Well, I am into week 4 of the new training regime now, and have to say 'I'm Loving it'. That's not to say that I'm spending every day in McDonalds, unlike some people I could mention. *tut tut*
There is something satisfying about being in control of your own destiny, something empowering, and a strange sense of motivation. Seeing as you set the plan for yourself, it would be wrong to then whimp out on following through with it. From the adjusted food intake, to the steadily increasing exercise regime. Being in control is something I love.
From Day 1 of this new self inflicted program I have tried to stay on track to my actual goals. The goals being fitness, firmness, and health. I'm trying to not get sucked in by the whole thing, and become the usual runaway train with weight. Pushing harder and harder til I cause myself an injury. That's always been my problem, and probably always will be.
Once the bug bites, I commit, fully, sometimes a little too fully. Concentrating on certain body parts, and neglecting others. Chest, biceps and triceps get all the attention usually, with stomach, legs, and back all being left out. But this time is different, this time I am trying routines to cover all the bases, and get an over all pump on a daily basis.
Each week for the past few weeks, I have logged my activities and times. Keeping a record of what is pushing it too far, and what could be worked harder. Needless to say, the above primary groups are really taking a beating as you would expect, with the weight increasing quite rapidly. But this time I am also making sure that I don't go easy on the others.
This week, looking back over the past few weeks, and taking into account the notes of where I have struggled, I have mixed my routine up just a little. Following a 6 day a week AM and PM routine until now, complimented by 3 times a day dog walks. For this week I have gone for an alternating PM routine, hitting different muscle groups on alternating days. There is a lot more fine tuning to do, but I had noticed that towards the end of the week I was flailing a little with arms, and neglecting my shoulders almost entirely.
Mornings consist of varied styles push-ups, sit-up again in varied styles, weighted squats with a synergistic movement to keep it interesting (I hate legs), and my old nemesis, dips. All increasing in set count each week. While I say I hate legs, I hardly struggle with strength or definition in them. My thighs and calves are pretty huge for a muscle group that I never train. 27-28" thighs last time I measured, the waist of a petite girl and then some. Not much in the way of excess on them either. Calves around 16-17", again no excess. I know I should still train them, but its such a boring routine for me, and I try hard not to tweak my ageing knees too, as that would end everything.
Remembering of course achillies tendonapathy still messes with me too, the 8-10 miles a day I walk with the dogs leaves my legs close to the edge.
So at this point, a day into Week 4 I can honestly say I'm pumped. Feeling great about the plan, feeling great from the effects of it. Loving my new food intake, and starting slowly to see the changes occurring. I forgot how rewarding the feeling of the post training pump was. Feeling all swollen and with tense muscles, showing a little definition, and putting on a t-shirt which stretches over all the bulging bits. The bits that bulge for the right reason, not the other bits.
I am already planning Week 5, excited mix it up a bit, and see where I can find myself by Week 10. However keen not to push myself too much. With the two workouts a day giving a nice split in the day, and making sure there are no excuses to say 'I don't have time today'. 30-40 mins, twice a day, and I am in my zone. So while I want to push a little harder, I want to make sure the time frames don't shift too much. I'm sure I will work it out somehow.
Now to add some spice and interest into it, to keep the drive alive.
Motivated by outside parties, I guess I rely on that a little when trying to dig that little bit deeper, strangely driven to impress others who I don't even see. How the hell does that work? I don't know, but it does, so its all good. And of course Spotify, my access to thousands of tracks which inspire and drive my mind when stamina is low.
So that's me, all checked in, and happy with how things are.
Showing posts with label weights. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weights. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Is it really Day 30 already?
It sure is! Who would believe it, not only have I endured thirty days of hard training, I have also stayed on track with my food intake. Upping my calories when needed, and the occasional treat here and there. But for the majority of the time I have stayed right on track.
This week I return to the proper high intensity workouts, weights, bands, and Plyometrics just to name a few routines I will be following over the coming three weeks, but I love it! No seriously, I really do love doing it. Pushing myself to my limit, and then beyond. Driving myself to near destruction, and most of all, feeling the rewards for my hard work.
This isnt a work hard, see no results program. This is quite the opposite, with results being felt at the end of every session, and seeing results on an incremental basis. Suddenly realising a muscle group is firming up, finding more strength in an activity, or just feeling how tight you have become. (physical not financial). Triceps, glutes, quads, deltoids, the list is endless of the muscle groups that are reaping the rewards of my body's hard work.
The hardest thing for me right now is coping with the reality that getting my stomach in shape is a BIG job. Underneath all the hoardings the work is sure in progress. My ability to do crunches, leg raises, scissors etc is much improved. If it feel how toned everything is becoming its evident. However on the surface things are not quite as rosey, well not yet anyway. Much reduced, and pulled in tight the difference is obvious, but getting rid of the last pockets of fat, and hoping there is elasticity left in my skin at my ripe old age, well that's a waiting game. However, that said, my determination is strong, and another 60 days are ahead of the P90X program alone, let alone how ever long I want to maintain my diet for. In time, as things progress I can look more at my diet as well as increasing activity to attack the flab. However for now I remain positive about it all, and the stomach toning (not getting a 6 pack) is the last of my worries.
Over all, I am delighted, motivated and excited about the coming SIXTY days ahead of me. What can I achieve, how different can I look, and how much can I increase my fitness by. I am not expecting massive differences in my first 30 day pictures. Maybe a little definition appearing in my arms and legs, and a small reduction around the waistline. Other than that, I don't know, and don't expect much. However I am really looking forwards to seeing the difference by Day 60.
The only problems I have encountered along the way have been absence, as in having to go away for a day, or miss morning training due to an appointment, and the biggest scare was this morning, waking with issues with my Plantar Facsia (muscles/tendons on the bottom of the foot). After a long spell of fast walking last night, I woke this morning with a lot of pain in my right foot, which I have recently had issues with. Fearing I would not be able to walk, let alone train I put some anti inflammatory gel on my foot, relaxed for a bit, then walked the dogs at a steady pace. After an hour of that I was ready to train. Training which just to happened to be Plyometrics (jump training). However it would appear the worry was over nothing, and I flew through my training with no ill effect. I might however be paying for it in the morning.
So, for now I guess that's me, well on P90X it is. Im sure I have more to say, but I will save that for the bath later lol.
So here is to everyone out there working hard on their training programs, diets, and other keep fit regimes. The gains are there to be made, you just need to knuckle down and commit. A little motivation is needed, and an element of willpower, but it is in all of us. Competing against friends, setting goals, or just having the desire to feel better about yourself. Whatever your motivation, keep at it, and lets get results together.
Noel, Baljit, Laura, Ivan, Clare, and everyone else ................. come on!! Race you to the finish!
This week I return to the proper high intensity workouts, weights, bands, and Plyometrics just to name a few routines I will be following over the coming three weeks, but I love it! No seriously, I really do love doing it. Pushing myself to my limit, and then beyond. Driving myself to near destruction, and most of all, feeling the rewards for my hard work.
This isnt a work hard, see no results program. This is quite the opposite, with results being felt at the end of every session, and seeing results on an incremental basis. Suddenly realising a muscle group is firming up, finding more strength in an activity, or just feeling how tight you have become. (physical not financial). Triceps, glutes, quads, deltoids, the list is endless of the muscle groups that are reaping the rewards of my body's hard work.
The hardest thing for me right now is coping with the reality that getting my stomach in shape is a BIG job. Underneath all the hoardings the work is sure in progress. My ability to do crunches, leg raises, scissors etc is much improved. If it feel how toned everything is becoming its evident. However on the surface things are not quite as rosey, well not yet anyway. Much reduced, and pulled in tight the difference is obvious, but getting rid of the last pockets of fat, and hoping there is elasticity left in my skin at my ripe old age, well that's a waiting game. However, that said, my determination is strong, and another 60 days are ahead of the P90X program alone, let alone how ever long I want to maintain my diet for. In time, as things progress I can look more at my diet as well as increasing activity to attack the flab. However for now I remain positive about it all, and the stomach toning (not getting a 6 pack) is the last of my worries.
Over all, I am delighted, motivated and excited about the coming SIXTY days ahead of me. What can I achieve, how different can I look, and how much can I increase my fitness by. I am not expecting massive differences in my first 30 day pictures. Maybe a little definition appearing in my arms and legs, and a small reduction around the waistline. Other than that, I don't know, and don't expect much. However I am really looking forwards to seeing the difference by Day 60.
The only problems I have encountered along the way have been absence, as in having to go away for a day, or miss morning training due to an appointment, and the biggest scare was this morning, waking with issues with my Plantar Facsia (muscles/tendons on the bottom of the foot). After a long spell of fast walking last night, I woke this morning with a lot of pain in my right foot, which I have recently had issues with. Fearing I would not be able to walk, let alone train I put some anti inflammatory gel on my foot, relaxed for a bit, then walked the dogs at a steady pace. After an hour of that I was ready to train. Training which just to happened to be Plyometrics (jump training). However it would appear the worry was over nothing, and I flew through my training with no ill effect. I might however be paying for it in the morning.
So, for now I guess that's me, well on P90X it is. Im sure I have more to say, but I will save that for the bath later lol.
So here is to everyone out there working hard on their training programs, diets, and other keep fit regimes. The gains are there to be made, you just need to knuckle down and commit. A little motivation is needed, and an element of willpower, but it is in all of us. Competing against friends, setting goals, or just having the desire to feel better about yourself. Whatever your motivation, keep at it, and lets get results together.
Noel, Baljit, Laura, Ivan, Clare, and everyone else ................. come on!! Race you to the finish!
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
A quick P90X update....
OK for some this talk of P90X is all getting a bit boring I know. But if that is the case, why did you click this entry, it says what it is in the title haha. Anyway...
What I am blogging to say is that I have reached one of my objectives. Not just a milestone, not just a marker along the way, but I have hit my target weight. Sub 220lbs. Now as I have said before, this is a ceiling I want to put in place for myself, and whatever happens, I want to avoid rising through it again. Its an alarm point that says I am happy at this weight, but anything over means something is going wrong.
For me this is a big day, because it means the weightloss part of the program is completed. I am sure more weightloss will occur over the coming weeks, but that will be through physical exertion rather than carefully planning how to lose the next 1lb. Todays weight was 219.6lbs. I like that!
From here on in its time to push HARD, and really step my game up. And I started doing that this morning. With Week 3 of arms and shoulders feeling a bit easier I decided it was time to put the weight and intensity levels up, and the number of reps down (where needed). The result.... well quite simply that OMG feeling after the workout, and that burn during. In short, it felt flippin great, and so do I now.
Another great thing also happened while I was getting ready for bed last night. My girlfriend said to stop holding my breath, and stomach in. I said im not! She was amazed that the definition is slowly starting to appear now, and that you can actually see whats what around my hips and waist now. I too am shocked, when I was putting my shirt on I realised that it just hangs now (the shirt, not my stomach lol).
As for the rest of me, I feel tighter, much tighter in fact, as well as full of beans and raring to go.
I have about another 12 days before my first progress pictures, (30 day), and another 10 weeks of this program, so I am expecting to surprise even myself. P90X is my #1 focus of attention these days, and everything has to work around it.
So heres to working hard, gaining gradually and staying focused.
What I am blogging to say is that I have reached one of my objectives. Not just a milestone, not just a marker along the way, but I have hit my target weight. Sub 220lbs. Now as I have said before, this is a ceiling I want to put in place for myself, and whatever happens, I want to avoid rising through it again. Its an alarm point that says I am happy at this weight, but anything over means something is going wrong.
For me this is a big day, because it means the weightloss part of the program is completed. I am sure more weightloss will occur over the coming weeks, but that will be through physical exertion rather than carefully planning how to lose the next 1lb. Todays weight was 219.6lbs. I like that!
From here on in its time to push HARD, and really step my game up. And I started doing that this morning. With Week 3 of arms and shoulders feeling a bit easier I decided it was time to put the weight and intensity levels up, and the number of reps down (where needed). The result.... well quite simply that OMG feeling after the workout, and that burn during. In short, it felt flippin great, and so do I now.
Another great thing also happened while I was getting ready for bed last night. My girlfriend said to stop holding my breath, and stomach in. I said im not! She was amazed that the definition is slowly starting to appear now, and that you can actually see whats what around my hips and waist now. I too am shocked, when I was putting my shirt on I realised that it just hangs now (the shirt, not my stomach lol).
As for the rest of me, I feel tighter, much tighter in fact, as well as full of beans and raring to go.
I have about another 12 days before my first progress pictures, (30 day), and another 10 weeks of this program, so I am expecting to surprise even myself. P90X is my #1 focus of attention these days, and everything has to work around it.
So heres to working hard, gaining gradually and staying focused.
Monday, February 20, 2012
And so it begins... the P90X lifestyle.
On Saturday I went to Southend with my good friend Noel, it was only a flying visit, but on the way conversation got going. Telling him my new motto of #Fit4Forty, and how I planned on sticking to my routine. Weight loss is still going well, and the next thing to do is increase my fitness levels. On liking the idea, but having a little less time than me before hitting 40, Noel mentioned two routines he has been looking into recently, Insanity and P90X. Going into a little detail on both I was immediately interested in following one, as it sounded perfect for my current goals.
So over the weekend I did some more research, and decided that out of the two, P90X was the one for me. Insanity being more the cardio trainer, I want to deal with and attack aggressively the whole physical conditioning thing. In general my cardio is still pretty good. I'm active every day with the walks to and from work, as well as the walks with the dogs twice a day, so I'm happy with that. So P90X was chosen and obtained.
To follow P90X a couple of things are required, in the form of equipment. Free-weights and door bars, or resistance straps. I have a long history with training, and over the years I have dipped and peaked in levels of fitness and strength. However throughout those years one thing has remained, and been an issue for me. I can train heavy, and I mean heavy. For someone of my build and not using any juice etc, I have made some cracking achievements in the free-weight circles. However this has all come at quite a cost, and I have had 3 arm/hand surgeries to date, all to repair damage to tendons etc. All specialists agree that heavy training in earlier years are the most likely cause.
So resistance straps are the chosen weapon of choice for me. Being able to vary the resistance used is invaluable to a broken body like me. So they are on order now. Til then I am making do with what I have at home, and trust me, its working.
I am under no illusions that I am in any way some Adonis who can bench my own body weight, nor plan to be a lean mean fighting machine. I am instead realistic, and want some strength to return to my lazy body, and trim down a little, to return to a fair level of size and definition. So today is the day. Today is the day it all started. From today onwards I will probably make a few very short entries on here, saying how the day has gone and how I am feeling, so for anyone wanting to follow and mock, these will be for you lol.
In the meantime Twitter will be my update source, so if you want some updates on my P90X routine, and how I am coping / progressing feel free to follow @therealslimsnaz or search for my hashtag #fit4forty
So the update for today.....
OMG! I started my day the usual way with walking the dogs for an hour or so, covering 4.5 miles which is the norm for us. Then got home and got straight into P90X while my body was still warm, and heart still pumping. Following back and chest for my first outing with the routine. The warm-up got a lovely burn started, and the following routine really attacked the areas of my body it promised to. I'm not going to pretend that I flew through it all, and didn't struggle. I managed the first cycle of the routine (routine repeats for 2 cycles). At that point I decided to stay true to myself and not push too hard. As my body started to rest, the nausea arrived lol, that signal from the body that it really has had enough for the time being.
For tomorrow I need to get my nutrition sorted out, and make sure i am giving my body what it needs to repair and build. But the after work out feeling is as ever amazing. I forgot how great you could feel after pushing yourself.
In the coming weeks I plan to be out on my Hardrock Pro (MTB) more, and to start challenging myself in more and more ways. Its great to feel so alive!
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