Day 6: End of Week 1!

So, for those following along, this is the last of the first week of Insanity. This the second time to have done the Cardio Power circuit and it is still very hard; however, it was better than the first time through. This session has two distinct sets of movements, the first set is close to fully doable albrit still hard. The second set kicks mu butt. A lot of pushup exercises back to back to back.

My legs aren't nearly as sore, but we'll see how next week goes!

Day 5: Pure Cardio

This is set up on the video to be feared and it is tough, as they basically all are. After the warm-up, it is about 20 minutes or so of set after set, all or most which are 1 minute long of a variety of movements. Power Jacks, Suicide run, suicide jumps, ski down, etc. Oh and plenty of push-ups.

I found there were places where I needed to rest at the start of a set because the previous one was tough, then I'd get at it and maybe rest a little more, especially push up movements. Certainly, I got a good sweat on and I believe I'm feeling some of the benefits in constantly thinking about my core and engaging it. A big test today as I have a soccer game later tonight and it will be interesting to see how my legs feel after 5 days of this program.

Day 4: Cardio Recovery

Essentially, this is break day with some isometric twists! It is a shorter session at just over 30 minutes and it focuses on controlled movements not speed. Further, it uses pulses after long isometric contractions to burn your quads. I am very inflexible so much of the yoga style stretches are tough for me to get into and even harder to hold. So, long as I don't pull a muscle attempting, I imagine these stretches could potentially help me.

All in all, an easy session. What will tomorrow bring?

Day 3 of Insanity...

...was pretty tough.

My calves, which I tend to have some tightness issues with anyway, are really tight and sore. I wasn't even 100% certain I'd be able to do today's session, but I gave it a go and they loosened up enough through the workout to do it. Today's fun was Cardio Power and Resistance, excitement personified in a workout! Maybe not, but there sure were a couple of movements that I found nearly impossible.

Tricep dips in a crab like position and the same but with one leg with your sole facing the ceiling straight up. The former, I could do a bit, but it felt uncomfortable (not a lot of arm flexibility). The latter darn near undoable for me. I may have managed a handful of them. Maybe I will be able to do more the next time this session comes around. Another hard effort in the books and I'm sure more areas of my body will be sore tomorrow but feeling pretty good about it still.

However, unless otherwise proven, I feel this is a spot training program unless there is a good maintenance plan out there. I feel it would be far too boring to do this over and over again past 60 days and the commitment to go 6 days a week every week is difficult for most I would imagine. Maybe 2 or 3 times a week would be sufficient to maintain.

Insanity?! Days 1 & 2

Well, my brother-in-law, Shawn and I have decided to give Insanity a go to see how it will help get us in shape. We are doing the work-outs on our own but are on the same schedule, at least after 2 days of 60 we are. It all starts with the Fit Test, which feels like a killer. I consider myself to be in decent shape ( I run a few times a week, play basketball once a week, soccer 1 or 2 times a week, Curl once a week, touch football once a week, and take the dogs for a walk most days), but the fit test knocked me down!

I got back up but only after 1.5 liters of water and about 45 minutes of barely moving. I had a decent supper but the Spanish Chorizo (only one at that) came back to haunt me during the test and after as a slowly recovered. So, I've learned that doing this program will force me to make wiser food choices just based on survival, so I don't feel ill after the session.

DAY 2 Plyometric Cardio Circuit
It starts off with a warm up that in itself can be challenging. Certainly, these programs are such that you will only get out what you put in, but you need to pace yourself to give you a better chance at making it through the whole session. Warm-up, check. Stretching, check. Then there is a series of movements that you do in succession, 4 I think, then a short rest. You do these for 3 sets (maybe 4) and increase your speed with each set. I always did some in each exercise in each set, but the later sets were really tough.

The second set of exercise where difficult as well and ended with what I'm calling a superset as there were about 6 movements in a row. It ended the high impact stuff with some arm movements that were doable but not easy. Stretching to cap it off. This was hard!

Until tomorrow...

Getting Close Now...

Alright, it is just under 24 hours until our flight to the UK and about 4 days until the Loch Ness Marathon! I am by no means even close to ready for this. I haven't run in about 2 weeks. My hamstring pull is improving but not sure if it will be ready for 26 miles on Sunday. I figure after get bused to the Start I have to get to the Finish one way or another I might as well give it a go.

Hopefully by Sunday it will feel many times better than today!

Blogging Interruptis

It is a good thing my only follower gets all the necessary information by living with me and does not depend on this blog for useful information because I am a blog-slacker or slack-blogger.

On the good side of things my Over 35 Masters soccer team won the Nova Scotia Provincial finals on Sunday in a hard fought victory over Athens (they beat us the previous two seasons in the final). Eastern Nationals are on Canadian Thanksgiving weekend in Halifax, while I'll be in the UK so Great Luck for the guys!

On the bad side my string of injuries continue to mount with a bout of ITBS last week, coupled with a sore left hamstring from my soccer games on Saturday, and topped with a pop in my right hamstring during the Finals. So, it all adds up to a terribly inconsistent marathon training program for the Loch Ness Marathon in 13 days. Not to mention the attempt to try to let my hamstrings heal enough to muddle through 26.2 miles. But, I want the damn finisher's medal so I will give it a go; as well, I'll be in Scotland anyway might as well push my limits one more time before a nice 6 or so week break.

Physio, Ice, Rest, Physio; repeat...