Insanity: Week FOUR!

Wow! I can't believe I've made it through almost four weeks of Insanity!

It's been awesome so far - I like the workouts a lot. They majorly kick my butt, but I'm not ridiculously sore the next day. I might actually prefer a little more soreness.

Today I do the awesome "Pure Cardio" followed by Insanity's "Cardio Abs" and I'm a bit nervous about it - because I finally started going back to the Ab Class here at work today! Again one of my major goals for the next while is to get RIDICULOUSLY RIPPED ABS and I figure every little bit helps. I'll make sure not to overdo it, but I don't think my abs will mind M-W-F ab classes here at work. Plus it is amazing how much better I feel afterward!

Insanity is going very well - I am looking forward to next week's "Core Cardio and Balance" workout scheduled EVERY DAY for the 'Recovery Week' followed by a Fit Test AND the beginning to the MAX Insanity Workouts.

Month two here I come!

Da Vinci's Resume

I guess this very interesting piece comes from the time before Leonardo was at his peak - and it's very interesting to see the things he said he was able to make!

My favorite is that at the VERY end, the last point of his resume is

11. I can carry out sculpture in marble, bronze, or clay, and also I can do in painting whatever may be done, as well as any other, be he who he may.

Oh yeah - and I can sculpt or paint as well as anybody else too...

(via Kottke)

Quote of the Week - 27

"There are more pleasant things to do than beat up people."

- Muhammad Ali

Doesn't Everybody Love Clowns?

I'm not scared of clowns, but I think they are very strange. I prefer Chaplin and Keaton to tons of makeup and not-as-funny stunts.

Still - this commercial did make me laugh.

Everybody needs a little Fedor!

Some subtitles would be awesome - but it's funny enough to watch as it is :)

Nexus One Stop Motion

Wow! This is amazing!



I don't care about the phone- but the video is awesome!

Quote of the Week - 26

"Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first."

- Mark Twain

Insanity Fit Test #2 - 15 Days in!

Finished the second (official) Fit test today!

Wow I thought it would be easier - but I guess in something like this it depends how much you push yourself - so it was TOUGH.

Saw some slight improvements in a few areas, a few where I stayed the same.

Here are the results - again the first column is the unofficial first time, then the 2nd column is Day 1, then last is today!

• Switch Kicks - 123 - 129 - 130 (+/- 5 I kind of lost count doh!)
  
• Power Jacks - 58 - 63 - 68
  
• Power Knees - 80 - 106 - 113
  
• Power Jumps - 31 - 65 - 65
  
• Globe Jumps - 9 - 11 - 12
  
• Suicide Jumps - 16 - 20 - 24
  
• Push-up Jacks - 30 - 44 - 44
  
• Low Plank Obliques - 72 - 92 - 100

I'm most disappointed in the areas I didn't improve in - but MAN I'm tired today! The main goal is to see improvements from the first to the last days I think, and I also think I would have done better if my breathing wasn't giving me Asthma-like symptoms.  Stupid Inversion/Smog.

Now it just sounds like I'm making excuses.

Saturday I did Pure Cardio and the Cardio Abs - WOW doing those back to back was a major challenge - but I DO love a good ab workout. Ab workouts also make me happy cuz I know every time I do one I'm closer to my goal of a ripped stomach!

This Too Shall Pass

Best use of Gillie suits in a music video, ever. Well... maybe as far as I know, rather!


OK Go - This Too Shall Pass from OK Go on Vimeo.

*Update*
And if for some reason this video doesn't work - OK Go explains why it is difficult for them to get stuff online nowadays. Interesting!

Twitteriffic

I finally joined Twitter...

We'll see how it goes!

Eventually you'll probably see a Twitter Button or Badge on here somewheres.

Insanity: Week Two!

I started out blogging about every day of the Insanity workout... I got to day two. Obviously that hasn't worked extremely well.

I have been working hard to do Insanity and have only had one snafu. On Saturday we were so busy picking up and delivering furniture (take table to brother, pick up table and bed from in-laws) rushing home and birthday parties that I got a good workout just doing all that. Still I felt bad so I did Saturday's workout Sunday morning.

There are no new workouts in Week 2, except that on Saturday I get to do the Cardio Abs workout. Every workout in Insanity includes a LOT of Core work and Shaun T is always saying "Keep your core TIGHT!" which is already majorly improving my stomach area in the week and a half I've been doing insanity.

Since one of my main goals this year is a rock-hard six-pack, I'm glad that insanity is finally getting rid of that final little layer of lower abdominal pooch. I look forward to seeing what's in store for me in the Ab exercises. I also might just have to start going to my work's Ab class again since I stopped a couple of months ago because of work requirements. We'll see if it is too much right now or if I can handle it.

Have a GREAT day!

Quote of the Week - 25

"What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal."

- Albert Pike

Sushi Etiquette

I love sushi!

It's been far too long since I have taken my lovely wife out for a wonderful night of Sushi and whatever else. I mean when you have Sushi that's really enough goodness for a night, so 'whatever else' is just a bonus!

We haven't had sushi recently because of money, and then the little issue of it not really being a good idea to eat a lot of Sushi when you are pregnant. My wife is hating that... and if we were in Japan, supposedly it is safer there but the US doesn't control the quality of fish like they do, so it is better to be safe than sorry.

But how are you 'supposed' to eat sushi?

Here's a good illustration from all over the place on the internet:

Of course, really there isn't a 'right way' or a 'wrong way' and you should do what you like, especially if you are in America. But if you ever go to Japan, and I would LIKE to go to Japan someday and eat Sushi - it's polite to know the ways of the land... and who knows, maybe these aren't fully right anyway. Just something to think about.

Mmm... Sushi...
(via clusterflock)

The A-Team

Sorry I haven't been great about updating my insanity progress - things are going good! I'm loving it.

But since I need to go to bed right now - I'll leave you with the new A-Team Trailer!



I love the A-Team!

Insanity: Day TWO - Plyometric Cardio Circuit

Wow! Two days and I'm really liking this workout so far.

The Plyometric Cardio Circuit is tough, fast, and by the end, you will probably have trouble doing the fairly simple movements! Half the program is a pretty tough warm-up and stretching session that is similar to the one done in the fit test. Then you get to the intervals.

Wow!

You'll be up and down doing pushups, push-up position running, Heisman's, and much much more, then you do it again. Near the end you do some jabs and uppercuts that are very difficult to do by that time because your body is giving up on you. Dig deeper and enjoy the football drills that almost killed me going side to side and back.

Sorry I'm not making much sense right now - I really should go to bed - I have more Insanity and a dentist appointment in the morning!

New Karate Kid Movie Trailer

Looks like it could be significantly better than the original!



We'll just have to see :)

Quote of the Week - 24

"One of the sanest, surest, and most generous joys of life comes from being happy over the good fortune of others"

- Robert A. Heinlein

I hope this first week of the New Year 2010 (!!!) is going well for you!

Japanese Pranks are MEAN

We interrupt your regularly programmed Insanity Fitness entries for a random and slightly disturbing video from Japan:



I'm not quite sure everything that's going on here... it looks to me that it's the same guy over and over again.

Insanity: Day ONE - Fit Test

Because I'm so smart, I did the fit test before the program without looking at the workout calendar.

One of the first things I did was watch the intro DVD of Insanity - and on it Shaun T says 'Do this before the program!' So that's what I did.

As you might recall, I hadn't eaten anything before I tried the fit test on Saturday (2 days ago), and I pretty much collapsed after the 4th workout. Today I smashed every single one of my results from Saturday, just by eating today. So don't forget to get enough energy when you are working out - even if you are trying to lose weight - if you don't eat, you won't be able to burn off those unwanted pounds!

Okay so now for the results of today's repeated Fit Test. The first number is Saturday's score, the second is todays.

• Switch Kicks - 123 - 129
  
• Squat Jacks - 58 - 63
  
• Power Knees - 80 - 106
  
• Power Jumps - 31 - 65
  
• Globe Jumps - 9 - 11
  
• Suicide Jumps - 16 - 20
  
• Push-up Jumps - 30 - 44
  
• Low Plank Obliques - 72 - 92

I actually struggled a lot with the power jumps the first time, and pretty much was dead for a while after that one. I blame lack of food. Today I had a tough time with the suicide jumps and had to take a little break because of my heavy breathing and heart beat. I blame THAT on not enough sleep.

Sleep and food - important for health? Whodathunk?!?

Still... it's interesting to see that my improvements from my first to second attempts are more than some of the improvements the example people on the DVD had over the entire 60 day period!

I guess for officialness I won't count Saturday's stats as part of my Insanity workout experience, but it is still interesting to see the limitations we can put on ourselves. With energy, I really was able to 'Dig Deeper' and see some pretty massive increases in some of the exercises.

Insanity Fit Test and Before Pics

I did the Insanity Fit Test today in preparation for starting the full Program on Monday. Hopefully day one isn't a repeat of this fit test, but hey if it is I'll at least know what to do!

The Fit Test is:

• Switch Kicks – Switch kicking each leg out high in front of you.
• Squat Jacks – Jumping jacks with a full squat when coming down.
• Power Knees – This is similar to something practiced in many martial arts - basically it is like you have your hands interlocked behind somebody's head and you are bringing their head down to meet your knee. Do it very fast again and again and again. Ouch.
• Power Jumps – Squat and then jump as high as you can - fast.
  
• Globe Jumps – 4 jumps in a circular motion.
• Suicide Jumps - Basically it's a slightly easier form of burpee.
• Push Up Jacks – Push ups with jumping-jack motion with your feet.
• Low Plank Obliques – Bring your knees up towards your shoulders while in plank position.

I haven't really worked out since the end of October. Since finishing P90X last year I continued to work out fairly well (especially faithfully attending the Ab Class at work) but then when we started really getting into our Oracle Upgrade at work, my workouts majorly dropped. So, after finishing the first four exercises, I literally collapsed. The biggest reason was I hadn't eaten anything today before the fit test... which just isn't very smart on my part. I have a feeling I'm going to have to think about food a lot more than I have in the past with this workout!

So here are my results:

• Switch Kicks - 123
• Squat Jacks - 58
• Power Knees - 80
• Power Jumps - 31
• Globe Jumps - 9
• Suicide Jumps - 16
• Push-up Jumps - 30
• Low Plank Obliques - 72

Some of those are pretty good, but I know I will see some big improvements... especially there in the middle exercises before I got a bit of a second wind. I'm interested in seeing how my results are!

And now for the before pictures...

You can compare them to my P90X Pics if you'd like... but I think I've seen enough of myself for the day!!