Done with Week #3!

I'm happy to report that I have completed week #3 of P90X! One more week until I have officially completed the first phase of P90X. The last few days have been crazy busy so I had to put posting to my blog on the back burner...but I'M BACK!


Day #18, Thursday: Yoga


So my biggest struggle with P90X so far has been getting up early in the morning. I have had the best of intentions to wake up early in the morning, to get my workout done and out of the way for the day...but so far it's not happening. But I'm determined to make it happen and to make it a habit...so it will. Luckily,  I've done really well to get my workouts done later in the day.


But I don't feel like I'll be able to make the most of the P90X Yoga segment until I do start getting up early for it. On Tuesday my daughter woke up from her nap 20 minutes into my workout. Ugh... So I just tried to make the most of it, while keeping her happy at the same time. Luckily she went back to sleep and I was able to get the last half hour done without interruption. It just didn't feel like as good of a workout with all the interruptions...but I was able to do the whole hour and a half...just all broken up.


So far my favorite part of Yoga X is the "balancing exercises" during the 2nd half of the workout. The poses are kind of fun, I think. Like "tree pose." And I was able to do poses like "royal dancer" much better this time around (where you balance on one foot while lifting your other leg up and behind you...like a ballet dancer.) And I was able to do better with "wheel, " a gymnastics move that I could do really well when I was young. This is "wheel"...

... I took for granted what coordination and strength it took to do this when I was a kid.
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Day #19, Friday: Legs & Back and Ab Ripper X


On Friday I did Ab Ripper X first on purpose. The reason being is that Ab Ripper X does not focus only on the Abs. It works on the Core as a whole and even the legs...but mostly the Abdomen area. And it is X-tremely good at it too. ;) I like to feel how I'm progressing in that area, without being tired from already working out with the other segment.


Legs & Back is a great workout! It kicks my butt but it feels so good. I'm still not able to do full pull-ups without support (with a chair) but I can tell that not too much longer and I'll be able to do it without support.


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Day #20, Saturday:  :(~ (Raspberry)


Yes, I said "raspberry." Saturday was my first day missing a P90X workout, and I wasn't too happy about it... But I had to make a choice. I had some other responsibilities that took precedence. My goal is for this to happen as little as possible and I'm happy that I've gotten this far into the program without having to skip a workout.


I will be making up this workout session, that would have been Kenpo...at the end of the 90 days.

This Past Week...

I have officially completed week #2 of P90X! This was last week was a little rough. Monday was good and as you can see I was able to get a great workout in and blog about it. Then Tuesday hit. I don't know what happened. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I just felt "off." Not too bad, just a little sad, tired and moody. I wondered if it was something I was eating, if I was getting worn out, or if I wasn't getting enough sleep... Most likely if was a combination of things, but I think it was mostly hormones. I'll have to research it, but I'm guessing that starting a intense exercise routine can have some effect on hormones.

Anyway, today I felt like it has passed and I'm back to my feeling awesome and working hard.

I was happy to be able to push through those hard days, however, to stay on top on my P90X routine. I feel like I didn't "Bring It" as hard as I would of on a good day, but I did the best I could. And that brings me to one of my favorite quotes. (One that I'm working to incorporate into all aspects of my life more...)

"Do or do not. There is no try." -Yoda

Isn't that a great quote? It makes me laugh and it makes me think. "Trying" can be an excuse. It's not a terrible word, but it doesn't always convey the right attitude...

"I tried to get my workout in today..."

"I tried to eat well today..."

I'm sure you get the point. I look forward to "Bring[ing] It!" even harder next week! I will DO it!

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Day #9, Tuesday: Plyometrics

Tuesday was my 2nd day doing plyometrics, or "Jump training." I wasn't feeling as strong that day, but I tried to jump as high as I could and give as much intensity into my workout as I could. I didn't do the "bonus round," however. Tony Horton says that Plyometrics is the "Mother of all the P90X workouts" and he's not joking. It is intense. Thoe guys on there can do some incredible stuff!

One thing I noticed when I first started P90X was that my left knee felt a little weak. After I'd finish a workout, (especially Plyometrics which can be harder on the knees), it felt like my knee needed to pop, especially walking up stairs. I figured that over time it would get better as the muscles around my knee get stronger and I feel that they are. My knee is giving me less and less trouble.

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Day #10, Wednesday: Shoulders & Arms

Wednesday was my first time doing the "Shoulders & Arms" routine and I like it. It involves using various weights for strengthening all parts of the arms and shoulders:

Beachbody.com

Alternating Shoulder Press, In & Out Bicep Curls, Two-arm Tricep Kickbacks, Deep Swimmer’s Press, Full Supination Concentration Curls, Chair Dips, Upright Rows, Static Arm Curls, Flip-Grip Twist Tricep Kickbacks, Two-angle Shoulder Flyes, Crouching Cohen Curls, Lying-down Tricep Extensions, In & Out Straight-arm Shoulder Flyes, Congdon Curls, and Side Tri-Rises.

This was very new for me as I've never been into lifting weights. But as I've been learning, resistance training is vital to overall health and for getting a more fit and lean body. And Tony Horton says, this workout (Shoulders and Arms), is the beauty workout... For this being my first real weight lifting session with a real trainer, I would say it went pretty well. The only weight I had bought were 10 lbs weights. This was fine for me for most of the sets. But when it came to things like "shoulder flys," I was unable to do them with my 10 lb. weights. They were too much and I could tell if I pushed it, I could possibly injure myself. Today I bought some 5 lb. weights to use until I get stronger in that area...but I don't plan to use them for long! It will be nice to actually be able to do that move.


I was not able to get the Ab Ripper X routine done on Wednesday and will be making it up later.

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Day #11, Thursday: Yoga

So, I'm reading that the Yoga segment gets a lot of people. Some individuals whine and cry, saying "Do I really have to do the Yoga?" I'm starting to understand why. You go from intense cardio, with punching, kicking, weight lifting...and then slllooww, methodicallll yoogaa.

I'm going to have to work on this one too. I think part of what Tony Horton is trying to teach us is PATIENCE. And yes, Yoga is a great workout...it just takes a lot of time. It's an hour and a half segment.

Thursday was my least effective workout day so far. I go up early that day for my workout, but not early enough as 20 minutes into the DVD my son wakes up and comes downstairs. Now, it was an improvement from last week where he didn't cry and whine about my doing Yoga... No, this time he joined in. It made for a cute video to share with friends and family on facebook. :) However,  it did not make for a good workout. I will be making this (entire) segment up at the end of the 90 days... For me, this might be a better workout for the evening after my kids go to bed and I know I'll have enough time for it.

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Day #12, Friday: Legs & Back, and Ab Ripper X

Friday was my 2nd day actually completing the 2 combined workout sessions that include Ab Ripper X...and each time I do I'm so proud of myself! The first workout, in this case...Legs & Back...is already a huge workout. Most of these DVD are an hour long (including stretching and cooling down.) And then another 20 minutes for Ab Ripper X...But oh boy, what a great feeling it is when I complete both in one block of time.!! It's definitely a "pat myself on the back" kind of moment!


I like the Legs & Back routine. Again, it's a lot of squatting, working out the legs quite intensely and then doing pull-ups in between the leg workouts. Some of the segments incorporate using weights as well.


As for Ab Ripper X, I sure hope I'm making progress! The only indication that I'm making progress, that I can see, is with the most intense move at the end...The MASON TWIST! As I've mentioned before, it's a doozy! Well, I'm not completely dying with this move anymore and I don't look as retarded doing it. I'm not yet able to turn by body in full angles yet though. I move from side-to-side the best I can.


Oh, my poor stinkin' abs.

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Day #13, Saturday: Kenpo


So, as I mentioned before... Kenpo ROCKS! It really is a lot of fun...and I feel like it was meant for me. It's encouraging that I'm already pretty coordinated and fit enough for such a workout as Kenpo. If I could be one of the people on these workout DVD's, it would be this one... (Yea, I'm dreaming...) But I really do love it. I can't help by grin when I finish Kenpo.


***Today was the first time I've completed a workout after my kids went to bed. This is HUGE for me! I had a big day cleaning my whole house, making dinner, & taking care of my kids. 2 weeks ago I would have been exhausted after all of that. But today I really feel all the difference P90X and Shakeology are making in my life. I was pumped and ready to go!! I am very grateful to have this increased energy!***

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So, one more thing to note before I sign off...


I haven't yet experienced a whole lot of muscle soreness...which is confusing to me since I haven't done such an intense workout regimen before. I don't know if I really am sore and I don't notice it much... (I have a pretty high tolerance for discomfort...) Or maybe I'm not pushing hard enough? I feel like I've been pushing as hard as I possibly can, and going deep as I can with different moves like with squats... or lifting weights or doing more push-ups then I normally would. I wonder if I haven't felt much soreness because I've been using Shakeology as my recovery drink? I've read that many of the ingredients in Shakeology help to combat muscle soreness and remove toxins from the body. I'll have to do a little more research and find some good articles related to this topic.


So, my goal for next week is to PUSH even harder and see if I can feel even more of a difference after my workouts. Bring on week #3!!

Day #4- Yoga X

Today was my first day of Yoga X. At the beginning Tony Horton introduces Yoga X as Yoga 300 and something...not 100 or 200...but a 300 level Yoga. :)

I knew I'd do okay since I've done most of this segment before. I am not able to do the push-ups very well yet, but I felt good about the rest of the workout. I am pretty flexible, naturally, so that helps.

I'd have to say that so far my favorite P90X segment is Plyometrics! It's intense and I feel like I really had to work...Yoga, although very necessary, didn't leave me as satisfied. I'm starting to get into the mindset where I really want to feel like I'm achieving something, physically, with each and every workout. That's not to say I don't have improvements to make with Yoga...oh I do. :) Like being able to do the move wear you balance your whole body on your hands. Yea...that one's going to take a while! One thing that I do like about Yoga is how great the stretches feel.

Tomorrow I do Legs & Back as well as Ab Ripper X. And it will be my first time doing Legs & Back. I expect to get a much more intense workout, and I really look forward to it!