Monday, December 29, 2014
Insanity Max 30 workout - Day 1
I started the Insanity max 30 workout today, wiht my first max out time of4:25. I didnt even make it out of the "warm up" part of the workout before my legs were giving, my lungs were burning, and i was maxed. I kept on going after that, doing the best that I could, but only made it somewhere to the 10-11 minute mark before really falling off and then only doing a fraction of the workouts, a small fraction. With all that being said, I am feeling proud of myself for starting. I had a bit of fear creeping in before the start, because it has been so long since I've done anything near exercise on a consistent basis. I had spent the last few days in mammoth snowboarding and skiing, was exhausted, and still got up early to do the workout - to START! Why? Well, a few reasons. I need to start somewhere, and no better place and time than today. The holidays are over, I have the week off to help my body adjust to hte new routine, and I am going to need that adjustment period. I also am tired of looking in the mirror, and thinking about when I had muscles, and didnt have my gut. I want that back, and I need to start putting in the work. Nothing worthwhile in life comes without dedication, commitment, and work. Sounds cliche? Perhaps, but that shit is true!
I am going to take my photos today, and measurements. I didnt do them before because I was out of town, etc. and didnt want to delay the start of the program because of that. So I started anyway.
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Insanity Max 30 - getting prepared
I'd like to say welcome back, but in the back of my head it says "its about flippin time" I have done very little in the way of exercise for the better part of the last year or year and a half. I bike ride here, a soccer game there but nothing consistent. I dont know that I have been this out of shape since I was in my early 20s either in college, or just out when I was drinking and partying a ton, and just not giving a shit about doing any exercise. Times were different then though, I could eat whatever I wanted, and never seemed to put on any weight. I've noticed a significant difference in my metabolism since I have stopped exercising, and I have finally hit that point in my life where I am putting on those inches around the waist/ love handle area.
I have tried to start exercising again, and have contineud to tell myself I was going to start but just haven't. I went to the gym about 3 or 4 weeks ago, and I did HALF of the first day of the P90X workout, and I almost collapsed. HALF OF THE WORKOUT, and I took it easy and I still almost collapsed. Add to that the fact that I was extremely sore for the better part of a week, and I am actually SCARED to start doing this workout. I am so out of shape, that for the first time in my life, I am dreading the start of the workout because it is going to be painful.
With all of that being said, I am prepping for the beginning of the new Beachbody workout, Insanity MAX 30. I signed up to be part of a test group, and have committed myself to 60 days of consistently following a eating regimen and the workout program calendar. I am going to take my measurements, and "before" photos today with the plan of starting the workout program on Monday 12/29. I have a group leader who I can reach out to for tips, and I have my close friend Nick Riley in the group with me as well so I can lean on him to help wiht motivation and to stay on task. From everything I am reading the workouts are challenging, but the eating regiment is the most difficult to stay consistent with. So the week of 12/29, here I come! I am off work that entire week, and think that would be a great week to start making the adjustment to get back into shape. I am nervous, which makes me feel silly because I consider myself an athlete. I just haven't ever felt so out of shape, I dont really know how my body is going to respond.
Wish me luck
Michael T. Ward
Day 19 P90X Legs and Back - Feb 8 2012
Day 19 P90X Legs and Back - Feb 8 2012
Today was legs and back and I worked my ass off. I, once again, did not want to get out of bed. I was tired, my body is tired, and I have only been getting between 6.5-7 hours of sleep a night. I can feel my body needing more rest, but I will have to wait for the weekend to (hopefully) get a little caught up on some rest. As for the exercise, it was tough. I think I sweat more than I have in any of the previous days. I was able to increase my weight and reps on all of the pull up exercises, which I was excited about. I also was able to do all of the leg exercises, even though my legs were absolutely burning. At a few different points they were at failure, and I needed to wait a second and get them back under me.
I didnt do Ab Ripper yet, I was running out of time. I had to be at a meeting early this morning, so I was cut short of my normal block of time. That being said, I am going to (not plan on it, not maybe) do the ab ripper dvd when I get home tonight. I will do all 25 reps of all 11 exercises, and I will do the best that I can.
Mentally, i have been struggling a bit with staying focused, and staying excited. It could have to do with me being tired, it could be that I am just mind fucking myself because I am only 19 days in, and there is still so long to go. Either way, I am still pushing through the negative "you cant/dont have to do it" thoughts. I havent stopped, even though those have been in my head pretty much every day, especially in the mornings when I dont want to get up. the cool thing that has happened over the last 3-4 days, is that my son has noticed that I have been going to the gym every morning. He is now counting the days with me, and rooting me on in a round about way. I mean, he hasnt cheered me on, but the fact that he has noticed, and has been keeping track, makes me want to keep going, to show him that when you start smethign you finish. Another thing, is that my friend josh has started too, and both of us have started and never finished any of these 3 month/ 90 day programs a number of times. We both have agreed to keep each other accountable, and motivate one anotehr to keep going, and not stop.
So 19 days done. Or they will be when I do Ab Ripper tonight. 20 is Kenpo X which I am excited bout, to burn some calories, and keep working to shed this little belly I have, and get it six pack like.
Today was legs and back and I worked my ass off. I, once again, did not want to get out of bed. I was tired, my body is tired, and I have only been getting between 6.5-7 hours of sleep a night. I can feel my body needing more rest, but I will have to wait for the weekend to (hopefully) get a little caught up on some rest. As for the exercise, it was tough. I think I sweat more than I have in any of the previous days. I was able to increase my weight and reps on all of the pull up exercises, which I was excited about. I also was able to do all of the leg exercises, even though my legs were absolutely burning. At a few different points they were at failure, and I needed to wait a second and get them back under me.
I didnt do Ab Ripper yet, I was running out of time. I had to be at a meeting early this morning, so I was cut short of my normal block of time. That being said, I am going to (not plan on it, not maybe) do the ab ripper dvd when I get home tonight. I will do all 25 reps of all 11 exercises, and I will do the best that I can.
Mentally, i have been struggling a bit with staying focused, and staying excited. It could have to do with me being tired, it could be that I am just mind fucking myself because I am only 19 days in, and there is still so long to go. Either way, I am still pushing through the negative "you cant/dont have to do it" thoughts. I havent stopped, even though those have been in my head pretty much every day, especially in the mornings when I dont want to get up. the cool thing that has happened over the last 3-4 days, is that my son has noticed that I have been going to the gym every morning. He is now counting the days with me, and rooting me on in a round about way. I mean, he hasnt cheered me on, but the fact that he has noticed, and has been keeping track, makes me want to keep going, to show him that when you start smethign you finish. Another thing, is that my friend josh has started too, and both of us have started and never finished any of these 3 month/ 90 day programs a number of times. We both have agreed to keep each other accountable, and motivate one anotehr to keep going, and not stop.
So 19 days done. Or they will be when I do Ab Ripper tonight. 20 is Kenpo X which I am excited bout, to burn some calories, and keep working to shed this little belly I have, and get it six pack like.
Day 18 P90X Yoga X 2/7/12
Day 18 P90X Yoga X 2/7/12
Today is tuesday morning, and I am feeling tired. I snoozed the alarm a bit before dragging myself up out of bed to get to the workout area. I got up, drank my bullnox pre-workout and got my lap top and water and away I went. Today isnt as bad as yesterday, as far as not wanting to get up and go, but I am still not feeling that level of excitement and energy that I was feeling the first week or two. It seem that i have hit a bit of a lull in the workout, and seem to be running into a bit of a mental wall. I am starting to get to that place of "ahhh man, I still have soooo long to go, its only day 18, and ugh, I dont want to go work out" Its the poor me syndrome, I suffer from it sometimes. I want all the results with little to none of the work hahaha. I have done this program enough times, or should I say, i have started this program enough times, to know this when it is happening. I am not going to succumb to it again. I start hearing those thoughts, and I say to myself out loud, "fuck that, I'm going" and it seems to arrest the thoughts, take away there power, and refocus my thougts on just getting to the gym and doing the best that I can. It worked for me today, and it worked for me yesterday, and both times, I feel better having gone, than I would have if I took a day off.
Yoga X - today was the yoga X DVD. Now I have mentioned before that I am not a huge fan of this Yoga DVD. The biggest reason was that it is an hour and a half, and it just takes sooo long. Well, now doing it for the third time that love hate relationship is actually turning more into a love relationship. I really enjoyed doing it today. I could tell I am getting stronger in some of the strength postures, and was able to hold out, through most. During some of the balance/ stretch exercises, I had a really tough time, but did my best. The worst one was the one leg table balanace. Where you bend down, one leg in the air, one on the floor, and then one hand on the floor and twisting up looking at my other hand in teh air. IT KILLED ME. It was stretching out my upper glue, top of my leg and it was burning. A couple of times i had to bring it down, and give it a second and get back to it. that was the hardest part. The Yoga Belly 7 exercises are pretty brutal too, but I did those alright, but definitely have room to improve. Overall I did good, and was happy to have went. now, it being a few hours afterward, I know I got a killer workout because my legs are still wobbly, and I can feel them all stretched and strained, and that is a good feeling.
Another thing to note, is my left shoulder is feeling very tight and sore. This is probably because I went so hard on my arms adn shoulders yesterday, and i am feeling the reprecussions of that. I have mentioned before in the videos, I have bit of a problem when it comes to my shoulders. I have to be much more careful when I am working out my arms and shoulders, so I dont injusre myself. Today, I am happy to know that I wont have any arm or shoulder exercises for several days and will give it time to heal.
So this is it. Day 18 is done. I am fighting to get through that lull, and to just keep at it. Rome was not built in a day. I cannot expect to get in great shape in a day (or 18) either. Especially at 35 years old.
Today is tuesday morning, and I am feeling tired. I snoozed the alarm a bit before dragging myself up out of bed to get to the workout area. I got up, drank my bullnox pre-workout and got my lap top and water and away I went. Today isnt as bad as yesterday, as far as not wanting to get up and go, but I am still not feeling that level of excitement and energy that I was feeling the first week or two. It seem that i have hit a bit of a lull in the workout, and seem to be running into a bit of a mental wall. I am starting to get to that place of "ahhh man, I still have soooo long to go, its only day 18, and ugh, I dont want to go work out" Its the poor me syndrome, I suffer from it sometimes. I want all the results with little to none of the work hahaha. I have done this program enough times, or should I say, i have started this program enough times, to know this when it is happening. I am not going to succumb to it again. I start hearing those thoughts, and I say to myself out loud, "fuck that, I'm going" and it seems to arrest the thoughts, take away there power, and refocus my thougts on just getting to the gym and doing the best that I can. It worked for me today, and it worked for me yesterday, and both times, I feel better having gone, than I would have if I took a day off.
Yoga X - today was the yoga X DVD. Now I have mentioned before that I am not a huge fan of this Yoga DVD. The biggest reason was that it is an hour and a half, and it just takes sooo long. Well, now doing it for the third time that love hate relationship is actually turning more into a love relationship. I really enjoyed doing it today. I could tell I am getting stronger in some of the strength postures, and was able to hold out, through most. During some of the balance/ stretch exercises, I had a really tough time, but did my best. The worst one was the one leg table balanace. Where you bend down, one leg in the air, one on the floor, and then one hand on the floor and twisting up looking at my other hand in teh air. IT KILLED ME. It was stretching out my upper glue, top of my leg and it was burning. A couple of times i had to bring it down, and give it a second and get back to it. that was the hardest part. The Yoga Belly 7 exercises are pretty brutal too, but I did those alright, but definitely have room to improve. Overall I did good, and was happy to have went. now, it being a few hours afterward, I know I got a killer workout because my legs are still wobbly, and I can feel them all stretched and strained, and that is a good feeling.
Another thing to note, is my left shoulder is feeling very tight and sore. This is probably because I went so hard on my arms adn shoulders yesterday, and i am feeling the reprecussions of that. I have mentioned before in the videos, I have bit of a problem when it comes to my shoulders. I have to be much more careful when I am working out my arms and shoulders, so I dont injusre myself. Today, I am happy to know that I wont have any arm or shoulder exercises for several days and will give it time to heal.
So this is it. Day 18 is done. I am fighting to get through that lull, and to just keep at it. Rome was not built in a day. I cannot expect to get in great shape in a day (or 18) either. Especially at 35 years old.
Day 20 P90X KENPO X Feb 9 2012
Day 20 P90X KENPO X Feb 9 2012
Today was Kenpo X and I almost didnt make it to hte workout. For the first time since I started, I heard my alarm, and shut it off, and kept sleeping. I was tired, adn my body was telling me i needed more sleep I guess. I woke up and it was around 540am, uusally I am up at 5am, and I jumped out of bed and ran down to get all my stuff. I got the gym and got to it almost immediately.
When I was doing the KENPO X workout, my shoulder/back/neck area was hurting a bit. I mean, I have said it over and over, but this is my problem area, and has been for a long time. I am always very conscious of this area, because I dont want to reinjure it again, and then screw myself out of the chacne to keep working out, and keep getting better. It didnt get to bad, but it was this annoying pain that I think may have just come from doing the arms/shoulders and Yoga DVDs thsi week. I think the KENPO was good for it, and tomorrow doing the X STRETCH will be great for it.
I have been fighting throug that mental wall all week, where my mind has been telling me I dont need to go, but this morning I didnt have the chance. Sicne I woke up late, it was more of an, "OH SHIT" thought and ther was no time for anyhting else. Probably a good thing.
The KENPO X DVD for me, is a bit tough. I sweat my ass off today, and have trouble keeping up with them, rep for rep. I have found that I need to count my own reps, and make sure I am doing the full set whether it is 20 or 25 reps. If I jsut follow them on the DVD, I usually find myself about 5-8 short by the time they are done. I had to pause the DVD 4-5 times to make sure I was finishing the work. That is something I am finding is important, to not cut corners, and slack. If I am doing this, if I am putting in the time, and energy, and committment, I might as well do the best I possibly can, and not short myslef by half ass'ing it.
Tomorrow is day 21 - cant beleive I am on the brink of finishing with 3 full weeks.
After that we enter into the "REST" week, which is something I have never done. I always just took a literal week of rest, and then got to the next 3-week phase. This time, I plan on doing everything next week that it calls for.
Today was Kenpo X and I almost didnt make it to hte workout. For the first time since I started, I heard my alarm, and shut it off, and kept sleeping. I was tired, adn my body was telling me i needed more sleep I guess. I woke up and it was around 540am, uusally I am up at 5am, and I jumped out of bed and ran down to get all my stuff. I got the gym and got to it almost immediately.
When I was doing the KENPO X workout, my shoulder/back/neck area was hurting a bit. I mean, I have said it over and over, but this is my problem area, and has been for a long time. I am always very conscious of this area, because I dont want to reinjure it again, and then screw myself out of the chacne to keep working out, and keep getting better. It didnt get to bad, but it was this annoying pain that I think may have just come from doing the arms/shoulders and Yoga DVDs thsi week. I think the KENPO was good for it, and tomorrow doing the X STRETCH will be great for it.
I have been fighting throug that mental wall all week, where my mind has been telling me I dont need to go, but this morning I didnt have the chance. Sicne I woke up late, it was more of an, "OH SHIT" thought and ther was no time for anyhting else. Probably a good thing.
The KENPO X DVD for me, is a bit tough. I sweat my ass off today, and have trouble keeping up with them, rep for rep. I have found that I need to count my own reps, and make sure I am doing the full set whether it is 20 or 25 reps. If I jsut follow them on the DVD, I usually find myself about 5-8 short by the time they are done. I had to pause the DVD 4-5 times to make sure I was finishing the work. That is something I am finding is important, to not cut corners, and slack. If I am doing this, if I am putting in the time, and energy, and committment, I might as well do the best I possibly can, and not short myslef by half ass'ing it.
Tomorrow is day 21 - cant beleive I am on the brink of finishing with 3 full weeks.
After that we enter into the "REST" week, which is something I have never done. I always just took a literal week of rest, and then got to the next 3-week phase. This time, I plan on doing everything next week that it calls for.
Day 22 P90X YOGA X Feb 11 2012
Day 22 P90X YOGA X Feb 11 2012
Yoga X was alright today. I did better than I had done to date. I was stretching it out further, and able to hold positions longer. I felt like I was finally able to "get it" if that is even the right way to go about it. In saying that though, I didnt finish the DVD. I did 1 hour of it, which was all I could do before I had to leave. IT was saturday morning, nad I got a late start. I did the work in my living room, and made it through all the tough stuff, but missed out on the relaxing stretching part of it. I am liking the yoga dvd mor and more. I guess that is a good thing since I have to do it again this week, and then of course every week after.
Even though it was only an hour, I am still counting it as a day. It was the 2nd time I didnt finish the Yoga DVD, so I am going to make it a point to do the entire disc next time I do it.
Day 23 P90X Core Synergistics Feb 12 2012
Day 23 P90X Core Synergistics Feb 12 2012
Today I made it to Core Synergistics, and let me tell you this was tough. I mean, this week is supposed to be a rest week. But we start the week off with Yoga X, which is an hour and a half long, and works your ass off, and then they follow it up with this Core Synergistics, it was HARD. I dont think I sweat so much in the last several workouts. It is constant work, doing a lot of exercises that obviously focus on engaging your core (for those of you who don't know what your core is it is considered the middle part of your body, front and back, from the upper part of your thighs, to just below your rib cage). You are also doing a lot of other stuff, squats, lunges, curls, shoulder presses, and it all adds up to a great, but difficult workout. I loved it, it worked your entire body in a different way than any of the other dvds, but I was not expecting it to be so difficult.
Anyway, tomorrow is Kenpo X, and I'll be ready for that. I know what to expect.
Day 24 P90X KENPO X Feb 13 2012
Day 24 P90X KENPO X, FEB 13, 2012 -
Alright so my midn finally got me this morning. My alarm went off, I snoozed it. It went off again, and I told myself "just a little more sleep" then I woke up again, still wtih enough time to get up and do the KENPO, and I said "naaaw" and stayed in bed. All morning after I got up, I just wasn't right. I was super disappointed in myself that I didnt get my workout in, and felt that I had let myself down a bit. Not to mention, I was just not in the same mood. I didnt have that jump start that the morning workout gives me, and I didnt really snap out of that funk, or fog that I found myself in all morning. I told myself i was going to do it tonight, but I had a work dinner, and then I had to pick up the kids, feed the baby, and do some other stuff, and by the tiem I was done it was to late. So, with that being said, I am putting it in the past, and will get up tomorrow morning, and do it again.
Day 25 P90X KENPO X Feb 14 2012
Day 25 P90X KENPO X - Feb 14-2012 - Today was supposed to be X Stretch, a rest day of sorts, and I wish I would have done the X Stretch today along with the Kenpo and I will explain in a little bit. So last night, and ysterday, I never made it to the gym. I felt like shit because of it. Getting up and getting back to the gym this morning was a bit of a struggle, but the worse part of it was that I felt like it had been so much longer than just one day. ONE DAY out of the routine, and I felt like I had been away for a week or more. It was wild. I turned on the Kenpo DVD though, figuring it would be better to do that, skip the X Stretch, and get back on schedule. I did it, and felt like I did well. I was sweating like a mother f'er - breathing hard, needed to drink some water, but I was able to do all of the exercieses, didnt need any breaks, and though I did get tired and start to lose my form towards the end, I finished strong. At the end, they have this punch sequence where you stand in a horse stance, and punch over 100x. In the past, I have had to stand up, and let my legs get a break cause they burned so bad. Today, I told myself, I am going to fight through that, and do all of them, and I did. My legs were on fire when it was over, btu that was the last exercise of the day and I could rest after.
The shitty part, and I am a bit bummed out about this, si that when I got home, and was taking a shower, I could feel my neck and shoulder all tightened up. I know this feeling, it has happened in the past, and when I tried to move to loosen it up, it popped. Now I have this strain in my neck, shoulder, down my back by my shoulder blade. It happens often when I work out, and usually it puts me out of commsission for a little while, but Iam determined to keep it from putting me out at all. I will push it, and see if I can just manage it. I am going to ice it tonight, and do X STretch tonight when I get home. Hopefully it will loosen up, and I'll have no problems continuing. We'll see
The lesson I learned though, was that it is important to stick wtih the routine as much as possible. When you lose a day, or dont do it or whatever, it sets you back more mentally than physically. And if you do miss a day for whatever reason, dont beat yourself up over it, and get back to the routine as soon as possible, and get caught up.
Day 26 P90X X STRETCH Feb 15, 2012
Day 26 P90X X Stretch Feb 15, 2012
Today is easily the most frustrating, and painful day of my P90X journey. Yesterday morning, my neck/back (near left shoulder blade) seized up, and I am in pain. It is a recurring injury that I am always fighting to avoid, but it got my yesterday morning after my workout and it limits pretty much everything I do. From the base of my head, all the way down to the middle of my back, my muscles are tight, and it is painful to move my head down, or very far to the right or left. I have had to set up an appt. with a chiropractor, which I will be doing this week. Last night, I took some advil, and went to sleep hoping it was going to be better this morning, but it wasnt. I was planning on skipping the X Stretch DVD today, and going to the Core Syndergistics. Waking up in this shape though, I figured a good stretch was probably the best thing for my body at this point, and so I did the X STretch. I iced my back last night, will do the same again tonight, and I am going to try and fight through this injury. I wont push myself to far though, if I cant do something, or I feel it is getting worse I will not push it, but I dont want to stop now that I am this far into it. I dont want to stop, and have to start all over. If that ends up being the case, ok, I'll deal then, but I feel like I can still do the work needed, or at least do the best that I can.
I am also going to start doing my own stretching in the evenings, to really try and get my neck/ back area loose, and then keep it that way with consistent stretching every day.
Fuck this sucks! BAD! I'll keep you posted on how I am recovering, and how I am able to work within the threshold of the injusry.
Insanity Max 30 - Getting ready
I'd like to say welcome back, but in the back of my head it says "its about flippin time" I have done very little in the way of exercise for the better part of the last year or year and a half. I bike ride here, a soccer game there but nothing consistent. I dont know that I have been this out of shape since I was in my early 20s either in college, or just out when I was drinking and partying a ton, and just not giving a shit about doing any exercise. Times were different then though, I could eat whatever I wanted, and never seemed to put on any weight. I've noticed a significant difference in my metabolism since I have stopped exercising, and I have finally hit that point in my life where I am putting on those inches around the waist/ love handle area.
I have tried to start exercising again, and have contineud to tell myself I was going to start but just haven't. I went to the gym about 3 or 4 weeks ago, and I did HALF of the first day of the P90X workout, and I almost collapsed. HALF OF THE WORKOUT, and I took it easy and I still almost collapsed. Add to that the fact that I was extremely sore for the better part of a week, and I am actually SCARED to start doing this workout. I am so out of shape, that for the first time in my life, I am dreading the start of the workout because it is going to be painful.
With all of that being said, I am prepping for the beginning of the new Beachbody workout, Insanity MAX 30. I signed up to be part of a test group, and have committed myself to 60 days of consistently following a eating regimen and the workout program calendar. I am going to take my measurements, and "before" photos today with the plan of starting the workout program on Monday 12/29. I have a group leader who I can reach out to for tips, and I have my close friend Nick Riley in the group with me as well so I can lean on him to help wiht motivation and to stay on task. From everything I am reading the workouts are challenging, but the eating regiment is the most difficult to stay consistent with. So the week of 12/29, here I come! I am off work that entire week, and think that would be a great week to start making the adjustment to get back into shape. I am nervous, which makes me feel silly because I consider myself an athlete. I just haven't ever felt so out of shape, I dont really know how my body is going to respond.
Wish me luck
Michael T. Ward
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