Week 2, Day 5. T25-Alpha: Ab Intervals + Tai Cheng: Neural Reboot P1 + Ward off-Pull Back Combo.

Week 2, Day 5. T25-Alpha: Ab Intervals + Tai Cheng: Neural Reboot P1 + Ward off-Pull Back Combo.

 

I really wanted to get two in a row of Straight 25, but ab intervals is still really tough for me. I was taking mini breaks all over the place. I need to really focus on my abs to make them firm. This is going to be really tough to get my abs in shape. Five weeks may not be enough.

 

Tai Cheng really felt good today. I feel that the Neural Reboot is helping a lot with flexibility and balance.

Week 2, Day 4. T25-Alpha: Cardio + Tai Cheng: Neural Reboot P1 + Lift & Lower - Phoenix Tail Combo.

Week 2, Day 4. T25-Alpha: Cardio + Tai Cheng: Neural Reboot P1 + Lift & Lower - Phoenix Tail Combo.

I have coined a phrase that is going to be my rallying cry for the duration of my doing T25. The phrase is "Straight 25".  Not very original, but I like it because is expresses my desire to get through each routine in the T25 program without any break. I strive to do the 25 minutes STRAIGHT, no breaks.

Today, was the first ever, after a week and a half of a Straight 25 routine. I totally nailed it. The amazing this it that I forgot my knee brace and almost stopped to get it, but I thought, "Nope, I've started already, No stopping." My knee wasn't feeling gimpy at all. It felt strong all throughout the routine.  There were two points at which I almost stopped, but pushed through, In the middle of the second burnout while doing the last agility move. My arches were just dying! Let me just say that I love how fast that progress bar moves. The next move was the low kicks! Love IT! That move was great because I could shake it out as well as kick. The second point was at the 2 minute mark, just before the "Building the power move." Again, my arches were aching, but with only 2 minutes left, there was no way I was stopping so I just booted that thought from my mind. STRAIGHT 25 BABY!!! The first time EVER for me. Woo Hoo!!! I was stoked!!

Today's Tai Cheng combo is a repeat of Sunday's combo.  I had forgotten it, so I was happy I could go over it again. I have to make a concerted effort to remember these moves and combos. Dr. Cheng doesn't tell us to do that, but I need to get my head into the game as well. So I'm planning to try visualizing the combo move throughout the day, reminding myself of the cues.

At the end, I burned over 600kcals in today's workout. Great day's work.

Week 2, Day 3. T25-Alpha: Speed 1.0 + Tai Cheng: Neural Reboot P1 + Press - Separate & Pull Combo. PLUS Tennis to start the day.

Week 2, Day 3. T25-Alpha: Speed 1.0 + Tai Cheng: Neural Reboot P1 + Press - Separate & Pull Combo. PLUS Tennis to start the day.

Today was a weird and great day. Started off with Tennis in the morning. It was my first tennis match in about a month, and my first real competitive match since the middle of August. It started off really rough, I couldn't keep anything in the court and my timing was SO off. It took me about 15 minutes to get my bearings and start really stroking the ball. I found my groove and hit away. Final score, 6-0, 6-1, 6-1, 6-0.  Burned 1000+kcals.

After the tennis match, I have been missing doing pull ups, so I ripped out 20 pull ups in a 12-4-4 set. I'm thinking of doing pull ups regularly to keep up that ability. Don't want to lose what I gained from P90X3. Although I feel I have already lost some strength in that area because I haven't done a serious series of pull ups since finishing P90X3.

I got home around 8pm so I rushed my prep and started Speed 1.0 at about 8:30pm. I was able to do Up and Down's a little better this time, but still felt like a hack. I was able to hang with Shaun T for almost 20 minutes. With 6 minutes remaining, I had to take a 15 second breather to shake out my feet. My arches were killing me, but recovery time with shaking it out is getting shorter. I only took one more break at 3 minutes remaining, but after that, I pounded it home.  Great workout, and I feel myself getting better at it along with my legs getting stronger. My legs were a bit sore and tired from the tennis already, so I think I might have been able to hang the entire time if I didn't already do a lot of movement with tennis in the morning.

Tai Cheng was, as usual, Awesome! Love today's combo and felt the flow really nicely. I'm trying to follow Dr. Cheng as closely as possible, but I still wish I had him here with my to check my form. Sometimes I get the sense that I'm doing something wrong, or I'm missing something in my stance or posture and I just can't figure it out.  Hopefully those questions will abate when I get further into the program.

In total, I burned close to 1700kcals today.  Plus, Vegan Berry Shakeology for dinner!

Week 2, Day 2. T25-Alpha: Total Body Circuit + Tai Cheng: Neural Reboot P1 + Ward Off - Pull Back Combo.

Week 2, Day 2. T25-Alpha: Total Body Circuit + Tai Cheng: Neural Reboot P1 + Ward Off - Pull Back Combo.

I was really happy about going almost all the way with Cardio yesterday, so I was anxious to see how I would do today. In short, not a well. For some reason, I was feeling a bit heavy today with the push ups and Squats. I made it 10 minutes into the routine, then had to take a break. Then I took a couple of breaks until the burn out, then I was taking breaks (just about 10-15 seconds) every one to two moves. In the end, I added just over 5 minutes to the workout time not including the cool down. Got a good burn and torched a good 445kcals.

Today's Neural Reboot was good as usual. I getting used to the pattern and it goes by fast. Probably the fastest 19 minutes of my day. The combo today was quick, only 6+ minutes, but had good application. I like how Dr. Cheng keep reminding me to tuck my hips. That is something that I always don't do. I'm good with the shoulders being relaxed and head high and straight, but those hips! Man, I keep flaring them back. TUCK YOUR HIPS!!!

Week 2, Day 1. T25-Alpha: Cardio + Tai Cheng: Neural Reboot P1 + Lower and Lift-Phoenix Tail Combo.

Week 2, Day 1. T25-Alpha: Cardio + Tai Cheng: Neural Reboot P1 + Lower and Lift-Phoenix Tail Combo.

Today was a really hard day to begin with. My daughter had her Sports Festival at her school so I had to get up early to go and reserve a viewing spot and a lunch spot. Then running around in the hot sun for 8 hours taking pics and video. So proud of my daughter who won her races, and got second in the girls high-jump. But the activity just totally zapped my energy and I came home dead, and motivationless for anything active. UUGGGHHHHHH!

But after a relaxing amount of time with my video hobby, I gained some motivation and did the workout above.

This is the third time for me to do Cardio so I was hoping that I could hand with Shaun T for longer than 4 minutes before taking a stretch break for my arches and calves. I was able to hang with Shaun T for TWENTY MINUTES!!! I was so stoked! I was about to give it up at the first Burn Out, but I dug a little deeper and pushed through. But by the beginning of the second Burn Out, my arches were just killing me, especially after the Speed and Agility progression. OUCH! I had to stop. I only stopped one more time after than, so I was really happy with my performance with T25-Alpha: Cardio. Great way to start off week two.

Week 2 of Tai Cheng starts, as you can see, with combinations. Week 1 had the single static moves one per day. The moves only took 7 minutes to go through. The combo's took 10 minutes. Plus the same Neural Reboot for Phase 1. Really needed that stretch after T25. The combination we went over today and the application of it is really feeding my Bruce Lee fetish! I remember how Bruce moved in his movies and this is just so awesome that I am starting to see and do something similar. I must remain calm... BRUCE RULES!!!

Have a great week everyone!

Week 1, Day 6. T25-Alpha: Lower Focus + Tai Cheng: w1d6.

Week 1, Day 6. T25-Alpha: Lower Focus + Tai Cheng: w1d6.

How in the world could someone do Cardio AND Lower Focus on the same day back-to-back? That is what was on the schedule for Day 5 of the first week of Alpha. My arches and calves were dying after the first 3+ minutes of the first run progression of Cardio, but to do that twice in a row with Lower Focus! Wow, that is CRR-AZZZZY!!!

Thank goodness I didn't have to do that. I still did a double but with Lower Focus and Tai Cheng. Still couldn't hang all the way with Shaun T and his crew through the first run progression, I had to stop with the regular Jacks. Right after finishing the double jacks, I couldn't continue with the singles, just too painful in my arches and calves. I walked it out for a few seconds, rewound the DVD, then started Regular Jacks from the beginning.  I had to do that several times in the course of the workout. I ended up adding 6 minutes to the routine, not including the Cool Down.  The other move that taxed me beyond was the Calf Hops. Arches just couldn't hang, too painful. On my right leg, the Calf Hops taxed my knee a bit and I had to bend my knee a little more than I did on my left. But I made it through.  Burned a good 350kcals on this routine.  This completes all the Alpha routines. For the next four weeks, I'll be cycling through these 5 routines and creating my foundation.

Tai Cheng today was good. I have gotten used to the Neural Reboot 1. I feel better balance because of Dr. Cheng's constant reminders. Like a fool, I keep forgetting to tuck my hips.  I like the Separate and Pull move. I really like the application part of the DVD. Really makes it practical.  This was the last static move in the series. Next week, apparently we will start combinations. FUN!!!

This brings me to the end of my first week of my new programs. It was a great week. I learned a lot and really got a good burn and churn from T25. I've said it before, but T25 combined with Tai Cheng is like a match made in heaven. They seem perfect to do in sync with each other.  Can't wait for week 2, but I'm going to enjoy and take advantage of my off day! Have a good weekend, everyone!

Week 1, Day 5. T25-Alpha: Cardio + Tai Cheng: w1d5.

Week 1, Day 5. T25-Alpha: Cardio + Tai Cheng: w1d5.

I was a little wary of this routine right when I started this program. Cardio just destroyed my arches and calves. I had to stop several times because I couldn't take the pain. This time, I felt a lot better. I still got destroyed by the first running progression. I still had to stop, but not as many times as I did the first time on Sunday. Burned a good 375kcals! This is a day that is a double on the schedule, but I am going to do the second program tomorrow and keep doing the second program.

Tai Cheng: Neural Reboot 1 + Press. This was a great. Took only one run through to get the move. Looking forward to more progressions!