p90x The first days

So the first day I did the fitness pre-test. That took just about everything out of me. They have a minimum suggested for each exercise in order to be fit enough to really do this workout routine. Most exercises I just barley made the minimum.

Wide pull ups: min 3, me 4.75
Push ups: min 10, me 15 (I think, and I am using my perfect push-ups, making it harder than regular push-ups)
Curls: min 10@20, me 15@25
Wall sit: min 60 secs, me 60 secs
Leg extensions (abs): min 20, me 34 (my abs are not that great though)
Heart rate after 2 mins of rigorous exercise: 186 bpm, 1 min: 174 bpm, 2 min: 150 bpm, 3 min: 125 bpm, 4 min: 110 bpm

Day 1: Chest and back
This was primarily pull ups and push ups. After about 35 minutes I was out of gas. 1 hour of these work outs is hard core! I had to skip the last few chapters of this exercise, I just couldn't go on. Once you complete one round of the exercises... then you have to do them all again!

This day finishes up with ab ripper x. This was 15 minutes of non-stop ab exercises. Surprisingly, since I hate ab exercises, I quite liked this routine. It was fun, and most exercises are done for 30 seconds, which as Tony says, "You can do anything for 30 seconds.” I had a hard time with this, but it was fun, and I continued to struggle through as best I could. "Do your best, forget the rest.” Just "Bring it.” That's what I tried to do. This was fun because he goes through so many different exercises to work your abs, it keeps it interesting, as opposed to sitting there crunching until it hurts and then crunching for another 5 minutes after that.

This is why I bought this exercise routine, not for the ab exercises, but because he has done all the work discovering new exercises and varieties to keep it entertaining and interesting while still working the muscles. When I do yoga I only get what is in that yoga routine. When I do my weight lifting routine, I only get what is in that routine. Neither have the variety I get from p90x. That is why I like p90x. It covers all the bases, with a myriad of exercises I would not come up with myself, and if I had, I would not subject myself to voluntarily. My cousin always likes to point out when we get together and talk about p90x that, "All of those programs work, you just have to do them.” That is true, but this does not discount the value of p90x. You can choose any workout routine and if you do it you will get some sort of results, but the results will be based on how much you put into it and also based on what challenges are made available to you from that routine. This is where p90x shines, as the challenge is broad and varied in a way that a single style of exercise such as yoga or weight lifting alone cannot provide.

Day 2: Plyometrics
This is primarily jumping exercises. This is ridiculous! OMG it is so hard. For an hour! I am not a person who sweats a lot, but man did this make me sweat! I haven't been able to walk for 2 days because my thighs hurt so bad. I can't stand up or sit down. And I hardly made it through that day. I did, but everything was half ass for half the time. This workout is amazing. My entire body is pain, from top to bottom... I love it! Good pain. I am so excited.

I did not workout yesterday, because it was Christmas, thankfully, because that was a perfect excuse not to work out yesterday, better than because everything I have hurts. My abs, my chest, my shoulders, my thighs, my calves, it all hurts.

I watched some video diaries of a guy that just finished p90x on thanksgiving, and he said, "Just make it through the first couple weeks.” I now understand why. This is really hard, and it really hurts.

I love it!

That is why I am doing this!

For some, this might be too much for them and they may give up. I just want more. Hurt me more Tony! Let's bring it!

"No pain, no gain.”

"If you ain't feelin' it, you ain't buildin' it.”

"Pain is weakness leaving the body.”

"You have to tear muscle to build muscle."

Tonight: Shoulders and arms. Oh yeah.