P90X: Day 32: Yoga

I've been doing a ton of walking lately (trying to get in my 10,000 steps each day) and have been feeling some tightness in parts of my legs as a result. My hamstrings, calves and Achilles tendons could all use a bit of stretching out, and yoga is great for that, especially downward dog and warrior poses. While things aren't perfect, the stretches certainly help to improve my condition, and there's no need to restrict stretching to one or two days a week. They can be done daily, just like taking multiple vitamins.

As I've been taking my daily brisk walks, I remind myself to take deep breaths at stoplights, relax my neck and shoulders, let my arms hang, and turn off my mind (except to be mindful of traffic). The side effects of carrying principles of yoga into everyday life have been good. My body gets less tense, stays relaxed for longer periods of time, and my walking gait is quick, yet unencumbered by excess moving parts. It's a nice benefit.

P90X: Day 31: Back and Biceps

My triceps were still really sore from the Chest, Shoulders and Arms workout earlier this week, so I wasn't sure how my body was going to react to today's workout, which focuses on the arms. Like the other resistance workouts, I dug up my old worksheets for this routine so I would have some information on what weight to use and what repetitions I might expect to see. In retrospect, I must have been in decent shape to have lifted so heavy during this workout a couple of years ago. I wasn't able to keep up with my old self, so I lightened my weight by 5 lbs for most of the exercises and in some cases, also had to decrease my reps. In short, it was a somewhat humbling experience. But, it's good to be humble. I can now set new goals, and look to improve.

Interestingly, as I write this, my triceps are still sore, but I'm not feeling a similar discomfort in my biceps. Maybe a little yoga stretch will solve things tomorrow.

P90X: Day 30: Plyometrics

This is a milestone of sorts: day 30, one-third of the way through this round. At the one-third mark, it's an opportunity to step bac and take an objective evaluation of progress to date. My strength is about where I thought it would be, but it's less than it could be. Cardio endurance is good. Endurance during resistance workouts needs a bit of improvement. Body tone is moving in the right direction. My weight is about the same, but clothes are fitting looser, so I'd say that body composition has taken some positive steps. Morale and motivation is fair. At this point, I've decided and committed. Next, I hope to succeed. Overall, I'd say it's been a good start, but time to dial up the intensity and push harder.

Today's Plyometric workout was great. I felt I had a lot of strength and endurance. I was able to squat a little lower, jump a little higher, and leap a little farther. Nothing major, but positive progress in general.

P90X: Day 29: Chest, Shoulders and Triceps

I had to dig up some old worksheets for this workout, because it's been a couple of years since I've done it. Thanks to the program, I had logged all my information. It's definitely a good idea to keep all your old worksheets in a binder where you can fin them. Otherwise, every time you do a workout, it's like starting the program all over again from scratch. Keeping track of your workout information is critical to progressing with your fitness in a positive way. There's no sense in staying the same and doing the same weights and repetitions every time; your body will merely adapt. You have to keep increasing weights, or reps, or both to keep your body guessing and challenged and growing.

So, armed with my old worksheets, I proceeded with the workout of the day. It's a monster, starting with the first move. By the end of the workout, my arms were actually shaking. I was able to match about half of my old numbers, but had to decrease in weight or reps on many of the moves. It's all quite humbling, but definitely gives me incentive to push harder and more vigorously next time.

P90X: Day 27: Yoga

What a pleasant way to end the week, with some relaxing Yoga. I really look forward to the Recovery Weeks and, like a highly anticipated vacation, they end too soon. At least the week finishes up with a good stretch and an opportunity to switch off the mind, especially on a Friday.

I'm always slightly fearful of how my body will react to resuming the intense workouts of the next Phase. Recovery Week is almost akin to taking time off. I know, there's a 'Bring It' advisory in front of Yoga and X-Stretch, but it's not the same as a resistance or cardio workout. This is a situation where you have to trust the designers of the program, turn off your mind, and proceed to give your maximum effort.

P90X: Day 26: Core Synergistics

Having done this workout earlier in the week, I was less intimidated and more prepared the second time around. While I wouldn't exactly say that I crushed it, I was definitely more satisfied with my effort today than on Monday. I was able to increase my weights on some of the exercises and, with greater focus, I could maintain my form for a longer period of time on others.

The one exercise that I always skip is the Dreya Roll. I've done it in the past and I feel that it puts too much stress on my spine. I feel as though the potential cost is greater than the benefit. It falls into the 'Forget the Rest' category for me. Overall, thought, this is a terrific workout.