I'm Not Dead Yet...

So... I've made it through Phase One of my P90X program and I'm not dead yet, although at one point I almost wished I was... Here's the update:

Day Five... Legs & Back.  I preface this by stating that my legs are definitely the strongest part of my body.  That being said, they just aren't strong enough for this workout.  For years I've been watching the Biggest Loser and seeing people doing wall squats and thinking "That's lame...how hard can it be when you're leaning against a wall?!"  Well, now I have the answer to that...it's very, very, very hard.  And if that wasn't bad enough, the second round you do it on one leg with one leg sticking out straight in front of you.  Have I mentioned that, aside from when I am actually walking, I can't straighten my legs and bend at the same time?  Maybe I have webbed knees... Aside from being very, very, very hard, I actually kind of liked this workout.  I was really sweating and my legs were like jelly when I was done, but that was pretty much what I expected.

Day Six... Kenpo X  (Otherwise known as kick boxing)  This one has far and away been my favorite of all the workouts so far.  Maybe I'm just filled with lots of hate, but I can think of at least a dozen people I'd like to kick in the face, and yelling while I'm doing it just makes it all the better.  However, this is the workout where I ran into trouble.  The stretching that happens at the beginning of this workout is truly bizarre.  I have knee problems that trace all the way back to high school, coupled with a serious injury I suffered from falling about 8 years ago, so there are some things I'm just not meant to do with my knees. I watched and thought "I probably shouldn't do that" and then proceeded to do it anyway.  You sit with your leg bent, your foot in your crotch, while your other leg extends out straight BEHIND you (or in my case, bent behind you).  (As I was doing it I kept thinking of Bryan Regan and his yoga jokes about wrapping your leg around your neck like a scarf.  It would be funny if I hadn't ended up hurting myself.)  Anywho... let's just say, I wasn't mean to put my body in that position.  Couple that with a few hyper-extended knees as I kicked and by about 3:00 in the afternoon I was feeling the pain of what I had done. 

By Sunday afternoon I could barely walk on it.  Week Two of P90X was rough with an injury.  I had to skip plyometrics that week and really take it easy on the other days.  Even water aerobics was a struggle whenever I had to move my leg to the side.  Thanks to a couple days off for Scrapbook USA, I finally felt healed up enough to continue with week three this last week and I went all out and pushed myself as hard as I could.  However, I'm not doing that stretch again...ever....

So now I am having a week of "recovery"... Although I'm not so sure why they call it that when the whole week is a strong cardio push.  I have to do yoga twice this week (kill me now!  It's the only workout I really dread, although I hate it a little less each time I do it...) and tomorrow is a workout called "Core Synergistics".  Anything with the word "core" can't possibly be good, I get shivers just thinking about it.  The good news is I get to follow that up on Wednesday with Kenpo again...so it's advisable to stay on my good side so I don't pretend to kick you in the balls (yes, it's called "ball kicks"...didn't make that up) or punch you in the face with my knuckles....all with a good loud yell of "HA!" while I do it.

On a positive note, I can feel myself improving.  Last Thursday at water aerobics I could actually do push ups on the wall--never been able to do those before, so that was a huge accomplishment.  I also think the muscles in my armpits and butt cheeks have healed sufficiently now that I can dry my hair and sit on hard surfaces without wincing. The best news of all is that my weights are too light and I need new ones so I can continue next week.  As hard as it's been, it's all going to be worth it when I'm done.