So far, so good!

While Plyo X wore me out (as it always has) yesterday, today's workout was the real acid test for whether or not I was ready to get back to it.... shoulders, biceps and triceps. Guess what? I PASSED! Granted I used the bands instead of the weights, and lightened the resistance on the shoulder exercises, but I think we're back on track here... I feel great! I'm so happy to be getting back to this. It's like a little structure has come back into my life.

Because there is no time like the present...

Why wait for Monday to roll around? Might as well get going now, right? That's what I said today. It was either start back again today, or maybe not start again at all. Oddly enough, today was supposed to be the day that I finished my first round of P90X. Instead it turned out to be the day I started again. Ironic, but hey... that's just the way the cookie crumbles.

So after a while of not dong this, I am doing Chest and Back for what feels like the very first time. I'm still amazed that this workout has the capacity to make me nauseous, but it also today made me feel like I was starting anew again. I did baby my shoulder a bit because this was the workout that caused the injury in the first place, so my reps and my intensity weren't as high as I would have liked for them to be. I'm going to trust that there is room for improvement and try to remember that it's really critical that I not hurt myself again.

It was also surprising to see that Ab Ripper X was not the same experience as it was almost three months ago. If muscle has memory, them much of the memory must be in my abs. I was not as fast as I was at the end of the first sixty days, but I also am surprised to see that I am not taking breaks in the middle of it like I used to when I first started, and that I am able to keep the rep count up to at least 25 of each exercise. That was great news.

All in all, it was a good workout. I'm glad to be back on this again. It sure will be nice to not only see results again, but also to have this piece of my structure back in place. Thank God for second chances!

Ready to get going again

It's been a successful "try-and-see" week. I seem to be over my shoulder injury and I am ready to get back into doing this like I was meant to do it! It's probably not necessary to start at Square One again, but I think I want to do so, just because it'll be like starting fresh again. It's also good for the humility I think.... I don't wanna get into the whole thing of "Oh, So-and-so who started this with me is now ahead of me." Please. This is supposed to be fun, not a contest. And if there is anything that I have learned from my first sixty days with P90X it's that my main competition is myself and the barriers are all in my mind.

HERE WE GO!

I'M BACK!!!

Down but not out, I have gotten back on the P90X horse after it bucked me off and caused me a three-week long convalescence. There's still a mild tenderness in my shoulder, but no longer do I have that primal, agonizing ache through my shoulder that had me wondering if I would ever use my arm again normally. On the advice of a friend, I am easing my way back into this. Cardio X today... X Stretch tomorrow... Cardio X again plus Ab Ripper X on Wednesday... Yoga X on Thursday... Kenpo X on Friday... X Stretch on Saturday... and rest on Sunday. Sound like a good way to get back into the program? I my repeat that if I am not feeling decidedly better after the first week, but I have a feeling that I will be able to get back on it. I will probably start again at Square One with the Phase 1 workouts and see what happens.

Okay folks! Here we go again!

UNCLE!

Okay, so much for my big plan to just do recovery week stuff... for some reason last nights session of Cardio X made my shoulder worse. There's been a low, primal ache all night since the squat runs. So I think I am off to the doctor.

I'm actually really upset, bordering on depression of sorts. It's like... I found something I really loved to do that was physical and fun and WORKING, and now I can't do it! It's not friggin' fair!

I'm still eating as per the diet, but I think this may be the end of the P90X experiment for now...

I may be getting a bit melodramatic, and this whole entry may be unnecessary, but just in case, I"m going to ask you all to please consider this program suspended, and ask you to bear with me while I get some needed medical care.

Thanks everyone for all your understanding, support, encouragement, and friendship through this.

Okay, I'm getting worried...

I think I really did a number on my rotator cuff... maybe worse than I realize. The pain is dull and not noticeable most of the time, but every once in a while there's a flare-up that's crippling. Happened yesterday while I was doing the star blocks on Kenpo X. As you can see, for most of the week until today, I've been able to go through the rest of the workouts, including yoga and the back workout this week without much difficulty. Sometimes there's a low primal ache initially that subsides after a few minites of exercise. Last night though, it was bad, and the ache is pretty constant.

So here's my idea (and I am hoping you P90X grads will chime in as well on this thought)... Today is the last day of my workout week, meaning it's "Rest or X Stretch" day. Today I'll rest and start a "mid-phase recovery week" on Thursday which will involve a lt of yoga, Core Synergistics and Cardio X (will have to lay of Kenpo X for a week since the punches and the star blocks seemed to have exacerbated my shoulder). I'll see how I feel after that, and if I see a little improvement I'll decide on whether to go on with Phase 3, do another recovery week, or just stop altogether. Sound feasible?

I sure would be sad if this were the end of the road for P90X for me. I mean, don't get me wrong... if it is for now, I will pick it up again, but I have really been having fun with this and loving the changes it's produced in my mind and body. I'm just hoping it's not.

Oddly enough, that I may have to stop worries me more than what I may have done to my shoulder.... that's no so healthy, huh?

I'm hoping a P90X grad will chime in with some hopeful words here.

Should have done this upon awakening...

I discovered today that I enjoy Kenpo X much better in the morning when I first wake up versus in the afternoon right after work. Will have to remember that. I still put my all into it, but between the aching rotator cuff and the general stress of the day, it was something of a lackluster workout today. I'm going to give myself a B for today.

TODAY'S WORKOUT - Kenpo X