Oldline70 Takes On P90X.

I'm seeing a difference-if not necessarily in inches or pounds, in the amount of work I'm able to do. Oh, and I think pullups are up by one or so!

Time was when there was no way I'd contemplate 3 workouts in a row, but that's exactly what I'm thinking about tonight as we head into a new week. We'll see: I'm in this for the long haul and would rather skip a workout here & there for the sake of keeping this going for a while.
 
Kenpo tonight. Yeah, out of order, wrong night for kenpo, blah blah blah, but I did it to get one in and wanted to change the order up a bit. Did this with my honey and we kicked its butt.

I really like kenpo - it's challenging from a skill standpoint and I'm not the most agile grasshopper. I can see why it's not the MOST difficult of the series, but still, I get a rockin' sweat going. Those kicks are tough for an inflexible old coot like me. But I feel like I'm getting better and more height on my kicks as time goes on. My legs are getting "tougher", if that makes sense.

Don't think I'll be P90Xing tomorrow; 3 on - 1 off is good enough for me. But I'll see how I feel. It's more about keeping it going.

I'm not watching my diet TOO strictly. Eating ~relatively~ clean, but not denying myself anything in moderation. I'm not a huge junkeater to start with; I like what I like, but for example, if I have ice cream it's maybe a couple smaller scoops, and not every day. I had ice cream the other day for the first time in maybe a month. My downfall is carbs-I like carbs and they're easy and fast. I've tried to up my protein, though. I figure maybe our first pass thru, I won't get too hung up on diet-small changes first.
 
I'll see how I feel at 7ish tonight, but I might just crank out shoulders and arms tonight. I'm feeling good, not blasted, and I know tomorrow night's going to be impossible to get anything done, so it's tonight or bust until Thursday, 10-1. Friday is football night so that's out. So it's looking like tonight, Thursday then Saturday. I'm gettin' my rhythm on with this routine.

At some point I am going to get some measurements, but quite honestly, it's not even about that at this point...it's about getting in the garage 3-4 times a week. I do that, the measurements will be there. I don't, they won't.
 
Shoulders & Arms

Did Shoulders & Arms last night.

I have to be totally honest; this wasn't one of my better workouts. I like chest and back better at this point.

I think this is maybe the third time I've done the workout and my poundages weren't what they should have been. I couldn't really get in a rhythm and could never get to the point where I felt I was jamming. A lot of the moves are flye-type moves which don't call for a lot of weight so sometimes I feel like a sissy man using lighter poundages. And I got off to a late start last night (it was after 7 when we started) and I felt like I was running around tying to round up all the proper equipment and get off the line before it got too late.

I did OK, it's a workout, it's in the books but it's not one of my more stellar ones. (I must have done SOMETHING, though, because I'm sore this morning...or should I call it 'stimulated').

On a positive note: I LOVE those one arm side pushups that we do in the last series of the workout. Man, I feel every rep and I don't know why I haven't done these before now. They should be a staple in anyone's triceps workout!


Side note - as an improvement, I'm thinking of creating my own pre-printed workout forms with the exercises so I don't have scribble this down every time. That's right folks: I don't have the entire P90X program so I don't have the log I think they give you. SO I need to create something in Excel and keep it in my workout binder so I know what I did. Writing down 20-odd exercises at 7:05 pm when you're trying to get started in your workout is NOT conducive to a good workout, I'll say that much.

It's time for a day off. Four in a row is new territory for me and I was feeling it last night and this morning. Gotta take a day off and will hit it tomorrow night with something - not sure what - maybe legs and back.

For now, it's progress.
 
IF I could scan my workout sheet scribbles that I make on notebook paper, I would.

After the workout, my honey and I watched "Biggest Loser", which made me feel great knowing that I've got 4 workouts in this week. That's right, 4-for-4. PS: I know some people view this show as a joke, and reality TV gets old, but I find the show oddly and unusually motivating to me, so that is why I watch. Somehow watching 350 to 400 pound men running on treadmills and sweating while Jillian and Bob yell at them makes me want to do more and be more. So, I continue to watch.
 
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Legs and back tonight.
Tonight's workout left me gassed. I don't know why but I didn't have much gas tonight. I thought with the layoff I'd have tons of energy and be busting out squats and lunges like no one's business..instead my legs felt like rolled up newspapers and I had the intensity of a drunk elephant the day after New Year's.

I was drenched in sweat, but this wasn't one of my better workouts. I felt like I was lunging all over the place like an out of shape 57 year old insurance salesman with a toupee and a bad paunch. I know I'm 46, but I don't sell insurance and don't have a toupee. The paunch, well, I didn't think I had one of those, either, but Tony made me feel like I did.

I won't beat myself up too badly, but I don't know if it was too long a layoff, or not enough of one...but I felt like I didn't have it tonight. I actually got mad and slammed down some equipment tonight in frustration!! Not sure what to make of that.

As they say in baseball, we'll get 'em next time.
 
Possibly Kenpo.

I'm thinking Kenpo's the plan for tonight. I don't feel quite as destryed his morning as I thought I would - but still, tons of squats and lunges aren't in my future today, I don't think.

I could do chest and back, but that involves a lot of pullups, which we just did last night. I'd rather pass on a hefty number of pullups and come back to C&B maybe either tomorrow night or maybe later in the week.

If you haven't noticed, we kind of do the routines in our own order. We do them all, but not in the prescribed order, if there is one.

Legs sore, calves not so much-what's up with that?
 
Kenpo tonight with my sweetheart.
Boy, we kicked some butt tonight!
Felt 150% better tonight. I think I got some rest and some calories in me which helped me tonight. You know how you sometimes get a "good" sweat going versus a "bad" sweat? A "bad" sweat is cold, clammy, doesn't feel good kind of feeling...well, tonight was a "good" sweat night. Felt like the intensity was there and I had something in the tank this time. Felt like an athlete tonight.

I'd like to know how many calories we burn in this Kenpo routine...it's got to be something nice.

All in all, a great workout...and got my freaking legs loosened up a bit, also!

Don't know if tomorrow's on or off...we have gymnastics class for my youngest, so that usually means it's a rest night. But we'll see how we feel, and maybe if we're feeling frisky, we'll do "Bob" which is a short 30 minute video but gets the sweat flowing and the heart a-pumpin'.

On to "Biggest Loser" TV tonight. Hope it's not another cryfest. Show us the dang workouts and Bob and Jillian, and don't spend 45 minutes on the weigh-ins! That's my input for the show's producers.

Till next time, cheers!
 
Rest Night.

Rest night. No workout today. I'm pretty sore.
I probably ~should~ have done some cardio to work out the kinks, but I'm going to be back on the horse tomorrow night. I think it's going to be C&B, but we'll see how it plays out. And it doesn't look like Friday night will involve a football game, since Stow plays in Lakewood (which is like an hour away) so I could fit in plyo on Friday, good Lord willing.

Thinking intermediate term, I'm really liking this program. It's not about busting huge weights, and I've not added any bonus sets of conventional barbell and DB exercises at the end, but I like how I am feeling. Every workout leaves me soaked in sweat and I've got the feeling that I've accomplished something worthwhile. You can't really ask for much more than that, can you? Not in my world.

Plus, I like the variety it offers. No getting stale.

With that said, I don't see any reason why this couldn't be the program to get me thru this winter. This'll be good for fighting winter blob, and the metabolic aspect of it will keep the engines firing all winter and ready to come out of the gate in spring. No reason I couldn't add a cardio day and maybe some bonus weight work at the end if time allows. But in and of itself, I think it's a good program. It sure beats set after set of bench press, bent rows, curls, etc followed by 40 minutes of mind-numbing exercise on the exercise bike! Altho, I'm reserving the right to go back to that at some point just to stay on a first name basis with the bike.

Sounds like a plan. Plus I like that it allows me time working out with my honey and you can't ask for more there, either.

We'll get em tomorry...good night folks.
 
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Chest & back tonight.
For some reason it wasn't a great workout, maybe I just wasn't there mentally, but I only did one round.
I think one mistake I made was, I burned out like 30 pushups on my first set of pushups, feeling like a monster, and I was kind of burnt thru the rest of the workout. I did ~ok~ but didn't have my usual fire. I stopped after one round, figuring something was better than nothing.
 
Came down with a serious bug this past weekend. I'm going to be down for a while, gang. This one's nasty and it's my "twice-a-year crud". Chest cough, sore muscles, slight fever, coughing like crazy and watery eyes. Missed work with this, which I almost NEVER do.

Anyhow, when I'm back online I'll get back to P90X. First I have to focus on survival!

Over and out.
 
Got a nasty bug this week gang. It'll likely be early next week till I am back on my feet.

Been a while since I was this sick. Whoa!
 
Just now getting back on my feet.

This was a nasty bug I had. I've actually been "better" since about Monday, but I'm still shaking off the after-effects of this respiratory illness I had - still coughing and spluttering around.

I'll be back on the horse soon, maybe tonight or this weekend sometime.
 
Still here, folks, but I've been dormant for about 3 weeks. Still not right and while I was getting back on my feet, things went crazy at work.

I reeeallllly need to figure out how to fit everything in. I'm thinking heavy duty drugs may be the answer. Just kidding! I've never taken any kind of performace enhancing drug in my life and never would.

Well, I'll get back on the horse, but I don't know what I'll find once I start back in. :]
 
Still here. I'm enjoying some time off. Work's been crazy and I haven't had time to breathe. I'll be back into SOMETHING soon. Just getting my energy back and my mind right. Plus my yard has a foot of leaves and 3 acres of 'em, so do the math.

I'll be back on the program soon but first I've gotta do triage.
 
Back on the horse tonight with C&B.

Man, it's been a LOOOONNNG layoff...six weeks, by my math. October 8 was my last prior workout, and I felt it last night.

C&B isn't especially hard - more workmanlike than anything else - just plug your way thru - but I didn't know where my poundages would be, where my reps would be, or what I'd feel like. I only did one round, not wanting to bite off too much, too soon. I was kinda gassed.

I had the real swine flu about a month or so ago, and I can definitely feel its after effects. It's taken me some serious recovery time, and my appetite is just now starting to come back. For me, it was all respiratory-type ailments, but it's seemed to take a while to get it out of my system 100% and I think I'm still working on that.

It became immediately obvious that I'm not drinking enough water. I became almost instantly parched and couldn't get enough water in me, so in addition to feeling gassed from the layoff, I cut it short due to dehydration. It's just not worth going nuts the first time back, to me.

More next time, hopefully tonight if I can.
 
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Did a chest and arms conventional free weight workout yesterday.

No, it wasn't P90X, nor was it up to P90X 'sweat' standards, but it's something. GOYA* and do something, I always say! Something's better than nothing.

PS I'm sorer than the blue blazes today. Remind me not to max out on bench first workout back next time, OK?

* Get off your arse
 
Man O Manischevitz.

Kenpo X last night.

I'm definitely feeling the 6-week layoff. I was behind by a count thru many of the exercises last night, at times couldn't find my rhythm, and just felt really uncoordinated thru much of it.

I can't say this is really a tremendously taxing workout from a cardio standpoint, but you'll work, and I was gasping a couple times. I forgot how much 'fun' those side and rear kicks were. I felt like a relative newcomer with many of the exercises and the transitions on the 3-way kicks. A couple times Tony went so fast from one exercise to the next I had to pause and rewind to get the gist of what we were supposed to be doing.

MY flexibility HAS to improve - I can't come close to some of those warmup stretches, like the one that has you grabbing your toe and sliding to the side while on your back. My hammies don't want to move like that :)

All in all, got one in the books and we'll keep trying to move this baby forward:rainbow:
 
Did Shoulders and Triceps before partaking in a little bird today with the family.

It was good enough of a workout, and one of the things I'm thankful for is to live in a time when so many exercise options like P90X are available...ain't life grand?
 
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I'm going to take the liberty of expanding this blog to include all the forms of exercise that I take part in! There's different things I do, I don't specialize in just one thing, and this helps me track everything I've done over time, even though I keep track in the gym on a spiral notebook (I still think pen & paper is the best way of tracking my exercise regimen, even in the digital age).

Today I did Biggest Loser Cardio DVD.. this was a new DVD I picked up for $10 at WalMart and it's new.

Call it a fad, call it TV hucksterism, call it anything you want! This was an -----kicker of a workout. It's been some time since I blasted thru a lot of lunges, and this workout had them in spades. My legs are fried!

I worked up a heck of a sweat and was sucking some serious air. I think it's time to work this one into the weekly rotation...it really kicked my butt!!
 
Did an "old line" static bench press workout today. Worked up to a single rep max just to see where I am in this department.

After that, did several sets of pushups to really fry the upper body, then proceeded to 4 sets of 25 air squats, then 3 sets of situps to cap off about an hour in the gym.

As you can probably tell, I'm kind of at a crossroads with P90x. It seems to difficult mentally as much as anything for me to get in the gym more than 3-4 times a week and I'm stifled by that. With that in mind, I've kind of made the decision that I have to do whatever it takes to motivate me to 'get in there' and do SOMETHING. My problem is I'm fried after work and getting up at 5 in the morning to bust out any semblance of a decent workout is asking a bit much because I know myself and my limitations mentally. If I could get past that, I might stand a chance - but not right now. So I take the long view, something is better than nothing, inertia is the enemy, and it doesn't have to be P90x to be worthwhile.

I don't know. I'm doing the best I can. I bet 98% of America is in the same boat. It's a tough row to hoe.
 
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Things I have learned about fitness in my life.

-It's all about 'you', not the other guy. You are your own yardstick, not the guy next door, not the 22-year old guy running down your street at 5 am, not Bo Jackson, not Arnold Schwarzenegger, YOU. You and only you can determine the progress you are making, and like golf, your only competition is, ultimately, yourself, Daniel-San.

Corollary to this: No, you can't "be like Mike". There's only one Lance Armstrong. You can't be him, and guess what? You wouldn't WANT to be him. Your life is unique to you, and who you are is your unique footprint. Enjoy it and revel in it.

-Try different things. Routine is the enemy. Work on weaknesses as well as strengths. Sometimes a perceived weakness is just a lack of attention in that area.

-Just because someone looks "fit" doesn't mean they are. They could be a walking timebomb of steroids waiting to explode (know any bodybuilders like this?? Ben Johnson, anyone??). Corollary #1 to this: a strong bench does not beget fitness. I see a lot of fat----- 300 lb benchpressers; youtube "bench press" if you don't believe this.

-Don't listen to the guy in the gym for advice. You know, the one who says "you gotta do this" or "you should only be doing that on such and such day". He's clueless, just like you are, seaching for answers every day. Don't waste your time. Study fitness, find out what works, try things out and discard what doesn't work for you.

-Just because someone looks fit doesn't mean they know anything about fitness or working out; it may just mean they had the great foresight to choose physically gifted parents. Corollary to this: sometimes the most knowledgeable fit person can be the one you least expect for this role.

-DON'T idolize pro athletes for fitness. It's their job! I bet you'd be ungodly fit, too, if you worked at it year-round, 8-10 hours a day! Pro athletes have unlimited time, massive gyms and bleeding-edge technology at their disposal to do this job, plus a complete staff of trainers, dieticians, doctors, go-getters and others whose job it is to tell them exactly what to do each day to keep them in the game, fit as a fiddle, and feeling great about themselves. It you want to use a role model, look in the mirror. pro athletes are human; they still have to strap it on everyday just like you do.

Besides, many pro athletes won't be able to walk when they are 50. Know any pro football players like this?

-Motivation is everywhere. You can find it in a news article you read about some overachieving high school football team, or some weekend athlete, anywhere! Read about and study anyone with a disability and it can't do anything but motivate you. Study military veterans with a permanent injury and see if it doesn't move you. Study the guys who work out at military hospitals missing legs, arms, or more than one of each-they don't know the word "pain" anymore.

-Speaking to "pain" - the good "pain" felt working out is nothing like real "pain" of the bad kind.

-There is no limit to the amount of money to be made in the fitness industry hawking all sorts of gadgets and devices designed to pry moeny out of your wallet in the name of shortcutting to fitness. Know it, realize it, and see it for what it is - the fitness "industry" has little to nothing to do with fitness, and you don't need gleaming machines to get fit. Quite the opposite.

-Working out is day to day - it's ultimately a subscription, no more, no less. Just because you worked out today, or had a great workout today, doesn't mean you will tomorrow, and you still gotta strap it on tomorrow.

-It's not about the poundages you use, it's the effort you put forth.

-It's fitness. You DO get points for trying and not succeeding. If you fail the first time,Try Again. You'll get it tomorrow. Or the day after. Or next year. But you WILL eventually "get it", but if and only if you Try.

-It's only fitness. Are you a good person? Are you the best husband/wife/father/mom you can be? Do you do the right thing and make the right choices? A 300-lb bench or 6 minute mile can't help you if you're failing at the game of life or not doing the proper things elsewhere.

-More to follow as I get them.

Finally for today~

-Ultimately it's all mental.
 
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Today I did a free for all.

Couple sets of ring pushups

A modified crossfit workout~

95 lb deadlift, 12 reps
Run inplace 1.5 minutes
35 lb KB swing, 12 reps
run in place 1 minute
12 overhead squats with just a hockey stick
run in plae 1 minute
6 modified burpees (burpees are my enemy!)
...(quit) I was sweating pretty good out in my garage by now...then,

Then, bench press workout up to a single rep then rep out with 185 for 4.

I dunno, it's something, it's better than nothing.
 
Did chest and back Saturday. Was toasted pretty good.
Look, I know none of this is as regular as it should be, and I'm only doing a mere variation of anything resembling P90x at this point...but it's the best I can do with everything else going on. It's why over the past 20-some years I've only had sporadic performance increases and it's the weak point in my whole methodology, I know this.
I'm acting like one of those "weekend warrior" type workout people who only do it when convenient...but I'm honestly trying to get more regular about this.
 
Kenpo was the workout last night.

I gotta tell you - this one is one of my favorite of all the P90X workouts. It's plug and play, you know you'll get a great workout in, and yet it's not so taxing that you are blasted the day after. If I had to pick one workout to get me started back into P90X, this would be the one.

That said, technically sometimes it's challenging. I sometimes have a hard time transitioning between the different groupings of punches and kicks, and some don't feel natural to me at all. The kicks can be awkward; I'm not a balance monster, so anytime you ask me to kick then move or kick then punch, I can get tied up and start losing form fast.

But I do get a sweat going, and yet it doesn't leave me feeling torched. I was glad to get one in last night.
 
Oldline ain't taking on much of anything these days.
I tweaked a knee about a week ago doing deadlifts (how the h$$$ do you tweak a knee on deadlifts?? anyhow) and I've been pretty stagnant for about a week. I'll be back into it soon. Been doing the exercise bike to stave off complete sedentariness.
 
About this P90x thing...

Been working out and doing other things over the past 6-7 months not P90xish.

P90x is nice but I'm not convinced it's 100% or me.

It works and all, it does what it say it will do, Tony's a god, if you do everything as they tell you and buy in, you will be in much better shape in 90 days. But it's very hard to stay the course due to difficulty and staleness in the routines. I found myself liking a few, not minding a few and hating a few.

What I didn't like was doing P90x to the preclusion of everything else.

To those out there that are on the fence about P90x, it does get stale, it is a lot of time for those not accustomed to being in the gym an hour a day for what basically amounts to every day. Unless you are a gym rat or tremendously disciplined or have made peace with missing a workout every so often (I couldn't), you probably won't get as much out of P90x as you otherwise could.

In short, you've got to love that type of metcon work, love Tony and love just pushing play every day and if you don't, it won't work for you.

I really don't have a problem with much of anything with the DVDs...not the format, not the music, not Tony's personality...the problem for me is that you've got to strap it on (at least) an hour a day or more even when you don't want to, often to the preclusion of anything else outside of that day's workout. I found myself getting nostalgic for golf, cycling, and the countless other pursuits of a 47 year old man trying to remain a relevant athlete of some kind.

I may dive back in sometime and I'll leave the door open for myself to do that. But it's a fitness journey for me, and I've got things I like to do (lift large havy things, bike and golf) and don't ever want to give any of those things up. I see myself doing P90x maybe in midwinter when there's nothing else to do.

So I'll continue to report back in with whatever I've got in the future.

EDIT: I reserve the right to change my mind and completely take back everything I've said here :)
Seriously, I think it's great, it's more of a mental thing for me than anything else.
 
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May be making my way back to P90x soon.

BR1986FB has inspired me to create my own P90x log, which admiitedly ain't anywhere near as 'prolific' as his. I can only hope to accomplish a portion of what he's done!

BR, if you read this, you're a P90X god; I need your autograph!

First, I posted this review on bodybuilding.com. I am on there under "oldline70". Lotta roids and miscers on that site, but I love the equpment forum there.

Here is my post:

I'll give you my honest impression of P90x. First of all, I am 48 and though not a fat dude I've always been larger framed. LOL. I've got no major knee or health considerations and at 48 that plays into it!

I got P90x a while back. I readily admit I have NOT gone thru a full 90 day cycle. I believe if you follow the plan, modify where needed, and follow the diet you will lose fat. I went thru several of the workouts and some were more doable than others. Here's a breakdown of the ones I did fine with and the ones I didn't/had trouble with:

Chest and back - fine, no problems. You aren't moving much weight but it's fast paced and you're doing pullups and pushups and the weights you'll be using, at least at first, aren't really a consideration IMO. The limited time I was on P90x I moved up rapidly in pushups; pullups were more of a challenge being a bigger guy
Plyo - effective but I wish I was 20 again. It's tough on the knees. I'd have to modify this like crazy to carry a 90 day cycle. Lots of jumping around.

Legs - good workout - I thought it was tough as a beginner. First 10 minutes they have you doing about 20-30 lunges to warm up the legs and it frankly fried me, not being used to lunges. I had to cut the workout short the first time b/c between this and the wall sits and squat variations my legs were overcooked.

Shoulders and arms - fine, no problems - again not a lot of weight at first.

Yoga - didn't like it, but would make myself do it if I were in a 90 day cycle

Kenpo - liked it! tough without being too over-the-top tough. Felt like a spazz at first but quickly got the combos down after a while. Gets the heart pumping without making you vomit.

Ab Ripper X - didn't try it, not yet anyway. Looks very effective and I doubt I'd make it all the way thru the ifrst time.

I didn't do some of the others (Core Synergistics, X Stretch) so I can't comment on those but I did view the DVD and they seem effective.
All in all I think if you do it, and stick with it, it will work to help you lose fat. You will have to add weight and lose reps to gain muscle.

All hype aside, I think it can work. You have to be the kind of person who likes working out from a DVD and like Tony's personality; I did and do, and think it's OK.

Now if I can just make myself last thru an hour to an hour and a half a day, 6 days a week, for 13 weeks!! LOL that's the challenge. You may have to modify/turn off the sound and blast your own music/switch things up to avoid staleness.

In sum: P90X will do the job! It will make you sweat, moreso than any single wieght workout alone ever will. At the end you'll be tired and your body will know it DID something. It's not for everyone, but everyone could benefit in some form from this type workout. If you got the time, the money and most of all the inclination, GIVE IT A TRY.
 
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