January 2, 2014
I woke up this morning definitely feeling groggy. First day back to work means first day waking up at 5:30 again. My body is still sore from the last two days, particularly my core, which is feeling the effects of being pushed to hard in hardcore and then again through the twists in the cardio sequence. Also didn't help to have to shovel feet of snow last night. That's what I get for buying a house only miles from the lake...(oh it's beaauuuutiful here...).
Today's challenge, which I chose to accept was the strength workout. Thankfully my upper body is already plenty strong from years of weights. I can't do more than 3 pull-ups at a time, but boy can I push some heavy weights off my chest in a vertical up and down motion. Talk about functional strength!
The workout is challenging, but not as bad as the first two...this is going to be a cakewalk - wait more twists and inversions? Did I mention that my core is sore? In particular my obliques are failing me. In the midst of my pain, my fear returns. That dude's chest markings look like someone sliced him with a knife 6 times symmetrically (himself)? I bet he's one of those people who everyone goes. "Oh Bob? He's suuuuper nice"
I don't know if it was the fact that I was quarter-asleep (the NoXplode helped with 1/2 and the yoga a 1/4), but I really had trouble focusing and my mind kept wandering. I would love to pretend it was wondering for wholesome reasons, but if you know me and/or have read any previous post you know I was perving again. One of my resolutions this year is to be more honest so hooray for honesty. More honesty - probably didn't help that I completely cheated the common sense food program again by eating way too many buffalo chicken/ketchup flavored potato chips last night (I really need to get the snacks out of my house).
Next up was the Hardcore workout again. You'd think given some crazy sore obliques that I'd just back off for today in true Yogi fashion. Nope, that's not the Mediocre Yogi style. I decide to "push through the pain" Rocky style. In moments like this, I ask myself, what would the Governator do? He would call me a girly man and then ridicule me until I did the workout. So I give it a shot, epically fail (about 20-30% of reps) and clutch my side in pain. I think I really am a girly man.
Timing is perfect, just as I'm finishing up, my nanny comes through the door with her little daughter who starts running around the house screaming "OUR CAR IS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD! OUR CAR IS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD! WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO????!!!" I'm not feeling very zen right now, but I do the only thing that makes sense and offer to dig the car out from the snow. Brilliant.
Those of you who are actually bothering to read my ramblings with any semblance of interest may be wondering how this can be given that I shoveled feet of snow last night. Erm...f*cked if I know, but there are feet of snow again. WTF! So out I go, core screaming and shovel the driveway and all the snow that is under and around the car. *Cue Rocky IV training montage music* Job done.
On the plus side I did actually do the 10 minute meditation last evening. New working plan is to do the meditation before bed. There is no rule that says I have to do it after my workout, and actually it was a really nice way to unwind.
Showing posts with label newyear. Show all posts
Showing posts with label newyear. Show all posts
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Day 1 - Cross Training
December 31, 2013
So I decided to get started right away. No time like the present to make a life change. Why wait until tomorrow or some arbitrary fabricated socially reinforced holiday that caters to amateur hour partiers. In a former life New Year's Eve was the night I pretended to look forward to ("Whooooohooooo"), but secretly loathed the necessity of paying about a $1,000 to freeze my butt off getting too drunk and having to get into fights with the other drunken DBs while defending the honor of my gf/fiance/wife/good friend's gay bff (yes that really happened and sadly not on a New Year's).
I watch the short introductory video. Ok, the production values here are far too good. So good, I'm starting to wonder if this is going to be hokey. Then Travis Eliot starts talking about how he used to be an athlete, but started to feel the aches and pains of life and refused to accept that it was an inevitable consequence of growing older. Hey, that's exactly what I wanted to hear. I just quit doing insanity 10 days in not because it was too hard, but because it was too hard on my joints. I was feeling achey in the knees, shoulders, forearms etc. Hey, he has kids too? I have a kid - I can relate to this guy. Um, but the weird looking yogi dude in the makeup and fake long beard makes me skeptical again. Reminds me of a really bad Bollywood film.
I slip in the cross-training DVD and am surprised by (a) how good looking everyone is; and (b) how many tattoos there are everywhere. My wife thinks I'm weird because I actually have a fear of tattoos. Like they are going to come alive and bite me or something. Ok - grin and bear it. If I could survive putting a tarantula on my hand this year I can deal with some tattoos. (N.B. wife has a tattoo and I'm afraid of her so my story checks out.)
The workout starts and I'm not sure I can get used to Travis' odd nasal voice. Try not to be judgmental Mediocre Yogi. Hmmm - 3 mins in and I'm already used to his voice. See that's not so bad. "Downward Daaaaaaaaaaaawwwwgg" ok I'm annoyed again.
I expected this to be tough, but this workout is really really tough and long. I'm really sweating and working hard and - hey - that Asian lady is pretty hot. Ok - focus Mediocre Yogi focus. This video reminds me of the Bryan Kest videos, but modernized to include tattoos and remove greasy early 90s hairdos. Both have hot Asian women. (Wife is going to murder me if she reads this.) Focus drifting again, wow - isn't that grey haired tattoo'd guy a little too old to have nipple rings and what are those straight line scars on his chest?!
Toward the end of the video Travis gets a close up at the screen and mentions about the common sense diet and "no stimulants". I feel like his gaze is directed right at me. Shoot - he's on to me! How did he find out I took NOxplode this morning?! I didn't put the disc in until after I finished drinking it. I promise it was only 1 scoop Travis (maybe a heaping one, but still better than my usual 1.5-2).
I make it through the workout, but it is hard and I need to take a couple of breaks. Next up is the Hardcore (abs) workout. I probably do about 50-60% of the reps. Find myself gasping "no...please..." a few times.
Last up meditation. I could use a good 10 minutes to medidate. I put on some music in Youtube and make it 4 minutes before giving up. My meteoric life change may take some time...
So I decided to get started right away. No time like the present to make a life change. Why wait until tomorrow or some arbitrary fabricated socially reinforced holiday that caters to amateur hour partiers. In a former life New Year's Eve was the night I pretended to look forward to ("Whooooohooooo"), but secretly loathed the necessity of paying about a $1,000 to freeze my butt off getting too drunk and having to get into fights with the other drunken DBs while defending the honor of my gf/fiance/wife/good friend's gay bff (yes that really happened and sadly not on a New Year's).
I watch the short introductory video. Ok, the production values here are far too good. So good, I'm starting to wonder if this is going to be hokey. Then Travis Eliot starts talking about how he used to be an athlete, but started to feel the aches and pains of life and refused to accept that it was an inevitable consequence of growing older. Hey, that's exactly what I wanted to hear. I just quit doing insanity 10 days in not because it was too hard, but because it was too hard on my joints. I was feeling achey in the knees, shoulders, forearms etc. Hey, he has kids too? I have a kid - I can relate to this guy. Um, but the weird looking yogi dude in the makeup and fake long beard makes me skeptical again. Reminds me of a really bad Bollywood film.
I slip in the cross-training DVD and am surprised by (a) how good looking everyone is; and (b) how many tattoos there are everywhere. My wife thinks I'm weird because I actually have a fear of tattoos. Like they are going to come alive and bite me or something. Ok - grin and bear it. If I could survive putting a tarantula on my hand this year I can deal with some tattoos. (N.B. wife has a tattoo and I'm afraid of her so my story checks out.)
The workout starts and I'm not sure I can get used to Travis' odd nasal voice. Try not to be judgmental Mediocre Yogi. Hmmm - 3 mins in and I'm already used to his voice. See that's not so bad. "Downward Daaaaaaaaaaaawwwwgg" ok I'm annoyed again.
I expected this to be tough, but this workout is really really tough and long. I'm really sweating and working hard and - hey - that Asian lady is pretty hot. Ok - focus Mediocre Yogi focus. This video reminds me of the Bryan Kest videos, but modernized to include tattoos and remove greasy early 90s hairdos. Both have hot Asian women. (Wife is going to murder me if she reads this.) Focus drifting again, wow - isn't that grey haired tattoo'd guy a little too old to have nipple rings and what are those straight line scars on his chest?!
Toward the end of the video Travis gets a close up at the screen and mentions about the common sense diet and "no stimulants". I feel like his gaze is directed right at me. Shoot - he's on to me! How did he find out I took NOxplode this morning?! I didn't put the disc in until after I finished drinking it. I promise it was only 1 scoop Travis (maybe a heaping one, but still better than my usual 1.5-2).
I make it through the workout, but it is hard and I need to take a couple of breaks. Next up is the Hardcore (abs) workout. I probably do about 50-60% of the reps. Find myself gasping "no...please..." a few times.
Last up meditation. I could use a good 10 minutes to medidate. I put on some music in Youtube and make it 4 minutes before giving up. My meteoric life change may take some time...
Day 0 - First Impressions
December 30, 2013
Just received my copy of The Ultimate Yogi and super pumped! Came sooner than expected and looks brand new (shrink wrap and everything). Purchased it off of e-bay so expected it to be used. Rock on. I unwrap the packaging and everything is intact. Each DVD individually wrapped, the program calendar neatly folded. Wow, this looks really professional. I must remember to leave positive feedback on e-bay (oops - still haven't done it).
First decision - do I start tomorrow or wait a day. Why wait? That has always been my philosophy. When you want to get something done don't put it off, just make it happen. Well, tomorrow is New Year's Eve so it is serendipitous timing for this to arrive right before the new year. Starting on January 1st has a poetry to it, but then again I'm not one for resolutions (see philosophy above). What to do...
Second decision - do I follow the diet plan or not? First 36 days eat vegan? I don't think I've ever gone a day vegan. The thought of it makes me a little queasy. I'm that annoying guy who always waves my double cheeseburger in the face of the vegans. Well, it might be possible if we count beef as a vegetable. Second 36 days eat raw? Oh man, I like my foods doused in oil and/or butter. Not sure I can eat raw. Last 36 days juice feast? Are you kidding me???!
Well I briefly entertain it as well. I decide to run the first 36 days by the wife.
"That's just stupid." This from a woman who made us eat gluten free for a month (ok...well she ate gluten free while I cheered her on) and has jumped on many a fad diet or exercise craze. Then I mentioned the second 36. "That's really stupid. I'm not saying you are stupid, just that anyone who wants to do that is stupid." Haha, yeah, that's what I was thinking the whole time...really. :-/ Probably best not to mention the last 36.
Just received my copy of The Ultimate Yogi and super pumped! Came sooner than expected and looks brand new (shrink wrap and everything). Purchased it off of e-bay so expected it to be used. Rock on. I unwrap the packaging and everything is intact. Each DVD individually wrapped, the program calendar neatly folded. Wow, this looks really professional. I must remember to leave positive feedback on e-bay (oops - still haven't done it).
First decision - do I start tomorrow or wait a day. Why wait? That has always been my philosophy. When you want to get something done don't put it off, just make it happen. Well, tomorrow is New Year's Eve so it is serendipitous timing for this to arrive right before the new year. Starting on January 1st has a poetry to it, but then again I'm not one for resolutions (see philosophy above). What to do...
Second decision - do I follow the diet plan or not? First 36 days eat vegan? I don't think I've ever gone a day vegan. The thought of it makes me a little queasy. I'm that annoying guy who always waves my double cheeseburger in the face of the vegans. Well, it might be possible if we count beef as a vegetable. Second 36 days eat raw? Oh man, I like my foods doused in oil and/or butter. Not sure I can eat raw. Last 36 days juice feast? Are you kidding me???!
Well I briefly entertain it as well. I decide to run the first 36 days by the wife.
"That's just stupid." This from a woman who made us eat gluten free for a month (ok...well she ate gluten free while I cheered her on) and has jumped on many a fad diet or exercise craze. Then I mentioned the second 36. "That's really stupid. I'm not saying you are stupid, just that anyone who wants to do that is stupid." Haha, yeah, that's what I was thinking the whole time...really. :-/ Probably best not to mention the last 36.
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