Yoga Belly 7 times Day 20

I love Yoga, this is by far my favorite day. It's hard as hell but it feels soo good after you are done. I rocked the wheel, and crane for a good 20 seconds at a time, I actually had crane for 40+ seconds of the full 60. I'm able to keep up during Yoga belly which is encouraging. Cheating on my diet tonight hardcore.

Travel to Seattle- P90X on the road

So Tuesday, I crushed Back and Chest, legendary performance from myself. Tuesday night I headed to Seattle for Management Meetings, Had dinner out and ate a nice piece of Salmon, salad, and veggies. Wednesday morning, I woke up at 5:00 and instead of jumping around my hotel room like a jackass, I elected to substitute a brisk run for Plyo. My hotel was in Bellevue, near the water and I got to run along a path that goes around Lake Washington, beautiful! I got 6 miles in in less than 55 minutes. Now, I've never really been much of a runner other than short distances and I felt like I wasn't going that fast and that I was still pushing myself physically but I never expected to run that far that fast. I came back and did Ab Ripper and had every intention of doing Shoulders and arms that evening but we had meetings all day and dinner again that night. I had a big walking golf day for the next day so no workouts on Thursday, We ended up walking 6 miles though a played golf at one of the more beautiful places I've played. Seattle, when it's sunny is possibly beyond compare. I love the Bay area and Morgan County but 70 and sunny in Seattle is like Heaven.

I got home last night and I was able to maintain a fairly clean diet all week. I had the urge to cheat a little last night and had to give in but I'll keep it clean for the weekend.

This morning I got after the "Beach Workout" Arms and Shoulders. Nothing outrageous to report from today other than I'm looking forward to recovery hair. It should be a blast!

Blackberries, Holiday Weekend and week 2 in the bag!

What a weekend! Friday afternoon I decided to attack the Blackberry patch behind my fence. Our yard goes another 60 feet past our existing fence and it is covered in blackberries. Amazingly tough and huge stocks at least an inch in diameter in places. 3 hours into the ordeal with a power Brush cuter I had cleared a 20' by 30' space, not even 1/16th of what I was planning to do and gave myself blister on 4 fingers. Saturday morning up and at them for Legs and Back and had a breakthrough on Pull ups. I did 39 free form pull ups and 66 assisted to total 105 for my first time over 100 and the highest count of free form I've done to date. There is hope. After a little activity with the wife and Kids, I headed back to the blackberry patch for another 4 hours of outrageous effort. I ended the weekend with about an 1/8th of the area cleared and the wish that I could just burn the suckers out. What amazes me is my physical endurance these days. Yes, I was a little soar and yes I can barely grip anything due to blisters but I got after it. Got Kenpo in on Sunday then headed up to the in laws for some Barbecuing and fun in the sun. I would say that I cheated for a couple of days on the diet but I'll clean it up this week.
Chest and back this morning produced another first...220 Push ups, 5 were done on my knees during Diamond push ups but I wanted the reps! I also got 78 pull ups in. My highest point during round 1 was 186 push ups and 66 pull ups. An 18% improvement on production. Not too shabby.

Yoga Belly 7 Times

I look forward to Yoga. If you were to ask me what is the one major differentiator between this program and many other boxed/ packaged exercise programs...It would be Yoga and the emphasis placed on stretching as well as core strength. My mid-section continues to shrink and it's not something that I can necessarily see in the mirror. However, when I put on a pair of pants and cinch my belt, only to realize I'm on the last hole of that belt, I begin to realize that my body is still changing.
I'm looking forward to the next 80 days.

Arms and Shoulders- Booyah!

Now there's the gains I've been looking for!
Improvements in all facets of my strength, higher reps, higher weights, followed up by a full session of Ab Ribber X. I can now do the Mason twists for the entire 40 count and pushed a little into the bonus today. I found a new bar that I'm trying out as a replacement to Protein bars and for times that I feel especially hungry during the day. It's ForzeGPS and it's supposedly made with ingredients that help make you feel full up to 3.5 hours. I had one yesterday afternoon at 2:30 and didn't feel the need to eat untill 5:30, Followed that up with a salad, 12oz Filet Mignon with vegggies.
Yummy!

Sometimes ya gotta listen to your body- Plyo X

I have been struggling during this second round to pop out of bed like I did for the first 90 days and was completely wasted from last week. Last week's efforts combined with poor diet and a sick kid left very little in the tank to start the week. I pushed myself fairly hard on Monday with Chest and Back and didn't get the ab ripper in. I had planned to do it that evening but there's a lot going on and I decided to do it before Plo on Tuesday. I got up a little late on Tuesday, sleep is such an important part of this regimen, sleep and diet effect you more than you may know before you start something like this, so I did the Ab Ripper Completed and kept up (it's soooooo easy when done by itself) then just didn't have the time or the energy to do Plyo yesterday morning. I thought I'd try to do it last night but as the day progresses things tend to get in the way of workouts and invariably it didn't happen. So, went to bed by 10:00 last night, woke up before the alarm 4:38 and got amped to go. On the way donwstairs, the girls started getting up so in a fit of panic, I rushed into their room and got them both back to sleep. Now, I'm starting late again today but I'm doing it.
My low energy levels combined with some mental issues ( I was becoming a bit depressed due to a perceived lack of improvement in my strength) had been weighing on me. I was becoming concerned, do I have it in me to go another 90 days of this shit? Well, I "pushed Play" and once I got warmed up, I started realizing that I've made tremendous gains in my overall conditioning. I was not only keeping up with all of the exercises but I was blasting ahead and doing double time jump KNEE Tucks! (say like Tony) Kept the HR in the mid 140's average and got a great workout in. I just needed a day off, I also realized that starting on a Monday is really difficult for me. The weekends typically take a lot out of me and for the first phase I used Monday as my rest day to alleviate some of the stress associated with a Monday morning and get a day to rest, as last week I found that even during my day off on Sunday, I was extremely active. As I said, I'm realizing how important Diet and Recovery time is to working out and as my body has changed so has it's needs. So, I'm going back to the Tuesday through Sunday schedule and focusing on diet and getting enough sleep. I am entertaining doing the doubles program which would add Cardio to 3 days a week in the next phase. I'd like to lose more weight and get below 210lbs!
Icee Out!

Chest And Back- Beginning of week 2 P90X2

Man was it hot this weekend. Also, Bella has a Ear infection, Throat infection and a UTI. So let's just start this by saying my wife and I's 5th Anniversary was awesome! We cancelled our plans to take care of the kids. WooHoo! The good news is that I actually probably saved $1000 as well so as much as I was looking forward to a weekend away from the little buggers, this economy is in the shitter so I needs to hold onto my money.
I got started late this morning and will have to get ab ripper in tonight but I got it done and improved a bit in my production. 190 total Pushps vs 174 last week, I believe over 90 pull-ups this morning but I'm still having to use the chair a great deal. Saturday was a better day for me on Pull ups and today I was still reeling from that I think.
Looking forward to my bucket tomorrow.

Oh the Heat! Legs and Back in 90+ degrees

I got it done Buckos! Pulls and lunges, god how I love it!
Looking forward to my day off tomorrow.
Week 1 of Phase 2 is in the bag!

Yoga X and 18 holes of gorgeous Drey Weber

Got up did Yoga, played 18 and am now at work~!
You gotta love it or you gotta love it!

Bike to Work Day

Today's Yoga X was post poned till tomorrow in honor of Bike to Work day.

I rode in this morning 18.5 miles in just over an hour and will be riding home this afternoon/

I feel a lot stronger on the bike than I have in the past, not to mention, the gay bike kit that I wear fits much better these days and doesn't stretch as much as it used to.

Day 3 of P90X redux in full effect

I had a technical issue yesterday morning that prevented me from getting my bucket filled. I got it in last night and got after it. Averaged a heart rate of 151, nailed 35 jumpers over HHH and struck out Adam left handed. Had the illustrious beach workout today and loved it.
I'm looking forward to the changes I'll see in the next 90 days as I'm starting this round in relatively solid shape and can actually now concentrate on improving my performance rather than hoping to survive.
I will say that I am sore all over again and that is a good thing! Tomorrow is Bike to Work day so I will be riding my bicycle to and from work (18 miles each way) I haven't decided if I am going to do yoga tomorrow too or just push it to Friday, we'll see.

Opting back in for another 90 days!

Before I fell asleep watching The latest James Bond movie, my wife was fantasizing about Daniel Craig's hot body and said, I hope that's what you look like after another 90 days. Talk about pressure and motivation. I'll show that bitch...wait a minute she's my lovely wife and mother of my beautiful children, she's not a bitch.

Today was my first day of the new set of P90X. I've been jonesin for a fix since last Monday. I went for an hour run on Saturday morning and did 60 push ups and some Yoga but I was craving the structure and comfort of my garage. Pull ups are still the bain of my existence but I get after the pull ups like I'm Johnny Fitness, like nobodies business, results city baby. I got 173 total Push ups in today. Started the program in February barely getting 44 legit push ups done and now starting round 2 with a mark of 173. I'm going to have to temper my expectations for the end of this 90 days as I don't think I'll see a 400% gain in numbers. I'm really focusing on improving my overall strength and getting leaner. I weighed in after a gluttonous weekend at 213lbs this morning. I had weighed in at 208.5 on Saturday so I'm guess my legit stasis weight is hovering around 210, which I'm happy with for now...for now.

Big ups to Adam, don't call me a Jew, Harris for his first week! It takes a real man to post way too many half naked shots of other men on your blog and still be concerned with what your wife may think about random comments from your followers but he's done with week one and on the the meat of the workout! Keep up the good work!

Also, welcome back HHH and his green bean soup to the program. After wandering the wilderness like Moses for the last 3 weeks, he's decided to opt back in for the discipline of Tony!

First P90X Complete! Pics and final stats

Well P90x has been completed by the Iceman. I did my final workout in the studio with HHH and completed my final fit test this morning. I will now take this time to pat myself on the back and say "Holy Christ! You did that?" I started this little workout program the Tuesday after the SuperBowl and here I finished on the Monday after the Kentucky Derby. I'm not sure what truly allowed me to stay the course other than I was finally ready to be fit again. That and the fact that I didn't want to be embarrassed with my shirt off. Well enough with the self flagellation, here are the stats:
Fit Test results:
1-21-09
Pull ups = 3
Push ups= 30
Wall Squat= 1:34
Bicep Curls = 17 x 32.5lbs
In and outs =27
Flexibility = -1.5 inches
5-6-09
Pull ups= 10
Push ups = 61
Wall Squat = 4:01
Bicep curls = 25x 35lbs
In and Outs = 70
Flexibility = +7.5 inches

I've gained an overall strength that I don't think I've had since college. I will be going through another 90 days and I plan to jump back on the horse next week. Check this out for a look at the transformation! If you watch the slide show, hit the show info button on the upper right.
Enjoy! I'll post again when I start back up!

I have graduated my first 90 days of P90X. I was fortunate enough to complete the process in the birthplace of the recnet revolution, the HHH Studio, aka SwineFlu HQ, aka Karaokee heaven, aka I'm going to shave you, aka Bressi. The man who got me on the train in the first place is the man who got to witness my final days on the initial phase of P90X. It was great to workout with a buddy as we both seemed to push each other a bit. Anyway, the feeling of accomplishment is quickly followed by a feeling of what now. Well, for me, I'm jumping back in for another 90 days after witnessing HHH's physique in the flesh and I mean this in the gayest possible way, I are impressed. The guy's ripped, even concave as my wife says, his torso looks like it was actually elongated and that's saying something.
Thanks Brad, Kristin and Koko for getting my ass interested in this and thanks to my wife for allowing for my grumpiness at the start. (she says Im still grumpy)
Final reveal pictures and the final fit test will be out within the next two days.
Icee looking for a tan!