I knew it

I always thought that the two people on the fitness test video, Tanya and Chris, had high numbers on the switch kicks. Tanya's was extraordinarily high in that she did 110. My highest was 63. I just went back and watched the video, and they were both counting every kick which means that she really only did 55.

That makes me feel pretty good because those two were what I was measuring myself against. They destroyed me in some of the other exercises, but I got them on switch kicks.

Day 55 Last Fitness Test

I'm not sure why the calendar didn't go all the way through to 60 days, but I'm not going to complain too much. I finished a week ago today with the last fitness test. I would say that I have peaked on those exercises. This time through I did not have the paper that I have recorded all of the previous tests as I wanted to not have a number that I was trying to beat.

Previous experience has shown that if I did 65 reps of something last time, I shoot for 64 this time. I wanted to go in with a blank slate and just do the most that I could. I went up in a couple of exercises, down in a few others, and tied on one.

Overall I am impressed with the results over the course of two months. The day that I started I weighed 190 which was a very light day for me. I normally went between 192-195 the week leading up to starting. For the last two days I was 185 and 185.6. So I dropped 7-10 pounds depending on the day. The pictures don't seem to show that, but I know for a fact that I am stronger than when I started. My plan now is to go back to the first month's videos and do them 2-3 times a week trying to get some time on the bowflex in there as well. The last two weeks of this program really wore me down with the 6 days a week of workouts.

Fitness test results:
Switch Kicks - 63               0%            53.66%
Power Jacks - 45                -4.26%     73.08%
Power Knees - 95               3.26%      50.79%
Power Jumps - 25               -7.41%     25%
Globe Jumps - 7.5               -16.67%   87.5%
Suicide Jumps - 15              25%          87.5%
Push Up Jacks - 28             -3.45%     47.37%
Low Plank Oblique - 55      -6.78        83.33%

The first percentage is the change since the fourth fitness test. As you can see from those numbers I have plateaued on the exercises. The second percentages are the change since day 1. Pretty impressive considering I thought I was going to pass out on day 1. Consistent exercise does pay off, and that was without any kind of diet change.

Day 52 - Day 54

Once again I've been bad. I skipped a couple of workouts at the tail end of last week due to some friends coming into town. I got back on track on Monday and will finish up tonight with my fit test.

Day 49-51

So now I understand how hard it is to write something every day. I've missed the last three, and haven't felt all that guilty about it. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now, and unfortunately my right heel on the backside of my foot is hurting. Not so much during the workouts, but the next morning it really is.

I only have three more workouts until my last fit test on Sunday. We've got some friends coming in Friday so I'm not sure when I'll get the workouts in. But I didn't come this far to stop on the last couple of days.

Day 47 and 48

I did both of these workouts Saturday morning and dropped 3 pounds during them. I only put one of those back on throughout the day so I would consider that a win. Doing the two in one day was only accomplished because one of those was the core cardio which is a much slower workout than normal.

I've only got 6 more workouts and one fitness test until I am done. Looking forward to see the pictures.

Day 44 and 45

The last two days were Max Cardio Conditioning and Max Recovery. I don't have much to say except that I am getting burnt out on 6 days a week. I also just noticed that the calendar I have for this program doesn't get all the way to 60 days but only 54. Which is good in one sense and bad in one as well.

Day 43 Max Plyo

The first circuit on this one still wears my ass out, and I'm not really even doing the power jumps. By the time we reach that exercise my legs are shot so I am doing good just to get off the ground. My upper body is definitely getting stronger as I can get through 85% of the push-up stuff that we have to do.

Max Cardio Conditioning and Abs tonight.

Day 43 Fit Test #4

I made it through another Fit Test tonight, and that is where I stop for the evening. I learned on day 31 that doing a fit test and workout in the same night is no bueno. So I opted out of the workout tonight. Results improved in all but one exercise. Those damn suicide jumps got me. The first percentage in the results is the increase since day 1 and the second number is the increase since the last fit test on Day 31.

Switch Kicks - 63             53.66% 6.78%
Power Jacks - 47              80.77% 6.82%
Power Knees - 92             46.03% 10.84%
Power Jumps - 27             35%      3.85%
Globe Jumps - 9               125%    12.5%
Suicide Jumps - 12           50%      -7.69%
Push Up Jacks - 29          52.63%  11.54%
Low Plank Oblique - 59  96.67%  18%

Day 42 Max Interval Sports

Tonight was a completely new workout. It was good to do some new exercises, but about halfway through I was wishing I could go back to the ones that I've been doing and know already. Anyway I got through it, and tomorrow I only have the fit test to do. I hope the planting and stuff in the yard tomorrow don't make me overdo the exercise.

Day 41.5 Max Cardio Conditioning

I did this one around 9am. That's the first time I've worked out in the morning. My youngest daughter started the workout with me, and she made it through the warm-up, started losing interest during the stretching (she's a gymnast and as flexible as a wet spaghetti noodle), and then finally gave up about 2 minutes into the workout when her brother suggested they go upstairs and play. So they did.

And I continued on sweating and wheezing. I got through it ok, but I really don't think that I will ever be able to get through one of these workouts without ever stopping for a non-scheduled break. I'm not sure I care about that anymore though as I have noticed my body changing some. And I have another day starting out at 188.6.

I've got one more workout tonight, and then tomorrow I am going to go ahead and do the fitness test that should be done on Monday. I learned last time that doing the Fit Test and then trying to do a workout really hurt the day after.

Can't wait to see the before, during, and after pics once this thing is done.

Day 41 Skipped

After 40 days, I have decided that tonight I am tired, and I want to go to sleep. I will double up tomorrow with Max Cardio Conditioning and Core Cardio and Balance.

Day 40 Max Recovery

Last night wasn't too bad, but there is a lot of upper body work which feels like it should be done in a full blown workout. My shoulders and triceps are a little sire tonight so I'm hoping that I dint have too much trouble with the workout tonight.

Day 39 Max Interval Plyo

I really do like this workout as it combines quite a bit of upper body work and that's what the wife likes. The first circuit has a lot of squats and power jumps so the second and third circuits for me just had a lot of jumps where power jumps are supposed to be. It was pointed out a couple of nights ago that I am killing the carpet in the living room where I workout. Maybe we'll have to get the hardwood a little early.

Tonight is the Recovery video so at least it will be a little shorter than normal.

Day 38 Max Interval Circuit

I'm getting better at performing all of the circuits involved in this workout. I'm still getting light headed after performing the side lunges. I'm not sure what it is about that particular exercise, but it is a consistent issue that I have run into while doing this workout.

The really good news is that I have been at 188 and change for the past couple of days. 188.2 this morning and hoping that I see 187 tomorrow morning. It's good to know that I'm finally seeing some results on the weight side even though I know that my overall endurance and health has improved.

Day 37 Max Conditioning

This workout is the one that has no breaks after the warm up stuff. I still ended up having to take a few, but I did do better than the first time. Today was also the first time that I had weighed in two days in a row under 190. Specifically 188.8 this morning. I am trying to cut back on snacking and eating in general in the hopes that it helps drop some weight as well.

Not sure what tomorrow brings, but I'm sure it will be painful in some way shape or form.

Day 36 Max Interval Plyo

This one literally kicked my behind. I had to take a lot of breaks outside of the normal 30 second water breaks that are done in the video. The side plank exercise for some reason was really getting to me, and at the end of them, I was light headed and pretty much had to sit for through the next entire exercise.

I'm not sure if it was because it was the end of the week or what, but this one did hurt. I'm hoping it gets better with time.

Day 35 Max Interval Circuit

I felt better through most of this one than I did the first time through the night of the fit test. There was one circuit though that left me light headed after the first exercise. Light headed enough that things were going white and tunnel vision at least once. Needless to say I took it easy on that one after the first time.

Tonight's workout is the one that has a lot of push-up type things I think. It should be fun.

Day 34 Max Recovery

I donated blood this afternoon so I wasn't sure if I should have been doing a workout to begin with, but since this should be the easiest of these last 4 week workouts, I went ahead with it. I didn't go all out and took plenty of breaks. Once or twice I got a little light headed, but other than that it was ok. I look forward to trying this one again when I am not down a pint.

Day 33 Max Cardio Conditioning

I'm a day behind again. Last night's workout was a non-stop fun fest of all different kinds of exercises. There were quite a few that I just didn't have the energy for. Anything that combined jumping off the ground and squats really sucked, but I made my way through it. If not by doing exactly what the video was showing I constantly kept moving somehow.

Day 32 Max Interval Plyo

Oh man am I going to be sore tomorrow. This workout had a lot of squats, squats combined with something else, push-ups, push-ups combined with something else (like squats). All in all I think I did fairly well for my first time through this one.

It was a little easier than last nights, but that could be due to having that damn fit test to do yesterday. I think I might do the next fit test on the Sunday rest day just to not have to do it and the regular workout on one night.

Fit Test #3 Numbers and Percentage Changes

Switch Kicks 41 55 59    43.9%   7.27%
Power Jacks 26 41 44    69.23%  7.32%
Power Knees 63 76 83   31.75%   9.21%
Power Jumps 20 23 26   30%       13.04%
Globe Jumps 4 7 8         100%     14.29%
Suicide Jumps 8 12 13   62.5%    8.33%
Push-Up Jacks 19 24 26   36.84%   8.33%
Low Plank Oblique 30 43 50    66.67%   16.28%


The first percentage change is the change from Day 1 to Day 31. The second is the difference between Day 15 and Day 31.

Day 31 Fit Test and Max Interval Circuit

HO LEE SHE IT! You shouldn't have to do the fit test and another workout in the same night. That fit test by itself is a killer since you're trying to do more than last time. So I think I wussed out on the workout a little bit. We'll have to wait and see when I do this one again on Friday to see if it's any easier. LOL.

Day 28, 29, and 30

Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. It's hard to right about the same workout for six days in a row. tomorrow is another fit test and the start of the harder workouts.

Day 27 Core Cardio and Balance

It hurt more than the last two days. Only 3 more to go until rest day.

Day 26 Core Cardio and Balance

Second night of this one, and i must have pushed a little harder tonight. I was sweating like the people from Richard Simmons' Sweatin' with the Oldies videos from the 80's. I'm still not looking forward to next weeks workouts, but I am determined to finish this program.

Day 25 Core Cardio and Balance

Not too stressful on the joints tonight. This workout is more focused on keeping your core tight and engaged and not so much on the speed of the exercises. It was a nice change from the normal. Five more days of this one video and then another fit test combined with the beginning of the hard stuff.

Day 24 Plyometric Cardio Circuit

I pushed myself on this one and did better on it than I think I have in the past. The sweat alone made it seem like that. Tomorrow is my day off, and there is a scheduled bike ride with the girls that shouldn't be too strenuous.

All next week is core cardio and balance, and then day 31 begins the really fun stuff. Another fit test and my first longer, tougher workout.

Day 23 Pure Cardio and Cardio Abs

Once again I'm a day late on this. I did those two workouts last night and wasn't hurting like I remembered. The ab workout is tough though, and I have to take multiple breaks throughout.

Tonight is the last of my "easy" first month workouts.

Day 22 Cardio Recovery

I made it through all of the squats last night, but not the lunges. I can barely straighten my legs out after finishing these exercises, but the good news is that I'm not sore at all from them. I only have two more days of what I'm going to call the easy workouts, then I go into a week of the cardio core and balance. I haven't looked at that video yet, but I'm sure it won't be as easy as it sounds.

I did make the mistake again and looking at the workouts coming up in the coming weeks and, I should not do that. Those workouts coming up in weeks 6 through 10 really look Insane.

Day 21 Plyometric Cardio Circuit

I had my two girls try this one with me tonight. They made it through some of the warm-up but the 123 heisman and mummy kicks they couldn't figure out. Their interest waned after that except when it was time for the water breaks.

This one still gets me during that last circuit with the level 1 stuff (4 push-ups, plank sprints, up, down, repeat) and then just In/Outs for the last exercise. Oh yeah and the damn ski abs. I think I only have one more shot at this one to get through the whole routine until I move on to the Max circuit stuff. I'm not holding out too much hope that I will be in that much better shape within the next 3 days.

I still can't believe that I am one third of the way through this. Go me!

Day 20 Cardio Power and Resistance

How I like you and loathe you at the same time. I was able to squeak through tonight even though int he beginning I was feeling really sluggish. I'm guessing all of that moving, jumping, and running loosens things up a little to get rid of the slug.

Tomorrow night is the Cardio Circuit again. Maybe I can get the kids to do that one with me.

Day 19 Pure Cardio and Cardio Abs

I'm beginning to like this workout combination partly because it seems pretty short even though I know that combined it is longer than just one of the other workouts and partly because it makes me really work. I go straight from the Pure Cardio into the Ab workout. By the time I am halfway done with the abs, I am dripping sweat like a leaky faucet.

This morning is the first time that my weight has been lower than when I started. 189.4 and that was with a coke after the workout. I'm not going to make a big deal out of that, but hopefully it is a trend that will continue.

Day 18 Plyometric Cardio Circuit

I really need to get back to writing these entries on the nights that I actually do the workout. It gets hard to remember the workout.

I do remember that I kept burping up Sushi during it. That wasn't very good, but the workout itself went ok. Last circuit is still a bitch though.

Today was my off day and it's been nice. Got to sleep in a little this morning, took a nap this afternoon, and I plan on going to bed a little early tonight too.

Day 17 Cardio Power and Resistance

I was able to make it through more of the tricep stuff tonight, but they (the triceps) felt like they were going to cramp up any second. I still like this workout the most of the ones that I have done so far. That's about all I've got to say.

Tonight is the cardio circuit again.

Day 16 Cardio Recovery

Ah this one is nice because there is no running nor jumping. It gives my left calf time to recover. But man those squats and lunges are a freaking killer. I almost made it all the way through the squats. After holding the lunge position I almost couldn't stand up.

This workout is definitely easier than the others but still hard in some respect. tomorrow is what I think is my favorite workout I've done so far.

Day 15 Pure Cardio and Cardio Abs

This was a new one. I had never done the cardio abs before and not to mention doing it after another workout. I started out with Pure Cardio, and I believe I did well in getting through it this time. I was drenched afterwards and tired, but decided I might as well move straight into the abs video.

The good news is that there are no sit-ups or crunches during this workout, but it started out with two different jumping exercises where you have to bring your knees up in front of you and the second was out to the side. If you're doing it right, you should be using your abs to get your knees up. I'm not sure if I was doing it right or not, but it still hurt like hell.

The hardest part of this workout was done in what is called the C-Sit position. Basically you're sitting on the ground with your torso leaned back and curved into a C. In this position, you do different twisting exercises while lifting your legs or pulling your knees to your chest. By the time I was done with this one, my legs were shaking badly. So far this morning I am not sore, but we'll see how that goes throughout the day.

Day 14 Plyo Cardio Circuit

Another day, another cardio circuit. This is getting easier to maintain pac and I'm not stopping as much. I'm still having troubles getting through the ski abs and in and outs at the tail end of the second circuit. I was a sweating fool last night too.

Tonight is the first time for me to do the ab workout and it comes after the Pure Cardio which is a bitch to begin with. I'm hoping everything goes ok tonight with that one.

Percentage Increases

Switch Kicks 41 55 34.15%
Power Jacks 26 41 57.69%
Power Knees 63 76 20.63%
Power Jumps 20 23 15.00%
Globe Jumps 4 7 75.00%
Suicide Jumps 8 12 50.00%
Push-Up Jacks 19 24 26.32%
Low Plank Oblique 30 43 43.33%

Day 13 Fitness Test #2

I definitely improved from the baseline fitness test from two weeks ago. My numbers for tonight are:

Switch Kicks: 55
Power Jacks: 41
Power Knees: 76
Power Jumps: 23
Globe Jumps: 7
Suicide Jumps: 12
Push-up Jacks: 24
Low Plank Oblique: 43

If you look back at my first time numbers, there was pretty significant improvement all around. I will see if I can put it in a spreadsheet to show percentage increases. Tomorrow is the Cardio Circuit again.

Day 12 Plyometric Cardio Circuit

Last night's workout was better than before. It was the first time that I was able to at least do all of the exercises in the last circuit. I didn't do many of them, but damnit I did do them. I was sweating like a fiend during the stretching at the end.

I just looked at the workout sheet and discovered that I did the wrong workout on Saturday. I should have done the pure cardio and cardio abs routine. Oops. It looks like I will switch up workouts on Tuesday next week to make up for that.

Tomorrow is the fit test, and I can't help but think I should do much better than the first day.

Day 11 Cardio Power and Resistance

Man I remembered that this workout would hurt my triceps, but I didn't remember how much. I can get through the first triceps portion fine, but moving into the sitting triceps exercise is a no go still. I get maybe 5 reps in before my ass hits the ground. Oh and don't forget about the squats or the jumps from some kind of squatting position.

I swear if my legs aren't in better shape by the end of this 60 days there is no hope for me. I only have one more workout today and then my rest day on Sunday. I am very much looking forward to Sunday.

Day 10 Cardio Recovery

It was the "easy" night again. And it was much easier than the normal workouts and I was able to get through most of it tonight. Those freaking squats were still the killer of the evening. Maybe the next time I'll be able to get through all of it.

I've got two more workouts before getting my second shot at the fitness test. I am curious to see how much, if any, that I've improved. Those results will be in Monday night.

On a good note, my left calf isn't hurting that much tonight. Hopefully by tomorrow night it will be back 100%.

Day 9 Plyometric Cardio Circuit

I finally made it through the warm up of this workout with only one or two stops during the power jumps. I can definitely tell that I am getting through more of the exercises with less stopping, and even a little bit faster too.

Somehow both of my calves are hurting this morning. The left one was a little sore before the workout last night, and it looks like the right one decided to join in. Hopefully that will start working itself out as the day goes along.

Tonight is the cardio recovery which according to my last post had a whole lot of squat work. I'm sure my legs will give out at some point.

Day 8 Pure Cardio

Ah Pure Cardio how you make me sweat. I felt a whole lot better getting through the workout this week than last. There were a couple of times that I had to stop, but one thing I did better tonight is that when I stopped doing the exact exercise, I continued to jog or jump around some instead of just trying to breathe.

I really do get a kick out of the people in this video dropping out for a breather. It makes them feel more like real humans.

And another guy at work should be starting the Insanity workout tonight.

Day 7 Cardio Power and Resistance

I thought about writing this entry after finishing this workout last night, but I was too tired. My arms were all jiggly after all of the shoulder and upper body work. Needless to say I think that this is my favorite workout so far.

I was able to get through the workout last night with minimal stops. I have figured out at least one secret, and that is to not worry about keeping up with Shaun T and all the other people in the videos. I try to do that for the warm-up, but not during the different intervals. I have to keep telling myself that it's ok to not keep up with them, and it's probably better for me to go at my own pace and not stop moving than kill myself and stop for 15+ seconds.

Tonight is Pure Cardio again with lost of breathing and squats galore. As Shaun T says at the end of the video tonight, "That shit is bananas!"

Day 6 Plyometric Cardio

Ah the first week has finished. This was my second time through this workout and frankly the last circuit seemed just as hard as the first time through. I ended up doing a different exercise or two from what the video was doing because I just couldn't do the ones at the end.

The good news is that I'm not sore anymore and tomorrow I have a day off from the workouts. Only 54 more days to go. I believe that I'm going to reward myself for this first week with a tasty beverage tonight.

Day 5 Pure Cardio

Well this one lived up to its hype and was definitely pure cardio. About the only good thing I can take out of it is that I didn't have to try to hold a freaking squat for a minute.

There were no water/rest breaks once the warm-up was completed. It was 21 minutes or so of performing one exercise as fast as you could for 1 minute and then moving straight into the next. Basically it was like the fitness test but with no breaks.

I was able to get through all of the warm-up without stopping so I'll take that as a win tonight, and I don't hurt as much as I have on previous days. Thankfully tomorrow is the last day for this week. It will be back to the first workout that was done on day 2.

Day 4 Cardio Recovery

My calves and thighs have been feeling the most pain during the first three days so I was hoping that they would get a chance to recover a little more today.

It started off nicely with some breathing and stretching. Then we moved into different types of squats and lunges. We did a couple of sets of 16 slow squats and then proceeded to hold the squat for what seemed like an eternity but was really only 30-45 seconds. Then there were the little 2 inch mini-squats. Once the squats were over we repeated the same type of move only in a lunge position. My thighs were screaming, and at one point I had to put both hands on the floor for fear of falling over.

The best news for this video is that it is the shortest in the group. So about the time I don't think that I'll be able to make it through I notice that there are only 5 minutes or so left.

All in all this one was less painful than the other two so far, and I look forward to this break in the future. Tonight is Day 5 Pure Cardio. Doesn't that sound like fun?

Day 3 Cardio Power and Resistance

All right. Well this workout is done as of about an hour ago. I already know that I'll be feeling this one tomorrow. This workout had shorter exercise periods, but it seemed to lean a little more toward strength moves. I still didn't get the the circuits without stopping, but it does make me feel a little better when I see the people in the video having to stop for a breather as well. They don't stop as often or as long as I do, but they are also in MUCH better shape than I am at this time.

Here are my numbers from the first Fitness Test:
Switch Jacks - 41
Power Jacks - 26
Power Knees - 63
Power Jumps - 20
Globe Jumps - 4
Suicide Jumps - 8
Push-up Jacks - 19
Low Plank Oblique - 30

Those last three jumping parts of the test really, really sucked. The next fitness test is on Day 15, and hopefully I'll see some improvement.

Tomorrow is Day 4 Cardio Recovery. I hope it's a lot of laying on the ground and breathing.

Day 2 Plyometric Cardio Circuit

Once again the warm up hurt right from the start.

As I was deprived of oxygen for so long, I'm not sure how many different circuits there were during this video. There was a lot of leg work which is a good thing since I've never worked my legs, and my left leg is probably still lacking muscle strength from my knee surgery a little over 2 years ago. There was a lot of different moves today that ran for 30 seconds and then switched to something else. Every 3 minutes or so there is a 30 second water break.

I made it through the first half of this video feeling pretty good, and then I started to get very tired. The last circuit involved push-ups, plank, and jumping up from the plank among others. After the first time through this circuit, I just couldn't keep up with the up/down, push-up, plank run, up/down.....So I just started doing knee push-ups and plank/oblique ab work until the end.

After it was over, I spent about 20 minutes just laying on the floor and not moving except to get out of my wife's way as she started her Shred workout. I was starving at the end so I had some baked lays and picante sauce for a snack.

Day 1 Fitness Test #1

I started this on 2/14/2011. The first day of the Insanity workout is completing the fitness test. It involves 8 different exercises that you complete in 1 minute intervals with a 1 minute rest between them. I will post my numbers later.

First off after the warm up I was already huffing like a fat man walking stairs.I wasn't feeling too bad after completing the first exercise, but things went downhill from there. The next 5 exercises had some kind of leg involvement. The last one I was barely moving. It then finished up with some kind of pushups and ab work.

The next day was harder and harder to stand up from a sitting position. Tomorrow starts the actual workout.

First post

I started this thing to document my run through the Insanity workout. It will take some time to figure out how to get pictures and anything other than text in here so that will be done in the future.

At the time of starting the workout I am 5'8" and weighed 190lbs. By the end of this I would like to be down by at least 10 pounds and be able to see a physical change in my body.