Return / Birthday Challenge (Overall Details)

RETURN

Three weeks ago I started my vacation (which was really only 3 days), during that time I fell out of habit. I wasn't doing P90X consistently. The next two weeks I was covering for someone and just felt really tired coming home. I was basically doing all of her job and then alot of my own stuff. This last week I had additonal work issues that gave me a huge amount of work hours. I'm hoping from now until the end of my Birthday Challenge (from Sept 21 to Oct 21) will leave me leaving work at a decent time.

I regret not working out and updating my blog. In a way they are both related. One of the reasons I started the blog was as a way to hold myself accountable for working out 6 days a week. Physically, I feel like the muscles in my arms are weaker. I'll definatly start working out tomorrow. I'll also be adding 3 more weeks to make up for the lost time; more so, if I feel my body is still behind from where it was three weeks ago.

BIRTHDAY CHALLENGE (Detailed Listing)


I went over my list today. I removed three things "Donate $300 to 30 diffrent charities", "Create a game containing 30 diffrent maps/levels/stages", and "((Do some sort of test of will on the last day))".

• Donating is great, but the reality is I don't make alot of money; I do contribute the money I make to things that are improtant; and I could be spending alot of money during this process, though I think it's unlikely.
• Programming and Game Development is improtant to me, but this goal is kind of repetative since I have "Create and Distirbute 3 different games" on the same list. Creating 3 different little games would be better practice for me.. someone who rarely finishes a game project.
• I would love to do something fun that would test my endurance over 24 or 30 hours, but I couldn't think of anything. This would of been the only thing in "Fun" catagory, which isn't to important.

My Tasks are spread out over 7 catagories:

1. Community [ 3 Tasks ] - Supporting or helping the local community
2. Creative [ 6 Tasks ] - A Creative pursuit.. design, development, story
3. Development [ 5 Tasks ] - Something to help work towards a larger objective
4. Experience [ 3 Tasks ] - Something to expand my experiences or future experiences
5. Physical [ 8 Tasks ] - Doing some sort of Test against my physical capabilites
6. Real [ 2 Tasks ] - Relating to my personal habits / lifestyle
7. Social [ 3 Tasks ] - Interaction with groups and in a one on one relationship

So that's actually 31 Tasks. 27 Tasks have top priority and must be at least attempted. To be completely successfull on this I need to complete all 27 top priority tasks and 3 of the 4 lesser priority tasks. For me, this list is going to be challenging. I've never done any of these by themselves with these time constraints. I'll try though and keep daily updates on my progress (it's on the list). At the end I'll review how I did and reward myself with a score.

1. Daily Goals [ 6 ] - Completed every day
2. One Time Goals [ 8 ] - Once complete sucessfully one time, they can be checked off.
3. Spreadout Goals [ 17 ] - Completed throughout.. this one's I'll need to keep my eye on.

As an undeclared task I'll try to give support to anyone else I know with their own Birthday Challenge.

Next update all show the list in more detail.

Day 62 (Saturday, posting late)

I don't know what happened Friday. I got off work at a decent time, for a Friday. I guess I got really engrossed with a tv series I was waching on netflixs. Eventually, I noticed it was "6:30 am" . I thought to myself, "If I start Yoga X now, I won't be going to sleep until at least 8 am" (this being bad because I needed to be waking up at 12:30 am the next day). So, I decided I would go to sleep now. Immediantly at 6:30 am. It did not happen.. I still went to sleep at 8 am.. but with no workout. I let myself geta nice 8 hours of sleep. I got a haircut, got grocceries, and then promptly started Yoga X.

Yoga X- Yoga X went well. I think I performed even better in the start since I had my camera on me. Eventualy the batteries ran out. Since 50% of my subscribers (1 of 2) mentioned the main thing they like at my blog is the pictures.. I'll try to incorporate more pictures in the mix. The picture to side is me doing "Crane". I held it for about 55 seconds. This is also the first time I've seen what I look like doing crane. I guess I really need to get my knees in to my armpits more.. and from there focus on getting my feet up to my butt. From now on.. it's form over time.
This lady explains it well, and also explains the "Crow".. witch really yoga people (not us P90X'ers) typically work with before they do Crane.

So, before I started my next workout in the evening I waited for my brother to go to sleep. It was planned that we would all leave at 12:30 am. I mentioned to him the time at 2:50 am, but he insisted on staying up later (he was even going to sleep around midnight the previous nights). He would end up getting somewhere around 6 hours of sleep that night.

Legs and Back- I really put alot of effort in and was sweating not to long into it. I could feel the effort I put in my legs. My reps on pullups increased.. that suprised me considering how tired I was. I felt really good finishing it.

I started Ab Ripper X (first 5 minutes), but decided it would be better to just get some sleep. I ended up getting a little under 6 hours of sleep. No to terrible. I'll do Kenpo X tomorrow and be caught up for the next week (or so I thought..) .

Day 60

Arms and Shoulders- All of my weights increased by 5 pounds. Which really doesn't seem like a huge improvement in a 42 day period, but it's fine. My real goal with strength is to just be stronger enough to support myself with (climbing, handstands, ropes, pull-ups). Having huge muscles would just slow me down. Still, with a goal weight of 150 that gives me an extra 3-4 lbs of muscles to add on. If one arm could lift a quarter of my overall weight, I think that would be a good goal to achieve 37.5 lbs... and really a max weight limit for any routine (unless maybe I'm stilll under 150 lbs body weight and all of my other muscles are up to par).

During one of the exercises I tweaked a muscle in my right shoulder. I'm not sure which exercise caused it. It gave me minor pain throughout the night as I'm someone who sleeps on their side. It's really not that bad. I only seem to feel it when I bring my elbow back or straighten my arm across my chest.

Exercises I could improve on... The "In/Out Shoulder Flys", during the out part I struggled with 10 lbs. "Upright Rows" allways seem a little off with me, in the video they have their elbows way up. "Couching Cohen Curls", I use the wall.. but it still seems like I'm offsetting some of the weight with my back. In this exercise I really need to stay with what I have a try to get good form and isolate the bicep muscles. Overall this tells me, I could do with improving my shoulder muscles more then my triceps and biceps.

Ab Ripper X- It went good today. I saw a video of someone showing how to do "Leg Lifts", they interesting thing is they have the person place their hands under their butt. For the P90X's variants of "Leg Lifts", "Fifer Scissors" they instruct placing the hands off to the side. It doesn't seem like a big diffrence, but for myself I quickly learned (ie. first day of P90x) placing the hands under the butt is easier. I would assume P90X's version is harder and provides ore of a workout, but maybe it's just unnecessarily harder.

Day 59

Rest Day.

Day 57

Chest and Back- It's back people. ".. and when Round 2 comes around you got to bring it". A 42 day gap inbetween the last time I was assigned to do this routine. Everything improved since the the last time I did this routine.

I was doing 5lbs on the "Back Flys".. which is wayyy to light this time around. I did 15lbs this time, but I'll definately need to increase it some more.

For "Heavy Pants" and "Lawnmowers".. your sort of in a lunge, I was lifting 30 and 35 this time (up from 20 and 20). I didn't relize the force I was putting on my legs, until I started Ab Ripper X.. 20 minutes later. I might hold off on increasing more, until my legs feel like they can take it more.

I felt good doing the pushups, and just slightly improved my reps with the pull ups... but then again I have to keep in mind I wasn't going as low then as I am now (which of course makes it harder).


Ab Ripper X- For "Fifer Scissors" everyone has their heads on the ground. I've been laying with my upper back off the ground.. where I feel like my abs are working hard, my legs are solid, and it's easier to breath. Today, I started laying back. I maybe had shoulders 2 inches off the ground.. it's sort of like getting the best of both worlds. It's harder to breath.. but I think that maybe it wokring just bit harder though.

Day 56

Stretch X- I've only done Stretch X a couple of other times. Basically, an hour of stretching. No real sweating in this routine. I appreciate the "Wrist-Forearm Flexor Stretch". For whatever reason they never do this any other workout, but its something that I set gymnasts do.. that would help your wrist with pushups (without pushup bars) and that "Crane" position in the Yoga X.

Tomorrow begins the Final Phase of P90X, which will last 5 weeks.

Day 55

Yoga X- Everything went well. I held crane for about 50 seconds. It allways feel good to finish Yoga.

Day 54

Core Synergistics- I did this yesterday. It went well, I think. I could improve with the Plank / Chatarunga Run and Chataranga Iso. Everything is else is I'm happy with for now.

Day 53, This Blog

P90X- Yesterday (this morning) I again misused my time. I decided I needed to get to sleep, and toke my Rest Day. Which means I'll be doing todays workout Stretch X, Sunday (Monday Morning).

This Blog- The orginal pupose of this blog was to maintain a daily update on my progress with P90X, doing this it helps keeps my accountable for working out daily (aside from the scheduled "Rest Day"). Additionally it tracks my progress, provides feedback to what I'm doing (via comments), and gives me extra purpose to explore ways I can improve in either the workouts or with my nutrition.

When I finish P90X, I don't want to stop with the entries or my own development. So, this blog will be a bit more of a general blog, but will keep the theme of "My Development".. in respects to whatever I want to get from myself.. physically, mentally, creatively, etc. . I have something setup for my next challenge after I complete P90X. I would also like to start another round of P90X at the beginning of next year; unless, something else comes up.

Day 52

GameDev- I got off work earlier then normal tonight. I got a little burst of insperation to do some programming, but couldn't get into it. I just want sure how to proceed. For example I have a World class and a Player class. I want to implent a system where single screen Pseudo-Maps are created.. so when the player moves into a new map.. things can get askwed a bit. So the player would have the impression they knew where they were(single screen maps), but reality would be off a bit(askwed placement of maps). My problem was how to go about it in a Object-Oriented matter and which information/routines should be handled in which classes. At one point I thought maybe I should just write the thing in a good old procedural basic language.. then refer to that for writing it in C++. Seems like it would take a while, but it might end up making better code in the C++ version.. and then I could release the basic version for the competetion's deadline.

After my brief programming session, I got distracted with an oldder tv series I've seen before. The theme for the programming competetion is "Wilderness Survival". At one point I thought it would be neat to interput prison life as just that.. living in a chaotic unfamiliar enviroment. So I was drawing some inspiration from the TV series "Prision Break".

Kenpo X- So.. I started late due to the above mentioned reason. I felt like I had to put more effort in (starting late). I did good though.

Day 51

Core Synergistics- I'm glad to be doing this again. Apperantly I didn't record anything in my log for this routine a month ago, aside from my blog entries. I do remember not being able to do the chatarunga run, which I was able to briefly do this time around. I walked away feeling good, no really soreness compared to last time's blog entry. Maybe, for next time I could push myself to achive a bit more.

Nutrition- I have made an entry in a while. Everything is similar to what it was. I now have been eating Walnuts more so then Almonds. They both rank as the top two healthiest nuts in many random websites. Walnuts are a little cheaper though, even though they don't taste as good. On the other hand, when I'm eating Almonds the little bits sometimes get caught in my throat and make me cough.. this only seems happens at work for some reason (maybe my throat isn't as lubricated?).

Day 50

Yoga X- It was good. I'm definately noticing improved flexability in some areas.

Day 48

Kenpo X- I enjoyed myself. I kept my energy up and brought some intensity to my movements. Heart Rate 130s and 140s.

Tomrrow I'll start the last week of Phase 2.

Day 47

I wasted alot of time yesterday. So.. I'm doubling up today. Doing Legs and Back this morning (5pm) and Kenpo X in the evening (4am).

Legs and Back- It went well. Not much progression in the pull-ups, but I'm still doing like 6 to 10.. and getting really deep. It's kind of suprising how warm your muscles get. After doing the "Calf Rasies" w/ 15 pounds weight in each hand they felt as warm as the pavement outside.

Ab Ripper X- Not so great tonight. I tried to remind myself that this will be my last chance for Round 2 to do Ab Ripper X, but I was to tired.

Day 46

Yoga X- Feeling good today. No major improvements. Crane 35 secs.

More then half way finished with P90X.

Day 45

Back and Bicep- I did okay. I increase my weight for some of the weight type stuff. I got less reps then last week with my pull-ups. I don't like people watching me workout, unless their also involved. Unfortunetly for me, 2 times a week I'll be doing pull-ups.. witch in turn means that I need my door to be open so I can attach the pull-up bar to the door frame. This results in my procrastinating when I start.

Rant-

Ab Ripper X- It was fine.

Day 44

Plyometerics- Completed. Heart Rate 135-150.

UP Movie Series- It's a documentary that takes gathers a group diverse 7 year olds born in the UK in the 1960's. Every 7 years a new documentary is created showing what changes have taken place in the groups lives. Though a bit repetative, watching them back to back... It's neat to see what happens to the individual people throughout their lifetime. It make you reflect on your own life. You can see how they their current person relates to who they were, as a seven year old child. The catch line they drive in begininng of the series is "Give me a child until the age of seven and I will give you the man". If someone were to watch it, I would recommend spacing the videos apart.

Day 43

2 Days ago was last weeks Rest Day and yesterday was this week's Rest Day (I wasn't mentally there Monday night (Tuesday morning)).

Chest, Shoulder, and Tricep- I was a bit tired going into it today.My biggest imporvments were adding 8 reps to the Floor Flys and increasing my In/Out Shoulder Fly weight while mainting a good form. My Pushups didn't seem as good today, though I did do 10 of the Clap Pushups.

Ab Ripper X- I had Great "V-Up Roll-ups" tonight, strong consistant movements. I had to take a mini-break to finish the last two in good quality.

I should really focus on getting a good amount on sleep, so I could bring that much more energy for my next workout. Since I've started working out, I haven't been tired coming home from work at all.. so that's great. No worries about me mindlessly riding my motorcycle off the road or such.

Day 40

Legs and Back- Things went well. I got nice and low in my pull-ups. I finally switched my grip in the air for the "Switch Grip Pulls-ups". I think I wold like to just hang on the pull-up bar.. see how long I can hang. I can feel comfortable hanging, maybe I can rest in a hang and get more reps in. Instead of just dropping out when I get a bit tired.

Ab Ripper X- Nothing new.

Day 39

Yoga X- I did good today. I kept my foot off the ground during the "Moon" poses. I lasted 45 seconds in "Crane".. and probably could have gone longer. The trick with doing crane is... muting the video so the guy in the video doesn't psyche you out with his comments about how he falls out and gets back in and then falls out and gets back in.