As you all know, Insanity is done for me. I'll post picutres after I send them off to Beachbody to get my free t-shirt, but I do want to extend my sincerest apologies to those who were following the blog faithfully! After the virus destroyed all my blog posts (I type all of them in Notepad then copy and paste them to this screen), I was disgusted for a minute and just decided to ease up on blogging.

I've come to find that I can't dwell on what the virus destroyed, though! That said, I actually have a few words of Insanity wisdom for you, especially you month one-er's. I really slimmed down doing Insanity and toned, but I didn't get RIPPED like I'd hoped! Part of that was my fault. You can learn from what I did wrong (and I'm doing it RIGHT this time...I've actually restarted month two all over again!):

1. FOLLOW THE NUTRITION PLAN. You're guaranteed better results doing so. I didn't follow until month two because I was so stubborn. But this plan is specificially designed to sculpt your body.

2. DRINK ENOUGH WATER. This I did, but a lot of people don't. You gotta be drinking at LEAST 80 oz. of water a day if not MORE to replace everything you're sweating out. Your muscles are 75% water!

3. PROTEIN!!!! You are KILLING your body doing these workouts and your muscles need to rebuild. I was not getting NEAR ENOUGH protein in my diet! Rule of thumb is to have one gram of protein per pound of body weight. So if you weigh 150 lbs, you should have 150 grams of protein a day. You will get some protein from the food you eat, but I doubt it's enough. Supplement with protein powders. You will see quicker results.

4. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY! If your body is saying, "Man, I'm so EXHAUSTED, I don't know if I'll make it through Insanity today" LISTEN TO IT!!! Period.

5. ABS. I lost the definition that I had emerging in my abs during Insanity. A lot of that I think was me not following the nutrition plan in month one and not getting enough protein. But I also think you need an ab routine at LEAST two times a week if not 3.

I've already restarted month two doing everything the RIGHT way. I expect something completely different this time around and the protein alone has made already a noticeable difference in my body since Insanity ended last week!

So it wasn't my firmware. I had a VIRUS. Can you believe this?! So, you guessed it! All those blog posts I wrote (that I shoulda saved on my jump drive like I originally had thought) are GONE due to me restoring my system! I'm more than upset. Thankfully, I've decided to go back thru another round of Insanity next month.

I'm surpised I have a connection right now. I'm uplugging my router every time I wanna hit submit to a page. In fact, this is now the FIFTH time I've typed this and I hope when I hit publish, it goes thru. I don't know what the issue with the net is, but I'm working on it. I don't think it was the firmware.

~ Larry.

Here we are again. That old familiar place--you know the place. The place where I'm having a ton of internet problems. My firmware has to be updated and I'll have to wait until tomorrow to do so when the company is open. So rather than type this post AGAIN reviewing the workout, I'll hit you guys with two posts tomorrow.

~ Larry.

Today's Workout Description: Max Recovery
Tomorrow's Workout: Max Interval Circuit
Date of today's workout: Monday, August 17, 2009
Duration: About 45 Mins
Type: Flexibility & Yoga

Maybe Shaun missed the memo regarding the word "recovery." Perhaps it's just not in his dictionary. Whatever the case, this wasn't "recovery" in the classical sense of the word. You actually had to work!

Perhaps the word of the day should be "BURN" because that's what you end up with at the end of this workout--a BURN that just won't quit! Perhaps the most challenging part of tonight's workout were the hi plank/low plank stands. Those things burn like NOBODY'S business!

All in all, now that I sit here typing this, my muscles are loose and limber, and I guess it was more recovery in this workout than I'd originally thought. What a shame too...cause I'd thought about him renaming this to Max Burn Recovery!



Overall Insanitometer Rating: 5 out of 10

Today's Workout Description: Max Cardio Conditioning
Tomorrow's Workout: Max Recovery
Date of today's workout: Sunday, August 16, 2009
Duration: About 45 Mins
Type: Non-stop Intense Cardio

Today's workout was honestly month two's version of "Pure Cardio." And out of all the workouts in month one, Pure Cardio was my favorite because you had the chance to go all out for it, and you'd look up and there were three minutes left.

I actually enjoyed this workout without feeling like I was dying. Now, I did sweat buckets and my metabolism revved, and about half way through I felt like I needed to pause, run, get a protein shake, and come back! There is definitely a lot more plank work than in month one and I'm sure my shoulders were burning so bad that I blacked out a few times (LOL), but other than that, this was almost a walk in the park comparitively.

This month it's virtually all mental and pushing your body past the point where it's screaming for rest because your muscles are burning. No longer am I taking 15 second rest periods due to the burn...I'll take 2-5 secs, and come back and hit it hard. It's about digging deeper, right?

I can say that I'm looking forward to Max Recovery, though.



Insanitometer Rating: 9 out of 10.

Today's Workout Description: Max Interval Plyo
Tomorrow's Workout: Max Cardio Conditioning
Date of today's workout: Saturday, August 15, 2009
Duration: 1 Hour
Type: Very High Intensity Cardio/Interval Training

Remember how I said that there was a very good chance that, upon entering this month, I'd actually be begging for Plyometric Cardio Circuit to return? Today would be that day! Plyometric Cardio Circuit would almost be my savior right now!

Max Interval Plyo is NOT A JOKE! This workout today is NOT for the faint of heart nor the weak of will! Instead, Shaun hits you with, what I presume is everything he has in this workout! I remember during P90X saying, "I didn't know this many variety of pushups actually existed!" There are few pushup variations that even Tony doesn't take you through that Shaun takes you through and takes NO PRISONERS!

I think the most challenging move today would have to be the Side Plank Pushups, not because they were difficult, but because there was so much to remember and pay careful attention to as to not injure yourself. Coming in at number two would be squat pushups. Essentially, you go down into a squat, tip forward controlled, go down to the floor still in squat, do a tricep pushup, and using your abs and triceps and a bit of gravity (which is working altogether against you) push yourself back up into the squat only to fall back forward and repeat. Coming in at #3 would have to be my arch nemesis: Level 3 Drills. Yes, level THREE! That is, you're doing sixteen pushups and then staying in plank running it out for sixteen repititions, only to jump up, say hello to your sanity, and jump back down and do it all over again! If you're wondering, yes, it's much harder than yesterday's workout!

To say that I am spent after this workout would be putting it mildly. I'm freaking dead, people. Dead.



Overall Insanitometer Rating: 10 out of 10

Today's Workout Description: Fit Test; Max Interval Circuit
Tomorrow's Workout: Max Interval Plyo
Date of today's workout: Friday, August 14, 2009
Duration: about 30 mins; 1 Hour
Type: Very High Intensity Cardio/Interval Training

(Forewarning you, this will be a longer post because there's two things to talk about today!)

The Fit Test

I was determined to beat my numbers from last time! Normally, I leave behind my old numbers and just live in the moment, but this time I decided I wanted to compete with myself and I'm so glad that I did. It made me push harder! I brought my numbers with me to the workout and I crushed my old numbers! The good news is that third time around, this workout is MUCH easier than it was on Day 1! I wasn't winded or exhausted, nor did I have to take self-induced breaks to make it through this! In fact, I only went through like 12 oz of water (if that much). The results:

1. Switch Kicks: From 120 > To 162
2. Power Jacks: From 59 > To 80
3. Power Knees: From 105 > To 128
4. Power Jumps: From 30 > To 52
5. Globe Jumps: From 10 > To 14 (that's 16 more jumps than last time since four jumps equals one rotation)
6. Suicide Jumps: From 16 > To 20
7. Pushup Jacks: From 37 > To 43
8. Lo-Plank Obliques: From 62 > To 81


Max Interval Circuit

"I'm here to kick your butt! ...And I'm not playing!"

Those are some of the first words you hear Shaun utter as soon as you press play on the DVD. It's then you know that you'll probably die during the workout and wake up in the great beyond. In fact, I'm about 99% sure that I'm typing this from the "other side."

Kids, there's not ONE PART of my body (aside from my head) that I don't feel the results of this workout in! Everything from my calfs to my shoulders are screaming right now! To begin, I'd like to make this public service announcement: to all of those naysayers who are out there screaming, "Oh but Insanity is not as intense as it could be and I feel like it needs more blah blah blah," I certainly want to hear what you think on Day 1 of month two! What most people FAILED to realize is that month one is a foundational month. I predicted it (hey, I don't watch ahead any DVD because I enjoy the suspense/surprise). The purpose of month one was to get your body and mind ready to endure month two. Period. Compared to JUST TODAY, month 1 was a cakewalk!

That said, I don't know how many four letter words I let fly at Shaun today if I'm being honest! The warmup is TOTALLY different from month one to start. In fact, many of the "intense" moves that are a part of the workout itself during month one have been converted to the warmup now if that gives you any indication (e.g., "Hit Da Floor" is now part of your warmup, not your workout). To boot, when you finish the warm up, you still have more time left in the workout to come than in a typical workout from month one (after the stretch, there were still 42 mins. of workout ahead of you). You get slightly longer rest periods, but not always--rest periods range from 25-35 seconds.

By far the two demons of today's workout were the "Ski Abs/Pushup Jacks/In and Out Abs/Oblique Pushups" (yes, that's all ONE move...a culmination of ALL the moves you just read) and the Full Body Circuit (going to plank, doing a plank run, four moving pushups, and a wide oblique plank run). I've never hated Shaun more than I hated him while doing these moves, haha!

Every single part of your body will burn today and you will have to dig deeper and find out truthfully what you're made of! This is the time, this is the month to either get fit or get out! No excuses! Almost doesn't count! All or nothing! (Darn, I just ran out of cliches!) You get the picture. This is the month in which you'll see MIND BLOWING results. Period. 36 oz. of water, 8 oz. of a recovery drink, and 8 oz of a Shakeology later, I feel like a million dollar bill!



Overall Insanitometer Rating: 10 out of 10

I bet you're wondering, "Why the lack of updates here lately?" Well, when you've done the same workouts over a six day period, what can you say that already hasn't been said in day two of that workout?

I ran out of words! I've said everything there is to say about Core Cardio & Balance. Tomorrow, however, is the fit test and the first day of month two, and I will be blogging in great detail about that tomorrow.

Pray for me, guys, LOL!

Today's Workout Description: Core Cardio & Balance
Tomorrow's Workout: Core Cardio & Balance
Date of today's workout: Monday, August 10, 2009
Duration: About 40 minutes
Type: Light Cardio

Well, guys, despite my better judgment, I did tonight's workout. Still having an abundance of allergy and sinus problems, and I may altogether not do tomorrow's workout and just use it as a rest day and actually do a workout on my scheduled rest day.

That all said, I did this workout and I'm feeling relaxed and limber! Again, this won't be a long post because there's not a whole heck of a lot to say except SHOULDER BURNERS and core balance work! BURN CENTRAL!!! I could almost kill Shaun after the lifts and pulses!

Till Wednesday guys...gonna give myself a day off to get over this sinus/allergy stuff.



Overall Insanitometer Rating: 5 out of 10

Today's Workout Description: Core Cardio & Balance
Tomorrow's Workout: Core Cardio & Balance
Date of today's workout: Saturday, August 8, 2009
Duration: About 40 minutes
Type: Light Cardio

I feel like a million dollar bill at the end of this workout, I tell you!

This workout is all about balance! You either go very intense and kill yourself, or you listen to Shaun and go light and steady, let your heart rate climb, and you don't feel fatigued at the end, but you end up drenched and feeling FANTASTIC!

This won't be an excessively long blog; in fact, I'm ending it here as to not exhaust things to talk about the rest of the week as this workout is repeated literally every day this week.

I can say that I am recovering this week, honestly.



Overall Insanitometer Rating: 5 out of 10

Today's Workout Description: Core Cardio & Balance
Tomorrow's Workout: Core Cardio & Balance
Date of today's workout: Saturday, August 8, 2009
Duration: About 40 minutes
Type: Light Cardio

I missed my first day of recovery week yesterday because on Thursday I began feeling sick--there is that summer cold going around and I had a headache and stomach ache that just wouldn't quit on Thursday and Friday. I type this full of congestion, but I decided to do the workout anyhow.

Although my tank is completely soaked right now, if you do this workout like Shaun says and don't go too intense and overextert yourself, you'll get the right combination of burn without extreme fatigue. I know there are some of you crazies that say, "hey, I want to go full force the entire 60 days, so during recovery week, I'm gonna go all out on the workout and probably add a P90X workout, too." MISTAKE, guys.

There is a REASON why he has you doing very light cardio this week: if you've been following the workout regimen as prescribed, you've put a LOT of strain and stress on your body over the past 4 weeks, and the few days of Cardio Recovery is NOT ENOUGH for your body to properly recuperate. You risk getting sick and muscle injury/strain/damage if you overexert yourself in order to inflate your ego and do more. I know, you WANT to do more, but I advise against it. TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY, guys.

Off my soap box, I got a good workout and look forward to tomorrow. I felt relaxed and accomplished after this workout and honestly look forward to tomorrow's.

Before I go today, I want to share something with you. I had a comment that I got good results, but not what people were expecting which is fine. To each his own. But I want to show you where I came from and where I am now and why I'm proud of me and my results and why I'll keep pressing forward:






Overall Insanitometer Rating: 5 out of 10

Okay, so day 28 pics, technically, but hey, I started on a Friday, I wanted to take pics on a Friday! Today begins recovery week, and I'll be back later with a review, but I had to share pics:



It melted the fat off and I see a lot more definition in me now! I'll DEFINITELY be going back in for another month of Insanity after month two is over! Wowser!

Today's Workout Description: Plyometric Cardio Circuit
Tomorrow's Workout: Rest Day
Date of today's workout: Wednesday, August 6, 2009
Duration: About 45 minutes
Type: Plyometrics & Intense Cardio

Wow. The last time I'll ever have to see Mr. Plyo Cardio Circuit again! I can't say that I'm sad to see him go! Pack your bags up and leave, don't you dare come running back to me!

Since it was the last go around for plyo, I said, "What the heck? I'll give it 110%!" Had I known that'd I'd be reduced to a puddle of muscular goo on the floor last night, I might have reconsidered giving 110%! LOL! That extra 10% was almost the death of me. I was sure that when I collapsed on the floor after the height of the plank work that I PUSHED THROUGH, I'd awaken at the feet of God. I was sure I died! So, either I'm dead and am typing this from the beyond (::insert ghost sounds here::) or I made it through, and chances are you will too!




Insanitometer Rating: 7 out of 10.

Today's Workout Description: Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs
Tomorrow's Workout: Plyometric Cardio Circuit
Date of today's workout: Tuesday August 4, 2009
Duration: About 40 minutes
Type: Intense Cardio; Abs

"I'm not here to hurt you, I'm here to make you better!"

I certainly understand this mantra now. Over the past month, I've felt like giving up on Insanity mid-workout sometimes, only to have my vanity kick in overdrive and keep me pressing forward like a madman! I'm so happy that it has kept me driving forward!

This is honestly the first workout I've done where I haven't given myself undue or unearned rest days simply because "I wasn't feeling it" (meaning, I just didn't feel like doing the workout that day). I've stuck to the Insanity regimen, and it's paid off! My cardio recovery time is amazing and my stamina and endurance have both increased TREMENDOUSLY. I'm honestly impressed. What amazes me more is that I still sweat about the same as I did the very first time I did this workout.

I've grown accustomed to Level 2 drills, and honestly, I hope they follow me to month 2 of Insanity. The results I've gotten so far have been ASTOUNDING and I'm noticing that clothes I bought just a few weeks ago fit much differently now than when I first bought them! Insanity is doing great things!

The workout, however, did not get any EASIER by far, just my cardio recovery time has improved, so the Insanitometer will not move.

Insanitometer for Pure Cardio: 7.5 out of 10
Insanitometer for Cardio Abs: 6 out of 10




Overall Insanitometer Rating: 8 out of 10

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Today's Workout Description: Cardio Recovery
Tomorrow's Workout: Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs
Date of today's workout: Monday, August 3, 2009
Duration: About 35 minutes
Type: Flexibility & Yoga

I love that ethereal feeling you get post-yoga. Feels like you're gently walking on clouds--gliding really. I'm not near as sore as I was when I first began Insanity (although I still am sore in my glutes from digging deeper each workout), but this workout is definitely well placed. I was tight in places where I didn't expect.

It really limbered me up, and after a late dinner (steamed veggies and a steak--HEY HEY NOW!!! It was LEAN!) all I want to do is go to bed. In fact, I'm going to indulge myself, so this blog won't be excessively long.

I can say confidently that no matter what you're doing or where you are in Insanity, YOU SHOULD NEVER SKIP THIS WORKOUT. Strength and flexibility are the two things that most people neglect and it's an essential component to your overall development. It perfects your form, makes you less prone to injury, and treats your body to some low impact movement after putting such a stress on it throughout the rest of the week. Don't skip it guys!




Insanitometer Rating: 3 out of 10.

Today's Workout Description: Plyometric Cardio Circuit
Tomorrow's Workout: Cardio Recovery
Date of today's workout: Sunday, August 2, 2009
Duration: About 45 minutes
Type: Plyometrics & Intense Cardio

Allow me to say that I still hate this workout. Period. It seems to be a consensus across the board that no one really cares for this workout.

Is it because it's the most challenging so far? Possibly. Is it because it's a tad more repetitive than the others? Maybe. Is it because it kicks my butt every single time? Most definitely!

Good news is that I'm able to make it through the warmup without having to take a break; the bad news is that immediately after the warmup I had to take a break, not to breathlessness or tiredness, but because I wear those darn shoe inserts (I have no arch in either of my feet) and my feet begin hurting a bit if I don't take a bit of time and stretch them out right after.

Otherwise, I think I'd still have the IRS randomly knock at my door to endure this workout. I'm happy that there's only one more of these on the calendar. I'd say I'm happy to be rid of it, but I don't preview workouts ahead of time (I like the surprise) but I'm sure there's a workout next month that will have my crying and pleading for Plyo Cardio. Only time will tell.




Insanitometer Rating: 7 out of 10.

Today's Workout Description: Cardio Power & Resistance
Tomorrow's Workout: Plyometric Cardio Circuit
Date of today's workout: Saturday, August 1, 2009
Duration: About 40 minutes
Type: Intense Cardio & Strength

This will not be a long blog, I assure you, for two reasons: 1) I'm saving this as I type it in Windows Notepad because it's been my luck that I've tried to post to my blog, and I get the dreaded, "Page cannot be displayed" error and 2) my arms feel like jello!

...Well, not so much my arms as much as ALL of me! Shaun definitely works you and if you seriously dig down and push to your max, you'll get a killer workout every time. I did just that today! Level 2 drills, after a minute non-stop, are really exhausting! So I actually, instead of sitting out, modified a bit--REALLY held my core in tight and did the pushup portion on my knees for a couple of sets. I got the same burn, which was amazing. When I was ready to go back in, and my body wasn't slowly shutting down, I went right back into it.

Other than that, no huge change, other than I'm noticing that the workouts are gradually getting easier. Figures, right? Nearing the end of week 4 and about to go into the REALLY insane stuff just in a week.

Pray for me. LOL! Notice the insanitometer this week holding steady.





Insanitometer Rating: 7 out of 10.

Internet service is going wacko.

Three updates to come tomorrow. I'd be surprised if this posts, honestly. Don't want to attempt posting blogs only to lose everything when I hit "submit." I apologize, guys!

~ Larry.

Today's Workout Description: Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs
Tomorrow's Workout: Cardio Power & Resistance
Date of today's workout: Friday, July 31, 2009
Duration: About 40 minutes
Type: Intense Cardio

I NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL!!! COMMENT!!! LET'S GET SOME DISCUSSION GOING ON UP IN HERE!

My apologies for the late posts; I've indeed been logging the workouts, but I haven't been able to sign into my account for whatever reason. Maybe blogger was down for maintenance? Who knows?

That aside, I feel the arrogance and cockiness arising day by day! I mean, I walk past the mirror and I'm seeing muscles and definition I'd NEVER seen before! I mean, 21 short days ago, I didn't think I'd be CONSISTENLY seeing abs and definition without having to flex for them, so excuse me for a second while I rejoice!

Tonight was pretty standard; got enough water throughout the day and enough to eat, and I knocked this out. The workout is getting far easier and I'm honestly beginning to sweat less during the Pure Cardio portion. I realized, however, that Month 1 of Insanity is simply a foundational month--a month whereby one increases his endurance and cardiovascular recovery threshold so that in month two you can see AMAZING results.

If month two is anything like this month, I'm in for a treat and a touch more of slow, painful, breathless death! During cardio abs tonight I went ahead on the C-sit position and took my hands off the floor when they're supposed to be by your glutes and got the most fantastic ab burn! Call me sadistic, but I enjoyed it!

I won't change the Insanitometer on either workout just yet, but I'm half tempted to walk it down to 7 from 7.5 on the Pure Cardio portion.



Insanitometer for Pure Cardio: 7.5 out of 10
Insanitometer for Cardio Abs: 6 out of 10




Overall Insanitometer Rating: 8 out of 10

Today's Workout Description: Plyometric Cardio Circuit
Tomorrow's Workout: Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs
Date of today's workout: Thursday, July 30, 2009
Duration: About 45 minutes
Type: Plyometrics & Intense Cardio

Again, hard work day = less water intake = harder workout.

You'd figure that I'd learned my lesson from the first time I had this issue, oddly enough on Plyo Cardio Circuit. But did I learn a lesson? NOOOOOOOOOO! I sure didn't! I let the impact of the work day outweigh my necessity for hydration, so by the time I started a late-night session of Plyo Cardio, I'd only had 36 ounces of water for the day! Needless to say that during Plyo Cardio, I went thru 36 more ounces, and immediately after, 22 more ounces! My body was screaming for it!

I will say that at least it's getting much easier and that's saying a lot! What's causing breaks now is not the inability to catch breath, it's the genuine muscle burn I'm getting from everything from my calfs all the way up to my chest! I will say that I walked past the mirror today and stopped amazed! I have abs now without having to flex. My body is TONED now and I don't have to FLEX for it. So I've been walking around shirtless all day--don't look at me like that, YES, I was off work today! Hahaha! Hey, I worked hard and I'm proud! Who would have thought that nearly a year ago when starting P90X that I'd be in this good of shape attempting possibly the hardest workout program put on DVD?!





Insanitometer Rating: 7 out of 10.

Yesterday's Workout Description: Cardio Power & Resistance
Tomorrow's Workout: Plyometric Cardio Circuit
What's different: Switched around my rest day.
Date of yesterday's workout: Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Duration: About 40 minutes
Type: Intense Cardio


So, I'm posting this late. Sue me! Haha! I ended up doing this so late last night as I was working on a project that I've already recieved payment for that I finished it, did Insanity, and went directly to bed way past my bed time! Typing this a day later, I'm still feeling it which is why I'm switching my rest day to today (7/29) and doing today's assigned workout, Plyo Cardio Circuit, tomorrow. Life happens!

That said (back tracking to late night last night), this workout is so magical! I still found myself drenched in sweat thoughout this workout, and by the end, I was pleading for mercy, probably because I did it so late! In fact, you all know how I was begging in the past for more of the 8 hops/8 pushup series? Well, I'd actually forgotten about that, and saw my life flash before my eyes (and it looked quite nice if I may toot my own horn, haha) when it came!

The ending stretch was so worth it and I definitely felt it in my hip flexors today! I hate that I'm subjecting myself to Plyo Cardio, my least favorite, on my day off tomorrow, but alas, my body is crying for sleep, and I'm going to indulge. I will say that it was much easier to do this workout this time around, considering the factors at work against me.





Insanitometer Rating: 8 out of 10.

Motivational Article for the week of (originally written May 25, 2009)


"Dear lie
You suck
You said you could fix anything
Instead I'm stuck
...
Dear lie
You're dumb
You think you've got the best of me
You think you won
Ive learned your art
Won't let you unnerve me
Won't let you control me
The truth will only free me
And your lies wont hurt no
No more"
~ TLC Dear Lie (C) 2000 LaFace Records LLC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0FpldM5g6I
----
I had originally entitled this week's motivational article, "Overcoming Personal Objections" but I deviated while listening to the above song on my Ipod playlist.

So often we tell ourselves lies that prevent us from knowing ourselves. These are the same lies that prevent us from taking challenges or risks or even having a sense of accomplishment. What are some of these lies?

"I'll never be able to get in shape!"
"I'll never be fit or healthy!"
"I'll never be able to change my eating habits!"
"If I had the motivation to do something, I would!"
"I need someone telling me, prodding me to work out!"
"I lost the weight, now WHAT?!"
"Those workouts are too hard! I'll never make it through one!"
"I'd workout if I had someone to do it with!"

My Beachbody coach, an awesome individual named Tommy Mygrant, is a true testament that you can overcome personal objections! This guy, when he started the P90X workouts, a workout system generally not for beginners, could barely keep up with Tony Horton and his band of workout fiends! But rather than giving up on himself when he had every opportunity to do so, this guy bucked up, said, "DEAR LIE, YOU SUCK! I WON'T LET YOU CONTROL ME!" and pushed through the workouts day after day. Now over a year later, this same guy who was unfit and out of shape is now a Beachbody success story, going on to appear in a live-on air QVC promotion for P90X--the same workout program that got him in shape in the first place!

So why did I mention all that? It's simple: the only person standing in the way of you taking your health, fitness, and destiny into your own hands is you! If you contstantly buy into all of those lies that you tell yourself, you'll begin to believe the lie and turn a lie into a personal truth! Once you adopt a lie as a truth, it may take some work to dethrone it--but it's not an impossibility! That's why Beachbody hooks you up with your very own coach--someone solely in your corner to motivate you, to keep you pressing forward!

You'd workout if you had someone to do it with? Beachbody has it covered! Log your workout in WOWY (Work Out With You), our online gym and workout with folks from all over the world that are working out at the same time as you!

You have your motivator, you have partners to workout with, you have the resources on Beachbody to help you get not only fit but eat right! You can lose the weight and keep it off! So why not start? Why not?
So what lies have you told yourself that you no longer believe? I'll start!

Dear Lie, you SUCK! You told me that I'd never be able to change my body or the way that I eat! But look at me now! I'm inspiring others to take action to get fit and healthy, and I'm getting PAID to do it! Your control is BROKEN!

Today's Workout Description: Cardio Recovery
Tomorrow's Workout: Cardio Power & Resistance
Date of today's workout: Monday, July 27, 2009
Duration: About 35 minutes
Type: Flexibility & Yoga

I'm so flexible right now!

This won't be a long blog, tonight because there's nothing really left to report on Cardio Recovery that I haven't said before.

Tonight was all about holding poses and the burn. By far the most challenging was the regular squats and then the pulses after your muscles had begun to spontaneously combust! You get such a fantastic burn!

Other than that, it just really stretched and calmed me out. It left me honestly longing for Fountain of Youth Yoga (One on One) or P90X Yoga. I used to be a firm hater of yoga's "comfortably uncomfortable" mantra, but I'm coming to find that it's actually a necessary evil!

No change in the Insanitometer.



Insanitometer Rating: 3 out of 10.

Today's Workout Description: Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs
Tomorrow's Workout: Cardio Recovery
Date of today's workout: Sunday, July 26, 2009
Duration: About 40 minutes
Type: Intense Cardio

I'm loving it guys!

(What? Who said that? Larry? Is that you?!) Indeed it is, and yes I said it! Let me just say that I absolutely LOVE pure cardio! It's the least repetitive of all the workouts thus far and it's one of the most challenging, in my opinion.

I've said it and I'll keep on saying it: my cardio recovery time is improving daily and I'm loving it! I'm no longer winded or having to take self-induced breaks because I can't get air, it's because I'm pushing myself so hard that my muscles are SCREAMING OUT in pain! Scream as they might, they only get a few seconds of relief from me before I go back in and hit it hard core!

Cardio abs, again, I don't feel it really until we get to the plank work. The plank work is where it is at in this workout! I'm actually thinking (and scold me if you must) of adding an ab routine every other day. My abs are, while becoming more visible and defined, are still probably my weakest area. I'm thinking of adding in some ab workouts from ChaLEAN Extreme or P90X, but I'm not sold on the thought of doing that just yet, heeding Shaun T's warning of overtraining. Notice the slight change in the Insanitometer for the Pure Cardio portion.

Insanitometer for Pure Cardio: 7.5 out of 10
Insanitometer for Cardio Abs: 6 out of 10



Overall Insanitometer Rating: 8 out of 10

Today's Workout Description: Plyometric Cardio Circuit
Tomorrow's Workout: Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs
Date of today's workout: Saturday, July 25, 2009
Duration: About 45 minutes
Type: Plyometrics & Intense Cardio

Word of the day: FAILURE.

In today's case, it's not a negative connotation. Quite the opposite! Today, I pushed myself to a point of total muscle failure and fatigue, and I'm quite proud of that!

I'm now finding that this workout in particular is becoming increasingly less challenging each time it comes up on the rotation. I know, I know last time I talked about having an unwelcomed visit from the IRS, but today, I'd almost not take that in place of Plyo Cardio Circuit--notice I said ALMOST. I'm not nearly as winded and my heart rate is not nearly as high as it was three weeks ago during this workout. I still sit here drenched in sweat, but I like to sweat. It makes me feel like I did something during the workout.

My weakest point during this workout has been Level 1 Drills. But I can confidently say that they are no longer a problem. I took one minor break during the level one drills (I had my hands improperly aligned and my wrist started tweaking). Ski abs, however, are a whole other frontier that need conquering, although I'm hanging with Shaun much more than I ever have in the past.

I've said that I'm not a cardio guy, and I'm slowly changing my tune because I realize the only reason I did not enjoy cardio is that I didn't do it consistenly (daily). Yes, it was a regular part of P90X and ChaLEAN, but it wasn't everyday. Sure, some moves may have had a slight cardiovascular effect, but it was mostly strength training. In Insanity, I've found my cardiovascular endurance and strength have GREATLY increased, and I'm actually not minding to do any of these cardio workouts.

Notice the change in the Insanitometer!



Insanitometer Rating: 7 out of 10.

I feel like I've gotten to know at least a few of you well enough that I can do a post like this periodically and have your support in doing so. To those of you I don't know yet (notice I said yet!) begin commenting! I try to reply to everything!

That said: a lot of you know that I am a Beachbody coach. Looking back a year ago when I started P90X, I never thought I'd get to a point where I was passionate about health and fitness, because let's face it, I've always been the lazy guy. I was the guy who could see his friends struggling to carry out 200 pounds of stereo equipment, and sit back on the couch and observe (true story, by the way). But P90X, ChaLEAN Extreme, and Insanity (and a ton of other Beachbody programs) showed me another way: that I can be fit, active, and healthy, and make money doing it!

Yes, I have a passion for people! In fact, I work in a job now in which I work with children birth-3 and their families. So the passion for people is there! It is not, however, as strong in the field I'm in now as it is for fitness & nutrition.

I want each of you to be the healthiest, strongest, fittest you that you can possibly be! And I want to help you do that! I want to help you--yes YOU (don't look over your shoulder, I'm talking to YOU)--achieve your goals. I want to lend support to you.

Below is a short video that Beachbody CEO Carl Diakeler presented about the Beachbody Coaching Business opportunity. Take a look at it, think about it, and if it sounds like something that's up your alley, comment, email, or go to my website (click here) and think about signing up to be a coach? Who wouldn't want to be paid for being healthy and active? You're already talking about it with people anyway!

FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO HERE AFTER WATCHING THE VIDEO.

Today's Workout Description: Fit Test
Tomorrow's Workout: Insanity Plyo Circuit
Date of workout: Thursday, July 23, 2009
Duration: About 30 minutes
Type: Cardio & Plyometrics

I thought I was going to get to have a rest day today (in fact, I'm posting this a day late, so this is a rest day now), but seeing as how I had to come out of town on a business trip and it was a 3.5 hour drive both ways, I knew going home I wouldn't feel like doing the workout after that trip. But I did know that I'd have the energy to do it when I got to the hotel for it, because one of my good friends lives in the city in which I had this business training.

The night started out innocently enough--my good friend, a Beachbody coach himself and just an all around genuinely nice guy--made dinner for me, which was awesome. During dinner, I told him that I was considering the fit test tonight instead of tomorrow due to the drive back, and he in all his workout fervor said, "Okay man, let's DO IT!" Since we both started Insanity on the same day at the same time, we fell right in line. We ventured back to the hotel, did a little rearranging of the room to accomodate us, popped the DVD in my laptop, and started.

Comparing our numbers from the first fit test, we're about in the same shape. We're about the same height as well, although when I tell you that this guy is a monster for working out, he truly is! (If he's reading this, dude, comment and tell 'em how it went!). He doesn't know this (well, he will after he reads this), but he's a HUGE inspiration to me in so many ways, especially in his almost blind dedication to staying fit and in shape. He motivates me so much.

So, I noticed that during this workout, although my darn shoe inserts press against where I should have a natural arch in my feet, causing me to have to stop/slow down periodically, I pushed harder and dug deeper. I don't know if it's because I had him yelling at me, "Come on, man, we can do this!" or what, but I improved drastically in most of my numbers, and speaking to him after he got home to look at his numbers, he CRUSHED this from last time as well!

Cardiovascular strength and recovery time is improving. I can't wait till September 12 to see how well and weak these numbers below appear then!

Stats & Data From the Fit Test:

1. Move: Switch Kicks
> My rep count: 120 (2 weeks ago: 120)

2. Move: Power Jacks
> My rep count: 59 (2 weeks ago: 50)

3. Move: Power Knees
> My rep count: 105 (2 weeks ago: 95)

4. Move: Power Jumps
> My rep count: 30 (2 weeks ago: 30)

5. Move: Globe Jumps
> My rep count: 10 (2 weeks ago: 9)

6. Move: Suicide Jumps
> My rep count: 16 (2 weeks ago: 12)

7. Move: Pushup Jacks
> My rep count: 37 (2 weeks ago: 31)

8. Move: Low-Plank Obliques
> My rep count: 62 (2 weeks ago: 45)

Since I didn't do the Insanitometer the first time I did the fit test, I won't do it any time I do the fit test....unless you guys demand it, then I'll put one up. I definitely have a ranking in mind if you guys are curious...

Today's Workout Description: Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs
Tomorrow's Workout: Rest Day -- Thank God!
Date of next workout: Friday, July 22, 2009
Duration: About 40 minutes (Pure Cardio); About 20 minutes (Cardio Abs)
Type: Intense Cardio; Abs

Mark this days on your calendars, ladies and gents! Today is the day where I can officially say that "this sh*t" is becoming less "bananas, yo!"

Believe it or not, nearing the 2 week mark in Insanity (I know, I'm a vet, right? LOL), I'm finding that in Pure Cardio I was far less winded and had to take fewer self-induced breaks. Breaks have moved from 3-5 seconds down to 2-5 (trust me, that is an improvement) and I don't feel like I'm dying so much. My cardiovascular strength and recovery time is definitely improved tremendously and I've even noticed a dramatic improvement in my resting heart rate!

As far as cardio abs is concerned, I didn't begin feeling it honestly until the last two moves--the low plank/high plank hip tuck (that's not the name he used, but I'm too lazy to pop the DVD back in to get the real name--trust me, when you do it, you'll know it). Those things are amazing, especially if you've contracted your core as he instructed you to do. There is definitely an amazing, knee-buckling burn that you get in the depths of your core--it's like someone is in your abs slowly lighting matches! (Edit: I'm sitting here looking over this for spelling errors and I definitely feel it in my abs all over now!!!)

Now how to rate this on the Insanitometer? I'll do it this way: I'll rate the workouts individually in text form and the OVERALL DAY in the Insanitometer:

Insanitometer for Pure Cardio: 8 out of 10
Insanitometer for Cardio Abs: 6 out of 10



Overall Insanitometer Rating: 8 out of 10

Today's Workout Description: Cardio Power & Resistance
Tomorrow's Workout: Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs
Date of today's workout: Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Duration: About 40 minutes
Type: Intense Cardio

Rule #1: Never go into Insanity not hydrated.

Today, my water intake was down from my normal 80 oz. or more because it was a hectic, busy work day. Normally, I'm home for at least lunch, and I can fill up my 36 oz. water bottle once so I've hit 72 ounces of water in 8 hrs. Today, I didn't have such luck. In fact, I'm just now hitting 94 oz. of water daily, and much of that came during Insanity tonight.

The reason I tell you not to go into this workout like that is because of the sweat equity this workout demands. Your body has to draw from somewhere for the sweat, my friends. I definitely felt the difference in tonight's workouts--moves that were easier last time were a bit more challenging, as if this were the first time I'd attempted this workout almost.

That said, this workout is still a butt-kicking good time! By the time we hit 8 Hops/8 Pushups, I was actually pooped, and last time, I was actually asking why there weren't more of those. I'm still quite sore in my obliques and glutes (and you can add hamstrings to that now). Every part of me wanted to actually skip tonight's workout due to the soreness, but I had to remind myself that being sore is not an excuse for not working out, nor is it (generally) your body's way of telling you "no more."

I'm looking forward to tomorrow's killer--the first rotation of Cardio Abs! This will be interesting. I'm looking to define my abs just a bit more anyhow, so I'm curious about the burn that I'll get tomorrow. I can't wait, honestly! Sadistic, yes. Honest, always. Notice how the Insanitometer is not moving, though! LOL!

Protein powder, here I come...



Insanitometer Rating: 8 out of 10.

Today's Workout Description: Cardio Recovery
Tomorrow's Workout: Cardio Power & Resistance
Date of today's workout: Monday, July 20, 2009
Duration: About 35 minutes
Type: Flexibility & Yoga

"You've got the magic and I've gotta have it! I don't want the pieces--I want every single part!!!" ~ Whitney Houston.

That little lyric from Whitney's "I'm Your Baby Tonight" describes exactly how I'm feeling after tonight's workout! This workout is MAGICAL and I've GOTTA HAVE IT!

Daily digging deeper, I've found that, instead of becoming LESS sore throughout Insanity, I'm actually staying on a steady rollercoaster of soreness. Today, it's been my obliques and my glutes! True story: I got outta bed at about 3 a.m., after sleeping restfully, to go use the restroom, stood on my two feet and nearly collapsed to the ground! (Go ahead, laugh! I did!) Glutes weren't that sore before I went to bed, but they certainly had a different story after I'd been asleep!

Today is welcomed recovery! Shaun knows EXACTLY where to put the recovery workouts in this program because I needed it and needed it BADLY! I only wish there were a bit more upper body stretching in this workout, but I did my own, just stretching my arms and chest.

I'm so awesomely serene right now; looking ahead to tomorrow, I'd better cherish the serenity now. Notice the slight change in the Insanitometer from last time.



Insanitometer Rating: 3 out of 10.

"I've lost 120 pounds, but...all my friend can keep reminding me is, 'But you're still FAT!'"

I make it a point to watch and read anything I can get my hands on regarding weight loss and fitness. Last week, Tyra Banks aired story on her talk show regarding extreme weight loss and the friends we lose throughout our journey's of transformation. The above quote is from a guest on that show.

When we lose weight and get in shape, a transformation happens not only physically, but mentally as well. Speaking for myself, I'm a guy who, in the past, you wouldn't have caught dead in public in a tank top or a sleeveless shirt; now, I adorn them all the time because I have pride in my body and, let's face it--I WORKED HARD TO LOOK THE WAY I DO!

So often what people in our lives can't get used to is the new person we become after we lose weight and get in some real shape. It's quite probable that you'll lose a lot of your friends and many people in your family will treat you differently because of the life you chose to lead. But you MUST be UNASHAMED of the life you lead! Friends and family are going to ridicule you because you won't have that piece of cake with them or because you won't go out for beers with them any longer. They are used to you eating when they eat. They are used to you drinking what they drink, and they'll do anything and say any hurtful thing to get that old person back! They are not used to the confident you who actually monitors what you put in your body. They won't be used to the new self-esteem and the person who now loves to take pictures. But they must mourn the loss of that version of you.

So much of our social lives revolve around food--a child graduates from high school? Have a food party! A woman having a baby shower? Have food! Wanna spend some time with friends? Go out to eat to get the night started! Go catch a movie? Have popcorn, pretzels, and sugar candies! A holiday at work? Have a office carry-in! Even churches are beginning to serve snacks after services!

What is my point? You don't have to force your new lifestyle down their throats, but at the same time, there should be some reciprocity--they shouldn't be forcing your OLD lifestyle back down your throat. If you have friends and family that can't tolerate the "new you" then I challenge you to examine those relationships and see how many of them are actually beneficial to you now. If those in your life can't be geniunely happy for you now that you're a healthier you, then I suspect that your relationship wasn't much to begin with anyhow.

Say it with me: "I'm unashamed of the life I lead! Unashamed of the strength of my needs!" Do you mean it?

Today's Workout Description: Plyometric Cardio Circuit
Tomorrow's Workout: Cardio Recovery
Date of today's workout: Sunday, July 19, 2009
Duration: About 45 minutes
Type: Plyometrics & Intense Cardio

I have a few confessions--I'm scared of the IRS. Chucky, Freddy Krueger, Jason, they never frightened me all that much. But the IRS, yes indeed. And you can also add to that list cardio and plyometrics. I wonder how many of you share at least one of my fears, LOL!

After today's workout, I can almost safely say that I'd rather endure an unwelcomed visit from the IRS! Let me explain why--you all know that I'm not a cardio kinda guy. Compound that with me jumping around in a coordinated manner, and you may have just found my kryptonite.

There's something about Plyo Cardio Circuit that just won't let me enjoy it like I enjoy Pure Cardio (talk about an oxymoron, I just said that I don't generally like cardio...explain that one!). I don't know if it's because this is more repetitive than any of the other workouts so far; I seem to enjoy a variety in my workouts. That said, this workout still kicks my butt every time!

All the core work going from level one drills to ski abs to in and out abs gets me every time. I at least am screaming for one precious, fleeting break. Good news is that my self-induced break times are becoming shorter and shorter. When I began Insanity, I could almost count on taking a 10-20 second break. Now, I'm lucky if I allow myself 3-5 seconds. My cardiovascular strength is definitely improving. The Insanitometer, however, is not budging for this workout.



Insanitometer Rating: 8 out of 10.

Today's Workout Description: Pure Cardio
Tomorrow's Workout: Plyometric Cardio Circuit
Date of today's workout: Saturday, July 18, 2009
Duration: About 40 minutes
Type: Intense Cardio

BEFORE I BEGIN, I WANNA HEAR FROM YOU! TELL ME ABOUT YOUR INSANITY (OR OTHER BEACHBODY WORKOUT) EXPERIENCES IN THE COMMENTS SECTION!

"Why do I do the things that I do? Cause I wanna look GOOD!"

Well, Shaun T is at least partially right. Heck, I'll be honest--he's mostly right! I suppose to undergo a workout as crazy as Insanity, there has to be a little vanity involved. More important for me, though, it's honestly #1 - staying away from a life filled with high blood pressure medication! I was diagnosed with high blood pressure at 24 years old, and have since been on a mission to reverse the curse. Glad to say that I'm HBP free thanks to Beachbody!

That said, this workout is honestly making a believer out of me! I've never EVER been that much of a cardio guy. There's something about getting my heart rate so high that I can hardly breathe that just doesn't scream "fun" to me. Give me the nice, genuine burn from a set of free weights or heavy resistance bands ANY DAY. I've actually come to ENJOY cardiovascular working out due to this workout. Today is an insane, non-stop cardio party, and I found myself pushing myself so hard! Whereas the first time I did this workout, I'd be taking 30 second breaks, today I found myself taking 5-10 second breaks, and right after the break going as fast as my body could carry me. That, my friends, is a little thing I like to call progress.

I could honestly be hard on myself and stress that I'm not as quick or intese throughout the entire workout as those on the video, but let's face it: Shaun T is taking breaks, and he's making his crew take breaks. He's also looking in the camer and telling you and me to take breaks. So, I'm not going to beat myself up over not doing the entire workout without a break. What counts more is that I find I'm getting quicker and more precise with good form during each workout, and to that, I have no complaints. You will, however, notice that the Insanitometer has changed just a bit from the first time...

(As an aside, a lot of people have been asking, "What workout is just "Cardio Circuit?" After talking with a few people, I think it's a typo on the Insanity calendar, and Cardio Circuit is the same thing as Plyometric Cardio Circuit. It's the only workout that has those two words in the title. So once you get to that point, use Plyo Cardio Circuit.)



Insanitometer Rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Today's Workout Description: Cardio Power & Resistance
Tomorrow's Workout: Pure Cardio
Date of today's workout: Friday, July 18, 2009
Duration: About 40 minutes
Type: Intense Cardio

I think I died a little inside during today's workout.

The whole concept of Insanity is to push yourself harder than you ever have before and to dig deeper to discover what you're truly made of; today, I can honestly say that I dug deeper than I ahve before and I FEEL IT!!!! Although I've done today's workout just five days ago, it's somehow equally as challenging as it was five days ago. Perhaps that's because I'm pushing myself harder than I was doing five days ago.

Whatever the case, my heart rate got into nearly dangerous highs (189 BPM) and, although, my masochistic mind told me to keep going, keep pushing, and keep burning, my body had other plans. There were literally two times during today's workout that my body shut me down while my mind taunted me: during the fastest set of Power Jumps and Globe Jumps. I was going as fast as my body would carry me and getting so much air, it felt like I was Superman taking flight.

I have only one problem with this workout: I wish there were more rotations of the 8 Hops/8 Pushups series. Crazy, I know, right? I think it's because when I started P90X nearly a year ago (August 25 marks a year), I couldn't do a real pushup. Now, I'm lowering completely to the floor and powering back up. Show-off? Rarely. Confident? Maybe. Insane? DEFINITELY. The Insanitometer reads the same as it did the first time I did this workout.

Now where's that recovery drink...?



Insanitometer Rating: 8 out of 10.

Hey guys! Here it is Insanity Day 7, and I'm basking in the luxurious laziness of my rest day! It's very much needed right now! Before I get into the Q&A for today, I'm gonna be starting something that I'm going to call, "Team Thursday's." What that will entail is you--the reader--sending me your before and after pics, what programs you've used, and how your life has changed since embarking on this Beachbody journey! It doesn't matter WHAT program you've used, I want to hear about it! I'm looking into doing this ASAP. What I'll do is, after recieving your pics and story, will post your story as Thursday's blog entry. If I don't recieve any submissions, I'll use Thursday as a Q&A session or as a day for an article.

Beachbody Q&A

What is your resting heart rate? Last time I checked earlier this week, it was 70 BPM.

What is your heart rate during an Insanity workout? Typically, 175-188 BPM.

Why don't you take pictures every day to track your progress? Because I feel like the transformation will be more visible and dramatic when seen every 30 days as opposed to daily. Daily, you'll only see minor changes as opposed to major one's every 30.

Do you find you're hungrier doing Insanity? Good God, YES YES YES!!!! Insanity has me STARVING! Follow the nutrition, guide guys! You HAVE to eat at least 5 quality meals a day, PERIOD.

Am I ready for Insanity? It depends on your current level of fitness and what your doctor advises as well as which Beachbody programs you've completed in the past.

I read that you can overtrain if you do more than one Insanity workout daily. Is that true? Yes, it's very true. Shaun T, on the Insanity webinar a few weeks ago, actually warned that this could occur. In fact, I have a good friend and coach that I know that attempted Insanity Plyo Circuit, Shoulders & Arms (P90X), and Ab Ripper X (P90X) yesterday and, not only was he miserable yesterday, he's still not back at 100% today. Insanity pushes one to their anaerobic as opposed to aerboic threshold. What does this mean? "During exercise with adequate fuel and oxygen (i.e., aerobic), muscle cells can contract repeatedly without fatigue. During anaerobic or non-oxygen conditions (i.e., higher intensity exercise), muscle cells must rely on other reactions that do not require oxygen to fuel muscle contraction. This anaerobic metabolism in the cells produces waste molecules that can impair muscle contractions. We call this deterioration in performance fatigue." ( Link )

I just started ChaLEAN Extreme (CE); do you think I should go ahead with CE or just do Insanity and then restart CE? First--CONGRATULATIONS!!! You'll love it!!! I'm also a grad of CE, and CE is actually a very extreme workout. What most people believe is that it's just a "woman's workout" and it's far from it. You're sure to get fantastic results from CE (I certainly did) and, if you haven't done an extreme workout of that nature before like P90X, I'd recommend CE before even THINKING of attempting Insanity. As Shaun T says, "It's not for everyone." Heed his words.

I stopped with the recovery drink while doing P90x/P90x+. It sounds like I may have to add the recovery drink back in when I start Insanity. You definitely will. In fact, the deluxe edition of Insanity comes with two tubs of recovery formula. You need it. No question about it.

I'm thinking about buying Insanity. What is the music like? The music is your typical, cheesy, workout music. No big changes there. There is, though, an option to play the DVD with or without music on each disc. So, if the cheesy music doesn't quite work for you, you can always play the workout without music.

Liked your questions guys! Keep 'em coming! ...And (insert shameless plug here) if you need a coach or are looking to sign up for the coaching business opportunity, or just want more information about it, I'm your guy! See the coaching link above. (Oh come on! Don't give me that look! LOL!) (/end shameless plug)

DO SOMETHING, guys!

Today's Workout Description: Plyometric Cardio Circuit<
Tomorrow's Workout: Rest Day
Date of today's workout: Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Duration: About 45 minutes
Type: Plyometrics & Intense Cardio

(Before I begin today, I want to thank you--yes YOU!--for visiting this blog and reading! Bookmark the blog, and comment on my posts! Ask questions--there is no stupid question! Leave your comments! I wanna hear from you! I have a few questions already and I'm doing a Q&A session for tomorrow's blog since it's a rest day!)

This was technically my fifth time doing this workout as I was doing it previously when it aired as a teaser. I can honestly say that this workout gets easier, but that doesn't mean it gets less intense.

I'm finding now that my legs are getting less tired and I'm more conditioned. My heart rate still gets to an almost dangerous zone because I really dig deep, so I still have to press my own personal pause button on my body and let myself rest for a second.

Still the magic of this workout are the Level 1 drills (think burpee, 4 pushups, and plank run all blended into one) into the ski abs into the in and out abs. Those are money and you really feel it all in your core. By the end of the workout, I'm still drenched, but again, I feel glorious.

This is probably the one workout that I just don't care for if I'm being honest. I don't know why or what differentiates this from Pure Cardio (yesterday's workout), for example; maybe it's because I've done it in advance. Who knows? All in all, only six days in and I'm STILL seeing fantastic results ALREADY!

One word of advice: EAT! I got sidetracked this evening and missed my evening protein shake and during the workout I began to get a little nauseated. This workout DEMANDS that you eat, and I won't let that happen again!

Coming tomorrow: Insanity (and other Beachbody programs) Question and Answer session as well as some awesome information about a fitness event coming soon in good ol' Indiana!



Insanitometer Rating: 8 out of 10.

Today's Workout Description: Pure Cardio
Tomorrow's Workout: Plyometric Cardio Circuit
Date of today's workout: Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Duration: About 40 minutes
Type: Intense Cardio

"This sh*t is bananas, yo," is one of the last phrases you hear Shaun T utter in a collapsed heap on the floor right before he let us cool down.

This sh*t was definitely bananas! Remember in college how it'd be worth it to attend nearly every lecture and take good notes because chances are the material you go over would appear on either the final exam or the midterm? Well, the jury is out on the final exam because I haven't completed the entire program, but I can almost safely say today is the pre-midterm!

Today was an amalgomation of every workout that has been done this far. What distances this workout from it's predecessors is once you get into the heart of the workout at the 20 minute mark, it's NON-STOP PURE CORE-TRAINING, PLYOMETRIC JUMPING, HEART THUMPING CARDIO until the cool down! No, my friends, don't think you're going to rest at all during this workout. The only rest you get is if you give it to yourself, because Shaun doesn't give it to you.

As I sit here typing this, my tank top is soaked completely through as if I've been playing in water for hours. This workout is so intense that half way through, during one of my self-imposed breaks, I dumped some recovery formula into my water bottle (oh so gracefully spilling half of it onto the desk), shaked it up, drank and continued.

I normally don't like cardio. I just don't. I'm not a cardio kinda guy. I've always loved strength training, but tonight, I honestly didn't miss it. You don't have TIME to miss strength training. Everything is going so quickly and intensely, that you barely have time to transition to the next move. I can, though, for the first time tell you that I actually ENJOYED a cardio workout, and right now, I feel amazing.

Bananas, indeed.



Insanitometer Rating: 9 out of 10.

Today's Workout Description: Cardio Recovery
Tomorrow's Workout: Pure Cardio
Date of today's workout: Monday, July 13, 2009
Duration: About 35 minutes
Type: Flexibility & Yoga

Today--today was like kittens and rainbows! Spring time! A fresh spring shower! Okay enough with the colorful euphemisms! Today was welcomed recovery! My muscles needed it and I sit here typing this in the afterglow. My muscles are limber and stretched and I feel amazing right now. It was heavy emphasis on stretching and yoga.

I won't lie--there was a lot of plank work and ab work, but the stretching was magic. My body was craving it! The major highlight tonight was BURN! He keeps you in the yoga poses so long doing pulses and whatnot, that it BURNS like someone began kindling a small contained fire in your muscles. But if you hold it, the pay off is money!

Believe it or not, only 4 days in, I'm starting to see my abs poke thru even more. I know the pic below on day 1 you can see them hovering under, but who would have thought that after only 4 short days in, the workouts would be so intense as to bring almost instantaneous results? I'm honestly fighting the urge to take more pics but I promised myself only every 30 days.

Until tomorrow...DO SOMETHING!



Insanitometer Rating: 3.5 out of 10.

Kids, we've all been there: jumping on and off the scale, hoping that what was there yesterday (or in some cases only a few minutes ago) had changed in your favor. Then there's the instantaneous denial: well maybe the batteries are going bad or the scale has always been off or you're wearing too many clothes.

Here is the ugly truth about weight loss and why it's my philosophy to avoid the scale: it's actually quite possibly to get slimmer, but lose no weight. This generally happens when you are gaining muscle. In fact, you may even see an increase. You should, instead, focus on overall FAT loss and muscle gain!

Here are a few things to remember when you decide to step on a scale:

1. A scale only shows numbers. It does not take into account muscle gain, and my friends, muscle weighs much more than fat.

2. That number is watered down--meaning a scale is measuring water weight, the food you just ate, the weight of your bones and organs, in addition to the fat and muscle.

3. Throughout a day, your weight can fluctuate as much as ten pounds just based on what you've eaten and drank.

4. A scale doesn't reflect your health! Again, it can't tell the difference between muscle and fat in your body! In fact a person can be technically overweight for their height, but completely healthy if there is more muscle in the body than fat.

So what can you do to break this vicious cycle?

1. Go by how your clothes fit. If clothes that were once tight are now fitting more loosely, you ARE losing inches.

2. Measure your body--your waist, arms, thighs, and other areas. If things are a-shrinking, then you're on the right path.

3. Stay away from the scale. It's never a positive motivator for most folks.

Above all, don't let the scale tell you that you're not achieving your goals. Keep staying active, do your best, and forget the rest!

Today's Workout Description: Cardio Power & Resistance
Tomorrow's Workout: Cardio Recovery
Date of today's workout: Sunday, July 12, 2009
Duration: About 40 minutes
Type: Intense Cardio

(For a review of day two, please go here: http://dosomethingintiative.blogspot.com/2009/07/shaun-t-insanity-plyo-circuit-review.html)

KILL. ME. NOW!!!!

I sit typing this blog full of recovery drink and most likely on the brink of what I'm sure is certain death! Possibly the most brutal in the "Insanity" bracket thus far, today combines a barrage of plyometrics and football strength conditioning to become one insane emm-effer!

Things start out semi-innocently, going right into an intense warm up, that, in 10 minutes, will have you ready to hit the deck. Then, it's onto the stretch and actual workout. The moves themselves weren't too terribly challenging today, but they definitely were quick, jumpy, and precise. The worst of today were the power jumps (read: powering up from a squat position until your body is completely airborne) and all the tricep work. Triceps are easily my weakest area, and tonight it definitely showed!

I ended this workout BEGGING for a recovery drink, and even finishing this blog nearly 15 mins after, I'm just now returning to equilbrium, although a nice protein shake does sound AMAZING right now. All in all, I'm sure to continue my perpetual soreness well into day 4...



Insanitometer Rating: 8 out of 10.

Today's Workout Description: Fit Test
Tomorrow's Workout: Insanity Plyo Circuit
Date of workout: Friday, July 10, 2009
Duration: About 30 minutes
Type: Cardio

Review:

Well, kids, I've been waiting on this fitness program for two agonizing months, so imagine when it came out--I did two day shipping and frenetically checked the UPS website daily to see when the date of shipping was. It got here at 2 p.m. today; I was working out by 2:10 p.m.

"Insanity" is an all new 60-day total body conditioning program put together by reknowned fitness trainer Shaun T (responsible for Hip Hop Abs). This is about as far from Hip Hop Abs that you can possibly get. For those of you who thought you were going to dance, leave your dancing shoes behind! This workout program is for the faint of heart or the unfit! In fact, he says, "I'm going to keep it real, this workout is not for everybody!" He wasn't lying.

Before today, I thought I was in pretty good shape--I've done P90X, P90X Plus, ChaLEAN Extreme, One on One with Tony Horton, and to prepare for the intense cardio focus of Insanity, a bit of Turbo Jam, all Beachbody workouts. This was not your mama's fitness test. This was intense hard work and by the end of the workout, I was in a complete flop sweat!

The fit test looks innocent enough--8 simple little moves and that's fine--except it's MAX INTERVAL TRAINING! What does that mean? It means instead of skyrocketing your heart rate and taking time to bring it back down then doing the same in succession for about 30 minutes, it's turned on it's head. Longer spurts of intense working out and shorter rests.

In this first workout, there is a lot of plyometric (read: jumping) training. He does a lot of targeting of specific body parts, and even as I type this, I can feel my obliques, hamstrings, and even triceps and delts a bit. If the rest of the workout is as intense as just this fit test, I can see why there's no need for weights--you're moving so quickly and so intensely that weights would just compound things and honestly get in the way.

Stats & Data From the Fit Test:

1. Move: Switch Kicks
> My rep count: 120

2. Move: Power Jacks
> My rep count: 50

3. Move: Power Knees
> My rep count: 95

4. Move: Power Jumps (these have always been my weakness)
> My rep count: 30

5. Move: Globe Jumps
> My rep count: 9

6. Move: Suicide Jumps (I was suicidial after these, LOL)
> My rep count: 12

7. Move: Pushup Jacks
> My rep count: 33

8. Move: Low-Plank Obliques
> My rep count: 45

"I didn’t know my own strength
And I crashed down, and I tumbled
But I did not crumble
I got through all the pain
I didn’t know my own strength
Survived my darkest hour
My faith kept me alive
I picked myself back up
Hold my head up high
I was not built to break
I didn’t know my own strength"

Song: "I Didn't Know My Own Strength"
Link: http://usershare.net/ag6qql9v1aoh
Artist: Whitney Houston
Album: I Look To You

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Have you ever just wanted to give up? Just throw in the towel and call it a day? Go back to living a life of mediocrity and complacency? Eat what you want and just throw caution to the wind? I'll be honest. It's crossed my mind a couple of times, if only briefly. But then I remember what that life was: high blood pressure, waking up and going to sleep with headaches, always feeling tired, having no energy, but wow--at least I was full!

My mission is humble: inspire people to get active and healthy and remain that way. People may get sick and tired of me harping on fitness and nutrition, but I do it for your benefit honestly. Most people brush the importance of such a healthy lifestyle off until the doctor walks in and tells you that you have a blockage or there's nothing he can do to save your life or that you're gonna have to change something and do things differently. It's then that most people want to get serious about a change in lifestyle.

I harp on this because I don't want you to have to get put on high blood pressure medication. I don't want you to have to have open heart surgery. I don't want you be put on diabetic medication. I don't want you to have to get put on medication for high cholesterol. And I don't want you to read this and think to yourself that these things can't happen to you because they can! It only takes one doctor's visit to realize you're not as healthy as you thought. Yes, fitness and nutrition is a lifestyle and sometimes it can be a chore (hey, I'm not going to lie to you) but the benefits far outweigh the cost! And it's not a chore every day! And I always remember that anything worth having and enjoying is worth working for!

Point blank: you'll NEVER know your own strength if you don't test it! Yes, you will crash down! Yes, you will tumble! But you will not crumble! You can do this You'll get through all the pain with determination and resilence and you'll come to realize that you didn't know your own strength! BUt in order to find your own strength, you gotta rise and do something. You can't do this to appease your doctor. You can't do this to please your spouse. You can't do this for your kids. You have to want to do this for YOU! You have to realize you're worth it! You don't know your own strength.

Here are a few baby steps:

1. Do sit–ups and push–ups while you are watching TV tonight.
2. When you can, walk. Take the long way around to something.
3. Make an exercise plan for next week and write it on your calendar. If you don't schedule it, something else will take that time! (Thanks Chalene!)
4. Start with 10 minutes of exercise at a time. Then look for ways to add more.
5. Going to the grocery? Look for low fat/sodium, reduced fat/sodium items. Most people can't taste the difference. And while you're at it, take the hand-held basket instead of a cart if you're only going in for a few items.
6. Build physical activity into your routine chores. Rake the yard, wash the car, or do energetic housework. That way you do what you need to do around the house and move around too.
7. Make family time physically active. Plan a weekend hike through a park, a family softball game, or an evening walk around the block.
8. Train for a charity event. You can work to help others while you work out, and you're more likely to workout if you do it with others!
9. Start slowly. If you are starting a new physical activity program, go slow at the start. Even if you are doing an activity that you once did well, start up again slowly to lower your risk of injury or burnout.
10. Choose an activity that you can stick with, like walking. Just put one foot in front of the other. Use the time you spend walking to relax, talk with a friend or family member, or just enjoy the scenery.

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HAVE YOU TAKEN YOUR LIFE BACK INTO YOUR HANDS? TELL ME ABOUT LIKE THE AWESOME PEOPLE BELOW!

1. Larry Armstead DID SOMETHING™. - P90X, P90X Plus, One on One With Tony Horton, ChaLEAN Extreme, and Turbo Jam.
2. Craig Snook DID SOMETHING! Power90, P90X, P90X+, ChaLEAN Extreme, & Slim in 6. Went from 210 lbs.to 168 lbs., and got off narcotic pain meds!
3. Tommy Mygrant DID SOMETHING!! P90X, X+. ONE ON ONE, Chalean Extreme, 17 months later lost 110 lbs. Blood pressure down from 155/95 to 110/65, Cholesterol down from 240 to 140.. NO PILLS, JUST WORKING OUT AND EATING RIGHT!! Lives ARE CHANGING!!!
4. Tracie Lehman DID SOMETHING! Power90, P90X, Slim in 6, ChaLEAN Extreme, & P90X+. Went from 36% body fat to 24% body fat and blood pressure from 138/98 to 104/72 in a year. I AM a work in progress and I'm never stopping!
5. Kathy Ensign did something! Chalean Exteme, P90X and Turbojam on the way!! Work in progress...
6. Stacie Bojanowski DID SOMETHING™. - Turbo Jam, Hip Hop Abs, P90X, ChaLEAN Extreme, One on One with Tony Horton.
7. Rena DiGonis DID SOMETHING™. - Turbo Jam and ChaLEAN Extreme.
8. Shevaun Williams did something! turbo jam,chalean extreme,hip hop abs and now P90X,healthy clean eating and exercise gives me energy! it IS the fountain of youth!!!!!!!!...i will not be the fat girl ever again!!!
9. Cindi R. Cramer DID SOMETHING! Turbo Jam and Pilates! Great Article, Motivate and Inspire!
10. Larry Armstead Sr. DID SOMETHING! Kathy Smith: Project YOU!
11. Chiquita Armstead DID SOMETHING! Kathy Smith: Project YOU!
12. YOUR NAME HERE.

About six weeks ago, I started my parent's on Kathy Smith's: Project YOU! for people with type two diabetes. I'll talk more about that awesome program at a later time (suffice it to say that my parents are no longer on diabetes medication because exercise and nutrition has become their new "medication"), but about 3 weeks into the program, my mother said, after getting on the scale:

"Screw it! I'm p*ssed off! How can he (my dad) drop that much weight and I'm just hovering?! I GIVE UP!!!"

After talking her off that ledge, it dawned on me: there is no quick fix or no instantaneous result from working out and eating healthily. THe weight you're trying to lose didn't magically pack on you overnight--it came with a series of less than stellar choices, and only an equally intense series of more than stellar choices will reverse it!

Whether you're working out to lose vanity pounds or just to be a healthier you, you cannot give up! If you're looking to BEGIN working out and eating correctly, you can procrastinate tomorrow--START TODAY!!! You only have one life and one body, and what you do with it is ENTIRELY up to you!

Whether you're hovering like my mom was (who, by the way, is looking quite slim these days), struggling to get those last 10 or so pounds off, or just looking to get started, try these helpful hints:

If you're looking to begin getting active....

1. Begin by parking further out when you go to stores, and walk briskly to the doors. (If you can do the same at home, do it!)
2. Stay on your feet as much as you can throughout the day. And as you walk, walk quickly. You'll born more calories and you're doing some extremely mild cardio at the same time.
3. When you can take the stairs, do so and forego the elevator.
4. Eat breakfast! Get SOMETHING in your body in the morning within the hour that you awaken.
5. Take a walk around your neighborhood for 30 minutes daily or talk to a workout aficionado who can help you decide what home workout program would be best for your lifestyle.

If you're looking to lose those last stubborn pounds...

1. Add an extra cardio day to your workout weekly and try to stay within 85% of your maximum heart rate throughout the workout.
2. Drink at least 80 ounces of water daily. If you workout intensely and sweat a lot, remember to replinish your body with the water you lose in sweat.
3. Say no-no to the alcohol. Alcohol is LOADED with empty (read: good for nothing) calories.
4. Decrease your sodium intake to 1,000 mg. daily or less. That means actively monitoring what you put in your body.
5. Decrease or cut out processed foods altogether (e.g., frozen dinners, white bread).

So you've always wanted to know what happens when you go insane, huh? Well, you sweat a lot, your breathing becomes labored, the walls start closing in on...wait. Scratch that last part!

After much prodding from my guy Dave, I embarked on what is probably one of the most challenging cardio workouts that I've EVER done--PERIOD. Shaun T's Insanity Plyo Circuit was a monster from the start. I'm so used to warming up and stretching first before going right into the workout, but Shaun T was about to show me why he calls it Insanity.

Generally, when a workout DVD starts playing for me, I groove to the music a little bit to just get myself mentally prepared to do the workout. I grooved a few seconds too long because when Shaun was ready to GO he was MOVING and I got left behind. But I kept pushing. Keep moving. Kept UP with Shaun T and the folks.

Kids, I didn't know my legs could move that fast. Honestly, there were times that my arms and legs were moving so fast that I was sure that I'd been possessed by some powerful masochist workout demon spirit! I won't lie--there were times that I had to push pause and let my heart rate come down to a safer range. There were times that I said, "Oh my God, I HATE YOU SHAUN T!" There were times when a few four letter words flew Shaun T's direction--heck, MORE than a few times!

I wanted to give up SO many times after starting this workout. 20 minutes in, I was ready to say, "Screw it! I'm done!" But some sick, twisted part of me enjoyed basking in the throws of pleasurable pain. Something inside said, "Larry, PUSH!!!! PUSH!!! DON'T SIT DOWN!!! YOU WANT A MORE TONED BODY? YOU WANT A BODY LIKE SHAUN'S?!!! YOU AIN'T GONNA GET IT BY SITTING DOWN ON THE BED AND RESTING!!!! GET UP AND MOVE YOUR AZZ!!!!!" Talk about encouraging yourself and being your own personal trainer, huh?

By far, the most challenging moves were the Level 1 Drills and the Ski abs. For level one, he takes you to plank, down for 4 fast push-ups, back to plank for some core work, then up like your coming out of a burpee, then back down again and again and again...I'm sure I'm probably still doing them right now! That's how many there are! Yes, I collapsed on the floor! But I yelled at myself, "Get your weak azz up and GO, GO, GO!!!!!!!" And strangely enough, that WORKED! Self-motivation is KEY!

All in all, Insanity gave me possibly the best cardio workout I've had in a long time, and that's saying a lot because I've been on some pretty extreme programs here for a long time. I'm a guy who hates cardio, but I actually enjoyed this because you didn't have TIME to worry about how many minutes of the workout you had left...you just had time to GO and breathe! Insanity--it's definitely not for everyone, but I know I'll be one of the first in line to add what's sure to be an AWESOME workout regimen to my library come July! ...That's what happens when you go insane...

The good news is that you're not wasting your time. The better news is that it works. The bad news is that's a lot of azz-kicking, ol' fashioned, make you wanna slap ya mama, hard work. That's not altogether bad though, at least not in the classical sense of the word bad. I've gone through a round of P90X and a round of P90X Plus (for P90X graduates only).

In a nutshell, P90X is the brainchild of one Mr. Tony Horton, a celebrity fitness trainer to the stars. He partnered with some nutritionists and dietians and 9 months (well I don't know if it was 9 months, but go with the baby metaphor) later he gave birth to P90X or Power 90 Extreme! (For those of you wondering, yea, there is a Power 90 series that'll get you into shape for P90X...that workout is no slouch either!)

This workout system comes complete with everything you'll need--what to eat, how often to eat, a fitness test to see if you're "X" ready, tape measure to measure your inches (GET YOUR MIND OUTTA THE GUTTER!), workout tracking worksheets so you can write down what you did during each workout, and of course the DVD's.

Okay, so I got all this at the recommendation of some friends, amped, rearing, and ready to go! Let's do this! Let's kill it! This is what I'm telling myself all day! So, I mosey along to the gym and take the fit test. When I tell you that I was winded and I barely passed the fit test, let me EMPHASIZE THAT. When he was asking for at least 5 reps of something, I could give 3.5 and said, "Eh! That's good enough!" So I "passed" the fit test and returned to the gym after my rehabilitation (hey, don't judge me, LOL! I wasn't used to working out and soreness was NOT my friend!) of 3 days, I returned again AMPED UP! Ready to show Tony Horton that his little program was no match for me.

HA! How wrong was I? Monday, September 22, 2008 began day one. Yea, I had an ulterior motive when I started--I wanted to NOT be on blood pressure medication from the age of 24 to the age of "when I am put in the cold ground" and more importantly at that time, I wanted to be able to PIG out on Thanksgiving. Ninety days from September 22 gave me just enough time to have some down time in between the workouts and Thanksgiving. I could almost taste the turkey and gravy sliding down my throat, opening a world of wonder that--okay, you get the picture! The one thing I maintained, though, is "Yea, Tony man, I'll do the workouts but I ain't changing what I eat! ::In the guards voice from 'The Wizard of Oz':: Not no way, not no how!"

So, I began day 1 - Chest and Back. Pushups and pullups. Pullups and pushups. And these ain't ya grade school "let's see how many pushups and pullups you can do", no; I didn't know THAT many varieties of pushups and pullups even EXISTED! Oh and I should mention, it's recommended that you take pictures of yourself every 30 days so you can visually track your progress. So that's why that picture is just randomly posted above this paragraph--or to the side of it--who knows? I'm actually typing this in Notepad right now. But back to the point: chest and back. I think I died a little inside during this workout. But what was dying in me was weakness. I didn't make it through the entire workout like everyone on the DVD. In fact, I had to sit out and regroup many times. But something told me to keep coming back.

So I pushed play for day two--Plyometrics. The mother of all X workouts. The monster. The beast. Amazing torture that "jumps out" in your face. (X'ers will get why I quoted "jumps out"). I died a little more inside on day two. It was all a big leg workout and wouldn't you know, the day after that workout, I had a training at work which required me to walk up and down rolling hills!!! I could barely walk the next morning, having to support myself with an umbrella in mid-summer, on a cloudless day. But I kept at it.

All in all, I finished the entire program and X'd it out. Somewhere along the way I fou--okay, so first you're wondering how I did at Thanksgiving. I know you are. Well, allow me to say this: somewhere around day 65, I realized, "Hey, I could probably be getting better, faster results if I just change what I eat!" Mind you, I'd gotten some AWESOME results so far, but not what I was seeing on the infomercials because I WASN'T EATING RIGHT! I made that change and the heavens opened unto me and God himself came and scooped the fat off my body...or something like that! So back to Thanksgiving: I'd like to say, "Man, I pigged out and ate everything in sight!" Don't get me wrong, I ATE, but my portions of everything were EXTREMELY scaled down and I couldn't even finish what I had as much as I tried! My mind and body had transformed concerning exercise and eating, and I loved the new me! I also realized that if I had eaten better from the start of the program, I could probably have those infomercial results! Well, had a I done that and lifted heavier weight. Hey, hindsight is 20/20.

So what about P90X?

You get workouts that target...

1. Chest and Back
2. Plyometrics (Jump training; cardio CITY!)
3. Shoulders and Arms
4. Yoga (It's more fun and challenging than you think! You really sweat!)
5. Legs & Back
6. Kenpo (think boxing meets karate)
7. Stretch
8. Core Synergistics (working that flabby midsection...and everything in between.)
9. Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps
10. Back and biceps
11. Cardio (for those who aren't Plyometric ready)
12. Ab Ripper

These workouts work on the basis of muscle confusion. I didn't know what muscle confusion was all about until day 31...see, someone can explain muscle confusion to you (and Tony will lay it out in your guidebook) but it only sounds like theory until you feel the effects on your body. THEN, you'll say, "So THAT'S muscle confusion, huh?!" The bare minimum is that you get your body used to doing one set of workouts for a month and your body gets into the groove, it knows what it's doing, then BAM!!! You switch it up and your body is like, "What the hell!?" Don't judge it! It accelerates results.

I wrote a lot--so what? DO IT! DO SOMETHING! JUST DO IT!! IT GETS EASIER! And yes...

It works.

Let me know if you have questions. And subscribe to this blog! I'll be giving fitness and nutrition updates at least twice a week that are useful to add to your repitoire!

Be blessed, guys.