Progress

Every day is about little accomplishments, right?

Yesterday we got Christmas completely down.  That is a big one.

Also, I did P90X: Arms & Shoulders even though I really really didn't want to.  So that was a big one too!

This morning I am feeling a little creaky, so I'm thinking maybe Yoga today along with Core II even though my abs are still super sore.

I'd also like to do a little cleaning, a little laundry, and plant Zoe's little root-visible windowbox garden.

Slow and Steady

I'm another pound down.  138.6.  I briefly flirted with the 137's at the end of last week and I was pretty excited about it, but no matter... it'll come eventually.

I'm thinking I've reached the first plateau, which was expected.  I know my body was responding to the sheer shock of daily exercise and restricted calories.  Now is when the real work begins.

As for last week's exercise, it looked like this, starting Sunday:
Tae Bo
P90X: Arms & Shoulders
Tae Bo
Bike
Tae Bo
Booty Barre
Saturday I was nicely sore and I did a ton of work on both the old house and new, so no exercise.
Sunday was a true day of rest.

This week I'm going to try to add a few double days, on Tuesday and Thursday... we'll see if that takes it up a notch!  I am not doing My Fit Foods this week, and actually for the past 2 days I haven't done prepackaged foods at all, but I am counting.

I can already see a slight difference in my clothes.  Most of my work pants had become uncomfortably tight.  They still aren't loose, but they are far more wearable now, which is really the goal.

I can also feel the difference.  I don't know if I said it in this blog, but back when I started in 2007, I can remember after a few weeks, walking down the hallway at work and feeling different.  I felt like there was a cobra in my belly, coiled and ready to strike.  It is a very vivid memory for me - the day I found my power.  I am beginning to feel that way again.  And I love it.

Firmly on the wagon

I finally found a My Fit Foods meal that I loooooove: Besto Pesto.  Nom freaking nom.

I managed to eat cleanly through to dinner Friday night, when we went to our favorite burger joint and oh, it was soooooo goooooood.  At that point I wanted to eat ALL THE FOOD, so, you know, it was good.  Saturday I went back on the wagon and was a good girl.  Sunday I had a small smoothie at the Globetrotters show, but otherwise I stuck with the plan.

For the first time in a looooooong time, I started Monday morning weighing the same as I did on Friday morning!  139.6.  Oh, yes, and I finally saw a drop!

I'm also doing a really good job of getting my 4 bottles of water per day, even over the weekend when I usually lose a bottle.

As for exercise, I started last Monday and it looked like this:
Bike
Bike
Tae Bo
Boot Camp
P90X Arms & Shoulders
Off
Tae Bo
P90X Arms & Shoulders

I am veeeeeeery pleased with this as well!  Booty Barre was canceled due to weather, but I still got my workout in.  WIN!  And I was disappointed when Grasshopper dropped by to tell me that our 5K had been moved to April (APRIL - BOOOOO!), and I did take Saturday off, but I was back at it on Sunday, and that is also a huge win for me, since I really struggle to get off my duff on the weekends.

We also did a lot of moving work from the old house to the new one on both Friday and Saturday, which tangentally counts.

I may need to be flexible with the rest of this week, as I already know I must miss Boot Camp on Thursday, and there is the possibility of another Ice Day tomorrow.  But I made it work last week, and I'm finally seeing results, so I know I can make it work again.  And I will.

8 Pounders

Last weekend I bought new dumbells, 8 pounders.  I've been using 5lb weights for P90X, and although that has left me trembling and noodley, I have never lifted to failure with 5lbs, and in the last week or two I've noticed dramatic gains in my lifting ability to the extent that I was no longer getting trembling and noodley after my favorite P90X Arms & Shoulders workout.  So I figured it was time to mix it up.

O. M. G.

I have definitely *definitely* now lifted to failure.  Tony Horton's all: "Evvvvvvverybody does 16 reps!" and I'm all: "Duuuuuuude, I just knocked out 4 and I literally CANNOT lift the weight again."

It was awesome. :-)

But I do need to bring my 5's to AD house as well, because there are some moves, like the flip grip tricep extensions, that I literally just cannot do with 8's.  And also, maybe I could lift to failure with 8's and then bang out a few more reps with 5's?

I'm excited about this!

And trembling and noodley. :-)

I Ran This Morning!

This is the part where I apologize for still not posting the End of the World Half race report, in which I tell you that I got injured, hence why I'm all excited about a little run this morning.

This is also the part where I have decided to come (at least a little) clean about what is going on in my world.  Mostly because it is my reality and it is impacting obviously my life, but also my exercise. 

So, P and I aren't living together right now.  We are trading weeks, one of us keeps Z in our house, the other lives in AD house.  And then we switch.  We are often still sharing weekends, to try to give some level of normalcy to Z.  I will not go into the nitty gritty of why all of this is happening.  Nor will I postulate on the future.  This is the now that I am living.

So, how has that impacted my exercise?  Well, I can't run in the morning when I'm at home any more, because there is no sleeping adult to leave with Z.  And I'm still not sure about running at AD's house.  I mean, I need to.  I will.  I just need to get out of my head about learning new routes in a new neighborhood, that's all.  Wasn't a problem, really, because I was giving my knee a month off, but it is time to start running again, so all of this will need to get worked out.

What I have been doing is riding my bike on the trainer on the weeks that I have Z, and doing core work.  I am very pleased with that.  And on the weeks that I'm at AD house I've been doing P90X, all hard core like.  I am also very pleased with that!

And last night P stayed over so he could watch the Super Bowl on the nice TV with DVR, so there was a sleeping adult to leave in the house, so I ran!  I only went 3 miles, but I was so very pleased that I have not lost all my stamina or wind.  I did 3 sets of 9/1s.  And it was... perfect.  I love running and missed it so much!

So there it is.  Out there.  For those of you who know me in real life, I'm still not advertising this, ok?  But I need this blog.  And what I found is that I can't censor that aspect of my life from here and still be able to really write.  I know I could go private, but I don't want to.  I started this blog a long time ago to document my running journey, and this freaking bumpy road that I am currently on is a part of that.  I own that.  It is where I am now.  And hopefully, I'll be running on it.

I Must Be Insane

I tried Insanity yesterday afternoon.  The Pure Agony Cardio one.  OMG, it was.... INSANE.

So here's the deal: apparently there are 5 titles, and it is put out by beachbody.com, the same people who do P90X.  As I said, I did Pure Agony Cardio.  Trying just one workout obviously doesn't make me an expert, but I'd like to discuss the differences between P90X and my first impression of Insanity.

So the workout went like this: hit the gas pedal, then accelerate, faster, faster, faster, faster, faster for 40 minutes until you're done.  Seriously.  The 10 minute warm-up was 30+ seconds each of running in place, Heismans, Heismans side to side, butt kicks, high knees, football thingys, then repeat 3 times, faster each time.  SERIOUSLY??  The warm-up!  For 10 minutes!  No instruction on form, etc.  By the end of this my calves were already ready to call it a day.

Then there was a quick stretching session during which sweat dripped off of me.

Then more insanity.  Crazy crap like 4 push-ups, jump up, then back down.  Not just once and not slowly enough to actually manage.  Jump lunges.  Again, faster than humanly possible except probably for Olympic-freaking-sprinters.  It just went on and on.  It was like the P90X Plyo workout on speed - nothing matters but speed.

So initial impressions of the comparison P90X vs. Insanity?  I prefer P90X.  I like to do things with proper form at a speed that is humanly possible and yet still provides a good cardio workout.  I believe P90X provides this much more effectively.  I always feel in control during P90X, but still that I'm pushing myself.  Insanity is so INSANE that I actually think it mentally works against you.  There were times when I looked around the room and everyone was just laying facedown on the floor.  What incentive do you have to keep trying when there is no possible way you can a) keep up or b) ever finish?  And if you know you can't finish, what pushes you to keep trying though the whole set?  I think it sets people (at least me) up to tap out early and therefore not get as much out of the workout as they possibly can.  P90X has a countdown timer on each of the moves, and most people can talk themselves into doing anything for a minute.

So, will I do Insanity again?  Probably.  It was a good workout.  Afterwards my muscles were twitching with exhaustion and I'm only 12 hours removed and already sore.  And it is convenient to do once or twice a week at work for a little variety in my routine.  But I won't be buying it.

I did drag myself out of bed for a little run this morning on the theory that I'll be so sore tomorrow I won't want to.  My knee tweaked once or twice but never prevented me from running, so that was good.  I did 3 loops of run 9/walk 2, and so should be ready to run steady on Saturday.

No Race Report Yet

They're killing me with not getting the photos up!  Of course, you know that because I'm waiting and hoping for a good photo that I'll be making a goofy face in all of them!

This morning I tried Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred, workout 1.  It is about 30 minutes long, rough if you really do the whole thing and don't take breaks (like she yells at you not to), but in the end I didn't feel like it was good enough.  Not enough abs, not enough cardio.  It would have been great, wonderful, stellar even, during those first 3 months postpartum when I had very little time and I needed something I could do while Z napped, or in fits and starts.  And it might be nice for a quick weekender or off-day workout.  But it can't come to the regular party.  Not now.  Not when I'm really starting to want to see results.  I suppose another option would be to piggyback multiple workouts from that disc (there are 3) together for a harder time...

After that I also tried P90X Stretch.  I'm all tight and sore from the Warrior Dash, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to see what it is all about.  I only had time for the first 30 minutes (of 60), so I'm doing an incomplete review.  It is another that I like, but that won't make it into my weekly repertoire.  It can slot in instead of a Yoga as an off-day or weekender.  Or as a recovery like this morning.  But it is what it sounds like: a bunch of stretches.  I love to stretch.  Stretching feels good.  But if I've only got an hour a day, I need more.  It isn't like the P90X Yoga that can count as a hard core workout in and of itself.  The Yoga is definitely harder than the Stretch.  But it was nice.

You know, writing this post I'm having flashbacks to my mom when I was a kid.  She had all the Jane Fonda workouts.  I always danced around with her... then as I got older I started to think workout videos were lame, for old flabby people who couldn't do anything... look at me: the old flabby mom working out in her bedroom first thing every morning!!  But I'm not doing these videos because they are easy, and I'm not playing at exercise.  This is just the simplest way for me to get in a workout right now without worrying about childcare or my running clothes that still barely fit or anything else.  But I've gotta say: I can't wait until the Z is 6 months old so I can take her for a run in the BOB!  I'm ready to ditch these videos and become a runner again!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Kiss us, we're Irish!

Did P90X Kenpo this morning, or most of it.  I like it - it is good stuff.  Decent cardio, and I might be sore tomorrow.  I'm terrible at the downward sweeping blocks, though.  You should see it - I can make the motion, but then when I'm going to do the other hand, my first hand sort of spazzes randomly, and then isn't in place to make the motion again when it is its turn.  If I try to rotate my fist and bring it to my side like I'm supposed to, my opposite hand doesn't make the blocking motion properly.  For some reason that sequence for me is like patting my head and rubbing my tummy, only worse because I never got it!!  

P90X and Workout Musings

I'm still going with P90X - 6 weeks and counting!  I saw big and drastic improvements in the beginning, but now they, and the weight loss/redistribution seem to be slowing.  I'm starting to think that it is about time to add some running and maybe swimming/cycling back into the mix...

But first, 2 more commentaries on the various P90X DVDs.  Since my last P90X post I've tried Core Synergistics and Cardio X.  Core was fascinating to me because it was difficult, but I didn't feel like it was targeting my core in particular while I did it.  This may be to my credit: I try to focus on my core during all workout sessions.  But afterwards I *felt* it.  This DVD did its job!  I think it will be a really nice addition to my Cores I, II, and III routine.  And Ab Ripper X.  You know, for variety!  Cardio X was more mild than Plyo, but still relatively cardio intensive, and it made me sore in some new places/ways.  I think part of that is because it included bits of Kenpo, which I still haven't tried.  It also includes bits of Yoga X and of Core Synergistics, so it would be a nice well-rounded P90X workout if I was trying to shotgun a bunch of aspects of P90X in one sitting.  I'll be keeping that in mind as I venture back towards some tri-training.

I'm still not sure what an ideal week should/could look like for me.  I'm going to use this space real quick as a musing ground.  Feel free to jet if I start to bore you! ;-)  So I've got a number of routines that I like/want to do.  Here they are (will also list the time involved if it is a known quantity - not the time on the DVD, but the time it takes me):
Run
Bike
Swim
Cores I, II, III (30 min)
P90X: Ab Ripper X (15 min)
P90X: Core Synergistics (50 min)
P90X: Chest & Back (45 min)
P90X: Plyometrics (60 min)
P90X: Arms & Shoulders (50 min)
P90X: Legs & Back (50 min)
P90X: Kenpo
P90X: Cardio X (50 min)
P90X: X Stretch (haven't tried yet)
P90X: Back & Biceps (haven't tried yet)
P90X: Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps (haven't tried yet)
P90X: Yoga X (90 min)
Yoga Zone Total Body 2 (20 min)
Tae Bo Cardio Circuit 1 (35 min)

That's what, 19 options?  And I have 7 hours per week right now, max.  Ok, what if we group them by discipline...

Tri:
Run
Bike
Swim

Core: 
Cores I, II, III (30 min)
P90X: Ab Ripper X (15 min)
P90X: Core Synergistics

Upper body:
P90X: Chest & Back
P90X: Arms & Shoulders
P90X: Back & Biceps (haven't tried yet)
P90X: Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps (haven't tried yet)

Lower body:
P90X: Legs & Back
P90X: Plyometrics (Also under Cardio)

Cardio:


P90X: Kenpo

P90X: Cardio X
Tae Bo Cardio Circuit 1 
P90X: Plyometrics (also under Lower body)

Yoga/Stretch:
P90X: X Stretch (haven't tried yet)

P90X: Yoga X
Yoga Zone Total Body 2



Hmmmm.... if I didn't count Core as an official category (more or a tack-on to something else), and I wanted to get in at least 2 runs, 1 bike, and a swim a week... what if we did something like this:
Monday: Upper Body category
Tuesday: Run, Ab Ripper X if time
Wednesday: Plyometrics
Thursday: morning Cardio category, evening Bike
Friday: Swim, Cores I, II, III if time
Saturday: longer Run
Sunday: Yoga/Stretch category or off
That would give me lots of cardio to try and get the rest of this weight off... this, of course, is very non-specific, but I could always substitute out P90X mornings in favor of run, swim, or bike if I was training for something specific.  The shorter routines can sub in when I'm short on time.  I could also try to get Preston to take Z for awhile on Sunday to get in another bike or run.  There is always the option to throw in some core or biking on the trainer in the evenings during TV time (motivation is my major problem, here).  I just really really need to be making use of ALL mornings before Z wakes up.  I need to go ahead and get up on Fridays, when I've usually been sleeping in.  And I need to be more proactive on Saturdays.  I also need to be more proactive about exploring/using my childcare options.

I can do this.  I can have fun, train, and get this weight off.  And in these trying times when exercise really helps me to cope, I need to remember to put myself first and do it so I can be a better mom, wife, boss.

Weight this morning: 139.6.  Onward!

Updated to include: There is also a workout every Tuesday evening at work.  Once I get back on a regular schedule, I would love to return to that.  (I had started after I was preggo but before I knew.  It was an ass-kicker then.  Might be a bit easier now, but I'm in worse shape now...)  It is a good way to get in a two-a-day easily and not have to worry about child care.  If I go back to Reggie, I might switch the run to Monday morning and the P90X upper body to Tuesday morning, since Reggie is more cardio/legs.  Anyways, yay!  I had forgotten about that opportunity!

P90X and Teething

This morning was Arms & Shoulders, my favorite!  Yesterday during Plyo I pushed myself, and as a result this morning my legs felt totally dead.  Glad I wasn't planning a ride or run, although I'm really tempted to sneak in a run this afternoon or tomorrow afternoon.

I think Zoë may be teething.  Her sleeping pattern is a little wacky.  I used to be about to count on her to be awake for 2 hours, then short nap, rinse, repeat.  But lately her awake periods are varying wildly from 1-4 hours, and her nap lengths are also varying wildly from 20 minutes to 2.5 hours!  Her eating yesterday was also a little off: she only took about 22 oz while I was at work (normal is 26ish) and then she fell asleep hard after only 7 minutes on the breast.  We woke her up after about an hour so that we could try to get her back down at a reasonable time, and when the time rolled around for the next nursing session she made it a 30 minute both-boob marathon, then didn't want to go to sleep.  I put her in her crib, and she soothed herself to sleep without crying (good baby!), and then slept hard all night long.  Also, she is gumming anything that gets anywhere near her mouth.  She'll even bend over when she is in the saucer and start gumming the part that she sits in.  We've started keeping a bowl of teething toys in the fridge, and are trying to rotate them throughout the day.  She also likes a cold washcloth to "chew" on.  There is no sign of teeth when I look at and feel her gums, but I just can't conceive of any other explanation for her change in behavior.

Gramma and Zoë in one of her Astros outfits.

The 1 hour of work-after-work went well on Monday.  Gramma and I worked in the back yard and Preston worked on the loft.  We skipped yesterday, mostly because I was tired and because dinner was a little more hands-on, but I've already informed P that we'll get back to it today.  I figure we'll skip it on Thursday since that is Preston's school night (so that's when I'm hoping for a run), and then on Friday I'm hoping to use that time to start on our taxes.  I hate doing taxes, but I sure love the refund, so I need to pull the trigger and just get it over with.

P90X: Day Something-Or-Other

Those first 2 weeks of P90X, I got through a few days (the work days), and let the rest slide.  So I'm obviously not doing 90 days straight of P90X like I wish I was, but at least I'm doing something!

This week, Preston started doing it with me.  So even though I didn't work Monday, I got up with him and got in Chest & Back and also Ab Ripper before he went to work.  I was really excited about my performance on Monday: I was pushing an extra 5 push-ups!  And after only 2 weeks!  Very cool.  Then Plyometrics on Tuesday and Arms & Shoulders on Wednesday.  Plyo continues to be a legs/ass kicker, and I really like the workout.  Arms & Shoulders is my favorite, though.  I'm not sure why... it just makes me feel good.  Perhaps it is because my arms were so weak before so I feel like I can actually *feel* the strength gains.  It feels so good to work them out.  Thursday calls for Yoga in the classic plan, but I want to try some of the other videos and based on the past 2 weeks, it is a safe bet that Thursday will be the last day this week that we do any P90X.  Therefore we skipped ahead to Legs & Back this morning.  I'm not sure about this one yet.  I'll have to try it a few more times... it was definitely really hard on the legs.  Like tapping-out-early hard.  But I think it may also be a little hard on my knee, so this one might not make it into the weekly repertoire. 

Speaking of the knee, I haven't really had any trouble with it since I've returned to running/working out post-partum.  I feel it twinge occasionally, especially near the beginning of a run or in jumping sections of P90X, and I felt it a little on some of the lunges this morning (especially when I wasn't focusing on form, bad Amber!), but it always goes away and hasn't been a problem.  But it lets me know that it's there enough for me to continue to baby it a bit.

I also think I'd like both Chest & Back and Legs & Back better if I had the pull-up bar installed (PRESTON!).

Doin' my best and forgettin' the rest. :-)  Onward!

P90X: Day 4

Day 3 calls for Ab Ripper X.  Didn't happen.  (I did do 100 crunches, though.)  It was my first deviation from "the plan" laid out in the P90X literature, and I felt kind of bad about it.  THen I berated myself for being stupid, because when I started on Monday I had no intention of following the plan religiously!  I get so caught up in things sometimes.

This morning called for Yoga X.  It is a 90 minute DVD!!  Yeah, I don't ahve 90 minutes on work mornings.  I barely have 60.  And this morning I felt like hammered poo, so I was super slow waking up, super slow getting up, super slow pumping, etc.  So I only had 30 minutes, so 30 minutes of Yoga X is what I did.  From what I did, though, it looks like a really good yoga session.  Really good.  And tough.  Hopefully I'll make it all the way through at some point.  When I have 90 minutes.  Right.  Anyways...

I did sign up for the 5K on Saturday, so I'm thinking I should just do an easy bike tomorrow.  Then the 5K Saturday, then pick back up with P90X.  Not sure if I should just proceed forward with the program pretending that I'm not skipping days... I think that's what I should do.  The other option is doing whatever is called for on a particular day regardless of whether the day before was skipped.  I could do some of that too, when it suits me, I guess.  But for now I like the idea of doing everything in order because it will hit all parts of my body.  I'll still be stronger for it.  I want to be running on warmish afternoons, too.  We just haven't had any of those this week!

Still sore.  Mom asked me last night what wasn't sore: everything from the chin up, and from the knees down.   Everything else is sore.

I got another Moving Comfort Fiona sports bra from Amazon delivered yesterday.  I love these bras!!  If you're a bigger busted woman, this is the sports bra for you!  I buy one size down for maximum support, and pair with a nursing bra for obvious reasons, but I've got rock solid boobs when I work out.  These sweater puppies aren't moving an inch!  I've also got another style from Moving Comfort, the Grace, on the way from Sierra Trading Post where it was on super sale the other day.  I'll review it when I get it.  When that one arrives, I'll officially have more sports bras than nursing bras for my new "girls".  Shows you where my priorities are at!

Weight this morning: 141.6 (On Monday I saw a 140.4.  I knew it was a fluke, but downward trends always begin with a fluke like that, so I still got excited.  I also got excited because I might just see a 13x at some point in the next few weeks.  I'm going to lose my shit on the day that happens, fluke or not.  I CANNOT WAIT to have my weight start with 13.  Seriously.  The difference in my psyche is enormous.

P90X: Day 3, Morning

OmgIamsosore!! I think my biceps are the only muscles in my whole body that don't hurt. *looks at schedule* Arms and shoulders. Of course. Must kalla to every. single. muscle. before the yoga "rest" day. Awesome.

Update: Omg, my arms!!  How am I going to pick up the Zig??

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

P90X: Day 2

Subtitle: Holy shitballs, everything below my neck is tapped out.

Soooo.... I asked P for P90X for Christmas.  And he got it for me.  I have a good history with workout tapes.  Or DVDs, whatever.  When I first started trying to lose weight in 2007, I started with Tae Bo.  And it really helped me.  Eventually it got too easy and became my "fun" workout.  But I was always (and still am) glad to have it on tap for rainy mornings, or freezing cold mornings, or bored mornings, or short-on-time mornings.  I also have a yoga DVD that I still pop in on occasion.  And I love it.  It is my go-to for stretching.  In fact, the day after the EP5K?  Yoga DVD.  For a triathlete, there is something really nice about not having to leave your bedroom to get a workout in.

Anyways, I had seen the infomercials for P90X, and I had been intrigued.  For a long time, in fact.  Then I talked to a guy at work who dabbled in it, and he had nothing but good things to say.  And P had a buddy at work that said good things too.  And I want my old body back.  Or better. ;-)  So I asked for it for Christmas.

I haven't tried it until now because I'm in terrible shape.  I think I could have done great things with P90X before I had the Zig.  But now?  I struggle to complete my 100 crunches.  And I've always had a weak upper body.  And my legs were on vacation for 4 months, and I only started trying to get them back for real last month.  I read the book when I got the DVDs and figured I was in no shape to start.  I was really disappointed, actually.  But I didn't want to get hurt.

So last month I focused on getting something back.  I'm nowhere near where I want to be, but the other day I just got this itch in me, and I really wanted to try P90X.  So I did.  I started with no expectations.  I knew I wouldn't be able to hang with the whole DVD.  I have no real intention of doing the full 90 day program at this point.  As we learned last month, that kind of commitment is not flexible enough for me at this time in my (Zig's) life.  But I reckon I can add it to my morning rotation.

So yesterday morning I did Chest and Back X.  I felt totally tapped out as I was doing it.  I mean, after the first 20 push-ups I knew I was in trouble.  I struggled through the whole thing, resorting to only 5 "girlie-style" reps of the "weird" push-ups.  P hasn't installed my chin-up bar yet, but let's face it, if I had it, I wouldn't be able to do a single chin-up.  Instead I used a band for a lame (but still arm-kicking) modification.  My back was a little better off than my arms - I was able to do those without mods and for more time.  I made it through the whole DVD... well, I did every exercise.  What is really interesting to me is that my arms didn't really bother me for the rest of the day.  In fact, it is probably a figment of my imagination, but I felt stronger.  I knew that I'd be sore today, though, and I am.  Oh boy, am I sore!

Day 1 also calls for Ab Ripper X, which fits perfectly into my February core goal, so I did that when I got home from work.  Holy shitballs, that was a hellish 15 minutes of abs!!  I mean, I know I lost my entire core to the baby.  All of it.  But I think at my peak, when I was able to do Cores I, II, and III all in a row, I'd still struggle with this.  I mean, damn.  Ab kicker.  For serious.

This morning called for Plyometrics.  I knew going in that I'd need to mod the shit out of this to get through it because I have no intention of re-injuring my knee.  So that's what I did: as little jumping as possible.  But, holy shitballs, I still got my ass and legs kicked.  I don't think I've ever done so many squats.  When I got to work I could barely get up the stairs.  But again, interestingly, I don't feel awful.  I feel pretty good, but know I'll be sore tomorrow.

I'm curious at this point to see if I could get through a whole week of P90X, but I don't know if it is going to happen.  This morning I barely got out of the house in time, and 3:30am is about as early as my mind can handle for a wake-up call.  I think the rest of the DVDs are longer, so I don't know if I'll be able to do it... but then again, tomorrow is my last day of work this week, so maybe I can make something happen.

After only 2 days of P90X, I believe I can comfortably say that it would work.  If you do it, you'll get a good, possibly even great workout.  And if you completed the program I have no doubt your body would be better.  And more importantly, you'd be stronger.  If you're me, much stronger.  And I even think it would be great for the long term: since it is really weights and reps, you could always up your weight or reps, so it would continue to challenge you even as you got stronger.  I'm already envisioning it as a long-term addition to my workouts.  I'll keep blogging it to see where it goes.