Day 36

Week 4, Day 5 CVX done. I don't know if I love this workout or not. I know I love the shoulder burn in it. The first circuit or rotation of press jacks, atlas twist and march and reach done twice just puts a major burn on my shoulders. Although I don't get as much of a burn after that rotation, it doesn't matter because I'm still working them and it becomes more of a cardio workout. I was sweating more this time than any time prior to this.

My legs were burning at the end as well. The burnout just whipped my ass but it felt good to get totally wrecked at the end. I also added my first day of plank challenge at the end during the cool down. I was only in plank for 20 seconds. Only... Haha. I have also added a pushup challenge into the mix as well. I feel I can do all of this at the same time, and if it gets too much, I will back off. Right now, I think I need more work and all of this will be taxing my core, which needs blasting.

The pushup challenge is pretty simple. You do 100 pushups every day for 100 days. Now obviously days during P90X3 that you do pushups, you count those. Days you don't, you just do your 100. I right now am breaking it up like this. I do sets of 10. I do 3 sets after my workout and before lunch. Then about an hour or 2 after I start doing sets of 10 again but only 3 times. Then after dinner while watching TV or whatever you do do 2 more sets of 10 and again wait a few hours after dinner. I usually do the last set somewhere in the 8 o'clock hour. Who ever types out the o'clock word anymore lol. Does anyone ever use that term at all? Funny how somethings disappear over time, like cursive writing. I don't think they teach that in school anymore. Oh well. Focus.

The plank challenge is a bit more involved as the time you stay in plank builds up to 2 mins then however long you can stay there. I will post the routine here and you can visit that facebook page as well here is the link: 30 Day Plank Challenge and the routine goes like this...

•   Day 1 - 20 seconds   Day 2 - 20 seconds   Day 3 - 30 seconds  Day 4 - 30 seconds  Day 5 - 40 seconds   Day 6 - REST 
• Day 7 - 45 seconds   Day 8 - 45 seconds   Day 9 - 60 seconds   Day 10 - 60 seconds   Day 11 - 60 seconds   Day 12 - 90 seconds   Day 13 - REST 
• Day 14 - 90 seconds   Day 15 - 90 seconds   Day 16 - 120 seconds   Day 17 - 120 seconds   Day 18 - 150 seconds   Day 19 - REST 
• Day 20 - 150 seconds   Day 21 - 150 seconds   Day 22 - 180 seconds   Day 23 - 180 seconds Day 24 - 210 seconds   Day 25 - 210 seconds   Day 26 - REST 
• Day 27 - 240 seconds   Day 28 - 240 seconds   Day 29 - 270 seconds   Day 30 - PLANK FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE!!

That's it. You just hang in plank and to explain plank I will post the picture here as well, so it will be more understandable. 

Now I personally will be doing plank with arms extended. Meaning not on my forearms as in the picture. The workload is increased because you have less surface area up top to maintain balance. It works more chest and shoulders and it works the forearms as well. I also need that stretch in my right wrist from the surgery a few years ago. I like being able to put pressure on the wrist without pain so I am going to maximize what I can do. Remember that anyone can join in and post accountability here there anywhere, or don't post any accountability and just do it. The idea is to become a stronger more fit person. Strength is not something to run from. These exercises will not create a muscle bound person, but what they will do is strengthen the core, chest, arms and the quads in the legs. None of which is bad.

I am 45 years old and my oldest son is 20. I know that sooner rather than later he will marry and then have children of his own. I do not want to be that guy on the couch who never does anything because, "grandpa" needs his rest. I hate the idea of the word of grandpa for me, but it is an inevitability that I can not escape. I want to be the best person I can be which will make me the best grandpa I can be. Eww. Grandpa. Not yet at least.