P90X: Day 5 - Legs & Back, Ab Ripper X

Date: 01/26/2011
Workout: Legs & Back, Ab Ripper X
Day 5

Today was not nearly as frustrating or demoralizing as yesterday’s Yoga X workout, but it was still angrily tough. The wall sits in the middle of the workout (both double-leg and single-leg) were killers in between everything else. However, it was nice to have a few of the pull-up/chin-up routines to split up the leg exercises, as well. I still am not doing very well with the pull-ups – anywhere between 1 and 3 reps each set before I have to use the chair to get 3-4 more. If I were to just do one set of pull-ups, I could do 6, 7, or even 8 or 9. However, when it’s put in the middle of a workout, my performance isn’t nearly what I’d want it to be. How these people in the videos are doing 15-25 pull-ups for each set is beyond me! I can keep up with them for the most part on most the workouts, but there is absolutely no chance in other parts.

I was worried going into the leg workout that I’d have to bring up some of my heavier weights (35-50 lbs) from the basement depending on the exercise; but after skimming through the video beforehand, that thought quickly was nullified with all the 5-20 lb. recommendations. I was very surprised and very pleased with the level of intensity all the exercises brought to my legs and back despite the low weight. If I had to pick one exercise that hurt the most other than the wall sits, it has to have been the calf raises at the end. I picked 15 lbs which worked out very well and allowed me to get all the reps in with good form, but each rep through the last two sets brought cramp-like sensations to my calf muscles.

Oh – I am getting better and better at Ab Ripper X… I think. The first 2-3 exercises are going more smoothly, and I’m almost able to complete all of them without any breaks. Of course, this extra effort early on is affecting my performance later in the workout, but I’m still managing pretty well. I am excited to see this improvement, and we’ll see where it goes.

My diet took a little dive today as I had two chocolate chunk cookies at work. The rest of my diet has been doing very well with lots of ham, chicken, and vegetables as well as healthy snacks throughout the day to make sure I keep my metabolism going. However, after a long 10 ½ hour day at work, I was really craving something delicious (other than the chicken, ham, and turkey salad I had for lunch). I apologize to the diet police, but I just had to. Don’t tell anybody! I’ll be back on track tomorrow. To be honest, though, I’ve been doing a very good job at abiding by my nutrition plan, if I do say so myself. There have been many times I’ve respectfully rejected delicious and enticing foods which I normally would gobble right up, and I normally replace it with something along the lines of an apple, carrots, or a low-fat yogurt. Another key I’m trying to stress is portion control. I still feel full after every meal, which is great, and I do not see any weight gain. I actually weighed myself when I got home from work tonight (after having breakfast, snack, lunch, and snack at work), and I am still down 3+ pounds from where I was this point last week. I am going to keep at it.

It looks like I have Kenpo X tomorrows, so I’ll be working out in my basement for the first time. I’ve been doing all my workouts upstairs in my living room on the carpet, which is not preferred. However, it’s the only place with easy access to the pull-up bar. I may start doing all workouts downstairs that don’t require the pull-up bar so that I don’t get my carpet any dirtier than it is right now. (Don’t get me wrong. My carpet is not really bad or anything. But I don’t want to make it a habit of doing everything up here.) Anyway, where I do my workout in my house is irrelevant. I just need to make sure I do my workout, no matter where, and I’ll be fine. I am loving this program so far!