P90X+ Day 3

Total Body Plus (45 minutes)

Squat/Glute Challenge:
Wall Squat: 1:46
Dumbbell Squat: 30/15# (forgot to do single leg!!)

Started out feeling pretty stiff and sore from the previous days workouts. The warm up felt good. Definitely had more mobility after I warmed up. Because of the sore muscles, I had a little difficulty getting those assisted pull-ups done; and, the push-ups were difficult to get many because I was afraid I was going to crash and not get up! Toward the end, my right wrist started hurting a little, also, so, I backed off.

Total Body Plus:
O Crunch Push-Ups: 4
Pull-Up Crunch: 1 (assisted)
Dead Lift Curl Press: 8/10#
Step Kick Back Chair position: 12/5#
Sumo Chair: 10
Chuck-Ups:8
Position 1: 4
Position 2: 2
Position 3: 2
Clink On Run: 1 ... in the dangling position
Lunge Press Bella Twist: 7/10#
Balance Curls: 12/10#
Running Man: 14/5# (each side)
Hindu Pike Push-Ups: 2 ... I was afraid of a crash-landing on my head!
Lunge Squat Lunge: 6/no weight ... for some reason, this one was confusing to me, so I didn't use weights this time so I could just focus on form, and movements; I kept forgetting to do that squat in between
Mr. Moon: not done ... no balance at this point in the workout!
Kid Play: 3 each
3 & 3: 2 sets of 3 each/10# on the squat, pull-ups were assisted
1/2 Dervish: done ... the twisting worried me a little (fear of back strain or injury), but it actually felt good!
Weighted Warrior: 2/5#; 5/no weight ... shoulder was popping with the weights, so, I decided to not use any weight until my shoulders are stronger
1 & 1: not done ... just didn't have it in me to do another push-up or assisted pull-up (muscles were shaking even when not engaged)
Lara Lunge Crunch: 8/no weight ... it looked confusing to me, so, I wanted to take one element to focus on out of the equation ... I probably could have used weights, next time I will
Spiderman Jumps: not done ... again, just couldn't do another push-up without laying on the floor
BONUS: Plyo Push-Ups: not done ... next week my goal will be to do every exercise in the workout

It feels good to have accomplished another workout. Four-in-a-row for me! It may be difficult to work tonight, with these sore, stiff muscles ... but, I can feel the fat melting away! So, that's a good thing.

Now, I need to fix my food for my night at work.

I've been doing some reading about food. A lot of reading, actually. And, I'm going to give a "no-wheat/gluten" diet a chance. Considering that I am vegetarian, it's going to be difficult, especially, attempting to get in all the protein servings of the P90X Phase 1 diet!! But, I'm going to give it a chance, and see how that makes me feel. I'm also going to try to drop the creamer in my coffee ... I bought Silk Creamer to try.

I'm going to give it a week-long trial. And, if I'm not totally sick of tofu and eggs (about my only protein source) by then, then I'll continue it. At that point, I may try to drop the dairy products, too.

Plans for tomorrow:
Abs/Core Plus
Eat "on plan"
Drink 6 bottles of water

P90X+ Day 2

Interval X Plus
44 min.
burned 382 cal.
HR max: 164
HR ave: 143

Abs/Core Plus (deferred)

Squat Challenge (baseline assessment):
Single Leg Dumbbell Squat: 15/10#

Wow!

That was quite a workout. I was doggin' it toward the end, a few of those moves got my variant of running in place or jumping jacks, because I just didn't have it in me, to push through another 20 seconds!!

Actually, while I was sitting on the couch, waiting for the infomercials to finish before starting Abs/Core Plus ... I fell asleep!! Talk about recovery!! A nice little 30 minute power nap!

I started to attempt Abs/Core Plus ... but my core didn't have it in me. So, I've decided I need a rest day in between. I'll give it a try with tomorrow's Total Body Plus workout, or, on Thursday instead of PHH. Gotta listen to the body! I think I'll have a more efficient workout if I wait a day or so.

I didn't push through on my single leg dumbbell squats, only because I mainly just wanted to see where I was at, and what I could do (and if my goals are realistic). Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for the next 4 weeks are going to be squat challenge days for me. So, tomorrow, I'll push through to muscle failure, along with doing the wall squat.

Food was a little closer on-target today. I went and bought some cottage cheese to help me get some of the dairy in (I can eat only so much yogurt!!). I'll continue to work on that aspect of my process. I've done it in the past, I know I can get back on it, again!

Plan for tomorrow:
Total Body Plus
Squat Challenge: Wall Squats, Single Leg Dumbbell Squats
Eat "on plan"
Drink 6 bottles of water

P90X+ Day 1

Upper Plus (50 minutes)
Abs/Core Plus (12 minutes)

Squat/Glute challenge: Wall Squat 1:23.75

I started my workout with the Wall Squat. I surprised myself with how well I did with it. I put a song on my iPod, and propped myself while singing along ... hoping that by singing, I would distract myself.

Then, I moved into the X+ workouts. Upper Plus required a lot of pausing ... partly because I was pooped, and partly because I had to see what they were doing! I ended up cutting Abs/Core Plus short, due to time constraints.

Upper Plus:
Double Double Dip'll Do Ya: 6 ... my chair situation isn't real steady
Dead Leg Switch Pull-Up: 5 assisted
2-Direction Circle Flies: 18/5#
Lunge Curls: 12/10#
Hammer Kick: 10/5#
Frog Push-Ups: 7
"L" Chin-Ups: 3 (freefall) ... poor form, and definitely no control on the way down!
Fly Blaster: 8/5#
Lean Back Curls: 15/10# ... these will take a while to master, my elbows wanted to come forward
1-Legged Bridge Dips: 12 (2-legged) ... I chose to not lift my legs (yet), to get more quality and quantity
Spiderman Push-Ups: 3 ... uh, yeah ...
7-Point Pull-Ups: 5 (assisted)
Warrior Swim: 5/5# ... balance was an "issue"
Pumper Curls: 12/10#
Side Hammer Kick: 10/5#
Iso Climber Push-Ups: 5
Clean to Negative: 5/1
Shoulder Everything: 9/5#
Bicep Everything: 10/10#
Combat Push-Ups: 3

Abs/Core Plus:
Hanging Toe Tap Knee Raises: 4
Tip Toe O Crunch: 8 ... took me a little bit to get it ... or my numbers probably would have been bigger
Scorpion Plank: 6
Banana Cannonball: 2 ... all I can say, is, at least I tried
Hanging Up & Overs: 2 ... hands were hurting ... gotta remember to wear my gloves
Discus Throwers: 8/5#
Warrior Bow: 6
Scissor Climbers: 0 ... I watched
Hanging Knee Kicks: 2
Wood Chopper: 8/5#
-- cut the workout short --

I can say that this workout today was a good baseline workout. A beginning. I can only go UP from here! Actually, in 12 weeks, I think I'll be cranking these exercises out much more effectively.

Already this evening (I just finished 5 hours ago), I am feeling the effects of the workout!! My core is going to be sore in the morning!! Not sure how I'm going to do that workout again tomorrow. With all the discussion about recovery, I do find it odd that the schedule has the Abs/Core workout on back-to-back days.

My shoulders were surprisingly tolerant of the workout. I did chose to go with slightly lighter weights, mainly because I didn't want any of my injuries to flair up on me and cause me to have to sit out, again. I think by week 2 I can feel more confident in pushing myself to my max again. (Part of my hesitation to workout, during the last 2 weeks, was mainly because I was afraid of re-aggravating the injury. So, for me to feel comfortable, I think I need to ease into it, for right now.)

Food was better today. Not as great as it could have been ... not that I ate "bad" stuff ... I just didn't fill in all the boxes today. And, it's late enough, I'm not eating any more!! Tomorrow, I'm going to work a little harder at getting all the servings in. I've planned a slightly higher protein-content breakfast for the morning, which should help.

Plan for tomorrow:
Interval X Plus
Abs/Core Plus
Eat "on plan"
Drink 6 bottles of water

The beginning

Life has gotten in the way, lately. Between a very painful muscle strain in my back (rhomboid) and bursitis in my shoulder, and then the occasional (chronic) pain in my wrist I had managed to get away from working out, and the body that I was actually starting to become proud of.

Because any little workout seemed to cause my back to flare up I got completely away from working out. I would walk, occasionally, but even that had to be fairly sedate ... or I risked triggering more spasms.

Because walking was such a different workout style than I had become used to, with the P90 and P90X programs, it almost seemed "too lame" to me ... so, instead of accepting the benefits of a workout that I could do, I mostly did nothing.

Even my eating was starting to get out of control.

My shoulder no longer hurts when I raise it above my head. I can lift patients without feeling any discomfort under my shoulder blade. And, the "normal" mobility is back in my wrist. I'm actually feeling good. So, I've decided I'm ready to get back on a "program" (that seems to be how I function best). Actually, I've been ready for two weeks, but, have been afraid of causing all the pain to come back.

Beginning tomorrow, I am starting a round of P90X+ Classic. I'll start slow this first week, and see how things go ... if I have to do the shoulder exercises with water bottles instead of weights, because I'm afraid of bringing back the bursitis ... that's what I'll do.

Basically, I've decided I need to (in the words of Nike) JUST DO IT. Jump in with both feet. (You know all the cliches ... so do I.)

***

My Workout Details:
Jog/Walk (3.5 miles)
59 min.
burned 548 cal.
HR max: 176
HR ave: 149