Monday, June 14, 2010

Round 6: Day 23: Interval X Plus

Remind me to read the label on this workout one day. I can never remember whether it's "Interval Plus" or "Interval X Plus", but no matter. It's the interval routine that's included as part of the P90X+ series and, once my nemesis, is now like a tame puppy. Well, perhaps more like a slightly disobedient pet, but you get the idea.

When I first did this routine, about a year ago, it just about killed me. I went through Round 3 without conquering it, and was incapable of completing the workout without having to pause the DVD. That pattern continued until last Round, when, for the first time ever, I was able to work my way through the entire routine, largely thanks to having incorporated the Insanity workouts into the Round. Now, this workout seems perfectly suited for Recovery Week, where it feels like a nice break from Insanity.

I'm now able to cruise through this workout. Even though I'm pushing myself hard and do work up a good sweat, my heart rate never seems to jump off the charts, and I never find myself huffing and puffing, trying to recover. It's just a nice, fairly even pace through both rounds. I try to tax myself (in a good way) and try to elevate my heart rate, but I never seem to come close to what the DVD participants are reaching. That may be a result of my improved cardio-vascular system from the Insanity workouts, or my age, or the quality of my heart rate monitor, or perhaps I'm not Bringing It as much as I think I am, or some combination thereof. At any rate, I did sweat, and I did shed a decent, although not spectacular, number of calories, and I did feel nicely warmed up following the completion of the workout, and I did feel alive, awake, and alert, ready to start my day. I also rode my bicycle into the office following the workout, so there was still ample energy in my legs to get me to my destination.

But I guess that's what Recovery Week is all about. Ease off a bit, relax, enjoy, take a few deep breaths, and let your body mend itself.

I'm looking forward to Kenpo tomorrow, though, for a change of pace.

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