Round 7: Day 1: 30-15

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!

Round 6: Day 90: Run

Day 90. I can't believe how time slips by when you're having a seriously good time.

Today was my final run of the Round. I didn't wear a heart rate monitor today, as I got a sunburn on my upper body a few days ago. I was at the local water park with the kids and inexplicably forgot sunscreen lotion. Tip of the day: don't forget your sunscreen lotion! Result: a mild, but uncomfortable burn, which will dissipate in a few days, but prickles a bit right now. The thought of strapping on a chest strap as part of my heart rate monitor kit just didn't appeal, so I went without, promising myself that I'd try really hard (really).

The run breezed by. I wouldn't say that I achieved the mythical Runner's High, but my mind was wandering all over the place, and I didn't even notice where the time had gone before my run was complete. At some points, my running motion felt almost effortless: feet lightly moving over the ground, just picking up my legs and putting them back down, breath coming regularly without panting, a relaxed feeling in my jaw, and no clenching of my hands. Perhaps I'm more successful at the Pose Method. It's been fun so far.

This marks the end of Round 6. I'm going to take a few weeks off, doing some cardio, core, yoga and stretching to maintain flexibility prior to commencing Round 7, likely around September 13. In the meantime, I'll evaluate what my goals for the next round should be, and construct my new schedule accordingly.

This Round was a bit up and down. I've leaned out a little bit, losing some fat. On the other hand, I've also been successful in gaining some muscle, evident in my shoulders, chest and arms. My clothes are fitting looser, except some of my pants are a little tighter around my butt and thighs. That's not unusual or surprising during the summer, with all the cycling I've done. Pants fit loose around my waist, but are tight in the thighs. I'm becoming a tough fit.

My weight is up a few pounds, which, given the way my clothes fit and the increase in size of my upper torso, is of no concern to me at all. I've been successful at eating cleanly. I'm trying to get more into Mark Sisson's Primal Blueprint, which has been difficult given that my wife and children are fanatical devotees of all things grain; but I've managed to cut back significantly on grains while increasing my intake of fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, and fish. Overall, while there are nutritional improvements possible, I feel that I'm eating reasonably "clean".

My calf injury towards the end of Phase 1 signalled the end of Insanity for this Round, as I never got back into it once I rediscovered running. I'd like to get back to Insanity and I'm confident I will, especially as summer turns to fall, and ultimately, winter, when I basically hibernate until spring. I'm looking forward to resuming those workouts, with some sense of trepidation, but enjoy the challenges they offer, along with the rewards.

I'm going to take a hard look at my resistance workouts. I'm getting a little bored with CST, Back and Biceps and Shoulders and Arms, and might drop them from the next Round. Alternatives will have to be lined up, although I haven't seen anything particularly appealing from the One on One series that seems to favourably compete with 30-15, Just Arms, or Diamond Delts. I love those workouts for their challenges and their simplicity.

It's been almost 2 years since I started exercising on a regular basis, and I can't believe the changes my body has gone through. I started with 3 months of 10 minute trainer, then got into 2 rounds of P90X, then P90X+, then One on One, then added a dose of Insanity. It's been a challenging and rewarding experience as my body responds to self-imposed stresses and responds favourably. I've discovered a lot about myself, and am really glad I started on this journey. It started with a sense of self-disgust, and has led to a feeling of self-satisfaction. My life has improved, both measurably and intangibly. In many ways, I couldn't be happier.

Daily exercise (OK, 6 days a week) is now a staple of my life. I can't imagine starting the day without a workout of some description. Exercise and nutrition really are the fountain of youth.

The journey continues.

Round 6: Day 89: Chest and Back

Sticking with the theme of making this an extended workout week instead of a Recovery Week, I returned to my old friend, Chest and Back. No problems here, except occasionally running a bit short of breath (it tends to move rapidly, making it not only a strength workout, but also a bit of a cardio exercise for me). Every now and then, I think I should be increasing the intensity of the workout by adding some reps, but during the repeat round, I only seem to be able to barely match what I did in the first round. The key, as Tony notes, is to pace yourself. Thirty decline pushups is tough during the 2nd round, as are diamond and dive-bomber pushups. It's tough to keep up with myself, sometimes.

Still one of my favourite workouts, Chest and Back remains interesting and motivating. As I improve, it continues to challenge. I still enjoy the banter. There are always improvements to be made: can you go deeper into your pushup? Are you maintaining a strong plank form? Are you locking out your arms at the top? Can you do more? Yes to all.

Round 6: Day 88: Yoga

For some things in life, there's MasterCard; for everything else, there's yoga. The love affair with yoga continued today, with Patience Yoga from Tony Horton's One on One series. Moving at a slower pace and holding the postures for an extended period of time presents challenges. It does force you to have patience, and gives you opportunities to focus on your breathing; after all, there's nothing else to do. Patience, breath, and clearing the mind.

There's no other exercise which makes you so flexible and durable, none which works on strength, balance and coordination, or which calms the mind and relieves stress. I really hesitate to call it "exercise", because it's so much more than that. Do your yoga, and drink your water, people.

Namaste.

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 86: Run

Back to the running circuit and again, I saw some improvements. Not major improvements over last week, but I still managed to shave 10 seconds off my time, while maintaining the same overall average heart rate. I'm averaging about 85% of my maximum heart rate during the run, which is pretty intense and results in a decent calorie burn. I've been starting to enjoy my runs more, probably because they're over more quickly. I'm still looking for the famous "runner's high" I've heard so much about, but have yet to experience. I'm wondering whether that's due to my personal attitude about running, or whether more intensity is required, or perhaps a longer distance is necessary. I haven't really looked into it on the internet to see what people are talking about, but have read that it doesn't happen to runners all the time, even experienced runners, but it just seems to occur on a hit and miss basis. Anyway, perhaps it'll hit me one day.

Fortunately, I'm still running pain-free, and don't feel pain afterwards. I'd like to attribute that to my running style, but moreso, to yoga. I'd like to think that yoga is keeping my body well-stretched and flexible, which is a benefit to my running. Also, during my run, I focus on keeping my hands unclenched, my jaw loose, and my upper body relaxed. So far, things seem to be working out. I'll try to keep up the running until it gets too cold here to be comfortable, then switch back to indoor cardio work. I've been really lucky with the weather, as it's consistently been beautiful on running days. That's a string of luck not likely to last, but I'll enjoy it while I can.

Round 6: Day 85: Chest, Shoulders and Triceps

A completely unexpected turn of events found me In the gym when my wife decided that she needed to go to her office and invited me to tag along. There's not much for me to do at the offices of an insurance company, but considering that there's an extremely well-equipped gym, I couldn't refuse. So, I prepared a custom workout sequence of exercises based on 30-15, CST, Shoulders and Arms, and Diamond Delts. The structure was to alternate various types of push-ups with arm and shoulder exercises, for a total of 24 individual exercises. By the time I was one-third of the way through, I thought that I had been too aggressive in my exercise selection. By the time I was halfway though, I thought I would never make it to the end. By the time I was three-quarters complete, I felt that I was actively courting death. By the time I finished, I had been reduced to a shimmering pile of jello lying on the floor. But, what a workout! Stay pumped, my friends.