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 ;)