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 34: Kenpo / Cardio Plus

I take back way I said about my body adapting to the workouts. When I woke up this morning, my body was a knotted mess of aching muscles, especially my legs. It took a supreme effort to convince my legs to walk, never mind kick. I managed to work my way through the routine, and even got into it mentally (less so, physically) but by the end, it was a great workout. And, a good time for a rest day.

P90X: Day 24: Kenpo / Cardio Plus

Kenpo was a most welcome break from the rigors of Core Synergistics. I've been feeling a bit stressed lately and the constant movement of the workout was a nice way to address the built-up tension that the stress causes. It feels like a Recovery Week, as this workout, arriving mid- week, is usually a lighter cardio exercise reserved for the end of a typical week. At mid-week, this is a most welcome reward.

P90X: Day 20: Kenpo / Cardio Plus

It felt great to complete the week on a high note, plowing reasonably efficiently through Kenpo/Cardio Plus. Jab, cross, hook, uppercut, all done with vigor and intensity. My weakness is side-kicks (no pun intended), but I'm trying to focus on form, foot position, hand position and how much I'm bending over. My confidence is improving, as is my overall fitness. I'm excited about changing pace during Recovery Week.

P90X: Day 13: Kenpo/Cardio Plus

Today was the first time this round that I struggled with motivation. I was up early enough, but didn't really feel like getting started. After reading a few columns from the newspaper, I finally got off my duff, stuffed the DVD into the player and started it up. The workout was good -- tough, because of Legs and Back yesterday, but ultimately, challenging and satisfying.

That happens every now and then: you don't feel like exercising. That's one of the reasons that I work out first thing in the morning. My mind's not quite turned on, so I don't have to worry about my mind getting in my way. Perhaps it's matter over mind. It's been a good two weeks. Now, I'm settling into this round and looking ahead to Week 3.

P90X: Day 6: Kenpo Cardio Plus

I've decided to swap out the standard Kenpo X (part of the P90X DVDs) for Kenpo Cardio Plus, which is part of the P90X Plus group. While I initially found Kenpo X a challenge, I soon got used to it, and it didn't really do much for my heart rate after a while. Kenpo Cardio Plus is more challenging for me and I thought I would benefit more for including it in this Round.

After starting the workout, I thought that I had made a mistake. My legs and butt were killing me from the Legs and Back workout, making Kenpo much more difficult. This is where the mind kicks in. You can quit, or you can tell yourself to keep going and finish the workout. I knew I wasn't injured, so I forced my body thorough the moves and finished up Week 1 strong.

Now that Week 1 is in the books, Weeks 2 and 3 will be repeats. Having been re-introduced to the series, I'll now be in a position to up the intensity.

Round 7: Day 55: Kenpo Cardio Plus

Cardio Week ended today with Kenpo Cardio Plus. I was in a bit of a rush to get out of the house this morning, and didn't quite feel up to a session of Insanity (mentally or physically speaking). So, I decided to finish the week in the same manner that I started it, and committed to Bring It with a higher degree of intensity and dedication.

And so, it went. I punched, jumped, kicked, elbowed, sworded and hammered with the kids, sweated a bunch, and polished off the week in style. I'm going to get back to a more typical routine over the next four weeks to finish up this Round, so I'll be back to a combination of resistance days and cardio days with, as always, yoga inserted mid-week.

I'm looking forward to Week 9.

Round 7: Day 50: Kenpo Cardio Plus

It's already past the half-way point in this Round and, disappointed by my progress so far, I decided to up the ante this week with the goal of changing my lackadaisical mindset and kick-starting my way into losing some body goo. So, with the exception of taking one day for yoga, I'm going to pound my body into submission with non-stop cardio this week. I've been slacking over the past few weeks, so it's time for a little corporal and mental punishment.

Kenpo Cardio Plus isn't exactly a heavy dose of either corporal or mental punishment, but it does raise the heart rate and it does highlight some of my weaknesses, namely, leg kicks. I'm usually sore in the buttocks the day after doing this workout, so I thought it would be a good start to a week of pain. As usual, it took me some time to get started, because I was distracted by World Series highlights, having missed the game(!) due to a social engagement. Once I got off the couch, it was a pleasant and sweat-inducing workout which, to my surprise, didn't pound my glutes as much as I had thought it would.

Coupled with the cardio workouts will be a renewed vigilance with respect to nutrition. Most of the time, I find that if I'm gaining weight, it's because I'm not paying sufficient attention to what's going into my body. Recently, what's been going in has been a bit on the crappy side. It can be tough to eat clean. You have to make decisions every time you lift a fork or spoon to your mouth: "is this going to support my health objectives or harm them?". Mental strength is required every time for me. The weekend, however, was good. I managed not to overeat, drank plenty of water, and didn't feel hungry between meals.

It's looking like a good start.

Round 7: Day 43: Kenpo Cardio Plus

Hopping back onto the cardio bandwagon, I chose Kenpo Cardio Plus today, from P90X Plus. Like Friday's workout, this isn't the most intense workout I own, but it does encourage you to work up a good sweat, provided you put effort into it.

Even though I've done this workout many times before, the passing of time has dimmed my memory somewhat. I had some coordination issues trying to make my body do some of the moves and actually had to refer to the TV to make sure that the right limb was moving in the right direction at the appointed time. The most difficult move (to do, that is, not to remember) is the Gladiator. I'm handicapped by a low ceiling in my workout space (about 6'-3" high) so getting a good, high jump with a leg kick could result in a serious concussion. So, my move is a little modified in the name of health preservation and in the desire to spare my country additional medical expenses. Still, attaining a high leg kick is a challenge for my piano string-like hamstrings, and, after 10 repetitions each side, I've had enough of this move. I've never found it to be easy, although I can manage to live through 30 second's worth of effort.

I completed the workout without taking a water break, although I did mop off my face a couple of times. After 18 months, this workout still challenges. I like that about this series, and about all of Tony's workouts. You're challenged to grow and compete against yourself.

Round 6: Day 87: Kenpo Cardio Plus

I was scheduled for a resistance day today, but wasn't really in the mood for lifting. When that attitude strikes, I still find it's important to do something, rather than nothing, so I threw on the Kenpo Cardio Plus DVD and pressed play.

I think it's been awhile since I did this workout, and it really suited my mood. I've been assisting my daughter in the online registration for university courses and have been finding the user experience dissatisfying and frustrating, to say the least. Those feelings aren't easily dissipated by heavy lifting, I find, but they can be sweated out through some intensive cardio. Kenpo Cardio Plus is a good vehicle to vent one's frustrations, I find.

Throughout the workout, I was distracted by my thoughts of the on-line registration process. Feelings of frustration made me work even harder. I didn't wear a heart rate monitor, but I likely burned more calories today than in previous workouts. It's amazing how a bit of adrenaline and a dash of anger can get your body moving. By the end, I had a huge sweat on, and was pleasantly exhausted, my feelings of frustration suitably vented. My mind was calmed, I had eliminated my stress, and had a greater perspective on the task at hand. It's another great example of how exercise, and cardio work in particular, can benefit your life.

Round 6: Day 58: Kenpo Cardio Plus

It was a struggle to work out today. For the last while, I've been scraping an underpad off a hardwood floor. It seems that over the years, the underpad has decided to weld itself to the floor. Likely, there was some sort of chemical reaction between the underpad and the floor finish product which resulted in the unfortunate bond. This summer's assignment was to paint my daughter's room and expose the beautiful hardwood floor therein. Unfortunately, what should have been a simple 2-minute procedure has turned into a week of hard labour. On the other hand, this is one of the reasons I work out regularly: to enable me to complete household chores without (too much) pain. My attitude? Underpad Removal X. So there I am, night after night, scraper in hand, removing the underpad. It's actually a great shoulder, core, chest and arm routine. Put on a little music, and do a little scraping. Eventually, the underpad came off, and I was left to deal with removing the residual adhesive. Board by painful board, I rubbed away, until the original colours of the hardwood came back to life and the tackiness of the adhesive was banished. With a P90X attitude, you really can accomplish anything.

All this extra work did sap a bit of energy from me, and I wasn't particularly motivated for a cardio workout this morning. So, I popped in Kenpo Cardio Plus, took aim at my reflection in the mirror, and commenced punching and kicking (no screaming, at least, not yet). It was a fantastic workout, just what I needed, and I worked up a huge sweat and a decent calorie burn. It's important to keep working out. If the workout of the day isn't your thing, do what you want to do. Just keep moving, and keep Bringing It.

Round 6: Day 48: Kenpo Cardio Plus

I'm getting slightly back on track now, by undertaking a cardio routine on Day 6. Instead of the normally scheduled Insanity routine (which I've been avoiding since June 19), I eased my way back into cardio via Kenpo Cardio Plus. This routine doesn't have too much pounding on the legs; there's more shuffling than actual jumping, so I felt that it would be a reasonable way to raise my heart rate while still giving my legs some protection. There doesn't seem to be a problem now with my left leg; now, my right achilles feels a little balky. If it's not one thing, it's another. Sometimes I wonder whether I'm just starting to overtrain, and perhaps a complete break from training for about 3 weeks would be warranted. Then again, I just don't feel right if I'm not active upon awakening. These workouts are like a strong jolt of coffee for me; they really jump start my day. I love the physical burn and the mental turn-on. I'm not about to stop now. I'll be smart and try to avoid injury, but I'm not at that place yet where I need a break. Perhaps after this Round I'll reward myself with a little time off.

Although I've been substituting yoga for cardio routines over the past few weeks, I still feel like my body is a bit worn out, so I'm looking forward to Recovery Week next week. I still feel like I could use more stretching. I'm not sure how I'm going to approach cardio next week, so I'll listen to my body and play it by ear. Sometimes you need more of a stretch; sometimes you need to be more active. It's all good. Do whatever keeps you interested in your program, keep mixing things up, and keep confusing your muscles. I noticed the other day that I'm heavier than I've been in a while (it's been some time since I stepped on a scale). The odd thing is that my clothes are fitting looser than ever right now. I've been changing (in a good way) despite the weight gain. It's a sign that this approach to fitness is working for me.

Round 6: Day 24: Kenpo Cardio Plus

I was walking down the street today and, since it's warm out, most people are wandering about without jackets, so it's an opportunity to see whether people are taking care of their bodies or not. During my stroll, I noticed that there are a ton of smokers hanging out. That's largely due to the restrictive anti-smoking legislation prevalent in Toronto, prohibiting smokers from smoking inside buildings; as a result, they congregate outside, near building entrances, finish their smoke, and head back indoors to work. I noticed some really buff people who smoked, and thought that there is a huge disconnect in the way they treat their bodies: on one hand, they clearly work out; on the other hand, they fill their bodies with crap. I don't really understand that.

End of rant; on to the workout of the day: Kenpo Cardio Plus. I really enjoy this workout, as it serves as a nice cardio break during Recovery Week. I still work up a good sweat (especially working out in my non-air-conditioned house during the early days of summer) but I find that my heart rate never really becomes that elevated. Nevertheless, I did manage to burn off a decent amount of calories, which, I guess, occurred when my body was in the aerobic zone (burning fat). I can't believe how quickly this workout goes by. It seems as if I just start, when all of a sudden, it's over. I must be having fun.

I usually have some physical difficulty with side kicks. My body just doesn't really want to accommodate that motion, no matter how deep I lunge during the warmup. I'm very conscious of some limitation in my hip flexor movement and try to take the Warrior 1 and Crescent Pose positions very deep to open up my hips as much as possible. Effort notwithstanding, I still can't kick that high, nor can I match the speed of the kicks on the DVD. I usually fall behind a few kicks by the time Traci and Mark have completed their round. Either age is creeping up on me, or there's some improvement to be made in form.

The most enjoyable move today was the High Block Burnout, at the end of the workout. By then, I was sweating buckets, and I love doing crunches while standing up. The exercise moves very quickly, and it's a good one, combining core, shoulders and cardio all into one nice move. Well designed.

I'm looking forward to a good stretch tomorrow.

Round 5: Day 87: Kenpo Cardio Plus

Like yesterday's workout, it's odd how Kenpo Cardio Plus, which used to be a challenging workout for me, seems so easy now. This is still a fun workout, though, and it flies by. I like all of the activity, but it just doesn't get my heart rate up like it used to, in spite of my P90X attitude. I think that in some ways, Insanity has forever changed life in cardio-land. What used to be challenging, is no longer, Insanity workouts excluded. Workouts which used to kill me have now been relegated to Recovery Weeks, replaced by new workouts which kill me. That's progress, I guess.

I'm still going to keep this workout as part of Recovery Week, because I find it enjoyable and a nice break from the other cardio routines. It also makes me use my body in different ways from the other workouts, with all of the leg extensions, kicks, and moves that require a big range of motion. Even though my heart rate's not through the roof, it's still good to get your body moving in ways that aren't found in other workouts. That's all part of muscle confusion. I'm looking forward to some soreness tomorrow, and taking care of that with X Stretch. 

Round 5: Day 24: Kenpo Cardio Plus

After the Insanity workouts, Kenpo Cardio Plus really seems like a rest day. Although I sweated, my heart rate never really got that high, and my calorie burn at the end of the workout was about two-thirds of what I burn during a typical Insanity routine.

Nevertheless, I still enjoy this workout, and it's nice to be back with Tony, Mark and Traci. I'm definitely improving my endurance and strength, because I never really felt particularly tired during the workout, even though I was trying hard to Bring It during each move. In spite of my attitude, the difficulty of the moves and the pacing of the workout just don't come anywhere near Insanity.

I'm still not particularly adept at kicks, all varieties included. I'm a little faster with my side kicks, and managed to keep up with Mark Briggs; however, the height of my kicks is still lacking. I'm hitting at around hip height, and possibly a bit higher, but am nowhere near shoulder height, nor will I likely ever be. Back kicks are somewhat more successful, although not without some occasional balance issues. Front kicks are probably my best of the lot, although again, tight hamstrings prevent me from hitting the ceiling tiles. Gladiator kicks are still constrained by my low ceiling height. The ceiling now sports a couple of dents where I was overly enthusiastic in my initial leaps. My head sports matching dents, no doubt.

I still think this is a great workout to keep in a Recovery Week. It's still fun, Tony is always zany, and in a short time period, you can work up a decent sweat. It's still a keeper for me.

I've been having second thoughts about yesterday's workout. I'll probably make some changes to the workout schedule over the remainder of this week, to deal with issues from Day 5, and to fine-tune Recovery Week. I'd like to make subtle changes to the schedule to make it slightly more demanding of me. I'm going to see if I can push my body harder. I think I'm capable of doing more than I've been doing so far.

Round 4: Day 87: Kenpo Cardio Plus

This can be an invigorating workout, depending upon how much effort you put into it. Today, I put a lot of effort in, and was rewarded by working up a great sweat and developing a nice, warm feeling in my arms and legs.

I enjoy the pacing of this workout. There's never really a break for the entire 35 minutes. The breaks between sets are filled with running in place, jumping jacks, and a type of backwards hammer move while pivoting on alternating feet. There are four moves in each set, which run immediately one after the other. If you invest energy into the exercises, you can get your heart rate reasonably high and keep it there. This is a major improvement over the original Kenpo X, which suffered from the block sequences.

This is a good workout for a Recovery Week. It moves quickly and is fun. I'm going to keep it in this location during the next Round.

Round 4: Day 72: Kenpo Cardio Plus

I attended a wedding last night, which ran late, and I was unable to get a decent night's sleep. I was all worked up after arriving home from the wedding, and it made it hard for me to sleep. That, along with having to wake up early this morning, made it difficult to get motivated to work out this morning. We had to bid our out-of-town guest good-bye this morning, so I wasn't able to work out at my normal time. So, I had the combination of lack of sleep and disrupted schedule facing me as I tried to work out.

I actually contemplated not working out today, but giving my body a rest. I had originally scheduled Interval X Plus for today, but didn't feel up to it. Instead, I decided to substitute Kenpo Cardio Plus, which was to have taken place this Friday. I didn't see the harm in switching out one cardio workout for another. Besides, I felt that Kenpo Cardio Plus is not as challenging as Interval X Plus, and, given my state of mind and body, felt that would be an equitable trade-off, considering that the alternative was not to work out altogether.

I believe I made a sound planning decision. Having committed to working out, I really committed to Bringing It during the workout. I had some personal issues eating away at me and used them to channel my aggression into working out. There's a healthy solution to dealing with one's psychological issues. The workout was tremendous. Speed Side Kicks, which usually gives me timing issues, were no problem. Neither did Gladiator. Perhaps the One on One workouts are giving me extra flexibility, which translates into greater success with Kenpo Cardio Plus.

I was so pleased with the workout on two levels: firstly, that I actually committed to the workout and, secondly, that the workout went so well. Today, I really learned the value of pushing play.

Round 4: Day 48: Kenpo Cardio Plus

It's about the half-way point in the program, and a good time for some self-evaluation.

I've been enjoying the hybrid program. At first, I was a little concerned that it wasn't going to give me the results I was looking for, but I've noticed a change in my body over the last few weeks, and have come to an early conclusion that perhaps things are working out (no pun intended) well after all.

I know that the scale isn't my friend, but recently it has been. My weight is down about 6 lbs so far from the end of the last round. P90X+ didn't result in too much weight loss, which was a little disappointing, but it did deliver additional body firmness, leanness and increased endurance. This round seems to be a little more balanced, by re-introducing more focussed resistance workouts, and the switch from resistance bands to dumbbells has, I believe, spurred my body on to more positive changes. I've noticed that my arms are firmer, biceps larger, stomach tighter, and overall energy level is higher than ever before. In short, I'm in the best shape of my life and am enjoying what may be the best health I've ever had. Thanks to Tony and to Beachbody.

The workout today, Kenpo Cardio Plus, went well. Although I broke a pretty good sweat, this workout just isn't as challenging for me as it used to be. When I have a day like this, when the cardio workout isn't enough, I start to daydream about purchasing Insanity. I'll be thinking about that over the next half of this program, and may eventually decide to add Insanity into the mix. Right now, the only cardio workout which gives me some issues is Interval X Plus, where I've been pausing the DVD at half-time to catch my breath after Carlito Push-Ups. I'm fine with all the other cardio DVDs, including Plyometrics. Some are more challenging than others, but nothing really slays me. I could use more intensity in my cardio workouts, and doubling up Tony's One on One workouts isn't really the best solution, as it results in a pretty long cardio session. I'd prefer to have a shorter, more intensive cardio workout than a longer, less intense one.

This ends Week 7; next comes Week 8, Recovery Week. I'm going to break the rules a bit here, and add three ab routines over the course of the next week, to make up for the three I've missed this week. It was an uneven and somewhat dissatisfactory week from an exercise viewpoint, due to a death in the family. I'm happy for the exercise I did, however. It acted as an outlet to channel some emotion, and an opportunity to focus on life and health, rather than death and sickness.

Round 4: Day 20: Kenpo Cardio Plus

I got plenty of rest last night and was really ready to Bring It this morning. Initially, upon completing Bun Shaper yesterday, I wasn't sure whether I would be in a suitable condition to do this workout, but following a good evening of rest, I felt I was ready to attack this workout.

Usually, Fridays aren't great for me. I usually find that my butt cheeks are really sore, my hamstrings are tight, and my hip flexors just don't want to flex. Perhaps that's due to the intensity of the Legs and Back workout. I felt that Bun Shaper was a sufficiently difficult workout which would tax my buns and legs. There are three possibilities for the way I felt this morning:

1. I didn't work as hard during Bun Shaper as I should have.

2. Bun Shaper isn't as difficult or as taxing as I thought it was.

3. I'm in better shape than I think.

My ego is going to opt for item 3.

I breezed through this workout today (working up a fabulous sweat in the process). I don't recall the workout ever being quite this easy before. Perhaps it was all the side kicks and back kicks that I did yesterday, perhaps it was some pent-up frustration from the office being expelled. I'm not really sure, but I felt focusses and really coordinated. My balance was better on back kicks than in recent memory and, although side kicks are not my specialty, I almost managed to keep up with the kids, falling only 1 kick short in the rapid-fire side kick sequences. Now I'm starting to think that I should be increasing the intensity of my cardio workouts. I feel that my body has hit a bit of a plateau: my shape doesn't really seem to be changing and my weight has been steady, only fluctuating up and down a few pounds here and there. Following this morning's workout, I was actually pondering purchasing Insanity, and working those workouts into my hybrid schedule on cardio days. Today, when I felt energetic, that seems like a good idea; we'll see whether I'm still so enthusiastic on a cold Monday morning in deep, dark December.

This is the end of Week 3. Time for a Recovery Week.

P90X+: Round 3: Day 83: Kenpo / Cardio Plus

Great X-citement Plus here today, as this officially completes Round 3. I now head into the next phase of my life, into Round 4, with a recovery week in-between as a buffer. I'm looking forward to a little stretchy time next week to allow my body a chance to mend. Something about micro-tears in the muscles needing healing, I understand.

It's been an interesting journey. I've certainly felt challenged by the P90X+ program, and would not say that I conquered it; rather, it's like the feeling I had upon completing my first round of P90X. I did reasonably well, but did not master it. This week was testament to that: I still found Upper Plus and Total Body Plus quite challenging, even in Week 12. Not as challenging as in Week 1, but difficult nevertheless. I like the way the program continues to challenge you, or perhaps, you challenge the program. As your level of fitness improves, you can achieve more, so you strive for more. It never becomes easy.

I doubt I'd repeat this program as-is. I feel that the program could have benefitted from greater variety, and that doing Upper Plus twice each week became slightly boring and repetitive, although the workout is enjoyable. I'd rather have seen a legs or lower body workout substituted. In that vein, I've been toying with the idea of creating a custom workout schedule for Round 4, consisting of P90X, P90X+ and 1 on 1 with Tony Horton. That should keep the mind sharp and the muscles confused.

Today was Kenpo Cardio Plus and, like yesterday, I didn't get sufficient sleep due to another late baseball game (the Angels beat the hated and despised Red Sox in L.A.) and my wife's all-night coughing (the poor thing). I still felt reasonable energized during the workout and never felt that I was going to crash. Perhaps that is due to my increased water intake yesterday and a new insistence that I eat a good breakfast, in addition to my recovery drink. I really like this workout, especially the high arm block burnout at the end. This workout will definitely make its way into the cardio section of Round 4.

To anyone out there listening, thanks for reading. And if there's no-one out there, writing these almost-daily notes has been a great motivator for me. It's served as an opportunity for me to consider my highs and lows, successes and failures, and to keep my on my personal path to living a healthier life, in all respects.