Total Synergistics - Day 1

I just finished my first P90X3 workout called Total Synergistics.  Synergistics of course referring to synergy, as in the whole body working together.  And let me tell you, you will blast the whole body in this workout.  What's really great though (as with most Beachbody workouts) is how you're hitting so many parts at the same time.  This really gets the heart rate up and burns calories quickly.

First I should mention that I started with the Cold Start routine.  I workout early, and figured a little extra warm up couldn't hurt!

The workout starts with pushup side arm balances which are familiar to anyone who has done previous P90X programs.  Tony really slows them down though, and you can feel them more in the core I noticed when done slowly.  There are a few moves on the pull up bar which involve bringing your legs up and over, so you're hitting your arms and abs at the same time.  What really amazed me though were some of the brand new moves.

Flying warrior and warrior squat moon are yoga inspired moves, but toward the end of the workout, they were extra tough.  I was really surprised with how much I struggled with squat rockers.  Well rocking forward was fine, backwards, not so much.

All in all this was a fun and great way to start out the program.  Tony really blasts the entire body in a short amount of time as promised.  My one word of advice, choose a weight lighter than you think you should be able to do for hop-hop press.  I regretted my decision after about 3 hops.

P90X3 How to Accelerate DVD

So I just finished watching the first P90X3 DVD in the collection, "How to Accelerate".  I was thinking that maybe I didn't need to watch it since I have already been through so many Beachbody programs.  But I figured I'd give it a shot.  It covers a lot of basics such as gear and supplements and nutrition.  But it also does a great job explaining how this program differs from the others, and the different programs you can do within this program

It also very importantly explains how to set up your floor for the agility routines.  I got lucky because my floor is a bunch of mats gorilla taped together, so all I had to do was add the targets.  The lines tape just happened to be the right distance for me!  The distance varies depending on body size and skill level, but Tony explains all this in the video.

Can't wait to finally start X3 tomorrow!

Recovery Week

I just wrapped up my recovery week.  Notice I don't refer to it as a rest week, but rather as recovery.  I had completed a 3 phase program combining Focus T25 with P90X and P90X2.  It was a lot of fun, but my body was in need of a break before starting P90X3.  Now it's hard for me to go more than a day or 2 without that feeling I get from an intense workout, but part of hard training, is also training smart.  My hamstrings were sore, and my body was just tired.  So rather than diving into another program right away, I dedicated a week to recovery. 

Monday was light yoga, Tuesday more intense yoga, Wednesday was just stretching and foam rolling, Thursday was some yoga and moderate cardio, Friday yoga, and Saturday moderate cardio.  I didn't completely rest my body, but rather did enough to break a sweat, while still giving my body time to recover.  Sometimes, you have to put your ego aside and listen to your body.  Doing an intense program will break you down, be smart and take a little time to recover.  It will allow you to come back strong, and tackle the next program and make even bigger gains!

Who Am I?

So for my first post, I think it's important to tell a bit about my story, and how I got to this point.  I was a three sport athlete in high school, always in great shape.  Then I stopped playing sports in college, and found myself surrounded by an all you can eat buffet every day. 

Naturally, I gained a lot of weight.  After college, I started to work in TV news, and meals were usually on the go, and life was pretty stressful.  So again, I gained more weight, and hardly ever worked out. 

One day though, I had a really bad stomach ache.  The next day it was still there, and the next day, and so on.  The pain became unbearable, and there were many worse symptoms too.  Before I knew it, I had dropped 30 lbs in about a month!  I seriously was so weak that it was nearly impossible for me to walk up and down stairs.  After a few doctor appointments, I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease.  I was put on some medication, went into remission, and all was great for a year...

But then it came back... and this time I dropped nearly 40 lbs in one month.  After some new medication, I once again had the disease under control, and had my life back on track.  But I was out of shape, and weak.  I'd try working out, but had very little endurance, and saw no progress.  Then one day, I saw the P90X commercial and decided to go for it.

The first week, was brutal for me.  It took me 2 and a half hours to make it through Plyo (an hour workout).  The second week was even harder.  There were times when I very nearly gave in and quit, but I was determined to stick with it.  It wasn't always pretty, but I kept pushing play, and pushing myself.  Before I knew it, I was blasting through the workouts.  Also equally as important, my diet was back on track thanks to what I read in the program. 

After P90X, I went on to P90X+, then Insanity, then P90X2, then Asylum Volume 1 and 2, and Focus T25, and many hybrid programs of the workouts.  3 years ago, I could never imagine myself in the shape that I am today.  There were times when it was too hard for me to brush my teeth.  Now here I am jumping around like a crazy person with Shaun T.  Best of all, I have been Crohn's symptom free for 5 years now, and I have no doubt that my diet and exercise play a crucial role in that.  Beachbody programs and supplements have changed my life, and I know they can do the same for you.  All you have to do is start, stick with it, and you will be able to do things you never imagined possible.