Review of the archives reveals that I've only done this workout twice previously. That makes sense, as I didn't remember too much about it, other than Tony getting excited about a couple of things. He's relaxed and funny during this workout, which is one of the things I like best about Tony and about the One on One series in particular. There is also a change in focus in this workout: Tony doesn't make claims that this workout will increase your size; to the contrary, he clearly states that your objective when exercising away from your home or gym (without access to weights or equipment) is to maintain your condition. He demonstrates that it's possible, using only various pieces of furniture, body weight and gravity, to get a decent workout when on the road.
The workout consists of 6 sets of three exercises. Each set addresses the Upper (arms / shoulders), Middle (core) and Lower (legs). None of the exercises are particularly strenuous (with the exception of a bouncing, plyometric stiff-arm push-up move and jump-knee-tucks to end the workout) and the pacing is light and easy. Of course, one can always increase the intensity level by doing more repetitions, which is what I did during jump-knee-tucks, but it is Day 89 after all, and I should have some energy after all this time working out.
I really enjoy this workout. Although it's not as strenuous as Core Synergistics, I find it more enjoyable. I'm definitely keeping it as part of Recovery Week.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Round 4: Day 88: X Stretch
There's not much to be said about X Stretch. An hour of gentle stretching, coming in the middle of Recovery Week. It's not strenuous, but it gave my body the stretch it needed in all the right places at the right time.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
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.
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.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Round 4: Day 86: Core Synergistics
Core Synergistics was the workout I missed last week when I was ill. "Missed", not in the sense of yearned for, but in the sense of "was absent". I wouldn't ever say that I miss this workout, like I would miss 30-15, or Chest and Back. This workout still challenges, in that it is quick-paced and very focussed. I definitely had an elevated heart rate, and the sweat was rolling.
I don't do this workout frequently enough to really see improvements. There are small improvements certainly, but I don't believe I've ever felt that I was so fit that I just breezed through the entire workout and was left with the feeling that I wished there was more. I'm always really happy when this workout ends, because I doubt there's ever enough gas left in the tank to really attack another round. I suppose that's a good thing, when, at the end of a workout, you've left everything on the floor.
Once again, my nemesis was the combination of Plank-to-Chataranga Run and Walking Pushups. That's just a nasty twosome. During the Walking Pushups, I took a page from the Plyometrics handbook, convincing myself that "you can do anything for 30 seconds". Unfortunately, the exercise is one minute in duration, so I had to convince myself twice. By the end of that exercise, my core is really sore. Objective achieved.
Tomorrow, I'm looking forward to Kenpo Cardio Plus as a break. Some Recovery Week.
I don't do this workout frequently enough to really see improvements. There are small improvements certainly, but I don't believe I've ever felt that I was so fit that I just breezed through the entire workout and was left with the feeling that I wished there was more. I'm always really happy when this workout ends, because I doubt there's ever enough gas left in the tank to really attack another round. I suppose that's a good thing, when, at the end of a workout, you've left everything on the floor.
Once again, my nemesis was the combination of Plank-to-Chataranga Run and Walking Pushups. That's just a nasty twosome. During the Walking Pushups, I took a page from the Plyometrics handbook, convincing myself that "you can do anything for 30 seconds". Unfortunately, the exercise is one minute in duration, so I had to convince myself twice. By the end of that exercise, my core is really sore. Objective achieved.
Tomorrow, I'm looking forward to Kenpo Cardio Plus as a break. Some Recovery Week.
Round 4: Day 85: Yoga
Due to a brief illness last week which resulted in my missing a couple of workouts during Recovery Week, I've decided to reset Week 13 and start it again. So, once more, Yoga.
I was speaking with a friend the other day, discussing all the negative comments I see on the internet about Yoga X, and yoga in general. My friend was incredulous, stating that there are three fitness objectives behind P90X: muscular strength and endurance; cardio strength and endurance; and flexibility. Yoga, obviously, is the key plank in the latter category. It seems ridiculous to me that someone might want to excel in the first two categories, while omitting the flexibility component. If you aren't flexible, I don't see how you can succeed in becoming stronger or more fit. Essentially, I am unyielding when it comes to practicing yoga: do it. Even it you don't succeed in achieving all the poses, keep at it. Eventually, over time, improvements will be realized. I suppose that's why yoga is called a practice, not a workout. Just keep at it, keep practicing. Like the piano lessons you hated to take.
Namaste.
I was speaking with a friend the other day, discussing all the negative comments I see on the internet about Yoga X, and yoga in general. My friend was incredulous, stating that there are three fitness objectives behind P90X: muscular strength and endurance; cardio strength and endurance; and flexibility. Yoga, obviously, is the key plank in the latter category. It seems ridiculous to me that someone might want to excel in the first two categories, while omitting the flexibility component. If you aren't flexible, I don't see how you can succeed in becoming stronger or more fit. Essentially, I am unyielding when it comes to practicing yoga: do it. Even it you don't succeed in achieving all the poses, keep at it. Eventually, over time, improvements will be realized. I suppose that's why yoga is called a practice, not a workout. Just keep at it, keep practicing. Like the piano lessons you hated to take.
Namaste.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Recovery...
After being sick on Monday, I took Tuesday off, then tentatively resumed exercising on Wednesday, with X Stretch. Yesterday, I felt still better, so I decided to do some light cardio. Searching around my collection of DVDs, I sought the least intensive cardio workout and ended up with...Kenpo X. If I had said that a year ago, I would have been shocked. Looking back at past posts, I realize now how far I have come. I abandoned Kenpo X a long time ago in favour of Kenpo Cardio Plus, vowing never to return to Kenpo again.
Kenpo X was, indeed, a light cardio workout. Having done the One on One workouts and P90X Plus, Kenpo X seemed like a walk in the park. A little punching, a little kicking, a little running in place, a few jacks...it's all good. I ran through the workout without breaking much of a sweat (please don't accuse me of not Bringing It), and never paused for a drink of water. It was a good way to restart the cardio engine after having been ill.
Today, I went back to yoga, and for the first time this week, felt like my old self. I felt really strong during the Upward Dog pose, which is always a good sign, and the moves were rhythmic and flowed nicely. I'm still a little weak in raising my left leg during Side Arm Balance (balancing on my right arm), and have a similar problem in the Half Moon exercises. Obviously, that's related to my left hip flexor. I'm working to strengthen that, and learning to love it.
Although I'm going to repeat this Recovery Week next week, having missed out on Core Synergystics, Kenpo Cardio Plus and UML, this essentially completes Round 4. I'm reasonably satisfied with my gains this round: loss of 7 lbs; now fitting into 31" waist pants (I can't remember the last time pants of that size fit), and general overall improvements in strength and tone.
Areas still requiring improvements: shoulders, arms, abs, hip flexibility, hamstring flexibility, cardio endurance. Specifically, left shoulder, left arm, left hip (see any trends here?). Adding dumbbells to my routines this round has highlighted my shortcomings; next round, I'm looking for significant improvements.
In addition, I'm going to change my focus in the next round during the resistance workouts to really increasing the weights so that I fail at 8-10 repetitions. I'd like to gain a little more bulk and definition in my upper body. Mentally, although I feel that my attitude has been pretty good to this point, I'd like to really force myself to failure. I tend to stop exercising a few repetitions short of failure. Next round, I want to really push out those last three reps.
Finally...abs. I'm still looking for more definition in my abdomen. I'm going to pay even more attention to my nutrition, and make sure that I continue to drink my water. Also, no consumption past 8:00PM (water excepted). Hopefully, the little extra bit of fat around my middle will disappear, or at least, thin out a bit more.
Weight loss: I'm not really looking to lose a specific amount of weight. I'm pleased with where I am at present. Although I do weigh myself on a regular basis, I don't really need the scale to tell me how I'm doing. A peek at the mirror gives me all the information I need, as well as how my clothes are fitting. I'm currently in the best shape of my life, in spite of the fact that BMI suggests that I'm overweight (currently 177 lbs, 5'-10.5" tall, male, 49 years old). Forget BMI. I'm the most fit 49-year-old I know.
So far, it's been a really rewarding journey in so many ways: physically, emotionally, mentally and psychologically. The road is long, the task is endless, the pain is temporary, the joys are broad. Life is good.
Namaste.
Kenpo X was, indeed, a light cardio workout. Having done the One on One workouts and P90X Plus, Kenpo X seemed like a walk in the park. A little punching, a little kicking, a little running in place, a few jacks...it's all good. I ran through the workout without breaking much of a sweat (please don't accuse me of not Bringing It), and never paused for a drink of water. It was a good way to restart the cardio engine after having been ill.
Today, I went back to yoga, and for the first time this week, felt like my old self. I felt really strong during the Upward Dog pose, which is always a good sign, and the moves were rhythmic and flowed nicely. I'm still a little weak in raising my left leg during Side Arm Balance (balancing on my right arm), and have a similar problem in the Half Moon exercises. Obviously, that's related to my left hip flexor. I'm working to strengthen that, and learning to love it.
Although I'm going to repeat this Recovery Week next week, having missed out on Core Synergystics, Kenpo Cardio Plus and UML, this essentially completes Round 4. I'm reasonably satisfied with my gains this round: loss of 7 lbs; now fitting into 31" waist pants (I can't remember the last time pants of that size fit), and general overall improvements in strength and tone.
Areas still requiring improvements: shoulders, arms, abs, hip flexibility, hamstring flexibility, cardio endurance. Specifically, left shoulder, left arm, left hip (see any trends here?). Adding dumbbells to my routines this round has highlighted my shortcomings; next round, I'm looking for significant improvements.
In addition, I'm going to change my focus in the next round during the resistance workouts to really increasing the weights so that I fail at 8-10 repetitions. I'd like to gain a little more bulk and definition in my upper body. Mentally, although I feel that my attitude has been pretty good to this point, I'd like to really force myself to failure. I tend to stop exercising a few repetitions short of failure. Next round, I want to really push out those last three reps.
Finally...abs. I'm still looking for more definition in my abdomen. I'm going to pay even more attention to my nutrition, and make sure that I continue to drink my water. Also, no consumption past 8:00PM (water excepted). Hopefully, the little extra bit of fat around my middle will disappear, or at least, thin out a bit more.
Weight loss: I'm not really looking to lose a specific amount of weight. I'm pleased with where I am at present. Although I do weigh myself on a regular basis, I don't really need the scale to tell me how I'm doing. A peek at the mirror gives me all the information I need, as well as how my clothes are fitting. I'm currently in the best shape of my life, in spite of the fact that BMI suggests that I'm overweight (currently 177 lbs, 5'-10.5" tall, male, 49 years old). Forget BMI. I'm the most fit 49-year-old I know.
So far, it's been a really rewarding journey in so many ways: physically, emotionally, mentally and psychologically. The road is long, the task is endless, the pain is temporary, the joys are broad. Life is good.
Namaste.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Sick!
I worked out on Sunday, Day 85, doing Yoga as scheduled. On Monday, I was sick, and had to stay in bed all day, resting. Luckily, it turned out to be a 24-hour bug, as I was able to go to the office yesterday, albeit in a somewhat weakened state. So, I missed two days of working out. Today, I did X Stretch, because I was feeling somewhat more energized, but even doing that left me feeling slightly weak and a bit queasy. So, it looks like this is going to be an off-week. I'll try to get in another session of Yoga, but I'm going to dismiss this week and repeat it in full starting next Sunday. It's a good thing this was just a recovery week. As it ends up, I'll be taking two week's recovery between Rounds.
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