Round 7: Day 55: Kenpo Cardio Plus

Cardio Week ended today with Kenpo Cardio Plus. I was in a bit of a rush to get out of the house this morning, and didn't quite feel up to a session of Insanity (mentally or physically speaking). So, I decided to finish the week in the same manner that I started it, and committed to Bring It with a higher degree of intensity and dedication.

And so, it went. I punched, jumped, kicked, elbowed, sworded and hammered with the kids, sweated a bunch, and polished off the week in style. I'm going to get back to a more typical routine over the next four weeks to finish up this Round, so I'll be back to a combination of resistance days and cardio days with, as always, yoga inserted mid-week.

I'm looking forward to Week 9.

Round 7: Day 54: Interval Plus

Back to the cardio grind today, with Interval Plus. Last night, I was really psyching myself up to do this workout, so when I awoke this morning, I was already in the mood. My cardio workouts have moved indoors with the change of temperature and the early morning darkness. Months of running have actually decreased my cardio endurance and my leg strength, it seems, because I've been finding these cardio workouts to be more difficult that I used to. There will be a period of adjustment as my body gains strength and endurance.

Today was a little better than the last time I did this workout. I managed to cruise through the first half, really only feeling fatigued following my nemesis, Carlito 3-way pushups. This is a full-body activity with a full range of motion. There's not much of a break in the first 20 seconds, because your body is still run through pretty much a full range of motion by standing, then assuming a plank position, then standing with arms raised. The next phases add a push-up and a vertical jump. It's a tough move, made more difficult by its placement within the workout. I typically have paused the DVD following this move and, upon catching my breath a bit, recommence.

By the end of the workout, I'm sweating profusely. It's not as challenging as an Insanity workout, but it's probably the next best thing. Who knows what cardio torture I'll impose on myself tomorrow.

Round 7: Day 53: Yoga

Last night, I felt that my legs and, in particular, my quads, were rather sore. Even my back was bothering me a little when I would lie down for sleep. I felt as though a good session being stretched out on the rack would bring some relief to my body. So, I was really looking forward to yoga this morning, harbouring the hope that a good stretch would eliminate muscle soreness.

Yoga never fails to produce results. I've been feeling rather stressed lately, so I was hoping to achieve some peace of mind from my yoga practice in addition to muscular relief. Sometimes, you can't have it all. I was not able to achieve a really good focus today, or rather, I wasn't really able to empty my mind and be in the moment. It felt as though my body was going through the motions, but my mind wasn't in the right place. The result was that while I did get a good stretch and reduced my physical soreness, my mental needs went largely unaddressed. That's a shame, because when your mind isn't into it, you don't derive the maximum benefit the practice has to offer. On the other hand, the physical half of the practice went acceptably well, as my body now feels nice and loose. With a decent night's sleep, I should be ready to pound out a couple more days of cardio to complete this week.

Round 7: Day 52: Mason's Choice

Every time I do this workout, I end up feeling gassed by the end. It starts slowly, then builds up in intensity over the course of the workout. By the time it's over, I'm done. I've only done this workout three times, but it's really growing on me.

In keeping with my promise to myself this week, I selected this workout as a way of kicking myself in the duff to get moving and to shake up the status quo. As I write this, my legs are feeling a bit sore, so I'm looking forward to a bit of stretching through yoga tomorrow. In the meantime, I think my schedule revision is starting to have some effect, as I'm feeling a bit more energetic and less sluggish. A decent night's sleep would help, too. I'll have to start paying closer attention to my bedtime.

Bring It!

Round 7: Day 51: Super Cardio

My body fared well following yesterday's workout, so there was no trepidation in hitting the cardio circuit again today. In anticipation of some body soreness, I elected to go for Super Cardio, two-thirds of which are sufficient to work up a really good sweat. There are a lot of squat moves in this workout, which really burns the quads. Further, most of the moves have a really full range of body motion, which is really useful out in the real world. When your body is used to bending down and stretching up high, then doing those kinds of movements during the course of a normal day won't cause you injury. That's what it's all about: to be more durable and less vulnerable out in the real world.

In terms of nutrition, I'm taking to an old trick, where I floss and brush my teeth right after supper. Since I'm lazy by nature, I won't brush twice in one night, so this approach prevents me from eating anything after I've brushed. I'll allow myself some water, but that's it. So, no eating past 8:00PM, coupled with brushing early and consuming water should really assist in keeping me honest in the food consumption department. After a few weeks, hopefully this regimen will become a habit, and I'll be back on the health train.

I'm starting to regain some of my optimism.

Round 7: Day 50: Kenpo Cardio Plus

It's already past the half-way point in this Round and, disappointed by my progress so far, I decided to up the ante this week with the goal of changing my lackadaisical mindset and kick-starting my way into losing some body goo. So, with the exception of taking one day for yoga, I'm going to pound my body into submission with non-stop cardio this week. I've been slacking over the past few weeks, so it's time for a little corporal and mental punishment.

Kenpo Cardio Plus isn't exactly a heavy dose of either corporal or mental punishment, but it does raise the heart rate and it does highlight some of my weaknesses, namely, leg kicks. I'm usually sore in the buttocks the day after doing this workout, so I thought it would be a good start to a week of pain. As usual, it took me some time to get started, because I was distracted by World Series highlights, having missed the game(!) due to a social engagement. Once I got off the couch, it was a pleasant and sweat-inducing workout which, to my surprise, didn't pound my glutes as much as I had thought it would.

Coupled with the cardio workouts will be a renewed vigilance with respect to nutrition. Most of the time, I find that if I'm gaining weight, it's because I'm not paying sufficient attention to what's going into my body. Recently, what's been going in has been a bit on the crappy side. It can be tough to eat clean. You have to make decisions every time you lift a fork or spoon to your mouth: "is this going to support my health objectives or harm them?". Mental strength is required every time for me. The weekend, however, was good. I managed not to overeat, drank plenty of water, and didn't feel hungry between meals.

It's looking like a good start.

Round 7: Day 48: Mason's Choice

I'm still here; I've just been somewhat delinquent in posting over the past few days. Today I picked up Mason's Choice again for the second time, and really enjoyed it. It takes me awhile to work up a sweat, but there are times in the latter portion of the workout where I sweat freely and am a bit short of breath. Tony is in good humour, and it's an engaging workout.

I'm still battling motivation issues, and I'd say that this Round hasn't been particularly successful so far, even though I'm heading into my second Recovery Week. Time is passing, results aren't being achieved, improvements aren't being seen, boredom is setting in, weight is up, definition is down, and some muscle has been lost. Not a good situation, I'd say.

Since I haven't been particularly intense, I'm not going to make this an official Recovery Week, but rather a rachet-up-the-intensity-with-cardio week. I'd like to spend one week really pushing myself to increase my energy level and to drop some weight (even if it's water weight). I just want to see if I can jump back onto the fitness bandwagon with a really tough week.

I've got a notion in my mind that I'll finish up this Round, take off a couple of weeks, then do a session of pure Insanity. It will be a change of pace, to say the least, and will shake up my fitness regimen. I'm also interested in seeing whether it will help me melt off some stubborn fat.

On to Week 8.

Round 7: Day 44: Diamond Delts

Back to resistance today, with Diamond Delts. It's been about a month since I last did this workout. The last time, I recall, I slightly tweaked a muscle in my neck when doing the two direction shoulder flys, so I had a bit of fear about re-injuring myself. There's always that moment of fear and hesitation when reconnecting with something that gave you some pain. I felt that way about taking up running again, following my calf injury in June of this year. I suppose that it's only natural that your brain gives you a warning about something when that thing has hurt you before. It's a bit like entering into another personal relationship after you've had a particularly painful breakup. You move with caution.

Psychology aside, I think there's another reason that I've been distanced from Diamond Delts for awhile: I didn't particularly feel like doing resistance workouts. There always seems to be a clear reason for things: I don't want to. It's not really a good reason, but it dogs each of us at some point in our lives, and it applies to so many aspects of life, not just physical exercise. But, like other aspects of life, you have to throw out the "I won'ts or I can'ts, and change them to "I wills". Not easy, but ultimately, it's the right thing to do if you want to achieve in your particular endeavour.

Today's workout was challenging. My right shoulder was bothering me, the lingering effects of a rotator cuff injury I suffered while playing baseball as a young boy. My right shoulder always clicks and cracks when I rotate my arm around my shoulder. It's not that painful; it just results in a slightly restrictive movement which normally doesn't bother me when doing pushups, but is noticeable when doing pike presses, because they more fully engage the shoulders, rather than the pecs.

So, I put on a brave face and did the best I could. And, I would say that today's workout was pretty successful, as a result. The next time will be easier, as I get my way back into resistance workouts.

Round 7: Day 43: Kenpo Cardio Plus

Hopping back onto the cardio bandwagon, I chose Kenpo Cardio Plus today, from P90X Plus. Like Friday's workout, this isn't the most intense workout I own, but it does encourage you to work up a good sweat, provided you put effort into it.

Even though I've done this workout many times before, the passing of time has dimmed my memory somewhat. I had some coordination issues trying to make my body do some of the moves and actually had to refer to the TV to make sure that the right limb was moving in the right direction at the appointed time. The most difficult move (to do, that is, not to remember) is the Gladiator. I'm handicapped by a low ceiling in my workout space (about 6'-3" high) so getting a good, high jump with a leg kick could result in a serious concussion. So, my move is a little modified in the name of health preservation and in the desire to spare my country additional medical expenses. Still, attaining a high leg kick is a challenge for my piano string-like hamstrings, and, after 10 repetitions each side, I've had enough of this move. I've never found it to be easy, although I can manage to live through 30 second's worth of effort.

I completed the workout without taking a water break, although I did mop off my face a couple of times. After 18 months, this workout still challenges. I like that about this series, and about all of Tony's workouts. You're challenged to grow and compete against yourself.

Round 7: Day 41: Interval Plus

Buoyed by my (fairly light) cardio workout yesterday, I decided to increase the intensity of my cardio work by doing Interval Plus, from the P90X Plus series. It's been a really long time since I did this workout, and it still rocks. It's not as difficult as an Insanity workout, but it is about as intense a cardio workout as Tony Horton will provide.

Doing this workout has revealed that, despite my consistent effort to run, running is not as effective a workout as interval training. Even though my heart rate never exceeded 147 or so, I burnt a ton of calories, significantly more than I burn during a run with a higher heart rate. Following the workout, I had severe leg shake, something I've never experienced in the hour following a run. I've been tired after a run, certainly, but today, I really felt that interval training beat me up. It's a great feeling, and it told me that running diligently has actually left me slightly out of shape.

As the weather has now pretty much changed for the colder (0°C overnight, complete with frost) and the days are growing shorter, I'm not inclined to head outdoors at 6:30AM for a run. So, my routine is changing back to strictly indoor training (OK, I'm a bit of a suck, but I don't really acclimatize well to cold weather - so what am I doing in Toronto anyway? That's the subject of another story). As such, I'm intending to slowly ramp up the intensity of my cardio training, starting with the One on One series, a little P90X (love the Plyometrics!) and eventually wind up in Insanity-land again, training in a pool of my own sweat. Sure, it sounds glamourous, but I figure I'm worth it.

I had lunch with a friend today. He had a large grilled cheese sandwich with bacon; I had a salad with light vinaigrette dressing. He told me that all this "healthy stuff" might add 3 months to my life. I told him that I'm looking forward to aging with fewer health problems than the average person, and he could feel free to consume whatever pleases him. I guess that was a moment of personal revelation: live healthy, eat clean, and maximize what your genes have given you.

On to Week 7.

Round 7: Day 40: Cardio Intervals

Looking for a little more fat burning, I decided to stick with cardio this week, and selected Cardio Intervals. That was a bit of a mistake, as I think I really was looking for Super Cardio, which is more of a leg burner. Anyhow, I suppose that some movement is better than no movement, and once I put a DVD in the player, I tend to stick with it. It's been so long since I did either workout, that I figured that it's all good, regardless.

Truthfully, this workout is a bit of a lightweight, but as I've been doing so much running as my cardio component over the last few months, moving in an unfamiliar way was good to shake up my body and add a bit of variety to my routine. Normally, I don't find this workout to be particularly exerting, but the leg kicks and the moderate jumping exercises did cause my heart rate to elevate, and I did find myself a bit worn out by the end. It's obviously not the same as running, where my heart rate elevates quite high; on the other hand, it has sufficient irregular movements to keep things interesting and to hit muscle groups that aren't stressed over the course of a run.

Round 7: Day 39: Yoga

Anticipating a stressful day today, I was really happy to have started my morning with yoga. I was going to be making a pitch to a potential client this morning which could alter the very fabric of the universe itself, so I wanted to be sure to make a good impression. Being sweaty, nervous and having your breath coming in shallow, short bursts is not the best way to make a good impression. Thankfully, yoga can assist in countering those symptoms of nervousness.

It's amazing how the simple act of taking a few deep, cleansing breaths can affect your body. Yoga is perfect for helping you to gain control over your mind and your body. Deep breathing, staying in the moment, calming the mind and relaxing the body are what I practised this morning. Staying in the moment and calming my mind were the most difficult, as my mind was constantly distracted by the impending meeting. Nevertheless, I was still able to stretch out my body, so I wouldn't have that clenched jaw and shoulder look at my meeting, and I was able to enter the meeting standing tall and open-chested, breathing deeply, composed and focussed. Thanks to yoga.

Namaste.

Round 7: Day 38: 100/30/20

For some unknown psychological reason, I've been ducking out of doing intensive weightlifting routines lately, in favour of pursuing cardio workouts. Today, I followed the same routine. I awoke feeling that I should be doing Just Arms or Diamond Delts, but my heart just wasn't in it. My mind gave up before my body had the chance to start. I didn't want to skip working out (actually, I did, but chose not to) so I thought that a reasonable compromise might be to engage in an upper, middle and lower workout. With that in mind, I selected 100 (skipping) - 30 (abdominal repetitions) - 20 (pushups).

In my heart, I know that I should be engaging in more intensive resistance workouts; for now, I'll be satisfied with the fact that I'm just working out at all. It seems as though I'm going through some sort of phase where motivation is really an issue. Lacking motivation, I'm really rather pleased that I can just get some sort of workout in at all. Over time, this will probably pass, and I'll be hitting the workouts with a greater sense of aggression.

Today's workout, while somewhat moderate compared to others I've done (and I've noticed by glancing at the blog sidebar that I've done quite a lot of different workouts) is still sufficient to raise the heart rate and cause me to break a sweat. During the skipping portions, I engage in rapid jumping jacks, which, after a couple of sets, nicely loosened up my shoulders. I wasn't sore from yesterday's Iso Abs workout, so I was able to do the 30 reps of the various abdominal exercises. Some are more difficult than others, and they don't move particularly quickly, so it wasn't long before I felt a pretty good ab burn. Pushups (my specialty!) are straightforward for me, and 20 of any type aren't onerous, so that section of the workout actually felt like a bit of a break. Once you've done Tony's 30-15 workout, 20 pushups feel like a warmup.

Overall, a good workout, in spite of a lack of motivation. I'll work on my attitude more, and try harder to get back into more intensive workouts.

Round 7: Day 37: Iso Abs

Time for another review of a never-been-tried DVD (for me): Iso Abs, part of the One on One series by Tony Horton. I was heading for an upper body workout today, but didn't really feel like it. Motivation is a funny thing. If I only worked out when I'm motivated, I'd probably end up working out twice a month. The key is to work out even when you don't feel like it. As Tony points out in the DVD, if you're upper body is sore, work on the lower body. If your lower body is sore, work on the upper body. If both your upper body and lower body are sore, work on the middle. There's always something which can occupy your attention.

Well, my body wasn't particularly sore this morning, but my mind wasn't particularly willing. So, I put Iso Abs into the DVD player and hit 'play'. This is an interesting collection of moves, ten in all, twelve reps per move. The entire sequence of ten moves is done twice over the course of the workout, for a total of twenty, taking approximately 40 minutes of gut wrenching time.

Unlike Ab Ripper X (from P90X), which moves at a fast pace, each move in this workout is done rather slowly, occasionally holding isometric postures, which can be excruciating. At times, I had to rest my legs on the floor to take a break for a rep or two for recovery purposes, then jumped back into the fun. The good thing about the speed of the movements (or lack thereof) is that you have an opportunity to focus on your breath and your form. As Tony suggests, if you take the emotion out of your face and breathe deeply, you can concentrate on putting the energy and effort where it's required, namely, in your abs. It's easier said than done.

This was an excellent ab workout which moved much faster (in terms of elapsed time) than I thought it would. A 40-minute ab workout seemed daunting, but the time actually passed rather quickly. It's definitely a keeper.

Round 7: Day 36: Run

It was such a spectacular, sunny day in Toronto that I decided to head outside for a run. As the weather is really changeable here now, it's a good idea to spend time outside while you still can. At 11:00AM, I headed out in 17°C sunshine for a nice run on the intermediate length circuit.

My running has steadily been improving over the past number of months, but the last few times out, I haven't been impressed with my time. My heart rate is elevated to a good level, but I don't seem to be matching the time I used to post. Such was the case today. I felt good throughout the run, but didn't post a great time. Actually, I was about 90 seconds slower than I'd like to have been. I'm not going to get worked up about my timing. After all, I'm not about to enter a competition, nor am I some sort of elite athlete. Realizing that I'm just trying to do my best and forget the rest, I'll be satisfied that I laced up my shoes and headed out, sort of the asphalt equivalent of hitting the "play" button on the DVD player.

This could very well be the last run of the year for me. At least it was a pleasant day.

Round 7: Day 33: Mason's Choice

I dug into my DVD collection today to come up with a cardio routine, and out popped Mason's Choice, also known as Cardio Confusion, from Tony Horton's One on One series.

The workout consists of a series of cardio moves picked at random out of a hat by director Mason Bendewald, then such move is performed by Tony Horton. I wouldn't exactly say that hilarity ensues, but there are light moments, typical of a One on One workout. It's rough, it's raw, it's personal (in a good way).

The moves come from a variety of sources: Power90, P90X, Master Series, and One on One. There were some moves I've never seen before and some I had done previously. Some moves felt awkward, like the Kenpo exercises, but that's probably because my body has never really taken well to kicks and punches. I recall it took weeks before I started feeling comfortable with some of the Kenpo kick and punch combinations and, if I don't do the DVD on a regular basis, it still feels strange when I finally get back to it. Kenpo is just not a particularly natural thing for me. On the other hand, many of the individual exercises were great and overall, this is a workout which, if you put in a strong effort, will bring reward.

One thing I liked about this routine is that there is no equipment involved. At one point, Tony steps outside on the deck to jump some rope, but I substituted jumping jacks for skipping, which successfully maintained an elevated heart rate. At another time, Tony used a medicine ball for press jacks, but I think that exercise can still be effective without carrying an additional 4 lb weight.

Overall, a very pleasant workout experience.

Round 7: Day 32: Yoga

I just noticed that it's already Day 32; over one-third of this Round has passed. I guess I could have noticed that upon the completion of Recovery Week no. 1, but sometimes the obvious eludes me. Sometimes I'm more of a digital guy (hence, my attention to the numerical value) than analogue (hey! who ate one-third of the pie?!). On the other hand, I definitely prefer my speedometer and my wristwatch to be analogue. I'm a throw-back to last century, in some respects. In many ways, I'm a visual person (I am, after all, an architect, so I ought to be), so I like to see the position of things in a context. Digital doesn't do that for you.

But I digress. Today, being mid-week, is yoga day. My calves were feeling a bit strained, probably from Monday's calf raises (with dumbbells in hand) and from yesterday's run, so downward dog position, pedalling the feet back and forth, bending the knees, straightening the legs, was most welcome. I could feel the fibres in my calves and achilles tendons stretch out. There wasn't any pain, just a good stretch. I have a fear that one day, my achilles tendons are just going to snap from being stretched out like piano wire, so I'm really conscious about taking extra time prior to and following exercising, to make sure that they're properly stretched and warm. It's all about endurance, don't you know. I'll do what it takes to be more durable and less vulnerable out in the cold, cruel world. If that means 10 extra minutes of stretching, count me in.

So, today was time well spent with the dogs, warriors and moons. Deep breathing was helpful and calming, as I went to a stressful meeting straight from home. Deep, cleansing breaths is all it took to ensure my heart rate was low and my body was relaxed.

Round 7: Day 31: Run

I awoke this morning feeling a bit sore from yesterday's UML workout. My shoulders were a bit stiff, and I didn't really feel like lifting weights. Furthermore, it's still relatively warm out during these early fall days (even though the sun doesn't rise until around 7:00AM), so I'm still inclined to stay outside, weather permitting. And today, the weather was certainly permitting, so I headed out in the early morning darkness for a run.

Today's run was unusual, in that while the mind was willing, the body protested. That doesn't usually happen to me; in fact, it's usually the opposite, where my body says "go" and my mind says "stop". I could tell after the first few blocks that this run was going to be a challenge. I mulled over the thought of cutting the run short, or walking a bit, but I toughed it out, doing my best while continuing to run. I felt that if I were to stop running, I likely wouldn't start again, and would walk the rest of the way home.

When I finally arrived in my driveway, I had indeed blown my time, finishing about 90 seconds later than I would have liked, but I had achieved a minor victory by not surrendering to my mind and by not giving up. I like to develop this mental toughness. I have a crazy feeling that it will help to build my character. Even at my age, I think my character is something that can benefit from development. Not a great day for fitness perhaps, but one which will benefit me in some other way.

Round 7: Day 30: Upper, Middle, Lower

This wasn't the typical Mammoth UML found on Tony Horton's One on One DVD. Today, my wife invited me to join her for a workout at her office gym. It was a great day to go, as it was the Canadian Thanksgiving, and the gym would be empty. Having spent most of my time working out alone in my home to a DVD, I'm not used to being in the gym, and I find them (and their occupants) a bit intimidating. Some people are capable of going forever on the treadmill or on a rowing machine, while I'm just used to doing my body-weight and fairly light dumbbell exercises. If this were a day when the gym was crowded, I doubt I'd attend.

But the place was empty, so I could do as I pleased, and it pleased me to create a customized UML (Upper, Middle, Lower) routine. The workout consisted of some type of pushup followed by some type of abdominal exercise followed by some kind of leg or lower body exercise; then repeat for as many sets as possible. I managed 12 sets before failing completely.

Unlike yesterday, when my extended run beat me up for the balance of the day, today's workout resulted in an increase in energy throughout the day. I felt strong and flexible and alert. Perhaps the difference is that yesterday's workout was a really intense cardio workout whereas today's was tough on my muscles, but light on cardio. Anyhow, I really enjoyed myself and would love to have the chance to do that again.

Round 7: Day 29: Run

Another fine day for running. Today, I extended my route to include the full length of the ravine near my home. It was really pleasant running in a pastoral setting for about two-thirds of the route, and it included a variety of surfaces: gravel, wood chips, mud, grass and asphalt. There's a huge difference running on wood chips vs. asphalt. My knees thanked me.

The new route took me longer to complete, and I was really exhausted by the time I reached home. My maximum heart rate is 170 (using the rule of thumb formula of 220 minus my age) and I believe I'm supposed to be exercising at about 85% of my maximum heart rate. Imagine my surprise when I glanced at the heart rate monitor to see 166 registering. That was the highest I've ever seen it. I didn't average 166 BPM, but I would say that I did average around 152 throughout, which is still a bit high. Overall, I kept up that rate for 27 minutes. Not bad for an old guy.

Recovery was another story. Although I took my recovery drink following the run, I felt bagged for much of the day. Instead of exercise leading to a heightened sense of energy, I felt the opposite, an indication that perhaps I overdid it. Perhaps I'll go back to the shorter route for a while, or slow down my pace a bit on the longer circuit.

Round 7: Day 27: Run

I've become somewhat delinquent in my posts, not posting for a few days at a time, then posting several days at once. Sometimes it seems to me that these posts are a bit monotonous and repetitive and, I guess they are, as they're dedicated to one aspect of my life which is repetitive. I suppose that if I were to post about my daily work activities, a similar kind of pattern might emerge. What can I say: I'm a creature of habit. The habit these writings are dedicated to are fitness and health.

Recently, I was musing about the possibility of taking up touch football again, after an absence of about 15 years. I used to enjoy running around for a couple of hours, catching the odd ball, chasing down an opponent, and enjoying the camaraderie of playing with the guys and the occasional moment of the intensity of competition. Thinking about reliving that has reignited my interest in playing again. Of course, I'm a bit nervous about the state of my body and the brittleness of my bones. Back in the day, when we were younger, more agile and stronger, we still suffered injuries due to collisions and falls, not to mention the occasional stubbed finger. Now, being older, slower and weaker, I'm probably more susceptible to injury, or possibly not, due to my conditioning over the past few years. I'm looking forward to finding out the answer, and it could come as early as this weekend.

I'm interested in building up my legs, lung power and stamina a bit, so I'm more cardio-focussed than previously. So, I engaged in a run today to finish up Recovery Week and to release a bit of pent-up energy I've been feeling since my recent eye surgery. All is well. I beat my best time, released my energy, and finished up the week with a nice flourish.

Bring on Week 5.

Round 7: Day 26: Yoga

Yogapalooza continues this week, with Patience "Hummingbird" yoga, courtesy of Tony Horton. I didn't get enough sleep last night (Yankees vs. Twins!), and woke up a bit on the late side this morning. Not wanting to miss my daily stretch, I decided to select the shortest yoga DVD in my collection. Short it may be (who's talking here, Yoda?), but it still gets the job done.

In contrast to Yoga X, which moves at a fairly quick pace by comparison, this practice minimizes the number of poses, but requires you to hold each pose for rather a long time. I wouldn't say that it taxes your patience; rather, it gives you the opportunity to really give your body a great stretch, the chance to synchronize your breath with the movements, and plenty of time to clear your mind, focus on the present, and calm yourself. I was a little stiff this morning from some of the balance postures of yesterday, and holding my poses for extended periods of time allowed me to work out those kinks.

Hopefully, playoff baseball won't impart so much bodily strain and mental distress, but I'm not counting on that. At least there's yoga to help counter the impact of seeing your favourite teams go down the drain.

Round 7: Day 25: Yoga

Continuing with my week of stretching, I took up the second half of Yoga X, having done the first half yesterday. This is the first time I've done this, although I've seen on the web that many others have tried before, usually due to lack of time or lack of patience. My excuse today was lack of time.

It's not the best idea to do just the 2nd half of Yoga X. A better idea would be to to the first half, which involves stretches and moving options. The second half, consisting of balance postures, some stretches, and Yoga Belly 7 (abdominal exercises) is best pursued having first seriously warmed up your body. Entering into this venture cold could result in injury by overstretching. Conscious of that possibility, I made sure not to push my body past the point of no return. When I felt resistance, I stopped, breathed, and tried to go a few millimetres farther, but without risking injury.

Similar to yesterday, I found the second half of this DVD fairly easy to get through, in spite of the fact that I hadn't done it in quite some time. I think that the other yoga DVDs in my collection have proven to be adequate substitutes for Yoga X and, although they lack the length of Yoga X and in some cases, some of the intensity, regular practice has made me sufficiently supple and flexible to pick up Yoga X and complete it with relative ease. The exception might be Wheel pose, which has always been difficult as my spine doesn't seem to want to bend into a reverse-U form, and the Warrior pose with the hand grab behind the back. While I can still do this pose, I always find it difficult to grab my hand, one side presenting more problems than the other. Similarly, seated spinal stretch is tough. It goes to show you that taking care of your spine is really important.

Having had so much fun, I think I'll return to Yoga X on a more frequent basis. It's nice to remember that it's there to add variety.

Round 7: Day 24: Yoga

Following eye surgery yesterday, the doctor advised that I should avoid working out aggressively for about a week; thankfully, this is Recovery Week, so workouts tend to be lighter than normal anyway. I've decided that I'll dedicate the remainder of the week to stretching and yoga, and dispense with core work or anything strenuous which might cause my eyeballs to pop out of my pointy little head.

I picked up Yoga X (from P90X) today, not having done it in recent memory. Unfortunately, I didn't have time for the full 1.5h practice, so I did the moving options which last for about 48 minutes. It seems to me that compared to the One on One DVDs, Yoga X moves along at quite a rapid clip. I prefer to take my time with the vinyasas, engaging in a full stretch and lingering in its benefits. Also, taking longer in downward dog gives you a bit of a breather and offers an opportunity to stretch out your calves and achilles tendons.

Having said that, I do feel that Yoga X isn't as hard as I recalled it to be. I realize that I only did half the practice, but I find that the first half is more difficult than the second half. I used to huff and puff and sweat profusely through the first half; now, no longer. I'll take that as a sign of improvement.

I'm looking forward to continuing my stretches over the course of the week.

Round 7: Day 23: Run

My posts are a little out of joint, as I'm playing catch-up by posting a few days at a time. I talked about yoga, yesterday's exercise, but included some of today's news. I'm just out of it a bit.

Anyhow, I forgot to mention that today's exercise was a good, stiff run, prior to having my eye procedure. I was really nervous all week in anticipation of the procedure, and didn't sleep well last night due to stress. I thought that a solid run would really help to relax my body and mind. My body was a bit tight this morning, and I didn't feel as though my running motion was particularly fluid. I could see my shadow cast by the streetlights, and it seemed to me that my upper body had more motion than it probably should have had. It was an interesting feeling, running in the darkness a few moments before daylight. I find that time to be particularly calming, as the stresses of the day (read: eye surgery) haven't yet kicked in. My mind wandered all over the place, picking up remnants of tunes from I don't know where, and thinking about emails and telephone calls. I wasn't able to clear it of thought and stay in the moment, yoga-style, but I was certainly distracted mentally during the duration of the run. Before I knew it, the run was over, although I was about 30 seconds longer than I would have liked to have been. I guess the distractions resulted in the additional time.

On the other hand, the run served me well, helping to dissipate the pent-up energy I'd been holding in for the past few days. When it came time for the eye procedure, I was nervous, but I had an idea about how to control my body's stress. I don't panic at an elevated heart rate, because I know it's been much higher than it was during the procedure, and I know that won't last forever. A little deep breathing, a relaxing of the body overall, and allowing the mind to drift was all I needed to get by. There are certainly benefits to regular exercise.

Round 7: Day 22: Yoga

It's been tough gaining access to a computer over the past few days, so I've missed a few posts. In that time, I've completed a few runs. The weather is still cooperating for now, so I'm trying to stay outside as much as possible.

Commencing the Phase 1 Recovery Week, I engaged in yoga. To be honest, I wasn't particularly keen on yoga, so I picked the short disc (Patience, Hummingbird). I guess I'll have to work on the "Patience" portion a little harder. The practice does move quickly; actually, the practice moves slowly, but the time passes quickly, so by the time I finished, I was really happy that I decided to do something, rather than nothing at all. It does sometimes amaze me at how well I feel after a workout, in spite of the fact that I didn't feel motivated to work out at all. The important thing is to put in a DVD and hit the Play button, regardless of how you feel.

I'm still working out some kinks in my neck, left over from a slight strain from the last time I did Diamond Delts. These little strains, aches and pains are really starting to become a nuisance. I'm looking forward to just feeling really fit and ready to tackle the challenges of the day. It's been about 5 weeks since I last felt that way.

The other day, I bumped into an old friend who told me that he's still playing touch football on the weekends. I gave up football about 15 years ago, and have had regrets since. I also gave up playing baseball about 3 years ago when I was experiencing pain in my hip flexors and couldn't effectively field a ground ball anymore. Since then, I've done numerous rounds of P90X and similar high-intensity exercises, coupled with a lot of stretching. My hips now have full mobility, although my baseball playing is limited to catch with my son in the local park. Football, however, really intrigued me. With all the running I've been doing over the last few months and the strength training I've undertaken with Plyometrics and Insanity, I think I could take on football again. I'll find out in a couple of weeks, when I attend my first game. With some trepidation, I'm really looking forward to it. At least I know that I'm in better shape than my friend, so I'm optimistic that I'll be able to keep up with the group. Another side benefit of doing the X.

Yoga has taught me to calm myself and to de-stress. Today, I had a minor surgical procedure on my eye which, for some, is no big deal, but I'm ridiculously squeamish about anything having to do with eyes. I can't even subject myself to eyedrops. I don't even want to talk about eyes. Anyhow, I had a procedure on my eye and was in the process of completely freaking out when, I thought of yoga. I was able to calm myself by taking deep, cleansing breaths, got my heart rate to normal, relaxed my entire body, and just cleared out my mind. Before I knew it, the procedure was over, and I'm in the process of recovering. Yoga really helped.

As a result of that procedure, I'll be taking it really easy this week, as I've been warned to stay away from heavy, aggressive lifting. So, being Recovery Week anyway, I'll spend extra time stretching and doing yoga. My hamstrings could use some love and attention.

Round 7: Day 18: Yoga

It's been a strange Phase 1 so far. I haven't quite been feeling like my normal self in terms of strength or flexibility. My endurance is still good, but my feeling of motivation has waned somewhat. When I wake up first thing in the morning, I don't really feel like jumping right into a workout, which is unusual for me. I don't think that the answer is to take off a couple of weeks; rather, the solution likely lies in keeping up with the workouts. I'm used to having an off day every now and then, but since starting this Round, it feels more like I've had some off weeks. I'm going to start paying more attention to my nutrition, to see whether there's a problem at that end that's causing these feelings. Although my weight is still stable, I just don't feel quite as fit as I used to.

One thing I haven't done for this Round is to formalize a workout schedule. I've been selecting workouts based on how I feel, but have been sticking to resistance on days 1, 3 and 5; yoga on day 4, and cardio on days 2 and 6. Recently, I've been thinking about switching the cardio and resistance days for 3 days of cardio and two days of resistance per week. I have a Recovery Week coming up next week, so I've got some time to consider the revision prior to implementation.

Today, I practiced yoga. I'm disappointed in my decreased flexibility. It seems to me that in previous months, I've been able to get my nose to my knee when I bend over. My hips and hamstrings just don't seem as flexible as they used to be. Perhaps it's age, perhaps diet, I'm not sure. Knowing that I want greater flexibility was sufficient motivation for today's practice. I tried to focus on form and on the goal of each pose. I did get a good stretch out of my hips, and I managed some slight improvements. I'll remain optimistic that with effort, I'll see some results.

Namaste.

Round 7: Day 17: 100-30-20

Although today was a resistance day, I decided to try out one of the new DVDs I recently received: 100-30-20, from One on One with Tony Horton, volume 2.

The workout, as its name implies, the workout consists of three types of exercises, each repeated the requisite number of times, rotating through skipping rope (100 jumps), an abdominal exercise (30 crunches), followed by a form of pushup (20 pushups). Then, repeat for about 8 sets.

This isn't the most exerting workout I've ever done, but it is a nice, solid, basic workout which touches on three areas: cardio, abs, and chest. Lacking a skipping rope and sufficient overhead clearance to do the skipping portion, I substituted mid-speed jumping jacks, each set lasting about a minute or so. That was sufficient to raise my heart rate and keep my shoulders loose for the pushup segment of the program.

The ab component is as challenging as you want to make it. If you really focus on form, you can get a good burn in your midsection. My only complaint would be that there were no exercises which targeted the obliques. Well, maybe a couple, but they weren't as intense as I'd have liked them to be.

There is an interesting variation on the Military style pushup, where you slide the bars back towards your waist, putting more stress than usual on your arms. It's a very challenging pushup. Also, doing the extra wide pushup took some effort.

Overall, this is a good workout. It moves quite quickly from one exercise to the next, leaving very little time for recovery between exercises. This helps to keep your heart rate elevated, and I did work up a decent (although not Insanity level) sweat. I'd say that it likely belongs in a Recovery Week.

Round 7: Day 16: Run

Fortunately, it's still pretty nice weather. The mornings are dark, and the sun isn't rising until around 7:00AM, but the temperature is still decent at 6:30AM, when I head out for my morning run. There's something nice about running alone in the dark, with the world seemingly still asleep, very few cars on the road, and deserted sidewalks. There's a sense of calm and serenity which I really appreciate. For the duration of the run, I can be alone with my thoughts. There aren't too many moments of solitude like that during the balance of my day, so I take it when I can.

Today's run seemed laborious at first, but lapsed into a feeling of effortlessness. I still don't think that this is the fabled Runner's High, but it is amazing to me that my mind just seems to drift into another dimension while my body propels forward on automatic pilot. I'm not really conscious of my breathing or any pain or discomfort in my body. I just find myself snapping out of my stupor at certain points along my route, such as when I turn a corner or step off a curb or experience a change in grade or ground material. Other than that, the entire run seems to be all in my head.

My time is consistent, as I seem to be running within 15 seconds of my fastest speed. Today's run had me in that zone, but with perhaps the lowest heart rate I've yet experienced. Recovery was swift. Perhaps it's time for yet another extension to the length of the route.

Round 7: Day 15: Chest and Back

Back to the tried and true to commence Week 3. I'm still enjoying this workout, even though I've been doing it for almost two years.

No major gains today, but my numbers were at least holding steady from previous weeks. Decline pushups seem to be getting more difficult, which is surprising, considering all the pushups I can do, and that I've really improved in Pike Presses (from Diamond Delts). I realize that a Pike Press is different from a Decline pushup, but I would think that if I'm capable of a Pike Press, the Decline should come with relative ease. Apparently not.

A friend of mine recently recommended expanding my collection of workouts, so I've recently received additional DVDs to bring me up to date in the One on One collection. I'm looking forward to the new workouts, and will use them to add more variety into the workout schedule.

Round 7: Day 12: Diamond Delts

Sorry for the late posts, but better late than never. My goal this year is to utter a cliché a day, and so far, I'm on track.

It seems that my strength is slowly returning, as my numbers were slightly increased from the last time I did this workout (only a week ago), but I'm still marginally below where I'd ideally like to be. Patience.

Towards the end of the workout, I developed a slight neck strain while doing shoulder flys. How annoying, especially when the tweak came on the second last rep. It's something that's been bothering me now for a few days, but my range of motion is returning, and the pain has significantly decreased. It's just another reminder of how you need to keep on top of form and to concentrate on your work.

Round 7: Day 11: Yoga

In the blink of an eye, 12% of this Round has passed. I can't believe how quickly time moves, especially when you're having as much fun as I am.

The fun never stops when it's yoga day. Yoga always arrives at the perfect time of the week: always a Wednesday, which is kind of an ambiguous day in the work week; always on Day 4 of the workout week, providing a well-deserved break from the heart-thumping and pounding of cardio and the pushing and pulling of resistance workouts. Yoga, with its mind-calming and body relaxing results, brings physical soothing and mental and emotional regeneration when I most need it.

Physically, I'm still experiencing a bit of tightness in my lower back on the right-hand side. It's not serious enough to prevent me from pursing any of my workouts, but it's just annoying enough to limit me from a completely full range of motion. I notice it when I bend over and place my hands on the floor, and when I engage in hamstring stretches on the right side. Yoga is slowly releasing the tightness, but I think it will take another few weeks, perhaps to the end of the first Recovery Week, for my body to respond in full and for full movement to be restored. In the meantime, I'm focussing on my stretches and will not give up. The solution is to do more yoga, not less.

Namaste.

Round 7: Day 10: Just Arms

Like I did a couple of days ago, I decided to repeat Just Arms this week because I was a bit underwhelmed by my performance last week, and wanted to challenge myself to do better. I'm competitive with myself in that respect, never really being quite satisfied with the status quo, and desiring to push for a better me. That is, after all, one of the key reasons I work out: I want to be a better me.

Tony (Horton) gives some food for thought during this workout when he states (paraphrasing, here) that you do well with the things you're good at; you get great when you do the things you struggle with. I wouldn't say that I particularly struggle with exercises in this workout. Lifting weights is not quite the same thing as struggling to complete a single pushup, because you can always lift lighter weights if necessary. The importance of what Tony is saying is his message to jolt you out of your comfort zone. Doing so will stimulate your body to respond. When you stress different parts of your body by working out and force previously sedentary or underused body parts to work, those parts grow and improve. The result will be a better you.

That's why I pursue a varied workout routine, not repeating on consecutive days a particular type of exercise. I give my body an off-day between resistance workouts to rest; similarly, there are rest days between cardio workouts. I may not be good at all the workouts, but I do a bit of everything to ensure that my body continues to grow and to improve. Variety is the key to staying interested, to sticking with your program (whatever it may be), to positive changes (physically and mentally) and ultimately, to overall success.

Round 7: Day 9: Run

As I threatened last week, or some posts ago, I decided to increase the length of my circuit, as I had felt that I had excess energy upon completing the standard route. I basically took my standard route and added an extension mid-way through to extend the overall distance by about one-third. The extra distance took me through an adjoining neighbourhood and through a nearby ravine, so it was nice to see a change of scenery with different houses and a little detour through nature.

The run through the ravine was especially nice because I was able to run on some dirt paths and grass. It was really pleasant to feel the softer ground underfoot, a most welcome change from asphalt or concrete. Also, I don't particularly enjoy running adjacent to cars. It's a pleasure to leave (albeit temporarily) the sounds and smells of the city behind for a little bit of silence, punctuated by the sound of my feet hitting the trail and my somewhat heavy breathing.

My mind really wandered during the run. I had as song stuck in my head (Wind Up, by Jethro Tull) which accompanied me in various forms throughout the run. It wasn't an unpleasant experience, just a strange one, but it really must have occupied my thoughts because the run didn't seem to last long at all. I only periodically glanced at my heart rate monitor to confirm that I was in my zone, but never felt particularly stressed.

I'll likely pursue the same route again. It has a number of hills which were challenging but enjoyable, and the landscape, especially at this time of year with the trees starting to change colour, and really nice.

Round 7: Day 8: 30-15

I was still smarting (mentally) from my relatively poor showing in 30-15 last week that I decided to try it again to see whether improvements could be made. Thankfully, improvements could, indeed, be made. I wouldn't say that I crushed the workout, but I was able to post higher pushup numbers than last week, returning to numbers that I've been consistently achieving for the last few workouts. Thirty pushups was the norm, the exception being the last couple of rounds of standard-to-chataranga pushups, where I only managed to squeeze out 22 each. Those are really tough, coming at the end of the workout when your arms feel like jell-o.

I was particularly pleased to see that my strength and endurance had returned during the course of the week. Also, I was no longer feeling muscular soreness. The workout still feels like a bit of a cardio routine, as it moves rather rapidly from one exercise to the next. This made it all the more satisfying to complete the workout with improved results.

It's a good start to the week.

Round 7: Day 6: Run

The inevitable march towards winter continues, as evidenced by this morning's run. What used to be a pleasant experience, up and out at 6:30AM in mid-summer heat and sun has changed to awakening in darkness and entering a cool, sombre and forbidding world.

But it's not all bad. The air was somewhat crisp but refreshing, and darkness gave way to a beautiful sunrise midway through the run. My mind completely blanked out as I was running, almost like I was on automatic pilot. Before I knew it, the circuit had been completed, and my time was as fast as I've ever achieved. I think it's time to add a little more distance. I'm definitely capable of it, as it doesn't take too long to recover. All I need to do is to map out the circuit extension, or perhaps create a new route entirely. There's a nearby ravine which would be a pleasant addition, both in terms of hill training and adding some beauty to the trip.

Much of my body soreness has dissipated overnight, it seems, making me a little more optimistic about heading into Week 2. I still haven't printed out a schedule for the new Round, so far sticking to the principles of the last schedule, but I'll likely get to updating within a week or two. It's nice to have an idea in advance of the workout, and also to check on the frequency of workouts. More information is better.

Looking forward to a rest day, then bring on Week 2.

Round 7: Day 5: Diamond Delts

In spite of the restful and calming effect yoga had on me yesterday, coupled with an excellent sleep last night (I slept in this morning!) I still felt stiff and sore from the week's workouts. Obviously, it's going to take more than a couple of days to settle into my new exercise regimen. I was hopeful and optimistic that soreness would dissipate within a few days, but it seems like I should face up to the possibility that this could last a week or longer. C'est la vie.

As in my workouts earlier this week, I reduced the weight on several exercises, due to general body fatigue and an awareness of protecting my lower back from sustaining any injury. It still amazes me how much strength my body has lost over the past few weeks, as even with the reduced weight, in several exercises my number of repetitions still decreased. I had thought that a weight reduction would result in a repetition increase. Not so, at least for today. This was just one of those days where you Do Your Best and Forget the Rest. Occasionally, there will be days like this. I just haven't experienced too many of them (thankfully) and hope that they remain few, and far between.

The weather this week has taken a turn for the worse, and it looks like September is going to be a cool month. I'm still optimistic that I'll have numerous opportunities to run outdoors and, it appears, that tomorrow will temporarily banish the cloud and rain, and afford us a sunny day. I'm already looking forward to the end of Week 1 and a one day recovery on Saturday.

Round 7: Day 4: Yoga

Considering all the aches my body is currently experiencing, having just returned to my workout regimen, I was both looking forward to, and dreading, yoga. Over the past few weeks, I've felt a bit of tightening in my hamstrings and, due to a bit of stress on my back, a little residual soreness and constrained movement when bending forwards. Both of these areas get a lot of attention during a typical yoga practice.

Mentally, I was really prepared for yoga. Physically, not so much. Just bending over at the start of the practice made me realize that I've lost a bit of flexibility in the past few weeks. My hands didn't quite hit the mat in the manner they used to, and it felt like my hamstrings were preventing my legs from completely straightening out. My range of motion improved as the practice went on, but it was really a challenge today. My right hamstring in particular felt tight, especially during the hamstring stretch portion of the practice, but I was still able to grasp the bottom of my heel and get my nose relatively close to my knee. It's a challenge to keep the leg straight during this pose, but I felt that I was coming reasonably close to success.

Sore as my body was, I felt much better following yoga. It wasn't the full body massage feeling I've had on previous occasions, but it definitely took the edge off, and eased the worst of the soreness. Remember, this is only Week 1, and there's bound to be some soreness at the outset of a program. In time, my body should adjust. I just hope that time comes sooner, rather than later.

Namaste.

Round 7: Day 3: Just Arms

Starting over can be liberating; it can be frustrating; it can also be very, very painful. I'm still smarting (not in the good way) from Sunday's 30-15 workout. It's a bit embarrassing when you think you're in good shape, only to discover that your body seriously objects to some exercise following a 3-week hiatus. I thought I was better than this. Apparently, not.

But that's why I exercise. To be a better me. So, I'll accept short-term pain as a reminder not to lay off for too long again. My body will once again become accustomed to the daily regimen and, hopefully, I'll be rewarded by having a body which operates smoothly, efficiently and pain-free on a daily basis for many years to come. That's the plan, anyway. And it's always good to have a plan.

Today I got back into Just Arms. I didn't think that I could handle any shoulder or chest exercises, still being quite sore from the resistance workout a couple of days ago, so I felt that limiting the workout to arms would be tolerable. To my surprise (and delight) the workout went reasonably well. I decreased the weight on a couple of exercises (forearms and hammer curls) and managed to complete the workout without incident. For the last few months, hammer curls have been my nemesis, so decreasing the weight was probably a good move, to increase reps and gain a greater benefit from doing the exercise. Unfortunately, my arms were out of gas (it was the third exercise from the end of the workout) so reps didn't go up, in spite of the 5lb weight decrease. There's still a little endurance to be built up. Right now, my triceps are screaming with pain, and my biceps are still looking puffy and inflated. The good news is that weightlifting didn't have any adverse effect on my recently stressed back. It appears as though things have returned to normal. I'll be very careful to ensure that I'm lifting with good, clean form, so as to avoid any aggravation of the back, and will do some gentle, supplementary exercises to strengthen the affected area.

Yoga is going to be most welcome tomorrow, as always.

Round 7: Day 2: Run

It's still nice here in Toronto, although the weather is turning a bit cooler and the sun is rising a little later, as time continues its inevitable march towards winter, bringing mornings of extended darkness. I don't know about my fellow city-dwellers, but I try to make the most of daylight while we still have it, and want to stay outside as long as possible before having to bring my exercise routines indoors. I'm not much for winter sports (is there anything more beautiful or perfect than baseball?) so I spend my winter mornings exercising in darkness, dreaming of the day when the earth's rotation will bring us back to fairer weather, bringing with it the eternal hope that comes with Spring Training.

All of this is to say that I'm still not back to indoor cardio training (take that, Shaun T!) and will continue to spend my time outside running while I still can. I'm sure the various tortures of Insanity will still be waiting for me, and in short time, Shaun T will take his revenge by showing me just how out of shape I am. Having done indoor cardio workouts, I'm fully aware of the benefit of plyometric training, and its superiority to the regularity of running. I'm just going to try to extend summer as long as I can.

Round 7: Day 1: 30-15

After a few weeks off, I'm back to stressing my body. Time off is nice, but it can encourage some bad habits. I slipped a bit in terms of nutrition and exercise. I got used to sleeping in and to not working out first thing in the morning. I ate a bit of crap (some of the most delicious ice cream I've ever had in my life - hey, sometimes you've got to live a little), some beer, some cheese, and some bread. It may not sound like much, but my body has become so used to my nutrition plan that when I deviated, my body really reacted in a negative way. My system is used to processing certain foods and when I introduce something I haven't eaten in a few years, my body seems to reject it. It may be tasty in my mouth, but digestion is an entirely different story. My body is changing due to age and to nutrition, it seems, and I'm either becoming less tolerant or more pure, depending on how you look at things. At any rate, listening to your body has taken on a new meaning for me, as it now includes nutrition, as well as giving consideration to the general aches and pains of physically working out.

I spent some time away from home (and away from my trusty DVD player and hence, from Tony) and decided to take some workouts which I could follow without having to use any electronics (i.e., write down the sequences on a sheet of paper and follow it, like the good old days). This went well for a day, when I stretched myself to run a good distance down some country roads, breathing fantastically fresh air and feeling a renewed sense of life and energy. The next day, I pursued a modified form of 30-15, alternating leg and ab exercises with various types of pushups. All went well, with the exception of finishing strong by cranking out 50 Mason Twists (on a dock overlooking a glass-like lake, with the sun rising majestically over the far shore). Twists completed, I retired happily to a lawn chair to read a book (Brain Rules, by John Medina - a recommended read), and spent the balance of the day feeling my back seize up. Unfortunately, I think the twists (which I've done hundreds of times) gave me a bit of back tweak, which took about 5 days to un-tweak. I'll be more careful about focussing on engaging my core in the future.

Following my recovery, I spent a few days running, which is giving me more joy these days, and contemplating what Round 7 should look like. I still don't really have any specific ideas, so for now, I think I'll pursue the hybrid plan that I just completed, until something else appeals to me. I'm pretty satisfied with my progress to date, and more of the same (keeping things blended and mixed to encourage motivation, interest and results) seems like a worthy goal. I'm a little tired of Diamond Delts, Just Arms, Shoulders and Arms, Back and Biceps, and Chest/Shoulders/Triceps, so I'm on the lookout for some alternative workouts which will hit the same body parts, but with a different sequence of exercises. I'm looking into the One on One series for some more workouts which will help accomplish this.

Getting back to working out after a 3 week layoff was tough. 30-15 is an uncompromising routine. After 3 weeks, my upper body was a bit weak and tired. I've heard (and read) that the human body is an amazing machine unlike any other: the more you use it, the better it becomes. This was definitely borne out through 30-15. Not having done it in a while, it's tougher than ever. And that's only a 3 week layoff. My numbers were down pretty much across the board. Most pushups were down by 5 (25 instead of 30). It was a little disappointing, definitely humbling, and yet, somewhat encouraging. I've now got a challenge to meet. I'm reminded of the feeling I had when I first started P90X. It will be a bit of a climb, but, over time, I'll make some gains.

Bring It!

Round 6: Day 90: Run

Day 90. I can't believe how time slips by when you're having a seriously good time.

Today was my final run of the Round. I didn't wear a heart rate monitor today, as I got a sunburn on my upper body a few days ago. I was at the local water park with the kids and inexplicably forgot sunscreen lotion. Tip of the day: don't forget your sunscreen lotion! Result: a mild, but uncomfortable burn, which will dissipate in a few days, but prickles a bit right now. The thought of strapping on a chest strap as part of my heart rate monitor kit just didn't appeal, so I went without, promising myself that I'd try really hard (really).

The run breezed by. I wouldn't say that I achieved the mythical Runner's High, but my mind was wandering all over the place, and I didn't even notice where the time had gone before my run was complete. At some points, my running motion felt almost effortless: feet lightly moving over the ground, just picking up my legs and putting them back down, breath coming regularly without panting, a relaxed feeling in my jaw, and no clenching of my hands. Perhaps I'm more successful at the Pose Method. It's been fun so far.

This marks the end of Round 6. I'm going to take a few weeks off, doing some cardio, core, yoga and stretching to maintain flexibility prior to commencing Round 7, likely around September 13. In the meantime, I'll evaluate what my goals for the next round should be, and construct my new schedule accordingly.

This Round was a bit up and down. I've leaned out a little bit, losing some fat. On the other hand, I've also been successful in gaining some muscle, evident in my shoulders, chest and arms. My clothes are fitting looser, except some of my pants are a little tighter around my butt and thighs. That's not unusual or surprising during the summer, with all the cycling I've done. Pants fit loose around my waist, but are tight in the thighs. I'm becoming a tough fit.

My weight is up a few pounds, which, given the way my clothes fit and the increase in size of my upper torso, is of no concern to me at all. I've been successful at eating cleanly. I'm trying to get more into Mark Sisson's Primal Blueprint, which has been difficult given that my wife and children are fanatical devotees of all things grain; but I've managed to cut back significantly on grains while increasing my intake of fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, and fish. Overall, while there are nutritional improvements possible, I feel that I'm eating reasonably "clean".

My calf injury towards the end of Phase 1 signalled the end of Insanity for this Round, as I never got back into it once I rediscovered running. I'd like to get back to Insanity and I'm confident I will, especially as summer turns to fall, and ultimately, winter, when I basically hibernate until spring. I'm looking forward to resuming those workouts, with some sense of trepidation, but enjoy the challenges they offer, along with the rewards.

I'm going to take a hard look at my resistance workouts. I'm getting a little bored with CST, Back and Biceps and Shoulders and Arms, and might drop them from the next Round. Alternatives will have to be lined up, although I haven't seen anything particularly appealing from the One on One series that seems to favourably compete with 30-15, Just Arms, or Diamond Delts. I love those workouts for their challenges and their simplicity.

It's been almost 2 years since I started exercising on a regular basis, and I can't believe the changes my body has gone through. I started with 3 months of 10 minute trainer, then got into 2 rounds of P90X, then P90X+, then One on One, then added a dose of Insanity. It's been a challenging and rewarding experience as my body responds to self-imposed stresses and responds favourably. I've discovered a lot about myself, and am really glad I started on this journey. It started with a sense of self-disgust, and has led to a feeling of self-satisfaction. My life has improved, both measurably and intangibly. In many ways, I couldn't be happier.

Daily exercise (OK, 6 days a week) is now a staple of my life. I can't imagine starting the day without a workout of some description. Exercise and nutrition really are the fountain of youth.

The journey continues.

Round 6: Day 89: Chest and Back

Sticking with the theme of making this an extended workout week instead of a Recovery Week, I returned to my old friend, Chest and Back. No problems here, except occasionally running a bit short of breath (it tends to move rapidly, making it not only a strength workout, but also a bit of a cardio exercise for me). Every now and then, I think I should be increasing the intensity of the workout by adding some reps, but during the repeat round, I only seem to be able to barely match what I did in the first round. The key, as Tony notes, is to pace yourself. Thirty decline pushups is tough during the 2nd round, as are diamond and dive-bomber pushups. It's tough to keep up with myself, sometimes.

Still one of my favourite workouts, Chest and Back remains interesting and motivating. As I improve, it continues to challenge. I still enjoy the banter. There are always improvements to be made: can you go deeper into your pushup? Are you maintaining a strong plank form? Are you locking out your arms at the top? Can you do more? Yes to all.

Round 6: Day 88: Yoga

For some things in life, there's MasterCard; for everything else, there's yoga. The love affair with yoga continued today, with Patience Yoga from Tony Horton's One on One series. Moving at a slower pace and holding the postures for an extended period of time presents challenges. It does force you to have patience, and gives you opportunities to focus on your breathing; after all, there's nothing else to do. Patience, breath, and clearing the mind.

There's no other exercise which makes you so flexible and durable, none which works on strength, balance and coordination, or which calms the mind and relieves stress. I really hesitate to call it "exercise", because it's so much more than that. Do your yoga, and drink your water, people.

Namaste.

Round 6: Day 87: Kenpo Cardio Plus

I was scheduled for a resistance day today, but wasn't really in the mood for lifting. When that attitude strikes, I still find it's important to do something, rather than nothing, so I threw on the Kenpo Cardio Plus DVD and pressed play.

I think it's been awhile since I did this workout, and it really suited my mood. I've been assisting my daughter in the online registration for university courses and have been finding the user experience dissatisfying and frustrating, to say the least. Those feelings aren't easily dissipated by heavy lifting, I find, but they can be sweated out through some intensive cardio. Kenpo Cardio Plus is a good vehicle to vent one's frustrations, I find.

Throughout the workout, I was distracted by my thoughts of the on-line registration process. Feelings of frustration made me work even harder. I didn't wear a heart rate monitor, but I likely burned more calories today than in previous workouts. It's amazing how a bit of adrenaline and a dash of anger can get your body moving. By the end, I had a huge sweat on, and was pleasantly exhausted, my feelings of frustration suitably vented. My mind was calmed, I had eliminated my stress, and had a greater perspective on the task at hand. It's another great example of how exercise, and cardio work in particular, can benefit your life.

Round 6: Day 86: Run

Back to the running circuit and again, I saw some improvements. Not major improvements over last week, but I still managed to shave 10 seconds off my time, while maintaining the same overall average heart rate. I'm averaging about 85% of my maximum heart rate during the run, which is pretty intense and results in a decent calorie burn. I've been starting to enjoy my runs more, probably because they're over more quickly. I'm still looking for the famous "runner's high" I've heard so much about, but have yet to experience. I'm wondering whether that's due to my personal attitude about running, or whether more intensity is required, or perhaps a longer distance is necessary. I haven't really looked into it on the internet to see what people are talking about, but have read that it doesn't happen to runners all the time, even experienced runners, but it just seems to occur on a hit and miss basis. Anyway, perhaps it'll hit me one day.

Fortunately, I'm still running pain-free, and don't feel pain afterwards. I'd like to attribute that to my running style, but moreso, to yoga. I'd like to think that yoga is keeping my body well-stretched and flexible, which is a benefit to my running. Also, during my run, I focus on keeping my hands unclenched, my jaw loose, and my upper body relaxed. So far, things seem to be working out. I'll try to keep up the running until it gets too cold here to be comfortable, then switch back to indoor cardio work. I've been really lucky with the weather, as it's consistently been beautiful on running days. That's a string of luck not likely to last, but I'll enjoy it while I can.

Round 6: Day 85: Chest, Shoulders and Triceps

A completely unexpected turn of events found me In the gym when my wife decided that she needed to go to her office and invited me to tag along. There's not much for me to do at the offices of an insurance company, but considering that there's an extremely well-equipped gym, I couldn't refuse. So, I prepared a custom workout sequence of exercises based on 30-15, CST, Shoulders and Arms, and Diamond Delts. The structure was to alternate various types of push-ups with arm and shoulder exercises, for a total of 24 individual exercises. By the time I was one-third of the way through, I thought that I had been too aggressive in my exercise selection. By the time I was halfway though, I thought I would never make it to the end. By the time I was three-quarters complete, I felt that I was actively courting death. By the time I finished, I had been reduced to a shimmering pile of jello lying on the floor. But, what a workout! Stay pumped, my friends.

Round 6: Day 83: Run

I'm still singing the praises of Nicholas Romanov and the Pose Method of Running. Today, I shaved another 30 seconds off my route, and am feeling stronger and faster all the time. Factor in that my average heart rate over the course of the route keeps dropping, and it makes for a very satisfying combination. It's almost enough to make me enjoy running. Actually, I did rather enjoy myself today. For the first time, I felt like I could (should?) be running a longer route. Perhaps I'll consider that when I head out next week. For now, I'll bask in my glory of diminishing times and moderate heart rate.

This actually ends Phase 3 of Round 6, and Recovery Week starts next week, after which this Round will be over. But wait! There's no end to this fitness journey. I've been feeling so well lately, I don't feel like I really need a Recovery Week at this time. So, I'll extend Phase 3 for another week, following which I'll take several Recovery Weeks between Rounds, during which I'll evaluate my progress during this Round and establish fitness objectives for the next.

Keep Bringing It!

Round 6: Day 82: Diamond Delts

I had some excitement riding my bike to work today: the bolt that holds my seat to my bike frame sheared in half, and my seat would have fallen off, had it not been secured to the bike by a little canvas tool bag that's strapped to the seat post. I was lucky not to have fallen off the bike, and managed to get into the office (standing up on my pedals the rest of the way). I picked up another bolt during lunchtime, and, quickly secured the seat back in place for the ride home. Good times; really good times. I will say that standing up on the pedals over a good distance will test both your arms and your core. Thankfully, both held up for the duration.

This morning's fun (prior to the seat incident) was Diamond Delts. I've been somewhat static in this workout for some time, not being able to lift heavier weights (or mentally unprepared to do so) and also stuck somewhat in the rep count. Today, I managed to squeeze out an extra rep or two on one exercise (the second round of Deep Arnold Presses) which was a major psychological victory; however, I doubt I'll be increasing weights or reps the next time around as a result. This workout is really challenging for me, and I find that at my current level, it's all I can do to match my results of the previous time. I'm managing to keep up to myself, but I'd still like to improve.

My right elbow was still a bit sore from the duffel bag lifting incident earlier this week, and I felt it when I was in the down position during pike presses. During my last pike press, my arm didn't want to respond and push me up to the start position; I had a moment of sheer terror and blind panic when I realized that I was on the verge of landing on my head. It's amazing what a little jolt of adrenalin can do for you; my right arm found a reserve of strength and pushed me back up. Mind over matter, I suppose. If only I could harness that mental energy for the rest of the exercises in the workout. That would make for some nice improvements.

Round 6: Day 81: Yoga

Each week, something happens to my body which causes aches and pains. It may be a particularly intense workout or, like this week, some minor activity which tweaks a muscle or two. A few days ago, I was toting some duffel bags for a friend. Little did I realize that said friend would load the bags to capacity, with contents whose weight was akin to buckshot (actually, it was laundry, but it felt like lead). Those were the heaviest duffels I've ever carried in my life, and bear in mind that I'm in reasonable shape. Lifting the bags caused a slight tweak in my obliques and in my right elbow. Thank goodness today was yoga.

Yoga always seems to be scheduled at the right time for me. The opportunity to stretch mid-week is such a welcome relief from workouts and duffel-toting. It's the economical way to get a full-body massage. Coming mid-week, it's also a great opportunity to blow off some mental steam and de-stress.

Following the workout, on my way out the front door, I paused for a moment, and thought about how relaxed my entire body felt. I guess that today's practice was particularly effective. Now, if I can only convince my friend to change his duffel packing habits, I'll really have peace of mind.

Namaste. 

Round 6: Day 80: Just Arms

I saw an interesting movie last night, JCVD, where Jean-Claude Van Damme plays, well, himself. It's in French, and it was nice to see Van Damme break the mould of action hero to play a completely different role. Of note to me was that in the film he stated that he was 47 (and looked it, too), but his body was still in terrific shape, especially his chest, shoulders and arms. Also, he still had that familiar hip flexibility and demonstrated that several times with a few high kicks. Although he's been in great shape pretty much his whole life, it's still inspirational to see someone close to my age look as good as he does. I get the same sense of inspiration when I see Tony Horton. I know he's been working out intensively and eating cleanly for the past 25 years, but he still acts as a role model for us older folks, even though we may have come late to the game. I'm not going to be a JCVD or a Tony Horton, but I can be the best I can be with the genes I was given.

And so, the Week 12 push continues, with Just Arms. I've had some difficulties with this routine recently, so I tried to speed up the pace a bit, keeping slightly ahead of Tony, to give myself breaks where I felt I needed them, without pausing the DVD. For the most part, this strategy worked, although my nemesis remains Hammer Curls. This should be an easier exercise for me, because the biceps are involved, but because of the weights I'm stubbornly sticking to, I've really struggled. I should probably lighten my load a little, because for the past few weeks I've only been doing 6 or 7 reps, but I'm doggedly trying to eke out 8, which I was able to do about 4 weeks ago. Sometimes you've got it, sometimes you don't. I still really enjoy this workout, which leaves my arms dangling limply by my sides at the end. I really find that it kills my forearms, which don't seem to get worked out too heavily during any other routine.

This workout, like many others, is largely psychological. I find that if I put a number in my head, then clear my mind and work towards that number, I usually succeed in my objective. If I'm distracted, or doubtful that I'll reach my number, I usually don't succeed. So much of working out is in your head. A positive attitude can really make all the difference.

Stay positive, my friends.

Round 6: Day 79: Run

Running is starting to become a habit on cardio days, now. I'm enjoying the time spent outside, as we don't have the greatest or most consistent weather in Toronto, and I've committed to taking advantage of the outdoors during our brief, but pleasant summer. I also never complain about the high humidity we frequently have. I enjoy the feeling of moist air enveloping me as I step outside first thing in the morning to take my stretches prior to starting a run. I think I prefer the warmth of humid air more than the refreshing feeling of the cooler air in the early fall. Just a personal preference, I guess.

I've been engaging in a brief series of stretches prior to running, mostly ballistic types, but throwing in some static ones as well. I've learned a lot about stretching from the various DVDs I have, and for the most part, I find that Tony Horton and Shaun T take a consistent approach to stretching. It seems that the most important stretching is done after the workout has been completed, and that one shouldn't hold a static stretch for too long. I try to adhere to that advice, so I take my post-run stretching very seriously, and use it as an opportunity to both relax my body and to slow down my breathing and heart rate. So far, this regimen seems to be effective, as I haven't felt any post-run soreness at all. As noted in previous posts, that may be due to a combination of stretching and my newly discovered running style; however, the point is that I'm running pain-free and enjoying a pain-free day afterwards.

I'm still not completely captivated by running, although I do enjoy watching the scenery pass by, rather than having the static view of my TV in front of my while I try to keep up with the participants. That's primarily what's motivating me to stay outdoors: I know that before long, I'll be inside with Shaun T, while the snow piles up outside. Take advantage while you can. On the positive side, I set a new personal best today on my running route, besting my previous time by over 30 seconds. I thought that I felt faster today, although once again, my heart rate stayed fairly low and my calorie consumption was down. I'm more excited by being able to run faster with less energy expenditure than in a high calorie burn. It bodes well for my future in running.

So far, still a great start to Week 12.

Round 6: Day 78: 30-15

Week 12 kicked off with probably my favourite routine, 30-15 (and it rhymes, to boot). I zipped through the exercises, advancing well ahead of Tony by skipping breaks and chatter. By forcing myself to stick to the pushups and pullups, and minimizing the time between exercises, I was able to complete the workout in about 50 minutes. Of course, I was completely wiped afterwards, and I was completely incapable of doing anything with my arms for the next 4 hours (including washing, eating and combing my hair) but it was well worth it. I don't recall ever feeling so powerful or energetic, so I think that all the upper body work done during this Round has really paid off.

It's a great way to start the week. I'm really pushing like crazy to challenge myself.

Round 6: Day 76: Run! (the sequel)

I'm starting to enjoy running. I haven't run in a serious way since 1978. Back in those days, we only wore sweatpants for exercise-related matters, and wouldn't be caught dead in a pair otherwise. Now, my kids wear sweatpants to school and for just about anything else you can think of. How times change. Yet, some things do come full circle. I'm starting to get interested in running again, not quite recapturing the form and speed I had as a 15-year old on the high school cross country team, but certainly with a stronger mental approach and most definitely a more informed physical approach to the task.

For now, I still consider running to be a bit of a task. I haven't developed the lung capacity or the willpower to go on an extended run, and, following the completion of a run, I don't really feel that I should have tried to go farther. Hopefully, a P90X-like attitude will attach itself to this form of exercise, and I'll try to push for more, go harder, longer, and be more competitive with myself. For now, I'm following the "forget the rest" part of Tony's mantra, and am just pleased with myself for stepping outside and moving at a faster pace than an amble.

For the last few months, I've been running variations of a circuit within my neighbourhood. When I first started, I couldn't complete the circuit without pausing a few times to walk. Now, with Insanity training, I can run the entire distance. To top it off, I've been studying The Pose Method of Running, by Nicholas Romanov, and have been training in front of a mirror to try to emulate the suggested posture. It can give one a lot to think about during the run, and I've been trying to quiet my mind and focus on a few simple tips to start.

I'm finding this approach to running is meeting with some success. Wearing a heart monitor which gives some level of statistical feedback has been helpful. I'm finding that I'm definitely moving faster, as I've been able to shave off a few minutes during my circuit. Further, I'm not as winded, which is borne out by a lower average heart rate. To summarize, I'm running faster at a lower heart rate and consuming less energy. That's a pretty impressive achievement. My inner cardio-monster is telling me that I should be pushing harder to raise my heart rate, and perhaps attempting to run faster will do that, but the runs are becoming more enjoyable because they take less time, and less energy. I'm feeling lighter on my feet, more balanced, and haven't experienced any joint pain.

There's still a lot for me to learn about the Pose method, including various exercises and stretches to strengthen my body and increase flexibility, but I'm impressed by my baby steps so far.

Bring on Week 12!