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...