Core Synergistics
This is a new routine! Nice to introduce some change. Not just for the change of pace, but for the feeling of progress.
While I've been happy with the progress in my chest, shoulders, arms, and back..... I've been impatient for the 6-pack.... so I welcome the new core-work routine.
At about an hour, its not the longest routine. But it definitely works your core!
Some of the exercises are tough to understand. I had to rewind several times, and am still not sure I got em right. But I expected this. I suspect, consistent with my experiences through all of week one, and then repeating them in weeks 2 & 3, that the next time through will be smoother and result in an even better workout.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Day 22
Yoga.
Week 4 marks the "recovery & focus" week of Phase 1. I'm excited to have made it through and am nearing 1/3 of the way through the program.
But I HATE yoga. I'd prefer to sit naked in ice water while terrorists shove bamboo splinters under my fingernails. Like I've said before.... Its hard. Its very hard. But that's not what bothers me. After all, the whole program is hard. But this is freakin' boring. I have no zen. I want no zen. I want to be entertained.
The above said: I f'ing kicked yoga's ass this time. I got through 90% of the motions and poses, most of them without need for breaks or rest.
The time commitment continues to be a big problem with the yoga routine also, at more than 90 minutes.
Felt this workout too.
Week 4 marks the "recovery & focus" week of Phase 1. I'm excited to have made it through and am nearing 1/3 of the way through the program.
But I HATE yoga. I'd prefer to sit naked in ice water while terrorists shove bamboo splinters under my fingernails. Like I've said before.... Its hard. Its very hard. But that's not what bothers me. After all, the whole program is hard. But this is freakin' boring. I have no zen. I want no zen. I want to be entertained.
The above said: I f'ing kicked yoga's ass this time. I got through 90% of the motions and poses, most of them without need for breaks or rest.
The time commitment continues to be a big problem with the yoga routine also, at more than 90 minutes.
Felt this workout too.
Day 21
Rest.
I raked out my front lawn on my rest day. 2 observations: I remember the fatigue you feel in your arms, shoulders, and abs from raking. And that it was easier than in past years (although still hard!).
So I felt good about my activity during my rest day, but certainly countered those benefits with a flow of cold PBRs..... hey, it happens.
I raked out my front lawn on my rest day. 2 observations: I remember the fatigue you feel in your arms, shoulders, and abs from raking. And that it was easier than in past years (although still hard!).
So I felt good about my activity during my rest day, but certainly countered those benefits with a flow of cold PBRs..... hey, it happens.
Day 20
Kenpo X
Kenpo went much better than the previous day's Legs & Back routine (read here). My energy was back and I was ready to go! Kenpo has proven to be my favorite routine so far, at least from the standpoint of staying entertained during the workout.
There's no a lot to be said about the Kenpo workout. No reps to report or anything. I'm trying to get my kicks a bit higher, and I've certainly paid for that in my groin! I feel these workouts throughout my core the following day, and this was no exception! Good effort, good workout.
Kenpo went much better than the previous day's Legs & Back routine (read here). My energy was back and I was ready to go! Kenpo has proven to be my favorite routine so far, at least from the standpoint of staying entertained during the workout.
There's no a lot to be said about the Kenpo workout. No reps to report or anything. I'm trying to get my kicks a bit higher, and I've certainly paid for that in my groin! I feel these workouts throughout my core the following day, and this was no exception! Good effort, good workout.
Day 19
Legs & Back + Ab Ripper X
This was undoubtedly one of my most challenging workouts. From the beginning, I just didn't have the energy for this one. I did it. I did every routine, and I did my best. But my best wasn't good. They say that these are the days that are most important to work through, but it was certainly frustrating to find my reps below last week's and my endurance so low.
Particularly frustrating was the fact that this is the final weight-lifting type exercise of Phase 1. I wanted to bring a huge effort, but my body was just drained....
I did Ab Ripper also. Same thing. I did it, but my energy/endurance just wasn't up to par....
Reps: (two reps each) (compare to week 1 here) (compare to week 2 here)
Reverse Grip Chin-Ups: 10/9
Wide Front Pull Ups: 4/0
Closed Grip Overhand Pull Ups: 3/3
Switch Grip Pull Ups: 6/4
Tomorrow: Kenpo X
This was undoubtedly one of my most challenging workouts. From the beginning, I just didn't have the energy for this one. I did it. I did every routine, and I did my best. But my best wasn't good. They say that these are the days that are most important to work through, but it was certainly frustrating to find my reps below last week's and my endurance so low.
Particularly frustrating was the fact that this is the final weight-lifting type exercise of Phase 1. I wanted to bring a huge effort, but my body was just drained....
I did Ab Ripper also. Same thing. I did it, but my energy/endurance just wasn't up to par....
Reps: (two reps each) (compare to week 1 here) (compare to week 2 here)
Reverse Grip Chin-Ups: 10/9
Wide Front Pull Ups: 4/0
Closed Grip Overhand Pull Ups: 3/3
Switch Grip Pull Ups: 6/4
Tomorrow: Kenpo X
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Day 18
Yoga.
I hate yoga. I'm really trying to follow the plan as closely as possible. Other than one day when I was really sick, I've worked out everyday, even the other days when I was sick. I've done the warmups and cool downs. I've eaten well and drank my muscle shakes. But I freakin' HATE yoga.
I'm ok with difficult. Most of this program is pretty difficult. Actually, I enjoy the push, and love the burn after that tells you that progress has been made. But I hate yoga. I hate this routine because it bores me. My mind knows no zen. I like active workouts. From the moment I start, I'm watching the countdown clock waiting for it to end. I fight the devil on my shoulder telling me its ok to cut this one short (after all, I've done really well, I deserve a break).
And I'm not good at it. I stumble, I fall, I shake. I'm frustrated by my inability and sometimes still from my lack of understanding the movements.
BUT..... I did it. I stuck the whole thing out. I tried my hardest on every move. When I stumbled, I steadied. When I fell, I got back up. When I shook, I well.... shook even more.
I'm not sure I could honestly say it was my most intense physical effort, but I did work up a good sweat. It may have been my most intense psychological effort though, as every minute was a battle.
Next week is recovery week, and it has yoga twice. Ugh.
Tomorrow: Legs & Back + Ab Ripper
I hate yoga. I'm really trying to follow the plan as closely as possible. Other than one day when I was really sick, I've worked out everyday, even the other days when I was sick. I've done the warmups and cool downs. I've eaten well and drank my muscle shakes. But I freakin' HATE yoga.
I'm ok with difficult. Most of this program is pretty difficult. Actually, I enjoy the push, and love the burn after that tells you that progress has been made. But I hate yoga. I hate this routine because it bores me. My mind knows no zen. I like active workouts. From the moment I start, I'm watching the countdown clock waiting for it to end. I fight the devil on my shoulder telling me its ok to cut this one short (after all, I've done really well, I deserve a break).
And I'm not good at it. I stumble, I fall, I shake. I'm frustrated by my inability and sometimes still from my lack of understanding the movements.
BUT..... I did it. I stuck the whole thing out. I tried my hardest on every move. When I stumbled, I steadied. When I fell, I got back up. When I shook, I well.... shook even more.
I'm not sure I could honestly say it was my most intense physical effort, but I did work up a good sweat. It may have been my most intense psychological effort though, as every minute was a battle.
Next week is recovery week, and it has yoga twice. Ugh.
Tomorrow: Legs & Back + Ab Ripper
Day 17
Shoulders & Arms + Ab Ripper (twice!)
I had the day off work yesterday, so I got a little gutsy and did a bonus Ab Ripper in the morning, before doing the normal workout, including Ab Ripper again in the afternoon.
For the morning AB Ripper, I used the first 10 minutes of the Plyometrics video to warm up. Ab Ripper is only about 17 minutes, so it was about a half hour all-in.
Shoulders & Arms was another awesome workout with an awesome effort. Most exercises saw another slight increase in reps. But, more importantly, a definite increase in form, understanding, and intensity. I used the blue bands (rather than the green) for several exercises to max out sooner (said to be better for adding size).
In the 'bonus round' (last three exercises), I'm having trouble with the In & Out Straight Arm Shoulder Flys. The lightest band I have is green, representing a 40# weight. Its simply too difficult from that position to extend my arms all the way. I am going as high as I can, and I believe I am still getting the same results, but its frustrating anyway.
Today's reps: (Compare to week 1 - compare to week 2)
Alternating shoulder presses: 9/7 (both green)
In & Out Bicep Curls: 11/10 (both green)
Two-Arm Tricep Kickbacks: 8/10 (with a loop the first, without the second)
Deep Swimmer's Presses: 6/5 (both green)
Full Supination Concentration Curls: 9/9 (both green)
Chair Dips: 13/16
Upright Rows: 12/9 (green/blue)
Static Arm Curls: 16/16 (blue/blue)
Flip Grip Twist Tricep Kickbacks: 8/5 ( both green)
Seated Two-Angle Shoulder Flys: 13/16 (both green)
Crouching Cohen Curls: 10/9 (green/blue)
Lying Down Tricep Extensions: 7/7 (both green)
In & Out Straight Arm Shoulder Flys: 7/8 (both green, no full extension)
Congdon Curls: 9/8 (both blue)
Side Tri-Rises: 14/14, 14/14 (right/left)
I had the day off work yesterday, so I got a little gutsy and did a bonus Ab Ripper in the morning, before doing the normal workout, including Ab Ripper again in the afternoon.
For the morning AB Ripper, I used the first 10 minutes of the Plyometrics video to warm up. Ab Ripper is only about 17 minutes, so it was about a half hour all-in.
Shoulders & Arms was another awesome workout with an awesome effort. Most exercises saw another slight increase in reps. But, more importantly, a definite increase in form, understanding, and intensity. I used the blue bands (rather than the green) for several exercises to max out sooner (said to be better for adding size).
In the 'bonus round' (last three exercises), I'm having trouble with the In & Out Straight Arm Shoulder Flys. The lightest band I have is green, representing a 40# weight. Its simply too difficult from that position to extend my arms all the way. I am going as high as I can, and I believe I am still getting the same results, but its frustrating anyway.
Today's reps: (Compare to week 1 - compare to week 2)
Alternating shoulder presses: 9/7 (both green)
In & Out Bicep Curls: 11/10 (both green)
Two-Arm Tricep Kickbacks: 8/10 (with a loop the first, without the second)
Deep Swimmer's Presses: 6/5 (both green)
Full Supination Concentration Curls: 9/9 (both green)
Chair Dips: 13/16
Upright Rows: 12/9 (green/blue)
Static Arm Curls: 16/16 (blue/blue)
Flip Grip Twist Tricep Kickbacks: 8/5 ( both green)
Seated Two-Angle Shoulder Flys: 13/16 (both green)
Crouching Cohen Curls: 10/9 (green/blue)
Lying Down Tricep Extensions: 7/7 (both green)
In & Out Straight Arm Shoulder Flys: 7/8 (both green, no full extension)
Congdon Curls: 9/8 (both blue)
Side Tri-Rises: 14/14, 14/14 (right/left)
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