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!
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