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.