P90X: Day 47: Legs and Back

You want Legs and Back? I'll give you Legs and Back. How about 2 hours of shovelling deep snow? If I hadn't been doing Legs and Back, my legs and back would never have been able to handle the strain of shovelling. I tell you, that's a solid workout, and it was great being outside in the fresh air, playing classic rock on the iPod and feeling the crunch of fresh snow underfoot. That's one of the reasons for working out: so you'll be able to keep up with the outdoor stuff as you age. Working out is not an end in itself; it's a tool to enable you to lead a longer, healthier, active life.

P90X: Day 46: Yoga

Namaste, baby.

P90X: Day 45: Back and Biceps

Day 45: the mid-point of the program. Actually, the program is structured so that you spend more time in Phase 3 than in Phases 1 and 2, once you consider two recovery weeks  in addition to the 4 weeks of Phase 3.

Anyhow, it's a good time to review progress: weight is stable; energy level good, overall body strength improved, but more improvements are certainly possible; more lean muscle tone and decreased body fat, based on the non-empirical method of how my clothes feel; legs are really strong; left knee could use more conditioning; balance is improved; mental attitude is strong; breathing is good. Overall, things are progressing in the right direction, but there are opportunities for improvement.

Today I raced though Back and Biceps, improving on some exercises, but falling back on one, due to not taking a break when I likely should have. It's been kind of a rushed day, and I didn't have the luxury of time, so I gritted my teeth and ground through the workout. It was still a great burn and a strong workout.

P90X: Day 44: Plyometrics

Plyometrics is definitely getting easier. I wouldn't say that I'm breezing through it, or that I don't sweat or breathe hard, but it's definitely not the challenge at the half-way point through the program that it was at the start. The good news is that if I decide it's not challenging enough, I can change the program by substituting an Insanity workout instead. Tony does say that variety is the spice of fitness, after all. An who knows my body better than me? Anyhow, Plyo is still a good workout, and I'll consider making modifications for Phase 3 during the next recovery week. For now, I'm going to stick with the program.

P90X: Day 43: Chest, Shoulders & Triceps

The start of Week 7 had me in the gym again, like last week. I had a very workmanlike approach to my workout, taking only 10 seconds between exercises. I was able to get in a really good workout in a short period of time. I noticed other guys in the gym walking around, chatting, checking out their cellphones, admiring themselves in the mirror, and generally wasting time. Im sure I was getting in 5 moves for every one set they were doing. It made me appreciate how quickly the P90X DVDs move, and I'm starting to understand the benefits of taking very little rest between exercises. I get fatigued, and stay in a slightly weakened state during my workout because I don't have very much recovery time, but I end up with nothing left in the tank and a super hard workout in the end.

P90X: Day 41: Kenpo / Cardio Plus

Sometimes during a workout you lose focus. This can result in injury if the workout involves lifting weights. In a workout like Kenpo, if you lose focus, you end up just going through the motions. I caught myself in that mode at an early part of the workout, where my arms and legs were moving, but without much grit or intensity. I'm glad I caught it early, because from then on, I was incredibly intense. The rest of the workout went well. Tip of the day: think about what you're doing, every move, every exercise. Stay focussed.

P90X: Day 40: Legs and Back

I had a lousy sleep last night,making up every few hours, so when I dragged myselfe out of bed this morning, I  really didn't feel like working out, especially my legs. Part of working out is developing a mental toughness to deal with situations like this. You have to get your mind right and work out, even when you're not in the mood. So I did.

It was a tough workout. I sweated profusely, did my share of huffing and puffing, and grunted and groaned throughout. But when it was over, I was really happy that I had exercised. Sometimes, I think that days like this are as important as days when everything goes well and you lift heavy. It's always a good day when you beat your excuses.