One week of P90X workout done. I’m sore in a few areas, and there’re no visual results yet, but I feel good.

I found the Plyometrics (jumping) the hardest to do. I think I injured my inner thighs with this workout. They were too sore for longer than I would expect for just working them hard. But they got better.

I found Yoga X the most aggravating to do. Not that it’s difficult to do, (though it’s as hard as most of the other workouts), but it’s impossible to keep my eyes on the TV while going through the various poses. There’s no one starting position where your head doesn’t get turned away from the TV screen at some point — sometimes for a long time, through several more motions.

The whole regimen is enjoyable, in a tiring, sweating, sore kind of way. I’ve felt much better after each workout than I felt before starting. Last night started my second week (of 13 total), and I was really looking forward to the Chest & Back and Ab Ripper X workouts, especially after the simple X Stretch workout ending the first week.

It’s funny, in a weird way, how after a hard workout, watching very fit and ripped/buff people on the screen, when I take off my shirt to get in the shower afterward, I’m surprised to not see a big difference in my body. I feel like I should already have the tone and muscular shape, and it’s disappointing to see the regular old me in the mirror. But I’ll get there.

I’ve finally gotten my new diet regimen mostly figured out — I’ve stocked up on appropriate food, and I’m making better choices. Between loving the workouts, and accepting the diet, I have strong hopes for the next 12 weeks.

Bullgrit

This weekend, while Calfgrit5 was in his room taking his nap after lunch, I went into the office to fiddle around. While there, I saw out the front window, Calfgrit9 was sitting in the grass of the front yard.

His zip-up sweater was off and lying in a pile on the grass next to him, a plastic hoe (that he uses as a sword and a rifle) was in the grass on the other side of him, and he had some small toy in his hand. He was just sitting there, sort of staring off into space. He’d shift or move occasionally, but he seemed deep in thought more than playing with his toy.

I watched him for a minute or two, wondering what he was thinking. I got a little worried; I thought maybe there was something troubling on his mind. So I left the office and went downstairs to put on my shoes to go outside.

I walked up to him, “Hey buddy.”

“Hey Dad.”

I plopped down in the grass in front of him. “Whatcha thinking about?”

He didn’t hesitate, but stated, “About how some animals are pretty smart. They make their own homes, they form groups, they communicate. It’s like they’re as smart as we are.”

“Yeah,” I said. I totally didn’t expect that to be his thoughts. Here I was, worrying that he was bothered by something, and really he was just thinking intelligent concepts.

We chatted about animal reasoning and instincts for a few minutes, and then he wanted to show me an ant mound he had found over in the common area next to our lot. He had experimented with the ants by covering the exit holes with leaves and rocks, to see how they dealt with it, how they’d work around the obstacles.

After showing me his experiment, we walked around to the back yard, and our conversation wandered to what we’d do in the yard when the weather warmed up with spring.

I was relieved that he hadn’t been sitting in the yard fretting about something. I was rather impressed that he could just sit peacefully and think. That’s something I like to do sometimes. It’s something that I really don’t get a chance to do very often, anymore. Maybe next time I won’t disturb him.

Bullgrit

In the week after getting my P90X material in the mail, I read the Fitness Guide, the Nutrition Guide, and watched several of the DVDs. While watching the DVDs, I tried a few of the exercises, but I didn’t actually start the regimen; I just wanted to see what was coming, and get a feel for it before hitting it hardcore.

And it is, indeed, hardcore. Extreme. “Over the top,” as my brother described it. But it didn’t look beyond my ability. (But then I may have an unrealistic sense of my ability.) In fact, it looked fun. Fun because it would be a serious challenge.

The Kenpo X workout looked very much like the exercises I did in tae kwon do. But the difference is that in my martial arts training, we did the exercises for about 20 minutes, and then moved on to the training/learning. And the training/learning time gave plenty of rest between heavy activity. The P90X Kenpo X workout is a full hour of just exercises, with very little rest time.

Saturday was my Day 0 — take the fit test, take “before” photos, take body measurements. The literature says I should be able to pass the fit test before taking on the P90X routines. Here’s how I did:

Pull-ups
Minimum for fit test: 3
My results: 1.75 (the book says to count fractions on this exercise)
It’s been many, many years (possibly a couple of decades) since I did a pull up. I never did them for martial arts, and it’s just not something I’ve ever done as part of my basic calisthenics.

Vertical Leap
Minimum: 5″
My results: 13″
This one confuses me. Granted I may be off by an inch — it’s difficult to judge it on a blank, white wall — but I can definitely beat 5″ by a very wide margin. But beating the minimum by more than double, (nearly triple), on a skill I never really practice?

Push-ups
Minimum: 15
My results: 22
I used to could do 50 on a regular basis, in my prime.

Toe Touch — sitting down, legs straight, reach forward
Minimum: 6 inches from toes
My results: 0 inches — I can touch my toes

Wall Squat — sit with back against wall, legs at 90 degree angle, as if sitting in a chair
Minimum: 60 seconds
My results: 45 seconds
Other than the pull-ups, (which I could hardly do at all), this was the hardest test. The pain is incredible in less than 30 seconds, and I wanted to scream by 45 seconds.

Biceps Curls — both arms at the same time, 20 pound weights
Minimum: 10
My results: 15

In & Out — seated with hands on floor at sides, knees bent and off ground; bring knees in to chest, then out straight, and back in to chest
Minimum: 25
My results: 30

Now, something to keep in mind with this fit test: I did the exercises fresh, and with 1-4 minutes, (by the book), breaks in between. Other than the pull-ups and wall squats, I passed the exercises easily. This surprised me. Either I’m not in the totally abysmal shape I thought I was, (and sometimes feel), or the fit test is a bit easy. I suspect the latter.

Sunday night was my first full P90X workout routine: “Chest & Back, and Ab Ripper X” — about an hour and twenty minutes of almost non-stop exercises. I did it.

Yes, it’s brutal, but I kept up and did every exercise. Now, I didn’t do as many reps as Tony and his students. If they did 25 reps, I could do about 10-12 on the first round. By the second round, they’d do another 25, but I could only get about 4-6. There’s a lot of push-ups, and by the last set, I considered doing 3 in a row a victory.

And then the ab/core exercises followed immediately after the chest and back workout. The ARX works different muscles than the C&B, but you’re already really tired by that point. I still banged out some reps for every exercise, (still less than the folks on the screen).

After the workout, I felt fan-freakin’-tastic. Honestly, that routine made me feel so good. Yes, I was worn out, but it was in a good way. I felt like I had done something great.

I’m very much looking forward to continuing this system. Having done this first routine, I’m not afraid of the rest. The only thing I think I’m going to have a hard time with is the nutrition regimen. I’ve had a horrible diet for pretty much all my life, and proteins, carbohydrates, etc. aren’t concepts that my mind easily grasps. Hopefully my wife can help me with this part of the system.

Bullgrit

In the time I was supposed to be in my office, writing up a post for today, I ended up sitting on the den couch watching TV. I don’t even remember the reason I turned on the TV. But once it was on, and I found Star Trek: The Next Generation on SyFy, I kind of got lost. Then during a commercial, I surfed around a bit and found Family Guy on another channel.

I flipped back and forth between the two, watching two episodes of STTNG and three episodes of FG, for two hours. Only when both channels had commercials on, did I think, Hey, I’m supposed to write a post for tomorrow.

But then the commercials would end and the shows would twiddle my geek or funny bone, and I’d immediately forget about writing. Well, I mean, it’s Star Trek and Family Guy — what can I do? They’re both in my top 5 favorite shows. The only combination that could equal them would be maybe Scrubs and Twilight Zone.

Only after both mini-marathons ended was I able to turn off the TV and go up to my office. And by then it was so late that I just needed to go to bed. Hey, it’s a school night. I can’t stay up to midnight.

So this is the best I can give you today. It sucks for your entertainment, but I went to bed with an entertained smile on my face.

Bullgrit