Shadows In Motion

Fitocracy is bugging out on me and it isn’t posting my workouts to Tumblr.  Hopefully this screen shot will work.

Total calories burned:  Approximately 630 calories or more.

Personal record:  14:24 mins/mi average (yes, beginner).

I earned 455 points for my workout on Fitocracy!

• General P90X +455 pts

  • 0:50:00 || Intense! (+455 pts)
  • P90X: Kenpo X. I make the exercise more intense by turning the fast (with sound) “doubles” (eg; punch and drag) into plyometric moves. Ex: Bounce forward, do the double strike, and immediately bounce back. Repeat for all doubles.

Think you can beat me, or want to comment?

Fitocracy is the social fitness community that has helped hundreds of thousands level up their fitness. Start your fitness transformation today!

I earned 773 points for my workout on Fitocracy!

• General P90X +773 pts

  • 0:55:00 || Intense! (+500 pts)
  • 0:30:00 || Intense! (+273 pts)
  • P90X: Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps + Les Mills Combat: Combat 30. Les Mills was done at double intensity at first.

Thoughts & Comments:

My stomach began to feel uncertain during the P90X workout, and I suspect that it was a result of taking some of my supplements on an empty stomach.  That was kind of lazy of me, but I simply wasn’t thinking about it at the time.

As such, I rested a little longer between the two workouts than I usually do.  I drank my protein drink (which I’m nearly out of!), relaxed a little while pacing, and began Les Mills once I felt mostly normal.

Les Mills was tons of fun, at least at first.  I hit it with double intensity, going faster and hitting harder than they moved in the video.  I enjoyed the exercise more than usual because I was wearing the pants from my karate gi, and hearing that sound again as I kicked and moved had a certain psychological effect.

Nothing will change the fact that those karate pants are uncomfortable, but it pushed me to do things harder, faster, and with proper form.  It was a lot of fun to throw those round house kicks! ..and the knees, and the front snap kicks, and the side kicks, and.. etc.

Obviously, that agitated the uncertain tummy, and I had to pull back to a more moderate / intense level of activity.

All is well that ends well, however.  I pushed through it as much as I could and finished the exercise.  I can’t complain too much about the issue.  Next time I’ll just need to remember to eat a light snack first and that should take care of that particular issue.

That’s that.  See you active fitblrs tomorrow.

Fitocracy is the social fitness community that has helped hundreds of thousands level up their fitness. Start your fitness transformation today!

Hello, fellow sweaters.

My exercise page has been updated and now contains the workout schedule for the week.

The exercise page will be updated each week to show the current workout plan.  It also lists and links to the exercise programs that I use, the supplements that I use & recommend, as well as the websites that I use for the purposes of fitness & weight loss.

I’ve trimmed that page and hope that it is now more focused.

This is my exercise schedule for week 2.  On the follow days, I’ll be doing these workouts:

1. Chest & Back, Combat 30
2. Kenpo X (replaces HIIT: Power)
3. Shoulders & Arms, Combat 45
4. Back & Biceps, Combat 60
5. Plyometrics (replaces HIIT: Plyo)
6. Core Synergistics, Combat 60
7. Rest or X Stretch

Core Synergistics (“CS”) is slotted since my Legs & Back DVD is long gone.  I may just go download it, since I’ve actually bought these two workout programs and I’m sure that the workout is in a torrent somewhere.

Anyway, I may or may not slot something in to replace CS.  Core strength is always helpful, so that’s what I’m planning on at the moment.  I guess we’ll see.

As previously mentioned (in case you’re just getting here), I skip the two HIIT routines in Les Mills Combat because they cause me considerable back pain.  However, all of the Les Mills workouts are Interval Training so you will still see me refer to those workouts as such.

See ya’ll next post.

I earned 546 points for my workout on Fitocracy!

• General P90X +546 pts

  • 1:00:00 || Intense! (+546 pts)
  • Les Mills Combat. Combat 60: Extreme Cardio Fighter

This workout was intense!  You know how on some days your workout wears you out more than others?  That was today’s exercise for me.  It began with an asthma issue, which I decidedly ignored, and I pushed through to the end.

Bonus: I used the option to pump up the music.  It’s the first time that I could clearly hear the music in the workout, and I like it!

Les Mills Combat: Combat 60 Extreme Cardio Fighter is a heck of a fun workout.  There were 17 minutes remaining on the clock at the point that I realized that I was officially out of gas.  I had to make regular mental checks about my form, but I kept pushing through anyway.

My arms.  My shoulders.  Oh my goodness! XD  I love it though.  There’s a non-stop punch segment at the end that lasts for several minutes.  My shoulders were so dead at this point!  I was like, I don’t care, it’s the end, LET’S DO IT! YEAH!

Then they got on the ground for the push-ups.  Oops!  I had totally forgotten about the body weight workout at the end… Okay, fine, I can do this.  I did as much of it as I could, pushing through clenched teeth at times until my arms gave out and I went into “Child’s Pose” to rest them.  Then it was right back into it.

…and that ab workout.  My goodness.  That routine, where you put your fists together and roll them up over the knees, is just wow.

The ending of Extreme Cardio Fighter is tough.  It’s definitely one of my favorite workouts, and today it pushed me more than usual.

Fitocracy is the social fitness community that has helped hundreds of thousands level up their fitness. Start your fitness transformation today!

I earned 546 points for my workout on Fitocracy!

• General P90X +546 pts

  • 1:00:00 || Intense! (+546 pts)
  • Workout was actually “Combat 60: Extreme Cardio Fighter”. As usual, see my Tumblr for any thoughts or comments (linked at the top of my profile).

Thoughts:

I actually considered listing this one as “The Gods Hate Me!”, but I’m still saving that one for a special workout that I haven’t met yet.

This is pure interval training calorie burning.  It’s a solid cardio routine that lasts for an hour and doesn’t slack off.  Then at the end, just when you think that things will relax a little, you drop to the floor and begin the muscle toning.

First you’ll do the push-ups.  These go from push-ups into a kind of roll.  With hands still on the ground, you lean out to the side and move in a circular motion toward the floor and come up on the other side.  Then do more push-ups, then roll in the other direction.

The roll has another option, where you go low at the side and slide “like a robot” to the other side before pushing up.

Then ya roll over and begin an ab burning crunch routine.  You do your ab crunches with hands behind the head.  Then instead of a pause, you clasp your hands together to make a big fist, do a crunch up toward the right or left, roll the large fist in front of your body to the other side (by twisting at the abs of course), then bring your shoulders back down.

Your fists are essentially taking the place of a medicine ball.

Repeat several times, then move back to the push-ups.  Repeat the push-up routine for a bit, then move back to the ab workout.  Remember, this is after just shy of an hour of punching, kicking, jumping, moving, and sweating.

It was at this point that I was thinking that, ya know, I just may have found THE workout to file under “The Gods Hate Me!” on Fitocracy.  It was genuinely crossing my mind as I pushed through clenched teeth just to finishing moving through the reps.

Clearly, I freak’n LOVED this workout.

I missed very few reps through the workout.  There were a few bits that confused me because I hadn’t watched the video ahead of time, so I wasn’t prepared for the changes.  Other than that I stuck with it and shed a couple of pounds of sweat, at least.

If you don’t have Les Mills Combat already, why the hell not?  It’s $60.  That’s the cost of a video game.

Fitocracy is the social fitness community that has helped hundreds of thousands level up their fitness. Start your fitness transformation today!

Yeah, that just happened.  I’m still kinda sick, and I did a 30 minute HIIT workout.  Mmhmm.

This workout is 30 minutes and uses squats, dead lifts, power presses, power cleans, and body weight exercises like push-ups, plyo lunges, burpees, and jump squats.  There’s then a floor routine that works your core that has you doing mountain climbers, and this bit that has you using minimum movement to go from a push-up position onto your elbows then back into a push-up position.

I’ll be honest, this was too much for me at the moment.  My body is still recovering from some sort of respiratory infection.  The result is that I had to skip a number of reps.  Nonetheless, this workout is very solid and I hit it as hard as I could in my current state.

I like this workout.  After I finished it I just kept thinking about how much fun it’s going to be once I’m completely over this yuck.  I’m going to come back to Power HIIT and just knock it out of the park.  This is now one of my goals.

My original plan was to do either “Combat 30” or “Combat 45” since I’ve already done both of those workouts.  I was going to compare how I feel now to when I wasn’t sick as a means to gauge my progress… but ya know, the more that I thought about it the more bored that I became with the idea.  I needed something new, and decided to do the day 2 workout.  The catch is that I didn’t know what the day 2 workout was going to be.  Who would have expected a HIIT on the second day?

Anyway, there’s the thoughts on today’s workout.

You fitblrs who want a good interval workout will probably want to read this.

Prior to today I had only seen snippets of Les Mills Combat.  I knew that it would be fun, but I didn’t know much beyond that.  This post is only about my first day with the program and should not be considered to be a full review.

Combat was my workout this evening, and my first impressions are very positive.  I did both of the workouts on the first DVD, “Combat Kick Start” and “Combat Power Kata”.

I first watched the introductory “Basics” DVD which goes into detail about the various techniques that are used in the program.  Seriously, watching this DVD is a requirement for anyone who is starting this program!  This is not your typical “introduction” that attempts to sell you products.  You will watch this if you want to keep up with the workouts.

What I found surprised me.  They give solid instruction by clearly explaining how to avoid injury and, more impressively, how to correctly perform the techniques.  The “Basics” DVD is essentially an introductory class for any traditional karate class.  The instructors take time to explain and show each technique, from how to properly form a fist to how to (up) block, punch, and kick.  Their form in everything is solid.

If someone masters the form (hand and foot positions) of the punches and kicks, then they will be weeks ahead of any other new student at a dojo should they decide to formally train in karate.  Though I don’t know anything about the other styles from which Combat takes its inspiration, I have no reason to suspect that it’s anything other than done well.

I went into the “Basics” introduction expecting something silly where the form of the techniques was way off and only useful for exercise.  What I found instead was something much more respectable.  Kudos to the Combat team.  With that said, I am not saying that Les Mills Combat will teach you how to use karate, but it is a good, quick introduction to some of the basics.

The actual workouts on the first DVD are fairly short.  The first, called “Combat Kick Start”, is only 30 minutes long.  The second, called “Combat Power Kata”, is a bit longer at 45 minutes.  These are, of course, your beginner workouts.  They’re not quite as intense as one may expect, but there are ways to increase the intensity of each.

“Combat Kick Start” is a great beginner workout.  It’s not too intense, but you’re definitely going to sweat.  “Combat Power Kata” is a bit more intense, and is probably a good starting point for intermediates.

In spite of its name, “Power Kata” is not all about performing kata.  Both of these workouts are in fact interval workouts, which I was very pleased to see.  Interval training is MUCH more effective at burning calories than a non-stop aerobic routine.  Plus, the addition of plyometrics should aid in increasing both stamina and strength as well as adding to the calorie burn.

If you’re curious about the form of the techniques as used in the exercises, I would say that it’s mixed.  Occasionally it’s very good, but the speed of the exercise occasionally makes it very difficult to maintain or use proper form.  Remember that this is an exercise program, so don’t get too hung up on form (but definitely still do your best).

The only negative thing that I can say about Les Mills Combat so far is that the DVD of the first workout has a production defect near the center of the DVD.  I need to examine the other DVDs to see what shape they’re in, but I will do this tomorrow or Friday.  Hopefully Beach Body can send me a replacement, because it’s almost impossible to get the first DVD to play.  I’m crossing my fingers that the others work well.

So far, so good.  I’m enjoying it and I rather suspect that I’m going to have a lot of fun with Les Mills Combat.

What foods do you eat for energy before a workout?

Here’s what I do, but I’m looking for more suggestions:

• About one hour prior:  A full meal.  Pasta and/or chicken (or any lean meat), and some veggies if I have it.  Another alternatives is rice with some meat.  if none of these are options then I eat one “thirty minute” meal now and another later, which is..
• About 30 minutes prior:  Whole wheat bread (with peanut butter if I have it), and an apple or two. An alternative is a cereal that will provide the carbs necessary to fuel the work out, like Cheerios or something similar.  Bananas are nomed if I have them.
• During: I put some recovery drink (with creatine) into my water. Not a full scoop, but enough to give some protein and a small boost to keep going.

After the workout I use my recovery drink and take a multi-vitamin.  The body is primed to take in nutrients and energy after a workout, so what better time to take your multi?

See my “Get Fit With Me!” page to see which products I use and the exercises that I do.

So anyway, what are some inexpensive ways that you prepare for YOUR workout?

Posting from android.. edited to clean this up a bit.

This evening I did Insanity - Pure Cardio.  It’s hard to believe that something so intense burns only 300-some calories, but that’s the way it is. My HRM reported 237.2 calories burned, which I’m not sure that I believe. I haven’t looked at the full report in the PC software yet. (edit: still haven’t)

At any rate, it basically killed me this evening. Not sure what happened there. Blood sugar too low maybe? Got way too light headed after the workout.

edit 2: MFP is saying that I still need to eat 720 calories today.  Seems reasonable that this is what lead to the light headedness.  I’m not sure how THAT happened.  I guess I’ll look for something else to eat.

Going to hit the shower.. this question mark to allow comments: ?