Back to the Basics with Chest and Back this week. The chest workout is great because it needs no weights and there are only three back exercises that need weights. Being that this is the last "Resistance Week," I decided to work out at home instead of working out at my work's gym. I wanted to "hang out" the Tony and the Kids for my last week. Plus, since I don't/didn't have to worry about changing weights, it was perfect to see if I could "hang" with the boys.
I'm am so amazed on my progress these few short months. Looking at my rep. stats, I've almost doubled my reps on every exercise. In addition, I'm doing pull-ups ON MY OWN!!! That's the kicker that makes me smile each and every time. On week 1, I could pump out 15 standard pushups before the clock ran out. Now, in week 11, I pushed 30. Pullups, I went from being able to barely do 3 to doing 8 before I even think of going to the chair to burn out.
As for pushups, I'm super impressed with my diamond and decline pushup numbers. Week 1, I could only do 6 of each before my arms gave out and I faced planted to the ground. After 10 weeks of P90X, I've MORE THAN DOUBLED my decline pushups with 17, and TRIPLED my diamonds with 25. WOW!!
The reason why I know my chest muscles have grown in size and strength are due to the combination of 1)Muscle Confusion in P90X and 2)The sequence of exercises in each workout incorporating biceps & Triceps.
Tony's talked about developing a "muscled" chest requires that you also build your triceps and front deltoids. The three work as a unit. And what do you know, I strengthen those two muscle groups and all of a sudden, BOOM, my chest got stronger and toned. In addition, we all know that women prefer men whose torsos have an inverted triangle -- a broad chest and shoulders and a narrow waist.
Once more P90X has thought of it all. They put Chest and Back together. If you develop your chest at the expense of your back, you cause a muscular imbalance that makes you prone to injury and also gives you really sloppy posture. You may have a champ's chest, but you'll walk around looking like a wimp. With the amount of Pull-ups and upper/lower back exercises in P90X: The "wimp" look with never happen and the Power-V will be all the ladies see. :)
Well, The Chest and Back chapter of my First Round Journey is complete. I did my best, and forgot the rest, and I'm completely satisfied with my results thus far. If I've gone this far during this first round, I can't wait to see what I transform myself into during Round 2.
I'll be back tomorrow pushing play.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Day 71 - Chest & Back One Last Time
Monday, November 12, 2007
Day 57 - Chest & Back Reunion
IT'S HERE! GLORIOUS PHASE III !!!
In addition, it's also a reunion with my old Phase I favorite Chest & Back. One thing I love about this workout is that I get a great workout in my chest. Before "in the old days", I do chest workouts, but afterwards I'd feel it more in my biceps and triceps than I did in my pecs. NOT THIS WORKOUT!!! This programs uses the best pushups combination to hit every angle in my chest and targeted to where I definitely feel it the next day. And I KNOW I'll feel it tomorrow after the workout I just had.
Another great about this workout is that you use your own body weight 95% of the time. Only 3 exercises do you use free weights. I was in the gym, huffin and puffin and sweatin using only a 6ft x 6ft area and my own body weight. Of course there were other guys in the gym on the bench press, leg squat machine, etc.. looking at me doing my pushups and pull ups.
But I kid you not, my arm, shoulder, and chest muscles were popping and looking ripped just as much (probably more) than theirs. Funny thing is that I noticed two guys, look over at me after I got done doing Hindu pushups, then look at their arms in the mirror, then back at me and give one of those appreciative head nods of acknowledgement. One of them even came over asking what program I'm on. I told him PHASE III of P90X!!
The response I got back:
"WOW! I've seen that infomercial for it, but I thought it was bull. After seeing what you have to do, I'm convinced it's not."
NUFF SAID!!!
However, something happened today that made it all worth it. All the pain that Tony has put me through, pushing play every single night, changing my nutritional intake COMPLETELY, putting up with the great tasting recovery drink, keeping track of my weights, signing in every workout in WOWY, this list could go on and on and on......
Countdown till Progress Reports (& Pics): 3 DAYS
Monday, October 1, 2007
Day 15 - Pull-up Power - Week 3 pics up!!
CHECK OUT WEEK 3 PICS!! LOOK AT THE BACK MUSCLE POSE!
OOOOOOH YEAH!!!
I love this workout. Even though my pull-ups aren't the greatest, I'm getting better and better each week. Last week, I had to use the chair on all of them. NOW!, I can pump out 1-2 by myself before using the chair. I think I've been doing the pull ups wrong this entire time until today. Usually I'd do a pull up until my forehead/eyes were level with the bar. WRONG! It wasn't until my wife mentioned how mine look different than Tony on the TV (my pullup bar is where I can't see the TV when I do them). So I looked and sure enough they went to chin or neck level.
MAN-O-MAN-A-CHEVY!! HUGE Difference. Obviously it was harder, but it's the correct way and I sure did feel it. I thought I stumbled onto gold, but it was just doing it w/ correct form.
Today's workout was a GREAT way to start out week 3. Once again, I busted last weeks numbers. Some by 5+, some only by 1+. But slow and steady wins the race. I focused all my energy and strength when doing the pull ups, and pulled a few w/ no chair. YEESSS!!!! I found a D.B. weight that makes it rough and tough on rep 12-15. And when I thought I couldn't do anymore diamond or divebombers. I took a small break, and pumped 1 or 1/2 more. I was going to continue till my muscles wouldn't let me. Tony says people stop way to early. I wasn't going to let that statement apply to me
I have that afterwork out pump!!! I feel it all along my chest and upper back. This is my favorite workout and I can see (rep/weight) that I'm getting stronger.
The meal plan is getting old, and the wife has commented on the $$$ spent each week on the food. Hopefully, I've boughten everything I need to last me 2 more weeks. I want to stick to this meal plan 100%, but when $$ is tight, what can you do?? If push comes to shove I'll try to incorporate Michi's Ladder.
I'll be back tomorrow pushing play.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Day 9 - "Back" in Action
Woke up today excited about working out again! I think I'm getting alittle TOO excited about P90X. It's the last thing I think about (besides my wife and son) before I fall asleep, and the first thing I think about when I wake up.
Being that this is the start of week 2, I wanted to see where I stood w/ my reps/weigths compared to last week.. I want to BEAT, no not just match, BEAT last weeks #'s.
I couldn't wait to start it today to see how my shoulder would hold up, and I'm happy that it didn't give me any problems during the routine. My left side was alittle tighter, but that was about it.
MAN, WHAT A WORKOUT!! I'm definitely feeling the pump this time. I went all out, balls to the wall, didn't stop till my body couldn't push or pull another time. As you can see from my daily updated spreadsheet, I pretty much met or exceeded my Week 1 numbers. I used some pushup bars that I had stashed in a closet. Definetly worth purchasing!! It takes the pressure off my wrists, and gave me another 5-6 inches to go further down, getting that deep stretch. I focused more on the technique than just blasting out as many as I could. On pull ups, I'm still using the chair method, but I place it to where I can just use my toes and ball of my foot to give me help. I'm am 100% satisfied with my results and efforts today on Chest&Back. I gave Tony and the Kids 100% effort on this one. I didn't use my shoulder as an excuse to not push myself, or letting myself stop a few reps short.
The first time I did Ab Ripper X, it practically kill me by ripping my stomach in two. And as for an update on how I'm holding up today........... It's still practically killing me :). But I'm pushing through. I can kinda see my top two ab muscles coming back (BARELY THOUGH). I can't say enough about this. I'm more confident working out at home where I can scream, cry, and yell at Tony on how much I hate him.
I have plyo tomorrow. Another day I love to hate.
Goals for today:
Stick to the Meals: Done
110% on todays workout: Done
Week 2 Pics: Taken, but not published yet.
I'll be back tomorrow pushing play.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Day 1 - Armageddon
Well, I've officially finished Day 1. And to sum it all up I'd have to say that it was RIDICULOUSLY INTENSE!! It was AWESOME!
I hit both of my goals today. First goal was to stick to the meal plan. To save time in the morning, I'm making my lunches and snacks for the day the night before! Breakfast was tasty and delicious. I was first intimidated by the amount of food that I was going to eat for the day. But when I sat down and tallied all the calories, protein, carbs, fat; it was the daily intake that I'm "suppose" to be eating. Along w/ constantly hydrating throughout the day, and sucking down the Animal Pak vitamins, I did notice that I wasn't as "sluggish" and had more energy throughout the day.
P90X did a great job on the nutritional plan. The recipes are easy to make (some have more ingredients than others, but that's about it), and they taste great! Since I have something new everyday, I'm going to be cooking for myself more in the next 90 days than I probably have my entire life! (No Joke!) If things keep tasting the way they do, it's going to be no problem keeping to the meal plan. 110% Commitment.
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CHEST & BACK
Ok, Now for the workout.
Today was Chest & Back. I was ready for anything. I had my weights, I had my P90X Chin-Up bar (Which is a MUST!, this chin-up bar is great construction, sturdy and lets me hit EVERY possible hand position), towel and bottle of water, and my P90X workout sheets to write down my reps/weights.
I've read on the discussion boards about the intensity of these videos.
And as I pressed play I thought to myself:
"How hard could it be?," "I'm not going to have that much trouble." "I can handle 1 hour."
OH MY GOD! I was dead wrong. That literally kicked my tail. As I was pushing and pulling, I don't think I've made those types of grunting noises before. This was only 10 minutes into the workout (not including the stretching part). My wife came out in the living room to see why I'm making this weird noises, and to snicker. After about 5 minutes of watching, she knew X-actly why. I looked over at the time bar and almost cried. "I HAVE 30 MORE MINUTES?" Of course, while the guys/girls on the screen where doing 30, I was doing a mere 12-15, sometimes only six or eight. But that didn't bother me. I used Tony's motivation to keep me going. I had a number in my head and I stuck to it. I went till my body couldn't go any farther. Then I knew I gave 110%. This video pushes you relentlessly, first you pull, then you push, thne you pull again, then push. Then, the all cherished 40 sec water break. Then BAM! right back into it without skipping a beat going through a whole barrage of exercises. OH YEAH!, THAT WAS ONLY ROUND 1, there is still a second round. But I made it through. I didn't stop, and I didn't quit! At the end there is a cool down, but for me, my "cool down"was more of a "try and not throw-up."
Tony stressed to have a goal, a number of reps, in mind. I had a number and I stuck with it, even if after the first one, my body gave out, I'd do what I could to keep great form and HIT MY NUMBER, even if the push ups went down only 3 inches, or I used my foot during pull-ups.
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AB RIPPER X
The name says it all. I've down almost every type of sit up (I THOUGHT), until I did this video. Just like the Chest&Back routine, this routine it just as brutal (in a GOOD way.) I loved every minute of it; Yelling "GIVE ME MORE" as my abs burned as if on fire. This routine is only 15 minutes long, but it felt like 30. It was great, and I can't wait to do it again. My favorite exercises they did was the Curl-up/V-up.
I have found THE workout for me. Tony Horton is unbelievable and so is P90X. Usually workout out in the gym, or by myself, I find that I "fudge" here and there on weight and rep. But with his motivation, doing the excersices w/ me and the guys/girls in the back pumping them out. It makes me want to stay focused and work harder. No wonder people get outrageous results. I can't wait for day 90!! Then, it'll be time to do it all over again!
In closing, I meet my goals of sticking to the meal Plan, and I finished Day One. I'm going to sleep really well tonight.
I'll be back tomorrow pushing play.
