to check and see how I did the last time to see if I need to increase my weight or go down in weight. I set up a tripod to snap my Day 50 pictures, some during the work out, and then did some posing in front of it after the work out to show off my post work out pump. So please excuse the obvious pride that I'm taking in my results...

Day 50 - prior to working out

During the work out...

Day 50 - goofing off post work out.

Day 49 - Father's Day

I spent the day with my family. I didn't work out - Legs and Back - like I'd hoped, but it was a great day all the same. This next week I will be sure to BRING IT like I have been...I don't want to push so hard up to this point and then slack off.

Day 48 - Yoga X and Turbo Jam (What!?)

Ok so I planned on doing Yoga X in the morning and then finishing up my day with some Cardio Kenpo Plus, but my lovely wife wasn't in the mood to lean the new Kenpo work out so we switched over to one of her favorites instead. Yoga was pretty rough for me that morning and I wasn't familiar with the Turbo Jam work out so I did my best to follow along and keep up. We got a pretty good work out in and me especially, since I'd done Yoga X that morning.

Day 47 - Legs and Back + Ab Ripper X (or not)

Ugh - This week has not been the best for me as far as working out. I had two great work outs on Monday and on Wednesday, but I was again too busy to get into Legs and Back...I had some company over so we just visited instead of working out...I did knock out about 40 pushups, but that didn't really do much for me at all...So now I have Yoga X and Legs and Back to make up...oh boy.

Day 46 - Yoga X (or not - so I did Ab Ripper X)

I coudn't find the time for Yoga X tonight...I felt bad about skipping the work out and since I didn't do Ab Ripper yesterday I through it in for my work out tonight...I'll make up Yoga X later during the week.

Day 45 - Back and Biceps - Ab Ripper X

Well on Monday I worked out with my brother and tried out his Bowflext SelectTech weights. It felt so good to use actual weights again and I was hooked. Now this doesn't mean that the bands aren't awesome and can get you where you want to be...I was just ready to move to the next level. Today marked my halfway point through the P9oX program so I felt like rewarding myself. I looked around for used weights, but learned that Sports Authority was offering the SelectTechs for $399 and they were throwing in the stand for free! The stand is a $160 value so I went ahead and made the plunge!

Seeing as how it is halfway through the program I figure I'll go ahead and post my progress picture as well...The work out tonight was amazing. I used the Bowflex weights for the first time and even though I STILL don't have a pull up bar I had the most amazing post work out pump. I was feeling really good through the whole work out and really pushed myself to get the absolute best work out possible. It took me longer than I expected to put the stand together so I ended up skipping Ab Ripper for the night. I can't wait to get to use the weights again...

Day 44 - Plyometrics (but I did Insanity instead)

I had a couple of reasons for not doing Plyometrics tonight...first of all I've been dying to try this Insanity DVD. I've heard so much about it from my friends on Facebook and I've seen the ads and teasers on YouTube. I figured it was time to try it for myself...I was also under the impression that it would be easier on my calf than Plyometrics.

Let there be no mistake...Shaun T, the guy who created Insanity, is not jacking around here. This was so hard for me...I wasn't able to do much of it right...My knees weren't going quite high enough, my pace wasn't quite right, my form was all over the place...of course this was the first time I'd ever done this before and I'm sure I'll get better each time, but wow....it was HARD!

Feel free to take a look at the work outs...I uploaded them all except for the stretching (at this time) to YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-DOQbBqEyQ&feature=channel

Day 43 - Chest, Shoulders, Triceps + Ab Ripper X (but I did Abs/Core Plus)

I spent the day with my brother today...I'd told him that I was getting through Ab Ripper X without too much trouble lately and he suggested I give a new ab routine a try. P90X has a follow up program called P90X Plus...or P90X +...whichever you like...So he pops in Abs/Core Plus and I used his garage to work out. It's where he has his pull up bar and some nice mats laid out for working out. It was a nice set up and it was cool to be able to use a pull up bar (even though you just hang from it during this routine). It was a terrific work out and I'm really looking forward to being able to do it more often (when I finish P90X AND get a pull up bar). The moves that the DVD has you doing were all very cool and some of them, if not most of them, were things I'd never seen or done before. It's longer than Ab Ripper X and so of course it was harder...if not simply due to its length. Regardless I felt like I had an amazing work out and that was only the start of it.

We rested for about 30 minutes and while we were doing our Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps warm up he paused the DVD and says..."You know what we should have done...we should have found out if you can climb that rope in my backyard." Now mind you it's pitch black outside and I'm still tired from Abs/Core Plus AND I was hoping to save my energy for the work out instead of the rope climb, but I went ahead and followed him out there and gave it a go. I can't remember that last time I climbed a rope, but I remember the first time I ever did it w/o using my legs. It was last night. I must say it felt pretty damn cool to pull myself up, hand over hand. I guess maybe it was 15 - 20 feet up in the air. Going up was certainly easier than coming down...and doing it w/o being able to see the ground wasn't a big help either!

My brother also has the BowFlex SelectTech adjustable weights...I messed around with them briefly in between the work outs curling 85lbs in each hand...just kidding...I think it was probably 30lbs in each hand. Anyay...I certainly liked the way they felt and I'm getting close to the point where I would like to focus more on size than getting "cut" and that will be hard to do with bands alone...even the black band from BeachBody. The trouble is that weight system is around $500 or so...but now I'm jonesing.

My numbers stayed pretty close to the same for the Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps workout. I did make the leap (pun) to the plyometrics pushups and launched myself into the air for 8 or 9 pushups. That was fun. I also gave the one armed pushups a try - w/o using my knees...still not able to do that...but soon! All in all it was a great work out and thank goodness I was able to follow it up with a recovery drink!

These pics were taken right after I finished Abs/Core Plus...my first time to ever do it so I wanted a picture ;)

Day 42 - X Stretch - Rest - and or Soccer

I went with Soccer...I'd planned on catching up on either legs or plyo today, but I was a little concerned about over doing it and then not having anything left over for my soccer game. I decided to just give it my all in my game instead...I also had some chores to do around the house and what not that prevented me from really having the time to do both. We won our game and I scored twice...it was a good day.

Day 41 - Kenpo X

My leg was finally well enough to do some "leg work" and it was a good thing too. I really pushed myself during this work out. I was feeling a bit guilty for missing a couple of work outs this week due to my injury and so I really blew it out during Kenpo X. I was "over doing" the reps on nearly every routine and really low in my horse stance. It felt great!

Day 40 - Legs and Back + Ab Ripper X (or maybe Mi Cocina)

Well as it turns out I totally skipped todays work out...it sucks to miss it, but I didn't want to risk further injury to my calf and the gorgeous wife and I went out to dinner with another couple...we both ate a bit too much so we're too full to work out right now and so I'm just going to take a pass on tonight's work out altogether. I may try to do two work outs tomorrow to try to catch up a little on this week. I hope that by tomorrow I'll well enough to really BRING IT!

Day 39 - Yoga X

My beautiful bride and I did Yoga X tonight...we got a little later start than we wanted, but we managed to push through it and get it done. She did a terrific job! I am still nursing the injured calf so it's really wrecking havoc on my work out.

No pics...

Day 38 - Back and Biceps - Ab Ripper X

Not a lot of time here so I'm basically just going to say that tonight my lovely wife and I did Back and Biceps. It was her first time to do it and she did great! I don't think I did Ab Ripper X because I'd done it the day before...

No Pics.

Day 37 - Should have been Plyo, but I'm injured SO...Ab Ripper X

I decided to do the smart thing and not risk further injuring my calf and giving it at least a couple of more days to heal before I try to work it out....especially considering how much calf work is in Plyometrics! I absolutely HATE that this has happened and that I was unable to do my Plyometrics work out, but the fact is it has happened and I cannot do it.

I opted to do Ab Ripper X today instead of yesterday and I considered doing X Stretch today as well, but honestly I didn't to be tempted to do anything that could injure the calf...besides my amazing wife and I spent quite a while at Costco walking around shopping...my leg was feeling pretty loose after that and I felt like that was enough for it...for one day.

No pics for you!

Day 36 - Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps - Ab Ripper X

Second time through on this routine and my super cute wife did it with me! I was so proud of her as she went through every routine with me - doing her best and modifying where she needed due to her wrist...she did amazing! I didn't do half bad myself...I showed improvement in every area and in some areas I showed great improvement. I was only able to do 5 one armed pushups (from my knees) the first time through and this time I was able to muster 15 of them.

Since I hurt my leg and will likely not be able to do my cardio this week I will be doing Ab Ripper X on those days...hence the "- Ab Ripper X".

I have a few pictures from the work out...

I'm not yet able to do the pushups like Tony does...but I can at least get the clap part down.

Mid pushup here...

On the way back up on this one...

Day 35 - Part 2 - Revenge of the Calf

****INJURY****

Well crap...I pulled a calf muscle in my soccer game last night and now my P90X routine is in jeopardy. I see no possible way for me to do Plyometrics tomorrow and it will be very unlikely that I can do Yoga on Thursday...The resistance work outs shouldn't be a problem, except for legs and back...right now I can barely even walk.

I'm so bummed.

Day 35 - X Stretch (But I didn't do it)

Day 35 is supposed to be X Stretch, but I didn't do it...I chose to do One on One with Tony Horton - Recovery for Results....instead. It's basically a very, very light cardio, resistance, stretching routine. Nothing too fancy and certainly nothing too long. It's a good routine to do if you don't have much time or energy, but you want to get something going....

Day 34 - Kenpo X + Ab Ripper X

This is by far the easiest work out that P90X has...I do like the pace though...I keep my heart rate up at a decent level and I don't get so exhausted that I can't move after the work out.

My wife has done this routine with me a few different times, but she wasn't feeling well tonight so she went on to bed and I finished up my work out...I added Ab Ripper X to this work out because I didn't do it last night. I was able to get all 50 Mason Twists with out putting my legs down or falling out of the pose.

Day 33 - Legs and Back - Ab Ripper X

Legs and back...hard work out and rough on a fella's knees. I had just started the routine when my buddy Jay showed up and joined in so I started the DVD over and sorta just bounced around keeping up my heart rate till he got caught up to me...I'd only done the one legged chair lunges so it didn't take long. We pushed through work out and elected to skip Ab Ripper X for the night...it was pretty late and we were both tired.

Day 32 - Yoga X

Tonight I did Yoga X....I've REALLY gotta start this work out sooner. I didn't get to bed until 2:30am. There was never a question of IF I was going to get to the work out, but when...

I might have taken it a little easier tonight than I normally did, but I still got a great work out. I tried to make sure I was nice and low in all my warrior stances, but I did realize that I kept floating back up so I was having to keep an eye on that and keep lowering myself back down in it. I'm trying to get into the crane position more now too...I still can't get in it and hold it for any real length of time...but soon!

I'm doing 3 pushups with each chataronga now too...and on the last one I cranked out 10. I did a total of 85 pushups during the Yoga X work out!

No pics...my charming wife was asleep.

Day 31 - Back and Biceps + Ab Ripper X

Tonight was my first time to do this work out. It's new for me due to my being in Phase II now. I was so pleased to learn that Tony had us doing 21's. I have some fond memories of doing 21's with Kent while we were in high school and the summers thereafter. I'm pretty sure we did that and preacher curls more than anything else. The bands worked really well for this routine, but this was the first time I really would have liked to have had some dumbells. I was having a hard time configuring the bands to the right resistance levels and I know if I had some dumbells I'd have done things a little smoother. Even so I had the most amazing work out and can't wait to do this one again...

I was able to roll through all the Ab Ripper X reps w/o stopping and was doing a pretty good job of keeping my form up. I still struggle of course, but I'm pleased with how I am able to do it. My legs could stand to be a little straighter (my up leg) during fifer scissors, but I just can't make me straight yet so I fight for hieght and do my best. I was able to get 45 mason twists before I crashed...took a couple quick breaths and hammered out the last 5.

I did the cool down and then hauled ass to the kitchen for my recovery drink!

Day 30 - Plyometrics

Tonight was Plyometrics...as usual this was a great work out...nice and hard! It was a little different this time though because instead of jumping around in the house I would open the blinds and dart outside to do some of the more "violent" jumps outside on the sidewalk (and still be able to see the TV). I'm just a little nervous jumping around on my pier and beam floor ;) so I figured I'd could bounce outside to do it more intensely. It was funny though because a neighbor across the street caught me in the act and hollered out "GREAT JOB!" after I finished the jump knee tucks heh.


Since this is day 30 I'm posting my Day 1 vs Day 30 pic here. I'm excited to see what day 60 and day 90 will bring...so long as I BRING IT!

Day 29 - Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps + Ab Ripper X

I've officially started Phase II...

This means I'll be introduced to some new work outs on the P90X DVD. This is a good thing and a bad thing! The good news is that I'll be doing some new moves and working my body in different ways...the bad news is I really enjoyed what I was doing, but on the flip side I'm sure I'll like the new stuff too.

For example...tonight I did slow motion push ups followed by rapid pushups. I don't remember for sure, but I believe I did 4 super slow and then 4 super fast...I think I did 2 or 3 sets like this...however many it was I got them all but the last one I think...and that was just the FIRST exercise!

Tony Horton pretty well blew my mind showing off during the clap pushups....down, up/clap, down. He took it to a whole other level and actually went AIRBORN. What an animal!
I absolutely loved the work out though...I can't wait to be able to do it better...some of the stuff I really had some trouble doing right. But, 28 days into the program and I'm still going strong and loving my results.


I think these were lat raises...but I'm not sure.

About to start Ab Ripper X

And away we go!