11-29-16 HY: Body Beast - Bulk: Shoulders + ChaLEAN Extreme - Extreme Core Circuit + Splits + TCF.

11-29-16 HY: Body Beast - Bulk: Shoulders + ChaLEAN Extreme - Extreme Core Circuit + Splits + TCF.

Another regular Tuesday, meetings and all.  So, after some extremely mind-numbing meetings, I was so ready for today's workout.  Shoulders is the last routine of the Bulk Phase, so I am going to move on to the Beast Phase on my next workout and Beast out until 2017!  I'm planning to BLOW OUT 2017 with my newest program.  More on that in the future.  But today, was a good one.  Today's routine also completes this worksheet, so I'm very happy about that. 

I did some small changes here and there to the weights, so here is a little round up of what I changed.  The beginning Super Set, I lowered the light Lateral Raise to 3kgs, kept the middle weight at 5kgs and upped the heavy weight to 7.5kgs.  Here too, I wanted to make the weight jumps higher.  The second move, the Arnold Press, I lower the light weight to 7.5kgs, kept the middle weight at 12kgs, but upped the Drop Set to 17kgs & 14.5kgs.  I almost failed with the both weights with only 8reps.  But I was happy to get back to 17kgs on shoulder presses.  The next Progressive Set of Upright Rows, I lowered the light weight to 7.5kgs, but kept all the other weights the same as the previous time.  By this time my shoulders were ON FIRE!!!  I was really feeling the big pump again.  The next Super Set, Alt. Front Raise and the Plate-Twist-Twist,  I lowered the light weight, but kept the next two sets the same as before.  But on the Plank move, I upped the weight to 10kgs from 7.25kgs.  That was huge for me.  I could really feel the tension, but I nailed it! The Burn just kept on giving.  For the next Progressive Set, the Reverse Fly, I went way down in weight, with 4-5-6.25kgs.  Previously, I used a 5-6.25-7.5kg progression, but my form, especially on the mid and heavy weights just fell apart.  So I gave myself a chance, today, to clean up my form.  I always wanted to keep my arms as straight as they could get, but I kept bending them like crazy, and the move ended up being a row of sorts.  No More! I wanted to keep the range of motion wide.  So I went with weights on which I could keep my arms straight and form perfect, or at least as perfect as I. NAILED IT!!!  But my back shoulders were burning up like crazy.  The final Super Set of Superman Stretch and Plank Twist-Twist.  Everything was fine, but I upped my reps on the last move.  Up from 40reps to 45reps.  I was so winded after that craziness!

Again, stuck with Chalene and got another great core burn.  YEAH!

Splits and Flow also were just on. 

In the end, I torched a nit 800+kcals.  I can still feel the pump on my shoulders just hours after the workout ended.  Great workout and good sweat!

11-28-16 HY: Pickleball + Splits + TCF.

11-28-16 HY: Pickleball + Splits + TCF.

Back, and with a vengeance!

Last week, for the first time, I reported the loss of  1-3.  I wasn't happy, but I accepted that result as a challenge for the next week.  THIS WEEK!  This week, I made it a point to get to bed earlier to get a good sleep the night before, and I requested a high protein breakfast to charge me up.  This was also the first time for us to play in the the morning.  Until now, we were playing in the afternoon, but since I have no class anymore, we moved our session to the morning.

I came out ROARING!!!  The first two games I was unstoppable!  Shot making, moving, stretching for shots.  I was so fun.  But I paid the price for my lightning start.  By the end of the second game, my legs were burning.  In Pickleball, changing directions quickly is extremely important as is stretching for shots.  I do a huge number of lunges and squats during every point.  I was really feeling it.  I took the first to games allowing only 4 and 5 points to my 15 respectively.  But I lost the third game, taking only 9 points.  I was considerably slower, and wasn't recovering as quickly and my movement was too slow.  I tried to pick it up in the final game and it was a battle.  The longest game of the day.  Lots of good shots.  I started to get a second wind, but that didn't help much with my burning legs.  I eventually took the game 17-15.  So much fun!

I did my splits and flow in the evening and the first round was painful, but I got loose quickly and got low in the second round.  Everything worked out very nicely.

In the end, I torched 1100+kcals.  Awesome BURN!!!

11-27-16 HY: Body Beast - Bulk: Arms + ChaLEAN Extreme - Extreme Core Circuit + Splits + TCF.

11-27-16 HY: Body Beast - Bulk: Arms + ChaLEAN Extreme - Extreme Core Circuit + Splits + TCF.

Average Sunday, going out to do a few errands, eating out with my wife at an Udon place and coming back to relax a bit before getting into my workout. 

Arms is probably one of my favorite routine in this program.  I love the pump I get.  I have done this routine a few more times than some of the other routines so the workout sheet is a little full.  So today, in order to stay with the other worksheets, I used a red pen to write in my weights and stuff.  I was feeling good so I upped my weights a bit by about 1.25kgs.  But not for all the weights.  The first Progressive Set, I upped the weights by that amount, and I was burning.  I am learning that the bigger the jump in weights is, the more of a burn I can get.  But not only burn, but also pump.  I upped the next Single set by a lot.  I think my Triceps are comparatively stronger than my biceps.  The Force Set just totally burned me out.  Since I upped the weights on the previous biceps move, I went down to 10kgs for this set.  And I sooo got a great burn and pump.  The next Single Set for Triceps I stuck with the light and medium weights, but I upped the Drop Set.  Then, the Progressive Set on the Hammer Curls, same weights, but incredible pump and burn.  It was Beautifully Brutal!  At the end of this move, I tried to hold my arms up at a 90 degree angle and I got them up, but when I tried to hold them up, they slowly went down like they were on a hydraulic lift or something. Just sank down involuntarily. That was the first time for that to happen!  The next Progressive Set with the Kick Backs, what can I say, just so brutal on my triceps.  Totally burned them out.  For the final Single Set, I did the same thing on the Weighted Crunches, 12kgs behind the head first for 30reps, then on the chest for 30reps.  Great routine and awesome pump and burn.  Arms were like ROCKS!!!  But I could barely lift them up afterwards.

I am sticking with this routine for my abs a bit because of my back so today, I kept the 2kgs and went for good form and keeping my elbows out.  Huge difference in the intensity.  I'm moaning in pain every go now.  This has swiftly become one of my favorites for abs.

The splits and Flow were right on!

In the end, I torched 800+kcals.  It was a good day.

11-26-16 HY: Splits + TCF.

11-26-16 HY: Splits + TCF.

Today is the make up day for my stretch circuit.  I really need to up my game and push harder and probably longer from now on.  I have only just over a month left to hit my goal of full splits by December 31 of this year.  Taking that week off didn't help the cause, but it was out of my control.

Tonight was a good stretch. I feel better in the second round so I need to probably go longer next time.

11-25-16 HY: P90X3 - Cold Start + Combat HIIT 1 Power + ChaLEAN Extreme - Extreme Core Circuit.

11-25-16 HY: P90X3 - Cold Start + Combat HIIT 1 Power + ChaLEAN Extreme - Extreme Core Circuit.

Second of three Friday morning workouts.  Next Friday is the last one until I have to take Friday off and workout on Saturday evening.  So I'm taking advantage of the chance!  I got to sleep a little late last night trying to solve a computer issue so I got up a little later than I wanted to this morning, but I knew is was a shorter routine today so I wasn't too worried. 

This is the second morning of this most recent cold front from the north so I finally got my ceramic heater out and started it up to warm up my room.  But I had to get my body warmed up so again, Cold Start was first, and it was SMASHINGLY successful to its purpose!!!

It has been a while since I did HIIT 1 Power so I was wondering how much I would be sweating.  Boy did I ever find out.  I made it through each progression , but I was so winded after each round, From the third track, I needed more recovery time because I was just so doubled over heaving for air.  The Warm Up track got the sweat film on, but the weighted track got the sweat flowing.  I started with a lighter weight than usual, but it was good to pace myself so I could get through each track.  But on the last set of the Triple Thrust Presses, I went to the heavy weights.  I was dying.  I really wanted to crush the Burpee Track, so I was drinking water and trying not to burn out totally on the early tracks.  The 8-12-16 rep progression is brutal.  I was able to crush each individual set, but I needed some extra time between the 8 and 12, and I needed a lot of extra time between the 12 and 16.  Then I was heaving after the 16 so I took an extra minute to catch my breath.  I am a real stickler for doing equal reps on both sides.  One thing I wish Combat would do is tell us how many reps we will be doing.  On the last track, the core track, we start in high plank then go down to low plank then up again.  I led with the right arm for 8 reps then switched, but they only did 12 reps, so while they went on with the mountain climbers, I finished out 4 more reps to keep both sides even.  Then I rewound the DVD and Started the Mountain Climbers from the beginning.  I had the same issue, even rep count, on the four sets, so I had to take a break between sets to rewind the DVD.  I know now to switch sides at 6 reps so I can keep up on time.  But I added time to the routine.  The Spider Ups were the only set that I died in the middle, so I started from the place I stopped and finished it out.  Such a brutal way to end the routine, and I was sweating like crazy.

I took a little bit of a breather before getting into core.  I wanted to crush it and keep using the 2kg dumbbells so I had to push myself to do it.  I was burned out on my core at the end of the first Crunch progression.  Also, there was a little odd feeling happening.  When I was doing the oblique crunches, the right side was fine, but I felt like my left side was sort of distended.  It felt like the muscle or something was pooching out getting pinched  as I crunched.  It didn't hurt or anything, but it felt weird.  I am so grateful for the breaks Chalene gives us during the routine.  I tried to keep solid form with arms back, but I had to cheat a few times.  But I got a great burn again.

I didn't have time to do the Splits/stretch so I planned to try doing it after work if I got home early enough.  I got home early enough, but my daughter had brought some friends home, so I wasn't able to do my thing.  So, I'll have to do it on Saturday evening.

In the end, I torched over 900kcals.  Great way to close out the week!

Happy Weekend Everyone!

11-24-16 HY: P90X2 - Cold Start + Body Beast - Bulk: Back + ChaLEAN Extreme - Extreme Core Circuit+ Splits + TCF.

11-24-16 HY: P90X2 - Cold Start + Body Beast - Bulk: Back + ChaLEAN Extreme - Extreme Core Circuit + Splits + TCF.

The first really cold morning of the season.  I knew I would need a better warm up than what Segi does at the beginning of his routines, so I went with the old faithful, Cold Start.  I was perfect to get my muscles warmed up and ready to go.

I was considering skipping Bulk Back because this is the routine that I was doing when I hurt my back a couple weeks ago, so I was afraid that I might hurt it again due to the cold.  But eventually I decided not to decide anything on the basis of fear.  So I went with it but made sure that I was keeping form and not stressing my back too much.  On the first Super Set I kept the weight on the Pull Over the same as previously, but I used the strong resistance band as an assist on the pull ups.  I have lost considerable Pull Up strength due to not doing pull ups more, so I want to get that back.  On the next Progressive Set, Reverse Grip Row, I went single arm with this and lowered the light and medium weight while the heavy was the same.  Again, bigger weight jumps.  It really helped focus the flexing on my lats.  The Force Set, I actually went up to 17kgs from 14.5kgs.  Felt good and almost maxed out on the last set, especially on my left.  The Single Set Dead Lift I changed as well starting very light and ending with the same as previous run.  The bigger weight jumps seem to make the muscle activation easier and more focused.  The final Super Set, Reverse Fly and Plank Rotation, that is the one solid set that remained the same all the way through.

Then I went right into Abs, I still kept the 2kg weights and I was burning out.  I can't believe how great a burn I get from this routine.  I can still feel the burn several hours later.

The Splits and Flow came later in the evening after my night class.  Both were on point.

In the end, of the morning session, I torched 901kcals.  Nice way to start my day.

11-23-16 HY: Combat 60 LIVE - Ultimate Warrior's Workout + Splits + TCF.

11-23-16 HY: Combat 60 LIVE - Ultimate Warrior's Workout + Splits + TCF.

Today was the Japanese Labor Day, a national so I had the day off.  I pretty much lazed around most of the day until workout time.  Watched some TV, edited some video, talked with my girls.  It was a good day.

Today was the Live hour long routine.  It was a good workout.  The tracks were good.  I think my favorite track it the Mauy Thai track.  I had the hardest time keeping up with the combos, the descending elbow, then the triple elbow with the Cross-Jab, then the Kick.  Then all those Knee thrusts.  My hip flexor was screaming at the end of it.  Another fun track was the Capoeira track.  I forget the names of the moves, but my legs were so burning at the end of it.  This was a really good routine, and despite the coolness of the room where I was, I got a good sweat on.  I was thinking about doing a bonus ab routine, but my abs were still pretty sore, so I decided to let them rest and I went straight into my Splits and Flow.  All in all, it was a good workout today. 

In the end, I torched a good 901kcals.  Nice off day today.