INSANITY - Week 6 - It's a "Ho' Nuva Levol"

You might have noticed I skipped a Week 5 recap.  Week 5 was a scheduled "recovery week" during which I did 6 days of the Core Cardio & Balance DVD as the INSANITY calendar demanded.  Didn't have much to say about it.  It was a recovery workout, but certainly didn't let me off the hook.  It allowed me to recover, but was also preparing me for what was to come... INSANITY, LEVEL TWO.
Now, before continuing with this blog post you need to watch THIS VIDEO which will help you understand why I titled this blog post the way I did.  I wish I could embed the video in my blog, but that feature has been disabled by the video owner because he wants all the "views" on YouTube.  But whatever.  Check it out if you haven't seen it already.  Hilarious.  Enjoy.

"Oh, so it was a dock-a-mentary!"

Oh, Eugene Struthers... you are a funny dude.  So I share that with you to share this with you.  INSANITY, Level Two and Shaun T took it to a Ho... Nuva... Levol this past week.

Day 36 - Max Interval Circuit - On the first day of Level Two, you put in the Max Interval Circuit DVD and the first the thing Shaun T says is that he's "gonna kick your butt today" and he "ain't even playin'."  He was right.  We went from a month of 35-minute/42-minute workouts to a week of a 35-minute recovery workouts to 59 minutes of pure Hell on Day 36.

Day 37 - Max Interval Plyo - How many push-ups and how many different kinds of freakin' push-ups can you do and last 55 minutes?!

Day 38 - Max Cardio Conditioning - Can't... brea...the.  Seriously, cardio has never been my strong suit.
As a matter of fact, I'm not sure I have a strong suit.  I'll have to look in my closet.

Day 39 - Max Recovery - Manageable, but needed a mental recovery or kick in the pants more than anything.  Anybody know a Drill Sergeant?  I'm suddenly remembering a flood of disturbing quotes from Full Metal Jacket.

"Because you are a disgusting fat
body, Private Pyle!"

The second month DVDs/workouts are no joke.  The first time through them, they pounded me physically and destroyed me mentally.  I couldn't keep up.  I felt like I was missing some of the exercises because I was too tired to continue or even get back in after a short rest.  The sweat was blinding.  Swallowing or chugging Gatorade only meant I couldn't breath until it went down and that made recovering harder.  I really felt defeated and uncertain that I could maintain the effort I needed to put into this workout.
But as I began the second cycle of the four new DVDs, I just had to remind myself what I reminded my wife of, as Rebecca recently started Jillian Michael's Ripped in 30 routine -- do as much as you can and go as hard as you can.  That's all you can do.  You will get better, faster, stronger each time.  I also reminded myself that I felt the same way during the first cycle of Month 1 DVDs.  Not knowing the routines can make a workout feel really hard, but once you've seen them and figure out how to pace yourself properly, you can breathe more efficiently and rest more efficiently.  And that seems like the key to getting through this second month for me.

Day 40 - Max Interval Circuit - Did better, pushed through, stayed mentally tough.

Day 41 - Max Interval Plyo - With my confidence intact, this day might be the hardest I've pushed myself.  Wow... tiring.

Day 42 - Rest Day - Go Redskins! 2-0, baby!

My body has already shown me how it can quickly adapt to a new routine, which still amazes me.  Getting started on a workout routine can be soooo hard, but it is incredible how our bodies learn and seem to crave it after such a short period of time (like a week!).  Ask Rebecca, I think she's getting the bug!
So I'm gonna keep pushing.  My head's in the right place now and there's no turning back.  3 more weeks left in this effort of transformation.  One day at a time, I will take it to a Ho'... Nuva... Levol!

"Be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

~ Romans 12:2 (NIV) ~

INSANITY, Week 4 - Thrash & Burn

My intended focus throughout Week 4 of INSANITY was to focus on really pushing hard through these workouts, knowing I had a "recovery" week of "Core Cardio & Balance" coming up (which I've obviously already started and I feel oh so recovered, let me tell you).  Anyway, I'm focused and I'm excited about getting results.  I know I need to make sure I'm eating a little better.  I'm burning a ton of calories, but I don't always eat the right ones.  I'm also learning how working out gives you more energy.  Everybody always says, "It'll give you more energy."  Honestly, I never understood how beating yourself down on a daily basis could possibly give you more energy.  But here's what clicked for me... The stronger I am, the easier everyday tasks are on my body; therefore, I exert less energy in the process of accomplishing those things.  So, if I may paraphrase, or re-word what everybody always says -- and yes, I may, because it's my blog -- I'd say that working out and getting stronger saves you more energy.  But I will definitely agree that eating right gives you more energy.  There you go... that's my deep thought for the week.  Here are a few other thoughts I had during my last week of phase 1...

Day 22 - Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs - I haven't talked about Cardio Abs much, but I've got to say that the last exercise is a little... je ne sais quoi (that's French for, "I don't know what.").  They call them Pulse Tucks.  I call them... "I'm glad no one can see in my basement window because I appear to be practicing missionary position thrusts."  There it is.  I said it.  Got it off my chest.  And well, hey, who couldn't use a little more practice?

High knees!  Get 'em up!!

Day 23 - Cardio Power & Resistance - Gotta love the last minute of this one.  Just when you think you're done you get 60 seconds of "Hop Squats" (squat position and bounce -- off the ground, not pulsing) and "Push-ups";  rotating 8 reps of each until the minute is done.  Feel free to fall over and begin thrashing around on the floor before the final stretch.

Day 24 - Plyometric Cardio Circuit - The Level 1 Drills aren't so bad.  You do four (4) push-ups, then from the plank push-up position you "run" for a four-count (keeping your butt down, mind you), then bring your feet under you and stand up.  Repeat until Shaun T moves on to the next exercise.  Now, as you know, I've done this a few times now, and all I can think about when he says, "Level 1 Drills" is how much I dread Level 2 Drills.

Day 25 - Cardio Recovery - Does anyone else smell that?  No, not that... I mean, yes that is still happening, too, but... no, I mean the burning smell?  Oh nevermind, it's just the flesh on my legs.

Day 26 - Pure Cardio & Cardio Abs - Insert "Level 2 Drills" here.  Down for eight (8) push-ups, "run" in plank position for an eight-count, bring your feet in and... wait... don't just stand up... JUMP!  Repeat until Shaun T says to stop or until you're dead.  Whichever comes first.  Who knew "Level 2" meant multiply "Level 1" by two?  Awesome.  Dear God, please don't let there be anything called "Level 3 Drills" in the final month of this program.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

Day 27 - Plyometric Cardio Circuit - Shaun T, why you gonna say "One more time" and yet there's still another round of basketball drills, etc. after that?!  Not cool.

Day 28 - Rest day.  *Sigh*

"But as for you, be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded."

~ 2 Chronicles 15:7 (NLT) ~