I spent a lot of time today watching Tough Mudder videos; both the official videos on their site and one's made by people who ran the damn thing. My excitement is building along with the apprehension of knowing that my friend Jason has yet to sign up...bastard. This poses a problem because Jason was the one who told me about the event in the first place, and now the Saturday date is 90% sold. Damnit.
I also was reviewing different blogs from people who did Tough Mudder and I came across one that mentioned CrossFit as a training method. I've never heard of it but I was intrigued by their horrific stories of sweat, vomit, and dramatic weight loss and muscle building. Here's the link:
Crossfit
First off, let me say that I don't think this workout is for me. I like P90X for how tough it is but I can still do the workouts from Day 1. CrossFit is completely fucking crazy because they expect you to do 15 minutes of non-stop exercises, including olympic-style deadlifts, from Day 1. I imagine that any CrossFit student that would hear me whine about the program, without trying it first, would call me some colorful names. From what I've seen....well, I know my limits and CrossFit just may be beyond them. A lot of people swear by the program and I may look into it further as I get into better shape, but for now I will stick with P90X. Hell, I had a very hard time with Insanity so I can't push myself further into a program that looks 10 times HARDER. Not yet.
After watching all those videos and learning about CrossFit, I was pretty amped up to do Core Synergistics today. It's pretty fucking weird to admit that considering I hate Core Syn. I had an awesome workout today! I really tried to limit my breaks and push myself further than I had a couple days ago. You know what? I was topping my rep. goals and really crushing the workout. I checked my weight and I am officially down 6 pounds as of today!!
I only have one more day of my recovery week and then I start phase 2 of P90X which means I have to deal with the pure hell that is Chest, Shoulders, and Tri's. That workout is a fucking monster! My goal for the next phase is to do Ab Ripper after my resistance days since I skipped it during phase 1. Also, I plan on purchasing the rest of my Mudder gear so that I can start my trail running.
I am getting close guys...only 63 days left until I am deep in the shit at Amherst Quarry. 6 pound weight loss is nice but for me it is just the beginning. Tough Mudder awaits and I need to be in fighting shape.
Tough mudder tough mudder tough mudder tough mudder...
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
65 Days and Counting...Gear Options and P90X Updates
65 fucking days and counting!!
I am a little over 2 months left until my date with Tough Mudder and I am PUMPED!! P90X has been going great for me...3 weeks in and I am down 5 lbs! I am concentrating a lot on the more cardio-based workouts of the program like Plyometrics, Kenpo, and Cadrio X. However, I am still following the classic program with the resistance days, except for Legs and Back because I hate that workout. As of this writing I am on day 3 of my first recovery week so I get to do Kenpo again, which I absolutely love. Yesterday I had to do Core Synergistics which I absolutely HATE, so the program tends to balance itself out that way. Like I said in the last post, I won't be able to complete the program prior to Tough Mudder but I will be able to get far enough to see some major improvements in my physique and endurance.
The left side of the blog displays the gear I am looking to use for the event. The only gear that I have purchased so far are the Vibram shoes which are awesome! I got them for Christmas and I use them for almost all of my workouts. They're great for balance and doing cardio workouts like Plyo and Kenpo. As we get closer to the event I plan on going running on trails with them to start getting used to running outside and on uneven ground.
As far as the rest of the gear goes, I have looked into Under Armour for their Cold Gear Leggings and Compression Shirts which I believe will be the best bet for me. The only problem is that frankly I don't know what the weather will be like in April. This has been a very unusual winter and by April it may not be 30's and 40's, but 50's and 60's. I still think I should go with the ColdGear stuff because it will be 9 in the morning and I will be jumping into ice cold water...and actual ICE WATER. Seriously, there is an obstacle in which you dive into a dumpster that is basically a giant 711 Slurpee. I don't want to wear anything that is loose which is why the compression Under Armour stuff appeals to me, and apparently many other Tough Mudder veterans. The only issue is that I don't have an athletic build so my skinny chicken legs are going to look real fucking awful in tights. I'm thinking about buying a pair of cheap gym shorts to wear over the leggings so I don't look too silly.
Another thing I'm deciding on is head gear. My original plan was to wear a Skull Cap but if it gets wet than it will be heavy and very cold. On top of that, if the weather is actually cold that day, I'm worried about sucking in cold air for three hours running in cold clothes. Under Armour makes a hood and face mask that makes you look like a ninja, but it prevents you from breathing in cold air while exerting yourself outside. That's a possibility for me. Another thing is whether I should wear toe socks with my Vibrams. My shoes fit very snugly on my feet, but a lot of people online recommend wearing toe socks with them to prevent blisters. I'm on the fence with this one.
Finally, I will be buying the kayaking gloves that I have listed because I want the protection they will provide against splinters on the wooden obstacles, and the dexterity for gripping the monkey bars and rope climb while they are wet. That decision seems like a no-brainer.
So final thoughts for today...the more Tough Mudder videos and preview pictures I view, the more excited (and nervous) I become. I feel like I am getting into the groove of working out and eating right so I know that I will be ready for the physical aspects of the event. I need to start running outside to get used to running long distances and on dirt, rocks, etc. I need to keep pushing play on my P90X workouts and I need to keep chanting the mantra...
tough mudder tough mudder tough mudder tough mudder...
I am a little over 2 months left until my date with Tough Mudder and I am PUMPED!! P90X has been going great for me...3 weeks in and I am down 5 lbs! I am concentrating a lot on the more cardio-based workouts of the program like Plyometrics, Kenpo, and Cadrio X. However, I am still following the classic program with the resistance days, except for Legs and Back because I hate that workout. As of this writing I am on day 3 of my first recovery week so I get to do Kenpo again, which I absolutely love. Yesterday I had to do Core Synergistics which I absolutely HATE, so the program tends to balance itself out that way. Like I said in the last post, I won't be able to complete the program prior to Tough Mudder but I will be able to get far enough to see some major improvements in my physique and endurance.
The left side of the blog displays the gear I am looking to use for the event. The only gear that I have purchased so far are the Vibram shoes which are awesome! I got them for Christmas and I use them for almost all of my workouts. They're great for balance and doing cardio workouts like Plyo and Kenpo. As we get closer to the event I plan on going running on trails with them to start getting used to running outside and on uneven ground.
As far as the rest of the gear goes, I have looked into Under Armour for their Cold Gear Leggings and Compression Shirts which I believe will be the best bet for me. The only problem is that frankly I don't know what the weather will be like in April. This has been a very unusual winter and by April it may not be 30's and 40's, but 50's and 60's. I still think I should go with the ColdGear stuff because it will be 9 in the morning and I will be jumping into ice cold water...and actual ICE WATER. Seriously, there is an obstacle in which you dive into a dumpster that is basically a giant 711 Slurpee. I don't want to wear anything that is loose which is why the compression Under Armour stuff appeals to me, and apparently many other Tough Mudder veterans. The only issue is that I don't have an athletic build so my skinny chicken legs are going to look real fucking awful in tights. I'm thinking about buying a pair of cheap gym shorts to wear over the leggings so I don't look too silly.
Another thing I'm deciding on is head gear. My original plan was to wear a Skull Cap but if it gets wet than it will be heavy and very cold. On top of that, if the weather is actually cold that day, I'm worried about sucking in cold air for three hours running in cold clothes. Under Armour makes a hood and face mask that makes you look like a ninja, but it prevents you from breathing in cold air while exerting yourself outside. That's a possibility for me. Another thing is whether I should wear toe socks with my Vibrams. My shoes fit very snugly on my feet, but a lot of people online recommend wearing toe socks with them to prevent blisters. I'm on the fence with this one.
Finally, I will be buying the kayaking gloves that I have listed because I want the protection they will provide against splinters on the wooden obstacles, and the dexterity for gripping the monkey bars and rope climb while they are wet. That decision seems like a no-brainer.
So final thoughts for today...the more Tough Mudder videos and preview pictures I view, the more excited (and nervous) I become. I feel like I am getting into the groove of working out and eating right so I know that I will be ready for the physical aspects of the event. I need to start running outside to get used to running long distances and on dirt, rocks, etc. I need to keep pushing play on my P90X workouts and I need to keep chanting the mantra...
tough mudder tough mudder tough mudder tough mudder...
Friday, January 27, 2012
A Long Absence...but the countdown continues
So obviously there has been a pretty large gap between posts, the last one being in October. First off, I can only blame myself for a lack of commitment to working out. Throughout the holiday season it was tough to get in a mindset to workout and eat right. Too many parties, too many large meals, too many drinks. It's a pretty common tale that I'm sure most of you deal with. So I stopped working out and blogging about working out. I'm not too upset about the lack of posts because there is no one following this blog to begin with so there is no real reason for me to continue to write inane bullshit on here.
Fast forward a few months and now we are 77 days until Tough Mudder. I'm still not in shape and time is running out. I went to the doctors for my yearly physical and found out that I have high cholesterol which may or may not be due to genetics. So I made a deal with my doctor to give me three months to see if I can lower my cholesterol through P90X and a nutrition plan. If not, then I will look into medication at my follow up appointment in May.
My wife has put us on a strict diet to get us both in shape and in the last week or so I have lost 3 pounds. I am on week 2 of P90X and I plan on completing the program, although I will not get to day 90 before Tough Mudder. I am fully committed this time to consistently workout and eat right and my weight loss so far is proof that it is working.
So here's where I stand: I will not be posting everyday because it's tedious and no one reads the posts anyways. From now until the event I will post updates that relate to weight loss, P90X accomplishments, Tough Mudder gear, and Tough Mudder news. Now that I am getting close to the event, I am starting to feel the pressure and I am truly nervous about whether I am physically capable of handling this challenge. As long as I continue to workout and eat right I know for a fact that I will be ready for the course, but I'm not sure whether I will be ready for the elements. April in Ohio could either be 50's and rainy or 30's and snowing.
My next post will be an update on the gear that I have purchased/will purchase for the event. I need to train in this gear for a while before the event so that I can break it in. The next post should be today or tomorrow.
Fast forward a few months and now we are 77 days until Tough Mudder. I'm still not in shape and time is running out. I went to the doctors for my yearly physical and found out that I have high cholesterol which may or may not be due to genetics. So I made a deal with my doctor to give me three months to see if I can lower my cholesterol through P90X and a nutrition plan. If not, then I will look into medication at my follow up appointment in May.
My wife has put us on a strict diet to get us both in shape and in the last week or so I have lost 3 pounds. I am on week 2 of P90X and I plan on completing the program, although I will not get to day 90 before Tough Mudder. I am fully committed this time to consistently workout and eat right and my weight loss so far is proof that it is working.
So here's where I stand: I will not be posting everyday because it's tedious and no one reads the posts anyways. From now until the event I will post updates that relate to weight loss, P90X accomplishments, Tough Mudder gear, and Tough Mudder news. Now that I am getting close to the event, I am starting to feel the pressure and I am truly nervous about whether I am physically capable of handling this challenge. As long as I continue to workout and eat right I know for a fact that I will be ready for the course, but I'm not sure whether I will be ready for the elements. April in Ohio could either be 50's and rainy or 30's and snowing.
My next post will be an update on the gear that I have purchased/will purchase for the event. I need to train in this gear for a while before the event so that I can break it in. The next post should be today or tomorrow.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
P90X Day 3: Shoulders and Arms
I was looking forward to doing Shoulders and Arms yesterday but that excitement quickly dissipated as the day went on. The soreness in my arms was and is pretty bad. My only solace was that by doing the workout I would stretch out my muscles and reduce the soreness. This was true during the workout but not so much after.
Shoulders and Arms is one of the "easier" workouts in the program but it's still a challenge. In the past, I ran into issues with my form during the exercises so I decided to reduce the weight I was using in order to complete the exercises with full reps. There are still a few moves that are just plain tough (Static arm curls, Deep Swimmers Press, Congdon Curls). Overall though, I feel great after doing this workout as I am a fan of bicep workouts.
I skipped Ab Ripper once again because of the overall soreness in my body. I think that I will skip it completely this week and start doing it during week 2 and allow the soreness to go away.
Tonight's workout is one of my favorites, Yoga X. I have to believe that the soreness in my arms are going to make this workout very, very tough and I don't think I'm going to do very well. We'll see.
Shoulders and Arms is one of the "easier" workouts in the program but it's still a challenge. In the past, I ran into issues with my form during the exercises so I decided to reduce the weight I was using in order to complete the exercises with full reps. There are still a few moves that are just plain tough (Static arm curls, Deep Swimmers Press, Congdon Curls). Overall though, I feel great after doing this workout as I am a fan of bicep workouts.
I skipped Ab Ripper once again because of the overall soreness in my body. I think that I will skip it completely this week and start doing it during week 2 and allow the soreness to go away.
Tonight's workout is one of my favorites, Yoga X. I have to believe that the soreness in my arms are going to make this workout very, very tough and I don't think I'm going to do very well. We'll see.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
P90X Day 2: Plyometrics
Doing a little catch up from last night since I was dog tired. I woke up yesterday to some serious soreness in my arms and shoulders. Yes it hurts, but it hurts soooo good! I missed this feeling throughout the 3 weeks of Insanity because those workouts are strictly cardio. Being able to lift weights and do push ups again...it felt great and the soreness is not that big of a deal. If you are doing P90X for the first time, let me just say that if you can get through the first two weeks than you can complete the program. It's all about pushing through the soreness.
After work yesterday I was just plain worn out. I was sore, tired, hungry, and when I got home I really didn't want to bounce around for an hour. The Beast, however, is one workout that I didn't want to miss. Not that I enjoy it. In fact sometimes I freaking despise Plyometrics, but I felt that my 3 weeks of Insanity would give me a head start and make it easier.
That is kind of true, but no one can say that Plyo is anywhere near "easy." I was able to complete a lot of the workout with no breaks so that was nice for me. I ran into some snags with the same moves I had a problem with before. Mary Katherine's, 180 Run Stance Squats, and Hot Foot. Those moves kill me every time. I was sweating my ass off and was bound and determined to finish strong so the sports bonus was pretty easy. By the time I get to that part of the workout I know that the hardest part is over with.
After the workout I mowed through a delicious stuffed red pepper that my wife made and then pretty much passed the F out. Later today I will have to do Shoulders/Arms/Ab Ripper so we shall see how that goes. I'm looking forward to the arm workouts as they should help to stretch out my muscles and reduce some soreness. Ab Ripper however will be very tough.
After work yesterday I was just plain worn out. I was sore, tired, hungry, and when I got home I really didn't want to bounce around for an hour. The Beast, however, is one workout that I didn't want to miss. Not that I enjoy it. In fact sometimes I freaking despise Plyometrics, but I felt that my 3 weeks of Insanity would give me a head start and make it easier.
That is kind of true, but no one can say that Plyo is anywhere near "easy." I was able to complete a lot of the workout with no breaks so that was nice for me. I ran into some snags with the same moves I had a problem with before. Mary Katherine's, 180 Run Stance Squats, and Hot Foot. Those moves kill me every time. I was sweating my ass off and was bound and determined to finish strong so the sports bonus was pretty easy. By the time I get to that part of the workout I know that the hardest part is over with.
After the workout I mowed through a delicious stuffed red pepper that my wife made and then pretty much passed the F out. Later today I will have to do Shoulders/Arms/Ab Ripper so we shall see how that goes. I'm looking forward to the arm workouts as they should help to stretch out my muscles and reduce some soreness. Ab Ripper however will be very tough.
Monday, October 17, 2011
P90X Day 1: Chest and Back...it's good to be back
I made the decision today at work to begin a round of P90X and to be honest I was extremely excited to get home and begin. You would think I'm crazy for saying that because this program is fucking brutal, but going back to resistance training after so much cardio is what I really want right now.
So today was Day 1 and that means CHEST AND BACK!!
Good ol Chest and Back...pushing and pulling. Pretty simple stuff and I pushed HARD through the first round of it. In the past, especially on the first day, I tried to pace myself during the first round so that I wouldn't die during the second. Today I was pretty ramped up for this workout so I pushed to fail for much of the first round. As usual, the unholy trinity of push ups (Military, Diamond, and Declines) fucking killed me. I will never get used to military style push ups, I just hate those damn things.
Other than that the workout felt great. By the end of it I was feeling a little light-headed but that is probably due to the fact that I didn't eat much today. We haven't shopped for groceries in a while so I am running out of food options. I couldn't bring myself to do Ab Ripper today so I apologize. I promise to do it on Wednesday.
It is time for bed and tomorrow is the return of the Beast...Plyometrics. Frankly I'm not that worried as I used to be. No workout will ever be as hard as Insanity's Pure Cardio. That was a fucking monster.
Of Quitting Insanity, Sicknesses, and Shin Splints...
So it has been about a week since my last post and although I don't feel too bad about it, I do feel some explanation is necessary.
First off, let me just say that I think Insanity is a great workout program. Being so cardio heavy, you are almost guaranteed to lose weight and lose it fast. As long as you stick with the nutrition and continue to press play every day, while consciously trying to improve your daily performance, it can be very satisfying. I cannot say anything bad about the program itself. The reason I am stopping is because of Shin Splints. There were days in the last week or two that I completed when I felt like my shins were on fire, even while laying down watching TV. Not to mention the pains that started in my ankles and feet. Only now have the dull pains finally subsided. This is not the fault of the program but with my own body. My legs simply cannot handle the day to day stress that these workouts present.
I stopped posting and working out last week because I got sick again. This time of year always sucks for me because of the changing weather. Living in Michigan you tend to have wild swings in temperatures which negatively affect my sinuses. So I dealt with a cold for most of last week which finally went away on Saturday.
So what comes next? I officially have 179 days before Tough Mudder and I need to seriously start losing weight and gaining strength. I have decided to begin a round of P90X as I had the most success with that program. I have been missing resistance training and it will be nice to go back to the program that gave me the best results. It is my plan to do a full round of P90X followed by some cardio training. Whether I go back to Insanity, do P90X doubles, or just start running more is up in the air at this point. I need to complete this program now without skipped weeks or excuses. If I don't do it I simply will not be ready for Tough Mudder. It is time to suck it up and BRING IT!!
I have deleted the Insanity countdown and test result links on the right as they are no longer relevant. You can still go back and view the 3 weeks of posts that I did complete.
My full focus is now on P90X and pushing harder than I ever did during my first round back in 2009. I promise you that I WILL NOT stop this program before 90 days.
First off, let me just say that I think Insanity is a great workout program. Being so cardio heavy, you are almost guaranteed to lose weight and lose it fast. As long as you stick with the nutrition and continue to press play every day, while consciously trying to improve your daily performance, it can be very satisfying. I cannot say anything bad about the program itself. The reason I am stopping is because of Shin Splints. There were days in the last week or two that I completed when I felt like my shins were on fire, even while laying down watching TV. Not to mention the pains that started in my ankles and feet. Only now have the dull pains finally subsided. This is not the fault of the program but with my own body. My legs simply cannot handle the day to day stress that these workouts present.
I stopped posting and working out last week because I got sick again. This time of year always sucks for me because of the changing weather. Living in Michigan you tend to have wild swings in temperatures which negatively affect my sinuses. So I dealt with a cold for most of last week which finally went away on Saturday.
So what comes next? I officially have 179 days before Tough Mudder and I need to seriously start losing weight and gaining strength. I have decided to begin a round of P90X as I had the most success with that program. I have been missing resistance training and it will be nice to go back to the program that gave me the best results. It is my plan to do a full round of P90X followed by some cardio training. Whether I go back to Insanity, do P90X doubles, or just start running more is up in the air at this point. I need to complete this program now without skipped weeks or excuses. If I don't do it I simply will not be ready for Tough Mudder. It is time to suck it up and BRING IT!!
I have deleted the Insanity countdown and test result links on the right as they are no longer relevant. You can still go back and view the 3 weeks of posts that I did complete.
My full focus is now on P90X and pushing harder than I ever did during my first round back in 2009. I promise you that I WILL NOT stop this program before 90 days.
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