5-31-15 HY: P90X3-Accelerator + P90X-Ab Ripper X + Splits + TCF.

5-31-15 HY: P90X3-Accelerator + P90X-Ab Ripper X + Splits + TCF.
It's Sunday, but I had to go to work because we had Open Campus. Didn't get hope till early afternoon. When I got home the house was HOT! But I hadn't had that chance yet to clean our air conditioners so I got right to it and cleaned the two downstairs AC units. Right after finishing, I got to my workout.
Again, I had forgotten the routines so I just went with one that sounded intense. Yep, chose a good one. I... was reading some coaches reviews of it and word out there is that it is not as intense as Agility X. So I was thinking that since I did Agility X and got through it with a good level of sweat, this one would be easier. NOPE! Because I thought it was easier, I came barreling out of the gate, full tilt. I would come to regret that after about 12 minutes. Plus, since I implemented a personal policy that says if I stop in the middle of a move, I would take enough rest and start that move over again from the beginning and would complete the move without stopping. The first 12 minutes, I was killing it. The next 8-10 minutes I was getting killed but still not stopping, the last 10 minutes, I was dying. I was doing moves from the beginning 2 sometimes 3 times again. So this 30 minute workout became over 45 minutes long. The last move, Donkey Kicks, I had to do a total of 4 times because I was just so totally spent. I had to really slow down my pace to complete the minute. I don't know why, but over the past few X3 routines, I have been grunting and groaning more than twice as much compared to other programs. Interesting. By the end of the routine, I was tired, but I would oddly energized. So much so that I moved right into Core.

I was planning to do an easier routine, but as I said, I was feeling energized so I went for the big guns. I paid for it... DEARLY! Much more groaning and core cramping. The phifer Scissors, the Heels to the Heavens, The Oblique V-Ups, and especially Mason Twist. KILLERS!!! All of them. Such an awesome burn.
I really don't want to lose pull up strength so I took some time and pumped out 50 various grips Pull/Chin Ups. The first one I did was an extra wide Pull Up. About 5 inches wider on both sides. Hit my back and shoulders at a different angle and I immediately felt the soreness set in. But I stretched it out and kept on pumping till I hit 50.
No time crunches today, so I could really sink into the split stretches. Pushed it hard and low. And I'm still keeping the Flow steady and watching my stances. If I'm not too careful, I overstep. Got to stay totally focused to get an accurate Flow with spot on stances and steps. Good day for that today.
In the end, I torched a solid 1100kcals. Awesome start to my week!

5-29-15 HY:P90X3-Cold Start + Incinerator + ChaLEAN Extreme-Ab Burner + Splits + TCF.

5-29-15 HY:P90X3-Cold Start + Incinerator + ChaLEAN Extreme-Ab Burner + Splits + TCF.
Good morning workout. Normally, I would do a cardio workout on Friday, but since I have sort of been here and there this week with X3, I went with a resistance routine. So, I really needed a good warm up, went to old faithful! I really like this routine because of the variety of moves and the idea of burning out one body part at a time, two moves at a time. Starting with back, then chest, a...rms, biceps. Then with a lot of core, with the rocket launcher stances and planks. I had to pace myself really carefully because I went to failure with the last rep of each body part. With the biceps, I was using only 10kgs, so the first bicep move was great with a struggle at the end. But by the last arm move, "Arm and Hammer" I almost didn't make it to the end. PUMP and BURN!!

Moved right into the core. I wanted to do the longer routine or even Ab Ripper X, but sort of had a time crunch so went with the shorter one. Another good burn till the end.
No additional stretch time with the splits and Flow. But was still able to push it hard.
Great workout, Pump and Burn! In the end, I Torched well over 700kcals! Great way to rip into the weekend!

5-28-15 HY: P90X2-X2 Yoga + TCF.

5-28-15 HY: P90X2-X2 Yoga + TCF.
Got up this morning feeling rather sore so I knew that it was yoga day. After my morning shake, I started the routine. I was thinking to do the X3 Yoga, but since I had time, I changed my plan and went with the longer routine. I think I like X2 more than X3 Yoga because I feel I can get into the poses a little more and I can relax more in the poses. X3 feels a bit rushed in that sense. I really like the focused and relaxed breathing as well.... Today, I did something for the first time EVER in a Yoga routine. I did the whole routine without shoes. Usually I wear my shoes to prevent slipping but I figured I'd try it shoeless. And with the help of my thick mat, I was able to keep from slipping. Also, I don't know what it was, but the sweat started really flowing early on today. It wasn't that warm in my room, but the sweat was real. I really enjoyed going without shoes today. Oh, and I also did it without the lights on, so the atmosphere was very relaxed with the slightly dim natural light seeping in from the lace-draped windows. I almost went back to sleep at the end. But I was feeling really good and focused. Also, no splits today. Instead, I focused on really pushing the moves in today's routine that stretch the "Splits" muscles and flexors. Tried to push the hip flexor hard along with the inner thighs and hamstrings.

Went right into the Flow and it felt really smooth so I was happy. It was just the workout I needed for today. I know it is not a really heavy and intense workout compared to the other routines, but I like to wear my HRM during all workouts. Today, I torched a modest 330kcals. But felt very happy with the other benefits of today's workout.

5-27-15 HY: P90X3-Cold Start + The Warrior + Pull/Chin Ups + ChaLEAN Extreme-Ab Burner + Splits + TCF.

5-27-15 HY: P90X3-Cold Start + The Warrior + Pull/Chin Ups + ChaLEAN Extreme-Ab Burner + Splits + TCF.
I was so NOT happy today. Everything was going as planned until I looked down at my HRM after doing The Warrior and realized that I didn't start my HRM. It almost feels like I killed myself for nothing. I know that's not the case, but not knowing how many calories I burned after a grueling workout is like a punch in the face. It's huge motivation for me so I was not happy ...with myself for such a bonehead mistake. I started the HRM right as I was cooling down and measured the second half of the workout.

Morning Shake and workout. Great way to start the day.
I was still quite sore so I was debating whether or not to do a Yoga routine. I finally decided on doing what I did. I had forgotten what kind of routine The Warrior was so I set up my Pull Up bar just in case. But I ended up not using it during the routine. I was thinking to do a set every 10 minutes or so when I saw that there were no pull ups in the routine, but that was not to be. The four move circuit was extremely tough and like yesterday I was taking longer breaks, just an extra 10-20 seconds to catch my breath. The moves were really killer moves and doing them for a minute was exhausting. Especially the moves that involved Sprawls and Burpees. DYING! The ab moves made me consider not doing an ab routine afterwards because I got an awesome core burn. Once I got to the Burnout, doing those Depth Charges just destroyed my legs. What a great move! Then I looked at my HRM. sniffle sniffle.
I really wanted to do some pull ups but was so spent during the main routine there was no way. But once I realized that my HRM wasn't on, I decided to crank out 50 pull ups. Also, I did them fast, not using full RoM (Chin over the bar to the full hang) but going down to about a hundred ten degree or so elbow angle. I was able to crank out 20 in a row, then went with 12's then finally 6 to round out the 50. Great pump.
I almost didn't do the additional ab routine, but I figured I could do the shorter routine and all would be good! MORE BURN!!!
Splits and Flow were solid. Very happy with that progress.
In the end, My HRM read over 430kcals torched. So I'm thinking my total burn would be close to yesterdays total, so around 850 or so. But I will be vigilant to keep that from happening again. It was BROUGHT!

5-26-15 HY: P90X3- Cold Start + CVX + Splits + TCF.

5-26-15 HY: P90X3- Cold Start + CVX + Splits + TCF.
Shocked AGAIN at how tough and intense X3 is. Oh, but first, I must make a correction. Last week, when I started P90X3 again, I think I said I did CVX when I actually did Total Synergistics. They are on the same disk and I got them mixed up. So on this new rotation, this is the first time for me to do CVX.
Today was actually supposed to be resistance day, but since CVX has me holding a weight, I went with CVX. I went with m...y 5kg medicine ball... OH MY GOODNESS! What an INSANE BURN!!! I was feeling pretty good about the workout when I started, but that confidence was burned out of me on the first circuit. I guess I should say that my lats, shoulders, and but were still sore from the previous two workouts. That really pushed me.That is also why I started off with Cold Start. I always increase my range of motion on my stretching with Cold Start. I was dying by the second move of each circuit and sweat was at a premium today. I needed a lot of extra breaks throughout the routine. With the cold start, extra breaks and cool down, this first half of the workout took almost an hour.

Second hour was Splits and Tai Cheng. I really took time to push the splits and go lower. My hip flexor has been rather sore as of late because I'm pushing. Today was not different. Not sure if I got lower, but I did get to the mark, despite my pain. I took a lot of time with the Flow today because of my soreness. The flowing movement really calms my muscles down and that extra stretch is really good.
In the end, I torched well over 900kcals. Yeah, I was shocked since the X3 workouts until now have topped out at 600kcals. BIG BURN!!!

5-25-15 HY: P90X3-Agility X + ChaLEAN Extreme-Extreme Abs + Splits + TCF.

5-25-15 HY: P90X3-Agility X + ChaLEAN Extreme-Extreme Abs + Splits + TCF.
No morning workout today, so I did it after work.
I was thinking this routine would be easy because it is not classified as a HIIT workout, but I was dying by the first ten minutes. It was a lot tougher than I had expected. Even though it was not continuous movement like T25 or Insanity, it was WAAAY intense. Even harder than I remember it being. I had to stop and watch to relearn moves, and I also ha...d to stop because I couldn't continue without a drink and a breathe. Got a great burn!

I was feeling good so I did my usual additional abs workout. Again, great burn in the core. Splits and Flow were right on point.
In the end, I torched a good 700+kcals. Felt good!

5-24-15 HY: P90X3- The Challenge + Splits + TCF.

5-24-15 HY: P90X3- The Challenge + Splits + TCF.
Everyone had their own plans today so I was free to do what I needed to do. I had some tree trimming on the schedule, and some other house work. Didn't get to my workout till early evening.
Continuing on with P90X3, The Challenge was up today. I was kind of waffling about the numbers, but I finally decided on 12-20. I was a little generous with the push ups, but with that many sets, I wanted to play it safe. The first round... was good, hit all my numbers. But the way I do pull ups is that I go all the way down to the max range of motion. I had to change that, and leave a little tension in the arms and back from the second rotation on. Not all the way to the hang, but had about a 40-50 degree angle on my elbows. I was able to do a long more that way. Also, with Tony's recommendation, I went down on my push ups until my elbows were at a 90 degree angle instead of bringing my chest all the way to the ground. A little less range of motion, but necessary with so many sets in a row. I kept my numbers all the way through the four rounds. But on Burnout, I did 12 sets of the 1 and 3's. So that was a total of 108 Pull ups and 196 push ups. Got an awesome pump and burn.

Starting to feel like I'm getting off that splits plateau. Pushing lower is becoming less of a chore.
Good solid Flow today. All around good upper body workout. In the end, I torched just over 520kcals. Good start to the week!

5-23-15 SUP: Tennis.

5-23-15 SUP: Tennis.
Another Saturday night tennis match and training/schooling session with my son. The day before his tournament and he wanted to get in one last practice match. Great match, but same result as last Saturday. Awesome fun, and in the end, I torched a good 615kcals! Wish I could play more. That's game day for me.

5-22-15 HY: P90X3-Cold Start + T25-Ab Intervals + Splits + TCF.

5-22-15 HY: P90X3-Cold Start + T25-Ab Intervals + Splits + TCF.
Shorter workout today, but intense like nobody's business! Usually I would do strenuous cardio routine then an abs routine today, but since this core routine is a regular routine in itself, I went with only this routine as my primary routine today.
Morning breakfast shake and Cold Start is how I start off every morning I have a morning workout. Perfect beginning.
...

This is the first time for me to do this routine in almost 9 months. I was a little hesitant to do this routine alone because of the supposed low calorie burn, but since the normal ab routine is between 10-15 minutes, 25 minutes seemed really tough, so I went with this. Good thing. My abs were screaming and I had to tap out several times. The second V-Up series when we are not to put our feet on the floor was just too much. Thank goodness for the periodic cardio moves Shaun T adds. I couldn't have handled straight 25 minutes of just core work. Lots of grunting and groaning could be heard from my room today.
I was VERY happy with my splits today because I was able to go right to my mark on the first stretch, then push a little lower. Usually, I'm up from my mark and need a few stretches to get to my mark, but today, right to it. I was a bit shocked. But when I realized where I was, Woo Hoo!!
The Flow today was solid. no hiccups or anything. Stances were good, but a few times I caught myself over stepping a bit, but corrected before moving into the back stance.
As expected, the calorie burn was lower than average, but I got an awesome gut burn. In the end, I torched 472kcals. Great way to flow into the weekend and my off day.

5-21-15 HY: P90X3-X3 Yoga + Splits + Weight Machine + TCF.

5-21-15 HY: P90X3-X3 Yoga + Splits + Weight Machine + TCF.

Really weird line up today.  Planned to workout at the gym with a friend so I went early and did X3 Yoga and Splits to loosen up.  Still have balance issues, especially on my right leg. Warrior 3, half moon, twisted half moon and toe bind, I was falling out of them a lot on my right leg.  But on my left leg I was pretty stable, only falling out a couple times.  I think P90X2 is in order for the next round of my hybrid.  A lot of balance work there.

I tried to push as hard and low as possible, but it was difficult because of the sticky floor, but I was able to get down and cause myself some pain.

No break, I started with the weight machine. When my friend came, I was already about half way through the stations.  All the stations really give me a great pump except for the preacher curl station and the chest fly station. Just the placement of the hinge mechanism doesn't allow for a good range of motion. I've tried different positions and bench heights but the bar is just too close to the body to work the chest, it works shoulders way more.  But today, I did a lot of pull ups and chin ups in different variations. A lot like Tony does on The Challenge in P90X3.  Got a great pump and burn.  I didn't go to my weight limit. Instead, I took it down a bit and when with high reps.

Today is the first time for me to do the Flow in an open area with my adjusted stance and it made a big difference.  Almost twice as long to make it across the court.  I guess I was really overstepping on my front stance.  I will have to keep an eye on that so I don't fall into that habit again.

In the end, I torched a good 700+kcals.

5-20-15 HY: P90X3-Cold Start + T25-Speed 1.0 + P90X-Ab Ripper X + Splits + TCF.

5-20-15 HY: P90X3-Cold Start + T25-Speed 1.0 + P90X-Ab Ripper X + Splits + TCF.
Great workout today!
I was well rested and feeling good. But still needed a good warm up so I went with the Main Stay.
...

Thank goodness I pulled off a Straight 25. I got an awesome burn and sweat. Even got some sprinkler action on the punches. It was a good example of what is to come when it gets warmer. I was very happy to make it all the way through the Burnout. My arches still give me a problem on all the cross jump moves. But the way this routine was set up, I was able to recover with another move right after a crossing jump move. This is the main reason why I was able to get through it straight.
No break, went right into Ab RX. Got all the way through to the 40th rep of the Mason Twist, but I couldn't get the bonus so I took a break and went back to Rep 20 and I did 30 extra reps. Core was ON FIRE!
I think today was the best so far, the lowest so far on my splits. I pushed really hard. My Flow was right on as well. Still trying to fix my back stance issues and trying to control the front stance distance.
In the end, I torched a good 675kcals!

5-19-15 HY: P90X3-CVX + Splits + TCF.

5-19-15 HY: P90X3-CVX + Splits + TCF.
Shifting gears for a while with the resistance training. I'm going to try P90X3 for a while before I go back to strictly weights again. As Tony says, variety is the spice of life!
CVX started out well. Then about 10 minutes in, I got really aware of the time and I kept watching the clock and it was moving really slowly. I was really trying to push myself on each move and I ended up groaning and grunting on each move. The knee up pull up...s and the up and over chin ups were different from what I've done for for a while. I felt strong, but lost strength with about 15 seconds left. The core moves were ripping me in two. Got a great burn. Overall, it was a great full body workout.

I think I really pushed it well with my splits today. I caused myself a lot of pain, but the good kind!
I was really paying attention to my stances, especially my back stance so I could pass the litmus test. I discovered that I was over stepping my front stance which would cause me to not get far enough back in my back stance. Glad I found that and now I can fix it.
In the end, I torched just over 600kcals. Great workout!

5-18-15 HY: P90X3-Cold Start + T25-Alpha Total Body Circuit + ChaLEAN Extreme-Extreme Abs + Splits + TCF.

5-18-15 HY: P90X3-Cold Start + T25-Alpha Total Body Circuit + ChaLEAN Extreme-Extreme Abs + Splits + TCF.

Age is showing. I was really sore in my chest and shoulders (I also felt a little like I tweaked something in my right shoulder), and just exhausted so I couldn't do a morning workout as usual. I woke up late and just chilled before going to work.  After work, I ate lunch then had to delay my workout because my stomach was a bit heavy.  So I eventually started my workout passed 7pm.

Since I was so sore from yesterdays resistance training, I did Cold Start and I was very happy to do it because it really loosened me up as usual.

I was really nervous about T25. Once I got started, my fears were realized.  I foolishly was hoping I could do Straight 25.  I made it through only the first 9 minutes, then I had to almost take a breather break after a few moves, and then the last 6 minutes, I had to take a break after every move.  In the end, the 25 minute routine became 34 minutes.  The first progression was the only progression that I made it cleanly through.  I was dying with the squat progression.  My legs were burning with that progression.  Then the plank and push up progressions were killer progressions. And my chest and shoulder soreness didn't help matters any.  But, I was really happy that I got through it even though I added 9 minutes to it.  When I would take a break, I would rewind the DVD to before the point I stopped at so I did a few reps more.  Finally, the BURNOUT. I couldn't get though it. I had to stop a few times but I got through it. That's all I can say.  I did remember that when I did the regular program I was able to do this routine once, Straight 25.  I hope to get back to that level again.

Extreme Abs was awesome. I got a great and awesome core burn. It was a really tough routine.  But I got through it.

Splits are a challenge to get past my plateau.  I have to consciously tell myself to push harder and lower, or I will just sit in my comfort zone not progressing.

The Flow was good.  There is something that I have been thinking about regarding my back stances. Dr. Cheng talked about the Litmus test for the back stance.  And when I think about that test, I wouldn't pass it now with my present back stance. So I will need to go back and revamp my Flow to check all my stances. Distances and separations.

It was a great workout, but a bit too late for my taste. I will get it going earlier tomorrow.  In the end, I torched over 700kcals.

5-17-15 HY: ChaLEAN Extreme- Lean Circuit 3 + Splits + TCF.

5-17-15 HY: ChaLEAN Extreme- Lean Circuit 3 + Splits + TCF.

My day started off early, waking up at 6:30am. I had to bring my daughter to her soccer game. I stayed and watched her game.  But then the fun started. After her game, we went of a father-daughter date! Went to the mall and did a little shopping, had lunch together, and had some ice cream.  We listened to some awesome tunes and sang together in the car all the way home.  When we got home we brought her bicycle (had to push it to the shop over a kilometer away uphill.) to get an inner tube replaced and while we were waiting, we window shopped at a store sort of like Walmart. Playing with displays, massage chairs, fishing rods, etc. for over an hour.  By the time we got home it was already almost 5pm so I wanted to get my workout done, but my daughter wanted to play with the NERF Soaker I brought home last year. So we went outside and had an EPIC Water Battle.  I got SO TOTALLY SOAKED!  It was the funnest day in a long time.  I didn't get started with my workout until after 6pm, but it was worth it!  I was tired after the soccer, after the mall, after the bike, but I was energized by the water battle, and that boosted me into my workout.

This is a great routine.  Chest and shoulders are what I need to work on. I upped my weights of all the moves an average of 1.25kgs per dumbbell. But I still had a problem with the heavy weights pressing into my palms and causing pain there.  The first set of chest flies was more painful even with extra padding. The second set wasn't as bad. I guess I need more conditioning.  I do Towel Pull ups in this routine and I was able to do 8 reps before the pain in my hands set it.  Which is better than last time when I could only do 3 before my hands hurt too much.  But it was a great run with a great routine.

After a day off, the splits are usually tough, but getting down is becoming a bit faster than it was in the past. So in that area, I am seeing improvement.

The Flow was solid, and I felt like I had a good pace through all the Flow's today.  In the end, I torched over 830kcals!

Great Sunday, and great way to start my week off.

5-16-15 SUPPLEMENTAL: Tennis

5-16-15 SUPPLEMENTAL: Tennis

My son wanted to play tennis after sunset on Saturday so we got a court and played some tennis.  He wants to practice for his final tournament which is next week. He wanted to get match experience and I think he wanted to "beat" me, but unfortunately, I'm not yet willing to give up the title!  This old man still has a lot of tricks up his sleeve.

5-15-15 HY: ChaLEAN Extreme-Lean Circuit 2 + Ab Burner + Splits + TCF.

5-15-15 HY: ChaLEAN Extreme-Lean Circuit 2 + Ab Burner + Splits + TCF.

Shake for breakfast and relaxed prep for my workout. The perfect day.  Got a lot of sleep last night, so I was feeling good.

A lot of shoulder and upper back work, along with the expected lower body work.  The extra Pull/Chin Ups fit right in.  Started off with straight 15 reps of wide grip pull ups.  It's been a while since I've been able to do that.  Focusing on the target muscles really help me to activate them when I'm doing specific moves. Lunge with rows, Plank with one arm rows. Got a lot of core work in as well. Really good cardio affect as well during the whole routine. Breathing hard, sweat, and heart rate in the zone.

I usually don't do abs when I do resistance, but I was feeling good and I had the time so I went ahead and added a little ab work.  This routine is great and always give me a good burn!

Muscles had a good heat so I pushed the splits.  Again, since I had the time, I pushed a long longer than usual.  Good to go deep.  The Flow also was quite steady.  Didn't get the centered feeling that I got yesterday after X2 Yoga, but felt good.

In the end, I torched a cool 1100kcals.  Great way to ease into the weekend.

5-14-15 HY: P90X2-X2 Yoga + TCF.

5-14-15 HY: P90X2-X2 Yoga + TCF.
I went to bed last night really late because I had to finish a project.  I woke up feeling like I had gotten only a minimum amount of sleep, plus, I was very sore and tight.  I was thankful right away that I had decided to do cardio yesterday because that opened it up for me to do the Yoga today. I NEEDED IT!!!  I still felt the little tweak in my left calf so I didn't want to make that any worse either so the decision to do X2 Yoga was a no-brainer for me.  Plus, I haven't done a yoga routine in several weeks so this was the perfect time for one.
After a Shake breakfast, I went and started the routine with the lights off which added to the atmosphere of calm. It was just so nice to stretch out, do a flow with the push ups, opening up my hips, shoulders, and getting centered.  After holding a pose that would cause pain, the muscle that had just been the source of pain suddenly felt so loose. Getting such a noticeable result so quickly was an added bonus for today. I had a problem with balance on the standing series. The half-moon pose and twisting half-moon were almost impossible for me to hold.  Even Warrior 3 was tough.  Just couldn't hold those poses worth anything.  And forget looking up.  But the funny thing is that I was able to hold Crow for longer than usual the first time around.  The second time, I kept falling into and head stand. I felt so SO good at the end.  Thanks Tony!
I didn't feel the need for any extra stretching so I skipped splits and went right into the Tai Cheng Flow.  I don't know what it was, but I felt so much more solid today that I have in recent memory.  Every move was very steady and deliberate. No shakes. I felt extremely centered and focused on the Flow.  Perhaps an unintentional benefit of the Yoga. Or, maybe it is intentional.  Either way, it felt awesome to Flow so smoothly.
Only burned just over 300kcals, but the benefits of the workout today far outweigh and calorie burn I would have gotten with a resistance or cardio workout on this day in particular.  Best way to begin the day.

5-13-15 HY: Insanity-Pure Cardio + Hip Hop Abs-Last Minute Abs + Splits + TCF.

5-13-15 HY: Insanity-Pure Cardio + Hip Hop Abs-Last Minute Abs + Splits + TCF.
This was a weird day which threw off my regular schedule so I had to make adjustments.  I normally would have done my workout in the morning at home, but ended up having to do it at the gym.  And because the gym doesn't have a DVD player, I had to take the next best thing, a routine on my iPad with me to the gym.  Since I don't have T25 for iPad, I had to bring an Insanity routine. So the night before I uploaded Pure Cardio onto my iPad. I also added the HHA short abs routine.  In the morning, I was feeling quite sore and tired so I was thinking to do X2 Yoga instead of a cardio workout. I also uploaded that to my iPad in the morning.  I was arguing with myself all morning before the workout as to which style I would do, Cardio/abs or Yoga.  In the end, what you see above is what I went with.
I figured that Pure Cardio is the closest thing in Insanity to what T25 is so I went with that. Time wise, yes, close. But the vibe was totally different.  First of all, the moves were, on the whole, bigger.  They seemed to require more strength than the T25 moves to complete, and more full-body stuff. Second, the time for each move. One minute per move seems like eternity when your dying and breathing hard.  Third, the warm up.  I was sweating like crazy with just the warm up. I was dripping like an open faucet during the stretch.  That is one thing I wish T25 had, a warm up and stretch.  I mean even something that is separate from the main program like P90X3's Cold Start that one could do, and then get into the 25 minute routine. I mean it has the cool down.  It would have been nice to add a 5-10 minute warm up. 
Anyway, the warm up and main routine were killer. I had forgotten how tough Pure Cardio was.  In addition to that, I felt a little tweak in my left calf that seemed to grow as the routine went on.  Luckily, it didn't grow so much as to hinder my doing the routine, but there definitely was pain there. As the main routine began, I was already breathing heavy, but I stuck with it.  Moves that offered a slight recovery were strategically placed through out the workout so I was able to keep going.  I thought I would be able to make it through the whole routine without stopping until I hit Level 2 Drills with about 6 minutes/moves left. Then I hit the wall. I just couldn't continue so I had to stop and take a breather.  I had burned out.  I needed a little break after the next 4 moves. Those next 4 moves were extremely tough.  This especially is where the one minutes seemed like forever.  After the Frog Jumps, my thighs were burning, and had to stop. that happened with each of the last few moves except for the last two. I was determined to do the last two moves in a row without taking a break in between.  But I couldn't do it.  The last move is Push Up Jacks.  I needed that break, but I started back into the workout and started about 10 seconds before the last move, and there is when I did the "No break". But, During the one minute, I had to take two breaks. I just couldn't last. I ended up doing two sets of 16, then one set of 10 push up jacks. I rewound the video twice in the hopes of getting all the way through.  Dead and burned out.  The cool down and stretch was great.
I walked and breathed before doing HHA.  I was thinking this little routine would be easy. I mean, it's standing the whole time, and just dancing around. Boy was I wrong. I felt like the most uncoordinated person in the world in the first part. That move where I circle my arms from side to side while lifting one knee to activate the obliques was confusing for me. I got it for the last few reps on the first side, but once the switch to the other side was on, I lost it and couldn't recover. I was just flailing my arms around and lifting my knees not in sync with the counter moves. It felt just weird. That not withstanding, all the other moves were pretty simple, but really activated my abs and core so much more than I thought they would.  I really got a great burn.
I moved right into the splits and they felt good.  I had a good stretch from the cardio already so I was able to push down harder and get lower. 
The Flow was odd.  Instead of doing it on the gym floor between the lines of the tennis court of badminton court, I did it up on the stage where there are no guide lines.  Facing sideways, there was a white wall to my left and the open gym to my right.  The Right Flow was fine, but when I have about one-third the way through the Left Flow, I just suddenly lost my orientation and I totally forgot which direction I needed to turn.  So I started over on the Left and really stayed focused and I got through.  Adventures in Tai Cheng!
In the end, I was very shocked to see that I torched over 900kcals.  But at one point, my heart rate peaked out at over 200bps.  The Insanity routine really put me to task.  I felt tired and energized at the same time.  I think I'm going to feel it tomorrow.

5-12-15 HY: Badminton + ChaLEAN Extreme-Lean Circuit 1 + Ab Burner + Splits + TCF.

5-12-15 HY: Badminton + ChaLEAN Extreme-Lean Circuit 1 + Ab Burner + Splits + TCF.

Oooh! That's different, Badminton? Yes! I was getting ready to go and do my workout, was changed and had my water bottle just about to head up to my room when My daughter said, "Daddy, let's play." For about a split second I almost said, "No, I about to do my workout" plus, I was getting a late start, so any later would have really put me off schedule. But I just couldn't say no. We went out to play some badminton.  I had my HRM on so I decided to just go ahead and start it up. I intended to only play for about 15 minutes, but we were having so much fun, we ended up playing for over half an hour, until my wife called us in.  Had a great time and I torched almost 100kcals. It was a great warm up.

I just finished the Burn Circuit on Sunday, so technically I should be going into the Push Circuit today, but my Push worksheets are all filled so I went to the last open week of the Lean Circuit and will finish out this week, then I'll start from the Burn Circuit again and then do all three circuits in succession.

This routine was extremely tough for some reason today. I think it has to do with the little amount of sleep I got last night. I've been feeling a bit heavy and sluggish all day. But I had some goals for this routine: to up my weight a bit on the triceps, and to do complete sets on the Pull/Chin Ups to the last set. Anyway, WOW!!! Right from the first move the target muscles were SCREAMING!!! I upped the Triceps weight to 8.75kgs, and got an awesome burn. My biceps were screaming, too. But one body part that was really giving me trouble today was my bicep curls. Chalene kept reminding me not to grip the weights too hard, and I thought I wasn't, but I must have because my forearms were dying. I wasn't even squeezing, but it was aching after each rep. All he lower body moves were a lot better today.  This routine in particular, Chalene does a lot of different moves for the Extreme Set. But I went and did the same move for the Extreme Set, and turned the different move into its own move.  So in addition to the Pull/Chin Ups, I also added, a lot of push ups, Triceps dips, Body weight and weighted squats, and more dips, and weighted calf raises.  So this routine took almost double the time longer. It was such a tough but fulfilling workout. I got an incredible pump and burn on my Bi's, Tri's and back.  My lower body was really strong, so I tried to push the range of motion even more, going really low and both squats and lunges.

No break, I moved into abs. You might be thinking, "Abs on a resistance day?" Will, a meeting was called for tomorrow morning, so I can't do my workout in the morning as usual so I did abs tonight to preemptively get my abs in.  It was a really tough routine. I got an incredible burn on the weighted moves. Those were just awesome!

Since it was late, I had to rush a bit to get done in time for me to pick up my son from his class. But with that in mind, I pushed hard. The Flow was also solid!

In the end, I torched over 1000kcals in today workout. Now, it's time for bed. CHEERS!

5-11-15 HY: P90X3-Cold Start + T25-Alpha Cardio + P90X-Ab Ripper X + Splits + TCF + Tennis.

5-11-15 HY: P90X3-Cold Start + T25-Alpha Cardio + P90X-Ab Ripper X + Splits + TCF + Tennis.

BUSY BUSY NON-STOP DAY!.  Once my feet hit the ground this morning it was ON! Breakfast Shake, then started my workout.

Feeling sore and tight, went to the Money Warm Up and it came through.

I figured, why not run through all the T25 routines on my cardio days so I started from the beginning. I thought that the first routine would be a cake walk compared to the higher level Speed routines I did in previous weeks.  At first, it was easy, just getting into the progressions. But as the progressions progressed, the pain started coming and I made it all the way to the first BURNOUT and had to stop. My arches and ankles were aching too much.  There went my Straight 25.  I had to stop after the first BURNOUT as well.  Then I made it to the second BURNOUT and had to stop again, then again, after the BURNOUT. I was surprised at how tough even the first routine was. I had forgotten how grueling they were.

No break, went right into abs.  The memory of the routine is coming back. I made it all the way to Mason Twist and did three reps more than Friday (33).  I'm still in need of some form checking though to maximize the ab work. I have to watch that arching back.

The splits were more painful today, but I recovered quickly and was able to nail the Flow.  Really very happy with today's workout.

Right after getting home from work, my kids announced that they wanted to play tennis so I got changed and we went to play tennis. It has been almost two months since I played a hard fought match so my timing was way off.  Although we didn't play a game today, we had several good rally's. Even with my time off, it was fairly even. Glad to know this old man still has some tricks up his sleeve that the young guns still have no answer to. Hehe!  He doesn't have the title yet! :-)

After all was finished, I torched over 800kcals in the morning, and over 600kcals during tennis.  Great burn today.

5-10-15 HY: ChaLEAN Extreme-Burn Circuit 3 + Splits + TCF.

5-10-15 HY: ChaLEAN Extreme-Burn Circuit 3 + Splits + TCF.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! To all you moms out there.

My wife was sick so we couldn't do anything more than the ordinary. I made a pancake breakfast for her and she was happy. Later in the day, the kids made dinner. But also, I was able to get an outside project done that I have been wanted to do since January but never had the time... hydro-blast our front wall.  So, while my wife was relaxing and sleeping, I made our front wall look like the day we moved in... almost.  It took just over three and a half hours.  My back was not a happy camper, but I got the job done.  And if you have ever done any hydro-blasting you know how dirty you get, and I was very dirty.  I didn't think it would take so long. I was planning to move right into my workout after the job, but I was too tired to do that so I had lunch and relaxed for a while.  Finally, the spirit moved me around 4:30pm and I started getting ready eventually starting the workout at a little after 5pm.

I am treating this round of the Burn phase as a later phase, so I added Extreme Sets to every move, along with the four sets of Pull/Chin Ups.  I am very happy that I can do all for sets of 12reps straight with no break, pause or stoppage.  I also upped my weights a bit on a few of the moves. I upped the lateral raise weights from 7.5kgs to 8.75kgs.  I also upped the Squat with Double Overhead Press from 14.5kgs to 17kgs. But I still had to take a mid-set break at 8reps, finish out the 4reps, then do the Extreme 3rep Set.  The two moves in which I have to do a Heel Raise are easy. At the moment, I'm doing it with 22kgX2.  I could go up to 25kgsX2, but I didn't want to take the time to move the plates from dumbbell to dumbbell.  I am considering getting one more set of dumbbells so I can have three different weights at once without moving plates.  That would also give me the opportunity to get a bar for barbell work.  Maybe come summer I'll make that investment.  With all the moves with Lunges and Squats, I really tried to focus on range of motion. I tried to go down as low as possible and move up and down as slowly as possible.  At that slow pace, those Extreme Sets were totally KILLER SETS. My glutes and legs are really feeling it already.  There was one move where Chalene, instead of doing the original move for the Extreme Set, does push ups. But I did the original move, then added 3 sets of 20 push up on my push up stands at the end of the routine. My arms, back and chest were screaming for mercy.  This was an awesome routine and on this one alone, I torched 730kcals.

Kept the idea of pushing hard and low for the splits. And the Flow was good, but again, there is an "except". It was good except for the first Swipe the Knee move only on the right side felt odd, like I was doing something wrong.  The left side felt perfect, but for some reason, the right side just felt odd. I did the Flow a few extra times on the right to discover the problem and fix it. After fixing the problem, I evened out the Flow and did the same number on the left.  Added some extra reps and time to Tai Cheng today, and it felt good.

In the end, I torched over 1000kcals on just the workout, and a lot more during the Hydro-Blasting in the morning.  Had a great Mother's Day, and had a great start to the week.

5-8-15 HY: ChaLEAN Extreme-Burn Intervals + P90X-Ab Ripper X + Splits + TCF.

5-8-15 HY: ChaLEAN Extreme-Burn Intervals + P90X-Ab Ripper X + Splits + TCF.

It has been two weeks since I did Burn Intervals last so I was curious to see if I made any progress.  In a word, "Sort of..." On one hand, I felt good during the routine.  The burn came quickly, but the exhaustion didn't accompany it.  I kept it going.  But no, in that I still was unable to get all the way through the Triceps section.  I thought I'd do it a little different to see if I could get through.  For the triceps section, Chalene starts off with kickbacks. I can get through that easily. But when she starts the upward extensions, she puts her two dumbbells together and essentially making them one. Previously, since my dumbbells are a bit odd, I can't configure my dumbbells like Chalene does so I just hold them and raise them individually.  Today, I put down my two 5kg dumbbells and used one 10kg dumbbell. The result... No difference. At the beginning, it felt a little easier, but the longer I lifted, the burn just got too hot, and I had to really push to make it to the point of shifting to the slow reps. I had to stop and swing out my arms.  Then, I went back and did a few extra reps leading into the slow reps and I was only able to hit the 4 slow reps when the burn became too much and I had to stop again after just 4 slow reps. I was finally able to finish out the tri section. OUCH!!! I got an awesome burn all over my arms.  There is also a point where Chalene does Speed Skaters, Bent over Rows, the Bowling lunges in succession. That really hurt. Keeping the 45 degree angle on my back for such a long time, I had to stop a bit and stretch it out. Great routine.

No break, went right into Ab Ripper X.  I was still a bit intimidated and I was questioning whether or not I could get through the routine. Well, I made it all the way through to Mason Twist. I was so not happy that I couldn't finish it out.  I made it to 30, then my core just gave out.  I stretched out a bit then went back and started from 20 so I ended up doing 10 double reps more.  But the good thing is that I'm not intimidated anymore. I will do this again.

Really pushed my splits today. It was quite painful, but necessary.  I'll have to keep focusing to push through and over the pain to make gains.

For some reason today, my balance was just off. Several times in all the Flows, I felt out of control and had to really struggle to keep my balance. It was a real challenge today.  I think it was the tiredness from the previous routines.  I know that I lose balance when I'm tired.  It was a good struggle.

In the end, I torched way over 800kcals.  Great way to blast into the weekend and my day off.  The weekend awaits!

5-7-15 HY: ChaLEAN Extreme-Burn Circuit 2 + Splits + TCF.

5-7-15 HY: ChaLEAN Extreme-Burn Circuit 2 + Splits + TCF.

A friend of my wife's came from the US to visit so we went out to eat... at a buffet. Luckily it was at one of those organic places so I ate a lot of salad and vegetables. Yes, I had some not so good stuff, too, but I thought I did pretty good to control what I was eating. The one bad thing was that I ate a bit more than what satisfied me.  So, I had to wait about 3 hours until I felt ready to do my workout without cramping.

This time, I took a bit longer than the video because I was adding an Extreme set to every move in addition to the extra Pull/Chin Ups. It was just cool enough in my room to not use the fan, but several times during the routine, beads of sweat formed all over my face and I had to take a quick moment to wipe them off before finishing out the set.  This was a really tough workout today with the extreme set.  I also pushed the weights up a bit on my triceps moves by 1.25kgs. Got an awesome burn.

I am pushing it hard on my splits. I have to consciously tell myself to push it to the pain threshold or I won't.  I naturally won't push to the pain so I have to stay totally engaged in the position.

The Flow was good.  I had a smooth run and it felt really solid so I was satisfied.  In the end, I torched over 900kcals.

5-6-15 HY:P90X3-Cold Start + T25-Speed 3.0 + ChaLEAN Extreme-Extreme Abs + Splits + Tai Cheng-Flow.

5-6-15 HY:P90X3-Cold Start + T25-Speed 3.0 + ChaLEAN Extreme-Extreme Abs + Splits + Tai Cheng-Flow.
The perfect combination of FOUR programs. Amazing workout today. I really wanted revenge for what happened on Monday with my stomach cramping. Today, I made sure I was fueled and ready to go. Earlier in the day, I quadrupled a recipe for the Oat balls made a huge supply for the summer. I really didn't feel like doing anything so I was just being lazy, watching parts of two m...ovies, then I took a 90 minute nap. When I woke up, I was really not in the mood to do anything, but it was getting late so I knew I had to get it done. So I got changed and got to it.

Again, Cold Start was perfection! It really got me ready and revved up for the rest of the workout.
I knew what was coming so I pushed hard and got a Straight 25. There was one incidental break when my shoe lace became untied so I had to stop and tie it, but I got right back to it. I felt the pain coming on at about the same point, not the cramps, but the arch pain and exhaustion. I was determined to push for the Straight 25 so I kept it going. When it got almost too much, I modified with not as high a jump or what not, but once I got my second wind back, I brought it back up and finished it off with a bang.
No break, just went right into abs. And I am feeling a lot more confident with my core strength now. I think I' gong to go for my nemesis on Friday. This routine is a great core strengthener and I got an awesome burn that required a good AWWWWW, at the end.
With the splits, I'm going for the pain and the lower push. So I am trying to push lower past my comfort zone and my pain threshold. There was more intense pain, but as the saying goes, "No Pain, No Gain" and I felt a good gain, today.
The Flow was good. Not great. I tried to push the speed and over shot on one move that made me lose balance so I had to hold the pose to regain my balance. But after that, I was fine with no incident.
Great workout. It raised my mood and energy level. In the end, I torched over 700kcals.

5-5-15 HY: ChaLEAN Extreme-Burn Circuit 1 + Splits + TCF.

5-5-15 HY: ChaLEAN Extreme-Burn Circuit 1 + Splits + TCF.
Starting the run from the beginning. I'm thinking to just go with this program for a while. Actually, I have some old worksheets that are not filled in, so I want to fill out all the sheets before I move on.
I didn't want to mess with the weight so I kept it at the same level as the previous time, so that gave me the chance to really focus on form and range of motion. For some reason, Chalene really focuses on the Pos...terior Fly move and back shoulder muscle and again chest in this routine. I found previously that my range of motion when I comes to that particular muscle that my range of motion is a lot smaller. So, I kept my dumbbells at 7.5kgs and really tried to increase my range of motion. I could really feel that posterior pump. Every routine in this program is great, but there is at least one killer move that I "HATE". That move in this routine is the "Lunge with Core Rotation". That really kills me every time. It is really an awesome full-body move. But today, It was actually really good, but I couldn't hold the weights at 90 degrees, I had to keep them just below my chin for half. I also kept the 4 sets of pull/chin ups in the routine but upped to12 reps. For the Chest Presses and Flies, my palms were in pain from the dumbbell pressing into it. I need to get a good pad to protect my hands better. I stuck it out to 12 though. One thing I wanted to do but forgot was to add the "Extreme set" at the end from the first move on. I'll add it from the next routine.

Went right into the spits and Flow. Really pushed more today, and I heard some things pop. Not to pain, but to open my hips more and to get off the plateau.
Good workout. In the end, I torched just over 630kcals.
One thing, I did 2 hours of yard work. I had to do the lawn and collect all the grass. So got a double workout today.

5-4-15 HY: P90X3-Cold Start + T25-Speed 3.0 + ChaLEAN Extreme-Ab Burner + Splits + TCF.

5-4-15 HY: P90X3-Cold Start + T25-Speed 3.0 + ChaLEAN Extreme-Ab Burner + Splits + TCF.
Busy day, but not for me. I was at my daughter's Soccer tournament pretty much all day, from 7am to past 5pm. It was chilly and misty rain. Doing nothing and being active is really tiring. When I got home, I didn't want to do anything much, but I knew that to get the cobwebs out a good workout was needed so I got ready.
Of course, I was feeling tight so I really needed Cold Start. And it ...was perfect as usual.

GAMMA Speed 3.0 is the most grueling workout of the Speed series. It combines the regular moves with the plank moves and it is TOUGH!!! The previous Speeds conditioned me well so I was feeling pretty good through the first round. The pain started hitting me on Level 1 of round 2 but I was determined to push through and do a Straight 25. But I made a mistake. Before the workout started, I was a bit hungry so I ate one of my oatmeal peanut butter balls. It stopped the hunger pangs, but it was no where near enough calories to support the workout. So, when I hit level 2 of Round 2, I hit a wall. I started to cramp up and I got a burning pain in my stomach so just about 3 moves before the end of level 2 I had to stop and get some water. It helped, but I could feeling lingering and I had to stop one more time before the last level of round 3. That experience was a first. One other thing that didn't help was the fact that I was really sore from yesterday's weights. More pain. And it didn't hurt that good. Next time, I'll be sure to gas up proper!
No break, went right into core and the burn was ON! I kept on drinking in sips to stave off the pain. Upped the weighted crunch weight to 10kgs. Almost too much... almost.
Great workout because I learned what not to do. In the end, torched just over 800kcals. Great way to keep the week going!

5-3-15 HY: ChaLEAN Extreme-Lean Circuit 3 + Splits + TCF.

5-3-15 HY: ChaLEAN Extreme-Lean Circuit 3 + Splits + TCF.
Rainy rainy day. Kind of felt like not doing anything. But I was relatively productive with my video editing and other things. I finally got the motivation to workout in the early afternoon before lunch.
LC3 is an interesting routine because it contains some of the more grueling moves combined with push ups, which is good for me. This is the last time I'm going to say this but SLOW REPS ROCK!!! When I look at my log ...sheets and see what I did before knowing I wasn't going as slow as Chalene was, I regret not following the program, but then again, the last time I did the program was the second time going through the program so I was probably just trying something different. But going back to the program was awesome. Going down in weight by about 2.5kgs but I almost hit failure each set. Such a tough routine, but I love the pain.

I had a lot of extra time so I extended a lot of the poses. And I got a great stretch. The Flow was also very solid.
In the end, I torched over 830kcals. Great way to start the week. Incidentally, I'm on a week long vacation so I'm going to have a lot of extra time. I was hoping to start my riding this year, but unfortunately it will be raining most of the week. I'll fit a ride in whenever I can.

5-1-15 HY: P90X3-Cold Start + T25-Speed 2.0 + ChaLEAN Extreme-Ab Burner + Splits + TCF.

5-1-15 HY: P90X3-Cold Start + T25-Speed 2.0 + ChaLEAN Extreme-Ab Burner + Splits + TCF.

Yes, I'm adding the date to my heading so I can remember when I did a particular workout. Also, today's workout was actually sort of a mistake in that I had intended to do Burn Intervals, but 1. Got sort of a late start, 2. without thinking, I started Cold Start, and 3. I had a time crunch to deal with so when I realized that I was doing the wrong routine, I... just kept on with it.

I was right yesterday when I wrote, "I'm going to feel it tomorrow." because of the heavy weights. Boy, DO I! Especially my legs, inner thighs and shoulders. I wasn't sure if my legs would be able to hack it, but once I got started, BAM felt good... Up until, AGAIN, Level 2 of the Round 2. I just seem to hit a wall and it is a major chore to get through the first two moves, Cross-Jacks and Out-and-In Hops. Once I get into the third move, the Hop-Hop-Squat, I'm okay. Arches were SCREAMING!!! But pushed through and got my second Straight 25 of 2.0.
No break and went right into Ab Burner which always gives me an awesome burn. Splits were tough. I was still feeling soreness, but lose thanks to 2.0, but stretching in the first round was painful, and felt better in the second round, so I increased my hold time by about 10 seconds and added slight pulse to get lower.

The Flow was a solid run through. Felt good all around.

Happy May Day, Everyone!

HY: Machine Weights + Splits + TCF.

HY: Machine Weights + Splits + TCF.
Short heading, but monster workout. Today, I went for the monster sets, and at 13 of the 14 stations, I did three sets of 8-12 reps, mostly 12. When I did only 8 reps, I rested about 10 seconds and like in ChaLEAN Extreme, I did an Extreme set of 4 (not 3) to round out the set with 12 reps. The 14th station is the Pull up bar, so I did those sets separately, one set at the beginning, one in the middle and one at the end. On the last set ...I had to go 8-4. I got an insane burn. Each station is great, except for the Bicep/Tricep station. Range and angle of motion is a bit restricting and the padding on the contact points is getting thin and breaking. But I did the best with what is there. I still went down in weight on some of the moves in comparison to my heavy sessions where I can only do 3 sets of 8 reps. I went down only 5kgs this time, and pyramided up to the heavy on the last set, where I did 8-4's mostly on the upper body moves. On the seated rowing station, I did four sets, two 12's and two 8's. The difference is the grip. I did an over grip for one 12 and 8, then an under grip for the other two sets.

I mentioned the difficulty of the sticky floor the last time I tried splits at my gym. This time, I put towels under my feet and that solved the problem. I was able to slide out and push it hard. I felt as if I went lower than yesterday at home. Felt painfully good.
I went the length of the badminton court again today with my Flow. The first time around, I actually forgot a move and ended up way off my line. Once I figured out what happened, I just flowed really easily. It is so freeing when I have unlimited space to Flow in as opposed to my small space at home. I am able to really extend my stance and not worry about hitting anything or bumping into anything.
In the end, I torched a whopping 1170kcals! At one point in my workout near the end, I felt my heart pounding through my chest and when I looked down at my HRM and it had jumped to 194bps. I sat and breathed for a moment then it jumped back down to 131bps. Wonder what happened? But that happens when I really push myself with the weights. I guess I should be careful. Any thoughts on that? Has that happened to anyone else?