2-28-16 HY: BB- Build: Shoulders + 0-6 Abs- P2: L13 + Splits + TCF.

2-28-16 HY: BB- Build: Shoulders + 0-6 Abs- P2: L13 + Splits + TCF.

Today was kind of a busy day. Went to buy my son his first suit in the morning. I can't believe how long it took. Then I had a shake for lunch. Then my family and I went out to Karaoke in the early afternoon. We sung our hearts out. This is the first time for just our family to do that. It was so much fun. Then, when I got home, I started my workout right away, because we were planning to go out to eat for dinner. But there was not time crunch. However, I couldn't just laze about, I needed to do everything with only minimal breaks, which I did.

I can feel myself slowly getting stronger in the shoulders. I am able to do the Drop Set on the Shoulder Press without standing or taking a mid-set break this time. I went straight through it. Of course, the final set was at a slower pace as Segi, and I just about hit failure with the last rep, but I got through it. I didn't raise the weights this time, so I am, after today's performance still not ready. One big difference with today's routine was that on the Giant Set, the 1,1,2 Front Raise, my left front shoulder muscle started to really ache. Never had that happen before on that move. I really got that burn and huge pump. Super Pump and Burn!

I went right into the new Level of 0-6 Abs, Level 13. The two moves were Swiss Ball Plank making clockwise circles for 20 seconds then counter-clockwise circles for 20 seconds. 20 seconds rest, then 40 seconds of Alternating Leg Lifts with 15kgs straight over my face. Rest for 20 seconds, then start again. 4 sets of that. By the 4th set, I was groaning. But I was able to get to the 4th set in pretty good form. I should have it by the end of the week.

Splits were good. A little tight coming off a rest day, but I got to the mark quickly and pushed lower. Flow was, as usual, Smooth and Clean.

In the end, I torched a good 750+kcals. Felt good to get through the workout in good form. Good start to my week.

2-27-16 HY: Foam Rolling + TCF.

2-27-16 HY: Foam Rolling + TCF.

Had another 90 minute romp on the foam roller. OH THE JOY! It felt really good this time, too. I spent a lot of time rolling out those areas that have been especially tight and painful like my lower back, left glute and thigh. But I also did the rest of my body as well. Took some time on both the rumble roller and the regular roller. I did the Angel move that Tony does to open up my chest and shoulders. LOVELY!

Later in the evening, I loosened up a little more with several Flows. Smooth and clean. Love the weekends!

2-26-16 HY: BB- Build: Back/Bis + 0-6 Abs- P2: L12 + Splits + TCF.

2-26-16 HY: BB- Build: Back/Bis + 0-6 Abs- P2: L12 + Splits + TCF.

Got home early enough to do a full and un-rushed workout before sunset. Because of this weeks weird schedule, I'm ending with resistance instead of cardio.  That might happen a few more times this coming month.

I really like Body Beast, but I wish there were more pull ups and chin ups throughout the program.  I thinking of going back to a Tony Horton program to get my pull up rep count back up.  I kept the weights today the same as earlier in the month.  I hoped to up my pull up and chin up count, but I was unable to.  Exactly the same as before.  One big positive thing is that I wasn't as apprehensive to go to the heavy weight as I was the last time.  I felt confident and able.  One thing that I noticed is that I start off at about the same weight as Segi does on the light weight for most moves, but he ups his weights in much bigger increments than I do.  I go up between 1-2.5kgs, Segi jumps by 5-10kgs.  He ends up being a little more than double the weight I'm pushing on the heavy weights.  On the 1-1-2 Hammer curls, my forarms started to really feel it.  Keeping the weights in the hammer position is a real challenge. All the weights and rep counts were the same as before except on one move, the last move, Airplane Cobra.  On that move I added 1rep on each set.  Wah Wah!  Got a huge pump and burn.  Just about got to failure on about half the moves.  Time to go up a bit.  I was also sort of babying my back a bit so this weight was just right for today.

Abs were good.  I had good control and balance was much better.  Kept up a slow lateral movement throughout.  Leg lifts were also good.  No pressure on my back. Only did one level today to keep my back safe.

Splits were good.  Got to the mark but not beyond.  Staying on a plateau for now, about two times a week going past it.  Soon, I'll go down another level.  Flow was smooth and clean.

In the end, I torched a respectable 850+kcals.  Happy for the weekend to be here.  Hope to do another long foam rolling time tomorrow. 13 days with not rest day is tough.  Hope to rest up tomorrow and relax.

2-25-16 HY: T25- Alpha: Full Body Circuit + 0-6 Abs- P2: L12 + Splits + TCF.

2-25-16 HY: T25- Alpha: Full Body Circuit + 0-6 Abs- P2: L12 + Splits + TCF.

My back was feeling a lot better, so I decided to go for it today, making sure not to stress my lower back, of course.

I've said this before, but I believe that Full Body Circuit is probably the most brutal cardio routine in T25. I will qualify that, for now, by also saying that it has been a while since I did all the way to Gamma so for now, and until I get to do Gamma again, it is. I made it all the way to the 15 minute mark then had to take a break. From then on, I took breaks every few moves. In total, I added about 6 minutes to the main program. I will stay with Alpha until I can do a Straight 25 on this routine. Then I'll know I'm ready for Beta.

Abs were good. No slipping, and balance was a lot better. I protected my back well, so no problems on that front. Splits were good, but wasn't able to push past the mark today. For some reason, my right glute and hammy was extra tight today. Looks like I'm headed for a good foam rolling session. Flow was, as usual, smooth and clean.

In the end, I torched a solid 850+kcals. Good burn for a shorter workout.

2-24-16 HY: BB- Bulk: Legs + 0-6 Abs- P2: L12 + Splits + TCF.

2-24-16 HY: BB- Bulk: Legs + 0-6 Abs- P2: L12 + Splits + TCF.

Lower back and left glute still in pain, but a bit less. I was seriously debating whether or not to do today's scheduled routine or not. I almost went with another upper body routine, but when I looked at the moves on the worksheet, I decided that I could do all the moves and then reduce the weights on the moves that required more back involvement. So I went with the scheduled routine. I also planned to lower all the weights in an attempt to not make my back worse, but when it came right down to it, I ended up not lightening the weights. I kept all the weights the same. The only move I was really worried about was the Straight Leg Dead Lift. Again, I was going to go down in weight, gave it a try, but I kept my form extremely rigid and didn't use my lower back at all, keeping it flat. The only adjustment I made was to lessen my range of motion when going down. Keeping my back flat, and not bowing it to get lower, and keeping the weights close to my legs put zero pressure on my back! YEAH! Went through the whole routine pain free! Win! And I got an awesome pump and burn in my legs. WIN! WIN!

I went ahead and did Abs and had no problems with the leg lifts, but didn't go as fast so as not to force my back to bow on the down-up motion at the bottom. I also put a towel on the ball to help prevent slippage.

Splits and Flow were again as good as they could be, so all in all, it was a great workout.

In the end, I torched a solid 950+kcals. Pretty much what I expected on Leg Day!

2-23-16 HY: Insanity: Max Recovery + Splits + TCF.

2-23-16 HY: Insanity: Max Recovery + Splits + TCF.

This morning, I woke up and as I was getting my regular first-cup-of-water, I was standing at a slight angle and as my cup was filling up... I felt it. It was sort of like the feeling that a disk in my lower back attached to one of the vertebra detached and slipped, causing me to lose stability in my lower back. There was the initial "pinched nerve" pain, but I quickly stood up straight and the pain was gone. But since that point, certain angles cause me lower back pain. If I sit or stand straight up, I'm totally painless, but at the wrong angle... OUCH! It isn't a heavy injury, but I was thinking of what workout to do. It is a cardio day but I thought that even just 25 minutes of T25 my aggravate it unnecessarily so I finally decided on Insanity, Max Recovery. I had forgotten how tough that routine was, even for a recovery routine. Plus, I was sore from Build: Chest and Tris so that didn't help any. Push ups are usually good to me, but today, that 4-8-16 progression was brutal. I got a huge pump and burn in my upper body, and holding those stretches just massacred my legs. I had to come out of the hold a few times to prevent cramping. This was more like a total body workout than recovery. Also, back to my back, I couldn't do the "Arms out flat back" at all. So I ended up supporting my upper body with my hands on my legs. All the other moves were fine. But it was real work. Felt good and tough. There was enough standing core work to justify me not doing 0-6 Abs today. Plus, The leg raise work in the routine puts too much pressure on my lower back so I opted out. But I was satisfied with the core burn I got from Max Recovery.

I was really encouraged today by my splits. Encouraged that I might actually hit my goal of full splits this year, hopefully by July. I was able to get very low today, getting past my mark again at slightly an off angle for my hips. But I'll get there... FOR SURE! Flow was smooth and clean.

In the end, I burned a solid 500+kcals. That was a lot more than I had expected, so I'm happy.

2-22-16 HY: BB- Build: Chest/Tris + 0-6 Abs- P2: L12 + Splits + TCF.

2-22-16 HY: BB- Build: Chest/Tris + 0-6 Abs- P2: L12 + Splits + TCF.

Back to normalcy.

Today marks the beginning of week 3 of Block Three: BEAST Block. I kept the weights the same as the last time, and actually made some headway. I felt like I was able to target my chest and triceps a lot better today. I was really feeling the pump in my chest, and got an additional burn on my triceps. My biggest gains were with the Tricep Push-Ups on the second to last Super set. In the Build Block, I couldn't even get one on my toes. Five times through this routine in Build Block and I couldn't get one Tricep Push-Up on my toes. The next time I did this routine after Build Block was on January 31. That day, I managed only one Tricep Push-Up on my toes at the beginning of the 15rep set, then no more. Today, HUGE GAINS/PROGRESS!!! Set 1- 6reps on my toes, 9 on my knees. Set 2- 5reps on my toes, 7 on my knees. Set 3- 4reps on my toes, 4 on my knees. For me, that is huge! I was very happy. I was actually very surprised that I still had any strength left in my triceps to push up. I had to do a little wiggle on the last set, but I got up. I was stoked!

I moved right into Abs, back to 0-6 Abs, and went up to Level 12. It was a lot more difficult than I thought. The lateral rolls on one foot was the toughest, not because my abs weren't able to handle it, but because I had no way to push off to make a lateral roll with a stiff core. I had to sort of hinge at the waist to get the ball to roll. Then, my elbows kept slipping off the center and I ended up virtually hugging the ball. Guess I'll have to work on that and find a solution. I got a good burn, but my core had a little tweak from all the tennis so I kept it at one level for today.

Splits were really good today. I was happy to get past the regular mark. So I think I'll just try and get as low as possible and not worry about angle. The Flow was smooth and clean.

In the end, I torched a good 850+kcals. Again, another surprisingly high number for an upper body+ routine, but happy none the less.

2-21-16 HY: Tennis + Splits + TCF.

2-21-16 HY: Tennis + Splits + TCF.

It was actually resistance day today, and my son was planning to play tennis with a friend so everything was supposed to go smoothly. I had a special work day today so when I got home, I was going to relax a while and then start week 3 of the Beast Block.  It was not to be. When I got home my son was acting all sulky and depressed so I asked what was the matter. He said that his friend couldn't play because his back was hurting. Oh no! Then it came... "Daddy, can you play with me?"  What's a father to say? Add to that the fact that he will be leaving home for college in less than 2 months, no brainer. Then came the really cool tough question, "Can we play for two hours?" I was quite wary of this because my back and glute quite tender from yesterday's session. But, like a sap, I said yes. I old later regret it.  Also, if we were going to play on schedule, we had to leave in less than 30 minutes so no relaxing.

We started to play from 5pm.  It was not too bad, but knowing we were scheduled for two hours, I couldn't come out hitting the blistering shots like yesterday, I would have to pace myself.  It was okay, but my inconsistency frustrated me. Then, as the sun began to dip below the horizon, the chill started to set in. Much colder than last night, but thankfully no wind. But my back and glute started to tighten up again. I was in literal pain every time I had to bend, or drop low for a ball. It was a very high and low sort of day. Hitting some awesome shots, then a spell of junk. I tried to stretch it out, but I could never get enough time.  Anyway, I stuck it out for the whole two hours without complaining, but with a lot of grunting and groaning.  We both breathed in really cold air so at the end of it, we were both coughing some.  On top of that, I hadn't fueled up sufficiently so I was dead tired. Exhausted!  But that time with my son will be our time forever. What more can I ask for?

In the end, I torched a whopping 1450+kcals. Sweat, pain and more pain were all worth it to see my son having fun with his old man.

Later that evening, I made the time to do the Splits and Flow. I actually got lower than I expected to with the splits. Flow was as expected, smooth and clean. This week will be an odd week. I don't think my rickety old body can handle 13 straight days of pounding workouts, so I may have to put in a day of yoga or stretching or something lore impact. Or I might try to muscle it out. Who knows! I'll just do my best and forget the rest!

2-20-16 HY: Foam Rolling + Tennis.

2-20-16 HY: Foam Rolling + Tennis.

Today was the Sabbath which is why Saturday is my off day and why I have a time crunch on Friday afternoons.  Today after church, I was relaxing with my family and my glute was hurting. I figured I could relieve some of that discomfort by foam rolling. So I got out my rumble roller and rolled. Several times I almost fell asleep, but I kept rolling. Ended up rolling full body. It took over an hour and a half. Felt like a wet noodle afterwards.

After sunset, my son wanted to go and play tennis. There was a torrential downpour the night before but luckily the sun came out from the late morning so we were able to play. I have some work on Sunday or we would have played for two hours. Conditions were terrible. Strong gusty winds and cold. Sometimes the ball was blown off a straight trajectory as much as 30 degrees.  But this was the first time in months that my son had been on court because of his studies so he was just happy to be out there and so was I. No match, but just traded booming shots the whole time. We had lots of fun. In the end, I torched 800+kcals. It was a good day all around. Love playing all this tennis. Three times this week!

2-19-16 HY: Tennis + Splits + TCF.

2-19-16 HY: Tennis + Splits + TCF.

It is very rare during the school year to play twice in a week, but since our students are on vacation, no class. So we have more free time. Also, since my partner is leaving for a couple weeks we decided to give it a go one more time. Today was okay. Not super and not terrible. Not very high highs and only relatively low lows. Just an okay day. I hit several good shots as well as several junk shots. I still need to work on control and focus. As far as the match, this was not a strong outing. I was chasing pretty much the whole time. In the first set, after losing the first game, I was chasing. But I finally caught up, then every time I nosed ahead, I fell behind. It was a very long set with the new scoring. I eventually took the set, 6-4. The second set, also ended up taking a really long time. So long that we couldn't finish it. But I was up 4-2 when the time ended. One possible cause of the lack luster play was the fact that my arms were quite sore. Also, my back was a little tight. Thankfully, it wasn't as bad as Wednesday. Also, my left glute was tighter today for some reason. Yep, all "age" related ailments. HA! Despite the average play, I had a good time. And in the end, I torched a good 990kcals.

I got home a bit earlier and I was able to get in a full Splits set and Flow. It was really good, and I pushed hard. But I only got to my regular mark. As usual, the Flow was smooth and clean. Glad the weekend is upon us!

2-18-16 HY: BB-Bulk: Arms + 0-6 Abs- P2: L11 & 10 + Splits + TCF.

2-18-16 HY: BB-Bulk: Arms + 0-6 Abs- P2: L11 & 10 + Splits + TCF.

Got home early again today and was able to do a full workout. Last resistance routine of the first half of Beast Block. So I was happy to finally get all the old worksheets out and now, all new clean worksheets are in my file.

I had to really push today, and I got close to failure on a lot of moves, but only one move forced me to truly do "anything it takes" to get the weights up. Here they are:

Progressive Set: Standing Curl (6.25/7.5/10/10/7.5/6.25kgs). These weights felt good. The 10's are ready to go up a bit, though. Good starting set.

Single Set: Triceps Extension (14.5/17/22/19.5kgs). This was also a good set. But I'm ready to go up to Max weight.

Force Set: Wide EZ Bar Curl (13.5kgs). DO NOT PUT THE DUMBBELLS DOWN! I didn't. But I was really using some body English to get the weights up by the fifth set.

Single Set: Skull Crusher (7.5/10/13.25/12kgs). I struggled on the Drop set, but not as much as before. I was also able to keep my elbows in more. Maybe, I'm ready to go up a touch next time.

Progressive Set: Hammer Curl & Tricep Kickback (6.25/8.25/11.25/11.25/8.25/6.25kgs). These two moves are in their own independent Progressive set, but I'm combining them because the weights are the same. On the Hammers, the heavy weight was almost too tough going up. I needed a good amount of body English to get the dumbbells up, especially on the left. But going down, Right was good, and I only needed a little English on the final 5 reps. For the Kickbacks, Going up was fine, but I couldn't keep up with Segi's pace on the heavy weights. Coming down, I kept up until the final set. My tris and rear deltoids were just BURNING so before the final set, I took a little break and shook it out.

Single Set: Weighted Crunch (7.5kgs). I went up 1.25kgs today, and I felt every milligram. But I was able to do straight 30reps. I was feeling so pumped, as always after this routine. AWESOME!!!

Abs were good, I felt strong and I was able to stick with all the trainer's cues. I felt the pump and got on a little burn. I only have three levels left, so I'm going to mainly stick with this program until I finish. But, like on Tuesday, I might do one ab routine a week from another program just for variety.

The Splits were good. I pushed a much as I could, but didn't make it past my mark. Flow was smooth and clean.

In the end, I torched a whopping 880+kcals. A lot more than usual for Bulk: Arms+.

2-17-16 HY: Tennis + Splits + TCF.

2-17-16 HY: Tennis + Splits + TCF.

Tennis day! Had a good match today, or at least compared to last week. I had a little more control today of my backhand, but was largely inconsistent all around. Lots of ups and downs. But the ups were sky high while the downs were a few shots dumped into the net. Footwork was a lot better and court coverage was good. Final score was 6-1, 6-3. By the end of the match, I had torched 1140+kcals. Felt good about that burn. It was rather cold in the gym which is why my back sort of tightened up. Not the regular lower back pain, just a general tightening.

Got my Splits and Flow in after my night class. Today was just maintenance today because my legs were really sore and my knee felt a little gimpy, so I focused on just getting to the mark, which I was able to do. Flow was Smooth and Clean!

2-16-16 HY: BB- Bulk:Back + Chalean Extreme- Extreme Core Circuit + Splits + TCF.

2-16-16 HY: BB- Bulk:Back + Chalean Extreme- Extreme Core Circuit + Splits + TCF.

Got an earlier start today because I was able to make it home a little earlier from work. No relaxing, just got stuff done then right to the workout! That's the way I like it.

Bulk: Back is a short, but intense routine. I think I push harder when the routine is short because I want to hit my max out point as soon as possible. I kept the weights the same as last time around except for three moves, the Single Set Dead Lift, and the last super set. Went to Max on the Dead Lifts. Here are the weights:

Super Set: Pull-Over (12/14.5/19.5/17kgs). Pull Up (10repsX3sets). Love this first set. It sets the tone because I can really activate my lats and back, because I have to really focus. One thing I discovered today on Pull Ups is that I can put a little more stress on my back if I bounce up, creating a sort of bungee cord reaction at that low point, especially in my lats. But it is harder to get back up over the bar, so it is a good challenge. Oh, and the Pull-Over move is key in actually activating my back as well.

Progressive Set: Reverse Grip Row (12.5/14.5/17/17/14.5/12.5kgs). Going up the 17's were really tough. I couldn't get full range of motion on the last couple reps. Going down, the 12.5's were killer. 15reps is huge when you are blasted.

Force Set: One-Arm Row (14.5kgs X5sets of 5reps). I was able to keep up with Segi all the way through this one. Got a great burn and huge pump. But I think I'll go up a touch next time around.

Single Set: Dead Lift (12.5/14.5/25/22kgs). This is the move that I am able to activate my lats the most. Coming up, I roll my shoulders back and stop the roll back with my lats and that is an awesome way for me to pinpoint my back.

Super Set: Reverse Fly (5/6.25kgs). Plank Rotation (6.25/7.5kgs/ 12reps each). Went up to the next level on both moves. I had to bend my arms a bit on the heavy flies, but surprisingly, the heavy Plank Rotations were easier than the lighter ones. Got a great cardio affect with it, too.

By the end of this routine, my back and shoulders and tris were so pumped and burning. I knew I ripped it up! Felt good!

I don't know what came over me, but I really felt like a change today, so instead of the 0-6 Abs, I went with Chalene. I wanted to see how I did with a regular ab routine after doing just 0-6 abs for the past month or so. I must say, I was happy with my performance. I never used any weights with this routine before because I couldn't hack it, but today, I decided to be a little adventurous and give it a go with 1kg in each hand. I think that is a little heavier than the weighted gloves the team was using. And I was able to do it. But I definitely got a pump AND a good burn in the core. Felt really good. I chose this routine specifically because I wanted to use the Swiss Ball. I may try some other Ball routines as well from here on out after I finish 0-6 Abs. I only have 3 levels left.

Splits were good. I was pushing and went a little lower on the side splits. Got a little close to the tearing point so I backed off. But I'll push to and past that point soon. Flow was again, smooth and clean.

In the end, I torched a good 630+kcals. As expected with an upper body workout.

2-15-16 HY: T25- Alpha: Speed 1.0 + 0-6 Abs- P2: L11 & 10 + Splits + TCF.

2-15-16 HY: T25- Alpha: Speed 1.0 + 0-6 Abs- P2: L11 & 10 + Splits + TCF.

Without thinking I started setting up for a resistance workout. Then I remembered that today is Cardio Day. So, I looked at the schedule and saw that it was Speed 1.0. I was feeling good so I almost went off schedule and did Full Body Circuit. But, I decided to stick with the schedule. Thank goodness I did. It was a lot tougher than I expected. Several times throughout the routine, the pain in my arches almost made me quit, but the stretch saved me. But this time, the pain didn't dissipate as quickly as it used to so the next move started with a little pain and just heightened. But I eventually hit my second wind at the 8 minute mark and the Burnout was burned up! Just barely made a Straight 25. Looks like I am still not ready for Beta. Guess I'm doing the full month.

I was a little burned out so I took a few minutes to recover then went into abs. Today, I did start to feel a burn with level 11. But Level 10 emphasized to me how sore my shoulders were from yesterday. That Balance Plank really stressed them out.

Splits were good today. I hit the mark again, quite quickly and was able to get back to the low level but just not past it. Felt like there was a slight hitch in my hip flexors. The Flow was also smooth and clean.

In the end, I torched a solid 750+kcals. Happy to get it done!

2-14-16 HY: BB- Bulk: Shoulders + 0-6 Abs: P2: L11 & 10 + Splits + TCF.

2-14-16 HY: BB- Bulk: Shoulders + 0-6 Abs: P2: L11 & 10 + Splits + TCF.

Just another relaxing Sunday morning. Had to get my butt going so I went to the car shop with my wife to pick up my car. When we got home, my engine was going so I went right into workout mode.

I basically kept weights all the same as before, so I could go right to the moves. I wanted to up some moves, but once I actually got into it, I realized that I couldn't do it. Here are the weights:

Super Set: Lateral Raise (3/4/5kgs). Arnold Press (13.25/14.5/17/15.75kgs). On the first move, I was toying with the idea of going up, but decided to stick with this and good thing. Still not able to feel totally comfortable with the 5's. The Arnold Press always pumps up my shoulders. The first two sets were good, but the 17's were very tough, but I gutted it out. The last set was just about too heavy. I totally hit failure. It was at the point where I would raise the weight and stop 3/4 of the way up and just couldn't get it to the top without some help. So I would bounce on my ball and get a little momentum. I couldn't do the last rep, so I had to put the weights down, then get the last rep in while standing. Shoulders were so pumped.

Progressive Set: Upright Row (10/12/14.5/14.5/12/10kgs). I was doing fine on the way up, but on the way down, I was feeling the burn on the last 2 sets. I had to take tiny breaks on the final set to get it done. But the BURN was real.

Super Set: Alt. Front Raise (4/5/7.5kgs). Plate Twist-Twist (7.5kgs X 3sets of 10reps). The first 2 sets on the first move burned me out, but I wanted to do the weight jump. The 7.5's pumped me up. The second move did both for me. But I did feel a little stronger at the end of this move.

Progressive Set: Reverse Fly (4/5/6.25/6.25/5/4kgs). I was thinking to go up on this move, but in the end, I wasn't able to. The 6.25's were almost too heavy. I had to raise them with bent arms. I usually do this move in Flat Back, but today, I went with doing it on the Swiss Ball. That was really tough because I couldn't use a body shake to start the weights up. Had to muscle them up. Major Burn and Pump.

Super Set: Superman Stretch (10reps x2sets). Plank Twist-Twist (37reps/38reps). Move one is an easy move so I just try to get as much range of motion on it. Move two is a good cardio move that I try to push as fast as possible with good range of motion. Didn't hit my record (40reps) today.

Got a huge pump and burn in my shoulders today, along with other muscles like back and upper tris.

I decided to move up a level for my abs. Level 11 was back on the ball, but with a Lateral Ball Roll, and Alternating Leg Raise with Weighted Upper Body. The Lateral Ball Roll is still comparatively easy so I didn't have much trouble with it. The hardest part is keeping the plank because my shoulders were burned out. On the second move, the trainer recommended 25lbs for men. So I went with 9lbs just to see what I was in for on the first set. That was pretty light, so I jumped up to about 32lbs for sets 2-4. Keeping my upper body off the ground was so much tougher. I was feeling pretty good after the 4th set, so I went ahead and also did level 10. It was a lot tougher with my shoulder burned out. Also, something happened with this routine that has never happened to me before. When I work abs, I max out and the burn comes. Today, I was sort of maxing out, but I didn't get the burn. I wasn't sure why. It was a weird sensation. I felt the pump, but no burn. ODD!

Splits were good. I got to my mark quickly, even after an off day. I was planning to do the splits and Flow on Saturday, but I figured I should give my joints a break. So the felt a lot better today. I guess I need at least a day's break after a couple weeks from stretching. Plus, no left glute cramping today. That was a happy thing. Flow was good as well.

In the end, I torched a solid 716kcals. Good way to start off my week.

2-12-16 HY: T25- Alpha: Cardio + Splits + TCF.

2-12-16 HY: T25- Alpha: Cardio + Splits + TCF.

Got home late so I had to make a choice in the time crunch. So I decided to let go of the Ab routine today. I was feeling a little soreness in my legs, so I was a little wary of doing this cardio. But once I got started I was on, and the pain abated. The Run Progression is a tough way to start, and my feet started to feel the pain coming on, but I rode it out and I got a good second wind and kept on going. I was nailing everything with good range of motion until the 15 minute mark. I was in the middle of the very last move of the first Burnout when the phone rang. My daughter answered it then needed me to talk, SOOOO I had to stop, catch my breath, then talk on the phone. 20 seconds later, and after rewinding the move to start it again, I was back at it. But about 5 minutes later, I had to stop again for another phone call. I was disappointed because I thought I might have been able to do a straight 25, but at the 5 minute mark, when doing the second half of the speed & agility, the Jack Feet, my arches couldn't take it so I had to take the last 10 seconds and shake them out. But I went straight from then on all the way. A lot better than the last time I did this routine. Making large strides of improvement. With the knowledge that I would not be doing abs today, I was trying to flex my core as much as possible when raising my knees so I hope that did a little something.

Splits were good. Getting to my mark faster, but still have that hip flexor pain. I need to push through that so I can break out of my most recent plateau. Still keeping it up though. I'm still very encouraged to compare where I was last year to today. Not much further to go! Flow was as usual, smooth and clean.

In the end, I torched a VERY SHOCKING 830+kcals. Yes, I was shocked. I don't look at my calorie burn until I stop the HRM and I was guessing it would be more like in the 500's, but 800's, Shocked to say the least. But smashing way to finish off this week.

Advice request: I am a huge tennis fan/player/freak as you know, so I was wondering if anyone has any advice on what to do to even out body strength. My right side is stronger than my left. Should I just workout more on my left to strengthen it, or is keeping the workout balance the key?

Why the white background and big spaces???

Okay, I'm doing the exact same thing I've always done, but I have no idea why there is a white background and so much space between paragraphs. Any idea what the deal is?  Please comment.

2-11-16 HY: BB- Build: Legs + 0-6 Abs- P2: L9 & 10 + Splits + TCF.

2-11-16 HY: BB- Build: Legs + 0-6 Abs- P2: L9 & 10 + Splits + TCF.

Back to a normal workout today. Had sort of a busy morning, but was able to relax in the afternoon. Today is a national holiday so I was off from work. YAH!!! I still procrastinated until the regular time though, so I got done at the regular time.

I really like the Build: Legs routine. It just KILLS my legs. It is a little longer because of all the double moves, but it goes by fast because there are only 4 sets. I kept the weights for most of the moves, but I upped them when I could, mainly on squat moves. Here they are:

Single Set: Sumo Squat (10/19.5/25/22kgs). Went the limit of my dumbbells today, but for squats, that is still a bit light. The first weight might seem light, and it is. But I use that as sort of a warm up. From the second set, I put on the weight.

Super Set: Alternating Lunge & Step-Up to Reverse Lunge (7.5/10/12kgs). This is a tough move, especially with the heavier weights, but I think this is my favorite set of the bunch. I was happy that I didn't lose my balance like I did before, and my knee was not hurting either.

Giant Set: Parallel Squat (17/19.5/25kgs). Bulgarian Squat & Straight Leg Dead Lift (7.5/8.75/10kgs). I went to DB limit again, and it was good. Started to get a good burn and pump at 25kgs. Ready for more on that move. The last two moves are my least favorite. But don't get me wrong, I still like them, just not as much as some others. I always start to feel a cramp coming on with the light set. 15 reps is a lot. But the heavier weights give a good burn. The Dead Lift really works the hamstrings hard, and I also get a little tweak in my lower back. That is the main reason why I don't go heavier, got to protect my back. Little by little bumping the weights up. I've gotten carried away before and gotten hurt. Never again.

Giant Set: Single Leg Calf Raise (Left- 47reps at 10kgs/ 50reps at 12kgs. Right- 49reps at 10kgs/ 50reps at 12kgs). Seated Calf Raise (36reps at 17kgs/ 36reps at 19.5kgs). In and Outs (36/40reps). Nice finisher. Calves were BURNING so bad, but the double reps was good. I was glad I could work them more. In Bulk: Legs, there's only one set per side on calves, so tripling that is good. Again, for the ab move, since I'm on the ground, I raised my hand above my head like Tony does in Ab Ripper X. Good warm up for the next routine. As I write this, I feel my legs and glutes throbbing. I know I'm going to feel this tomorrow. Or actually, I may feel in the day after tomorrow. Recently, soreness comes two days after instead of the next day. Odd. But I'm happy because I know I had a good workout.

Abs were very solid today. Doing two levels. The burn and groan is still there in the fourth set of Level 9, but I'm controlling it much better now. Level 10 is still not much of a problem. I could probably hold it a lot longer than 40 seconds. But despite that, I feel I'm progressing.

Splits were really good today. I didn't get past my lowest point, but I got to that point a lot quicker than I have in the past. Baby steps for sure. Flow was smooth and clean.

In the end, I torched a bug 1002kcals. BOOM!!! I just hope I'll be able to do my cardio tomorrow. HA!

2-10-16 HY: Splits + TCF.

2-10-16 HY: Splits + TCF.

Well, I was planning to do a X3 Yoga today also, but due to some good news received by my daughter (she passed the entrance exam to her first choice high school), we had a little celebration when I got home that went a little longer than planned. So I only had time for Splits and Flow. I didn't bother wearing a HRM so no calorie burn count. It was just important for me to get the splits done so I could maintain my flexibility level. I lose it so quickly if I skip a day. Good stretch and Flow!!!

2-09-16 HY: Tennis + TCF + Splits + BB- Bulk: Chest + 0-6 Abs- P2: L9&10 + Splits.

2-09-16 HY: Tennis + TCF + Splits + BB- Bulk: Chest + 0-6 Abs- P2: L9&10 + Splits.

Today was a monster day. Not be choice, but by necessity. Tennis day had to be pushed to Tuesday because we would not have access to the gym on our regular day.  Then, on top of that, I wasn't sure what was on tap for Body Beast, but after tennis, I was really tired. So, I said to myself that if a Leg workout was scheduled, I would only do splits and Flow. Well, it turns out that Chest was up and Legs are after that, so, I went ahead and did it.  It also works because Wednesday will be a late day so I will only have time for shorter workout in the evening.  So in the end, everything works out.

Tennis was... VERY VERY NOT GOOD. I know what the problem was, but my backhand was totally off. Just returning was fine, but when I was going for a winner or specific placement, I would miss hit the ball, or something would go wrong and the ball would go flying out into the next court.  There was also an issue with backlighting that made seeing the ball very tough. Even though I won the match, I am very dissatisfied with my play.

After the match, I took a lot of time to Flow and get centered again.  As always, it was nice to be free with no restrictions or barriers in my way, so no having to adjust my stances.  A few times, I overextended my stance, but a few Flows into the session, I stabilized myself.

My legs were sore and I was tired when I got home, so I wasn't in the best frame of mind to do a resistance workout. But I actually like Bulk: Chest, so that helped my attitude a lot.  As I started the getting ready, my daughter needed to use the computer so, while she was using it, I went ahead and did the splits.  It was a bit tough with sore legs but I was able to get back to my mark. When I finally was able to start my workout,   I decided to keep the weights the same as my previous run. Most of the weights I kept the same, but I did raise the weights on a few moves.  Here are my weights:
Super Set: Incline Fly (8.75/10/12kgs). Incline Press (13.25/15.75/25/22kgs). Move one was good.  The lighter weights gave me the opportunity to try and focus on my chest and activate my pecs a little more.  The second more was good.  But I was at my limit on the Drop Set.  Just barely getting up on the final rep and impossible to got one more in. I went up 3kgs on the Drop set.
Force Set: Chest Press w/ Rotation (19.5kgsX5).  This was my limit.  I can usually hit the first 4 sets then struggle on the 5th, but at this weight, I was beginning the struggle on the 3rd set.  I barely held out to the 5th set.  Definitely couldn't have gone any more.
Progressive Set: Incline Press (14.5/17/19.5/19.5/17/14.5kgs).  Only the first two sets were "easy" but the last four sets, all were struggles from the halfway point.  I could not keep up with Segi's pace either.  He seemed to pick up the pace early on.  I just could not hang.
Combo Set: Close-Grip Press to Fly (7.5/10/12kgs).  This one, I changed a lot from the previous time.  I went down 1.25kgs on the first set, up the same amount on the second, and ended up at the same weight on the final set.  Also, I did only the three sets.  No extra fourth set this time.  I hit my limit so many times already, I was just spent.
EXTRA SET: Band Uppercuts (Green). I did four sets on this rep count was 15-12-10-8. This move is Awesome! I really was able to activate my chest and did a static hold to get the burn.
Multi Set: Decline Push-Up (15/12/8reps), Cobra to Airplane (12reps). Russian Twist (32reps, legs up). If this finishing move was designed to burn me out, well, it lived up to its calling.  I was burned out. Scraping out those last 8 push ups was brutal!  But I was able to keep pace and crush it.
This was a super workout and I felt the pump and BURN!  One of the biggest things that I was very happy with is the fact that after all that heavy weight I did on presses and flies, my hands didn't hurt to the point of needing to give up.  With the heavy weights, I usually have a pain in my hand, specifically, my palms.  But today, I was fine. No overwhelming pain. That is definitely a win!

I was really tired by the end of the main workout, so I was thinking to just do one level.  I did Level 9 and crushed it! I was strong and stable.  Straight through, no rest.  That success energized me enough to motivate me to go on to Level 10, which I also crushed.  So happy to burn it out.

After I finish my workouts, I like to got right into the shower, but today, my daughter beat me to it, so while I was waiting, I stretched out with splits and some extra yoga moves.  While I didn't get any lower that my mark, I was able to settle there.  Hopefully I will see a clear benefit to doing splits twice.  That would motivate me to continue to do so.

So here are the totals.  Another Monster day!

In the end, I Torched 986kcals during Tennis, and then an additional 990kcal during my evening workout.  For a grand total of 1976kcals on the day!!! I will definitely need a mid week recovery day with some yoga a night.  I'll still keep up the stretch though, of course.

2-08-16 HY: T25- Alpha: Lower Focus + 0-6 Abs- P2: L9 & 10 + Splits + TCF.

2-08-16 HY: T25- Alpha: Lower Focus + 0-6 Abs- P2: L9 & 10 + Splits + TCF.

I did the final routine of Alpha today. Or at least the routines that I'm going to do. I am not doing Ab Circuit because I'm doing abs pretty much everyday already so I'm not really planning on using that routine. This is the first time to do this routine in a long time so I was excited to refresh my memory. I was VERY happy that the beginning was that same Run Progression. The past few times I've had to do it, I went through some pretty intense pain in my arches and ankles, but today, I was able to get through it non-stop and go smoothly into the Squat and Lunge progression. I was pretty much nailing the routine until about 10 minutes left and one move just burned me out. I had to take a break just before the first Burnout. After that, I had to take a few more quick breaks. The most killer move that brought the pain was the Calf Hops. That just killed my arches on both feet. I had to take two quick breaks to shake out my foot. I eventually added about two and a half minutes to the main routine for rewinding and starting over again. There were also a couple times I had to watch and learn the move before doing it. But I feel my endurance and foot strength increasing little by little.

After doing Level 10 yesterday and it was easy, I decided to go for two levels, 9 and 10. So that is what I did today. I started with the more difficult one, 9. But it was the most stable and strongest showing with that level ever. So I was very pleased. Level 10 was good as well. But I will say, that my back was burning from holding my arm out in the balance plank. My right side especially in the first round. But after that, the rest of the rounds were relatively easy. But I got a good pump and burn in my core.

The Splits were good, but I couldn't push lower that yesterday. I didn't quite make it as low as yesterday, but I am being cautious. I tried to push it, but my glute started to cramp and so I laid off a bit. I'll have to find out the reason of that cramp and stretch it out so I can get past it. I'm glad to keep it going though. I also added extra glute stretches and Pigeon pose. Flow was on point.

In the end, I torched a good 761kcals. Good solid number for today's workout.

2-07-16 HY: BB- Build: Shoulders + 0-6 Abs- P2: L10 + Splits + TCF.

2-07-16 HY: BB- Build: Shoulders + 0-6 Abs- P2: L10 + Splits + TCF.

Sundays are good days around these parts. Nothing big to do today but run a few errands in town. But for some reason, I procrastinated and ended up doing my workout at the usual time. I wanted to do it earlier, but there were little things that required my attention and then it got later and later. But I am glad I could get a full workout in and done.

Build: Shoulders is a really good routine. Looking over the weights, they were a bit lighter than in Bulk: Shoulders. But, I still kept close to the Build level and went up when I felt I was ready. So, here are the weights:

Single Set: Shoulder Press (12/13.25/15.75/14.5kgs). This was down about 1.25kgs from Bulk and it made a huge difference. On the drop set, I could stay seated the whole time, and on the final set, I just needed a couple mid-set breaks to get through it. Push it hard.

Super Set: Lateral Raise (4/5/6.25kgs). Upright Row (12/13.25/15.75/14.5kgs). Move one set one seems like a light weight, but by the 12th rep, I was feeling the burn, but I was able to keep my form. Barely kept my form in the second set, but the heavy set, I needed to bend my elbows. Even though the weights were light, I could really target the shoulders. I was struggling with the second move on the Drop Set. I had to really grind it out because that burn was coming on fast. Definitely couldn't have done 12 reps with the heavy weights.

Giant Set: EZ Bar Underhand Press (10/12/13.25kgs). 1,1,2 Front Raise and Rear Delt Raise (3/4/5kgs). I went up 2.5kgs on the first move. I was feeling good, so I decided to push myself on this move. I don't have an EZ Bar so I use dumbbells. I don't know if I could use a bar because my wrist flexibility doesn't seem to be that good. So, I'm making due with dumbbells. Move two is really tough. Easy, but this is a burner. The burn sort of sneaks up on me. I'm feeling good, but then at rep 13 or so, WHAM!! Major BURN! That happens with each set. The heavy set, I can barely get the dumbbells over my head, but I muscled it them up to finish out the set. The third move was like the lateral raises. The slow burn creeps up and cooks right through.

Super Set: Standing Dumbbell Shrug (17/19.5/25/22kgs). Dumbbell Scap Trap (17/19.5/22kgs). I have to really watch the first move so I hit the right muscles. It is so easy to do it the wrong way. The second move is a lot more difficult for me because when I use my ball, the weights are on the floor so my range of motion is reduced. So, I do the move bending over. I have to really watch my back.

Super Set: Segi Six-Way (3/4kgs). Tuck & Roll (15reps X2). I went up .75kgs and that was more than enough. All those moves were really burning at the end of each set. Barely able to get the weights over my head on the last couple of reps. Second move was a good warm up for my ab work. The weird thing is my right wrist was a little sore, and now, my right forearm feels a bit strained. So I'm constantly needing to stretch it out for the past hour.

Moved right into abs. Today, I decided to go up to level 10. the two moves were Cross Balance Plank and Leg Raises. Times are the same, 40 seconds on 20 second rest and repeat. It was actually a lot easier than Level 9. I didn't get as much burn in the core as I did with level 9. So, I'll probably go back to level 9 and then also do 10.

Splits were AWESOME!!! Today, I got a lot lower on the straddle splits than I have ever gotten. From my estimate, I think I broke the 10cm barrier. So I'm less than 10cm to my goal on the straddle splits. I definitely got much lower than the push up bar height. Side splits, are still a little higher. My hamstrings are lengthening, but my front hip flexors don't seem to be opening up. In the side splits position, I can go down further when I lean forward. But if I go upright, the hip flexor in the back leg just won't open up. That is where I need to push. I did some extra stretch moves at the end as well in an attempt to open up. The Flow was on par, smooth and clean.

In the end, I torched a solid 750+kcals. Good start to the week. Looking at my schedule, Wednesday is going to pose some problems because I have no opening to do a workout until after 8pm. I think that will be a quick yoga day. I'm seeing what can be done.