Day 22

Day 22 for me will be Core Synergistics.

Core Synergistics (58 minutes): This total body workout incorporates cardio, stretching, and resistance to strengthen the core muscles (the muscle groups that girdle the waistline and back.) Building a strong foundation with solid supporting muscles is the goal of this state of the art workout. By strengthening your core, you will be more prepared to tackle the cardio and resistance moves throughout this program while reducing the chance of injury. You'll also improve your flexibility, balance, and coordination.

It was nice to have a change in workouts. This workout seemed to consist of set after set of three different exercises. The first being some sort of push up, the second some sort of ab, and the third some sort of leg (squat or lunge) with added arm movements with weights. Never did the same exercise twice, but that general pattern seemed to repeat itself. I used 5 pound weights for all of the weight exercises. Was able to complete most exercises, but could not do the Chataronga run, so stayed in Plank run for that one. Also, the very first ab exercise, the banana roll thing...seemed to hurt that lower ab muscle I have grumbled about before. So had to kind of modify some of the ab stuff. All in all though, GREAT workout.

Ummm...also...scratch what I said yesterday about wondering why we don't do Ab Ripper during Recovery week. I get it now! We don't do Ab ripper because its all covered in this workout, which I will do twice this week. Plus, Yoga is twice this week, and the Yoga Belly is killer!!

Also, saw my mom today, and she commented on how toned I am looking. Which made me feel great!

Day 21

Day 21 is Yoga X day.

I do the workout, it's getting easier each time. I'm holding poses longer and feeling stronger each time. My right glute muscles cramp up BADLY though during one pose, which leaves me writhing on the floor in pain for a few seconds. But I shake it off and continue.

The completion of todays workout ends the first three weeks of P90x, and I move in to the fourth week, dubbed recovery week, before phase 2. Recovery week is as follows (each workout is roughly an hour except Yoga which is 93 minutes).

Day 1: Yoga X
Day 2: Core Synergistics
Day 3: Kenpo X
Day 4: X Stretch
Day 5: Core Synergistics
Day 6: Yoga X
Day 7: Rest or X Stretch

Of course, I have to mix it up a bit to fit my schedule, so tomorrow I will do Core Synergistics. I'm excited about this because it will be a new workout for me, and I like change! I'm wondering though why there is no Ab Ripper in recovery week....

Day 20

Day 20 is rest day.

My arse is killing me from yesterday's workout, and since I will be running up and down the stairs all night tonight, its probably good that its rest day. However, my p90x addicted brain secretly thinks it would be fun to sneak in a cardio workout, Kenpo maybe? Somehow, I have reached a point where it feels weird not to work out and I kind of crave it. Yikes, I've turned in to that person! However, I have committed myself to follow the program exactly as its laid out, so I will refrain.

I was lying in bed thinking last night about Karen Pot Stirrers. Who is this Karen? Why does she eat so much soup? So I tried to research it today in hopes of enlightening everyone, but I can't find anything about who invented this stretch. So no enlightenment today.

Day 19

Day 19 Back and Legs and Ab Ripper X.

So this is my third time doing the Back and Legs workout, and my ninth time with Ab Ripper. Still can't do a grown up pullup, so do all of them modified. As for the leg stuff, I finally add weights in all the places he recommends. I use 8 pounders for all. And....for the first time I am able to complete the whole brutal 60 seconds of the the wall squat leg lift things (where you alternate the leg raise every 10 seconds.) AND...I am able to hold both 30 seconds sets of chair salutations for the whole 30 seconds each.

Ab Ripper goes well, complete all exercises, all reps, with the exception of those d*#! Mason twists! My low back pops with every in and out and every Fifer scissor when my left leg drops. Not painful, but I must be out of alignment.

Thought for the day......Tony Horton calls sweating "actual DNA removal." Ewwwww.....

Day 18

Day 18, Kenpo day, my favorite workout.

I still can' t believe how FAST this workout goes by. It's like you start, you punch and kick for a bit, and then all of the sudden its over!! I think its the only workout I wish were longer :)

I always think of things I want to bring up on the blog, and then once I sit in the chair, it's like my mind goes blank. So that is all for today, BOORING!

Day 18...over.

Day 17

Day 17, Shoulders and Arms.

My shoulders are still pretty sore from Monday, but the overall the workout goes well. I am able to up all exercise to 8 pounds, with the exception of the two angle shoulder flys and the in and out straight arm shoulder flys, both of which I keep at 5 pounds. 15 reps of everything (except for the ones that call for 16) I get to side tri raises, of which I have not been able to do at all, and today I can do 6 on each side, both times! Woot!

I do Ab Ripper X right after since I am all warmed up anyway, and it goes well. I actually don't do as well as Monday, but maybe thats because I didn't rest between workouts today. But no searing pain, except for the burn of hard working abs.

In in great news for the day, in going through some photos on the computer, I find that I did in fact download my before pics before hubby erased the card, so I DO have my actual before pics. Hooray!!

Day 17 Tada!! RIP Ted Kennedy....

Shameless Plug

I'd like to take a moment to give God a great big thank you for the invention of the Homedics Shiatsu Massage Cushion without which my sore and weary muscles would not make it through this program. As a massage therapist myself, this is the ONLY tool I have ever found that mimics a deep tissue massage. True, it will only focus on the muscles around the spine and between the shoulder blades, but it tides me over between real massages. My only complaint is you can't stop the rollers on sore areas to focus for a few minutes. A minor annoyance.

So a shout out to the Homedic Cushion. Buy one. Now. You'll thank me later. I'm going to spend a few minutes with mine right now.....