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The Art of the Callus

Today's workout was the Kettle Bell 15:15 Protocol (15 secs of snatches followed by 15 secs of resting, then switching hands) followed by Tony Horton's 1 on 1 Killer Abs. And, let me say, it was a great work out. I owe the discovery of this one to the fitness king Mike French. Mike's about 10 years younger than me and a true specimen of the extreme. He eats right, pushes himself to the limit on every work out, and makes a living out of being a fitness coach along with his wife. They've both made cameo's in Beachbody's series of infomercials as well as won monthly awards for being pure case studies on what the program can do for you.

I on the other hand, just want to push myself enough to keep moving forward. I've never been good at sitting still, so its up or down for me, and up feels so much better.

Mike sets the bar high, and I feebly try to keep up. His personal best after a few tries at this work out was 64 sets of 7 reps with a 44lb kettle bell....or 32 minutes to lift 2,816 lbs over his head. I've attempted to keep up before and realize that I'm not going to, but I still try. His thoughts on the program about the fear (paraphrasing here) that hits him prior to the work out and the nauseousness that follows had me more than a little intimidated. Plus, I had my 35lb kettle bell out on loan, which is where, as he advised, any sensible/smart person would start. Not me though, noooo, I had to go for the big 53lber. I figured I outweigh Mike by a good 40 lbs of muscle (okay I'm taller with bigger bones) so I may not be able to keep up on the cardio side, but it would be a real hit to my ego to go lighter. Proving someone wrong one has to be the one of the greatest pleasures in life, especially since I've cut ice cream and beer out of my diet (mostly).

So I started out with the help of my 7yr old daughter writing down each set. Now, I have absolutely no idea how Mike gets 7 reps in 15 secs, I instead quickly settled into 5 reps per set, which seemed like I was rushing to complete in 15 secs. Let me say that 15 secs of resting only seems long for the 1st two sets. Around the tenth set on each side or set 20, I got one of those side cramps that was annoying but not game ending. I was able to push though to set 40, and I truly believe I could have made it to 60, but the calluses started to tear. Actually, I think it is really blisters under the calluses. My daughter even said "what is that noise?" All is good, I didn't let the ego push me into a sidelining injury....and there are those that know me who are probably surprised at that. Yes, I am getting wiser in my old age.

So it's now time to repair those calluses. In the old days, I would just let the blisters underneath dry, and then peal away the skin. The best remedy is to now apply some high quality lotion like corn huskers or whatever my wife has in stock and then tomorrow morning take the bunion scraper that looks like a small cheese grater to them. Avoiding the dishonor of weight lifting gloves at all cost!

I'd also like to thank Mark Sisson for his work on the Primal Blueprint. I'm loving the diet high in fruits, vegatables, and meat. I'm not sure how far I go into the evolution theory behind the diet, but I will say it works!

Kettle Bell Goal Accomplished.

I hit my goal of 200 two handed swings today with my 70 lb. kettle bell, along with 3 sets of presses and flys at different angles, before my MRI for a pinched inguinal nerve (I hope).

After failing to hit my goal of 200 on Wednesday I wasn't going to quit until I did it today. I thought I had mastered the breathing technique. After the 3rd set of 50 swings, I wasn't sure I'd make another set. I was doing as I had learned from watching you tube videos, exploding the air out and virtually pushing the Kettle Bell up. After each of the first three sets I was left gasping for air at 50, usually after I put the kb down. The 4th set today, I just relaxed and breathed almost normally but in tempo with the swings. At the end I was barely winded, almost disappointed. I'm sure you know what I mean. I had anticipated failure, almost expected it. So much so, that when the success was easy, I felt a sense of let down....of course, not so much that I needed to attempt another 50.

This week regime was focused on variation and explosive power:

Monday - Tony Horton's One on One - Just Arms
Tuesday - Tony Horton's One on One - Bun Shaper (still feeling this one when I sit down!)
Wednesday - Kettle Bells and Shoulders
Thursday - Tony Horton's One on One - Plyo Legs
Friday - Kettle Bells and Chest
Tomorrow - Tony Horton's One on One - Fountain of Youth Yoga

Just Breath!

Okay, it sounds easy and we do it without thinking, but sometimes it's not quite that simple. It really helps to relax us when we are stressed out; a few long slow ones will do wonders, as well as in yoga. But other times different methods are required.

Yesterday, I talked about the difficulties of the Kettle Bell Two Handed Swing - the chest pumping, full out assault on the cardio system that will push my pulse up to 200 and requires twice as long for it come back down. Well, guess what, I did a little research and learned a new way to breath. My normal 50 swings today were a breeze. I was scrambling to catch my breath all the way through 50 swings each time. The down swing was not allowing me enough time to inhale and the upswing was not allowing me enough time to exhale. It was similar to running a 800 meter (yeah right) sprint while hyperventilating! No wonder I was seeing pretty colors!

Now I explode the Kettle Bell up with my exhale, and get a full inhale on the downswing. 50 swings felt like a joke today, all 4 sets. I understand how my P90X coach's coach did 500+ swings now. Personally, that will never happen for me - I can't count that high ;)

The two pood arrives on Monday - I hope the UPS guy is a P90X graduate!

Happy Easter and stick to the real eggs!!

Accountability and Progress - Day 440

It is hard to believe that I've almost finished round #5 of a 90 day program that some said I would never complete. I find it hard to believe myself, that through all of the traveling and temptations of ice cream and beer that I have stuck with it. That cheat day on Saturdays does help. But truthfully, after sticking with it for 90 days it does become a habit/routine and the small helping of ice cream every once in awhile is okay. Let's face it in my 45th year, I really do not need to look like Arnold, I just need to be fit and healthy. I'm good with that, but a little voice in my head is always pushing me harder. That's also okay, as long as I keep it in check and it really does help me to exercise everyday.

I've recently added a new variation to my regiment. Kettle Bells. A Russian torture device that looks like a cannon ball with a handle. Most men start with a 35lb bell or one pood equal to 18kg. There are many different exercises that can be performed with it, but the most popular and torturous is the two handed swing. It takes a strong focus, great technique, and pure determination. Unlike most exercises, it is not something that can be paced or modified. There's one speed only. After 5 minutes of swinging, my heart rate is up to 200 bpm, and it seems like it takes me another 10 minutes to stop breathing heavy. I really need to learn how to breath better! Not an exercise that I would recommend for anybody before at least one round of the X!

I'm really loving the coaching aspect of this as well. On one side I have the newbies with all sorts of enthusiasm at getting started after usually months of "does it really work?", in the middle are the people who are saying I'm getting incredible results or "I have lost two sizes but the scale hasn't changed", and at the end are the happy graduates who can't believe the change they have made, and like me have no desire to stop feeling so good. Every once in awhile, somebody stops after 90 days feeling great about their accomplishment, but not willing to continue the devotion, generally, I see them back in the swing of it after a month.

As an example, our neighbors just completed their first round last week. Nancy was an avid runner before the X and had a lot of reservations about doing the X, and not having enough time to go running. I told her to do the X for one month, and then add back in running. She just went running for the first time in three months this week. She was pretty nervous beforehand she said. A three mile run after 90 days seemed like a lot. She actually got bored running and didn't even enjoy it.....personally, I never understood running in the first place, so it is tough for me to understand. But I do like knowing that the X got her in so much better shape than her daily running did in the past. And now, given the choice, she is sticking with the X. She's ready to add in the Kettle Bells!

Financially speaking, coaching is great! I may have mentioned before that I really only did the business side as a tax write off. Now I'm shopping for a pool in the backyard and expect ground breaking to commence next spring!

Walking the Walk

ACCOUNTABILITY - looking in the mirror and taking a photo are two very different ways of measuring progress. It is very difficult for most of us to see or notice small changes in the mirror, but photos sure show the difference. Starting a fitness program as intense and time consuming for most of us is a very difficult decision. Something usually has to happen to force us to make a change. Getting winded walking up the stairs and noticing it might be enough, having someone tell its time, or just seeing a new record high on the scale. The act of clearing the calendar and all other responsibilities needs to occur next, for some it is a needed step, for others it is just a stall tactic. But let's say success is reached, the program is followed, the diet is changed, the goal is achieved. Then what? Have you made a commitment to maintain your results? Have your results been so outstanding that others have noticed? Have you publicly published your results so others will noticed or kept them to yourself?
Good or bad, I have published my results, here on my blog, on my facebook, as well as even the local paper:

Quite an honor, and a bit embarrassing at the same time. And I do have sympathy for my wife. It's one thing to have a blog, but the local paper is seen by the neighbors. Now I have the ultimate accountability. At church, its noticed if I sneak a cookie after service on Sunday. People look in my shopping cart at the grocery store. Even at a men's retreat this weekend, everyone had to visually compare the items on their plate to mine. The accountability is great! But I also now feel the pressure to act responsibly and not let others see me slipping up because it makes it okay for them.

There is not a magic secret to fitness and health. It requires daily work, and now for me is really routine, and if I miss workout I notice, just like if I missed brushing my teeth. Starting out it is usually enough to have your own motivation and accountability, but don't be afraid to let others help you!

The 50/50 Project

Okay, I'm 11 months into a 90 day program and I've completely changed my diet, lifestyle, and way of thinking! Back on January 26, I weighed a whopping 225lbs, a few weeks later I was down to 215lbs. Since then I dropped all the way down to 190lbs, and I'm now back up to 208lbs. But don't feel sorry for me, I'm trying to get back to 215lbs while remaining at my current 9% body fat. The math:

At 225lbs I was around 30% body fat or a lean weight (0% fat) of 157.5lbs.
At 190lbs I was at 7% body fat or a lean weight of 177lbs - a loss of 23% body fat or 51.75lbs of fat and a gain of 20lbs of muscle!
My current goal is to get back to my starting weight of 225 but be at 9% body fat which is 207.5lbs for a lean weight or an even 50lbs of muscle gained since day 1! Since I only have about 6 weeks left, and at the most, I can gain 1lb of muscle per week, my anniversary goal is to be at 215lbs.

The real question most people ask is "why?" Quite simply, I feel the best that I have ever felt! Playing hockey or playing with the kids, I have energy and a more positive mood overall. Sure there are days when I'm tired, usually after Friday night hockey when I get home very late and then the dog barks in the middle of the night and I get up to do some kickboxing at 4:30am....doesn't everybody? But overall, I'm a very happy and positive person compared to where I was just one year ago. So this current goal is motivation to keep going. I guess most people would say "you feel good everyday, you look good, so why keep pushing?" Not me, for me it is truly a matter of al or nothing. I've never been good at doing something halfway. For me to mentally engage, I have to push it!

So, perhaps you're reading this and somehow missed the other 11 or so months of my ramblings. Here's the basic formula that I used to get where I am today:

FEB-APR: Round 1 P90X Classic, nutritionally followed the P90X suggested diet as well.
MAY-JUL: Round 2 P90X Classic, nutritionally stayed in a Phase 2 P90X diet
AUG: Ten Minute Trainer Series, my body needed a break after 6 months straight of the X, P90X Phase 3 diet
SEP-NOV: P90X+, Bodybuilder diet - Sun-Fri: 3000 Calories, 300g Protein, 150g Carbs; Saturday: 4000 Calories, 300g Protein, 450g Carbs.
DEC- : Primal Efforts: A complete mix of P90X, X+, 1on1, and TMT. Bodybuilder diet

It seems to be working. Pants are still loose, and muscles are growing. I could use some more leg routines probably, but I do play hockey twice a week when possible. Arms, chest, shoulders, and back are all showing noticeable improvements. Let me know if you have any questions or if you are ready to start your own P90X journey!