P90x 2014 SC - Day ?? What happened?

I missed a couple posts and then I missed a couple days!  I worked hard to catch up.  Yesterday I pulled a double with Triometrics and Back/Biceps.  It was brutal, but that left me one behind.  Today I managed yoga.  I wish I had done more of it.  It feels so good afterwards.

Tomorrow will be something legs related, either Legs/back or eccentric lower.  We'll see how I'm feeling in the morning.

Week 3 of any phase is so rough.  Your body really struggles to keep up the intensity and commitment.  I'm trying hard to make Recovery week NOT be make up week....because phase 3 is an extra week in length.

Theme for today:  So what if you missed a few days, get back on the horse and bring it!
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P90x 2014 SC - Day 40 Eccentric Lower

I missed yoga yesterday because of a group of 7 and 8 year old's sleeping over.  Hopefully I can find a day to make that up.

My elbow was still pretty sore today, so I did something smart again....I listened to my body and did a legs only, Eccentric Lower workout.  I must be getting old.  Anyway, it's another P90x3 workout.  I didn't get the sweat I usually get with legs/back, but my legs were spent at the end.  I should be sore in a whole different group of places tomorrow.

I'm looking forward to MMX tomorrow for the great sweat I usually get.

P90x 2014 SC - Day 38 Back & Biceps

Once again, I wasn't looking forward to this workout as these are traditionally my weakest muscle groups.  That being said, once I finally pressed play, I rocked it today.  I used a mix of 30s and 35s for the bicep exercises and wrapped it up starting with 40s(!) for the strip set.  Amazingly, my biceps aren't too much of a mess right now.

The real fun of the day is the 5 7 and 8 year old's sleeping over for my little one's birthday.  If I wasn't tired from the workout, I'd certainly be now.

I was impressed with how much weight I was able to push around today.  I really didn't expect to be able to do much with the 35s, never mind use 40s for the strip set.  I guess some days, I can impress even myself.

P90x 2014 SC - Day 37 Triometrics

I missed yesterday's post, which was Triometrics.  I did get it done yesterday.  I think my subconscious has decided it doesn't want to do Plyo.  I don't use an alarm clock, just get up when it's time.  Not on Plyo day, I consistently oversleep enough that there isn't time for a 60 minute workout.

My brother did point out that once you strip out the excessive warmup and cool down in plyo, It's only about 10 minutes longer than triometrics.

P90x 2014 SC - Day 36 Chest/Shoulders/Triceps

Yesterday was rest, so I didn't have much need to post anything.  My legs were shot from the day before it was an uneventful day.

Today was another story.  I was still dragging a bit from staying up too late a couple nights ago, but I was up in time and after a bit of procrastination, pressed play.  This is the most brutal workout in P90x.  I believe I said that last time.  It just keeps hammering you at every turn.  In Shoulders/Arms during phase 1, I could do 20 dips and 20 side tri-rises without that much effort.  In this workout, Dips is the FIRST tricep exercise and I struggle to get 20.  I don't even want to talk about one armed push ups and clap push ups.

I didn't show much improvement throughout this, despite pushing pretty hard.  I went up minimally in most exercises and actually went down in the last push up one.  Did I do my best?  Yes I did, and that's all that matters.

P90x 2014 SC - Day 34 Legs/Back or Kenpo

Yesterday I just couldn't get legs and back done in the morning.  Ultimately, I had a very busy afternoon carting air conditioners and such out of the shed.  I called it a decent substitution for MMX.  Which left me with legs and back today.  Tony always says to modify as needed.  Usually he's talking about moves, but sometimes, you've got to modify the schedule to fit your life.

This morning's legs and back workout reminded me how  much I enjoy working out in the winter.  I don't think it had hit 70 outside, but there was definitely a bit of humidity in the air and it definitely made this workout that much harder.  On top of that, my biceps were still sore from Back and Biceps a few days ago.  Once I got on the bar, they loosened up pretty quickly and feel good now.

My legs suffered as I used 20's for most of the optional weight exercises.  I still had a great workout.

I guess today's theme is don't be afraid to modify...the schedule.

P90x 2014 SC - Day 32 Yoga

I'm definitely sporting some nice preying mantis arms this morning.  Fortunately, yoga helped loosen them up.  Upward dog sure hurt to start, but felt much better by the end.  Speaking of yoga, this morning I tried something new.  I felt like I needed a slightly different focus than any of the P90x yogas offered, so I did my own thing.

I was able to focus on the really stiff/sore parts and loosen up quite a bit.  I still like the formality of doing it with a lead video, but today I definitely needed a different focus.  It was very similar to P90x3 in regard to the moves and time, but I held some of the moves longer and missed some of the other ones.

Feeling so much better.  Don't skip yoga!

Happy Father's Day to all.

P90x 2014 SC - Day 31 Back and Biceps

This morning was another new workout for phase 2.  Back and Biceps.  These are not my favorite muscles to work.  For whatever reason, I prefer and do better with Chest and Triceps.  That being said, I brought it, setting the bar pretty high for myself next time I do this.

All the biceps exercises were with 30s, except for 21s...I stuck with the 25s for those.  For the strip set at the end....35->30->25->20.  I'm in for a serious case of praying mantis arms tomorrow.

This is a great routine, 52 minutes, 24 exercises.  Two back in a row followed by 2 biceps.  Tony calls this the glamour muscle workout.

P90x 2014 SC - Day 30 Plyo/Trio

30 days...1/3 of the way done.  Wahoo!  My elbow comes and goes, but the weakness in my shoulder has pretty much been absorbed by all the supporting muscles, so it doesn't bother me much.

This morning was supposed to be plyo.  With the soft pitter patter of rain and the leftover tired from CST, I overslept a bit.  So I subbed in P90x3 Triometrics again.  It's a really good workout and even though it's 30 minutes, I suspect I'm getting pretty close to the calorie burn of Plyo.

There are so many combination moves that require balance, strength, focus, and even flexibility.  Warrior 3 squats....what a leg torcher...and you do them for a minute...on each leg!

Anyway, the theme for today is Do Something, even if it's not what you plan...get something done.

P90x 2014 SC - Day 28/29 Chest, Shoulders, Triceps(CST)

I couldn't get my act together to do Yoga yesterday, which I'm regretting...especially since I'm the guy who said, "Don't skip yoga".

Anyway, today starts Phase 2, which brings new weight routines.  Today is the worst, I mean hardest, of them, CST.  Three muscle groups that you constantly use in conjunction with each other.  When you do a push up, you think it's chest, but you're also using Tricep and Shoulder.  This routine is 24 exercises in 55 minutes.  It's rough, it moves fast, and it starts with Slow Motion Push Ups!

After the joy of that start, it all becomes a blur as you do your best and forget the rest on shoulder presses, dips, clap/plyo push ups, tricep extensions, and even one armed push ups, on my knees thank you very much.

It's a huge pump, and don't sell yourself short, there's always one more push up in there somewhere.  Clap push ups are the second to last push up exercise.  I got down on the floor and didn't think I'd be able to hold myself up.  I finished with 12 or 14 clappers....and at the end, yes, it is a challenge to see just how fast your hands can move.

Enjoy the pump!

P90x 2014 SC - Day 25/26/27

You're probably thinking I slacked off because it's recovery week.  Maybe a little.

Day 25 was Stretch day.  I had intended to do Dynamix, which is the P90x3 stretch replacement, but my elbow wasn't feeling particularly good, so I bagged it.  My body appreciated the rest.

Day 26 should have been Core, but yesterday morning my allergies were so bad there was no way I could workout.  My nose was plugged up and running, but worse, my chest was so tight, I would have passed out trying to breathe.

Today, Day 27, Back on the horse.  I made up Core this morning.  It was rough, but I raised the bar a bit and felt great doing it.  Wiped out now.

Tomorrow I plan to make up today's yoga, and be back on schedule for the start of phase 2 on Thursday.

Don't forget, it's never too late to get back on the horse!

P90x 2014 SC - Day 24 Kenpo/MMX

I love the middle of Recovery Week.  Not crazy hard, but still a great sweat.  I went with MMX over Kenpo again.  The more I do this workout, the more I realize just how good it is.  I know it's the sprawls that really raise the intensity level.

30 minutes, or 2000 steps on my pedometer, and I'm a bucket of sweat.  Feel great and I'm happy to have gotten it done.

Enjoy the beautiful day.

P90x 2014 SC - Day 23 Core Synergistics

What a great workout this morning.  There wasn't a dry spot on my shirt.  I forgot just how much fun prison cell push ups are.

I did catch myself about 1/3 of the way into the workout slipping back to the "good enough" funk I had been in before starting this round.  I fixed it, pushed hard, and did great.  Today's theme is don't sell yourself short.  You're capable of amazing things when you put your mind to it.

I will admit to feeling guilty about skipping yoga yesterday.  Maybe I'll make it up by doing Dynamix(P90x3) and Yoga on Stretch day.  Still an hour, but lots of good stuff in there.  We'll have to wait and see.

P90x 2014 SC - Day 21/22 Rest and Yoga

Yesterday was rest day for week 3 and I forgot to do this post.  Not a big deal.  It was a real good first few weeks and I feel much stronger and fitter.  It was also pretty tough on my elbow that has tendinitis as that's pretty sore this morning.

I'm trying to do the smart thing and rest my elbow for the day.  It's yoga, which usually makes the rest of my body feel great, but I think resting my elbow is better.  I really want to do Core Syn tomorrow.

I guess the moral of the day is listen to your body and do the right thing.

P90x 2014 SC - Day 20 Kenpo/MMX

Wow, doing this after legs day really kicks up the intensity level.  Your legs are tired and sore and that makes you have to push so much harder to keep up.  The sprawls are pretty much burpees without the push up and there are lots of them.  More than any other exercise, the sprawls make this workout.  I bet if you put random sprawls into Kenpo, it'd be a real workout as well.

I was a little slow to press play again today, but got it done and feel good.  For those keeping track, the 30 minute P90x3 MMX workout netted me over 2200 steps.  That's really impressive for 30 minutes of working out.

P90x 2014 SC - Day 19 Legs/Back

I rolled over this morning hoping I had another hour of sleep, but knowing deep down inside, it was 4:30...yup, 4:30.  I dragged myself out of bed, pressed play and even after a ton of yard work yesterday, put on a great workout.

I don't use dumbbells for all the exercises, but I went up from 15s to 20s for the exercises I do use them in.

Recovery week is around the corner and I can't say how much I'm looking forward to it.  My right elbow definitely needs a rest and this morning I tweaked something between my right shoulder blade and spine. That is a very typical injury for me.  I do it almost every time I do a workout a program.  It's definitely one of my weak spots.

P90x 2014 SC - Day 18 Yoga

I woke up and my lower back was really tight today.  With minimal procrastination, I pressed play and the 30 minutes of X3 yoga flew by leaving me feeling ohh so much better.  I felt good today doing it.  Balance and flexibility were pretty good.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Don't skip the yoga.  Yup, it's hard, but worth the effort.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.