Insanity Day 4: Cardio Recovery

Still pressing on!

Day 3 was a delightful change of pace. I was worried when I saw on the calendar that today was "cardio recovery" because I figured that the term "recovery" was very relative when you are talking insanity.

So Cardio Recovery is a 33 min workout which basically incorporates stretching with some isometric exercises done s-l-o-w-l-y instead of as fast fast fast as you can like in the other DVDs.  It still is work but I finished the workout without being drenched in sweat like the last two days.

NUMBERS YO!

April 23rd 2014

Cardio Recovery

Time:  32:17

Calories Burned: 188

Average HR: 119

Max HR: 157

So not as much heart pounding intensity today, it felt good to stretch it out and do some leg work. I got though it ok but I think that has a lot to do with the fact that my legs are really conditioned from the 1/2 marathon I just spent 3 months training for. I did try the wrist rotation that I mentioned in the post from yesterday and my wrists did feel a lot less stressed afterwards. Hmmmm let's see what's on for tomorrow?

Pure Cardio

shit.......

Insanity Day 3: Cardio Power & Resistance and a Solution for Weak Wrists.

Day 3! Cardio Power & Resistance...

I am really loving these workouts so far. I know it's crazy hard and while I'm doing it I keep asking myself "WHY!?" but afterwards I really feel like I accomplished something amazing!!! I know that after each circuit I am stronger, my body is changing and it hurts so good! (and so much!)

I wish someone would have been there to take a photo of me passed out on the floor after the second circuit gasping for air. Would have made quite the motivating image!

My Numbers!

April 22nd 2014

Cardio Power & Resistance

Time: 40:21

Calories: 458

Average HR: 163

Max HR: 189

(I'm seeing really high heart rates these last two days. I'm going to clean my sensor and make sure check my HR the old fashioned way to see if it's really accurate)

There were a lot of pushups during this workout, all of which were done on my knees today and even so by the end of it my wrists were killing me. I have always had funky problems with my wrists; I have little dainty girly ones that are always sore after bearing weight like pushups or some yoga poses. I figure if I want to really get the best results possible from this program I should see if I can find a solution for this problem.

A quick google search and I found this

I found the article really interesting and I plan on trying his suggestions during tomorrow's workout if there are any pushups. Tomorrow is "Cardio Recovery." I'm not holding my breath that it will be easy just because the word "recovery" is in the title.  

"Just don't think about it. Yes it's hard, it's almost impossible! Get out of your head and just freaking go to work and amazing things will start to happen."

-That's what I keep telling myself while I'm getting my ass kicked

Bring it on tomorrow...

Insanity Day 2: Plyometric Cardio Circuit

Well It's day 2, the first REAL workout.

eep....

So today was Plyometric Cardio Circuit day. I waited until Nathan went town for his morning nap and put on my shorts, laced up my sneaks and said a little prayer. Then I pushed play...

I'm pretty sure this workout was the single hardest workout that I have ever done

I'm also pretty sure that I'm hooked! 

The workout lasted about 45 min and was full of high intensity cardio drills; I was pretty much drenched in sweat by the end of the 15 min warm up. Over the weekend I had watched a youtube vlog by a fellow nursing mother who had completed a round of insanity back in 2009 and she said that a big part of her ability to complete the workouts was that she got out of her head and went to her "happy place." I took her advice and "went to my happy place" when it got really hard. I think because of that I was really able to push myself harder than I normally push when I'm working out at home and it's just me and the DVD player. I liked Shaun T's motivational style, he got in your face but not in a overly aggressive drill sergeant kind of way which I appreciated. One of the reasons why I'm not quite sold on the CROSSFIT phenomenon like everyone else is because the CROSSFIT gym I went to on a groupon back in San Diego just had people screaming in your face all the time. I like intense workouts (obviously) but I just don't respond well to that kind of motivation. I guess I'm thankful I never joined the military!

Anyway I was able to finish the workout (barely) and only had to stop a little (a lot). There was a drill called "level 1" where you do 4 push-ups then plank runs then back to standing (burpee style) then repeat. I did all the push ups on my knees but I did do (most of) them before I completely collapsed. I had my trusty heart rate monitor on (birthday gift last year) and these are my stats:

April 21st 2014

Plyometric Cardio Circuit

Duration: 46:38

Calories Burned: 543

Average HR: 165

Max HR 193 (wow)

I was so thankful to Nathan that he slept the whole time and I was able to take a LONG hot shower afterwards. I'm not super sore yet but I am definitely more "aware" of certain muscle groups than I usually am if that makes any sense. I'm sure when I wake up tomorrow Kyle will have to carry me out of bed because I won't be able to move under my own power.

Well I'll have to rally because tomorrow is another workout.

Am I insane for doing this? Probably, but that's what makes it fun!

Stay tuned!

Insanity Day 1: Fit Test

Today I started the beach body program INSANITY by Shaun T. I have been meaning to start this ever since I bought the DVDs back in November 2012. I did p90x a while before that and really enjoyed it so when I saw the commercial for insanity I was like "am I insane? sure! let's do this!"

Then I got pregnant

Then I was a postpartum nursing mother

Now I'm still nursing but after some research and because I have completed the half marathon I was training for (the San Francisco 1/2 on April 6th) I figure now is a good time. 

If I don't start now I probably never will :-)

Never herd of it? (do you not watch T.V?)

go ahead & watch the video...

Anyway so I started the program today. Day 1 is the fit test which is made up of 8 different exercises. You do one exercise at a time and try to do as many reps as possible in 1 minute. This fit test is repeated every 14 days throughout the 60 day program.

I barely finished the fit test. I did have to stop a few times. Holy crap this is going to be (um) INSANE! Even the fit test is crazy!!!!!!!!!!

Here are my results so far:

I used post-it notes because I plan on using the workout calendar again

aaaaaannnnnnndddddd

Here are my pictures which I took today!!!!

Insanity Day 1: April 20th 2014

Now let me make something perfectly clear. I am INCREDIBLY happy with the weight I am now. I am NOT doing this in an effort to loose weight. I am anticipating that I will in fact, gain weight when I build muscle and that's totally fine with me. I want to get ripped & have some muscles!

But mostly I want to be able to do more than 5 push ups before I have to do girly ones. 

I don't know how strict I am going to be with the diet because I need to keep my calorie count high to support my breastfeeding. However I'm not too concerned since Kyle and I eat pretty healthy to begin with. 

If I keep with the program as is I'll be well into month two while we prepare to move. It will be

INSANITY!!!

Stay tuned and I'll post on my progress!