I wish I had started this blog on the first day so I could have recorded everything while it was fresh in my mind. This is only a recap of the first week. From here on, I'll post daily of my experiences, pain, triumph and overall feeling about the program.
I started the program on July 13, 2010.
I almost quit the program on July 13, 2010.
The first three weeks go as follows:
Day 1: Chest and Back and Abripper
Day 2: Plyometrics
Day 3: Shoulders and Arms and Abripper
Day 4: Yoga
Day 5: Legs and Back and Abripper
Day 6: Kenpo
Day 7: Rest or Stretch
I started with Chest and Back and I made the foolish mistake of believing the people in the DVD were purposely trying to show me up. I tried to keep up with a pace I had no chance in matching. The end result: I didn't finish the first disc. I started to feel like I was going to be sick about 45 minutes into it, so I had to stop. There was no recovering from that mindset. Every time I lifted my arms, I felt sick.
I was crushed. I couldn't even do the exercises for a measly hour. I took my shower and went to work and couldn't stop thinking about how sore my shoulders were.
What made me continue to day two? My determination to step outside of my normal character and SUCK IT UP! Yes, I failed the first day. I was SUPPOSED to fail the first day! I'm pushing my body to do something it hasn't ever done: WORK! (I should also mention that my wife, Ashleigh, helped me realize that last part. If she hadn't brought it up, I probably wouldn't have gone on.)
The second day, I started plyometrics. (Fancy term for 'aerobic workout,' come to find out.) I didn't finish this disc, either. I did, however, get further in it than I did the first one, so I felt better about myself. Small victories.
Third day and we're back to physical exertion. I not only finished the Shoulders and Arms portion, I also completed the Abripper DVD. Well, completed is a strong word. "I gave a solid effort" would be more appropriate. There's a couple exercises on that disc that I simply cannot do in my current physical condition (both my gut and the fact I have a very weak lower back) and I was forced to sit them out. The important thing is I finished and didn't feel sick afterwords. (I believe I was feeling nauseous because 1) I was working out without a shirt and sweating like I was in a sauna and 2) there's an A/C vent right above where I was working out that came on and, combined with the sweat, possibly put my body into a form of shock what with the sudden temperature decrease.) For those of you trying this at home (or thinking about trying it), I highly recommend a running shirt. (The kind that wicks the sweat away from your body. Very light and breathable. Makes doing the exercises WAY more enjoyable.)
I had been looking forward to the fourth day. From what I understood, Yoga was supposed to be a nice, mellow exercise in calmness and serenity.
"Shucks-howdy, Paul! Ya'll couldn't be further from the truth!"
The first half of the Yoga disc (90 minutes long, as opposed to the 60 of the regular routines) was a rather intense workout. Not as bad as the Plyometrics disc, but still pretty rough. After that half-way point, however, things mellowed out and we started doing stretches and balancing exercises that were much easier. Heck, I'm more flexible than I thought I'd be at this point. (To all people who practice Yoga on a regular basis, I'm sorry I ever doubted it. It's a lot more hard-core than I thought. It whipped my ass.)
Fifth day, yesterday, was easier because I was expecting a workout and, after the Yoga, I was in a really positive mindset. I knew not to try and keep up with the people on the disc because I knew I wouldn't be able to and it's fine. In fact, that's one of the things Tony keeps saying in all of the discs. If you can't keep up or you need to take a break, HIT PAUSE AND TAKE IT. Don't try to kill yourself, especially if it's your first time. Believe me, you'll end up feeling ill and want to quit. Where would that leave you? Probably in a funk that'll lead to a bag of chips and dip. That won't help anything.
Finally, today I did the Kenpo DVD. Now, back when I was a wee lad, I took a year or so of Taekwondo and thought it might help me here. It would have, had it not been for the 20+ years in between. But, just like with yesterday's disc, I didn't try to keep up. I just did the best I could. It's my first week and it's going to be messy. Doubly so because I don't have an actual trainer to tell me just how wrong my form is.
As an added bonus, Ashleigh and I took a nice 20-something mile bike ride into downtown today. I felt great. I haven't had the energy I had today in a long time. Even if I don't get the ripped 6-pack abs and the massive biceps, I have a feeling I'll still have the energy to actually want to go out and do something. I'd like to go jogging with Ashleigh, too. I'm sure the added cardio won't hurt me.
Now the bad side. The diet.
I'm supposed to be on the first stage of the 'fatburner' plan. It shames me to say I haven't been true to it. Believe me, I've been trying to eat smarter, but it's not really in our budget right now to restock our pantry. The best I can do is cut down on what exactly I take in. I've eliminated soft drinks of all kinds and I've stopped snacking throughout the day. I eat three times; breakfast after my workout, lunch and dinner. I keep justifying it to myself by saying, "You haven't really gained any weight with your present lifestyle, so increasing your activity will be good. You can be a little lax on the diet rules." I need to stop doing that and do the diet if I want to have the whole P90X experience.
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