New News

So I may have a new workout buddy.  Won't be a daily thing, she lives an hour away, but if nothing else, I've got some local support :) A bit of motivation for one another and if nothing else, an extra little voice screaming "Put that damned candybar down!"

Day 9 (04/18/11)

So day 9 is off to a great freakin start.  My daughter's dragging her feet getting ready for school, so I'm running late as it is.  If that's not enough, I finally get her in the car and poof... battery's dead.  Oh, how I hate the great state of New York... It's SPRING for God's sake!  Why is it below 30 at night still!?
Anyway, silver lining... I have her walk to the sitters as it's too early to walk to school, I hop on the bike, and discover it only takes me a couple minutes more on the bike to get to work than it does in the car.  Mind you my hands are frozen, ears burn like wildfire, and my legs too since they're not quite used to that trek... but I made it to work on time.
As well, I'm all primed to try Plyo X again tonight.  Lets see if this day can't redeam itself.
Alright, so, Plyo X done... though with fewer reps than Tony and Co were doing... my legs still aren't quite there yet.  And on a side note... looks like I'll be cabbing it tomorrow... battery has completely crapped the bed.  Wish me luck (cabs are never on time around here... even though I called it in TONIGHT for tomorrow morning... we'll see.)

Day 8 (04/17/11)

Back to Chest and Back.  I don't know why, but this routine SLAUGHTERS my legs... it doesn't even focus on the legs... it focuses on, well, the Chest and Back...  My chest and back feel fine, but my legs are on fire.  Anyway, made it through, and made it through the Ab Ripper X portion by doing half the reps of each exercise.  Still feeling good about it all and hoping to start seeing some real results in the weeks to come.  I know I promised an updated picture... but tough... I'm beat, and going to bed.  Maybe tomorrow :)
Goodnight folks,
Matt

Day 7 - Drink (04/16/2011)

OK, so, day 7 was an optional rest day or you could do the Stretch X routine... I opted out of both options and went drinking with a new friend.  Yes, I know, alcohol bad for physical fitness and what not... but let me tell you, I had a wonderful time.  She's a sweetheart and now a dear friend.  I'm thinking this will be at least a monthly getaway for me... I'm lovin the P90X routine and the results I'm already seeing (I'm already seeing definition in my arms... muscles are popping up where I didn't realize muscles were :) If nothing else were to come of this program, the cash I laid down for it was worth this very subtle change... I couldn't help but to be proud glancing at these 'guns' :) )  But I digress, had a great night and I'm ready to jump back in and start it all over again tomorrow with the Chest and Back routine... Week 2, here I come, be ready for my ass, cause I'm ready for you.  Hope all of your evening's were as fun and eventful as mine was.
Peace,
Matt

Day 6 - Kenpo (04/15/11)

OK... so just when I think that the video I did the day before is the most physically stressing routine this set has to offer... the current day's workout proves me wrong.  Kenpo, while incredibly fun and irresistibly addictive, uses every muscle in your body at incredible speeds and Tony gives you very little time to play catch-up.  Yes, you can pause and take breaks... but I was having too much fun to do that.  I haven't sweat this much since running around all day in the summers as a kid.  The only downside is all the jumping around and heavy panting has the ducklings in a stir... they just won't shush! :D (I opted out of the kitties and puppies idea and went with ducklings for the kids... I'm beginning to question that decision... you have no idea how much a single duck craps in a day... let alone two of them.  And they're just babies now.)  Anyway... Chocolate milk and cool-down time.  I actually can't wait for it to warm up so I can start my HIIT training on the bike after these sessions.  Oh, yeah, and I promise another chubby photo before the weekend ends... I can't wait to start shedding some of this excess baggage.  Good night and God bless.
Matt

A non-related-to-my-routine side-note ;)

I've been hearing a lot of talk about these big solar/electromagnetic storms (EMP, damaging to electronics, etc.) the sun is going to be putting off in the next couple of years.  People... there's a relatively simple fix to this that you can use to protect your own electronics.  Now, your average individual isn't going to go and make a 'safe room' or 'safe box' the size of their basement, so maybe you won't be able to save everything... but you can make decent sized protective vault for anything of real importance (say your laptop and cell phone.)  Now they won't be protected while you use them, and perhaps some genius scientist will come up with something along the way that's far simpler and more effective... but until then... follow this simple explanation ;)
OK, it's called a Faraday cage.  Michael Faraday came up with the mathematical idea and original design... hence the term Faraday cage and not some other person's last name cage.  Simply put, you need a container, a simple cardboard box will work just fine.  Some copper tape and some duct tape.  You can use copper mesh (perhaps other metals as well, screens of sorts) but I know copper works very well.  Put a layer of duct tape around the box on all sides.  Then wrap the box in the copper tape in the same way - completely encasing the box with no gaps in tape... overlaps are OK.  Another layer of duct tape to finish it.  Now, if you want added peace of mind, go ahead and wrap another layer of the copper tape and then another layer of duct tape.  This process can be completed as many times as you like and each new layer will stop more and more of those pesky solar EM waves.  If you need proof it works, toss your cell phone into it, close the box, and try calling your phone.  If it rings, you have gaps (or the flaps of the box closing is throwing you off, for which there is a simple remedy.  Repeat the whole process on a second box that can slide inside the first one and fit snugly.  Put your phone in one box, put the open end of the box into the other box and call your phone again.  If it still rings, you were either sloppy and have gaps in the copper tape wrappings or you need more layers.  Now I know this is long and drawn out, and there are ways to improve the design (like placing a copper mesh, like a copper screen of sorts, between layers of copper tape and duct tape,) but this is just to show that there are options in protecting our electronic/communications/etc. networks.  I'm quite certain the government has already put systems and units similar to this (with more professional finishes, I'm sure) into place around their own important data storage devices.  Frankly, entire buildings could be built with built-in Faraday cages - Large, tightly woven copper meshes layered between sheets of solid copper with the cement/brick/whatever the building's made out of built around them.
Mythbuster actually showed a very simple Faraday cage and its effectiveness.  Shipment containers, the large trailers some truckers pull that look like big steel red, green, blue, whatever colored boxes that go onto container liners to ship overseas - They make excellent Faraday cages and are even more effective with an added mesh of copper along the interior walls/ceiling/floor.  OK, enough of my ranting... really off this time.

Day 5 (04/14/2011) - Beginning, Middle, and End

Legs and Back!  I feel like I've been on a rack (old time torture technique there where they pull your limbs, that rack ;) ) for the last hour.  It actually wasn't too bad and I got decent reps on each exercise right up until about 15 minutes to go in the video.  Tony breaks out this exercise... basically, you stand with your feet apart by about a foot to a foot and a half, toes pointed slightly away from each other then slowly rise to your toes, hold for a second, slowly drop to flat feet.  Repeat this 14 more times, slowly.  Then you do it 10 times quickly.  Then you place your feet, same distance, but parallel now and repeat the process.  Then you point your toes toward one another slightly and repeat again.  I could only do the first two sets (toes out and toes parallel.)  My calves were KILLING me.  They weren't throbbing or burning, mind you, but I'm very susceptible to BAD charlie horses right at those very muscles and could feel them coming on in a hurry the last few times I dared rise up.  Even after I'd stopped, just the motion of a gentle walk felt like it threatened to slip a muscle out of place.  They felt fine within minutes, and feel great (little burn, but that good, just-worked-out-just-right burn that feels even better as it heals) now.  I'm hoping as I do this routine more and more, they strengthen up and that little issues goes away.  It would be amazing to never feel that pain again.  Anyone who's ever had an acute charlie horse, I mean SEVERELY acute, you can see the muscles aren't quite where there supposed to be acute... you know where I'm coming from.  Going to integrate a banana every other day or so into my diet as I've read (and witnessed first hand the difference with and without) the potassium helps stave off these muscle-menaces. 
I am sorry to report I wasn't able to do the Ab Ripper X video at all tonight.  Again, I'm hoping as I continue on this routine, my body will slowly adapt and I'll be able to complete more and more reps at greater degrees of difficulty during the initial routines as well as be able to complete the Ab Ripper X video each night.  I'd love to get my abs looking like all those on the covers of these DVDs.
But for now, I'm going to sip my chocolate milk, go play some Call of Duty: Modern Warfare to vent out all this pent up energy, then crash like a Boeing 747.
Until next time,
Matt

Day 4 - Done (yesterday)

So I burned through a good twenty minutes of the Yoga X routine (20 of the 90 it packs.)  My legs just aren't quite in the right place to make it through this one this week.  Upon failure of the Yoga program, I put in disc 3, the Arms and Shoulders disc from Tuesday and completed it again.  I figured there's no point in wasting a good warm-up and cup of NOS Blaster (at 60 dollars a tub, I'm not wasting a drop.)  I think it's actually what I needed as I'd felt little to no discomfort throughout the day yesterday after Tuesday's workout (the initial run through the Arms and Shoulders disc.)  Today I'm feeling it.  It's still not quite as bad as the legs are, but there's enough burn there to tell me I've done something.  Tonight will be Legs and Back... and again, this is a disc I'm not sure I'll make it through this week if my legs aren't quite there yet.  Tonight, if I fail at this disc, I'll try tomorrow's disc (Kenpo X) and might even run the Arms and Shoulders disc one more time (I actually enjoy this one and this is an area I really want to see some size increase in.)  On that note, I'm going to have to get a couple of 15LB and 20LB dumbells as the 10's just aren't pushing me enough (though I've been increasing reps to be sure my arms are burning before setting down the dumbells after each exercise.)  I'm comfortable with them, but there are some exercises in the routine where a little more weight would be welcome (and then again, some where 10LB's is pushing it... the one exercise involves leaning forward with a leg back, upper arms parallel with your chest, hands hanging with weights in them... you lunge your forearm back while keeping your upper arm perfectly still until your arms are straight and the dumbells are sticking behind your back.  One time with palms up, the next with palms down, then palms up, palms down, etc... to failure.  Tony points out here that this is easy when you start with palms up, but reversed, this would be hard with almost any weight (it's actually uncomfortable with no weight at all.)  This one, even Tony (Tony Horton, instructor for P90X) switches to a much lower weight than he's accustomed to - somewhere below 20LB; they look exactly like my 10's.  I'll have these for week 3, will just stick with the 10's for the first two weeks and add reps where necessary.  As always, will keep you posted.

Day 4 (04/13/2011)

Well I made it to work just fine and might actually make it through Yoga X tonight. My legs are still burning, but only when I squat (or walk downstairs.) My arms and shoulders feel great, but then, my legs felt alright day two... day three's when the burn kicked in and I just did the Arms/Shoulders routine last night... so we'll see tomorrow if my blessed chocolate milk recovery, soft stretching, and hot bath helped any or if it just takes a couple days for the pain to set in. Either way, I'm soldiering through all of the Yoga program I can manage tonight.

Day 3 - DONE

Don't worry, I don't mean I'm done with P90X... just day 3 :) And with much good news (for myself at least.) Day 3 focused on shoulders and arms... so my worn out, beaten, broken down legs only had to hold my fat ass up :) Long story short, made it through the entire 50 minute routine and all but the last set of one-armed sideways pushups (can't remember what Tony called them.) And then I did the first half of the Ab Ripper X, furthest I've made it through. Let me tell you this... I feel amazing right now. I know that damned DOMS is going to be kicking my ass in an hour or two... when I wake up tomorrow at the very best (almost afraid of just how crippled I'm going to be tomorrow,) but right now, I'm completely invigorated. If I didn't have to pick my daughter up from girlscouts in 20 minutes, I'd be dragging my tired ass out on the bike for a nice ride to keep the juices flowing. With that said, I'll fill you in right now. Before I decided to pick up my copy of P90X, I'd started a HIIT routine. Great site online to download MP3's for numerous intervals (google HIIT if you have no idea what I'm talking about.) I'll post the link when I find it again. You pay 10 bucks up front, but have full access to downoad all their material (no monthly fee, just a one time deal.) HIIT is amazing and fully customizable and I will be incorporating it into my routine once my body adjusts to the P90X sessions and I have feeling (other than pain) in my body again :) But I've carried on enough for one evening... Going to go enjoy my chocolate milk (for recovery, if you haven't read my earlier posts...) then grab the little girl from scouts, take a hot bath to rest these tired muscles, and get me some gooooood rest tonight baby. If I'm still alive enough to report back tomorrow, I'll let ya know if I decide to do Yoga X (next disc in my routine) or improvise and find something a little less intense on my warn-out muscles.

Day 3 (04/12/2011)

OK, still at work but have a little time to kill so did a little more research. DOMS made me its bitch (see link below.) Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. No real known cause or cure, just the result of new or increased exercise routines. Gone in a couple days rest... Lets see how long it takes without a couple days. Though tonight's routine (shoulders and arms plus the Ab Ripper X... if I'm not dead by then) is going to be taken a bit slower than the last couple. Slower pace and fewer reps on everything. Alright, back to work for me though. And in late-breaking news... some of you adrenaline junkies out there may be aware of this... but I just found out that chocolate milk is considered throughout the fitness world as a great after-workout recovery drink. Rather than spending tons of cash on Shakeology or other similar after-workout recovery drinks... chocolate milk is said to have the perfect balance of carbs/proteins/etc. Obviously they agree you should look for 1% or skim as the base :) Either way, IMMD (It made my day.)http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/injuries/a/doms.htm

Day 2 - Update

Well after another quick google search, I found it mentioned that light stretching can help reduce the pain so gave it a shot on break. Sure enough, the legs, arms, and chest feel a million times better... I can now walk at least :) Might even be up for attempting disc 3 tonight (with a longer cool down session this time; think I cut it a bit short last night.)

Day 2 (yesterday, 04/11/2011)

OK, so I won't say day 2 was a resounding failure... but it was pretty bad... and I may have to skip days 3 and 4 and just tack on a few at the end... I made it through about 20 minutes of half-assing the Plyo workout before collapsing. Needless to say, I didn't even touch the Ab Ripper routine. Took a hot bath afterwards to soak my muscles, hoping it would help a bit. It seemed to until I woke this morning. Can barely move. Range of motion is gone... I mean, it's there, but useless. Hurts to much to extend much at all. May invest in a heating pad and some hot/cold compresses before long. On the bright side, I seem to have more energy than I'm used to... just too sore to use any of it for anything but sitting at my desk doing paperwork :) If anyone has any good remedies for quickening the healing time of muscle pain, pipe up! Been googling, but mostly just finding the common sense steps I'm already trying to take.

Day 1 (yesterday, 04/10/2011)

So Sunday I finally got started on my P90X regiment. I knew going into it that it was going to be a nightmare, but figured 'what the hell?' So far I've got to say it was the best $140 I ever spent (though I should also add I won't be buying anymore of the Shakeology mixes... damned expensive.) Went to the mall the night before to stock up on a few essentials (Whey protien - Strawberry flavored (taste like strawberry yoohoo strained through a dirty diaper,) and NOS Max... or NOS Burn... or something like that... a mixture of creatine and God knows what else (Wildberry flavored... and thankfuly, tastes much better than the Shakeology and Whey mixes...) Sunday, after loading up no the NOS mix and protien drink, I did my first round of the P90X program. Back and Shoulders followed by the Ab Ripper X program which I could only manage about 5 minutes of after doing the primary routine. I'm logging every detail as the DVD says to do: How many reps of each excercise and how heavy weights are when they are involved in the routine (I won't post all of this, that's for my own knowledge... but I'll let you know what I end up on after my three months are up.) I must say that the program straight up kicked my ass. After 50 minutes of a mind-numbing (and body-killing) workout I could barely toss the basketball when I took my daughter to the park. Nothing really hurt, it was just... dead. No strength left. Today on the other hand, I have all my strength back but every muscle in my body is screaming at me to never put in another one of those DVD's... unfortunately for them, I'll be doing the Plyometrics disc tonight (and hopefully more than 5 minutes of the Ab Ripper X program once done with Plyo.) In three months, when I'm all done, I'll post some before and after pics (if I like the results... otherwise, tough shit.)