Day 20 - Pay Attention

Day 20.  So I am still behind but I am closer.  Kenpo today.  I love kenpo.  Except when I stop paying attention to that I am doing and where I am doing it.  More about that later.  This was the last workout of the first phase of P90X.  I made it!!! Three grueling, pain inducing, torture they call P90X.  But I am starting to love it. Another symptom of becoming a P90X zombie.  Thinking back three weeks isn't really that long.  I do remember some really long days.  So now after this workout I start my recovery week.  New workouts and new pain.  This could get interesting.  So where was I... Ah Kenpo!!! I hope to be one lean mean butt kicking machine.  So lets get in to this workout.  I go through the warm up and burst into the real work.  I am going all out.  I think I am trying to be in need of the little bucket.  I am giving it all I got.  not even ten minutes in I am sweating bullets.  OH YEAH!!!  BRING IT!  So this continues until the first break.  I grab a little water and BOOM!! I am back at it running in place. then some jump rope.  And then jumping jacks.  Remind you this is during the break.  then comes X-ups.  In these you jump and make an X with your body.  For some reason these drain me.  But in seconds we are back at it. me going all out again.  More punches later we come to time for kicks.  We start with knees.  Now here is where Tony and his (kids) have a special ability.  They can stay in one spot while doing these knees and kicks.  where I seem to move between 2-20 feet in any direction.  So done with some more its time for the next break.  All goes well until X-ups.  Remember how I said I really like this until I forget certain things? This is where that comes into play.  Now I am working out in my basement.  Which has a ceiling of about 7 feet high.  and right in the center of the room is a ceiling fan...  So I forget what I am doing and where.  I get about 4 in when I jump high and about put a hole in the ceiling with my right hand.  Ouch that hurt.  Okay you are fine keep going.  now this time I didn't forget what I was doing but I did forget WHERE.  I go up and smack my other hand into the ceiling fan.  Luckily I didn't turn it on.  So I have learned to be a little bit more careful.  The rest of the workout went well.  So on to another week and on to a better life.  I left week three with a pretty good Bang. (literally)  Week four here I come.     

Day Sixteen - Through Day Nineteen ... Wow I am behind

So.... I am really far behind on doing this.  I apologize.  I am still working out but switching schedules has made it harder to write right after I do my workout.  So since I am so behind I will fill you in on how thing went this week.  So plyo again kicked my butt.  I don't know if plyometrics will ever not come close to kill me.  I am starting to get better and in better shape.  I am not having to modify everything I do.  I still have a huge way to go.  It is hard to believe that when I started I could barely make it through it.  Actually things have gotten a lot better lately.  The workout I can seem to push harder and get through easier.  Not easy by any means.  But you get what you put into this program.  So I also recorded my self doing Yoga. That should be up soon. Now that I have recorded it I am kinda wondering is I should have.  Wow I look weird.  But other than that it has been another week a hard week at that.          

Day Fifteen - Bring It

Day fifteen... Starting week three. Oh yeah.  I don't know if you can see results but there have been a couple.  Those will get released after next week, if they stay.  Well Lets just say that after this workout I feel more accomplished than I have after pretty much any other one.  Day fifteen brings me back to Chest and Back.  While I am doing better; This is probably my worst workout so far.  I am terrible with pull-ups and not very good with push-ups.  But that's not stopping me.  Those pesky warnings don't scare me any more.  The warm up doesn't kill me and I can push through the whole workout without pausing to make sure I am not going to pass out.  My numbers are improving too.  With feeling more confident in my workout I decided to push myself even harder.  I not sure but this might have been a mistake...  So into the workout.  Push-ups  Go Go GO!!!  I do all I can First time out on each type of push-up.  And  Pull-up.  All of this without thinking that I have to do all of these exercises again....  Oh man  So here they came 2nd round sweating horribly.  The first I get to my max.  and then break it. Oh yeah.  One more? Push,shake, push, shake.  And up.  Okay this goes on through the next few exercises.  That is when I hit the wall!!!  That wall makes my arms feel like they are filled with sand.  But I still have moves to do so I go on.  Next set of pushups I get to one before my max and I can't push up?!  I feel stuck in the down position. I try again,  to no avail.  and again.  Finally I make it up.  Ouch.  Then comes another set.  I start down after a couple and boom I drop.  Oh why didn't I listen to Tony.  He told me to pace my self.  But nooooo Aaron had to push harder.  So since this is my fault I pick myself back up and try again this time with a little more success.  Then come the bane of my existence in this workout; Dive bombers.  Lets just say the last few of mine we should just call nose dive crashes.  I could almost get there when my face would hit and scrape the ground.  All in all I am happy I brought it.  Even if my nose has some rug burn!!!

Time to vote

So I have had some people ask if I was going to record myself doing a workout and post it.  I have decided to succumb to that dare.  Now here is the fun part.  You get to decide what work out.  It will either be recorded late this week or early next week, depending on what workout it is.  The votes will be counted and winner will be picked thursday at 4 P.M. when I get home from work to do my workout.  The workouts are; In order of day chest & back, Plyo, Shoulders and arms, Yoga X, Legs and back, And finally Kenpo X.  Comment here or on facebook or text or call me to vote.  Thanks. And long laughing.

Day Thirteen - A New Creature Is Being Made

Day thirteen starts kind of like like twelve.  Pretty good not sore and ready for the day.  It is a long fun filled day.  A little longer than I think i should have stayed up.  But late at night comes my workout.  And it's a mean one.  KENPO!!!!  Kicks and punches are on the docket tonight.  Last week this one kicked my trash.  Kinda tired too.  Oh well time to get to work.  Push play and go for it.  It starts good and keeps going good.  Now if you remember how in my earlier posts, I said that P90X was slowly making me go insane.  Well I was wrong.  I am not loosing my mind.  I am slowly turning into what I have termed a "P90X Zombie".  The change starts subtly with things like talking to the t.v. and yelling Tony on the dvd.  Then there other signs that take a little longer to develop.   They include doing the extra exercises and soon you are yelling along with everyone during kenpo.  These are just a few signs that the change into a "P90X zombie" are happening.  So now that we know that I am turning into a zombie, back to the workout. I think that I am rocking this workout.  Oh yeah... except when it comes to leading with my left hand.  Wow I am not a south paw.  Lets just say pretty uncoordinated.  Still I keep going.  Punching and kicking can be surprisingly tiring.  Then comes the yelling along with everyone.  Now looking back on it, it must have  hilarious.  But being a fledging "P90X Zombie" I do whatever Tony says.  And I will say this I might be becoming a zombie but I hope to be one fit good looking "P90X Zombie".            

Day Twelve - Shaky Leg

Yes... day twelve.  Day eleven was now a very good day.  Had my friends funeral and then a long day of work until two. So i didn't get in my workout done.  I really wanted to but I was just too tired to do it when I got home.  Which brings me here.
Day twelve.  So I have the day off.  I don't have to drag myself out of bed so it's going better already.  So later in the day its time for my workout.  Legs and back.  This is not on my good list.  This is one workout that works me ragged.  Get started and oh I remember now why I don't like this.  Lunge this way. Squat that way.  Then my legs get a break.  Pull-ups are up and done.  Back to legs.  They are starting to shake.  Wow this is hard.  Then again Tony turns evil again.  Wall Squats.  If you need some paint shaken up just let me know before I do this workout.  I cant make it 15 seconds in before I start shaking like a frightened chihuahua.  Man I used to be able to hold weights while I did these.  Then there was a little break from that and evil was reincarnated as one legged wall squats.  Can I just fall down now or do I have to start the exercise first?  I didn't know that my legs could feel like that.  I thought my legs would burst.  We were only doing it for 10 seconds at a time.  I must admit it that I couldn't make it through all of them. The last one on each side I would rise my leg and boom I fall.  I did my best and forgot the rest.              

Day Ten - Look Up Not Down

Day ten.  Wow getting up is a challenge.  Very reluctantly I get out of bed.  I get ready and head down stairs.  It's time for some arms and shoulders.  It is also time to use the new weight selecting dumbbells I just got.  I am steadily getting better at these workouts.  Okay, I don't know if better is the right word.  More like I am not extremely horrible.  So as I begin this workout I wonder how this one is going to go.  The last time I did this one it went pretty good.  Still tiring but it didn't kill me like the others did.  When I get into it a little way, it's time for a curls set.  I start and I look at my muscle while I do it.  Of course I look at my muscle and not my hand and dumbbell.  Smack!!!  Right in the forehead.  Ouch!!!!! Dang that smarts.  pause the DVD to check for blood.  No blood but a good bump.  Great way to start the day.  Push play, rub head  and continue.  Wow I like this workout.  SMACK!!!  OWWWWWW!!!  Dang it.  Okay that hurt.  Under the eye.  Okay not again.  Boy was I wrong.  Not long after that... BANG!!!  This  time in the nose.  Okay time to start looking up.  The rest of the workout went pretty smoothly. Until near the end of the Condon curls.  So three left and Bam!! Right in the kisser.  Seriously.  Again? So I finish that workout and go get ready for work, but not without something.  a new lesson of the day. Look up, not down.          

Day Nine - Stuffed Puppy Run

So day nine... Back to morning workouts.  Of course with that comes; "Pour some sugar on me." Wow. Am I really going to get up this morning.  I roll over to find my phone and I have no choice in the matter of getting out of bed anymore.  Yes I fall out of bed.  I know what you are saying " Aaron you sure are falling a lot now days."  And to you I say " Yes, yes I am."  So I pull my self back up and find my phone and turn off the "Def".  Get changed and head down stairs.  It is cold today so i through on a jacket and turn on my little space heater..  Open the case of dvds Plyometrics.  Oh man, my legs finaly feel normal.  Oh well times-a-wastin.  Put it in, skip the impending doom warnings and were off. Three minutes later so is the jacket.  Wow this warm up is tough.  Plyo how I hate thee.  Let me count the ways.  Into the workout a little ways and Again I am sweating like crazy.  This one is one of the toughest things I have ever done. Sets of four exercises, then repeat.  One set it pretty hard but two can be down right brutal.  Squat and jump. my legs are burning.  About thirty minutes in Tony says "Most workouts would be done by now; but not this one."  And I completely out of breath yell at the t.v. "Yeah but that wouldn't suit your saddistic ways would it Tony."  I now think Tony is psyscic; cause he made me pay for that comment.  Squat jacks.  You start out doing normaljumping jacks, then you put your hands behind your head and squat down all while still doing jumping jacks.  And I am doing this willingly.  I'm the saddistic one.  Then come for the towel run.   Put a towel on the floor and run around it.  Now last time I did this I got kinda lazy.  I would step an the towel and not move my hips much.  So I decide that I need more incentive to do this.  My wife has a stuffed puppy down stairs. So I put it on the floor and I run around it.  And cause p90x is driving me insane, I am saying "don't step on the puppy." the whole time.  Finish with that...twice. It gets to the end of the work out oh yeah that is one heck of a workout.  I am sweating like crazy and I still have a full day of work left. 
       I had an experience that reminds me why I am doing this.  Right after my workout last night, I found out that a very good friend passed away.  I wasn't something exercise could have steered him away from. But put a comfirmation in my mind that if I don't change how I live; I am putting my self in danger.  Tex gave me my first job when I came here to Utah.  He was a great friend.  He gave me a lot of work alot of fun and alot of laughs.  I will always remember you Tex.  Thank you far helping me start my life here in Utah. Rest in peace my friend.                   

Day Eight - One For Good Luck Two For Good Looks

Wow day eight...  What can I say about day eight.  I made it past a week!!!! Wow this is tough but I hope the more I keep doing it, the better I get.  Back to arms and back today.  Push -ups and pull-up.  Have I ever mentioned how bad I am at these.  Wow I hope I am getting stronger.  At least the warm ups are getting better.  So we start.  I am not doing much better than last time.  Time for the first set off pull-ups.  I almost start to run up my stairs.  I remember my lesson from earlier and I quickly walk up the stairs.  First set go okay.  Then quickly down stairs.  Next set of push-up... Okay but I am still horrible.  "30" Are you serious? 30?  Man I and pushing to get 3-5 maybe 7 and then I have to go to my knees.  Wow what happened to me? Back in high school I would do so many more than this.  If time travel was possible, I would go back in time and let me kick my own butt. After a whole bunch of more sets of this and that it comes to my worst enemy of this workout.  Under the fence push-ups.  Oh these if you saw me doing them it would give you a good laugh.  So in this exercise you get into a push-up position and stick your butt into the air. Kinda like a downward dog in yoga except your legs are spread apart.  Then you dip like you are going under a fence but you stay on your toes and hands.  About four in I am grunting.  Six I am shaking like a leaf.  I think I cant do any more.  "Okay one more." I say. Down shake, shake, shake.  Up, shake, shake, shake.  Can I do one more?  I decide not too.  Don't think that I am giving up. NO!! I still got another set of all these exercises.  This is where it gets messy.  Next set starts. I am sweating horribly.  What's going on? I haven't sweated this bad except for these last two workouts.  Have my pours suddenly decided that they now want to sweat?  Why not the first workout.  I was struggling more than I am now.  Huh I'm not struggling as bad now as I did the first day.  NOW IT'S TIME TO BRING IT!!!  I then get my new motto for some of these sets.  Tony has his own. "Five more in my brain. Can my body match my brain."  I like his.  But I also really like mine.  "One for good luck, two for good looks."  When I get to the point where I don't think I can do any more.  I give myself this little motto and go for the extra.  It pushes me to the limit.  Get through to about the end when my enemy shows back up...  Oh this is going to hurt.  The first few go pretty good.  Then it feels like I hit a wall.  Okay time for the motto.  One very shaky. Two I make it down.  I start back up and so much for the good looks part as I face plant onto the side of my face.  Do I try to catch myself?  Of course not.  I just let myself fall.  Wow this one was hard.  As I am panting on the floor; that awful music starts up.  Ab Ripper X...  Oh man the bane of my existence.  I am pretty sure that my mass below my chest and above my legs will kill me soon.  To make a long story short; there are still parts of that workout that I have the hardest time doing.  It doesn't stop me from trying.  Although during this part I sometime wish it did.  I do my best and forget the rest.                      

Day Six - I Really Need to Stop Saying That

So day six starts off pretty good.  A little later in the day it's work out time.  Oh yeah, I am starting to like this time of day.  Especially when I don't have to wake up and go workout right away.  So today is Kempo!!!! "This can't be too hard."  I really need to stop saying that.  So we begin.  Oh yeah I can do this.  Jab, hook, jab hook.  Oh yeah I am a mean fighting machine.  Left right, left right.  I'm gonna knock somebody out.  This keeps up for oh about the first 20 min.  Then suddenly I am in the 10 round.  Right left switch feet. Left right switch feet.  My arms are starting to burn.  My legs are following suit.  Now when Tony says "Right at me." I wish he was right in front of me.  Although my punches are getting weaker.  Now come the kicks.  My sore legs have decided to visit me as well.  Front kick, back kick.  Oh man.  Why am I doing this.  The sweat is just pouring off of me.  I thought this was going to be a piece of cake.  The kicks keep going and my confidence in my legs is quickly dissipating.  Keep pushing keep kicking.  Wow this is a killer.  I am tired and I swear I look like the biggest weirdo.  Here I am  doing this karate-esk  workout and during the last ten or so reps he wants me to yell?! Wow this is awesome.  A pretty big guy wearing a lifeguard tank top trying to acting like Jackie Chan and trying to scream while punching and kicking.  Not very well I might add. My breathless yells and my weak (and ever dropping toward the floor) kicks have to be the most pathetic thing you could ever see and hear.  I feel so stupid doing it. Yet at the same time I am following every direction from this deranged incredibly fit guy on the screen is telling me to do.  The workout keeps going.  Now we are kicking and punching.  I verbally saying I cant keep this up.  But even during the breaks I keep running and doing jump rope and jumping jacks.  This man is evil.  Jumping jacks? Seriously?....  But I keep going.  What is wrong with me.  I cant keep doing this.  I am getting so tired.  Then he says "100 punches!!!"  Oh no no no no NO.  We start of at a steady slow pace... And then we pick up the pace.  We are squatting while doing this.  50, 51, 52 We are getting faster and faster finally we reach 100!!!?  But he is still going.  I am still going following like a lost puppy.  Punch punch punch punch.  And were done.  Panting I try raise my arms.  They stay up only a moment.  Sweat is beading off  me.  I made it.  Not only did I make it; but I made it without pausing the video to take a break.  I made it all the way through the hour long kempo workout without pausing and stopping to take breaks!!!!!!!!  I then realize that the thing I really need to stop saying is; "I CAN'T."                    

Beginning Photos and Stats

 And Now for Stats!!!
Chest  49 "
Waist 49 "
Hips 50 "
Right Thigh 28.5"
Left Thigh 28.5 "
Right Arm 15.5 ", 16.5 " (flexed)
Left Arm 15.5 ", 16.5 " (flexed)
Neck 18 "
Pant size 40
Shirt XL

Day Five - Don't run Up Spiral Stair Cases

So day five.  I wake up a little up a little later than I usually do.  Yay for days off !!!  So after a call from my brother (thanks by the way for that) I get my butt up and get ready for my workout.  I come downstairs.  Look at the book and its legs and back day. Lets just say I didn't get to this point last time.  At least my legs aren't as sore as they have been.  So it begins.  Warm up goes better.  I hope this trend continues.  Then it's back to the shaking legs.  Oh how I do not like this.  But it is going okay.  Then he says it's time for pull-ups.  No no no.  That is for Monday, not today.  Crap so I pause it to decide how I am going to do pull-ups.  Last time I wrapped my bands around my spiral staircase.  I didn't like that.  I kept feeling that the band was going to snap and smack me in the face.  I can just see the headline "Man horribly injured working out in basement."  I have three doors in my basement.  I cant put my pull-up bar on any of them.  One the celling is too low. Another is under the stairs.  And the other is too wide.  So I finally decide to put my pull-up bar upstairs onto one of my doors upstairs.  So now with my workout I have stairs to do too.  And it's a legs day.  So the first time I go up stairs everything goes just fine.  Same thing with trip two, but then trip three comes.  And I trying to get a better workout and that little bit extra calorie burn I run up the stairs.  Mistake number 1. I get to the top and boom! I slip and hit the ground.  Good thing there was no one there to see that.  But of course I am telling you now so it kinda defeats the purpose of keeping it secret.  Jump up and go do my pull-ups.  and then back down stairs and continue the workout.  Next trip I run again and Bam. Faceplant.  Man, again?  Up and more pull-ups. Oh my arms.  Run back down stairs.  Mistake Number two.  One step from the bottom and oh no there go my feet.  Luckily I catch my self.  Back to workout.  It is time for wall squats.  Oh yeah I used to do this all the time.  I start, and here is where I learn that screaming at the tv kinda helps.  Wow I couldn't make it very far at all.  I love little breaks.  So that workout ends. Time again ladies and gentlemen for?...... Ab Ripper X.  I really hate this workout.  My stomach feels like I have gotten kicked by a mule.  And today I have a special treat while doing it.  My brother shows up.  He becomes my personal cheering section.  (Note the sarcasm.)  As I continue screaming... I mean my workout,  my brother urges me on.  Well kinda jeers me and makes fun of me.  But I finish.  Pretty good day I must say. And I learned that it's really not a good idea to run up or down a spiral staircase.            

Day Four - I'm Starting To Get It

Day Four.  Waking up to "pour some sugar on me" is starting to get to me.  I really like that song. But waking up to it is really making me not like it.  Maybe I need to find a Miley Cyrus song.....  No then I would just throw my phone at the wall; and that would not be good. So my legs are a little better but they still do not want to work. I had no idea what workout I had today. I open the book and crap it's Yoga X.  I got through a half hour last time.  Okay I barley made it through that.  I guess that this time will be no different.  For those of you who might not be familiar with (X) the yoga workout is an hour and a half.  That's right 1.5 hours... 1.5 hours of stuff that my body is not built for. Not yet anyway?!  So we begin standing and breathing.  I like this. Tony is a nice man.  Then Tony turns Evil. Yes; thats Evil with a capital E.  We are going from one position to the next.  back and forth back and forth.My arms a shaking. My legs are shaking. you could have used me to mix paint 5 min. into This workout. I fell so many times today i know know why they do this A. on a mat. and B. on a solid surface. Not carpet.  i am going to have rug burn from when my body decided it didn't want to be in that position at that particular moment.  Oh burn and shake burn and shake.  I keep going. There were things I could not do.  Not even close.  Remember that mass below my chest and above my legs? Yeah, that won't let me do a lot of things.  Then Tony says to do something I think no human can do. " In runners pose, put your left hand behind your back; and with your right hand reach underneath between your legs and grab your other hand."  What?!!!???  Thats not possible. I look up at the screen and there are four people in this unnatural pose.  I feel like I am a G.I. Joe action fIgure complete with soda can love handles.  And I am watching four Gumby figures contorting themselves whichever whey they want.  We then go to balance poses. Those are where I fall so much I spent more time standing back up and getting into position than I did in the pose its self.  During one part that i absolutely could not do it(That pesky mass again.), I see the clock I have made it over an hour.  I didn't quit.  I keep going. All the way doing as much as i can screaming through the pain and trying to breath like they keep saying.  Finally The cool down nice restful poses. Breathing easy.  I loved and hated this workout. I even did the ohms.  Wow I am tired but I feel great!  I am starting to understand "Do your best, and forget the rest!" Namaste my friends.

Day Three - I HATE TONY HORTON

Day three begins as I wake up, rollover on my back, straighten my legs. and my oh my I want to die!  I HATE Tony Horton at this moment.  I roll out of bed and the hate starts to boil. Go into the bathroom this is where I find out how low to the ground the toilet really is. Oh can being skinnier really be worth this pain?!!  I look in the mirror see my gut hanging there.  I feel it is I get changed. Start the dvd. Thank heavens it arms and shoulders my legs are killing me.  Warm up.... oh how I hate this warm up. Tony with smile and prefect form and.... I will stop there.  As I start to work out thats when I get focused.  The workout is going well. I like this work out, hard but it suits me; until we get to Condan Curls. "You want me to what?!!" I say to the t.v.  Squat? Squat and do curls? Nay nay... my legs shake the whole time. Wow I want to beat Tony to a pulp for that one.  Then something weird happened. Standing back up wasn't as hard.  Okay Tony I don't hate you but right now we're not on good terms.  If my legs function in the morning day four.

Day Two - Jelly Leg Day

Day two begins after a nice nights sleep.  I wake refreshed. Big improvement form the day before.  Then I try to move my arms.  They really don't like me; but it could be worse. I get dressed and head down stairs. Put in the dvd, read the warnings, get that awful feeling in the pit of my stomach. I feel that will be a reoccurring theme. Plyometrics.  If you have done this workout... enough said.  Tony Horton even says this will kill you. Not like that but the doom in his voice about this workout pierced into my mind.  (audible Gulp!!) I can do this. "Come on Aaron." I tell myself. Warm up begins. Warm up ends. No big oh crap what am i doing thoughts this time. But that bad feeling is still there.  And then the fun begins. Please note the sarcasm. in the last sentence. For those of you who don't know that plyometrics is; its basically jump training.  Squat, jump, squat unnaturally, jump. I remember jump rope.  That was fun. This is not. Squat jump, squat hop, Hiseman, tires. I can feel my legs trembling.  I don't know how much more I can do.  Tony lets out his "Do your best, and forget the rest!" I half yell half pant out, "It's hard to forget pain when its happening Tony!" He seemed to laugh at me. Yet he kept encouraging me. I didn't think I would make it. I couldn't do anything close to the people on the dvd; but I got through it. My legs shaking not wanting to keep going.  I made it.  Barely.  That was hard.  I come up stairs, grab a cup of water turn around and there is staring at me is the most evil thing in the world at that moment.  Leftover birthday cake.... And Funfetti cupcakes. Oh the humanity!!! Oh how I wanted to dive into those.  But reason cooled my mind. I ran away like a girl from those tasty morsels.  A plan came to my mind. Take them to work.  Let them eat them.  So I did.  And that made harder to resist. These are really good they told me eating them in front of me.  Somehow I managed. Legs still sore and filled with jelly. I made it through Day Two!!!!                

Day One - Arm Jelly Day

So day one. this is how it began.  Sunday(not the actual day i started but the day before) 9:30 p.m. I had just finished celebrating my birthday.  I get home and got to bed cause I have to wake up at 3:30am for work.  I fall asleep fast. It lasts 2 hours.......  My wife comes into the room and I am awake! Not just groggy awake, I am awake.  She goes down stairs cause she is not feeling very well.  I soon follow. She starts falling asleep watching a movie which because I am awake i was watching too. (like a kid acting like he is sleeping peeking with one eye open.) She turns it off at 2:00 30 min later i go back to bed hoping to get some sleep. It comes at 3:00..... it is then shattered by "pour some sugar on me."  I know diet' exercise plan and I wake to a song about sugar. I get up get ready for work eat a banana.  and I'm off.  Fast fordward 12 hours. I have a 40 min drive each way and I work 10 hr. shifts on a printing press thus the 12 hours. get home change and that was the last pleasureable moment of my day.  As soon as I put the first dvd in and start to read the warnings; the pit of my stomach starts telling me NO!!!  But after only 2 1/2 hours sleep and years of feeling like crap about my self i press play. Chest and Back here we go.  We start to wamr up.  This isn't so bad I can do this. and the warm up continues... and continues... how long can this last ?... At this point I am stating to evaluate my choice to do this. Remind you this is only a warm up. Warm up over the real pain begins. Exercise after exercise my arms dont want to cooperate.Keep pushing keep pulling its all I can do.  First water break the stop button looks like a glazed doughnut calling my name.  Next set. "How many are you going to do." Tony says. I hear 20 25 20. I sheepishly squeek out. "5" yes 5! Thats what I thought i could muster but i did 7!!!(big accomplishment for me here!!!!tes 7 pushups about killed me.) Keep going I thought to myself ... Finially over I feel okay extremely happy that its over... but my arms feel like heavy noodles filled with jelly. Then I hear the music start again... How in the world could I forget about this. (DON DON DONNNNNNNNN....(scary ominious music) AB RIPPER X (echo echo echo)... I then think "i have abs i can do this... I hope."  About 2 minutes in I realize abs are not a muscle in my body but a mass below my chest and above my legs that is going to be the end of me. While doing this I felt like a kid at fat camp with Tony Perkins and Lars standing over me telling me I'm fat. (Heavy Weights refrence)  I didn't know my stomach could feel like that... it wasn't pleasant.  After that my workout was over i felt like absolute crap but oddly happy about it. I can only imagine what the rest of this journey is going to bring. I can predict one thing...PAIN!!!                

The beginning

And so it begins.... So to speak I actually got P90X almost two years ago.  Needless to say I didn't succeed.  At all; okay I made it a week.  I am hoping i make it that far.  To start out my name is Aaron I just turned 25 on my first day of P90X.(which I am going to to just calling the X (its easier!!).) I am 261 pounds as of day one with a lot of other measurements.  Basically short and fat.  My real challenge and the decision to do this was made about 5-6 month ago.  I got on the scale at work and it read 281.  Big frowny face.  Almost 300 pounds!!! Not good I wear size 40-42 Pants. Do you know how hard it is to find decent looking jeans that fit? Its no a good experience.  Back to a couple months ago i weighed 281 lbs. i had to change things some eating habits. Like my precious hostess cakes.  And 44 oz. Root beers. and a lot of other things.  I did make some progress 20 lbs.  Just from cutting out some crap and I already started to feel better!!! So  Standing in front of the mirror seeing my mass of belly; remembering a time where it didn't protrude and sag and have love handles the size of pop can.  I know its disgusting and you are asking why are you telling me this!? 1. because its the truth and 2. because I needed recognize the fact that I wasn't doing okay... there are fatter people than me. I'm fine... I'm not and I need to change!!! NOW!!! And so it begins I hope this blog helps me complete this.  And maybe if you are reading this i might know you maybe i don't.  I kinda hope this might help someone to start to get their lives back.  I know i am ready. I want to go hiking and not get winded in the first 2 min. I want to go run in a 3k 5k 10k. I don't care about winning or be the fastest; i just want to be able to run it and not have to stop and feel like I am going to die. I want to wear clothes that fit me. Not ones that the arms art to long and billow out like big clouds over my arms.  These are things i want.  If you are working on getting in shape think of these little things you want write them down and go for them. In a book iIjust read it had a part where into a part of a statue was put "Your life is yours, rise up and live it."  That is what i am doing I am rising up (of the couch out of bed out of my cushy "flabby" comfort zone; and I am going to start living!!!!!! Good and Bad, Triumph and Pain, I am getting my life back!!!!