Round 4: Day 76: Interval X Plus

I'm awake. I managed to make it through our New Year get-together with friends last night, without completely blowing the nutrition plan. There was some damage done (a glass of scotch, two glasses of red wine, and a slice of lasagna) but it didn't add up to much. My main meal consisted of wheatgrass salad and salmon on lettuce with cucumbers. Delicious. It's nice spend time with a small group of really good friends in a quiet home environment. The days of attending large parties to ring in the New Year are over, without any regret. We've been having this small group get-together for a number of years now, and we're all in agreement that it's a pleasant tradition worth keeping.

I note, with some amusement, that this is January 1, 2010, the day when many people typically jump onto their new year resolutions by stressing their bodies in a new fitness regimen. I've heard many times that such resolutions are likely to be cast aside by the end of January, as commitment and enthusiasm wane. Thankfully, I'm not in that boat, having started my fitness journey in September, 2008. This is just another day for me on the fitness calendar, and I cheerfully jumped out bed and got to Interval X Plus, with Tony, Traci and Mark.

This workout is a little out of sequence for me, because due to the wedding I attended last Sunday night and related Monday morning obligations, I didn't have the energy or the willpower to do Interval X Plus on the scheduled day. So, it slid a little bit in the schedule, landing on today. I enjoy this workout, specifically the lack of rest time between the various exercises. I also like the pacing of each individual exercise, moving in intensity from easy, to medium to full-out. It's one of those workouts where the intensity of the workout is determined solely by the individual: if you want to push yourself harder, go ahead. If you feel like you need more of a break, slow down a bit. The genius of these workouts is that in spite of how more fit you become, the workout can still challenge you. When you get closer to reaching a goal, you set the bar a little farther away.

The most difficult move for me in this sequence of exercises is the Carlito 3-way Pushup. I'm fine with speeds 1 and 2; speed 3 is my nemesis. I can't keep up with Tony and the kids. My problem is jumping back to plank, then jumping from plank to a standing position. My hips complain during this move, and I slow down as a result. Then, all I get is a one-minute break, and I get to do the same exercise again. Tony can be nasty when he wants to.

Nevertheless, it's a great workout, and I feel alive and energized right now. That puts an exclamation mark to the end of Week 11. Week 12 is coming up, and I'm looking forward to pulverizing my body.

Happy New Year!