Month: May 2011

R6 I:A D18 – If You’re Bored Then You’re Boring (RKC To The Rescue)

If you’re bored then you’re boring – Harvey Danger, Flagpole Sitta

My high hopes for IA are not being met. I am coming to the realization that it’s not what I needed and certainly not what I expected. So instead of following the schedule I am patching together IA, RKC and even P90X and Olympic Style lifts to stave off the boredom.

I have realized why the Insanity Asylum program is only 30 days, because it’s boring. That’s right, I said it. You really only have 3 workouts that you can do that are of any functional use on a repetitive basis, I don’t count Game Day because it is more of a gimmick than a workout. Although it is a tough workout I don’t think is has value as a weekly repetitive workout. So left with a choice of 3 workouts, how could you possible go to 90 days? So I think that I am already about to jump ship on Round 6 which was planned to be 30 days and go into the Insanity Asylum and P90X hybrid. They outline the schedule as follows (according to online sources which I will check this evening):

Weeks 1-3

  • Monday- Chest & Back, Ab Ripper X
  • Tuesday- Plyometric Cardio Circuit
  • Wednesday- Shoulders & Arms, Ab Ripper X
  • Thursday- Pure Cardio
  • Friday- Legs & Back, Ab Ripper X
  • Saturday- Cardio Power & Resistance
  • Sunday- Rest, Yoga, or Stretch

Week 4– Recovery Week

  • Monday- Cardio Recovery
  • Tuesday- Core Synergistics
  • Wednesday- Yoga X
  • Thursday- Core Cardio & Balance
  • Friday- Kenpo X
  • Saturday- Stretch X
  • Sunday- Rest

Weeks 5-8

  • Monday- Chest, Shoulders, & Tris, Cardio Abs
  • Tuesday- Max Interval Plyo
  • Wednesday- Back & Biceps, Cardio Abs
  • Thursday- Max Interval Circuit
  • Friday- Legs & Back, Cardio Abs
  • Saturday- Max Recovery
  • Sunday- Rest, Yoga, or Stretch

Week 9– Recovery Week (Same as above)

Weeks 10-12

  • Monday- Chest & Back, Ab Ripper X
  • Tuesday- Max Cardio Conditioning
  • Wednesday- Shoulders & Arms, Cardio Abs
  • Thursday- Max Interval Circuit
  • Friday- Legs & Back, Ab Ripper X
  • Saturday- Max Recovery
  • Sunday- Rest, Yoga, or Stretch

Week 13– Recovery Week (Same as above)

Much as I hate the recovery week at the end, I am signed up to do Warrior Dash in 5 weeks so I think maybe a week to finish IA and then 4 weeks of hybrid will get me within my fitness goal. Add to that some RKC which I just can’t live without and some running (ugh) then I should be as ready as possible…

 

R6 I:A D17 – The Punishment

It was almost a week before I got to do Vertical Plyo. I had a serious stomach bug for a few days and was not able to get to the basement to do much of anything. So last night, after re-arranging the basement furniture for the new “baby nook” play area, I launched into VP. It was not just hard, it was brutally embarrassing. Since I have to do the Warrior Dash in about 6 weeks I definitely need to step it up because last night was a joke. Granted, I had been off a week and had been sick but still it was like I was back at P90X Day 1 trembling and sweating in a disgusting pile on the floor. Still, I did it knowing that it was the only way to get back to where I was just a short week ago. I plan to get at least 5 days in a row to get my wind back and get my strength back so we will see how that plays out. Thank God I chose to leave the couch in the basement, I think it may come in handy the next few days!

All that remains now in the vein of finishing the whole workout scheme is to build the baby kitchen, move the inversion table to the garage, get the fish tank out of the garage along with the headboard my wife wants to “create” in her “spare time” and clear out some extra space for an olympic bar and some weights to set up a mini Crossfit box in my garage. That’s all. Plus some parenting…

R6 I:A D16-19 Plan. Victoria Day Long Weekend. Summer’s Here!!!

The plan for the long weekend looks like this:

Friday: Relief, 3 hours coaching
Saturday: Move 400lb treadmill, Vertical Plyo, BBQ
Sunday: Strength, 5k on treadmill, BBQ in rain apparently
Monday: Relief, maybe coaching (not sure if we are working Monday or not…), BBQ in thunderstorm, let off fireworks from deck.

Then Tuesday, and Armageddon at our house as my wonderful wife returns to work and we start taking the baby to the daycare on a daily basis. My prediction, nobody is going to be happy on Tuesday.

She is not going to be impressed...

Take A Moment. The 60lb Milestone.

For me, fitness is a passion, I just love reading about it, studying it, sharing it with people and so for me this lifestyle is easier that for most. That said, weight is and always has been my nemesis. Today, however, I won the latest installment of the Biggest Loser at work bu losing a total of 21lbs in 3 months. Add that to my journey and you have a total loss of 60lbs.

That’s right. SIXTY POUNDS!!!!

It’s not the first time I have done this kind of weight loss, but I am hoping it will be the last.

Many times we get so wrapped up in what we are doing that we don’t take a moment to recognize our achievements. The reason for this is that those of us with borderline obsessive personalities know that the second you take your foot off the gas you risk going off the road completely. For me, that is the final step in my final journey. The ability to step back for a moment, see what I have accomplished, congratulate myself, celebrate a little but then get back to work. In the past I have allowed the celebrations to linger too long, to allow the congratulatory process to lead me back to the place that I started. This time, however, I think I will be OK. My thoughts for celebration are more of the non edible variety whereas in the past, my usual victory dance was around a large pepperoni pizza and a 2 litre bottle of coke! I don’t know what I am going to do to celebrate my 60lb milestone but I know that whatever it is, it won’t get in the way of my 75lb milestone which is my next big goal. That would put me at around 217lbs which is slightly below my current goal weight.

Maybe then I will have that pizza…. with coconut flour crust 🙂

Don’t Tell Me You Can’t. Don’t Tell Yourself You Can’t or You Won’t.

I presently have difficulty with… says Tony. I tend to say I’m working towards it…

Some things are going to be harder than others…

It’s not just the rope jumping either, it’s the handstands. But I guess if you don’t have something to challenge you and to work towards then what is the point right? A simple double under would do for starters…

However, there is no accounting for life. I have been laid up with back pain for the last few days unable to do much of anything. I did try to get through both Strength and Speed and Agility but had you seen me you would have thought I was doing Suck and Stupid and Awful instead.

It does however put me in a position to be going into Game Day and maybe (at last) a shot at relief. Tomorrow is the final weigh in for Biggest Loser at work and so I really have to do something tonight to get into the ballpark to make this profitable.

R6 I:A Day 10 – Relief (I Discovered The Truth) It’s Gameday (plus bonking)

Truth is, for me at least Insanity:Asylum is going to turn out to be a filler for other things rather than a program by itself. I am finding that my love of the RKC and associated strength training has a hold on me I can’t avoid and as such I find no value in Back to Core, Relief and so on. It is probably better for me to use I:A workouts in order but with RKC and Olympic lifting as my mainstay. I had hoped that I:A was going to be a standalone program much like P90X was but I have to admit as a full blown schedule I am a little disappointed. I am not, however, disappointed in the workouts that I like, both strength and Vertical Plyo have earned a place in my schedule for now along with speed and agility (especially since my rope jumping is improving). I am hoping Game Day will prove to be the same way and if it does, then I at least have 4 valuable cardio workouts that are complex multiple muscle group movements, work my whole body in a way that is functional and challenging and are fun to complete.

So I took on Game Day with the same vigor that I have attacked everything else so far, only to find that was a mistake. My tips would be to make sure you have eaten 2 hours before and have fluids on hand. Not only that, but try to take it a little easy the first few rounds because if you don’t you may find that like me you bonk around the 50 minute mark. It was a substantial bonk too… It’s too bad because I was really starting to enjoy the workout. It is a little manic on the different sport aspect but I found it challenging and interesting which always makes the time fly.

I had done some extra warmups doing my jump rope practice and maybe that was my downfall. Whatever it was, when we got off the floor after swimming (yes, I didn’t mis-spell that, we were swimming) I suddenly cooled off. It was a bizarre feeling too, it’s like my body suddenly said “that’s enough for today” and pushed me into relax and cool down mode. Maybe it was because I hadn’t eaten for about 5 hours too but in all honesty, that shouldn’t have mattered. I think next time I do it I will find out if it was just me, the bonk or the workout.

All things considered though, the workout was good. I think after a few rounds I may get tired of the seemingly random and bizarre choices of sports but that said, any time you do something that seems too “busy” it usually means you won’t get sick of it for a while. Colour me hopeful. I was a little disappointed in myself for not finishing but then again since it was supposed to be Relief day anyway I won’t complain. I think today due to short time constraints that I will do relief, go to coaching and then tomorrow pick up with Strength since I have vetoed Back To Core.

R6 Insanity:Asylum 1.9 – VP, RKC and Nursing Week

The end of last week was a good time for working out, the weather is getting better, the sun is shining and I did my two current favourite workouts: RKC and IA Vertical Plyo. In stark contrast to the pain I suffered having to do Back To Core again, the RKC immediately took me back to those days when I was working hard at the Kettlebell Challenge. I chose to do 5 ladders, in a 34543 configuration again using the 45lb KB however once I had done the 3 and 4 I decided I would switch to the 70lb KB and try a whole 3 rung ladder. It was tough, especially since I am not doing KB work every day but I was happy to be able to make it through without dropping the thing on myself! I continued with my 4 and 5 to finish which, after doing the 70 pounder felt like I was using a little pink 15lb KB. I finished off with some single arm and doubel arm swings and called that a day. My body really felt like I had worked out, something that you sometimes don’t get when learning a new workout system. I spend far too much time studying the movements before doing them that the workout does tend to suffer a little.

Next day was Vertical Plyo. I am getting more used to this workout, I have to be careful not to smash my head against the ceiling in the basement where the low duct runs but apart from that I think this workout is what I was expecting from IA. It is fast paced, very mobile and extremely challenging. It is also completely adjustable for your ability, no matter how good or crappy you feel you can adjust each movement to match. You feel agile, fast and challenged during the workout, in essence it gives you the feeling that most people want from doing programs like this, the feeling of doing something athletic. Now, I wouldn’t go so far as to call someone who does this an “athlete” since I don’t think (if we are all honest for a second) that a work out at home program has the ability to make that happen but it is close!

It’s Nurses Week here in Canada and the US and it appears that below the border, the fast food giants are once again peddling to the masses and picking on the weak willed and sleep deprived. For my part, I applaud Nurses and their commitment to their patients and not only that, but their dedication to their profession. Yes, some may come across as a little crazy, or forcefully gregarious but as they whooped and hollered in the cafeteria this morning I was reminded of my early years at University and the crazy strong bonds we forged with each other to face the adversity of what was to come. These wonderful people face this kind of adversity as their profession, day in and day out and for that I think we should thank them. However, I think getting over $100K a year is thanks enough… That said, seeing the wonderful nurse that cared for my wife and child while we were here after the birth made me all soft and nostalgic so for today I will forgo my rant about overpaid nurses being in professions where they don’t belong while their own kin cry out for help and just say thanks, you guys are OK with me.

(II also found that doing a search for nurses on google images comes up with some rather interesting results…)

 

R6 Insanity:Asylum 1.9 (Maybe) or RKC. The Mental Focus Trick.

Since I am only counting the IA days, if I choose to jump rope and do RKC today it would not count as day 9. I have been making progress with my rope jumping skills. I am not on to double unders yet but I am up to a full minute of jumping without a break. That took me 20 minutes to achieve by the way. Not only that, it brought home a point that I will share with my girls today at gym about focusing on the wrong thing.

For ages I was focused on the jump, how high, which foot, together, one by one etc. and was having little success. It took me 20 minutes of constant work just to get 15 seconds and I must have restarted about 80 times.  Then I decided that I would concentrate on the “SLAP” sound that the rope makes when it hits the ground in front of me and try to make it as loud as possible. As soon as I tried that, I made 45 seconds, then a minute within 2 attempts.

The point is that as much as you may think you are mentally in the game, it may be in fact that you are defeating yourself. All the belief in the world would not have made the difference to the degree that changing my focus made. To that end, when the girls are learning new skills it is important to not only bolster their confidence but also to try and have them focus on different pieces of the puzzle to find out what works for them. When it comes to physical activities, there are as many ways to do things as their are people, not because the physical move is any different but because what we choose to focus on makes our experience completely unique.

If you want to play a fun trick to see just how critical of a difference this makes and how it affects your brain grab a friend. Tell them to take a look around the room at everything that is green, what kind of green, what it is, how big etc. For 60 seconds let them study to room. Then, tell them to close their eyes and describe in detail everything in the room that is red.

It’s fun, and educational too! Just remember, what you focus on becomes your reality, so changing your perspective can often change your whole experience.

 

R6 Insanity:Asylum 1.8 – Back To Core (sucks). Chihuahua of Donkeys

So my wife is not impressed with my admission that I want to reclaim my handstand ability. I told her it was more like donkey kicks and realizing that she may not know about the Shetland Pony I was reduced to comparing myself to a very small donkey, the Chihuahua of donkeys if you will. It was a mute point for today because it was time for Back to Core which is now my least favourite workout on IA and in fact may be the worst workout video in the entire series of P90X, Insanity and IA. I would go so far as to say it is worse than P90X Kenpo and that is really saying something. It is a weird, disjointed attempt to work the back without pull ups, something that is just not going to cut it at this level. The fact that there are pull up bar exercises in the other DVDs reveals that you should have a pull up bar and if you do, use the damn thing. Doing lat work with bands is something I would expect from P90 or one of the other female oriented videos since they seem to shy away from the art of the pull up. This video is almost like a prequel to IA, it is a gentle, pedantic stroll through exercises that either don’t have the range or breadth to be of much use or would be more at home during a yoga session. Half way through the workout I realized I was angry. This was not what I signed up for by any measure. So this will have been my last foray into the Back To Core DVD. I think instead I will do deadlifts, chin ups and ARX, at least then I won’t end up frustrated and angry at Shaun T for what I can only surmise is a sell out filler DVD of the set.

Tomorrow is Vertical Plyo, that should cheer me up!

R6 Insanity:Asylum 1.7 – Strength Part 2 and A Big Enough Why

Strength is a good workout for me. It is something I can do without much mobility difficulty and I can scale up and down to make it more challenging. There is one move I like in particular and that is the hip flys which I didn’t believe would do anything for me but once I got my shoulders down a little I was surprised at the lat work I got. The other thing is the progression on the pull up bar from jumping pullups to all out hanging hand position changes. For me, since I am still indoors and the doorway is a little narrow I have to improvise a bit and so I do regular pullups but then in addition to the pushups, I also do handstands since they are a definite weakness for me and something that I admit I am jealous of when I see the guys at gymnastics doing them. So I am setting a goal for a 10 second handstand by the summer. Not only that but anyone who reads Fitbomb regularly will know how much he complains about his double under proficiency. Well, you can put me in that boat too. Although I am up to 100 regular jumps pretty regularly now, and I can almost make a full minute if I concentrate the art of the double under is something that I fear will elude me on a more long term basis. Being in a basement doesn’t help really but then again, at least nobody can see me there. I am hoping to have some degree of skip rope skill before I start working out on the lower deck again this year. Otherwise I may draw a crowd and end up on youtube as “the guy across the way who can’t skip to save his life”. Don’t think it doesn’t happen people!

So I am feeling a sense of responsibility for the Biggest Loser at work. The results are not stellar and so today I sent out the following as an attempt at motivation. I know it is a contest, but in the spirit of helping and encouraging not beating down and humiliating. So my conscience got the best of me and I am trying to help…

So here are my 3 simple suggestions.

  1. Keep a food diary for a week… I know, you have all heard this before but it really helps to narrow down what is causing the issue. For those of you who choose nuts and seeds as your snack of choice please be aware that a serving of nuts (around 22 almonds) is between 150 and 200 calories and let`s be honest, who eats only 22 almonds? A cup of trail mix can be between 600 and 1000 calories which, when your intake should be 1500-2500 a day is enormously significant. Try to snack on fruit instead, nuts and seeds are often a downfall for weight loss as they were for me a few months ago.
  2. Write down and post your goals for the next 3 months. 90 days is a short enough time to stick to something and long enough to make a significant difference. Include in your goals not only your weight, but also your activity on a weekly basis, your proposed sleep schedule, your foods that you would like to temporarily forsake and your REASONS for having these goals. Make sure your goals are big and small, small goals are easy to achieve and give you a great confidence boost. Every day you achieve something, check it off on your list so you can see that you are moving in the right direction.
  3. Write down 1 thing that you can do every day to move towards your goal. If you need to get out and walk then write down that you will go for 10 minutes every day the first week and LIMIT yourself to that. By the time week 2 comes, commit to 15 or 20 minutes a day and once you have created that habit you will find it easier to keep going.

My last piece of this rant is regarding “reasons”. As you probably know I am a gymnastics coach and I have trained many many teenage athletes over the years. The biggest obstacle to their performance in the gym is their ability to create “reasons” for not being able to do something. This is a habit that will stick with them and something I try my hardest to prevent them from reinforcing. Your reasons are not reasons, they are excuses. I know it’s hard to hear but it is the simple truth. If you have a big enough WHY you can endure almost any HOW but if you allow fear, discomfort or laziness to dictate your life then your reasons will only prevent you from reaching your goal. Instead of using your “reasons” for failing, transform them into opportunities to succeed. Set them up as obstacles that you are determined to challenge and realize that they are only in your way because you allow them to be there.

Take control.